Yoona was the youngest child in a rich noble family. She had six brothers whom she all respected. Well, at least most of the time, since Yoona also had a sister, Yuri, who was one year older than her and had an awful habit of bringing what was worst in Yoona. She was like a devious little devil that would always push the little angel off Yoona’s shoulder.

The thing was that the younger damsel always felt some odd temptations of going against the established rules and to do things that were completely opposite to what was expected of her. And Yuri was well aware of that blossoming adolescent rebellion through which she was going herself. Thus, she would often pull those strings of vague desire which resided in Yoona’s naïve heart, causing troubles to resound every time she did so. A simple promise of helping Yoona with stealing her favourite pastry from the kitchen was enough to win her over and persuade that leaving buckets of water under their brothers’ chambers would bring the two of them hoots of laughter and after all, there was nothing better than to start a morning with a good laugh. And indeed, it was a hilarious sight when six men were running around the sumptuous palace with one foot stuck in a steel bucket, cursing under their breaths while trying to find the two troublemakers.

It was somehow unimaginable that in a family with six boys, it was actually the two maidens who always stood behind any kind of uproar that took place in the palace. Their unladylike behaviors appointed every one with grievous headaches, and what was even worse, no one knew how to harness the duo. The separation of them seemed like a sensible idea; hence, Yuri, since she was the more depraved one, was sent to a convent. Yet a day did not pass before Yuri appeared at home again brought by the prioress herself who stated that as soon as the damsel had crossed the doorstep of the convent, she began demoralizing young nuns. As to how exactly Yuri did that, the prioress did not deign to explain just coloured significantly and mentioned something about Yuri being pure evil.

After that occurrence, the parents concluded that it was better to keep Yuri at home so that she would not bring a greater shame to their family. Of course, the one who was the happiest about such turn of events was Yoona. Their sisterly bond even strengthened as they promised to never separate again, and their mischievous acts got even bolder. Often when brothers would leave the lake, in which they had a habit of bathing, they would realize that their belongings were missing again, and the ones behind the occurring thefts were of course Yoona and Yuri who later clad in male’s apparel would run away to the hills to play idly till the late evening, instead of taking lessons at the palace. And today would not be an exception given that what they had scheduled was a boring lesson of savoir-vivre.

Yuri was humming some lively melody under her breath while strolling around the palace looking for her younger sister. She came to a halt when she heard a noise coming from the kitchen. The broken lock in the door made her certain that her search came to an end.

“Stealing pastry again? Hyoyeon will be mad at you,” she warned with a grin as she entered the chamber.

Yoona was sitting on the marble floor under the counter devouring some chocolate cake which remnants were smeared all over her lips and some already became a decoration of her red frilly dress. However, neither did she seem to care for the condition of her clothes nor for her sister’s warning as she just shrugged nonchalantly and reached for another piece of the gateau. Yuri just giggled inwardly at how adorable her sister was while eating. She would completely ignore the whole world, being so engrossed in chewing and munching as though it was a highest art and not just some daily natural act. Sadly, she would have to interrupt Yoona’s favourite activity. She threw a linen sack under Yoona’s feet and looked at her knowingly.

“What?” Yoona asked; amusement tinting her voice as she looked into her sister’s sparkling black eyes that did little to hide the mischief to which she was up. “You want to do this again?”

Yuri could no longer restrain her grin which only proved Yoona’s suspicions to be right.

“Come on Yoona! The world is waiting!” The girl exclaimed, extending her hand to Yoona.

To be honest, Yoona wanted this just as much as her sister did. Their appetite for the life outside the palace was hardly ever satisfied. She wiped hastily and grabbed onto the hand, grinning back at Yuri.

They fled out of the palace and ran to the stables where they changed into their brothers’ clothes, took their horses, two beautiful pitch black steeds, and set off toward the green hills on the frontier of the Kingdom.

There they would cross their rapiers in a rebellious duel for everything and nothing, echoes of their clanking swords carrying with the blustery wind beyond the stately hills. Their temples were sprinkled with drops of perspiration as they were heaving raggedly from the exertion, yet neither of them was willing to let her guard down.

“I see your technique has improved greatly. Have you been practicing behind my back?” Yuri remarked as their rapiers clashed again.

Yoona said nothing and just flashed her sister a smug smile. She did in fact practice, but her sister needed not to know about that little secret of hers.

“Sadly, it’s still not enough.”

Smirking, Yuri pressed forward with all her might and with one swift move Yoona’s sword was knocked out of her hand and sent flying to plunge into the ground. Yoona cursed under her breath, stumbling backward; the tip of her sister’s sword pointing at as she eyed her triumphantly.

“Let us escape Yoona, this time for good,” Yuri announced in a tone that did not accept any refusal.

Yoona hung her head and snorted a chuckle.

“To where Yuri? How we are going to live? We do not have gold and--”

“We shall steal from the palace,” Yuri interrupted her. “Do not tell me that you want to spend the rest of your life in that pretentious palace, being surrounded by those pompous blockheads and waiting for some wretched Prince to be introduced to you as your future husband. Do you want them to order you around? Or do you want to be free and do as you please? Look!” Yuri spread her arms as though wanting to embrace the vast space around them. “The world lies within our grasp! All we need to do is to reach for it!”

Yoona stood up from the ground and looked deeply into her sister’s eyes; her young heart was beating zealously in her chest, restless about the dangerous yearnings. Then she looked away toward the shining in the pink glow palace on the horizon. Ever since she was a child she had this feeling of not belonging there and this most likely was the source of her constant disobedience. Like her sister said everything that surrounded them was pompous and pretentious; people around them never being themselves but what others wanted them to be, long ago had they lost their sincerity and sense of honour and the same was expected of them. Yet those were the virtues for which she and her sister cared to greatly to renounce them.

Yoona sighed deeply and came up to her sword. She clutched it with one hand, in the other she would gather her hair, and with one decisive move she cut it off and let out the strands to be carried away with the wind. Now with hair reaching barely her shoulders, she faced her sister who was smiling proudly. Then Yuri swung her sword and mimicked Yoona’s action.

“Tomorrow night, let us escape and begin a new life.”

Yoona felt blood stirring in her veins. Hereafter, the world was to become theirs.

~*~*~*~

And so they did as they had planned, loaded with gold coins that Yuri managed to steal from their father’s vault. Armed with the rapiers and clothed in their brothers’ uniforms, they escaped from the palace under the cover of darkness into the unknown which lured them with its promise of unbound freedom.

Sleeping under the starry sky at night, bathing in the cold mountain streams at the break of the dawn and stealing food from the markets once they emptied their pouches; they had no care in the world for they had thrown it to their feet. Towns and villages, mountains and plains they would embrace them all with their greedy presences, taking everything and leaving nothing in return. Boisterous and impudent in their actions, they respected no laws or restrictions unless those consistent with their own sense of rightfulness. Hence, often did they get themselves into troubles, yet never were caught by their chasers. Fighting hand in hand once assaulted, they were without equal and always remained unscathed. It persuaded them that as long as they had each other they were invincible, thus there was nothing that could plant a seed of fear in their hearts. And their family? Either had forgotten about them or pretended to forget for no one was sent to search for them; but it came to them as no surprise, everyone probably heaved a sigh of relief when the two troublemakers had disappeared into the thin air.

One day as they were on their way to yet another town travelling through the woods a sound of jovial merriment reached their ears.

“Did you hear that?” Yuri asked Yoona and halted her horse.

Yoona pricked up her ears and indeed had heard some giggles quite high in their pitch as well as the sound of splashing water.

“It sounds like someone is doing a short stopover for a bath.”

Yuri gushed with a grin that Yoona knew all too well. She rolled her eyes, sensing troubles at the horizon. Her sister left her horse and motioned Yoona to do the same. Leaving them behind, they quietly made their way toward the noises. No sooner did they reach the lake than their eyes beheld two young damsels taking bath in the crystal clear water.

“Oh my Goodness,” Yuri mouthed in utter amazement; her eyes all shiny and sparkly as she ogled the two beauties who were unaware of their presence.

Meanwhile, Yoona froze and blushed furiously as though all the blood from her limbs would rush to her face. The two ladies reminded her of the mythical nymphs about whom she once read and for a moment she was positive it were indeed nymphs that they had encountered, for their wet curvaceous bodies glistening in the midday sun almost dazzled her eyes with the beauty that appeared not to belong to this world. And though women like herself their made Yoona’s heart thud violently under her uniform. Especially, the golden haired one had caught her attention; her countenance was delicate and fragile like flower’s petal and her skin was fair like the finest Chinese porcelain.

“Yuri, we oughtn’t to.” She swallowed not able to finish what she wanted to say.

Part of her was telling her that they should not be shamelessly peeking at the girls; the other though, could not tear her eyes away from the heavenly sight.

“Shh!” Yuri silenced her sister firmly. “They will hear us!” She chided in a whisper.

“But...”

“Just be quiet and enjoy the sight!”

“But for Heaven’s Sake those are women!” Yoona allowed herself to notice.

Throwing her younger sister an exasperated glance, Yuri pressed her palm to Yoona’s chest.

“Something is telling me that your heart doesn’t seem to care for this fact so just follow it as you always did!”

Yoona’s eyebrows knitted and she slapped away her sister’s palm. The problem was that Yoona lately began wondering whether it was really her heart that she was following or maybe she was just dragging behind her older sister.

“You know they punish such unholy desires with gallows!”

“What? Are you scared?” Yuri smirked tauntingly.

Yoona gritted her teeth in suppressed anger; the accusation of cowardice hurt greatly her pride.

“Of course I am not!” She retorted.

“Good; because I may have fallen in love.” Yuri sighed, leaning against the tree behind which she hid herself. “However, I’m not sure in which one yet.”

“In the brunette,” Yoona muttered.

“Huh?” Her sister gave her a puzzled look.

“I said you are in love with the brunette,” Yoona repeated.

“Well, her bright smile take