"Li Jen, that is preposterous. You have to be humoring me. Ha ha Ha, is this some kind of birthday humor? Ha ha." Kai laugh, but stop when he saw the serious determining look on Li Jen's face.
"I wish this was some birthday humor, but please Kai. Please agree to help me."
Li Jen got down on her knees and hug Kai's feet. His eyes widen in surprise as he look down and saw the princess of the Dragons kingdom, hugging his dirty feet and crying.
'Why on earth would Li Jen, the princess of the Dragons kingdom, would want to switch lives with a poor blacksmith and a cook's son? She has everything anyone would envy for. She can do tricks that I wishes most of the times I could do. But here she is, crying and pleading, while hugging my dirty feet.' Kai thought to himself.
"W-why would you want to switch lives with someone like me? Kai voice his thoughts. "My life is so simple-"
"And free, and easy." Li Jen spoke. She got up off her knees and held Kai's hands in hers. "I don't want to be caged up in this palace like some majestic bird all my life. I want to go see what is beyond these palace walls. Even if it's just for one day." She pull Kai to the rails of the balcony and her eyes searches through the crowd until she found a pair of oxyn eyes looking back into hers.
The owner of those eyes smiles brightly, as their eyes connects. His back blond tye dye hair that is tied in a ponytail, swayed from side to side as the slight wind blows. And he smooth out his work attire, getting rid of all the dirt and mud that might have caked on to his clothes.
"I want to experience love. Not be forced into it by my parents." She still held eye contact with the stranger.
Kai follow her gaze and realisation hits him like a ton of bricks.
"You are in love with Lee Cheng, the harvester's son." Kai spoke softly. His heart swoon when he saw the lovestruck in both their eyes.
"Yes, for three years now." Li Jen whispers. Her expression changes to something sad as she turned away from the balcony.
Kai felt sorry for Li Jen, but he can't just grant her that wish just like that. He has to think about all the consequences if they were to get caught. He has to think about himself, his family, but most importantly, the disappointed look on his mother's face. He could bring disgrace to his family's name. Even though he's not related to them by blood, and his older sister make sure to remind him of that everyday. But the Wangs raised him, and he will and forever called them his biological parents.
"Li Jen, I want to help you. But, what if we get caught?"
Li Jen's face brighten by Kai's sudden words. "We won't get caught. And I promise no harm will come to you." Li Jen rest her hand on Kai's shoulder reassuringly. "And remember that it's just for a day." She smile brightly as she stare out into the crowd at her beloved.
Kai pounder what she said for a couple minutes, but a few minutes is an eternity long for Li Jen.
"Please Kai, help me." She grab onto his hand and started to pled like a small child, which made Kai laugh at her newfound antics.
"Ok, ok. I will help you. But first, you have to tell me all that you know about the Prospectors." Kai look back over at the group as they got ready to leave.
Li Jen followed his gaze, before she looks back at him and said. "The Prospectors, everyone knows about the Prospectors."
"Everyone but me." Kai mumble, not breaking eye contact with the retreating backs of the men.
"Well Kai, the Prospectors are the highest of the highest. On the ranking scale of the cultivation scale, you have the Elementalists who can control the different elements, the Mode, like me and my family along with the royal family of the other six kingdoms. We cast spells and use talismans, we can control the different elements as well, and-"
"Good with your swords." Kai cut off her words.
"That's right." Li Jen said, and Kai smile triumphantly. "For everyone on the cultivation scale, our swords,No, our weapons and wisdom defines who we are." They both were silent for a second before Li Jen continued. "Then we have the Prospectors. Do you know what the word Prospect means?" Li Jen turn to Kai and ask.
Kai scratch his chin in thought for a minute, then he smile brightly at Li Jen. "It means to search." Li Jen pat him on the shoulder.
"You are on the right track, but it also means possibility or expectation."
"Oh." Kai mutter.