The Princess And The Lord

With his high cultivation, Zhao Li Xin could hear heavy breathing coming from the corner of the room, he could see the silhouette of a woman crouched on the floor. Zhao Li Xin lit an eternal flame, immediately a golden fire hovered above his hands and instantly illuminated the whole room.

Lory saw an old woman squatting down, her long, messy, bird's nest-like white hair falling down her hunched back and part of her hair covering her face, her once luxurious brocade messy, covered in dirt and blood. The old woman muttered the indistinct sound while scratching the floor with the knife repeatedly.

The sudden light in the room made her flinch, she lifted her head in motion, her sunken eyes stared blankly at Zhao Li Xin and Lory, her mouth open and close as she tried to gather her words, she slowly raised from the floor, she stretched out her hand towards Lory, Zhao Li Xin pulled Lory closer to him, suddenly the old woman's eyes grew wider, like a madwoman she lunged towards Lory and screamed madness. 

"Demon, you killed my family, I will kill you - I will kill you!" She suddenly got up from the floor and jumped towards Zhao Li Xin, of course, Zhao Li Xin wouldn't let the crazy old woman touch Lory, he just waved his hand and the Queen Dowager threw back like a paper blown by the gust of wind.

Her body was knocked over and fell heavily against the chair, Lory took this opportunity to approach her while the Empress Mother was still half-conscious, Lory raised her hand in the air. 

[Power of the light, I call you…

Power of the heaven I beseech you…

Send the Angel, bind the evil…]

A bright purple circle with runes appeared on the floor and surrounded the Empress Dowager, at the same time she regained consciousness, she saw the circle cover with runes and a weird symbol she immediately feel threatened she panicked and then tried to run away but the purple circle was like a cage holding her in a circle. The Queen Dowager screams frantically like Lunatic, she begs and curses Lory with words that Lory doesn't know where a noblewoman like the Queen Dowager learned from.

Zhao Li Xin was furious he wanted to cut the old lady tongue right here, right then but Lory raised her hand to stop him, Lory knows this is not the Queen dowager who talk but it's a part of Lazarus that scared of her power, Lory expression remains calm. She opens her palms then another purple light appears between Lory's hands,  Lory walks toward the  Queen Dowager who was crying with a fretful whimper. 

"STAY AWAY - STAY AWAY FROM ME!" his voice was mixed with anger and sobs. 

[With this light a cleans you….] She raised her hand in front of the Queen Dowager, the old woman looked hypnotized by the light in Lory's hand, gradually the Queen Dowager stopped struggling as Lory's hand got closer to him.

[With this light, I set you free…] Lory gently held the Queen Dowager's head with both her hands then the light in her hands seeped through The Queen Dowager's temples. Gradually the darkness in the Queen Dowager replaced by a bright light, like the stars that shone after the cloudy night slowly her eyes became clearer. 

It felt like she just woke up from a long nightmare, Empress Dowager's eyes fixed on Lory's eyes for a few seconds she was sure the woman in front of her had beautiful purple eyes that reminded her of purple sapphire gemstone from her favorite jewelry but after she blinked her eyes she realizes the woman's eyes were actually black, the queen dowager blinks her eyes again she wasn't sure if her eyes were playing a trick with him. 

"You will be fine now ..." said Lory softly.

Lory Gentle voice soothed her heart like an oasis in the desert, and like a little girl, she hugs Lory and bawling on her chest. Zhao Li Xin frowned in dislike 'That's my place!' he cursed the old lady numerous times in his head, but thankfully he still wants to keep his pride so he didn't voice his dissatisfaction. After tired crying the Queen dowager faints on Lory's chest, Lory has to hold her to stop the old lady from falling. 

Lory sighed deeply, "Li Xin, please call everyone, we have to take the Empress Dowager to another place to rest, this place is too ...." Lory said sourly, the room was too dirty, there were also mutilated corpses and blood everywhere, this place was like a room from a horror movie, she couldn't let the old woman stay in this place.

At first, Zhao Li Xin hesitated to leave Lory in this bloody place but then Lory reassured him "Don't worry, I've seen worst, beside Girsha stay with me" she grinned innocently without knowing her simple words stirred Zhao Li Xin's heart. Just like him, Lory is also used to violence but unlike him, Lory has never lost her conscience and humanity, in her own way she is much stronger than him, although Lory may not agree with his opinion.

Lory was still holding the old lady, Lory stroke the Queen Dowager back gently to calm her down. Like a scared little girl, Queen Dowager hugs Lory tightly even though she was unconscious. The queen dowager was the most powerful woman in the country, strong, resilient, and dignified, she would never show her weakness not even to her own children, but if people saw her right now, they will not see a powerful Queen Dowager but a mere scared old lady. 

[You healed the wound too?] Girsha saw the Queen Dowager arm which was covered in wounds before become smooth again. 

[If we want to help, we have to help until the end right?] Lory casually said. 

[Your father told you that?]

[Yes…and mother's too…]

A few minutes later the emperor and others rushed into the room, only Xi Ying remained outside, she was still too scared to enter the room. Her reaction was normal because everyone who entered the room was so shocked, they didn't know the queen dowager would be this bad, and when they saw the mutilated corpse they all looked away even the mighty general couldn't bear the horrific sight.

But then they were shocked again when they saw the Queen Dowager hugging Lory tightly like a child hugging her mother, the Emperor had never seen her mother look so small and fragile before, the image of her mother was a strong, charismatic, and fearless woman who never afraid of anything. It was so hard for the emperor to see his mother like this, he couldn't even imagine how scared her mother would be until she became like this.

"Madam Zhao?" The Emperor didn't know what to say, he stood there awkwardly.

"Empress Dowager is fine now, she just feels exhausted." Lory thought Emperor must be worried about Empress Dowager. "We need to move him to a better place to rest" 

"Let me carry Grandma, Father!" Yun Fang Zi knelt in front of Lory as he carefully moves the Empress Dowager body from Lory but unexpectedly her hand grabbed Lory's neck even tighter, they were all confused and looked at each other feeling helpless and slightly embarrassed.

Lory doesn't mind it, she understands how scared the queen dowager is because she also goes through the same thing, but unlike the Queen Mother, she has no one to hold but herself, Lory whispered softly in the Queen dowager ear "Fear no more, son and your grandchildren are here to protect you, you are safe now"

As if he could understand Lory's words she slowly let go of her hands and finally, Yun Fang Zi able to carry the Queen dowager, Yun Fang Zi nodded gratefully at Lory before he left with the emperor and the others.

Zhao Li Xin then helped Lory up, "Are you okay?" he guessed that Lory must have spent most of his Mana to help the Queen dowager. 

"I'm fine.." Lory weakly said.

He swept her gaze somewhere inside the room, Lory then walked to the bedside and took a blanket that looked clean enough, she grabbed the entire blanket then walked towards the mutilated corpse, Lory looked at the corpse that was once an innocent girl, the victim looks like a teenager who is no more than sixteen years old but unfortunately, his life was cut short because of Lazarus and Lao Min Na schemed  .... and part of that fault was also hers

Lory covered the corpse with a blanket, then she knelt on one leg and cupped her hands in front of her chest, she closed her eyes and lowered her head. 

"What did she do?" Zhao Li Xin looked at her curiously. 

"Pray, it was a customed in Harland to offered prayers to the dead regardless of who they are," Girsha said in a melancholy voice. 

"Even the  enemy…?" Zhao Li Xin ask.

"Yes, because only in death, humans are equal" retorted Girsha calmly, his memory took her to the moment when he used to saw Lory kneeling in the same position among the corpses of the fallen soldiers, it was a memory that filled pain and heartache. Lory had experienced too much, and lose too many things for a girl who hasn't lived half of her life.

Even without Girsha's explanation, Zhao Li Xin could guess how harsh Lory's life was back then, how lonely she must be. Not long after Lory got up from the floor, she looked down at the corpse under the blanket. "I'm sorry ..." she said weakly. 

'Remember Lory, no amount of guilt could solve the past, and no amount of anxiety can't change the future, all we could do is carry on and try the best we can' her Father's words ringing in her head again.

"Let's go…" Zhao Li Xin gently holds Lory's hand.

Lory takes a deep breath before she nods lightly "Okay…" she smiles back at Zhao Li Xin. 

Girsha watch the two of them left the room, he let out a long sigh then he turn himself into a white orb and flew towards Lory then merged with Lory in a second.