PROTECT THE PRINCESS: THE HIDDEN WARRIOR

4 COMFORT ME

“Yeah.” Commander Lucifer answered.

“Hmm. Quite interesting, but you need to study me more because that was just a quarter of me that you narrated.” Princess Chu Hua said as she looked away.

“Like seriously?” Commander Lucifer asked.

“Yeah. And if I may ask, who is the stranger you were talking about?” Princess Chu Hua asked Lucifer as she tried to recap the stranger's story parts.

“Princess, I just answered all the questions you were asking, his majesty. He isn't in a good mood to talk to anyone, nor does he want to tell you these things by himself. He is confused at this point.

But you don't have to be worried, your guiding angel will never allow that to happen.” Lucifer explained everything to her with an assurance that all will be fine.

“What! Are you kidding me?” She raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Not really. I'm not, my princess. Your guiding angel will always be by your side. If only you cooperate.” Lucifer said with a serious tune.

“A guiding angel?” Princess Chu Hua asked as she exposed her white, shining teeth. And Lucifer nodded.

“And how do you know about the guiding angel?” She asked as she crossed her arms on her chest.

“He's already here.” Commander Lucifer took her hand and pointed to himself, indicating the angel.

“Lucifer, is this some kind of joke or what?” Princess Chu Hua asked and stared into his eyes.

“Why ask? Do I resemble a comedian?”

Lucifer said as he stooped down to face princess Chu Hua who was still sitting on the chair. 

“Why are you afraid?” He jokingly asked.

“Am not. I'm just wondering whether this whole story is true or not.” She replied sharply and took her hand from him.

“Do you think I will just stand here and form a story by myself and tell you?” 

“Okay! Okay! If you claim that the stranger doesn't know me nor do I know him, then how is it possible that he wants to marry someone he has no idea of?

Moreover, where is he from?” She asked the questions her father was trying to avoid.

“Hahaha.” Lucifer laughed wholeheartedly.

“My princess, it is written all over you that you don't believe what I am telling you. But think about this. Apart from when the king lost his queen, that's your mom. Have you ever seen the king in such a mood before?” He asked.

“Lucifer, the whole thing is complicated. Please just tell me vividly what's happening. I'm so confused right now.” Princess Chu Hua smirked.

“My princess, it's my duty to serve and obey everything you ask of me, but it hurts and touches my heart when I hear this word “please” from your mouth.

Surely, there's no princess with a godly and golden heart like you in the entire universe.” Commander Lucifer romantically said.

“Lucifer can you just please tell me what's happening?” 

She grew angry despite the romantic words Lucifer was using to calm her down. 

This was the only strategy he usually used to calm her mind, but it seems like her anger has been mixed with fire that can't be quenched. She was curious to know what was going on in the kingdom behind her back.

Although Lucifer was telling the truth about her father, it has been a long time since she saw her father in such a mood, since when her mother gave up the ghost. That was when she was still seven years old. And it triggers her when she sees her father angry or when he's not in a good mood, even though he always tries everything possible to smile at her even when he's angry. Maybe it is because she was the only child of her parents.

“Pardon my manners. But this is what actually happened.”

Some men from Gap sin came here a few days ago and handed a letter to me to deliver it to the king, your father. And they said it was from their king, king Cheng.” Lucifer vividly narrated everything that was written in the letter and what it was written with.

“They are expecting a reply from us, but the king and the council members vow to fight rather than give them what they want. Though their army is more numerous than the stars of the sky because they keep increasing every blessed day. They live a free life that no one questions them, and also have better fighters than we do. But trust me, no one will harm you as long as I am alive. This is the promise I made to you as the commander of this great kingdom. Trust me, I will keep to my promise.” Commander Lucifer made her a promise to protect her as he fixed his eyes on something from far as if he were sighting an incoming danger. But to his greatest surprise, he turned and found princess Chu Hua shivering like a bird that had been beaten by the rain.

Commander Lucifer took hold of her two hands to comfort her, but it seemed as if it wasn't working. Lucifer sat close to her and gave her a tight hug. 

“It's okay, you don't have to be worried,” Lucifer whispered to her ears.

"If the prince doesn't know me, then why will he want to marry me? Or does his father know me? She asked while hugging Lucifer for more comfort.

“No. None of them knew you. I believe they were told by spies.” Lucifer said as he cuddled her. Cuddling the princess wasn't a special thing to commander Lucifer because she was always free with everyone, especially him.

“Spies?” She raised her head and looked into his eyes.

“Yes. Spies.” He answered.

“But how is that possible?” She kept on asking the questions her father was probably avoiding. 

“You won't know who will betray you until you see the person. A princess like you can not only be known in her kingdom, outsiders must know you, even if you don't leave the kingdom. Some people must have been taking information without our noticing. But the thing is, it will be difficult for us to know them. Moreover, there are men from other kingdoms that once lived in this kingdom and later moved to the Gapsin kingdom. These men think they are enjoying life, not knowing that it will take them to their early grave, but most of them won't understand because they are blinded by the things they see there.

“Do you mean people will leave their kingdom for Gapsin?

“Yeah. Gapsin was a small kingdom many years back until Cheng was made a king. He attacked many small kingdoms, and they become their slaves and serve them. But king Cheng wanted his kingdom to be large, so he gave everyone freedom to do whatever he/she wants to do, including the slaves. Some other kingdoms began taking them unaware by attacking them at midnight and killing some of their men, but their targets were always on king Cheng unfortunately, king Cheng was always ready at any time. So, they always get killed. Only a few people always escape.

King Cheng never gave up on attacking other kingdoms. When they get to know that the Gapsin kingdom does not have a law governing them, they begin to leave their kingdoms for Gapsin just to live a free life. That's how the Gapsin kingdom grew higher and higher every day. They are now numerous, like the stars of the sky.” Commander Lucifer explained.

“Please, can I ask you one more question?” Princess Chu Hua said.

“Sure, go ahead,” Lucifer replied.

If you were to choose between the Gapsin lifestyle and this kingdom, which one would you go for?” Princess Chu Hua asked.

“If I didn't like this lifestyle, I wouldn't have been here. I would have been in the Gapsin kingdom by now.” Lucifer responded.

“I see. So assuming that you left for Gapsin, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to know you?” Princess Chu Hua asked with a wide smile on her face.

“Maybe,” Lucifer answered and smiled back at her.

They smiled at each other, and she said, “it wouldn't have been fair if you were not in my life”.

“Like seriously?” Lucifer asked with a little excitement and she nodded.

“But what do you mean by 'it wouldn't have been fair if I wasn't in your life?”

“Hahaha. Forget about it, just kidding.” Princess Chu Hua laughed out loud.

“No. I can't forget this one. You need to tell me what you mean by that.” Lucifer insisted.

“Why?” Princess Chu Hua asked.

“Because I want to know my role in your life,” Lucifer responded. 

“Please forget about it, for now, let's finish our previous discussion and we will talk about mine later.” Princess Chu Hua also insisted on a serious tune.

Commander Lucifer stared at her. And some thoughts flashed through his mind.

“Princess Chu Hua seems to be hiding something from me. But what could that be? She has been beating around the bush without opening up. Well, it's best known to her.” Lucifer thought to himself.

 Princess Chu Hua, on the other hand, was busy admiring the flowers in the garden. She knows how she feels about Lucifer, but this was never the right time to say it out.

“Why are you quiet? Princess Chu Hua asked Lucifer.

“Ah! Nothing. Just thinking about life.”

Lucifer responded.

“Life?”

“Yeah, life,” Lucifer answered.

“Alright. Now back to our discussion.”

Princess Chu Hua said.

“Which discussion?” Lucifer asked, pretending to have forgotten.

“Gapsin kingdom.” Princess Chu Hua answered, knowing fully that Lucifer was trying to play with her senses, but she wasn't going to fall for his trick.

“What about the Gapsin kingdom?” Commander Lucifer whined at her.

“Oh gosh, have you forgotten what we were discussing early?” She asked back.

“Oh, we were talking about the statement you said about me," Lucifer responded.

“Lucifer.” She romantically called his name.

“Yes, my Princess. Any problem?” Lucifer kept asking her different questions to make her explain her statement, but she refused.

“Why would they want to do such a thing?” Princess Chu Hua asked Lucifer to let him forget about her statement.

“What do you mean?” Lucifer also asked.

“I mean, what do they want from us?” Princess Chu Hua asked once more, confused about what to ask.

“Vengeance is what King Cheng is looking for.

“Vengeance?” Princess Chu Hua asked in a scary voice.

“Yes, vengeance,” Lucifer replied.