3: Danger chase us first

PERSH:

"What happened to your cheeks, your highness?" Lio blurted out on my face first thing in the morning. I didn't acknowledge him and pass him by. No one attempted to slap me before. Maybe I can add my Dad to the record, but that was a punch!

Stepping inside the kitchen. My sight descended on the counter, and I couldn't help but grin. She fancied my kisses because she responded, and I was just having fun taunting her not until I lost restraint last night. She's out of the fun part. I'm not here to woo the President's daughter. I looked at Lio for some report, and it seems like he understood our signal gazes.

"Right. Everything is under control, Mr. Montello. I had placed our men to their places" I nodded and started eating my breakfast which is too much of a hefty meal.

"Why do they have such abundant rice?" I can't help but ask that inquest as I detected a chortle behind me that got my attention

A man in his fifties who has this splitting image with Helldon Montello. Wearing a tuxedo, seemingly going off to work. "Well, rice is very vital here in our land, your highness, and I'm sure you'll get adapted to it soon," he stated, and I just chuckled back.

"I expect so. Your menus are unique. They're very distinct to my tastebuds, and to tell you, I'm settling."

He laughed momentarily, something that my Dad won't do. He's very merry, just like his heiress. Speaking of the witch while she made her way to the dining table, looking like an owl. Her orbs stirred to mine. I presented her with a sneer to pissed her off, more like to ruin her morning glory. Her cheeks immediately turned pink as she looked away, and I could tell that she inadvertently made eye contact to the counter where I rummaged that pinkish kissable lips of hers.

"Are you okay, Anicka? I heard about the trouble that you did recently" President Montello commenced their conversation. Anicka stayed silent before throwing some glimpses at me then back to her father.

She cleared her throat while I munched my sausages. "I'm fine, Dad, and I'm very sorry about yesterday. I thought our guest was our newly hired gardener," she responded, which made me stop chewing. Did this girl just declare that my gorgeousness and my almost one million dollar outfit yesterday were just for landscaping?

I caught Lio's faint laugh that made me threw a glare at him, which made him stop eventually.

"and he turned out to be a prince Anicka. So how about you'll tour him around today to at least be sorry about your attitude yesterday?"

"I admire your plan, Leonor. I would appreciate that." I gave the President a charming smile which he promptly applauded as I passed his brat daughter a victorious one that made her roll her eyes at me

"Well, I shall go to work then. I hope you'll enjoy your stay here, Persh. Helldon and Anicka would be too pleased to give you company," he asserted and left, probably didn't heard his daughter's petition.

"I won't be happy, Dad! Take back your order!" she yelled, but her father only gave her a peace sign which made me laugh. This means the woman will be attached to me the entire day. That would be so much fun.

--

"Shouldn't you be my tour guide right now? What the hell are we still doing here?" I snap at Anicka. She's been on her laptop for the whole three hours, and I have already finished two movies here. She lifted her gaze up to me and just raised her eyebrow.

"You want to go away? Then get the hell out from here and don't ever come back" her tone is full of disgrace and annoyance. It produced recollections from my former conversations with Dad before I got here. His speech was loaded with those emotions too. No matter how much I contributed my best, it was always a disappointment. Which is bullshit.

I got up from my seat and walked out. Lio is occupied doing my duties here as the Prince. Abuelo didn't even drop by. I don't even know if they notified him that I'm here. He'll be opposing the Dad's decision again if he finds out. My phone rang, and I smiled a little as I accepted the call.

"Persh! Thank god you're alive! I'm very sorry. I tried arguing to them to get your ass back in here, but they just won't budge! I hate them!" I laughed at her rant while I leaned my back in my car's door outside as I looked up, reviving my lamps with the magnificent scene

"One thing that's keeping me alive here is the sky's view, and I'm commencing to enjoy their rice meals," I joke that made her cry like a baby in the other line. She never grows.

"I miss you already. The whole place is monotonous without you. I demand you here. You promised me you'll be my escort on my upcoming birthday--well, we'll be eventually each other's comrade because it's our birthday, you asshole!"

"When everything collapses into its place, Ysha. I promise I'll come back." I overheard her sighing, very not convince about the ideas that I'll be doing with my life "H-hey! I'm sorry..." Anicka ran towards me, this time with her new attire. That's why I gave her a questioning look.

"I Uhm... I- I said I'll tour you, okay? Just don't leave. My Dad will kill me if you're nowhere to be found in the house," she contemplated, feeling agitated as she kept pinching her arms. She was glowing, perhaps because the sunset's rays negotiate with the visuals of her face. Her hair swayed with the late midday flurry, and her desirous eyes made my entire system stop working.

"Who is that? Where are you, Persh?" I snapped out of my reverie when I heard Ysha's inquests. I promptly look away from Anicka. Things get weird when she's around. I don't know why.

"I'll get going, Ysha. I'll call you soon. Take care over there, I love you" I dropped the call and let myself get inside the car, also signaling Anicka to get inside, which she did without any harsh comments. We fell into silence, and it was very unusual, so I looked at her, and she just stared back.

"I don't know where to go, Ms. Montello. I'm the foreigner here, remember?" I broke the discomfiture in the atmosphere. She nodded her head like she only just getting what I wanted to point out. She fished out her phone and opened her map application.

"I have a chauffeur driving me around the city, so I'm not sure about the directions. Is that okay with you?" she sounded polite this time that made me ask, "what the hell is happening to you? why are you so being generous? are you plotting something?" she quickly shook her head. Maybe something was wrong with me when I turned the ignition on following the destination she entered.

We arrived in tiny beach houses accomodating the right packed of people. Some are having dinner already. Other's are having fun in the infinity pool, while some are having a night swim in the sea. The place has a calm, empathetic ambiance, and I can tell that Anicka's much more eager than me because she rapidly got herself out as soon as I parked the car.

"You won't sell me here, won't you?" my question made her burst out of laughter as she guided the way to the main lobby. The furniture inflamed the place's attraction. There was more wood, some were made of plant straws, and I can't help but be intrigued by it.

"Come here, Persh! I'm much more appealing than those things" I heard her snickering through the stairs that were heading to the shore. I scoffed at her words. She showed me to a table and made me sit as I continued to examine my surroundings. The tiny light bulbs beyond us reflected the waves. No wonder the President's daughter hangs out in here. It screams freedom.

"Here, try all of this! " her call was inspiring, and I couldn't help but drift back to my chair by looking at the foods she served me.

"I told you, Persh. She's conspiring to poison you." I asserted to myself, which she certainly heard. Her smile withered as I got up from my seat, eager to leave because never in my life would I consume these things!

"Believe me, they're very edible. Now go back to your seat," Anicka dictated me this time, but I shook my head, finally leaving the table when she halted me and drew me back, she secured a seat beside me with those black blocks of food that I don't even know what are they made of!

"No, Anicka! I won't eat that!" I budge, looking elsewhere because it looks ghastly and disgusting. I heard her sigh as she took a bite and moaned, probably because of the flavor, and that transit made me curious.

"Just one bite, your highness, after that I'll order you the broth pig cuisine" her proposal is tempting, but how did she distinguish my preference among all of the Filipino dishes that I tried here?

I opened my mouth a little as she made me took a bite to the blood blocks that she was saying. I'm chewing it slowly, planning to just throw it out on the spare plate if my taste buds don't agree on it, but it turns out it was the other way around. I nodded my head to her, which made her grin.

"It's not that bad. It's quite good," I commented, which made her chuckle, and everything stalls down again while I'm staring at her. The mellow song drifted with the sound of the waves around us, accompanied by her gentle laughter. Even the moon took the occasion to reflect on her eyes as she gaped back to me, still her smile coated on her glowing face.

A loud gunshot intervened the moment. All we can hear are outcries and yells as Anicka panicked, and I tried to determine where the fuck did it came from. Another one was discharged. That's why I draw her under the table. She's nearly crying, and I'm panicking.

"Where's your phone?" I asked her because I had forgotten mine in the car. She was trembling when she bobbed it out and handing it to me. I immediately phoned the Spain Royal Emergency Security. They answered after the first rang, but I remained quiet and held Anicka much more closer.

"Search the area!" we overheard a fellow shouting just in front of the row where we were hiding. Anicka shuddered because of anxiety, and she's struggling not to cry ultimately as I signaled her to not create noise. Footsteps can be heard around us. They're looking for something or more like someone. My gaze turned to her when she gripped my hand too tight. She started crying and hyperventilating. Furthermore, if they detect her sobs, then we're dead.

I embraced her, made her cry on my chest. We stayed like that for a minute until I saw some man left on our side of the beach. I instantly drew her out from the table, and we ran towards the shadowy alley. "Thank god it's not locked" I couldn't help but loosen a little bit when we made our trail up to the stairs pointing to the parking lot.

I saw my car, and I knew that Lio and the guards were previously deployed in the area. We ran towards it, and I opened the door immediately, pushing Anicka inside. Making her safe, but I drag myself into danger.

The whole amicable place went hushed. No one must start to fire, or else my man and I will be in trouble again. Not just me who's in line but both of the countries who were once dominated the other. I can feel how Lio doesn't want to leave me behind, but he must.

We talked about this before. He must leave and protect our bait the moment our plan worked or got fucked up.

Lio drove faster away from where I was standing. I lifted my hand as a mark of downfall because every second he pressed the gun at the back of my head only made the metal colder.

"Caballero con armadura Brillante mueren de mi parte" (knight in shining armor gets executed on my role), he declared as he let out a chuckle behind me.

I snickered back. "Y no soy caballero," (I'm no Knight) I responded.

Then there it was. The last gunshot took place on the serene shore. Blood dispersed on the floor, and it pooled to my white shirt until the last drop slipped to my fingertips.