It’s a good day to be Commander Dawin.

EPISODE 10 RECAP: “The Proof of Love”

Petra reports that Hedais is hiding in Hrysos somewhere and he was seen around the car bombing that killed Andre and Mona. Alice asks where Petra obtained this information and the guard says Commander Dawin had provided the intel to them. Alice questions why they don’t have their own people smart enough to get the info. Petra says it’s more like Commander Dawin was willing to give the information because he is worried about her. Alice scoffs. Hehe, why am I enjoying this so much? I hope she stays mad at him. Alice orders the guards to find Hedais’ hideout.

Kate notices the increased in activity around the palace with everyone on high alert. She creeps into Alice’s work room as Alice is fast asleep on her desk. She cups the back of Alice’s neck like she’s practicing how to choke the princess but pulls back. Instead, she pulls out a poisonous spray, the same one she used on grandpa, and prepares to spray it on Alice’s hand. But Alice grabs that hand and stirs awake, looking surprised to see Kate.

Kate prompts Alice to go to bed otherwise she would fall ill and doesn’t take no for an answer. Alice says they haven’t been alone since she returned to Hrysos, and Kate replies that Alice has been really busy tending to the state of affairs. Alice thanks her older cousin and hopes that they have more time together soon. As Alice falls asleep Kate goes to her desk and spies on what Alice is working on – she notices pictures of the car bombing and an old picture of her and Hedais, during his former bodyguarding days at Hrysos. In a panic, Kate burns the picture but before it could disintegrate, she tosses it into an urn to prevent Petra from seeing it. Petra notices how odd Kate is and when the princess leaves, Petra finds the half-burnt picture, and it caught her attention.

Commander Dawin calls Petra and tells her that he found something odd about Kate and wants to discuss with her. Then Kate goes back into Alice room to retrieve the evidence but notices that it’s gone. She glares and realizes that Petra must have taken it. Eek! Petra seeks out the photographer of the original photo, so she could take a closer look and confirm what’s bothering her. She notes that the way Hedais looks at Kate in the picture is more than the look that a bodyguard should be giving to a princess. She chastises herself for not noticing this before. Oh snap, please don’t die Petra.

Suddenly she hears a commotion outside and the photographer’s neck slashed. Hedais appears and they fight it out until he stabs her in the stomach. Ack! Petra collapses to the floor, Hedais drags her body and tosses it into the river.

Alice is in tears upon hearing that one of her best bodyguards has been murdered. She demands to know who did this and how grandpa heard of this. Kate keeps telling her to calm down and talk to grandpa nicely. Grandpa says it appears to be a robbery at the photographer’s house, but Alice doesn’t believe it because Petra could handle any major assault, she questions why Petra was there. Kate urges her not to focus on that issue and to let the police do their job. Kate says she should worry about herself and grandpa agrees since Petra had been responsible for her safety. Alice says sadly if he’s going to find another bodyguard to protect her or to die in her place. Oof, poor Alice. Kate laments that she shouldn’t think this way yet, the death of Petra could be a mere robbery. Shut up Kate.

Grandpa tells Alice that Petra’s will says she wants to be left in her hometown quietly and before Alice could volunteer herself to go, grandpa tells her he can’t permit her to go and takes no ifs ands or buts. He can’t let her leave the palace until a replacement has been established. Grandpa asks for her word that she would adhere to his orders, ha, grandpa knows his granddaughter too well.

Commander Dawin says that Petra’s death seems too easy – it’s like the killer knows Petra is after something. The General agrees and Muat Hin asks that since Petra is dead, who’s going to protect the princess? Yes, curious minds want to know as well. We see Commander Dawin walking along the water with the wind gathering in his clothes and hair as he contemplates what the General said during the meeting, that Hrysos is chaotic and the Princess is in a difficult place because we all know who the real target is.

Alice sees to Jaycee as they both mourn Petra, who is like a sister to them. Alice promises Jaycee that her death won’t be for naught, they will catch the killer.

Mom thinks back when Dawin was a kid and he asked her where his dad was. Mom had pointed to the brightest star in the sky and said that dad was watching him. Dawin promised to be a good kid and wanted to be as brave as dad.

Grandpa goes through the list of potential bodyguards for Alice but isn’t satisfied, so he seeks the Thai General’s help. We see this back and forth between Dawin and Alice through their 3rd party people that makes me giggle a little. Dawin suggests to his general that his two minions can go, while Alice tells grandpa to tell Dawin no thanks, she can take care of herself. Haha. Then the general mentions to Dawin (in all their navy glory, I might add, coz Commander Dawin is BUSY, y’all) that he appreciates the commander’s professionalism but he also knows that Dawin cares about the princess but he’s choosing not to go for his mom. Dawin reiterates that he can’t go because he doesn’t want to put his mom in the same situation again, but the General says he may regret this – if something were to happen to the princess, he may regret this for the rest of his life. Dawin relents that he’s living a regret right now and that not a day goes by he doesn’t feel sorry, but it doesn’t compare to his mother’s pain that she’s lived with all her life.

Mom sits her son down for a talk. She asks Dawin what he thinks breaks her heart the most when his father died. Dawin replies that dad saw someone else more important than his family. But Mom says that’s not the case, what hurt the most was the fact that she couldn’t do anything when his dad was in danger, and they were torn apart forever without reconciling. Mom admits that she blamed King Henry for everything, because she couldn’t accept the truth. When Alice left the country, mom says she saw Dawin’s face and it reminds her of herself. Mom says she was obstinate and acted like she didn’t care, when in fact, she missed and thought about dad with every breath she took. She tells Dawin that she doesn’t want him to lose the opportunity like she did. Mom says she must head back to her duty (which is stationed elsewhere) and she doesn’t know when she’ll see him again, but that she wants him to know that she will respect his decision. Yay, mom came to her senses.

We hear grandpa in a voiceover that this mission is as risky as the mission that Dawin’s father was on, and that he feels ashamed for asking the General’s men to risk their life for royalty again. He admits this is due to their weak military defense and that no one can be trusted, but he’s not going to ask the Samuthyakorn to help this time around, because he doesn’t want to cause any more pain. We see mom reading the letter and crying. The General’s voice assures us that there’s no guarantee that anyone comes out alive when they enter a mission, but that they’re soldiers and they are made for this. And so we get this gorgeous, contemplative shot of Dawin on the navy ship and Alice in her grand palace, alone, with Dawin thinking that if one of them dies, they won’t be able to reconcile. Dawin sends a text message to mom with a smile.

Will sends a small team of army bodyguards to help Alice, relenting that he must protect the person he loves the most. Kate looks like she might barf, lol. Alice thanks them both for worrying about her, and Will tells her that when she went missing, he felt so helpless, so he wants another opportunity to protect her.

Alice reports to grandpa that with Will’s team of bodyguards, they won’t need Thailand’s help and that he should rescind his request. Grandpa says they’re already making their way here, but Alice says she’s sure they’re more than happy to cancel their trip because it means they won’t have to risk their life for her. Grandpa couldn’t get a word in edgewise as she leaves.

And…. The two teams from two countries show up to protect the princess..

In walks Dawin Samuthyakorn in all of his military glory.. SQUEEEEE. That slow mo and that feeling of impending awkwardness and surprise, this is so great. I’m sorry Petra, but goodbye and hello Commander Dawin!

Grandpa is all like the more the merrier, hahahaha. Alice bites that grandpa needs to send back Commander Dawin, like she’s returning a shirt she doesn’t want, and says she has enough coverage from Will’s men, she doesn’t need anyone else. The princess storms angrily out of there, her heart slamming in her chest. She later tells Jaycee that she doesn’t want to hear any excuses from her and kicks her out by playing the piano loudly.

Will complains to Kate that he feels grandpa doesn’t trust him, but Kate says it’s because grandpa trusts the commander more, since he saw to Alice’s safety in Thailand. And moreso, even if Alice pretends to tell the commander to leave, deep down she really trusts him. Kate thinks that something else is going on between those two and Kate thinks they should make the commander leave the country. Will says getting rid of Dawin is a piece of cake, whatever dude.

Grandpa apologizes for his granddaughter’s behavior, but he explains that she’s merely concerned about Will’s feelings since grandpa trusts Dawin more. Grandpa reiterates that Will and Alice are bethrothed for a long time now. Dawin just nods his head in understanding.

Will tells Dawin that if he makes any mistakes when protecting the princess, he will report it to grandpa.

Dawin walks into Alice’s room, which surprises her, and she questions who gave him permission to enter her bed chambers. Alice tells him that she has enough people to protect her, so he could go on back to Thailand, but Dawin admonishes that he already gave her grandpa his word, and a soldier always keeps his words. Oh boy, you’re walking into this one, aren’t you? Alice says that if that is the case, he should just honor what he said to her before and get the heck out of here. Dawin asks for a chance to redeem himself, but Alice won’t forgive him, she says she considers his last words to her as final. Dawin refuses to leave because it’s dangerous and she’s getting angrier.. until Dawin stops her from moving by holding her hand.

Alice tells him he’s overstepping and pulls her hand away, but Dawin just holds her around the waist instead. Kyaa!

And their heads touch, and he just breathes her scent in and closes his eyes. OMG. Dawin says that he’s willing to be punished but he can’t let her go especially during this dangerous time. Alice stands there frozen, but she turns her head enough that their noses almost touch, and she questions who is out to get her then. Unfortunately, Will shows up and Alice immediately pushes Dawin’s hands away from her. Terrible timing, this one. Alice tells Dawin that he can stay per grandpa’s orders, but Will’s men will take orders from her. She asks who Dawin is referring to when he mentioned someone out to get her, but Dawin just peers at Will, not wanting to say anything and relents it’s Hedais. Both Will and Alice chastise the commander for coming all the way out here to tell them what they already know. Pfft, don’t be an idiot, Alice. Did you forget that Will did not mean well with Alan, that he sabotaged your cuzzo? So he’s not the nice guy you think he is.

Meanwhile Muat Paen searches Hrysos for Prince Alan, who’s watching an interview about the crown princess. She nearly reaches him, but he slips away from her. Dawin illustrates to the king an outline of the murder case so far, that even if Hedais was the real baddie, there’s someone from the inside aiding him, and that person is very good with using poison. He concludes that no matter how much protection there is for Alice, she’s not going to be safe. He says they need to find a particular evidence and they can nail the insider. The king asks what intel/evidence he’s referring to.

Kate alerts Hedais that the commander is here now and he’s plotting something so they must separate the commander from the princess. Hedais asks to kill the commander, but Kate tells him it’s too risky, he has to avoid entering the palace. She has a method to get rid of the commander. We see her making that next chess move, relenting that Will is going to make Alice trust him so much so that she won’t be needing the commander around anymore. We see Alice walking arm in arm with Will (how painful for Dawin) and in the voiceover, Kate says amidst the tag of war between the two knights, the person who can’t withstand this is Alice. However, Kate doesn’t see what Dawin and grandpa is plotting next.

They bring Kate and Will in a meeting to share that they believe an insider is working with Hedais. Dawin surmises that every time there’s a situation, the baddie manages to escape, and they escape via Kate’s palace. Ooh, that’s ballsy. Will questions if Dawin is saying that the baddie is Will’s people? Dawin replies that Hedais may have implanted an insider, but they won’t know unless Dawin searches both Kate and Will’s palaces. Kate wonders what Dawin is hoping to find (this is why she’s the big bad, she’s smart!) Dawin tells her he’s hoping to find poison.

Alice orders Jaycee to find out what grandpa and Dawin is planning. Once she finds out, she’s furious and tries to stop him. She says by announcing this, he’s only scaring the real culprit away. Dawin tells her that she’s too trusting, that’s why she’s in this situation. Haha. I love all this backtalk. Alice fumes and reminds him that she’s the crown princess and he can’t talk that way to her. She tells him to obey her orders or else he’s going to be punished. I mean, he’s not really employed by her though, is he? She’s not his crown princess, right? Lol. But Dawin decides to obey orders, but he does sniff out a second route in and out of the palace. Kate tells him that the route doesn’t lead to the outside.

Muat Paen finds Prince Alan’s hideout! He tells her that if she’s here on Alice’s bidding, she could head back out and tell his cousin that he’s not returning. He’s a commoner now, and doesn’t want to be part of the mess that is Alice. Well.. I can’t blame him. You’d think what’s happening to his parents would trigger him to be stronger, but it did the opposite, turning him deeper into a recluse.

Grandpa goes to Alice’s palace and scolds her for being childish. He wonders if she hasn’t felt remorse about her actions, they’re doing all of this for her. But Alice argues that those are excuses, as if she can’t think for herself. Well… Grandpa questions that if Dawin hasn’t helped her all this time, she wouldn’t be standing here. That’s what I’m saying. Alice is as obstinate as ever, until Grandpa starts clutching his chest in pain. Ack, she’s giving everyone a heart attack. Grandpa asks her not to stand in the way of Dawin’s job.

Muat Paen refuses to leave Alan’s side, she tells him that she’s here as a friend, and when a friend is in trouble, she can’t discard him. She adds that if he doesn’t want her to report back to the princess, she at least must stay here to protect him. Aw.

Grandpa calls everyone in for a family meeting. He says that he wasn’t going to open his will until they catch the baddie, but here we are, he’s getting ill by the day and is afraid he won’t make it to see Alice being Queen. He tells Alice to prepare for the throne. Of course, this pisses Kate off to no end and she vows to stop Alice, while clutching that poison of hers.

Show really likes to point out how high Alice is compared to Dawin. In this next scene, he’s on the ground floor, looking up at Alice who’s standing in a high tower, this mirrors the scene where he first found out she’s a princess, standing above everyone, especially him. But the reality that she’s going to be ruling a country as a Queen is right there. If you guys are wondering about that fate voiceover on repeat (about god’s plan) – it’s Nat Myria’s voice – Anne Thong’s very own bestie.

Alan comes home to a very clean home. Muat Paen says she couldn’t believe he could live in a house filled with sorrow and dust mites. She wants him to be happy by living in a clean place, but Alan argues that nothing is going to make him happy, despite a clean place. He just throws his apples down like an angry boy – has he been eating only apples all this time? Muat Paen says she’ll cook for him too because he can’t survive off apples. Hahaha. He says she can stay if she wants, but she’s prohibited from telling others about his whereabouts, and if she does, she’ll never see him again.

Kate runs an idea by grandpa that she thinks will help improve the people’s morale – who think that Alice is not actually alive. She thinks Alice should make a public appearance. Dawin doesn’t have a good feeling about this because Will says Dawin doesn’t need to protect the princess, his men are well equipped. Dawin asks Jaycee for a map of the venue. He then gets a call from Paen, but she doesn’t tell him about Alan.

During the event, Alice looks around which makes Will wonder if she’s looking for the commander. Alice assures him that she’s not and his men will suffice. Kate asks Dawin to be her bodyguard for the day, but he declines, relenting that he’s on the king’s mission. HAHAHA. Oh the failure look on Kate’s face. And literally five minutes after Alice says Will’s men will suffice, one of them gets shot pointblank. Why am I not surprised? Will’s face, is that disappointment? Embarrassment?

Alice runs but a gunman intercepts her, he aims and nearly pulls the trigger when his body convulse, he’s shot! By Commander Dawin! Who needs a group of armed men when you have ONE commander!

Hedais appears and shoots at Alice, but Dawin covers her in time and they fall to the ground. And then it’s like old times, where they’re holding hands, running away from the baddies.  But of course, she asks stupid questions like, why are you here? How do you know about this place? And where did you find that key? Does it matter, princess? Just go with it! They hide in the locked storage room.

When it’s safe, he says she can go out now, but the princess wants to know how he knows she’ll be ambushed. He replies that he doesn’t trust anyone around her, and there’s no obstacle that can stand in the way of his eyes on her. Well, SWOON.

Will has an issue with Dawin doing things behind their backs, but Alice comes to his defense that he did the right thing, because they wouldn’t believe it anyway if he were to tell them in advance. Kate likes to dig into Will and says that she understands why grandpa trusts the commander. Grandpa decides that to prevent anymore mishaps, Dawin will take care of Alice in Petra’s place. Hehehe. It’s ridiculous how giddy I am.

Once alone, Alice questions why Dawin didn’t warn her in advance, but Dawin relents sarcastically that she simply wouldn’t believe him because she didn’t even want to look at his face. Lol. Alice wonders how he planned this all out when all he does is wander around the palace. Dawin didn’t know that she noticed he had been wandering around. Hahaha.

Hedais offers Kate to just punish him by killing him but Kate says he’s done his best. It’s Dawin that’s too good at his job. She tells him to go after Alan now – ah she’s so cold, let’s kill everyone who is ahead of her in line for the throne. Alice orders her people to find out who’s behind Hedais and their motive, and to also search for Alan since he’s implicated as well.

Muat Paen finally confesses to her commander that she has found Alan, but she can’t tell him where they’re at, she does promise to protect the prince the same way she always has. Alice overhears the phone call and things just got worse for Muat Paen because Alice takes the phone and Alan questions who she’s talking to.. but Muat Paen says that she didn’t report his location. Alan tells her not to communicate with the commander and Alice if she wants to remain here as a friend.

Meanwhile Alice orders Dawin to take her to Alan but Dawin tells her the reason why Alan doesn’t want to return to the palace: he’s tired of fighting about the throne and he doesn’t want to see anyone from the palace, it reminds him of the loss of his parents. Alice finally realizes that her cousin doesn’t want to return because of her. Alice decides that she would be the one to bring him back, and gives Dawin an option to go with her or let her sneak out alone.

Hells yes and they go on a field trip to bring back Prince Alan! Jaycee sends them off in a range rover, along with a map of Mona’s old cabin on the mountain. They make a pitstop because Dawin is adamant that she eats on time due to her condition – maybe reflux? – despite Alice wanting to keep going. Alice says that she thought he was all about doing his duty, but Dawin replies that all he cares about is the woman standing before him. Kyaa. So Alice stuffs her face so they can hurry, and Dawin stands there and watches her eat. He even ties her shoelaces.

They make another stop in a small town since Dawin wants to ensure the best route to the mountains. He goes and ask for directions while Alice waits for him – she opts to go into a church. But memories flash before her eyes of the time she stood in the church with Dawin, vowing to be his wife. Dawin asks what’s on her mind but Alice says nothing, even though they both know what’s on her mind.

And it’s a beautiful trek to the mountains. She asks what’s in his bag and Dawin says all the necessary survival things. Alice starts to say this reminds her of something, but Dawin finishes her sentence, that it must be Bon Doi. Alice denies that, in fact, she says she forgot everything already, because someone once told her to. Haha, someone got served a humble pie.

At the top of their hike, Alice could not muster forward so Dawin opts to see if any locals can help them. He calls Jaycee to let her know that they may spend the night here, but that he’ll do his best to bring Alan with them tomorrow. Jaycee reports that no one is suspicious of their disappearance yet. Little did she know that Kate is watching her from behind the trees. This one notices everything, apparently.

Dawin shares good news/bad news with Alice, that they can eat finally but they must work for it. So we get a requisite scene where Dawin chops wood. Haha. Alice tries to help but falls on her ass again, I will never tire of this. And they get to work on cleaning her coat, lol.

Alan says he’s going to find a job to which Muat Paen suggests a Thai restaurant owned by her friend, and 100% safe.

Alice and Dawin dine among the beautiful mountains. She orders him to eat even though he claims he is not hungry. Alice admits that dinner time is her least favorite time since her return to Hrysos. She ate alone in a large dining table and it made her miss the small table at his house and the house in Bon doi. She also missed the person who shared a meal with her. Dawin looks sad and says that he felt the same way too. Their eyes lock.

To prepare for work, Muat Paen helps Alan shave his face. Meanwhile, Dawin prepares a bed for Alice inside and she tells him to stay with her because it’s cold out.

Kate alerts Hedais that Alice and the commander are en route to find Alan, so this is his opportunity to kill them both outside of palace walls before grandpa catches whiff that Alice is missing.

That night Alice keeps peering over at Dawin, who’s sleeping a small distance away from her. She asks him if his mother mind that he’s here. Dawin replies that his mom sent him here and that she wished him well. Which to Alice is surprising and she asks why. Dawin says that it’s because his mom knows that if he didn’t come, he’d regret it for the rest of his life. They turn to face each other, arms crossing from the cold.

Dawin says, “I might have said things I didn’t want to say earlier. It’s because I could not choose. But now I’m positive that I’m making the right decision, following my own heart.”

She starts to tear up.

“Just being here and protecting your Highness.”

Alice replies, “hearing you say this makes me wish even more that I’m an ordinary person. Because if I’m a woman and not a princess, life would be much easier, and I can do what I want to do.”

Alice turns the other way as her tears fall, leaving Dawin to look at her back. Next thing we know, Dawin’s arms is wrapped around her as he pulls her close from behind. Kyaa! And they snuggle.

COMMENTS

What a squeal worthy episode! That reconciliation at the end though, I’m so glad they made up. It’s sad to see Petra go, but I suppose it brought our duo closer together. I don’t have a good feeling about grandpa though, all this talk about not being able to see her become Queen, it’s making me feel sick. I don’t know how many times Kate/Hedais could plot a failed murder attempt and not be found out yet, because at the end of the day, that is all of the main conflict we have – except well, the whole obstacle of status differences. But for real though, we can’t determine a loophole without being given any rules. Two more episodes to see how god’s plans will play out. I can’t wait to see how it ties together, and hopefully makes sense, AND have a happily ever after. Is that too much to ask?