The Princess And The Lord

When she awake she still in a daze, it took a while for her to realizes where she is. Zhao Li Zin who lay beside her caressed her check gently the moment he saw her awake, his warm hand snapped her back from her daze, she shifts her head and looks Zhao Li Xin well define face and smile, no wonder everyone wants to marry with a pretty face, it does lift your mood every day.

"How long I sleep this time?" Lory voice slightly horse, she knew she had slept more than a day.

"Just two days" Zhao Li Xin props his head with his fist while stroking Lory's hair. The reason he's not lost his composure this time, that because Girsha told him that her condition is not dangerous and she will wake up soon.

When it comes to Lory's condition no one knows better than Girsha, the bird said because of the connection between their soul he could detect if there any problem with Lory. Only then Zhao Li Xin worry subside then he decide to stay with her until she awake because Lory always looks distracted whenever she wakes up from a deep sleep.

Lory snuggle her face on his arms and wrapped her hands on his waist "I make you worry again" 

Zhao Li Xin face lit up, he pulls Lory close to his body until no space between them "Not more than you used to" he pretended to complain.

"Sorry…." She softly said.

"Hum" he hummed quietly.

"Oh, Lao Min Na, where is she!" Lory raised her back abruptly.

"She disappear, I have sent the shadow guard to search her whereabouts," said Zhao Li Xin.

Lory bit her lower lips as she calculated her next moves "Make sure no one gets close to Lao Min Na, is enough to know where she is, do not confront her, we don't know what Lazarus would do" 

"Hm, I would warn everyone…" Zhao Li Xin raised from the bed, she fixed his robed for as second before he got out of the room.

Girsha flew from his luxurious birdhouse then land smoothly on the table [Just like we thought, Lazarus condition is not well, he even weaker than he was on the cage"

[Yeah, I could feel it too….if not, with my weak power how could my shield withstand his attacked] Lory pour herself water on a bowl then she takes a mouthful of water in a single gulped and let out a long sigh [My memory is very hazy after what happened with Luc…] Lory eyebrows creased closely, she forces himself to remember but it feel like a thick mist clouded her memory.

[You should remember something…what the last thing you remember?] 

Lory sigh and look up at the ceiling with perplexed looks [I'm not sure…] she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she forces herself to remember.

Lory begins to mutter to herself [I remember darkness – then I run from something – I remember I'm scared, petrified even – then, I saw a light – I remember someone holds me, I don't know who but it feel familiar – then I remember a met with a boy] Lory tilted her head, she completely forgot about that boy.

[What boy?] Girsha got curious.

Lory massage her temple [I don't know, he looks like ten, or twelve years I'm not sure – pale face – very pale like vampire pale – long dark hair almost touch his knee – and he said about something – a key, I think]

[Well, I do remember you dream about a key but we never talk about it – wait if there a key is that there's a door?]

Lory hit the table and shrill [You right! There is a door – that boy is searching for a door then she pushes me to the door and next moment I wake up here!] Lory gasped then cover her mouth in shock, her eyes bulged so widely her eyeball looks like it could fall from it socket.

Girsha also has the same reaction he stares at Lory in shocked expression [Lo…Lory, is he – is he the one who send you here?]

Lory nods her head in motion [I guessed so….] she quietly said.

[The doorkeeper!] Girsha shriek.

Lory lowers her hand from her mouth [Who is that?]

[The story said every world has a gatekeeper as a barrier between one world from another, without their permission no can get in or get out from their world, it's created so one world cannot influence the other, to maintain their status quo. So if one world destroys it won't affect the other world, and the gatekeeper's main job is to maintain the situation] Girsa said.

[That's quite a job he got…] Lory stunned.

[Extremely!] he emphasizes [But no one knew who guard the doo, is literally 'Only god know'] 

Lory scratches her head then she takes a seat on the stool [So the gatekeeper sent me here?] 

[Well, that is the conclusion…] Girsha shrug his wings

[Then what about Lazarus, how could he got here, do you think he sneak behind the gatekeeper to chase after me?]

[You think the gatekeeper like mall security!] Girsha snort in disdained [No one could open the door without the consent of the gatekeeper!] he scolds Lory for her stupid comment.

[Then what happened?] Lory raised her voice.

[That...I don't know] Girsha lower his head in perplexed [Why don't you asked that boy again when you meet him again]

Lory mouth twitch [Sure, I will ask him again when I see him again, you want me to ask his phone number too?] she quipped.

Girsha clicks his tongue [You don't have a phone remember….]

[.....]

Zhao Li Xin is having a meeting in his study room with Bei Li Yan and Jin Hao, the Lord somber expression once again greets them, as usual, that means everything is normal so the subordinate relief inwardly. Zhao Li Xin sits behind the black giant wooden table, his armrest up on the armrest while his head leans on her fist, as always he looks bored and apathetic.

"Speak," he said lazily.

"No one knows where Lao Min Na whereabout, her close subordinated Yang Qiong Yang also disappeared and Jin Kai seems clueless by Lao Min Na action, but of course he blames us for her disappearance so there's a rumor out there that we killed Lao Min Na and pushed the responsibility to sanguan family" Bei Li Yan sarcastically smile.

"Lory said we should not get too close to Lao Min Na the demon inside her is too dangerous is enough to know where she stays, no one confront that woman at all cost," said Zhao Li Xin in a flat tone, for normal people it sounds like a perfunctory word but for them who had been interacted with Zhao Li Xin in years knew that just how he talks so they take Zhao Li Xin warning seriously.

"That thing, can't it be killed?" Jin Hao never scares of anything until he met with Lazarus directly, he doesn't know how lory remains calmed knowing that thing is hunting for her.

"Huo Long said the crimson lightning sword could kill that thing however how we killed that thing is not certain, but that sword is only our chance," said Zhao Li Xin.

"How is young madam, is she distraught by it?" Jin Hao worries about Lory's state of mind, anyone who was chased by a demon must be distraught and terrified, he can't only imagine the stress she had going through.

Zhao Li Xin straighten his back and sigh "My wife have nerves of steel, she never let herself beat down for too long, I don't even have time to comfort her" he doesn't know should he feel happy or worry, sometimes he feel he was useless.

Bei Li Yan snickered "Lory is very impressive, normal people would lock their door and hide under the bed for the rest of their life if they experience something like that, but Lory maintain her state of mind, she remains positive and lives her life normally if not because her confession no one would have thought behind her smile she hide so many pain and burden. Bei Li Yan's admiration to Lory has gone by leap and bound he believe no other woman would be like her and that's why she is a great match for someone like Zhao Li Xin, soft from the outside but overly strong from the inside.

"Well, not even me could refute that" Jin Hao nod in agreement.

'Knock – knock' 

"Excuse milord, master Sanguan Wu Ci is asking for an audience" Mong Ki report from behind the door.

Bei Li Yan exchange glance with Jin Hao "Do you think they found Lao Min Na?" 

"I doubt it…" Jin Hao shakes his head. He knew Zhao Li Xin make that arrangement because he sure they would not found Lao Min Na easily and he used this excuse to trouble the Sanguan family to get the map from him.

"Perhaps Lao Min Na came on her own" Bei Li Yan wiggles his eyebrows.

Jin Hao squints his eyes, there is that possibility.

Zhao Li Xin raised from his seat and walk to the door while speaks in a cold tone "Unless they bring Lao Min Na head, there would be no deal"