Lilac froze. She could feel her heart pounding through her chest, yet her curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she turned around, fear still clinging to her. She saw a pair of legs standing just a few paces away. Her gaze traveled upward—past a perfectly sculpted torso—until it settled on the face of the handsome yet scary man. She stunned.
A snow-white hair made his ocean-blue eyes appear breathtakingly beautiful. He had a high-bridged nose and perfectly defined jawline. Yet, a long scar marred his face.
The man stared at her coldly, showing not a shred of emotion. "What's wrong? Can't you speak?"
As if beholding an angel, she rushed toward him, grasped his hands, and fell to her knees, casting aside the pride she had always held dear and forgetting her title as the Princess of the Cyrus Kingdom.
"S-Sir... please I'm begging you... help me. I don't want to die..." Lilac sobbed, gazing at him with desperate hope. "I... I still want to live... please, help me."
The only thing on Lilac's mind was asking the blue-eyed man for help, hoping he would save her from death. Yet, he offered no response, simply staring at her in silence. His blue eyes appeared calm... no, they were completely void of emotion.
"Sir... I beg for your help… I just want to li—"
"Why do you want to live?"
"Huh?"
The man stared at Lilac, demanding an answer. "Why should I help you? What makes you want to stay alive?"
Lilac was struck dumb. The question seemed to freeze her tongue, robbing her of the ability to speak. It was such a simple question, yet somehow, it left her completely speechless. Which is strange because the man's voice asked calmly.
"I-I... I just..." Lilac stuttered, confused.
The man tilted his head. "Can't answer? So, you're just afraid of dying?"
His words slap her in the face. Lilac fell into a reverie, silently beginning to question herself—or rather, to question her reason for living. Had she lacked a purpose all this time?
Was she merely afraid of losing the luxury she enjoyed?
Or was she afraid of losing the love she had always received from her family?
The man pulled his hand free from Lilac grasp. "It seems I was right. I'm sorry. I can't help you. You've come to the wrong person. So, please leave." then he walked away, leaving Lilac behind.
Lilac dug her fingers into the sand. "No! I won't end up like this! Think of something!" she told herself, then suddenly stood up and spoke aloud. "I'm not leaving until you help me!"
The man stopped and turned around. "Didn't I tell you I don't want to help you? You don't even have a reason to li—" Lilac walking toward him. Without hesitation, she grabbed his wrist and gripped it tightly. "What are you doing?!" he said angrily.
"Then be my reason for living!" Lilac declared firmly.
The man's eyes widened in shock at her words. "W-What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"
"If I don't have a reason to live, then let me make you my reason to keep breathing," Lilac said, gazing deeply into his eyes.
He was taken aback. His mouth snapped shut as he locked eyes with her. Lilac could clearly read the expression on his face.
"Gotcha! I've trapped him! I'm sorry, but I really don't want to die—not today. At least, not until I truly find my reason for living."
Suddenly, she heard the faint sound of royal guards calling her name from beyond the trees. Fear slowly began to creep through her entire body. "S-Sir, plea— Hey!"
The man hoisted her up, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her into the palace without saying a word.
…
Lilac's eyes ceaselessly roamed the vast, magnificent palace that far larger than her father's own. Life-sized statues stood in the corners, beside the pillars that supported this predominantly white edifice. But one thing suddenly struck her. The place was utterly neglected and devoid of life; there was no one here but her and this man.
The man, who had faithfully carried her the whole way, slowly ascended the stairs. He stopped at a door, opened it, and gently set her down.
"This room is yours," he said.
Her eyes wandered around the spacious chamber, which featured a large bed in the center and a balcony.
As if reading her thoughts, the man spoke again. "There is no one here, there is no servants and guards. So, I expect you to handle everything yourself. You are free to do as you please, as long as you don't bring anyone else here."
Lilac nodded. "I understand."
He then looked her up and down. Realizing this, Lilac suddenly felt nervous and embarrassed. Her appearance was a mess. Her hair was disheveled, her dress was torn, and her legs were caked in mud. She looked pathetic.
Lilac's face flushed as she tried to avoid his gaze. He then took a white dress from the wooden wardrobe. "Change your clothes."
She took the dress, intending to put it on immediately. "Um... sorry, b-but could you step out for a moment, sir?"
He leaned against one of the room's windows, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just pretend I'm not here."
"W-What?! How am I supposed to change clothes while you're still in here?" protested Lilac.
"And how can I simply trust someone I saved just a few minutes ago?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously. "What if you came here to kill me?
Lilac gritted her teeth. Well, his attitude was fair enough. Even though he had helped her, he still didn't trust her. "Damn it! It looks like I have no other choice," Lilac thought.
"What's wrong? Don't you want to change your clothes?"
"I will. I will change my clothes."
She turned around and slowly changed out of her torn dress. She could feel his gaze tracing the line of her back. Lilac cursed incessantly in her mind, annoyance and nervousness mingling together. Never in her life had she imagined she would find herself in such a vulnerable situation with a man whose identity was completely unknown to her.
"What's your name?" he asked, breaking the silence.
"Lilac. Lilac Ivelle," she replied while quickly pulling on the white dress.
She heard footsteps approaching her. Within seconds, her eyes met those ocean-blue ones again. He guided her to sit on the edge of the bed and gently held her leg.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, looking at the wound on her leg.
Lilac nodded. "Ow! Yes, it hurts quite a bit."
Without a word, he gently touched the wound on her leg. She saw a blue light envelop his hand. The wound vanished without a trace, leaving not even a scar behind.
Lilac's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her leg, now smooth and unblemished once more. "Wow! How did you do that? Do you have magic?"
He giggled. "Well... maybe?"
Lilac's curiosity suddenly surged. "Sir, what is your name? Wouldn't it be unfair if you didn't tell me?"
Silence.
Lilac furrowed her brows. "You don't want me to know your name?" She rolls her eyes. "Tch! Fine... I won't force you if you don—"
"Merikh," he said. "Just call me Merikh."
Lilac smiled until her eyes crinkled into crescents. "Then it's nice to meet you, Sir Merikh, and thank you for helping me."
The man quickly looked away. "I-It's nothing."
Suddenly, a loud shout rang out from outside the palace.
"IS THERE ANYONE INSIDE?! PLEASE, COME OUT IMMEDIATELY! THIS IS AN ORDER FROM KING MORGAN!"