Chapter 199 - Sunny Seaside In Winter

Before Xinyi and friends set out to the forest, these events took place.

The snow hadn't found its way to Fengfu yet, but the biting cold air from the mountains was a struggle for the children and aged at night until late in the morning. Warmer breeze would only take over when the sun almost reached its highest in the white expanse above. However, Lifen watched in wonderment at the vast sea and a long line of beach in front of her. The mansion where Lifen stayed was on a tropical island, where the sunlight veiled the treetops, and frothing seawater swayed at the shore. 

How could these people transport me here after a night of abduction? It couldn't be that she had slept that long for her to miss the travel all the way to the far east where the land and the sea meet. But such a journey would mean months, not days or weeks, but months. There was only one explanation here, magic. They traveled through a magical being or a flying machine; she thought.

She strutted barefoot on the sands wearing a white, open-shoulder, and knee-length dress. It was made of soft cloth. One that was so comfy to the touch. Her fair skin sparkled as the sunlight touched it. This was the first time she saw this fashion. But she knew the source of such cloth, the country of Pernisia at the far east.

Lifen jumped in the knee-deep water and stayed there for a while until a male voice called her. She looked back and raised her brows. Prince Zelmer, in shorts and a flowery shirt, followed her to the water. His hair was now plain black with no sign of the previous white and red. His handsome features told Lifen it was him.

She admitted he was an attractive man. Those well-trimmed but thick eyebrows and high-bridged nose weren't common to the men in her country. His bright eyes reflected a man of intelligence. She silently giggled, feeling funny to herself. Kind of going back to her maiden years.

"Hello, your highness." Lifen curtsied, expecting he was a prince of Bernavoles.

The prince laughed. "How did you know I'm a prince?"

"The maids told me." She peeled her eyes away from him and looked down at the tiny fish wriggling at her toes.

"I see. And what else did they say about me?"

"They said that you're looking for a bride," she said, still looking down. "But they added something peculiar… of which I'm not sure if it's true."

Prince Zelmer leaned down, peeking down, and caught her blushing, encouraging him. "Now that you know, what do you think?"

Lifen didn't answer. Instead she said, "But they also told me you already have three wives back in your homeland. So, why add..." Her words were cutoff because...

The prince extended an arm and wrapped it around her waist, bringing her to him in one smooth move, making her gasped as his lips almost touched hers. His mint-smell breath brushing her mouth, taking her breath away. In a hurry, her palms moved up on his chest, keeping a bit of distance between them. 

"I love all my wives and give them all the attention they need. As you can see, I'm a fair person. Ask the maids and they'll tell you that. I promise you, I will treat you well. And I will make you happy for the rest of your life."

The prince knew she was on guard, but merely played along with him. But he didn't care. He was adamant to win her.

"What do you think, my dear, Lifen?"

The endearment was nothing for her, but addressing her first name was reserved for those closest to her. "What?" Lifen pushed him away, but his hand embraced her tight, not wanting to let her go. 

"What's wrong? Can't I call you with your first name?"

"Let me go." Lifen said while pushing his chest harder.

His tight hold loosened, but he was still holding her. "Sorry, but please answer me first. Will you marry me?"

"No, I'm already engaged."

"That man doesn't deserve you. He is even younger than you." Her age was a total taboo for her. This time, he crossed the line. And he saw it. "Oh, dear." He whispered as a warning to himself.

With little thought, Lifen used her inferior height and heavily dipped her head down, carelessly hitting the prince's nose. Next, she lifted her hands up on the prince's head and yanked his face down to her waiting knee. Yet, this was still not enough for her and she swept her foot at the back of his leg, sending him tumbling on his back. 

She didn't give him time to scream and turned his body, yanked his hair up, pounced his head down, letting the still painful sinuses pound the sand, and last but not the least, Lifen jerked his wrist upward on his back. "How did you know my age? Why did you abduct me?" she said, straddling on his back. "And where is this place? Answer me."

He winced in pain, slapping the free hand on the ground. Three men in armor ran to them. She heightened her senses, ready for the incoming guards, but the prince shouted, "Don't. Leave us."

"Wow, your confidence is quite admirable. Do you think I can' beat you to a pulp or, if necessary, kill you?"

"That really hurts. Let me go and I'll explain." 

"Answer me first." She roared.

"This is my domain. You can't leave here without my permission."

"How about I'll kill you now?"

"If that happens, you will not only face my guards, but this place will imprison you forever. So, let me go. We can talk as civilized people fitting our age." 

She hissed and tightly twisted his wrist before releasing him. A loud crack sounded, sending him to a long scream. His guards' faces turned sour and almost lunged their spears at her, but their hands hardened while their feet became glued to the ground. They watched his pitiful situation, sighing.

He stood up at a snail's pace, gasping for air. And with a wave of the fine hand, the sea, sand, trees, and guards disappeared. They were back in her room with a table of food waiting.

[If you are not reading this in Web novel dot com, please read it there to support the author JoanB.]

---- o ----

Outside the Prince's tent, Prime Minister Xian Lang waited with Luqat, Fu, and Longwei. Two knights stood at the entrance with swords raised, depicting an X at the flapping tent opening.

"The leader won't see you today."

Why wouldn't he? Tell him I am the Prime Minister of this country. If he won't come out now, I will lay this place in waste. LISTEN while I'm still showing mercy." His yell resounded in the five hundred square meter land where the Bernavole's trader had camped. 

The two knights' legs wobbled with that voice. This was a portion of the power his dragonized armors gave him, a dragon might and authority. But this wouldn't last long because he had no dragon's blood. He had to take advantage of the ten-minutes time limit that he could use it, otherwise he would lose this chance. 

"Bring the Governess out right now!" He shouted. 

The entire camp rocked, and the campers trembled as if a dragon's feet stomped on their lungs, sending them to kneel. The two knights held on from kneeling with their swords pinned on the ground as stake.

"Kneel!" Xian Lang yelled at the top of his lungs. True to the dragon's power, the armor shone, but a transparent one where not a n.a.k.e.d eye could lay their sight on it, aside from one in the camp, the one with the exceptional power of sight. He saw this dominant power reverberated throughout the camp, sending everyone to their knees, including the two adamant knights.

However, Prince Zelmer was still at the seaside illusion in his own domain at this time. Before entering that specific place inside his domain, he had closed all links of communication from the camp to him. He was set to accomplish an important mission, to get Lifen to tell him the location of the mines, and... marry him.

---- o ----

Nianshi and Meirga jumped out from a blackhole in the sky, transformed into their dragon forms, and flew down toward the waiting group below the gaping hole in the ground.

Xinyi and company stood inside with necks stretched out, watching the descending pair. They moved to give the two some space to land, however; they became humans again before the soles of their feet touched the black soil in the tunnel. With everyone inside, the hole closed on its own and the white stone ceiling appeared in its place. 

"Why are you back soon?"

"We need to go back to Fengfu now. Your mother is in great danger. I will explain everything later." Nianshi said.

[If you are not reading this in Web novel dot com, please read it there to support the author JoanB.]