Su Licheng opened the window of the carriage and looked outside. "Princess Xiana is still not here. She really loves to test my patience." He was already two hours late because of the familial drama.
"Drag her out!" Su Licheng ordered Shen Daoren, who bowed and turned to go to the palace when saw Xiana coming there with the King, Queen, and other people behind them.
Su Licheng's eyes darted at her and he snorted a laugh to see Xiana in a red hanfu dress. "She is already going against my words," he mumbled as his lips curled up into a smirk.
He saw them halted and then heard Xiana say, "I would like to go in a separate carriage."
"There is no need for that. Get in," Licheng said and then gestured to Shen Daoren. He stepped up and motioned his hand for Xiana to get into the carriage.
Xiana turned to look at her father, mother, and brother.
"Xiana, your brother, and I will soon come to take you back," Yu Xiangkong said and patted her head. He controlled his tears and looked at Su Licheng. "Please take care of my daughter. I beg the prince," he almost joined his hands, but Xiana held her father's hands.
"Father, please," she shook her head and lowered them. "Take care of everyone," Xiana said to her younger brother and took a few steps back. She bowed to her father and mother before turning toward the carriage. She stepped into the same carriage as Licheng.
Shen Daoren closed the carriage and went ahead to hop on the horse.
Licheng closed the window and turned his gaze at Xiana, who was sitting across from him, at the far end with the sword in her hand. He looked at her from bottom to top and lingered his eyes on her lips.
Licheng chuckled and it made Xiana glance at him. "I strictly told you not to wear red," he said. "Also, you put on the red lip color. You do have a fighting spirit," he remarked.
"You forgot what I said earlier. I will wear whatever I want to," Xiana said with a stern tone.
"And I will do everything to make you work according to my choice," Licheng proclaimed. "Unfortunately, we are in a carriage, otherwise I would have dressed you up in a color other than red," he affirmed. His blazing gaze would intimidate everyone except her.
"And I will break your hands," Xiana pronounced.
"You cannot even touch me, Xiana," Licheng said in a confident tone.
"We will see, Licheng." Xiana didn't remain humble with him anymore.
"It is upsetting to see how your debtor talks back with you," Licheng stated.
"I have never been in anyone's debt, so I do not know how to talk with grace," Xiana replied, "especially with people like you."
"I am good at teaching," Licheng said, "especially the people like you."
"Unfortunately, I don't like teachers like you," Xiana stated.
"Who said I'd be your teacher?" Licheng questioned and arched his left eyebrow. "I will be your master and you'll be my servant. I have already cleared it before," he asserted.
Xiana clenched her fist around the hilt of the sword. Finally, their arguments ended. However, their gazes remained fixed on each other.
"Do you like staring at others?" Xiana questioned him.
"Who is staring at you? I am reading your thoughts," Licheng replied.
Xiana chuckled to hear his response. She looked at the scar on his left eye. "You claim yourself an invincible warrior. I wonder who the person could be who did that," she stated, showing her curiosity.
"A beast," Licheng answered.
Xiana frowned and decided not to believe him. She averted her gaze from him and opened the window to look outside.
"Close that window," She heard Licheng's voice. Xiana ignored him and let the window remain open. She felt the presence of Licheng beside her and turned to face him. He was right beside her and closed the window with a bang.
He lowered his gaze at her. Xiana's eyes grew to see the change in color in his left eye. "Obey me if you don't want to get punished," he said.
Xiana snorted a laugh at him and quickly turned to open the window when he grasped her hand. Licheng's breath hitched as he saw something unusual and he shook his head. "Let it stay close, Princess." His voice was calmer than before.
She turned to look at him and hummed. "You can go back to your place," Xiana said. However, she got no response from him. Suddenly, the room between them had turned quieter and colder.
"Will we live in the shadow palace?" Xiana asked him.
"No. In the Su Imperial Palace," an immediate response came from Licheng.
She was astonished to learn about that and again looked at him. "Aren't you the Shadow Prince? You love to remain in hiding, in the shadows," she asserted. Because that was what she knew from the people when six months ago she had come to the Su Empire.
"Will you shut your mouth?" He tilted his head, "or should I shut it off?"
"How? By killing me?" Xiana didn't refrain from annoying him.
"No. I have other ways to shut your mouth," Licheng said.
"You are not a man if you force yourself upon me," Xiana stated.
Licheng smiled at her and then moved his face closer to her. She moved a little back until her head touched the sliding wooden window pane. "Keep your mouth shut if you don't want me to make you run till the Su Empire. And trust me I will do that. I'll stop the carriage and make you run behind it," he said with an intimidating gaze.
Xiana decided not to talk to him. Licheng was a crazy person, who could really make her run.
Licheng felt better when she quieted down. He closed his eyes not to sleep but to meditate, to focus on his inner energy.
Xiana, oppositely, stood up quietly and moved carefully to the other side. She didn't want to stay close to Licheng. As she sat down, she found him sleeping. 'How could he sleep in peace destroying the peace of my life?' she thought in her mind.