09

Ying gingerly led the girls to his horse, he knew just how to treat a lady right.

He knew they were still scared and shaken from what happened at the Harem, especially Desire and he knew not to rush them into doing anything. 

He helped both ladies to mount his horse while he pulled at its ropes and made the way to the palace. He wanted to stay and wait for his Friend but he had to leave. 

“Sylvester will be fine” he assured himself. 

On sighting the heavy and big gates of the palace, he quickly looked for his pass so as to grant him and the ladies easy access into the palace.

The palace was built in the middle of the city, surrounded by heavy fences that’ll block their enemies from penetrating into the walls of the palace during war and if anyone was to enter the Palace, they would need their pass.

This pass was in the form of a rectangular wood designed to have the name and the rank of each official. Only these officials can come into the palace and take their slaves with them. 

“Can I stop here, please?” The request came from Kim Chui and Ying was surprised.

“Why?” He asked

She smiled before responding “Prostitutes are not allowed into the palace except on the order of the king” She quickly climbed off the horse and stood close to Ying.

Staring at her eyes, Ying felt he was being strangled and his heart was beating so fast he could swear he'd never felt that way before.

“But I’ve seen some prostitutes in the palace with the Queen. We could actually tell them you were requested for by the Queen” 

Ying quickly makes up the excuse just to keep her in his presence and find a way to learn more about this mysterious girl who was making him feel like a child.

“The guards must have been informed before any prostitute could be allowed into the palace” She explained but Ying was still not buying it. 

“How will they know if you’re a prostitute or not, it’s not like you’re branded or something?” 

Already getting agitated and angry, Kim Chui glared at him before responding.

 “You don’t get it, do you? The life we get to live because you royals needs to have a life controlling others. Do you even understand what it’s like growing up in a house where everyone is branded useless and called dogs? Do you even understand how difficult it is for me to breathe right now? Do you even know how hard it is when men of every caliber come into that place and behave as if we belong to them? 

Stop pretending as if you’re not one of those animals!”

“What animals?” Sylvester suddenly asked from behind them. They didn’t even notice his presence or knew he could catch up with them that fast. 

Desire looked at her Master on his horse and couldn’t stop herself from gushing about his beauty. She looked from him to her friend and knew Kim was still shaken from what had happened just as she was. But still, she was grateful he helped her out even though a part of her still hates him. 

She didn’t know if she could call Kim a friend, they had just met today but she knew an acquaintance cannot hold your hand that tight during the most trying moment of your life. 

“Kim Chui is my friend” She assured herself.

“I thought I asked a question. Which animals were you referring to?”

 Mr Ho roared and Desire knew trouble was looming over them. Before Desire could say any word, Ying went before Sylvester. Both her and Kim Chui couldn’t raise their heads up to meet his eyes out of fear.

“I asked her about why she wouldn’t enter the palace and she explained that the animals at the gate won’t allow people like her into the palace. The guards were the animals she was referring to” Kim Chui raised her head suddenly at the sudden intervention of the man she had insulted. 

She was angry yet grateful for the way this man had saved her life and she couldn’t stop the tears this time from rolling down her face.  Desire too was surprised at how this mysterious man had lied to her Master but she was grateful that he did so. 

Sylvester knew his friend was hiding something but he refused to question further rather he let the issue go. The surprise on the girls’ face also gave Ying away. 

He cleared his throat and said “If that is the case, Ying can take the girl back to the Harem and Desire, you’ll go with me to the palace” He instructed and Desire was scared to stay with her Master all alone.

Ying carefully helped Desire mount off the horse while replacing her with Kim, even though Kim wanted to stop him from touching her, he gave her no chance of doing that. 

After Ying had helped Desire to mount Sylvester’s horse, he departed with the lady to the Harem. 

Sylvester mounted his horse and sat closely behind Desire. His chest was pressed against her back.

She could feel his hard chest all over her back and the way his huge body enveloped her gave her tingling feelings in between her thighs. 

She felt stupid for feeling this way towards her Master.

The ride to the palace was not so good for Desire as she couldn’t concentrate.

His hand that was holding her firm around her waist to prevent her from falling stopped her from thinking straight as well. 

She wanted the hand to stay there forever but then, she wanted a dagger so she could chop off the same hand that had dragged her by the hair down to the dungeon. 

“Your pass, please?” One of the guards at the gate requested.

Sylvester gave him a stink eye before proceeding to remove his pass and gave it to the guard.

The guard was shocked to see the prime minister alone without his entourage and just with a horse and a frail looking girl. 

“I’m sorry my Lord, I didn’t recognize you” 

Sylvester ignored his apology 

“What about her, My lord? I cannot open the gates for her without a pass” 

“Open that gate before I behead you for disrespecting my order” He threatened.

Desire was even more scared than the guards who timidly opened the gate for Sylvester before he could truly do as he said.

They entered into the palace and Desire could nothing but stand in awe of the beauty of this palace.

Her eyes met the garden of flowers for a while before they rode past it. The ministers hall stood in the middle of the palace and was adorned with statues and artifacts. That was the one place that told the story of their region. Where they came from and how they came to be.

The region of the Light! 

Desire was still looking intensely at the palace of the Light that stood tall above every other building, when Sylvester stopped suddenly. 

He helped her down from the horse and didn’t give her a chance to say anything.

Well! He couldn’t! If he had tried to let her get his attention, then she would have noticed how hard he was. 

For her!

He quickly walked in front of her and gestured for her to follow him. Desire couldn’t get a good look at the Palace of the Light.  But the few details she could get, she promised to share with Kim and every other girl at the Prime minister’s mansion. 

They stopped at a section of the Palace and before the royal guard at the door could announce his presence, he barged into the room.

“You should have knocked, brother. What if I was dressing?” Queen Naomi chastised her brother’s attitude upon seeing him. 

He glared at his sister and pulled Desire away from his back. She had been standing behind him. 

“She’ll be attending the banquet with us. Make sure she gets prepared for it” He left just as he came.