Chapter 2: Brothers and comrades for the Princess

"Your highness, this is your breakfast," said a maid who introduced herself as Vineta. She brought a tray that had bowls of rice, soup, vegetable dish, grilled fish, and slices of fruits that resembled a pineapple. They all looked tasty and very different from what she eats from earth. Earth? Is she even on Earth? Was she transported to another planet? Where is Lou Empire anyway? This is frustrating to Sarah. She wants to leave yet she couldn't forget Shila's eyes as her twin pleads to her to protect the people. Why her?

"Uhm, excuse me princess, are the dishes not to your liking today? Do you want me to replace them?" asked Vineta, worry filled her eyes.

The maid would be suspicious if she didn't eat the meal. "No, this is enough, uhm say, where are the others?" Sarah asked. She needs to make a plan on how to tell the two officials, Kei and Ryuu, what happened to her sister.

"Others?" Vineta was clearly confused on who Sarah was referring to.

"You know, the guy in the blue robe and the one wearing armor?" Sarah immediately said.

"A guy wearing a blue robe? One wearing armor? Oh! You mean Lord Kei and General Ryuu! They were just on the training grounds. They said they needed to polish their swordsmanship," Vineta continued, "You see, they were panicking when they were notified that you were gone from the residence. You gave them a big scare, princess," Vineta said with a wink.

Lord Kei, an advisor and Princess Shila's tutor, came from a very distinguished family. He passed the royal examinations at 12 years old and since then, he was considered as "The Empire's National Treasure." The emperor saw his potential and gave him a title of Lord and Grand Tutor. Eventually, he became the princess' advisor.

While on the training ground, he couldn't think of any way how the princess was abducted from the residence. Initially they traveled to a province to investigate an alleged treason from a noble family. The princess is the only heir to the throne and a lot of the aristocrats would want to get rid of her in any way to become the ruler.

They need to secure the residence and bring more trustworthy knights. They should-

"Hey! What are you doing? Pay attention, you stuck up scholar!" Ryuu shouted as he swung his sword towards Kei.

Kei dodged it and moved his way behind the noisy general, grinning. He plans to attack him at the back. Kei was fast, he almost got Ryuu. The two continued to clash their swords, neither serious or playing. Both of them are tired from the events that happened yesterday yet they still have time to have a duel. Probably because they feel a bit of guilt that they weren't able to protect the princess.

Ryuu, one of the empire's top generals, and the princess's bodyguard felt the weight of his responsibility. He almost broke his promise to the emperor. Thank goodness that she is alive. Ryuu trained in the palace at a young age to be a warrior. In the beginning, he wants to become one of the strongest warriors in the empire and protect his province from invaders. It changed when he met the 10 year-old princess who is both daring and honorable.

He could still remember that day when he was in the garden, lost and hungry from the practice. He was only trying to find his way to the kitchen. Ryuu heard a noise coming from a pavilion so he hid behind the bushes. A maid was kneeling in front of a little girl and another one was scolding her. She was saying how rude it was to spill the tea on the princess's new dress and it ruined her mood somehow.

The little girl they call the princess stood there with a blank expression. Ryuu didn't know what she was feeling or thinking. Are they gonna give a light punishment to a maid? He was prepared to defend the maid when he heard her highness speak.

"Are you alright? I haven't seen you before so you must be one of the new maids. You don't need to worry about punishments, spilling tea because of nervousness isn't a crime. Be more careful, you'll be fine once you get used to your duties. Another thing, clean up the table and bring me a new cup of tea."

The other maid who was angry refuted the princess and said that they should be stricter to the new employees and give harsh punishments whenever they cause any troubles in the palace.

"How can I govern the empire someday when I can't be fair to the people in my residence?"

The princess simply replied yet it gave a lasting impression on the young warrior. From then on, he would spend some time after practice in the garden near the princess's residence and read or secretly guard it. Eventually, he became one of the soldiers sent to the border to fend off barbarians and successfully won, thus gaining merits and eventually became a general. He initially wanted to go back to his province but he was curious as to what kind of ruler the princess would be. He wanted to know if she is still the same benevolent person as she was back then. He's sure that the kingdom would be on the right path as long as that person is seated on the throne that is why he promised to protect her in any way.

He was thinking how lucky he was when he felt a kick to his leg causing him to kneel weakly.

"And you try to lecture me on being absent-minded," Kei said with a smirk.

""Shut up! That didn't count, let's have another round!" Ryuu protested.

"I have no interest in playing with you. Why don't you go outside and find yourself a woman to ease some of that tension," Kei teased.

Ryuu blushed. The advisor knows how little his experiences in women are and he's not afraid to use that against him. " Why don't you teach me then? Since you're such an expert Kei."

"Ah, Should I? I would love to but could handle that?" Kei smirked.

The bastard smirked at him. Sometimes Ryuu didn't know how this man became a royal tutor. He could be serious at work one moment and flirty the next. The thing that he couldn't understand is his popularity with the palace maids and female officials. It may be because of his long dark hair, deep brown eyes, and amazing physique. Hold on- why does it seem like he's complimenting the guy? No way!

"You're staring at me. Does that mean you don't like women? Don't tell me you like-? Kei teased him more.

"Ugh! You're annoying."

"You must think how handsome I am," Kei chuckled.

"I did not! Why don't you fix this mess or read your books? I'm going to see the princess," Ryuu turned away but before he walked out of the door, he looked at Kei with a frown, "For your information, I like women! You idiot!" With that, Ryuu went out of the training grounds.

Kei laughed aloud. He didn't expect the general to be so affected by his teasing. He needed to lighten up the mood because Ryuu was clearly frustrated and angry at himself for not staying by the princess's side yesterday. He felt the same although he found it strange why anyone didn't notice that she was missing. He needs to investigate this.

Back at the mansion, Sarah was drinking her tea when she heard a knock.

"Come in," she said.

"Your highness, I apologize for disturbing you. May I talk to you for a moment?"

A man wearing armor entered the room. He was very tall. With his body and height he could easily become a basketball player, a center maybe? His green hair was styled in a sleek high ponytail. His eyes shine a bright emerald. It's so beautiful that she can stare at it all day. More than that, he is obviously a warrior. He has a wound on his arm seeing that a small part of it was wrapped with a bandage. This man wanted to talk. He is one of the people that Sarah could trust according to her sister but what would she say to her? Princess Shila is gone and she would be the one to assume her position? They would not believe her.

"Your highness, I wanted to ask what happened yesterday. Do you think the nobles conspired to abduct you?" the man asked. She could see the worry in his eyes.

"The nobles?" she had to ask. She didn't know what was going on.

"We were tasked by his majesty to investigate the southern province because of an alleged treason. We came here secretly but it seems that the nobles have caught on to our plan if they know that you're here," Ryuu immediately said.

Sarah thought that it was a possibility. After all, her sister was hit by a poison arrow when they met.

"When did we arrive here, sir?" Sarah asked. She needed to know what happened when they reached the province.

"We arrived 2 days ago, your highness. We stayed in a small inn, then came to this residence secretly. Hold on- Did the princess call me sir?" asked Ryuu who was a bit puzzled.

"It seems so," another man said. The one in the blue robe who has dark hair and dark brown eyes looked at her intently. He resembles a predator keenly observing his prey.

"Kei! You should really knock, you bastard!" Ryuu said.

"Hello your highness, are you alright now?" Kei asked.

"Ye-yes, thank you for asking Lord Kei," Sarah shyly said.

The two men looked at her with surprise expressions. It's like they couldn't believe what they heard.

"Princess, you must be exhausted. I'll call Vineta," Ryuu ran to the door.

"Princess, did we do something wrong?" Kei asked with a serious expression.

'What is with these people? They must have noticed that I'm not the princess, this is so insane.'