Lost in a Masquerade

07

The lantern lamp on the wall was casting a glow like a hazy sun over the princess' face and Jimin knew not to stare, but he couldn't look away "Counselor?"

The silvery ash-haired male nodded while clearing his throat. He beckoned the woman who was younger in age but bore upper status. "I will drive." Jimin offered.

"Of course, you will. Did you expect a crown princess to drive you around?" The tone had a lilt of complaint to it. Jimin didn't find the princess' words offensive in any way, as she was only behaving out of habit. Jimin found them endearing instead, as a smile expanded on his lips that he hid by getting behind Jessica and keeping his head down.

As the princess earlier commanded, the staff was absent from their view and only the doormen stood outside, guarding the hotel. Jimin ambled to get the umbrella from the stand when the door was opened for them and immediately held it over the princess' head.

The princess turned around and Jimin was standing close, close enough to completely shadow the younger one. The princess' long lashes remained somewhere around Jimin's neck as she leaned in and the counselor's lungs caught onto his breath for that moment. "Tell him to allow Lee Geon if he arrives," she whispered.

Jimin was dazed that the sound was registered in his mind, but the process turned so slow that he had to gulp and flinch his eyes close to unlink his eye-lock from the tender lips and the long lashes bowing down. Shifting the umbrella in his left hand and keeping it over the princess' head, he turned his stance and whispered into the doorman's ears that he knew where Lee Geon was and that he wouldn't be visiting.

Just like a suitor, Jimin protected the princess from the drizzle until they reached the garage where the car was parked. The wind was whooshing and thunder was crashing. Jimin knew the weather was going to be worse, but her royalty's command was his wish too.

He began to drive silently and looked at the princess' teary eyes from the rear view mirror. It hurt him to see the princess in pain. If not for liking the beautiful woman, it was a bond between the kingdom and the king's family. If any of the royalty was in pain, the people of the kingdom felt it too. He remembered once the king had returned from the war and had his arm sliced. Jimin was merely a child back then, but he still remembered the gloomy atmosphere of the kingdom or the lack of cooking in the houses to mourn the king's pain.

It wasn't one-sided affection. The king felt deeply for his kingdom and when he heard that his people were going to sleep with empty stomachs, he couldn't stay in bed. Jimin remembered when the king visited his village, he was afraid, so he hid behind his grandmother. When the king approached and patted his head with a smile, he felt his fear melting away and a strong feeling of affection instilled in his heart.

This young woman was the progeny of the same, thoughtful king. And anyone that was related to the king had to be protected. He looked at Jessica one more time as she gracefully sat, yet her insides were full of storms that Jimin could tell. "My princess," he called softly. "Did you eat anything?"

"No," Jessica answered and wiped the tears tenderly with her gloved fingers that spilled out before closing her eyes and leaning back on the seat. "Don't converse with me."

Jimin nodded worriedly, going silent after getting the command. He remembered his grandmother always teaching him alchemy and telling him stories about fairies, sorcerers, and princess'. He was a curious child with a captivating imagination. At that time, he couldn't remember that his ordinarily looking grandmother was a queen of her glory days, or that he was a prince of a kingdom too. All the things that were taught to him were to imbibe humble beginnings.

"If the country is at war and the royals take refugees into the kingdom, it is our duty to provide them with food first and eat later ourselves." His grandmother said one morning.