Soul

Tianshi Xue glared at the prince. "How did you even know that I'm awake?"

The prince closed his eyes. "Your breathing."

She slapped his arm. "You're a creep."

"Just observant. You are the one that pressed your chest against my side. How could I not notice?"

She slapped his arm again, this time with emotion. "How dare you!"

The prince tugged at her arm and she quickly fell down to his chest again. He locked her in his arm. "You should try to fall asleep now. I was kidding earlier. Whatever happens in this room, I have no plans of speaking anywhere else. So go ahead and get comfortable. Or this would just all be in vain."

"Even if you wouldn't say anything to anyone, I would still know that you know. Do you understand that?"

"You hate this, I hate this, when we get back to the palace let's just pretend that this never happened. It was not like I would like for people to know that I slept beside you."

Tianshi Xue opened her mouth in disbelief. She could not take his monotonous voice. Like nothing was really bothering him. She wanted to argue but knew that it would not get them anywhere. They were both too prideful to back down.

So she stayed quiet and followed what the prince advised. Yes, it was not like she wanted reminders that this night happened. Now, she boldy threw her arms around him, treating him like a real pillow, thinking it would degrade him.

She wanted to fall asleep and save herself from further embarrassment but every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was the sweet face of her younger sister. Her sister used to hug her like this when they fell asleep in their small bed.

At the thought of it, her throat closed up.

Now more than ever she wanted to call her—something that she had not done for the past three years since she left their home. She should've reached out for her sister. She should've fought for her. She shouldn't have left her in that house.

Before she knew it, a tear already escaped in her eyes.

"Why are you still awake?" the prince asked her.

She shook her head, wiping her tear on his shirt, she knew that it was thick enough that he would not feel it. "What do you think about…" she cleared her voice. "What do you think about your soul?"

"What?!" the prince exclaimed.

"I mean it. What do you think about your soul? What do you think happens to it when you die?"

Most of the religions had disappeared when The Wars happened. What kind of god would let his children suffer what they had gone through? It was like the people went back to the time when people just worshipped the men who were strong. Today, that was the emperor. He was god in this place.

"I don't think about it," said the prince. He sounded honest with his thoughts.

"Are you that afraid that you will go to hell?" she joked.

Surprisingly, the prince laughed with her. But then, his arm around her shoulders tightened for a second and when he spoke, it reminded her of the way people talk about the things that were special to them. "There was a village outside the walls, they believed that when you die, your soul will be high up in the sky and you will be riding horses with the wind in your face. Eternal freedom. I'd like to think that's where I'm going but I think you have other ideas."

She smiled. "That sounds nice." But that was not what happened to her. "You were out of the walls a lot, right?"

"About a third of my life now."

"Say," she licked her lips. "Have you ever heard of a belief that when you die, your soul would transfer to another body?"

The prince stopped breathing. She knew because her hand was directly atop his chest.

"Why?" she asked.

"Nothing," he answered. "I'm just wondering where on earth are you getting your questions."

"I'm just curious."

"To answer your question, no. I have not heard of anything like it. I have heard of people getting reincarnated as animals or other life forms in their next life. Or even getting reborn right at the moment of their death."

"But never transferred to another body?" she asked.

"Never."

She took a deep breath. It still pained her heart even though she already knew what the answer would be. "Another question."

"Uh-huh."

"When I get to be princess of this land, will I be able to look into case files? The Crown is in charge of those, right?"

The prince twisted enough just to check her face.

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Your mind is everywhere."

"Just answer me."

"No, you won't be able to access those files not unless you got a permit for it. Is there something that you want looked into?" It was something that he could do as one of the top officials of the army. He wanted to know who the princess would be looking for since she barely knew anybody here.

Or something had changed in the year that he was gone?

As for his question, she did not answer. Something was really suspicious about this girl. Whatever it was, he wished that he would not be the one to know. Only heavens knew what he would do if he catches her doing something illegal and treacherous.

"You should go to sleep already," he said to her, more like a warning to stop whatever she was thinking because it would not be a good idea.

"Hmm," the princess answered.

**

Right at the gates of Heping Empire, Princess Yingyue's uncle received the news. "We could not find anyone in the woods."

He slammed a fist down his wooden table and barked the order. "Tell the men to get ready. We are going to storm these gates."