5 THE HISTORY

“This is what happened many years ago…

The Cyprus kingdom was known as a kingdom of peace, unity, love, and harmony with a great king. King Jodah.

They don't call for war, but when another kingdom rises against them, they fight and conquer it.

The kingdom was at peace until when king Jodah, your grandfather, got drunk while celebrating their victory over the Maza kingdom. That night, king Jodah mistakenly slept with one of the palace maids, and she conceived.

The law of the land demanded that if a woman is pregnant, you must take up the responsibility even if you don't intend to marry her. Jodah's first wife was also pregnant at that time. The elders of the kingdom advised him to banish the poor girl from the kingdom, but king Jodah refused. “I will take the responsibilities as the law demands,'' he said.

This makes king Jodah a king of two wives in the history of this great kingdom.

His first wife gave birth to his majesty, king Guozhi, and the second wife also gave birth to a son, who happens to be king Cheng.

After the death of king Jodah, a riot broke out between the two brothers, Guozhi and Cheng. The law of the royal family demands that after the death of any king, his first son will take over and Guozhi was the first child of their father, but Cheng was never ready to let go of the throne for his elder brother which brought a great fight in the entire kingdom.

Cheng deceived the elders with money to support him but the majority of them refused to partake in the bribery. It was a fight between the people of the same kingdom.

When Cheng saw that he wasn't winning, he pleaded with his mother to poison Guozhi, but his mother refused; he grew exasperated.

His mother advised him to 'forget about the throne and focus on his future, but he didn't listen.

He went ahead to the kitchen chef and asked her for the same favor, but she rejected it, and Cheng burned in anger and strangled her to death. He went back to his mother the second time but this time around when his mother refused, he murdered her.

Cheng was banished from the land according to the law governing the kingdom.

Cheng knew that he would be banished from the land for his selfish interest, which resulted in the killing of his mother even before he murdered her. But his anger took total control of him. So, he wrote a note and dropped it on the throne saying “I will come back for you Guozhi”.

Cheng went as far as the Gapsin kingdom, which only had a few men at that time. And he makes peace with them.

When the men saw that he was a strong and brave man, they made him a king after the death of their king.

Cheng trained every Gapsin man for battle. He attacked many kingdoms and captured their men. He turned Gapsin into a kingdom of prostitutes like Sodom and Gomorrah, which attracted many from other kingdoms to go and dine with them.

Though Cheng slept with many women, only one got pregnant for him. The woman gave birth to a son named, 'Gen'.

Gen grew up as a prince with a good heart, but when his eyes were exposed to the things of the world due to where he was raised, he became arrogant, wicked, and even stronger and braver than his father, King Cheng.

When king Cheng heard that king Guozhi, his stepbrother, had a daughter, he thought to himself “this is the right time to take my revenge”.

Though king Cheng knew that king Guozhi wouldn't give his daughter to his son, Gen, which would lead to a serious war, that was his target. War!

This is what has been bothering your father because he knew that king Cheng was only coming for vengeance even if he gave his daughter out for marriage, King Cheng will still come for an attack, but he wouldn't want to be a fool to give in to king Cheng's wickedness.

Your father never wanted to tell you because he was afraid that you may get scared and probably become a slave to worries.” Commander Lucifer narrated.

Princess Chu Hua furrowed her brows as she stared intensively into Lucifer's eyes as he narrated a whole long story that has been untold to her by anyone.

They remained silent for some minutes.

“Don't be scared, my princess. I will always be by your side.” Lucifer finally broke the silence.

“Lucifer, how do you know all this?” She asked in disbelief.

“Princess, I know that you may be thinking that, how come I know all these things when you know nothing of, even though we grew up together. Most important, when you are a princess but an ordinary human being like me knows them.” Lucifer said as he looked away.

“No! Lucifer, don't get me wrong. That's not what I meant. I only want to be convinced that what you are saying is right.” Princess Chu Hua replied and turned her back on him.

“Alright. Alright. I am, I apologize for misunderstanding you, my princess.” Lucifer apologised as he raised his two hands in the air as a sign of surrendering.

“My princess, the truth is that my father told me all these things and when I joined the army, I had the opportunity to see all these things in the kingdom history book.”

Lucifer relaxes his hands on his thighs as he explains to the princess.

“Is that what makes you the commander of this kingdom?” She asked.

“Not at all. I have always seen training and I always tried my best to do everything that was asked of me, which makes the king, army, and elders of the kingdom entitled to me as the commander of this great kingdom.” Commander Lucifer responded.

“I trust you, Lucifer the devil.” Princess Chu Hua jokingly said with a smile on her face.

“Princess, when will you stop adding that disgusting name to my name?” Lucifer responded with a frown face.

“Till you change it.” She snapped.

“But I'm not a devil.”

“Yes! That's why I always advise you to change your name, but you wouldn't listen.” Princess Chu Hua said.

“Why should I?” Commander Lucifer asked.

“Because you are not a devil. I wonder why your parents gave you that name.” Princess Chu Hua said with a serious tone.

“Hmm. That's your problem.” Commander Lucifer replied.

“But I meant what I'm saying. Princess Chu Hua spoke as she stood up from her seat.

“To me, this name doesn't suit you. Maybe I should give you a special name. She added.

“Which is?” Lucifer asked as he also stood up from the chair.

Before the princess could utter a word, Lucifer's sword-bearer stepped into the garden.

“Am sorry, My Lady, for interrupting. I was sent to call commander Lucifer”. The sword-bearer said, and went away without waiting for a reply.

Princess Chu Hua and commander Lucifer glanced at each other.

“We would talk later about my princess.” Commander Lucifer spoke with a soft voice as he looked away. He patted her cheeks and quickly went away.

Princess Chu Hua stood at the spot commander Lucifer left her, as she continued staring at his back until he was out of view.

“My Lady, are you alright?” Nuo, Princess Chu Hua's handmaid, asked. Princess Chu Hua thought was far that she didn't hear her.

“My Lady. My Lady.” Nuo called out, but she still didn't answer.

Nuo decided to move closer. She walked to where princess Chu Hua was standing and tapped her shoulder from behind. As soon as her hand touched Princess Chu Hua's shoulder, she jumped up and sharply turned around, and she found Nuo staring at her.

“What happened? Your touch almost cut off my heart.” Princess Chu Hua said.

“I'm sorry, My Lady.” Nuo apologized.

“No problem. But how did you get here without me noticing your present?” Princess Chu Hua asked as she fanned herself.

“I have been here for a few minutes,” Nuo replied.

“Like seriously?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“My Lady,” Nuo called.

“Yes.” Princess Chu Hua answered.

“May I ask you a question please?”

“What is it that you want to ask Nuo?”

“Huh uh,” Nuo cleared her throat.

“Please. I….”Nuo stammered.

“Nuo, you what? Princess Chu Hua asked the confused Nuo.

“I noticed that you have feelings for the commander,” Nuo spoke out and bent down her head.

“Which commander exactly?” Princess Chu Hua asked her, pretending not to understand the person she was talking about.

“But My Lady, you are supposed to know the person I'm talking about.” Nuo raised her head and responded.

“But I didn't,” Princess Chu Hua replied.

"Alright, I am talking about commander Lucifer in particular.” Nuo said and turned her face away from Princess Chu Hua.

“Come again.” Princess Chu Hua said.

“But My Lady, you heard me.”

Nuo responded.

“Nuo, what makes you say so?”

“I saw how you were blushing and how sad you were when he was leaving,” Nuo answered.

“Now I see. I never knew we had countless spies in this kingdom until now.” Princess Chu Hua said.

“I wasn't spying on you. I came here to have some leisure time with you, but I saw the commander here. That's why I waited for him to leave first before coming.”

Nuo explained.

“So you mean, you have been here all this while?”

“Yes, My Lady. But I wasn't listening to your conversation, and I never wished to listen to any.” Nuo vividly explained.

“Nuo, I…. Hmmm,” Princess Chu Hua sighed,

“Let me reserve what I wanted to say so that you wouldn't get hurt.” Princess Chu Hua said to her.

“Ah! My Lady, is it bad for one to be in love again?”

“Not really. But what you are thinking about me and him, is not what is going on between us. He is just a friend and a human being like everyone else. So, I only treat him as one. Don't take it too far.” Princess Chu Hua spoke with a low tone.

“Alright. I'm sorry for saying so.” Nuo apologized.

“It's okay.” Princess Chu Hua assured her.

“My Lady, it seems like you haven't eaten yet.”

“Yeah, but don't bother yourself, I will eat later.”

“Alright, My Lady.”

“I like this garden.” Nuo expressed her affection for the garden.

“Aww, You do?”

“Yeah,” Nuo answered,

“Then why don't you like coming here alone?”

“My Lady, actually, I always want to, but it will be boring if I stay alone in the garden," Nuo answered.

“But I don't feel bored when I am alone here.” Princess Chu Hua said.

“My Lady, maybe it's because you're used to it that's why you don't feel bored.”

Nuo replied.

The two of them spent the rest of the day discussing in the garden.