The Other Side of the Mask

"C-can I talk to you privately, Princess YingYue?"

I follow him into the salon, and we sit on the couch.

"You're QiLing right?"

I hesitate, "No," but he ignores me.

"QiLing, do you know how long I've been searching for you," he grabs my hand and pulls me in.

"I missed you! Everything around me was so dull until I met you, everyone would always…"

I sit like a stone as his arms wrap around me.

"I'm not this QiLing you're talking about," my voice says, but it comes out shaky. He pushes me on the couch. His eyes redden and gloss over.

"Stop lying! I know it's you!"

"..."

I look away.

"Please, come back with me. Don't blame yourself. I don't blame you."

Blame myself? Of course I do! … but deep down I know I wanted to be free of this crime.

"I love you," he whispers over tears that started to drip.

The words slip by me by accident in the smallest whisper, "I love you too, but we can't."

I realize what I did and cover my mouth. Tears start to drip down from my eyes too. I push him away and stand up.

"Please refrain yourself and rethink your thoughts, Prince Fu. I am not QiLing. I am Princess YingYue," I turn and leave.

I wipe my tears with my sleeve.

"Your highness! What's wrong?" Ji runs over to me.

I look away and don't respond. She reads the situation and escorts me to my room. I dismissed her as soon as I entered my room. I start to silently cry a river in my bedroom. It's true, I want to forgive myself, but I can't! Once my tears stopped flowing, I reminisce XiaoLong's face. I chuckle a bit. How ironic, for the very prince I use to despise to be him. He looked like an abandoned puppy when he was crying. Now I feel a bit bad.

The next day, I demand breakfast in my room and hurriedly pack. I keep my head low and avoid most people. It's finally time to leave! My heart pounds as we have to greet each other for the last time.

"Have a safe trip!"

We wish each other well. I looked up one last time. XiaoLong looks at me with those sad eyes from last night. TianYu reads the situation and realizes. I give them a sad smile and board my carriage.