Chapter 3 Her Sister, Lian

Do you believe that you can be with someone for the rest of your life?

"Why are you still outside? You'll catch a cold." Meifen asked as she wraps the blanket on Luan's shoulder. "Want some?" She added as she gave the coffee to Luan.

Luan takes the coffee as she takes a sip of it. "Yu," Meifen looks at the sky as Luan called her. "Do you think we can still be together for more years?" Yu, who heard the questions, looks at her out of confusion.

"What do you mean?" Luan sighs as she traced the cup's lips. "I mean, what if one day one of us died because of this? Or all of us died?"

"Dying is normal, Luan. If we don't die, then what's the real meaning of life?" Luan remembers her note as she keeps on tracing the cup.

She remembers all of the posters she saw on the streets with their faces. "You're all on the wanted list. What if one day, you get caught and no one could be able to save you?" Maybe, she's just overthinking, but this scene? It's closer than they thought.

"That's sacrifice, Luan." Yu said as she leans her back in a box.

"We need to sacrifice if we love someone."

"No betrayals. No talking. No spilling of information. And that's something to be proud of if I die. It means I didn't betray anyone and the one I love will be able to escape, free from judgements of the people." Yu caress Luan's hair as if she reassures her that everything will be fine.

"You've done a lot for us. And by the way, how's it going for you and Yi?" Luan chuckles for a moment as she sips some of the coffee.

"What do you mean? I only see Yi as my older brother. We don't have any relationship than brother and sister relationship."

"In fact, he knows who I'm in love with and tease me about it."

"And you're not saying it to me. That's unfair." Yu said as she closes her right eye. She smiles for a while. Standing up from her position, she lends a hand to Luan.

"You can't just sit here forever. You need to rest. Come on. It's a cold night. We still have jobs tomorrow." Luan takes her hand as she stands up.

"Goodnight Yu."

"Sweetdreams Princess."

Lying in bed once again, Luan's birthday passed in a fun and warm way.

It might not be the best birthday for others, especially for nobles, but at least she was known in a different way.

Days have passed and she also became wanted in some restaurants and market. Known as Red Riding Hood. Months have passed, and she became a woman who knows how to use a sword with the help of Zu. Whose father is a retired knight.

And years have passed and she's already 25 years old. The Lost Daughter of the Kingdom, but with a different heart.

She thought that there's nothing that could stop them. Until an unfortunate event brings her back to where she really belongs.

"You're getting sharper and sharper, Your Majesty." Zu teases as he lends her a hand. "Jia is a good tutor, that's why." Luan said as she gave Jia a thumbs-up.

"And that's another points for me!" She laughs.

"And that'll be the last." They stopped as soon as they heard an unfamiliar voice. Jia can't move as the knife is stinging her neck. Blood came out as the knight walks backward.

As they followed him, The King's Guards were in line as their spears is pointing to the criminals.

Luan's sister came-out, looking at her with a worried face. She ran as hurriedly as she hugs her sister tightly.

Luan felt nothing. But cold stares ordered by her father. "Let's go home," Although her sister is older than her, she can see her eyes too well.

The eyes of disgust and hatred.

"Look at you, leaving the palace like that.. You don't know how much I'm worried about you." But why? Why did she felt her sister's sincerity when they didn't talk too much?

"Let's go home. Father is waiting. We want you back home. I spent too many years.. Searching for you." Luan looks at her sister, wiping her tears.

"How about them?"

"Release that girl." The knight hesitates as the princess order doesn't seem to have powers.

"But the King ordered-"

"I AM YOUR PRINCESS. AND YOU. WILL ALSO LISTEN TO ME." Jia was released as Yi catches her. "I already did what you said. You need to come with me."

Leaving no choice, Luan looks back to her colleagues as they smile to her. "We'll come back to get you." They signed to reassure her everything.

Riding in the carriage, she can't help, but to feel uncomfortable. "Why did you come? Is it because of father's order?"

"I've been searching for you for all these years and this is what I'll get in the end..." Lian laughs as she looks at Luan.

"You don't know how much father wanted to get you back. To the point where he doesn't know that I also exist."

"Because you're the true daughter. While I'm the villainess in someone's eye. I guess you're the heroine if it's your point of view."

"Funny, isn't it? I just wanted father to love me. I debuted earlier than you. Because father wanted me to quit. You don't know that, aren't you? Because you're stuck in your room adorned by everyone."

"I was humiliated that time, even if it's my birthday. I was so mad. And I thought you were.the only one who can understand me. But on that night, you won't open the door for me."

"Do you know how much I knock on your door just for you to open it? Where are you when I needed you the most?"

Luan's eye widened as she saw her sister's tears. "I will never be someone like you. I will never be the good one in someone's eyes as long as I'm me."

Her hatred for her suddenly breaks in that time. She envies her when she's literally the one who needs help. She thought she was living in a cage, but her sister was the one who's getting tortured.

She can't speak anything.

As they entered the palace, Lian's face feels like she never cried in the carriage. She was composed as she if she was taught in that way.

The King stands up as soon as she saw her daughters, approaching him.

"I'm back father." Luan said as she bows slightly. While Lian just stands in front of him, tired of respecting his father.

"You must learn from Luan. She's respectful than you."

"As you said, I'll go back to my room, Feng." She called him by name. She might be disrespectful to her father, but maybe she was just tired of how he treats her.

Now that she saw it with her own two eyes, Luan knows that her sister is spitting nothing, but the truth. "As much as I wanted to talk to you about many things, but I guess you should clear-up your mind first and familiarize yourself with the palace once again." The King called the maids as they fall in line.

"Clean the princess and dress her nicely."

"We'll be having a dinner later on. Call your sister. I don't want to call her myself as she acts like that arrogant woman."

'It's because you never show her what a father is, but you showed her that you're just nothing, but a ruler of this kingdom. '