Princess Chichi could feel the heat of the fire licking her heels through her silk shoes. Even though the fire hadn't reached her yet, the flames were coming close as if they were possessed creatures with a will of their own.
"Princess!" The guard shouted, reaching out for her shoulder, desperate to save her life. Princess Chichi moved her shoulder before he could touch her, and pushed her way into her father's bedchamber. The guard slammed the door shut behind them, blocking out the flames. He skidded the Ox King's wardrobe in front of the door to buy themselves some time.
"I must save the book," Princess Chichi panted. She lifted the ends of her dress above her knees before crouching down to peer beneath the bed. The guard respectfully looked away, uncomfortable seeing that much skin from the Princess.
"We must leave the castle, Princess. Your betrothed is actually a demon prince. Everyone in the castle has lost their lives. The demon wont be satisfied until he's tasted your blood." The guard walked across the room and unlatched the window. The Ox King's room was far from the ground, safe from intruders and assassins. It would be suicide to jump from the window.
Princess Chichi found the book in its usual hiding spot. Her father never wanted her to look upon the book, but he never wanted to be parted from the book, thus always returning it to the dark space beneath his giant bed. The castle had been decorated with portraits of the Ox Queen,but they never captured the true spirit of who she was. The paintings in the book captured every brush stroke and feeling the Ox Queen possessed in her final days.
The Princess hugged the book close to her body.
"What has happened to my father?" She asked. Her voice was barely audible, but the guard heard her well.
"I'm sorry, Princess. I couldn't do anything for him." The guard answered, gently touching the scar on his cheek. He shook away his sorrow and continued to tie the Ox King's sheets, blankets, and robes together, forming a strong, makeshift rope." Don't be afraid. I vow to keep you safe from the demon, or die trying." The guard secured one end of the rope to the bedpost, tugging on it twice to make sure it was sturdy. He then carried the rest of the rope to the window and tossed it out. He studied how far the rope fell. Through his facial expression, Princess Chihi could see that the guard didn't think it would be enough. They were too high up for the rope to reach the ground.
"What is your name?" The Princess asked. It was beneath her to ask the name of the guard, as the princess, she had the right to call him by any name she chose, but if he was going to die protecting her, she at least wanted to remember his name.
The guard smiled. "My name is Yamcha." He crouched down, and waited until the Princess was secure on his back before descending the rope. They barely managed to escape out the window when an explosion of flames filled the Ox King's bedchamber.
. . .
Thank you everyone who reviewed! I'm sorry this chapter was short. You guys deserve a long chapter for waiting this long for an update. We're getting closer to Goku. He's maybe 1 or 2 chapters away. Hang in there. :D