Lili's eyes slowly fluttered open as she felt the emptiness inside her soul. She had feigned being unconscious for what seemed to be an eternity, enduring the agonizing sound of Cris' mother's constant sobs. Lili was grateful to have Cris look after her, but the charade was too much for her to bear. She let out a weary sigh and gingerly touched the wound that she had inflicted upon herself. She had been careful not to cause any serious injury, as the stab wound had been of her own doing. Lili purposely avoided vital organs as she ran the blade across her skin, a calculated move that she hoped would help her in the days to come. Marco's crows cawed in the distance, signifying that it was time for her to leave. It was a warning that she had come to rely on in order to stay hidden from those who chased her. She had fled from Master Ken's pursuit and sought refuge with Marco, who had given her clothes to change into. The swordsman had concealed her mask, sword, and previous attire in ord
Master Ken acknowledged the Mask Princess's fearless display with a nod of approval and a hint of admiration in his voice, "You are a brave one to venture into the palace." Nevertheless, his grip on his sword betrayed a sense of wariness that the Mask Princess savored as she observed him.She calmly replied to Master Ken's comment, "Risking the life of the crown prince is far more consequential than entering his abode."As they stood there in a tense stand-off, the Mask Princess scanned their surroundings carefully but quickly realized that her desired target was not present. As she felt the urgency to take swift action, she tensed her bow, aiming for the small lump in the room, and released an arrow, plunging the space into complete darkness. The Mask Princess darted away without a moment's hesitation, her escape aided by the Minister of War who came into her sights and earned her another well-aimed arrow, hitting him in the knee and causing him to stagger.With her heart pounding and
Her fist clenched tightly, her knuckles turning white, as she glared intently at the ornate wooden door that Master Ken and her friend, Mahara, had just exited. The news that Avoi had been promoted to be the Minister of War's right-hand man had hit her like a ton of bricks. It was like a slap in the face, an attempt by Master Ken to taunt her and cast suspicion her way. Did he think that she was the Mask Princess? Her heart raced with anxiety at the thought of being found out. From her accent, language, and even her height, there was a high chance that he would suspect her.She flopped back onto her bed, tossing and turning, trying to come up with a plan to clear her name. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and someone slipped into the room."Poor Lili, she still hasn't woken up," Avoi said, her voice hushed."Maybe she'll wake up next week," Cris added."Huhuhu don't die, Lili," Mahara sobbed, the sound grating on Lili's nerves. She couldn't take much more of their excessive crying and
The two stood facing each other the tension palpable in the air. The glint of his sword caught the light, reflecting off the polished metal. They are both confident in their skill and this battle. However, as they circled each other, it became clear that neither was willing to make the first move.He knew that he could not defeat her in combat. She was quick and agile, her movements as graceful as a dance. He had seen her fight before, and he knew that she was a formidable opponent. But he was determined to see her face, to know the woman behind the mask.As they continued to circle, he made his decision. He slowly lowered his sword, the metal clinking softly against the ground. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of his intentions. But then she too lowered her sword, and they stood facing each other, unarmed.She approached him slowly, her eyes never leaving his. She didn't want him to think that she was afraid to fight without a weapon. As she drew closer, he could see
Why was he so weak? She thought, anger rising within her at his apparent helplessness.She viewed the masked men with disdain as they backed away from her, their identities hidden behind the garish masks adorning their faces. "Your masks reveal your high positions in the Palace," she taunted, their cowardly behavior only adding to her disgust.But they quickly retaliated, pointing at the Mask Princess’s own mask. "You wear a mask, too," they snarled.The Mask Princess grinned, her determination remaining steadfast. "I’ll take it off," she replied, drawing herself up to her full height. "But only if you go first."The men laughed, their amusement quickly turning darker. "Before us, let’s get rid of your companion," they threatened, moving towards the prince with malicious intent.The Mask Princess’s mind raced, her thoughts creating a plan of action. She knew she had to outsmart these men and convince the Crown Prince to stand alongside her to prevent the destruct
Lili's mouth was agape with amazement at the sight of the long table adorned with distinct delicacies that made her heart race with joy. She gazed at her mother with crystal-clear, tear-filled eyes that represented pure happiness, accompanied by her sister Cris, who has now softened her usual angry glares. Her father was grinning with delight as he watched the joyous faces of his wife and daughter."I thought it would take you two weeks or more to wake up. I was so worried about you, Lili," her mother's voice quavered as tears streamed down her face.Lili returned the embrace with a tender smile etched on her face. Her mother hastened to fill her plate with a generous number of vegetables."Eat a lot of vegetables so you can get stronger," she tenderly advised.Lili flickered a grin, nodding her head in agreement. She joyfully savored everything on the table and bestowed a beam on her family. She reciprocated the servers' kind smiles too.As soon as they finished
In his quiet chamber, the King sat hunched over a canvas. Slowly, he painted the details on the face of a woman with a radiant, joyful smile. When he was finished, he carefully added a caption beside her."My beloved," he wrote.Putting down his brush, the King chose a fresh sheet of paper. He began to draw a figure of a woman, formulating perfect lines and curves. But as he reached the part where he should mark her face, he faltered. There was a nagging feeling that he didn't know her face at all, and his hand stopped.Almost abruptly, he put down the pencil and simply wrote on the paper instead."Unah," he wrote, the name of his child.After finishing, he looked at the sketch for a long moment, clutching it tightly. A wave of regret and sorrow washed over him as he realized how little he really knew about his child. He had never been there for her, and he didn't even know her face.Suddenly, a knock on the door shook him out of his thoughts. General Ybarra strode in, and the King's
The inconsolable sobs of the young lady echoed within the cavernous chamber, filling the silence with an intense feeling of despair and loneliness. Her head hung low, her face seeping with tears of sorrow, an intricate mask adorned her features, as if to hide her true identity from anyone who sought to discover it.Suddenly, a pair of feet approached and stopped in front of her. Trembling with fear, she peered through her tears and caught sight of the stoic Warrior General. He elegantly lowered himself to the ground, taking ahold of her tense hands and slowly drew down her mask.Soothingly, he wiped her tears away with his thumb, his eyes filled with deep sadness and empathy. She choked out through sobs, "Marco...""Your highness," he replied, his voice soft and assuring.Her emotions continued, “I am Unah… that’s my name.”The Warrior General nodded, "But I can’t call you by your name."She was taken aback. "Why not? I'm not a princess anymore. My father abandoned me a long time ago.”