This show never shies away from giving us high stakes. Our princess is always presented with a situation where she has to make hard choices. I like that at the end of the day, she gets to make a choice, whether that results in living or dying, because there is nothing better than to be the boss/creator of your own fate. Because of these high stakes, our couple is always pitted in life and death situations, where they continue to save and be saved, and love and be loved despite the other’s knowledge. It’s like you don’t know when you start loving someone until you already do and then it’s too late because you’re taking a bullet for them. (Not speaking from experience).  

EPISODE 8 RECAP: “Compensation”

Alice holds the badge of honor in her hands as she thinks back on her time with Dawin and the fact that her life is about making the hard choices, such as living for her country and choosing to do what she must do instead of what she wants to do.

Kate and Will also prepare to return to Hrysos and Alan, like the stinker little brother that he is, knows exactly what to say to make his sister feel insecure. He tells her to stop nagging otherwise Will may get bored, since Alice never nagged like that. Will reassures Kate that he loves her no matter what she is like. Kate still worries that things will change between them when Alice returns.

Mom demands answers from the General on why they hid the mission from her, and the General says it’s a top secret mission. Mom challenges that answer because the last top secret mission resulted in her husband lying to her and dying on the job. The General relents that Naree is a good person no matter who she is but that doesn’t satisfy mom and she sets out to find her own answers. The general alerts Dawin that his mom knows Alice is a VIP, and that he can share with her more details when the princess leaves the country safely.

However mom gets intercepted while on the phone with Dawin, her minions are both shot to death and she gets taken. Dawin gets permission from the general to see to his mom’s kidnap while the general ensures Alice returns home. Meanwhile the king learns that the ex-militant/traitor Hedais has gone to Thailand and he tells Petra to warn the general and to send Alice back to Hrysos asap.

Dawin gets the ransom call from Hedais (hi Peter Corp!) and the man says he wants Alice in exchange for his mother’s. Alice finds out that Dawin’s mom has been kidnapped and gets additional intel from Petra that it’s Hedais doing and she knows what he wants. Alice phones grandpa and bravely tells grandpa that she must do something that will disappoint him: she won’t be returning to Hrysos this minute, she wants to help save Dawin’s mom. She feels that their family is responsible for all of the sacrifices that Dawin’s family has made. Alice isn’t asking for permission but promises to take care of herself.

Andre collapses. The King appoints Prince Alan as #2 heir after Princess Alice.

Alan tells mom that he has no interest because his dad should have been appointed, but dad tells him to assume the role and not to worry about him. It still bothers Alan because he doesn’t want the responsibility.

Dream team work day and night to find a way in to save his mom but need additional insight into Hedais’ character. Alice enters the room and tells them she has the intel. Dawin isn’t pleased to see her still in Thailand but Alice says she knows everything from the general and has told grandpa that she’s staying put until his mom is safe. Alice adds that it’s about time she is able to help his family. Dawin doesn’t agree but Alice surmises that if he were in her shoes, he wouldn’t choose to do nothing about it. Dawin argues that they are not the same but Alice says they’re human just born in different statuses, one that Alice doesn’t even want. Dawin is touched but he says Hedais is serious this time, and apparently, so is Alice, she says she’s willing to trade her life for his mom’s.

The team traces the call on Dawin’s phone but Alice intercepts it, telling Hadeis that there will be no exchange and commands him to release Dawin’s mom. She then tells everyone to follow her plans like she’s running the show, but Dawin steps up and says he’s the leader here and the team will listen to him. The general advises her to clear her head since this is Dawin’s show, and Alice apologizes for overstepping but asks that they hear her plan out first, then Dawin can decide what he wants to do after.

Mom asks Hedais who they want in exchange but Hedais merely tells her that the woman is responsible for getting her in this mess and that’s all she needs to know. He gets on the phone with Dawin and we see in a flashback that Alice instructs Dawin to pretend to agree to Hedais terms. And so Dawin does exactly that but he warns Hedais that his mother better be ok or else he dies. Dawin is distraught and the general relents that it’s tough when two people he cares about will be in danger and he advise that Commander think about it carefully.

Kate makes it back to Hrysos and learns that the palace is preparing for the coronation of the second in line, Alan, which shocks her.

Dawin wonders how Hedais knows he has been protecting Alice and how he knew to kidnap his mother in exchange for the princess. Alice surmises that since Hedais was a former soldier, he might have an insider in the Thai military. Dawin feels personally responsible for the failure to retain a top-secret mission and goes on bended knees to apologize to the princess. Alice places her hand on his shoulder and apologizes too for causing trouble to his mother. She bends down and takes his face in her hands and promises that she will do everything to bring his mom back safely. Aw, look who’s the protector now.

The next scene is a touching one, with three generations of Hrysos men. King Henry hears that Andre is admitted to the hospital. He phones his son and asks about his condition, but Andre sarcastically asks if his dad wants to hear that he’s doing better or worse. The King asks what he wants to hear if the situation is where Alan is at the hospital. Andre says he would wish that his son’s condition has improved, and he would tell his son that he loves him. King Henry relents that he may not say what he ought and the things that he says may sound cold, but he’s a man of action not words. He adds that it is also because their relationship might not be as close, but he wants to finally tell his son how he feels about him.

Alan is listening by the door.

The King tells Andre that he should not be afraid to return to Hrysos, he has forgiven him because he believes that Andre will never harm anyone in the family. Even as a child, when he fought with his brother, he never hurt him. Andre is surprised and touched that his dad remembers this, in fact, he thinks that dad had forgotten him. The King says how could he ever forget his own son, and from now on, he wants Andre to rest and return to Hrysos to help with the kingdom. Aw grandpa!

Back at Dream Team’s headquarter they get the appointment location from Hedais. As they prepare to proceed with the plan (I’m guessing Alice’s plans), Dawin asks her one last time if she’s sure. Alice tells him that she’s not a coward and her word is sacred.

They arrive at the facility and Dawin takes her out of the trunk – they put on a show of resistance. Dawin tells Hedais that no exchange will take place unless he sees that his mom is ok. As he takes off the bondage around Alice’s feet, he suggests that she walks because she’s too heavy to carry – lol, the look she throws at him.

Hedais orders his minions to review the circumstances carefully, if something goes wrong, they are to kill the mom first. Alice pretends to escape from Dawin and Muat Paen, as they tussle, Hedais commands to capture the princess alive or dead. Ha and a diversion! Muat Paen and Alice swap and the remainder of dream team surround the facility.

Alice makes her way to find mom while dream team fights off Hedais’ men. Although Alice skillfully manages to free mom, they get discovered by Hedais. Mom asks Alice if the person they’re after is her and Alice apologizes for getting mom in trouble, but that she’s going to do whatever it takes to free her even if it means sacrificing her life.

It’s actually really quite exciting to see the action sequence. Mom is escorted out but Alice returns to help Dawin from the facility. I’m not sure why the VIP is making the orders and the dream team following, I mean, it’s their job to protect her right? Lol. But like the badass that she is, she doesn’t take no for an answer and goes in, shooting the baddies down. Dawin hears that she has come back to help him. The dream team make it to their hideout in the forest and the general sends them back to rescue the VIP. Mom says that she knows Naree is a princess but she wants to know which country, but the general still doesn’t answer, lamenting that Naree planned this rescue mission.

Hedais corners Dawin and says he learns something interesting today – that Dawin matters to the princess – which means that if Dawin dies, it would hurt her very much. Hedais prepares to pull the trigger but Dawin fends him off. The two fight it out in the warehouse until Alice shows up.. and Hedais shoots her in the chest – ack! I hope that’s not her heart! – Dawin watches her go down in horror, all the way down the freakin stairs. Dawin takes Hedais down the balcony with him, and proceeds to knock him down. However Hedais escapes by throwing a bomb. Dawin goes to the princess but before she passes out, she assures him that his mom is safe. Dawin lifts Alice off the ground and carries her into the ambulance. Mom witnesses her son’s anguish and passes out.

Dawin recalls Hedais saying that the princess is willing to risk her life for him and that hurting him would be hurting the princess. He calls out her name in pain.

Hedais reports that the first mission of killing the princess is successful and mission two will be launched tomorrow.

Mom watches Dawin pacing in front of the operation room and realizes that there is more to the mission than just protecting the princess. The dream team takes the blame but their leader, Dawin says he’ll take responsibility. The general laments that they can place blame after they hear from the doctor first. And whew, she’s safe! The doctor says the badge of honor that she wore saved her life.

The medal has been disfigured as Dawin traces his finger over it. He sits by Alice’s bedside and holds her hand. He says, “you should have been back to your country by now, why did you do this? I should have been the one to protect you, not having you die for me. With regard to my dad, that’s his duty. We are a military family, sacrificing our lives for royalty, which is the love of the people, is an honor. I believe that one day my mom would understand.”

That night Alice has another nightmare where her cousin Alan is running for his life. She cries out in fright and Dawin comes to her side. He assures her that she should worry about herself and blames himself for putting her in this condition. Alice tells him she’s alright now and he shouldn’t feel guilty. She takes him by the face again (squee!) and reassures him that that was her choice and she had promised to save his mother. They put their heads together and just touch each other’s face (gosh had to look away for a moment because it’s sooo intimate I’m blushing!) Dawin kisses her forehead, he keeps apologizing (as if to comfort?) and holds her close.

Alice tells Dawin that she has a bad feeling about what’s going to happen to Alan and asks him to watch over her cousin since she doesn’t trust anyone else. Now that Hedais thinks he has killed Alice, Alan would be the next target.

Alan refuuuuuses to wake up to go to the airport because he wants nothing to do with the throne. Andre tells Mona to stop forcing him if he doesn’t want to go, that they would fly back to Hrysos to keep the hounds at bay. Andre leaves a letter for his son which details that they can’t deny who they are, and they have to keep flying in spite of what may bother them. Andre has shown his son a gentle, loving side and refuses to force him, but instead allow the man to make his own decisions. Once Alan decides that he will accept responsibility, his parents had already gotten into the car that was meant for him.

Dawin and Muat Paen tell Alan that they’re on their way to protect him, but before anyone knows what’s up, the car that carried Andre and Mona explodes into flames. Alan sees the explosion before his eyes..

COMMENTS

Aw, just when I was starting to like Prince Andre, but I think something drastic needed to happen to Alan’s parents in order to get Alan into shape – Princely shape that is. It was a nice farewell to Prince Andre though, treating his son the way that he wanted to be treated, and making peace with his father before passing away. I mean, we could assume he’s dead, no one could escape that deadly explosion.

That hospital moment between Dawin and Alice felt like we were watching an intimate scene that we weren’t supposed to. Talk about chemistry, man. If this episode proves anything, it is that the princess is a bulldog that cannot be stopped until she gets what she wants. From the planned mission, to saving mom, to even saving Dawin, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

I get that mom is protective and doesn’t want her son to get involved with protecting a princess, but she’s a soldier and her son is a special force commander, which means he sticks his neck out on every mission and for every VIP customer. It comes with the territory. If she’s so against this, maybe he shouldn’t be a soldier to begin with? I feel like we are up against an already biased wall that she’s just going to make matters worse for Dawin and Alice. It’s like saying, he can die by protecting any other princesses, but not a princess from Hrysos. She saved your life, mom! She saved your son’s life too! She ALMOST died! I don’t know what else she could give, her unborn first child?