A deal

"It's not the same." Tym narrowed her eyes at the prince. "Let my sister go!" She stomped her feet in anger.

"Help me, and I will do that. I don't intend to harm your sister. I only kept her here to get you to accompany me on a rescue mission."

"Rescue mission? It's more like a suicidal mission. I'm not going there."

"I'm not forcing you to do anything, Dark Masked Tym. This is a plea from me to you.

Please, follow me."

"And if I don't?" I arch a brow at him.

"You will be forcing me to do something I would rather not do, Masked Tym. What I asked of you now is to follow me.

That's the only request I have."

"The only request you have? And you think I care about it?" Tym folded her arms, "you need to—"

Cicil coughed in her sleep.

"What's wrong with her?" Tym turned to face Cicil who was still sleeping despite the arguments going on around her.

"Nothing." The prince touched the bed she was lying on. "You see, leaving your sister here is the best thing that can ever happen to her." The prince glanced at the Masked Man, who was a terror to those who were unlucky to duel with him.

"I will make sure your sister is treated like a princess. She will be protected here?"

Tym scoffed, "safe here? With guards who couldn't even give out a kick?" She narrowed her eyes to slits. "If you think you have capable guards, then, you have a surprise coming your way."

"Aside from you, Tym. No one else has defeated my guards. They are competent men, trained in battle, to withstand anything that comes their way."

"Oh, I can see." Tym smirked. "you don't have to sound so proud of guards who couldn't beat a single person.

Although, I will give them the credit since no one has ever defeated the masked Tym." She chuckled, "do you know how much I charge for one night?"

"One night?" The prince stuttered, as his eyes darted around.

"Yes, one night." Tym walked closer to him, "if you want me to follow you there, I have a price I charge for only one night.

If you want to hire me for a week, the price is slightly different."

Tym smirked at the prince, who was scared but was trying not to show it.

"What's your price?" The prince asked in a confident voice, while he was anything but confident.

"My price? Are you certain you can pay the price?"

"Yes, I'm positive." The prince tried to keep his voice steady, and his hands from shaking.

However, he was having a problem doing just that.

"Good." Tym turned her back to the prince. "Be ready to pay with almost half of your kingdom."

She doesn't plan to charge the prince less.

After all, this was a suicidal mission. And should there be a misstep on the way, it will cost her enough.

"It's a deal."

"And should, in case I don't return, Cicil should be offered what you would have given me. I want her to live the best life."

They might not be related by blood, but to Tym, Cicil is her world.

And she will never allow anything to hurt her world. It's her duty to protect her world from harm.

"You have my word, Masked Tym. I will do everything in my power to make sure she lives a full life." The prince promised, while still wondering about her strange words.

He couldn't understand why the undefeatable masked Tym will say such words.

It made him frown.

"Then, it's a deal. We leave tomorrow morning." She said before she started heading to the exit.

"Wait."

The prince called out to her.

"What's it?" She stood but didn't turn to face the prince. "Do you have any other requests?"

"No. Why don't you stay here, tonight?" The prince asked with his brows arched at her.

"Why do you want me to remain here tonight?" Tym turned to face him. "Are you not afraid I might take my sister and run away?"

"No, you won't do that."

The prince doesn't understand why he was convinced Tym won't take his sister and run, yet he was.

He can feel it in him.

"You are easily trusting, aren't you?" She scoffed, "people like you are those who are killed in their sleep."

"You can say whatever you want, Masked Tym. The offer still stands. You can spend the night with your sister.

I know how difficult it is to be away from a sister you cherish so much." The prince looked down, to prevent Tym From seeing how misty his eyes have become.

Tym stood near the door with her brows furrowed at the prince.

"Thank you." She finally said as she strode towards the bed her sister was lying on.

"I will give you two the privacy you deserve.

I'll be here in the morning. And I trust you won't betray my trust."

Without waiting for her reply, the prince walked to the exit. And with one last glance at Tym, he opened the door and left.

The prince didn't go straight to the castle. Instead, he went to the playhouse he built for his sister when she was still the same age as Cicil.

Currently, the princess was in her seventeenth year, but the prince still treats her like an eight-year-old.

He Walked to the tree and sat under it. And with his head on the tree, he dozed off.

Back in the prince's study room, Tym glanced at the door to make sure the prince fully left the place, before she turned to her sister.

Cicil was sound asleep, not knowing what was happening around her. She has her eyes tightly closed, and her mouth pursed.

"I will leave tomorrow, Cicil." Tym gently touched her hair. "But don't worry, I will be back for you."

She glanced around the room. "the prince said you will be well taken care of, here. So, I'm going to leave you in their care."