Jessica is facing the pinkish, indigo sky from the wide open windows of her room. The sun just dipped in the horizon but it's already past ten in the evening.

She is looking into nothingness as her mind is filled with other things. In the usual days, she would be in amazement to see the beautiful sky and would thank the Creator for such beautiful things. But not today, when the impending doom of her arranged marriage is set a few days from now. Her mind is too preoccupied.

She clutch the piece of paper close to her heart. She had already written her reply to the said letter and her faithful servant is sending it back to the sender.

Please, have the letter safely in your hands. The wedding cannot and should not go through, her mind is filled with anxiety.

The Past.

"Appa", Jessica whispers softly, gently tugging the hem of his father's clothing. The father turns his head down to look at his eldest daughter, whose eyes are wide with wonder.

"Why my dear?", John asked. The twelfth king of the country of Seoul bends down to meet his daughter's face.

Jessica is jubilant to have this family trip to a neighboring kingdom. It's the third day of the journey and she always have something new to discover and see everyday. She is learning a set of new things as her father tells her of various stories and his stories while he was in the countryside facing battles. Tonight, her father is talking about the summer solstice, the longest days in the year which falls every month of June.

"It's just amazing", the nine-old girl exclaimed.
"The stars, the horizon, the Earth", the young girl's mind is being educated by her mother, her teachers and her father the most.
"But what's more amazing is I get to have a father as a great king who serves his people", she added with a hint of pride and smiled widely.
"My child, let me tell you", the king picked up his daughter and carried her in his arms.
"To serve others means to clothe yourself in humility. You cannot serve if you're thinking of your own greatness", the king said and Jessica listens with her mind.
"To serve others would even mean at times to sacrifice your own happiness for your people", John looks up to the sky.
"And there are times, that to serve others you would even have to hurt yourself", there are a lot of battles fought in the battlefield, but what's even harder to fought is the battle within yourself.
"We have been given the responsibility of serving our people. It's in my blood and in your blood", the King poked her nose and Jessica smiled.
"I will study more and be more diligent in learning things. I want to be a princess who serves her people well", Jessica said boldly. The King laughs.
"Arasseo (I understand). Then, let's make a vow here", John suggested and asked Jessica to place her hand to her chest.
"I, Princess Jessica Jung, second child and eldest daughter of King John of Seoul, solemnly vow to place my people's interest before my own, to serve with utmost humility, and loyalty to my country and my people", Jessica followed through her father's words.
"So help me God", the King said and again Jessica followed. She smiled in satisfaction. Tonight, she had just made a pact with her father and to God.

"Your majesty, asking for your audience", Heechul stands from a distance and bowed.
John approached him and placed his arm on his shoulder while the other hand is still carrying Jessica.
"Oppa!", Jessica called out and Heechul pats her head.
John listens to his eldest, the successor to the throne, his first born from his deceased wife, and that means he is Jessica's half brother.

After five days of travel, they finally arrived to the country of Mokpo. The King, King Lenard is a good friend and ally of John. The two countries maintain its peace and do its trades without any problems and issues.

King John's party is received warmly, as the two kings shook hands and the host family welcomes the guest. Along with King John is his wife, Queen Jane, Heechul his eldest and with the two daughters, Jessica and Krystal. Krystal is sleeping and in the arms of her nanny.

The adults entered the main hall, Jessica is greeted by a boy, just a few years older than her and taller by just a few centimeters.

He smiled at her and Jessica did a curtsy as what was being taught to her.
Just as she is looking at him, the boy held out his hand and on it is a black, hairy spider.

Jessica freaked out and screamed with her dolphin scream. The things she's most afraid of are cucumbers and the arachnid on the boy's hand. The boy laughs at her reaction.

"Donghae oppa", a smaller boy just came through from the door and called him. He noticed the scared and shocked expression on Jessica's face.

Heechul ran to them as he heard Jessica screamed.
"Weyo (Why)?", he asked Jessica and she immediately hugs her brother.
Jessica doesn't need to answer. He sees the spider in the boy's hand.
"Donghaeyah", Heechul said while patting Jessica's back to calm her down. She is shaking from fear.

Donghae seeing how scared she is, stopped laughing and is feeling remorseful.
"You can't do this", Heechul added and Donghae nods in reply.

"Arasseo, hyung", Donghae said and hides the spider.

The smaller boy came to Minho and asked him to apologize to Jessica.
"Omo! Are you Minho? Look at how you've grown", Heechul asked the young boy.
"Yes. I am Prince Minho Choi of the country of Incheon", the six-year old boy replied.
Lee Donghae and Choi Minho are both princes of two countries and are cousins, and Heechul had known them during their last family visit. Jessica wasn't able to come that time because her mother just gave birth to Krystal. The three countries Seoul, Mokpo and Incheon are great allies and their kings are in good terms with each other.

Donghae didn't apologize and Jessica looked at him with cold eyes.

My father told me that I am to be your future husband, Donghae said to himself.
Your actions are reproachable and you didn't even apologize, Jessica excused herself and turned her back away from the boys.

I don't like you, Jessica said. She doesn't have any idea yet of the arranged marriage between the two families.

The next day, the sun is shining through the sky, and the air breeze is so refreshing. The two families enjoyed their breakfast in the open and after the sumptuous meal, the kids went to the other side of the ground to play. A blanket is placed on the ground and Jessica is gathering flowers.

I will place these in the room, she thought of placing the flowers in front of the mirror in the grand room that she is occupying in Lee's palace.

"Look at these Soo Jungah", Jessica showed the flowers to her younger sister, Krystal. Jessica likes to call her with her native name Soo Jung which also means Krystal. The young girl smiled in delight.

"Eonnie, yeppeuda!", Krystal exclaimed. 

"What is that?", the four-year old girl asked.

"This is a yellow bellflower", Jessica introduced the flowers with their colors and Krystal is having difficulty speaking out new words she is learning.

"Le..Lelo Bell..", Krystal stammered.

"Gwenchanha", Jessica said and smiled at her sister. Krystal yawns and that she needs to sleep.

"Look!", Minho ran towards them and showed some more flowers. However, Krystal's eyes are dropping and Minho is dismayed she isn't playing with them anymore. The nanny took her away to be put to sleep.

Jessica made a flower crown while Minho gathers the flowers for her.

"Rabbit!", Minho is so delighted to see a bunny. It jumped and hides itself on the tall grasses but its ears are showing. Minho slowly crept towards it, but the rabbit sensed his presence and jumped towards the forest. 

Minho followed the rabbit through the forest. When Jessica looked up, she sees him entering the tall cluster of trees.

"Minho!", Jessica called to stop him, but he didn't hear her. Jessica look around for anyone she can call, but found none.

The forest looks scary, but she forced herself to walk and follow the young boy.

"Minhoyah!", Jessica kept calling him while running. She hates to run. Princess don't run and should walk with poise, but she lifts her dress up so she could ran faster. 

"Don't go there!", she shouted. The forest is not a safe place. There could be wild animals, or poisonous plants and animals. Jessica's footsteps slowed down. Her heart is beating loudly. She hears different scowls, hiss and sounds. 

"Minho!", she softly called out.  She heard no reply.

Oettoekke?, she feels worried. She looks behind and sees the light from where she came from is getting slimmer.

If I don't stop now, I could get lost. That wouldn't help Minho at all, she said to herself and stopped on her track.

I should go back now and asked help, she decided. Walking back a few steps, she heard a cry.

Minho!, she thought to herself and listened to where the voice is coming from. It's difficult to know what direction she should go. 

"Minho!", Jessica called out and her voice echoed through.

"Noona!", Jessica heard the reply and it seemed that it's coming from her right. She is not sure herself but she wants to check it out.  

She counted her steps and after a hundred, Jessica sees Minho sitting down on the ground and wiping his knee. There's a small scrape and a little blood on it. He tripped and fall down on his knee.

"Minho", Jessica ran to him and bend down to check him. Minho's face lit up.

"Noona", he wipes his tears with his sleeves. Jessica taps his head.

"Let me check your wound", Jessica said. She wiped it clean with her dress and applied pressure for a minute then it stopped bleeding so she removed her hand.

"There it's clean", she said to the little boy. 

"Thank you noona", Minho hugs her in relief. 

"There", Jessica pats his back.

"Let's go home now?", Jessica asked and helped Minho stand up. Then they heard a man talking.

"I heard some kids voice from here", and they heard footsteps coming towards them.

"Let's hide", Jessica whispers to Minho. She is not confident that these men are good men. The two kids watched behind the bushes as two men are in sight. 

"What voices are you talking about?", a big man hit the head of the other man. 

They certainly are not palace guards, Jessica thought.

"There's no one here", the big man added and left, then the other one followed.

They're bringing swords and are greasly and in mess. They're robbers who are in the wanted list of the guards and are hiding themselves deep in the forest.

The kids waited for more minutes before they unhid themselves. 

"Let's walk silently", Jessica reminded Minho. Minho walked behind Jessica as he holds her hand.

Both kids are terrified. Those men are up to no good and who knows what could happen if they will be seen. Two royals could mean lots of money for these lawless men. 

Jessica retraced her steps while counting. 

"Noona", Minho whispers and tugs her arm. Jessica stops and Minho is looking around. 

"Do you hear that?", he asked? Jessica listens. 

She knits her brows in confusion.

"Donghae hyung is looking for us", Minho said.

Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Jessica heard it now. 

"Hyung! That's Donghae hyung", Minho smiled. 

Donghae?, Jessica asked herself.

Can he help them get out of the forest? Will he find them in safety? How will they move around when there are bandits lurking? What could kids do in this face of danger?