Chapter 13 Family Emergency

The princess ran as fast as she could away from the two. She did not want to hear the men's confession. She suddenly stopped and slammed her back against the wall, sliding down to the floor.

"I wish they still thought I was a prince." she cried, "Then I would never have to deal with this."

It is because of your beauty, Qiao… Beautiful women can twist men to do almost anything…

He was right. If only she was not born a beautiful woman, they would focus more on fighting High Roller than trying to woo her. She held herself, "Why did the heavens make me a woman?"

There is always a reason…

She felt the paper crackle in her shirt and pulled it out. It was the letter. She checked the clock and noticed that the post office should be open by now. She slowly walked towards it with her letter in her hand.

When she arrives, the Pigeon King and his people were about ready to make their departure. They were hopping outside and about ready to start flying. Qiao raced up to him.

"Pigeon King! Wait!" She ran, "Please mail this one, too. I want my sisters to get this letter." she held out the letter, and the king placed it in his bag with a smile and a nod. She smiled too, "Thank you."

As the king and his pigeons flew out to go deliver mail, Qiao was watching them soar and spread across the sky. It was a beautiful view, and she wanted to stay and watch till they all disappeared.

Suddenly she heard voices from above her, "You hear that? Pigeon King is going to the place where her sisters are hiding at!" She glanced up and noticed it was Bear Stomp using both Zebra Brothers as propellers to keep his flying and next to them were flocks of bald eagles, "That gives me an even better idea!" one of the them grinned, " You, bald eagles, tell Master High Roller that we're gonna capture her sisters. Let's go, Bear Stomp! Follow Pigeon King!" The three began flying where Pigeon King was heading at high speed as the eagles retreated back to the East Citadel.

Her eyes widened and she yelped out, "My family!"

This is tragic… Then again, this might be a good thing… We will be able to penetrate High Roller's forces once again… And this time, we will kill the Bear King…

She raced out of the post office, only to bump into Lin Chung, who was desperately looking for her.

"Xin! Finally! Please listen to me!" Lin Chung almost begged.

"My family's in danger!" Qiao cried out, "I don't have time to listen to you right now."

He then became serious, "What's going on?"

"Those zebras saw the direction that Pigeon King was going to deliver my letter to my sisters." she explained, "We have to beat the zebras and the Bear King to them!"

"We should get the others!" Lin Chung suggested.

"There's no time! It'll just have to be you, me and Wolf King." Qiao said in a rush.

"I understand, let's go." Lin Chung nodded.

"Wolf King!" Qiao shouted.

The wolf arrived just seconds after being called for. His tires screeched to a halt and awaited orders.

Lin Chung and Qiao jumped onto the King's back, "Take us to the hidden palace! I'll show you where it is." Qiao ordered.

The Wolf King bolted off the pigeon's launch dock and sped through the waters. His wheels touched land and drove off to the direction Qiao pointed. The zebras and Bear Stomp got a good head start and even after ten minutes, the distressed princess still could not see them up ahead.

"Please let us make it in time." she prayed.

Wolf King tried riding faster to the point where fire trailed behind them. It was a long way to the hidden palace and who knows if High Roller's minions have already made it there or not.

With the Wolf King's speed on their side, it only took about twenty more minutes before they arrived at the hidden palace. It was nowhere near as large as her old home, the East Citadel, but it was large enough to house her mothers and remaining sisters. Qiao can see Bear Stomp and the zebra twins fly out of the castle with four hostages screaming their lungs out.

"Niang! Meng Yi! Dai Yu! Li Ling!" Qiao cried out.

"If you want to see your sisters alive, Princess, then surrender to Master High Roller!" one of the zebras yelled.

"Oh, and pretty up for him before you arrive!" the other added then escaped with her sisters.

"Quickly, Xin. Let's go get the others and infiltrate his castle." Lin Chung suggested.

No… High Roller will have a trap set up… We must approach it strategically…

"He'll be waiting for us." she responded, "He'll be much more prepared. We need a plan." She then remembered what the zebras said in their threat, "If High Roller wants see me 'prettied up', then he'll get it."

What?…

"What?" Lin Chung said simultaneously with Sima Cao.

"I'll distract him with my beauty to the point where he drops all his defenses. Then you and the others can sneak in and rescue my sisters." she explained, "Once my sisters are safe at Big Green you can come and help me escape."

Are you sure about this?…

She nodded.

Lin Chung was concerned at first but he understood and nodded. Again, he remembered what he had to tell her, "Xin, since we have some time, please let me tell you something."

She tensed up, "Lin Chung, I don't want to hear-"

"Please, it's very important." Lin Chung almost begged.

Qiao frowned, "I don't want to hear your confession. I'm not interested in having a relationship with you."

Lin Chung was shocked, "W-What? No! I just wanted to tell you that I found an exorcist to cure you of Sima Cao in case he hurts you again." he almost laughed, "I like you, Xin, but only as a friend."

She took a huge sigh of relief, "Thank you, Lin Chung." she lightly kissed his cheek, "For a second there, I really thought you were going to tell me you were in love with me." She laughed, "I feel so silly. Of course, you wouldn't fall for me. You don't have time for women, like I don't have time for men."

Lin Chung blushed and held his cheek, a new feeling overcoming him, "W-Wha- Oh, of course. You're only… a close… friend to me."

She smiled, "I better get ready to face High Roller again." She hopped off the Wolf King and made her way towards the castle. Before she went inside, she turned back to Lin Chung and the Wolf King, "You two can come inside, if you want." then went inside.

Lin Chung still has his hand on the cheek she kissed, dazed again, "This feeling... I've been kiss on this cheek plenty of times but this time…" he trailed off pondering.

The Wolf King howled in a teasing way, and started rolling towards the castle gates. Lin Chung scowled at the king's tease and hopped off him to enter the hidden castle. Wolf King barely fit through the doors and decided to remain in the large red room. Lin Chung decided to follow Qiao to a stairway but two guards blocked his way.

"This is restricted area. Only members of the royal family and their servants may enter." said one of the guards.

Lin Chung pouted and waited with the Wolf King. He glanced around; he has never been in the emperor's castle before. He pulled out his sketch book and started to sketch what he saw inside the red room. He sketched the two guards, the giggling servant girls, and even Wolf King taking a nap.

Two hours have passed, and the warrior continued to sketch the castle ceiling. Then one of the guards spoke.

"Presenting, Princess Qiao!" he announced and stepped away from the door to open it.