Chapter 49

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Suvarnabhumi Airport. Local time is 12:30 AM and temperature is at 33°C. Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened while we..."

Pranpriya woke with a start. She didn't realize she had fallen asleep midway through the flight until she heard the voice announcement over the speakers. The wildlife magazine she was scanning aimlessly prior to her dozing off was still lying on her lap. It was still flipped open on the page where she left it, where a tiger cub zeawas staring at her. It reminded her of her cats, somehow.

She stirred on her seat while making sure that her seatbelt was securely fastened while the aircraft was now running on the runway for parking. She checked the time on her watch. The tiny hands on her Rolex were pointing at twelve and six, like what the captain said on his announcement. If she would hurry, she could make it to Pathum Wan by three. Or she could check herself in to a hotel in Rattanakosin, which was more convenient because she would just be barely a kilometer away from the palace complex, should she finally decide to choose which of the two was a more reasonable option.

Pranpriya was sitting on the single seat beside the small window. Outside, she could see the terminal and the tiny figures of people inside the large airport still bustling and moving about even at midnight. Which didn't surprise her at all because Suvarnabhumi Airport was one of the busiest airport in the world, which also housed the world's tallest control tower.

"You might wanna loose the jacket, you know?" the man sitting on the seat next to the aisle said to her.

Pranpriya thought she heard a bit of a sneer on his voice but still paid him a glance out of courtesy. After all, she had finally arrived in her homeland and they, the Thai people (herself, included) was known not to hold a grudge or whatever negativity they feel on any situation.

Mai pen rai.

"Yeah," said Pranpriya with a slight nod and brought her attention back again to the small window.

Of course, it should be hot out there. Pranpriya wanted to tell the stranger but thought against it. The temperature in her country during the month at this time of the year was usually, if not always, hot. That even with a chance of rainfall, the reading would still hit as high as thirty-six degrees. No wonder the man was already in his curdoroy shorts, slippers and flower-printed shirt. He already looked prepped up to survive the heat already. He probably changed his clothes before descent, because he was wearing something thicker when they left Gimpo. Pranpriya wanted to tell him that his choice of fashion won't guarantee him of a sweat-free Thailand getaway. But then again, who was she to chastise when she, herself, was covered in a thick, woolen jacket, a cap and a mask. She looked like a complete joke next to him.

Pranpriya did not intend to take her jacket off, though, even when she would surely drench in sweat out there, once she would step outside the gates of the terminal exit. Or her cap and the mask on her face. She planned to endure the heat until she would hail a cab and until she would reach her still-undecided destination.

Travelling in discreet was a bothersome and it only made her feel like an idiot. It was stupid, really. She had repeatedly been telling herself that while she was glued on her seat, discomfitted and disgruntled, while everyone else on their cabin was moving about freely just moments after take off. She hadn't even touched her food or the wine being served on her accommodation, which she just left lying untouched in front of her before the cabin crew had collected them back, probably while she was sleeping.

Although, her lack of appetite and her lack of desire to move about, free from whatever was stopping her from doing so, didn't have anything to do with her decision to travel discreetly, of course. It was actually because she grew nervous and anxious and scared. She had never been scared while travelling before until now. Not after she saw her own face in the wide screen back at Gimpo Airport, when she and the Park sisters (Alice and Chaeyoung offered to drive her to the airport) were walking around looking for something to eat before her check-in, upon Chaeyoung's insistence.

The Korean news outlets were already picking up and running down on-repeat the released article about her and Jennie, and about her being part of the Royal family. They had been using the same images over and over-the silhouette kissing image of them in the park and the one where she was sitting on the passenger seat of her Impala and Jennie was driving away from the parking lot outside the hotel where Irene's party was held.

The second image was a bit blurry and it looked like it might have been taken from a clip of a CCTV recording. But it was there and it was her and Jennie and the Koren media were already digging stuff, trying to locate her, trying to get to know more of her and their relationship. They even tried to contact the office of The Royal Household Bureau, according to the evening news "but no response, whatsoever," said the anchorman who shamelessly displayed his disappointment and later on showed a short clip of news vans and a group of press being forcibly fended off by a considerably bigger group of men in dark suits away from a tall gate, describing it as:

"...the situation earlier outside the Kim mansion, where The Kim Group President and CEO, Jennie Kim, was seen today with the youngest daughter of the Kim Security and Surveillance Co., Jisoo Kim..."

And finally, a short clip was shown where Jennie and Jisoo was inside the car, which made Prapriya's heart lurched forward and then plunged downwards, deeper into the pits of her stomach, after she saw how uncomfortable both Jennie and Jisoo looked under the bright camera flashes and was nearly mobbed by the press, if it hadn't because of the men in suits, who the anchorman said were members of the Kim security.

Hence, she bought a cap and a cheap mask when they had passed by a merchandise shop at the airport, upon the advice of Alice. Chaeyoung's sister wanted to make sure that she was safe and free to move about and that nobody would recognize her. But the thought of walking around in her homeland with her face hidden under a cap and behind a mask was stupid. But Pranpriya had already decided that she won't take her covers off, until at least she felt safe to do so.

"So, where are you heading?" the man asked casually without looking at her, as if he was only trying to strike a light conversation while waiting for the 'Fasten Your Seatbelt' sign to turn green.

Pranpriya knew that answering his question would lead to another question and then another and another and that was what she had been trying to avoid the whole time. She didn't want anyone to pry, especially the stranger who had been particularly eyeing her with curiosity and suspiciously eversince they both exchanged polite nods seconds before take off. Which she now regretted doing, by the way.

Pranpriya heaved out a breath before saying, "Just...anywhere, I guess." She tried to smile and cursed herself after. She was starting to grow impatient when, thankfully, the seatbelt sign finally turned green-an indication that they were finally allowed to unbuckle the seatbelt, gather their luggage from the compartment on the overboard and head out to the exit. Three things that Pranpriya did as quickly as she could that from an onlooker's point of view, she looked like she was in a very tight schedule. She even looked like she was in a panic, which only raised more curiosity from the man on her left.

Pranpriya pushed her way towards the door and unto the arrival terminal along with the other passengers. Her strides were sure and long. She had brought only a single bag with her which contains her small selection of clothes she had randomly picked from her closet, some wires and cables for her devices, her camera, laptop and some important documents, which made it easier for her to finally maneuver her way towards the gates in the middle of a pool of busy travelers walking to and fro the level, wandering about particular gates, worrying about papers and documents and catching flights.

She was walking in haste towards and rode the escalators down to the lower level. But halfway, the stranger from her flight had caught up with her, to Pranpriya's shock and horror, and started chatting again like they were old acquaintances picking up the pieces where they left them. His breathing was jagged and he had a few beads of sweats peering on his forehead. He obviously rushed claiming his luggages on the belt so he could catch up on her. For what, Pranpriya had no idea.

"You don't look Korean," he declared when he finally abled to squeeze himself between Pranpriya and a formidable-looking old lady. "You're not, are you?" he demanded and earned a disapproving glare from the old lady.

"That's a rude thing to ask!" the old lady told him off, which he just completely ignored.

"You look familiar, though," he continued. "I believe I've seen you before. I just can't remember when or where. I think I saw you on TV. Are you a celebrity?" he asked when Pranpriya didn't bother to respond.

He had a set of pale blue eyes behind a thick round spectacles, a long, thin nose and a mouth covered in a curly beard the same color as his hair-copper brown with some streaks of gold and bronze. He was a couple of feet taller than Pranpriya but looked totally unintimidating due to his lack of muscles and his pale skin. And he was rude, nosy and persistent and he was starting to get under Pranpriya's skin and all she wanted at the moment was to get away from the stranger as soon as possible.

They were nearing the escalator landing and he was still trying to squeeze a word from her as he was now asking her about cultural differences and racial issues after he decided that Pranpriya wasn't "white" like him and maybe she was "just another Asian woman pretending to be someone else who had the air of either someone important (because she was covered from head to toe) or someone ridiculous (because she was still covered from head to toe and 'I mean, I'm already sweating, right? Don't you feel hot, honestly?')" which Pranpriya only ignored as she moved three steps away from him. He was about to touch Pranpriya's shoulder to get her attention, probably, when all of a sudden, two men in dark uniform had placed themselves on his both sides as soon as they hit the floor landing and quietly but forcibly pulled him to the sidelines; oblivious from Pranpriya who was walking ahead without any idea that the stranger was being held.

"What is this?! Is this how you treat a guest?!" were the man's angry words as his voice echoed across the floor and caught the attention of the midnight travelers around him, including the Princess'.

Pranpriya paused on her steps and was about to turn around to see what was going on when a woman suddenly appeared on her left and said, "Don't worry about him, Your Highness. He will be dealt with accordingly." She was speaking in Thai in a low, hushed voice.

"Wh-," Pranpriya opened her mouth to speak but the woman in a bun and in a dark jacket cut her.

"We're here to escort you to your residence, Your Highness. Please keep walking until you see your vehicle on the parking outside," the woman said, looking ahead but casually showing the Princess her shiny royal police pin attached on the left side of her jacket.

Pranpriya recognized the insignia at once as she had seen it too many times before. Her mind was already formulating a hundred different questions, one connected to the other, and she wanted to ask all of it to the lady royal police, who looked stern and commanding behind the guise of her relaxed face. But Pranpriya kept her silence, instead, and walked away from the scene, towards the exit gate. Along the way, the woman beside her was exchanging nods with the other stationed royal police hovering around-they were men with crew cut hair and were wearing the same dark jacket and by the look of it, the woman was the leader of their pool. They then joined ranks and flanked Pranpriya in the middle (one of them carried her luggage for her) so that their group of seven, the Princess, included, was parting the bodies of busy travelers on level one without meaning to disrupt their businesses. They were moving swiftly and in an orchestrated manner until they reached the gate exit and unto the wide parking area outside.

Once outside, it didn't took long for Pranpriya to find her "vehicle" from all the other parked vehicles in the wide lot. She recognized the ivory Mercedes-Benz Viano the instant she laid her eyes on it. The modified van was one of the three cars she officially owned (listed and registered under her name by The Royal Household Property Bureau) which she was supposed to use for unofficial royal journey, like tonight; the other two was a Lexus and a BMW for her personal use. Beside the ivory van was a Nissan Teana and a Honda Camry, also in ivory colors. They served as vehicles for the royal police (for convoys and motorcades) on unofficial journeys, as well.

One royal police, a tall man, opened the door of the ivory van and when Pranpriya stepped inside and finally settled in comfortably, they all bowed to her and said, "Welcome home, Your Highness!" in low voices.

Her Royal Highness Pranpriya, still covered under the thick jacket, the cap and the mask, regarded her guards with only a slight movement of her head. She was grateful that she didn't have to move around Bangkok wrapped in covers like a fugitive anymore, but everything wasn't making sense to her just yet.

The lady royal police then slid the door closed and then positioned herself on the front seat after giving out orders to her subordinates, while another guard positioned behind the steering wheel. The others had divided themselves to the other cars and soon Pranpriya was engulfed in comfortable silence and darkness, except, of course, the humming of the perfectly tuned sound of the van engine and the occasional beeping of her guards' radios.

The privacy of the modified van, aided by the dark tinted glasses, gave the Princess the security at last. She then took off her covers as she was already dripping in sweat underneath the jacket despite the cold temperature in the interior of the van, as they started speeding along Bangkok main road.

"What happened to him? The man at the airport?" Pranpriya asked the lady officer in Thai while unbuttoning her jacket.

Although it was unusual for any royals to engage their guards in a casual conversation, Pranpriya was curious and she missed speaking the language, as she had been using Hangul for so long now.

"We turned him over to the immigration officers, Your Highness," the lady police guard replied without looking at the Princess on the backseat but tilted her head a little to the side as recognition.

"And how did you know I was coming?" asked Pranpriya after finally freeing herself from the jacket.

She had been wondering about it ever since her pool of welcome party showed up at the airport terminal. She knew she hadn't slip about her flight schedule to anyone and the only people who knew about it were Alice and the Chipmunk. Surely, they hadn't told her mom about her coming home, had they? Because her mother was the only person she could suspect sending these royal police to come and pick her up on the arrival. Which didn't make sense, by the way, because her mother didn't have the authority to mobilize any unit without the consent of a higher official.

"Your name appeared on our database, Your Highness. It had been a while since you last purchased a plane ticket. When we found out that you were traveling via the flagship, we proceeded to the airport immediately as soon as we have secured your flight details. The general thinks that it's better to wait for you until your plane lands so that you will not slip on our watch, Your Highness."

"My name appears on your database whenever I purchase a plane ticket? Does that mean that you, guys, know exactly where I'm going whenever I fly?" Pranpriya asked.

"It helps us track you once you're outside South Korea, Your Highness," the lady royal police replied.

"And what does 'not slip on your watch' mean? I'm a prisoner now?" Pranpriya demanded and wondered if it was part of the severe punishment she would receive later on from her father and the parliament. She could already imagine herself locked in a cellar, with food rations and being tried in the court until they would finally decide what to do with her. And although she knew that it was a ridiculous notion, it still brought a chill down her spine for a second.

"The general thinks that it's better if you will be escorted to your residence once you land, Your Highness," the lady royal police answered, "for your safety."

"Which general?" Pranpriya asked curiously.

"The general from the royal police retainers unit, Your Highness. He is acting under the direct orders of His Majesty, himself," the lady police replied.

Of course, Pranpriya sighed as she leaned back on her seat. The royal police retainer unit was responsible for her father's security pool which had an estimated members of about a hundred thousand elite guards. Her welcome party of seven was only a speck compared to the mammoth numbers from her father's pool of security.

Pranpriya wondered, though, if these seven royal police retainers escorting her were personally handpicked by her father or that they were recommended by a higher commanding officer for this assignment. Because everything would be up to His Majesty. All the decisions, all the plannings, all the important details-everything. After all, her father was holding an enormous power over everything in the country. But he couldn't guarantee the protection that Pranpriya desperately asked from him four years ago.

"Can you take me to His Majesty's residence, instead?" Pranpriya told the police driver. "Please?" she added.

"His Majesty intends to see you in the morning, Your Highness. For now, you must rest. The long flight must have tired you. Your staff is already waiting for you in the palace, as we speak," the woman on the front seat said.

Pranpriya wanted to argue. She wanted to insist that she wished to be taken to the palace complex, where His Majesty was residing. But the lady royal police was right. She was exhausted, she realized after she gave a long yawn and her eyes started to sting, as if on cue. Her residence was miles away from the capital and she still had about a couple of hours before they would reach Pathum Wan district.

"We will wake you up as soon as we reach the palace, Your Highness," the woman said reassuringly.

Pranpriya nodded sleepily in the dark. "Thanks," she sighed as she adjusted herself in a more comfortable position on the elegant upholstery and draped on herself the jacket she just took off a while ago. And soon, the Princess drifted off to sleep with Jennie's face as her last thoughts.

A white-haired man in a dark suit was waiting at the entrance. The butler was obviously notified of their arrival, so that when the three cars parked in front of the splendid three-storey architecture, he immediately planted himself in front of the doorway and waited for the Princess to finally step out of the Viano.

Pranpriya admitted herself inside the premise of her residence-a European-inspired grand mansion built around 1920's and designed by an Italian architecture, that stretched along Payathai Road. Her royal police escorts and the butler were tailing behind her in an orderly fashion.

"Welcome home, Your Highness," the butler greeted and bowed in a subtly tensed voice when Pranpriya paused and stood in the middle of the deserted grand foyer; a crystal chandelier was hanging from the high ceiling in the centermost of it, giving off sparkling light prisms around it, and a towering curving marble staircase was sweeping toward the upper floors of the mansion, inviting for a tour.

"Thank you," Pranpriya said and managed to smile despite the fatigue. "How have you been, Lek?"

Lek's face lit up at the sound of his name escaping from the Princess' lips. He was delighted to know that the Princess still recognized him from all the years that Her Highness had spent abroad.

"I'm very well and pleased to see you again, Your Highness. It had been too long," the butler replied fondly.

Pranpriya nodded softly. "Too long, indeed. But you look like you haven't aged, Lek," she commented with a smile as she looked around. "And so is the place..."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Timothy beamed and bowed. "We have been maintaining the palace for your return."

Lek was a short man. He stood a foot shorter than the Princess. He had a short white hair that parted in the midde and he had a small built. He was mild but very particular. He had been serving the royal house almost all his life and he was promoted as a butler right after the palace in Pathum Thani was gifted to the Princess to be her royal residence.

Pranpriya regarded the butler gratefully after she explored her eyes at the high ceiling and spent a few seconds looking at the light prisms from the crystal chandelier and then averted her eyes to the curving marble staircase. "You've done an excellent job, Lek," she praised and started for the staircase.

"It is my honor to serve you, Your Highness. Shall I alert the kitchen?" Lek asked.

"There's no need. I'm tired and just wish to retire to bed. I apologize if I seemed to have kept you all waiting," Pranpriya said as she climbed the staircase.

She was exhausted and fatigue was starting to overtake her body, despite the overwhelming thoughts running inside her head. Pranpriya didn't even have the energy left in her to appreciate the ornate details of the palace once more like the first time it was introduced to her-the molded beams and the stone carvings for buttresses that once intruiged her atop the pillars, the high ceilings painted in rich color the rich history of her land, the dark, cold marble floor that stretched like forever, the varieties of oil portraits and landscapes on large canvasses lining on the wall along the corridor, the ornaments and golden figures that were placed here and there to impose grandeur, royalty and wealth-and the fact that it was registered under her name for years now and yet, she hadn't spent enough days in it and that there wasn't even enough memories she could pull from her mind so that she can call it "home".

Lek was walking quietly behind her, carrying her things but keeping a comfortable distance. And when Pranpriya finally paused in front of the massive teak door to her chamber-the biggest bedroom on the west wing on the third floor-she paused and faced the expectant Lek, who was looking all set to serve her and do her bidding. But Pranpriya only took her travel bag and her jacket from the butler's hand.

"Thank you, Lek. I can manage from here," Pranpriya said kindly.

"Rest well, Your Highness," Lek said with a bow.

"You, too. And please tell the others to go to bed already. It's late," Pranpriya said as she turned her heel but paused, yet again, while holding the brass doorknob. "And Lek? Please don't wake me up later. And don't let anyone in my room. Thank you."

....

The sun in Pathum Thani was already nearing its peak. The temperature was hot, as it had always been in the country. Life in the district was working normally. Students attending their schools and universities, scientists working on their labs inside research facilities. Pathum Thani had a very high concentration in education and focuses especially on the fields of science and technology which makes it an education and technology hub in the region. Inside the gates and the walls of the royal residence along Payathai Road, however, was a buzz of excitement and tension from the staff and royal guards.

It had been too long since the royal flag was raised outside the palace-an indication that a high member of the royal family was in the building. The museum, in honor of the late queen mother in the farthest south wing had been closed to public viewing at the moment, to the dismay of the visitors who weren't notified earlier. A platoon of royal army, in their black-and-red uniforms, could be seen marching on the grounds and guards in grey uniforms were riding on horses patrolling the vicinity. A Rolls-Royce Phantom V could be seen parked near the entrance to the palace, gleaming proudly under the sun and on the far left of the estate were fifteen ivory cars, including a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz (they were cars used by the royal guards during motorcades), royal police guards placed on every corners with their radios. And inside the palace were servants and staff busying themselves to make sure that everything within the palace was in order, under the supervision of the butler Lek. Fresh daisies were placed on large vases, as they were the Princess' favorite, and new sets of furniture covers were replaced and thick carpets were laid.

Upstairs, inside the biggest chamber on the west wing, the hot midday sun hadn't yet invaded the privacy of the royal bedchamber. The thick, embroidered draperies hanging on the high windows were still drawn and the air-condition system was in its throttle. And there, on the huge bed, above the soft, thick silk covers laid the Princess with her face down and her long body in an awkward position. Her hair was strewn around her like a bright contrast against the dark covers.

Pranpriya was still on her travel clothes-dark denim pants and a fitted dark top under the flannel jacket. She didn't bother washing up last night because her body gave in to fatigue as soon as her back hits the bed. She was still even wearing her socks on-her leather boots were flung carelessly near the bed footings and the Rolex still around her wrist was ticking in rhythmic motion. The soft sound that the watch was producing eventually woke her up, as her left arm was stuck between the huge pillow and her face.

Pranpriya stirred above the soft covers. She had slept straight and now her head was mildly spinning. Her conscious was awake but she still hadn't willed her lids to open just yet. She wanted to cherish the silence and hoped, although not as desperately, that she could doze off back again.

Just a little more minutes, Pranpriya told herself after she took a peek through a half-opened eye and saw the tiny hands of her watch pointing at quarter past eleven. It took her a couple of seconds before she remembered where she was.

The room felt different from last night when she entered it. Waking up to a different bed after waking up yesterday to her own bed and next to Jennie felt weird and empty. The emptiness was punctuated mainly by the huge space left on the huge bed and the huge room that smelled of daisies. She missed Jennie's strawberry scent on her pillows. She missed those gummy smiles that greeted her brightly yesterday morning. She should've called Jennie before leaving last night, Pranpriya thought regretfully. Perhaps then she wouldn't feel as unmotivated as she was feeling at the moment.

The room was quiet. She could hear muffled noises and undoubtedly hooves of horses prancing around from the ground outside but other than that, everything around her was still and quiet. She missed the noise Leo and Luca would usually make downstairs in the morning. All those running around and bumping on furnitures, knocking down photo frames and trinkets, and on seldom occasions breaking chinawares in the kitchen. She missed that and her heart ached with the thought of her two boys. But Pranpriya was confident that the Chipmunk won't starve them to d-

Pranpriya gasped in horror and sprung up so suddenly she might have offended her tendons. She forgot to call Chaeng last night. She promised she would call as soon as she can.

"Phone phone phone... Where is it!" Pranpriya muttered under her breath as she desperately searched for her phone under the sheets, crawling above the mattress, diving under the thick covers and finally retrieving her phone.

"Is this how late you normally wake up daily?" a voice suddenly spoke that it startled and froze Pranpriya. She recognized the voice.

She hurriedly jumped from her bed and almost lost her balance when her feet landed on the thick carpet. Her eyes were bulging wide with horror and shock as she looked straight into her father's brown eyes; her heart was beating madly and her throat had suddenly gone dry and she knew for sure that the colors on her face had betrayed her and left.

The Prachao Yu Hua was sitting languidly on one of the settees few feet from the bedpost. Behind him was the high mullioned windows where the curtains of scarlet and silver were still drawn and on his left, a table lamp was lit. His legs were crossed and an open folder was resting on his lap. He was looking at his daughter with assessing eyes behind his clear spectacles. He was wearing a white suit and his short hair was combed like how he liked it-sleek and parted on the left, showing the beautiful streaks of fine gray hairs. There were lines visible on his face and he looked tired and had little sleep but he still looked as implacable as when Pranpriya had last saw him.

"Well?" His Majesty said.

Pranpriya wanted to ask what His Majesty was doing inside her bed chamber. She wanted to ask how long was he sitting on the settee and she most definitely wanted to ask why he was there. And she wanted to say yes, that she usually would rise late because most of the time she was at her lab working until past midnight. But when she opened her mouth to speak, all that Pranpriya could ever managed to say was:

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," and bowed in his presence, in an unsteady voice. She wasn't even sure what she was sorry about. Her heart was still hammering inside her chest and she was unbelievably worried about her hair at the moment because it was usually wild in the morning, like a ruffled lion's mane. Not that her father would give a damn about it, but she wanted to make herself presentable, at least.

His Majesty raised his dark brows and regarded Pranpriya under his assessing gaze. There were creases on his forehead and he was looking at her with an odd expression on his face.

"I came to join you for breakfast earlier but Lek was set not wake you up," His Majesty said.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," Pranpriya took a bow once again while recalling in her mind the words she left with her butler before she went off to bed last night and hoped that Lek was not in any trouble. She had only arrived in less than twenty-four hours and she was perhaps already costing her butler his job. Unbelievable.

"He said that you instructed him not to let anyone in but I imagined it would be tediously boring if I have to wait for you in the dining hall all morning," His Majesty said as he heaved himself up from the couch and started from the room. "Anyway, now that you're finally up, I need to alert him. I want you to join me for lunch and discuss about this later on." He showed Pranpriya the folder he was holding.

"Your Majesty..."

"I expect to see you in the dining hall in thirty minutes," His Majesty said and left the room, leaving Pranpriya in a state of confusion.

His Majesty wasn't exactly what Pranpriya had imagined and expected he would be after the news broke out. She expected him to be disappointed, outraged and spitting words at her, blaming her and her stubbornness for what happened, which he wasn't and did not. Because as far as Pranpriya could tell, judging by what had just transpired between her and her father, His Majesty looked relatively calm. Not cordial and definitely not friendly but at least, calm. But then again, her father had quite skilled himself with masking his emotions with his "King face". That's what Pranpriya would often call his serious and not-so-serious-but-nonetheless-serious face back then.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door and six maids in identical black-and-white uniform with gold trimmings in the edges came marching in, bowing as they paused in front of her. In their hands were baskets and trays of bath supplies-perfumed bath salts and soaps, bottles of shampoos and towels; one maid was holding a silver tray that bears a steaming cup of chocolate that made Pranpriya's stomach grumble and a sandwich with melted cheese oozing on the sides. She was hungry.

"We're to attend to your needs, Your Highness," one of them said without meeting Pranpriya's eyes and then all of them had dispatched themselves to their designated responsibilities.

Thirty minutes later, Pranpriya was sitting quietly across His Majesty on the intimidating long table in the cavernous hall. She was already scrubbed and bathed and smelled like vanilla and spring. She was dressed in a long, white sleeved gown that fits perfectly on her bodice and her long hair was tied up tidily behind her in a bun. She was wearing expensive stones on her neck and fingers-emerald and diamonds that were presented to the royal family. She looked gleaming and beautiful that it was hard for the servants not to pay discreet in-awe glances at her and only then would they stop whenever Lek would clear his throat as subtly as he could.

A feast of local delicacies were spread across the table. Three large ornate brass candelabras were standing in-between the sea of plates and saucers, crystal glasses and silver bowls decorated with tiny elephants and flowers; steaming and releasing sweet, spicy aromas that filled up the entirety of the hall.

Lek was standing proudly a few feet behind Pranpriya, waiting to be called, and servants in uniforms were serving each of His Majesty's and her plates food. His Majesty was munching quietly at the other end of the table and would occasionally glanced up towards Pranpriya who looked slightly discomfitted with the uniformed servants hovering around, willing to serve her. She had completely forgotten what it felt like living the life designed for her because she had gotten quite used to the independent life she had been leading outside the walls of the palace and outside her own land, that everything around her at the moment felt new. Pranpriya felt lost as she took a sip from the crystal glass filled with sparkling white wine that tastes bittersweet on the mouth, but otherwise smooth.

"Your mother will be arriving later this afternoon," His Majesty spoke after a long while, after he wiped clean the corners of his mouth with the rich red napkin, where lotus flowers was embellished in silver and gold threads around the edges.

"Why?" Pranpriya blurted out without meaning to and heard audibly enough the gasp Lek had took. Evidently, nobody in their right mind would dare talk impertinently to His Majesty like that. "Your Majesty," she added politely.

"She wants to see you," His Majesty replied as he drank the contents of his own crystal glass. "And I invited her to join us," he added.

"I mean, why here, Your Majesty? I thought we could meet at the complex?" Pranpriya said.

"Your mother and I agreed that it's best if we should meet here," His Majesty said dismissively, as if it settled everything up. "Your stepfather, Marco, however, couldn't make it since he left for the Philippines early today for a food expo. So," His Majesty paused, "how are you?"

"I'm..." Pranpriya started. She hesitated and settled eventually with: "Full. The food was amazing."

Admittedly, what she just said was stupid but she didn't know exactly what to tell His Majesty. She was nervous that she might speak the wrong words and her father won't like it. Afterall, this was the first time since they had last talk, face to face, four years ago. Of course, she was edgy and anxious and the distance between her and her father was ridiculously wide that it somehow made talking a little awkward, with her every syllables bouncing and echoing across the stone walls. His Majesty, on the other hand, still looked calm.

"Good. Your kitchen staff would be delighted to know that," His Majesty said and took another sip from his glass. "But, how are you? Did you have a rough time travelling last night?"

"It was uneventful, Your Majesty," Pranpriya said truthfully. Because except with the stranger pestering her last night, nothing came close to being eventful.

His Majesty nodded and gestured for Lek to bring him the folder he was holding at Pranpriya's room earlier.

"This is a dossier of the man who your guards held up at the airport last night," His Majesty said after receiving the folder from the butler. He opened it and started scanning the pages. "His name is Mister Matthew Robertsons. Does it ring a bell to you?" His Majesty asked.

"No, Your Majesty. I've never heard of him," Pranriya answered and wasn't at all surprised to know that someone under her father's command already did a background check about the man.

"Well, he wasn't as dangerous as your guards thought he would be. In fact, his background is somewhat bland and boring. Still, he was posing as a threat to your privacy and security last night and the captain thought it was best to hand him over to the immigrations."

"Captain, Your Majesty? You mean, the lady officer from last night?"

"Your main security, Captain Pakpao, yes. You met her last night. She's one of the best in the academy-an elite, if you may. I chose her, myself, to serve as your personal guard and she has been watching over you for years now-,"

"What's that suppose to mean?" Pranpriya interjected, forgetting completely the formalities. The last information pricked her sensitivities.

"It means that she has been traveling the world with you. Incognito, of course. You might have seen her face in passing without recognizing her. She has been reporting to me, keeping me tabs about your whereabouts. Except, of course, when you're in South Korea."

"Meaning?" Pranpriya was now feeling hot in the face.

So, she was being followed. All the while she thought she was free and that world was hers to explore as "Lisa" without the shadows of her truth following her. But she was apparently wrong, she told herself as she tried to recall if she ever did see the lady royal police's face somewhere in the countries and cities she visited. But her attempt was futile. She had been to engrossed with her photography and explorations and freedom that she hadn't been paying attention to the faces she had met along the way.

"Meaning it was a mistake that I didn't send her to South Korea to watch over you while you're there. She then would have informed me about a certain Jennie Kim and she would've took out in an instant whoever took that photo. Then, we wouldn't have arrived to this. You wouldn't have traveled in discreet and you wouldn't have yet returned unless you deem it necessary."

Pranpriya felt her heart plummeted down to her knotted stomach at the sound of Jennie's name. The moment that she had been anxiously waiting for has finally come. There really was no escaping it, she thought bitterly.

"Don't give me that look, Pranpriya. I haven't yet asked anyone to do a background check on Miss Kim. I want to hear it from you first," His Majesty said calmly.

"What do you want to know, Your Majesty?" Pranpriya asked coldly. She didn't want to discuss Jennie to her father, as much as possible. Not yet, anyway. And not in front of Lek and the servants.

"The South Korean news agencies are having a field day eversince that article broke out yesterday. They seem very much interested to know about Miss Kim's personal life as they are about you..."

"I didn't know she's a public interest until she told me a couple of weeks ago, after that night at Chaeng's bar, Your Majesty," Pranpriya said.

"Was there any significant occurrence that took place that night?" His Majesty asked curiously.

"It wasn't really that important, Your Majesty. But the people at the bar started showing interest after knowing that Jennie was there. Her security pulled us out and that's when she told me who she was," Pranpriya said. "Sort of," she added as an afterthought.

"Their people seem to take interest in other people's lives, I assume, after you appeared and trended on their sites when a certain Miss Irene Kim posted a photo with you the night before the article was out," His Majesty said. He paused to take another sip from his glass that Lek had just refilled with his favorite wine. "Miss Irene Kim is, I assume again, another important person the way the people following her account showed interest about who she was wrapping her arms around with in a photo she shared on the internet that night."

"I wasn't aware that Irene posted it until someone told me, Your Majesty. I have always been careful about my privacy and I haven't done anything intentional that would attract unnecessary attention from anyone. But it was a mistake on my part, I admit. I shouldn't have went to that party," Pranpriya said.

His Majesty didn't say a word. He was regarding Pranpriya under his gaze from across the long table, occasionally sipping on his crystal glass. He didn't look mad. But he didn't look happy, either. He just sat there, with his "King face" and allowing the silence to take over the cavernous dining hall for quite a moment. Pranpriya could hear him drawing breaths despite the distance between them. It somewhat echoed across the stone walls decorated with canvases and ceramics that dated back to the 20's and on detailed oil lamps hanging on the columns that gave off orange lights. The silence was reverberating through the thick curtains embroidered with gold and silver trimmings and on the chandelier that drapes on the high ceiling. And it was starting to prick Pranpriya's skin, making her more anxious than she already was.

"Why did you come home, Pranpriya?" His Majesty asked, breaking the silence and meeting his daughter's eyes, searching for the truth inside those soft brown orbs that reflected his own. "Surely, there's a reason why you decided to return in the country after you insisted that you wanted freedom four years ago. Am I right?"

Pranpriya drew her breath before she raised herself up from her seat. She stepped to the side and took a few steps closer to where His Majesty was sitting.

"I came home to apologize for breaking a promise, Father. As your daughter and as the Crown Princess, I apologize for disgracing you, The Crown and our people. I will accept the punishment the laws of our land will decide for me. All I ask, under your mercy and grace, that Jennie will be spared," Pranpriya said and took a bow.

Her heart was pounding loudly. Her insides were quivering but she was determined to set things right, especially for Jennie.

"We will have to resume our talk tonight over dinner. I invited important guests that would help me decide about this matter. Aside from your mother, of course," His Majesty said. He stood up and started for the door, leaving Pranpriya on the spot, crestfallen.

Her doom was coming. Pranpriya could feel it as she watched His Majesty's heels turned and disappeared from the dining hall into the corridor. She couldn't even tell who was more pathetic. Her, who was still poised in a half bow, with the servants looking at her sympathetically or Lek, who was torn between following His Majesty or staying with her.