Chapter 5 Before Her 18th Birthday

[Typographical Errors AHEAD]

Do you believe in second life?

How about living as yourself for the second time?

What will you do.. If you return to your past? Will you fix your mistakes? Or will you just let it go and live a new life without those people you met before?

"Your Majesty?"

"Princess Luan, wake up.."

Luan suddenly woke up, panting. She sighs in relief as she touches her neck. "A bad dream.."

"But it felt so real.."

"What real?" She looks at the maid as she sits on her bed. "Nothing. It's just a bad dream. Right. Can you get the envelope inside my cabinet? I want you to send it to the address I wrote."

But when the maid's getting the envelope, the cabinet doesn't have anything in it. "There's nothing, Your Majesty."

"What? I clearly-" She stops as she realizes that maybe..

'Maybe it was also a dream? ' She sighs as she stands up. Looking at the mirror, her eyes widened. She tries to look at her face as it looks young with no scars in it.

No traces of callus in her hand as her eyes looks dead at the moment. "What year is it?" She asked as she looks at her maid, with a dull face.

"Year 13 in the palace's calendar."

"6 months before Your Highness's Birthday."

"So this day is the day of it." Maybe, if she didn't meet them, they wouldn't die.. It's because of her fault that they've been executed. She leads the knight to their hideout.

But her heart wants to see them for one last time. However, if she's kidnapped for another time, maybe it'll be different.

And it'll end up in DEATH.

"I must not leave this place." She decided to not bother them.. anymore. This time, it's for their sake.

The maid fixes her hair and dresses her afterwards. The sun's waving as they walk passed the hallway. Maybe, It's for the best not to encounter them in this life.

"I was waiting for you." Lian said as she opens the door. In this life, Luan will make sure to treat her sister right and to fix the misunderstanding between the two of them.

"I'm sorry to make you wait sister." Lian's eyes widened as her sister smiles at her. "You must be in a good mood, Princess Luan." Lian said as she chuckles.

"Maybe I am. And stop calling me Princess Luan. Don't you remember that we're sisters?" Luan said as she clings in her sister's arms. They walk as they talked about things.

"It's good to see you both together." Her disgust for her father increases as soon as she saw him. He doesn't even deserve a child. Even one of them.

She took a glance to her sister as she also felt Lian's disgustment towards their father.

"Greetings Your Highness," They bowed as they stick their tongue with each other. They chuckle as they look back to their father.

"Very well. Take a seat. I prepare some meals for the both of you." They looked confused as their father was the one who's serving the plates and fixing the tables.

"Where's the chef?" Lian asked out of confusion. "Your Highness wanted to cook for the both of you. He almost burned the kitchen. Good thing he manage to be careful in the end." Luan drinks the water as the chef suddenly closes his mouth.

Lian whistles as she knew where this'll go. "I told you to keep it a secret." The King said as he whispers.

"But you should've let them know it." Lian and Luan looks at each other with a confuse look on their face.

"Let's eat before the meals get cold."

"It's good for the stomach, Princesses. I tasted it."

"Shut up and leave!" The chef laughs as he shakes his head. As they taste the food, the chef wasn't wrong. It's good.

"You cooked this by yourself, father?" Luan asked as she seems to confuse on what's going on.

"I did. I just got to wake up early." Looking back at their father, he was indeed a handsome King in his 30's.

"And why did you do this? To please us?" Lian said as she looks at her father. 'They're not kids anymore' is what she wanted to say.

"This means nothing. Eat your meals before it gets cold. And Luan, do you have any plans for your upcoming birthday? I'm planning to keep it grand. We'll be inviting commoners and nobles in the palace. How about it?"

"To what? To keep your good image? So that they will say that the King also favor the commoners?"

"No. That means nothing. It's your day. You might enjoy it if there's someone you didn't know. And I have to let you roam on the capital from now on." This isn't right.

Why is her father doing this? "You said you'll make my first debut in my birthday."

"But it's better if they also know you both right? Lian, you should stick with your sister in the capital. You're the eldest."

"I'm just one year ahead of her, father."

"It's just the same thing." The King chuckles as if he's being energetic in this time. "What's wrong with you?" Luan asked.

"You can't please us with those-" Lian's word was cut as the King drinks his water.

"I'm removing you both from the cage. It's time to give you freedom. You're adults now. Or should I go with the both of you?"

"No thank you. We can manage ourselves." Luan said as she stands up. The rule has been broken. To not talk at the table while eating.

"We can't forgive you for all of those things father. Respect is earned not given." Lian smiles as she bows, following her sister who just walks out of the dining table.

The king looks at the clock as he saw their plates, empty. "They must be hungry. Should I cook for dinner?" He stands up as he stretches his arms.

"LUCAS! TEACH ME HOW TO COOK DINNER!" The King shouted as the kitchen is not that far away.

"STOP BOTHERING ME AND LOOK AT THE COOKBOOK YOUR HIGHNESS!"

"THIS IS AN ORDER FROM YOUR KING!"

"I'M WORKING FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"