Chapter 38

The circle of life is a puzzle as it is and the moment I figured out about it I couldn't stop thinking how us, human were stuck in a constant patterns. We are born, then live our lives each to its own trying to fill your hearts desire and then you die. For something so simple and yet so hard it occupied my thoughts for the rest of our journey as my eyes were glued to the streets of Leilani.

It's people were busy trying to make a life, while some stood still selling hats and robes. Others placed their stoves outside making some pickable bites and trying to call out the customers. Their ways of life didn't resemble with our own, where I was from in Xinjiang. We survived mainly on seasonal hunting or roots and fruits - ancient times indeed and somehow reaching the warm land exposed me to a unique and completely way of life.

My prince organized for me to be given a great house just a few miles from the big castle where he lived and it was full of servants and guards. Even though he hadn't yet seen me Yishen was already trying to woo me over to him with his absolute display of utterly compassion towards me and wooed I was.

The house was bigger than what Yokosh had offered us in Karta. It had twelve bedrooms and two huge halls - one was a drawing room and the other a ball room. Downstairs there was a kitchen which was huge and filled with varieties of food and drinks, and close to it a dining room fit for a Queen and I had to wonder if that's what Yishen called "A small kind gesture" I wondered how will the big gesture look alike.

Since we arrived at dusk, I much appreciated the privacy that the prince gave me to first relax and suck it all in. I used that night to eat, breath and have a good night sleep on a warm cozy bed after sleeping under the stars for two days. Chyou had her own bedroom too, her own servants and later on I declared her as "my lady" and no longer my servant hence she ranked higher among the other servants.

The next morning after we ate breakfast which was beyond tasty and deliciousness, I received a letter when we were still in the dining room.

"A letter has just arrived Your Highness, for princess of Tong'an" said the servant and handed me the letter.

Chyou and I exchanged looks and I opened the letter. It was just a small note which said "Gather up and let's meet at the gardens for tea this afternoon, my heart can't take it that I'll finally see you my princess. I beseech you not to keep me waiting for long, and in any case you can't make it. Please feel free to reconsider tomorrow" after reading the note I closed it and looked at Chyou.

"What is it mistress?" she asked.

"We have to meet the prince for tea this afternoon"

"Oh!"

I stood up but before I walked to my room, I looked back at Chyou "It's Your Highness. I'm a princess..." I said and she smiled at me.

"Yes Your Highness"

We walked hand in hand with Chyou to my room and she helped me to dress up for the first time audience with the crowned prince. I wore a beautiful blue long dress with a white headband, and it was Chyuo's idea that I covered my face and left only my eyes for display, and according to her that would make me sexy and the prince would want me more.

An hour later I was wondering around the gardens of the palace. My heart skipped at how beautiful the palace was, perhaps the most beautiful palace I had ever seen in my entire world. More beautiful and bigger than even Tong'an, there were a lot of people along the way. Not even one of them looked at me, they were busy with their own stuffs and I figured they were indeed the nobles who were inside the King's circle.

The women wore colorful fabrics adorned with brooches and each had a huge paper fan on her hand, plus servants who protected them from the heat of the day with umbrellas on top of their heads. While men were in their expensive robes with their long hair tied into a ponytail. Gosh, I thought - those men were beautiful and handsome like no other I've ever laid eyes upon. I kept thinking would my prince be handsome like them, I always dreamt of a dashing sexy men for my husband.

And somehow the spirits of Xinjiang answered my prayers for I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned back to see who it was, there stood the crowned prince and he completely left me breathless. Yishen was a bit taller than me and his face was sparkling, he was so happy and a bit shy to even lock eyes with me. I figured he was the prince because he wore a crown which fit exactly on his head and i swore right then and there that I had to have his babies.

I slowly took a step back and bowed "Your Highness" I said and quickly Yishen rose me up and held my hands.

"That won't be necessary Your Highness. Please grant me the honor to with me to the gardens..." he said and held my hand.

I could notice prying eyes that gawked at us and for sure Yishen noticed it too that's why he insisted we walk together to his gardens for no one would see us there. The prince had five bodyguards who followed him behind, I didn't mind them as long as the prince and I had a moment.

"You must be overly exhausted my princess, I am sorry for my rushing to see you today, I couldn't help myself. I was over excited"

"You didn't rush me at all Your Highness. If you hadn't write to me, I would have been the one to write to you"

Yishen looked at me and smiled. We found a sit amongst the proper formed rocks and he led me down gently and sat close to me. We were both blushing and smiling at each other, our first date was indeed awkward but however the arrival of servants who carried our tea made it less awkward for we had something to concentrate about.

I was intrigued by his idea of tea under the shadow of a huge tree which blew such soothing wind and had me lulled down by it I almost felt sleepy. There was tea in small cups and pieces of pink and green cookies on a big plate.

Prince Yishen took a sip of his tea and then he looked at me "How do you like your tea Your Highness" he asked me after the servants left.

"I... I don't know Your Highness, where I'm from tea isn't that popular. Perhaps you may teach me a thing or two" I said and this time I reached for my scarf which covered my face and pulled it down. I wanted him to see me, to know me and choose if he still wanted me.

Unlike what I expected the Prince's face was lit up and he sparkled more than earlier. I took a cup of tea and sipped it, his eyes glued onto my lips and I could tell I had him hooked already.

"You are staring Your Highness. Did you expect something different?" I said and looked straight into his eye, exactly like what Chyou taught me how to steal a man's soul.

Chyou would solem say "eye contacts often leads to hearts being caught on fire" and fire I intended to plant onto Yishen's heart. He blushed like a little boy in front of me, my eyes were fiery and daring he couldn't look at me without lowering his.

"My prince?"

"Your Highness" he said shrugging and then he adjusted his sitting as if to find balance.

"Is everything all right Your Highness? You seem rather lost..."

"Lost I am my princess. It's... your eyes" he said with a smile.

"My eyes?"

"Yes, they are still and yet so fiery and filled with this utterly force that... I can't describe. In other words you are very beautiful Your Highness"

It was my turn to blush through his compliments which left me feeling like a woman, it had been so long since any man called me beautiful. Not even Lee once called me, but I got to hear it from none other than the crowned prince of Leilani.

"Thank you for saying that my prince. You are as beautiful as your soul" I said charmingly and he just smiled. I thought perhaps I had found my soul mate, the man who I would spent my whole life with. A man who would love me and I was sure to go beyond for him because I needed someone to love.