"Donghae?", Jessica looks up at the guy who's already a feet taller than her. 

"You're too careless for a princess", Donghae said and taps her head. 

"Aiish", Jessica complained and hit him on his shoulder. 

"Wahh! You're too violent for a princess", Donghae exclaimed and shakes his head. Jessica looks away and smirk. 

"Your majesty", a man came up from behind Jessica. 

"Princess!", another man appeared and they both bowed down. Jessica turns her head and is surprised to see them.

"Hangeng ajhussi? Kibum ajhussi?", Jessica exclaimed in delight.

"How? I mean, I'm so happy to see you both!", Jessica smiles widely. She give each of them a warm hug. She owe them her life.

"King Lenard gave us pardon and here we are", Hangeng said. He is now in clean clothes and is cleanly shaven with his hair pulled in a ponytail. His scar in his face is still visible but he doesn't look scary anymore unlike in the past. He looks more like a noble warrior after the war. Kibum is smiling widely and who'd have thought behind the messy look four years ago, is a gentle face of a man.

"We are now soldiers serving our country", Hangeng informed and smiled.

"Wow! That's such a great news! I'm so happy for the both you, ajhussi", Jessica said and give her salute to them. The two soldiers laugh at her.

"Still the mischievous princess", Donghae said while walking away.

"Wait! What?", Jessica followed after him to make him repeat what he said. Donghae just smiled.

"Nothing", he said.

Irene went back to the castle to cover for Jessica's absence and Jessica stayed behind. They've found a spot near the fountain where there isn't any crowd. Jessica would like to hear more of Hangeng and Kibum's adventure after they got caught in the forest. They've been imprisoned for stealing, but they've been given pardon and had been training with Donghae in the military. They talked non stop for hours and got hungry afterwards. Hangeng and Kibum left to get food from the inn they're staying at. 

"You're living a dangerous life kid, going out from the palace with just your courtlady", Donghae said. The fountain has a knee high wall around it to prevent water from spilling and Jessica is sitting on that wall, while Donghae is sitting on the floor with his back on the wall. 

"Tell me if you haven't done it", Jessica replied back and Donghae laugh in guilt. Jessica laugh with him and when the laughter died down, an awkward silence took place. Jessica looks at Donghae. He is wearing an ordinary citizen's clothing and just sits comfortably on the floor. So laidback and who would thought he is a prince.

"Why were you on the top of the carriage? Is the parade that interesting to watch?", Donghae asked.

Jessica's face blushes remembering the reason why. Donghae looks up at her who got lost in her own world.

"Sica?", Donghae called but Jessica is daydreaming.

"Is he the new Captain General?", Donghae asked.

"Yes", Jessica replied, but too late when she realized it.

"Ani. I mean yes he is. But I wasn't looking at him", Jessica said while shaking her head.

"Ah. I see", Donghae replied and nods her head.

Jessica sighs. She knows she's been caught. Yes, Tyler is the reason why she got up that carriage. 

"Yes. I mean, we as royals shouldn't think about love", Jessica said and took a deep breath. She had been educated and trained  from her childhood that she is a princess and one of the royal duties is to secure the stability of the kingdom by being married off to someone her rank. 

"I shouldn't be saying this", she wants to stop talking but changed her mind and continued on. Donghae is a royal, too and probably he can relate with how she feels.

"But, love, I want to experience that. In a perfect world, I wouldn't want to be married off to some royals whom I don't even know", Jessica sigh.

"Do you also sometimes have that feeling? That..Like.. Uhm,", she is grasping for words.

"To just break free and just do what you love to do? Just be yourself and not caged within four walls?", Donghae asked and Jessica nods.

"Ani", Donghae replied and laugh. Jessica smirks at him.

I see that we don't share the same sentiments, Jessica thought to herself and stood up. 

So you don't want to be in an arranged marriage?, Donghae thought to himself. 

Our fathers already have planned the union of our kingdom with our marriage, but you don't know it yet, he said to himself.

But I do understand you. My brother thinks the same way, too, Donghae said in his mind.

"It's a responsibility as a princess, though. Nothing I can do about it", she said with a serious face but her eyes look sad.   

Donghae stood up too. 

"Yah, kid. Don't lose heart. Probably it doesn' have to be that way for you", Donghae said. Jessica smiled.

"Nah. This is just a small sacrifice for my people", Jessica replied.

"Maybe your future fiance will back out and you can marry whom you will love", Donghae came up to her, and placed her arms over her shoulders.

"After knowing how violent you can be", Donghae said and laugh. Jessica's nose flare and smokes are coming out.

"Yah!", Jessica said and hit him multiple times on his arms, and Donghae just keeps on laughing. 

Then Jessica laughs with him afterwards. It's such rare times to show a different side of her to people and to a royal none the less. She had always been trained to act this way, to even walk that way. She needs to be cautious of all her actions because she is the princess. But with Donghae, another royal and a prince, she can just be whoever she is. She can act in her way and he isn't astounded or horrified.

My father said that if there are other people I should trust besides him and eomma, it would be King Lenard and Donghae, Jessica said in her mind.

I don't how see how capable he is as a future King of his country, but he seems fine, Jessica thought as she watch Donghae laughing relentlessly.

Just then, they heard someone shout from an alley on their right. It's like Jessica's dolphin scream but just not that squeeky sound. Donghae ran to where it came from and Jessica followed behind. In the small alley, they found a lady being threatened by a big guy. The fruits the lady had in her basket fell and the lady is sitting on the floor picking it up.

"You!", Jessica spoke up and is about to go near, but Donghae blocked her way. 

"Hey brother!", Donghae smiled and walk a few steps closer. 

"What brother?", he guy replied back with a stern look.

Plan B, Donghae thought as his friendly approach didn't work.

"Yah! You can't do that to a lady!", Donghae said and points to the lady on the floor. 

"What did you say?", the guy replied back, and then three men came up behind him.

 The guy walks towards Donghae and the three followed. The guy has his band of bullies.

"Plan C", Donghae said and looks at Jessica. He grabs her tiny hand.

"Run!", Donghae pulled Jessica from out of the alley and ran passed the fountain, while the four thugs following behind.

They continue to run but the bullies are still following them. 

Oetteokke?, Jessica asked herself. She was never trained for physical enduring sports because of her health conditions. The last time she ran as fast as like now was when she was with Minho at the forest. 

The thugs lost them.

"Wait", Jessica touches Donghae's shoulder and Donghae stops and looks at her. She is catching her breath.

"Let's.. hide", Jessica is struggling to talk. Donghae nods.

"Stay hidden and I'll let them chase me", Donghae said. Jessica shakes her head and wouldn't let go of his hand. Donghae looks around. There in the Han river is a boat.

"Let's go to that boat and cross the river", Donghae said and Jessica nods. They ran as fast as they can going to the boat. After jumping in it, Donghae unbridled the rope but it's too tight.

"They're here", Jessica said while she sees the thugs on the other side of the street and they have seen them.

"Use this", Jessica takes the royal knife from her shoe and hands it to Donghae. Donghae was quite surprise to see the royal knife again.

He takes it from her hand and cut the rope and they sailed through Han river. 

The thugs seeing them escape, shake their heads and left. 

After taking deep breaths and realized they are already safe, Donghae and Jessica let out a laugh. 

"Ah! Beautiful", Jessica points to the sides of the river. Flowers lined up the edge of the river and they are in full bloom. Flowers of different variety and colors that would take your breath away. Donghae looks to where she is pointing at and he smiled seeing the view.

"It would be such a sight if we can see the sunset. But the sun will not set yet before ten pm", Jessica said with a bit of regret.

"Yes, you're right", Donghae agreed.

"But You can always come here when it's not Summer solstice", he added.

Donghae is rowing the boat, and Jessica sat facing him. 

"I have always wanted to return you the royal knife", Jessica said. Donghae checks the royal knife and look at it. The handle having the White Magnolia flower as a symbol of their country, Mokpo.

"But you never came back when you promised you would", Jessica added. 

"We left immediately the day after the forest incident", Jessica said and she doesn't have any hint of fear or trauma remembering the event. It was scary, being in that situation, but she realized it wasn't that scary compared to if she was alone. She was with Minho and Donghae came. After returning back to Seoul, the forest incident wasn't mentioned for a few days. Then she asked about what happened to Donghae, her mom said that he got fractured and wasn't in a good condition.

"Yeah. I wasn't able to keep my promise", Donghae said regretfully.

"How's your arm now?", Jessica asked.

"As good as it can be", he replied and show his biceps.

"Pabo", Jessica laugh.

"Here, take it back", Donghae hands the knife to Jessica. 

"You need it more. You seem to be a troublemaker", Donghae said. Jessica pouts. 

Donghae takes Jessica's hand and placed the knife on it.

"Don't use it. Just keep it", Donghae reminds her.

"There's a story behind that royal knife and even though it's a myth, I'll be more at ease if you have this", Donghae said and closed her hand. Jessica smiled at him. 

He doesn't look like it but he really is a soft hearted person, Jessica said to herself.

"Kamsahamnida", Jessica said and bowed.

"Omo! The princess bowed!", Donghae is exasperated. 

Jessica extends her leg to kick him, but the boat rocked sideways.

"Whoahh!", both of them hold on the sides of the boat. They almost capsized.

Then the boat sailed silently to the other side of the river. Jessica watched as birds flew to the sky going to their home in the trees.

It's such a sight, she exclaimed to herself. Then she looks all around.

Just beautiful!

Donghae touch his chest.

The paper is still here. Later on tonight, he thought to himself. He had been given a mission to Seoul.