Next time.

The day went by and the prince was escorted by the court ladies to his quarter to rest. His soldiers followed him behind.

"Here, your highness" the court lady directed the prince inside the chamber.

"It has been seven years, but I remember everything. Even my way to this bedroom" prince commented enthusiastically to the court lady.

Her face flashed with embarrassment after she thought he will invite her in.

"You are all dismissed" he said.

"Have a good rest, your highness" the court lady bowed before she left.

Prince Asa strolled inside the room, there were a large bed at the middle with white curtains around it.

The dressing table with broad mirror beside it, there were also a door leading to the bathroom and another door leading to the prince's personal library.

After carefully checking, prince Asa recognized his room and he saw not much new things in his room. The room looked and smelled the same as before.

The few things which changed were the size of the furnitures, the color of the bedsheets, and the curtains at the windows. Now they really matched to the man's presence.

Asa felt his body aching, probably he was tired from the long and excruciating journey which took many days and nights.

He thought, taking a long nap will soothe his wrecking and aching body.

He was about to jump on his bed when he sensed the presence of the people behind him.

He turned back. His two bodyguards were still standing on the same spot he left them.

He smiled surprisingly to their installment.

"What are you waiting for ?!" he asked.

"Your order, your highness" it was cosmos who replied, clasping his hands behind his back.

"What order ?!" prince asked, surprised. " Didn't I allowed both of you to leave ?!".

"Forgive us your highness. The thing is we don't know our way back to the guestrooms" the other soldier spoke. It was Zayn.

"Are you playing with me ?!" prince asked, this time displeased.

"I won't dare" Zayn replied with a smile but after seeing the prince's cold face, he refrained his smile and bite his lips awkwardly.

Cosmos also noted the prince's reaction to the soldiers witty words, he said "Forgive us your highness. We will stand guard at the doors"

"No need for that Cosmos. You're allowed to rest. Ask the maidens, they will show you to your rooms"

"Thank you, your highness" they said in unison. "We will try to stay close"

They finished, before they slightly bowed to the prince and strolled out of the room.

They met palace guards at the hall leading to the prince's bedroom. They assured them about prince's safety and approached the doors of the prince's bedroom before closing them.

Asa was laying down on his bed, thinking about his life.

Living at the border was not easy but it was his decision and he had none to blame on it. But now he was back at the place he left only because he had plans to do at the castle.

Now was the right time, he thought.

What plans did he had ?!. Only him who knows.

Still laying on his bed. His head turned to the window, he remembered the girl he met at the market earlier today.

She was mysteries !!. He thought but she was also young and beautiful and stunning in her white black dress, her dark brown hair cascaded down to her waist, painting the hourglass shaped body that made his eyes observed in awe.

He wasn't only flabbergasted by her sudden appearance but also stunned by her ethereal beauty but what about the pain he felt ?!.

What was all about ?!.

Remembering her light blue eyes let him search deeper in his thoughts " Where have I see them. These two beads, pretty eyes ?!. I'm sure I have seen them before".

He wiped his face with his hand. He was feeling asleep. Discarding his thoughts away, he let his body drowned in a deep slumber.

I was running deep through the tunnel that seemed there was no end but I know there was an end. But I didn't know what was awaiting for me.

What if the time I get to the queen's chamber is the time I perished.

The queen will be there , isn't it ?!. Seeing me coming from the secret way in her room.

"Guards !!. Catch this intruder" that is what she will say.

Clinging to the last hope that none of it shouldn't happen. I gulped down when I reached at the end door.

It was still open, I breathed out in relief seeing the door open means none get inside and witnessing what I left behind.

It was chaos, the room looked from how it was.

I managed to put everything into its place before anyone came inside. When I finished I didn't believe if I could manage to come back and find things still the way that they were. Well...I was lucky.

Lastly I sighed and got out of the room like nothing had happened.

The day went by switching to different duties and when I finished working I waited for the night to arrive.

I entered the maids bedchamber along with my fellow maids.

Our backs were aching probably from doing a lot of works today. After few minutes passed, we were in bed sleeping, but not me who intentionally stayed awake.

After I made sure that the other maids fell asleep, I jumped out of the window and started walking faster towards the dark alley so that no one could see me .

Fortunately, it was really dark and no one saw me until I finally abled to arrive at the altar .

It was silent and no one seemed to be there . What was I thinking coming here alone, was it really my choice ?!.

I was afraid I didn't know what was waiting for me there.

I didn't talk to anyone for a whole day, just thinking about two mysterious men that I met at the market in both scarry situations .

I looked everywhere around but I caught no sight of a man. I felt chill air embracing my skin and started trembling.

Suddenly I felt the hands of a man, one on my waist while other covering my mouth.

Someone was dragging me away from where I was standing. I struggled to break free from the man's hands but my efforts come to no avail. I tried to scream but my voice failed to be heard.

I regretted coming here until I heard the man whisper. "Hushhh.... it is me. Look " he revealed his face from a black hood.

It was a soldier I met today.

I breathed in relief, knowing it wasn't him who planned to do something bad to me.

His hands clasping my shoulders, arching my body to his direction, while pressing my back against the wall.

His big hands were fully on top of my shoulders and I shivered. He really knows how to scare me with those big hands of him.

He withdrew his hands from my shoulders after reassuring me it was him but for god's sake he didn't remove his body which he trapped me in between him and to the wall behind my back.

His eyes seemed to look somewhere else, I followed his gaze to see two fire torchlights disappeared from a distance .

He sighed in relief and turned his head to me.

"Who were they?" I asked still frightened by the situation.

"It doesn't matter. They nearly spotted you, if it wasn't me I don't know what would happen to you" he muttered, he looked worried when he said that.

"And why you didn't hide your face when you came here, it is dangerous what if someone saw you ?! "

He was scolding me. I felt he was doing so. For real, I didn't ever think he could talk to me like that less expecting him to speak so casual with me. Maybe because of my title but he was also a guard, similarly to the servants of the castle.

But that wasn't something I paid attention to.

I didn't care if he was scolding me or not, the thing that bothered me was that he was so close. I can't properly breath.

Suddenly I started feeling uncomfortable and the air around me slightly felt turning hot.

I heaved. His eyes inspected me surprisingly until he noticed the closeness between us.

He took few steps away, he lowered his gaze before he said .

"I'm sorry... I will be careful next time "

I didn't know if he was sorry for what happened or for not being careful of not choosing a safe place to meet .

If I'm right I heard him saying 'next time'. Is he expecting us to meet again ?!. No way !! .