The days of travel are long but I was comfortable inside the carriage. Because the Prince rarely lets me out of the carriage, I spent most of the time reading.

"Wang Fei, would you like some snacks?"

If I was not reading, then I was eating. Feeling dejected that I had not seen any of the passing scenery, I continued on with my book.

Half way through the book, the carriage came to a sudden stop. I would have fallen over if the maids didn't caught me in time. Confused, I heard the horses being agitated. Unfamiliar voices begin to shout while someone was banging against the carriage door. Someone was shouting for us get out of the carriage. I was still trying to comprehend the situation when the maids let out a startled cry.

"Stay inside Ruyi" The Prince's voice was loud but calm.

The maids were trembling and crying, while I sat back in my seat. I didn't know what was going on but I recognized the sound of clashing swords. Suddenly, a big man slammed through the carriage door causing the maids at my side to scream. Unlike the Prince and his men who were clean and well-built, the man was sluggish with dirty hair and clothes. From his face down to his hands, everything was covered in dirt and filth. When he leered, a row of black and yellow teeth flashed at me.

"How beautiful..." He said with awe. "You're coming with me"

When he reached to grab me, one of the maid tried to block him while the other covered me with her body. Despite their fear, they were trying to protect me. But it was futile. He still managed to get through them and grabbed my arm.

"Ruyi!" The Prince furious shout rang throughout the forest - scaring all the birds from the trees.

The man barely got me out of the carriage before dozens of men in black robe and mask all jumped down from above. Six sharp blades pointing at his face. If he made one single move, the sharp tips would pierce him. I nearly fell when the big man let go of my arm, but one of the masked men caught me.

"Don't touch her!"

The Prince roared even louder causing the masked man to let me go like his hand was on fire. I found myself crushed again the Prince's chest.

"Get me a scarf!"

I couldn't see his face or see anything at all. I could only hear his fiercely beating heart. Moments later, the Prince wrapped a silk green scarf around my head - covering my hair, my face, lips, and nose. The only thing he left exposed were my eyes which looked up into his blazing angry ones. Then his eyes went to my arm – the one that the strange man grabbed earlier. Using his body to shield everyone's view of me, he moved my dress sleeve to see the bruised on my arm. Because of my white, frail skin, I can easily bruised. The Prince, out of all people, knew this about me. He had always been the only one that marked my skin.

"Are you hurt?" He asked me with controlled anger.

I shook my head. Seeing how his eyes went colder at the sight of my bruised arm, I slid my sleeve back down. The air got heavy and arctic until the Prince lifted his head slightly to whistle. Within seconds, a black horse came rushing to his side. The Prince lifted me onto the horse back before he jumped up behind me. With my legs on one side, the Prince was hold my head to his chest.

"Hold onto me" He whispered.

Feeling embarrassed, I could only comply and buried my face into his robe. Once the Prince pulled on the horse rein, I realized we were leaving. What about everyone else? Lifted my head from his chest, I looked back to see the usual guards on their horses following after us. The wagons with the servants and maids were still there – all appeared normal. What happened just now?

Off in the distance, there were hundreds of black shadows surrounding the few dozen men.

"Ruyi"

The Prince voice made me look up at him.

"Don't be concern with those bandits"

Bandits?