Jessica continues to hold the paper in her hand. 

Marry me. Let's meet at Gangnam. I'll be there, the deciphered message says in the letter. 

"Eonnie", Krystal came in to the room. Jessica turns around and Krystal hugs her sister.

"You have to escape. You don't have to marry who brother wants for you", the thirteen-year old Krystal said talking about the arranged marriage.

"Soo Jungah", Jessica hugs her sister tight.

"Komawo", Jessica said.

"Captain General Tyler is my hope", Jessica said. It's the only way to avoid the marriage his brother arranged for her. 

"Bless you eonnie", Krystal said and kissed her sister's cheeks. There's only her and her sister now. Their parents are already dead and their brother, King Heechul, had not been treating them well.

Past.

Jessica, Krystal and their court ladies run towards their father's room. Lifting up their dresses with the heels of their shoes clicking through the marble floor, they made their way as fast as they can. They showed worried expression on their faces.

They had just come back to the palace because of the sudden news of Jessica's engagement. She is surprised to know it's Prince Donghae.

I will be a June bride?, Jessica asked herself mockingly. She is revolting because of this sudden news. She had thought of things to say to her father when they meet, but what shocked them the most is hearing the news of their father's illness. They were studying in a royal school in another part of the country and their parents haven't told them of his father's condition.

Just a month ago, and for every month aside from June, they watched the sunset at Han river, a tradition they started as a family three years ago. The King still looked so healthy,and the daughters did not notice their father's illness. To his daughters, the King is their strong fort.

The Queen would prepare a simple banquet and she herself cook the food. The ride the royal ship and just spend time together. Who would thought that would be their last happy times together. Heechul is already married to a daughter of one of the nobles, and is living in another palace with his wife.

The guards open the door to the King's room and let them in. Jessica sees their mother beside her father's deathbed. Her mother holding their father's hand in her cheek. Queen Jane rushed to her daughters and hug them. 

"My daughters", King John called them softly. 

Jessica and Krystal run towards their father.

"Jessica, Soo Jung", their father is exerting all his efforts in talking. He coughed and the handkerchief became wet with red.

The two daughters cannot hide their worries. The King is looking so ill and sick.

"We're here Appa", Jessica said.

"Father", Krystal cried. The father wipes the tears of his youngest child. His baby, as he usually calls Krystal.

"Soo Yeon", King John called Jessica in her native name. Jessica starts to tear up.

"Chal deuro (Listen well)", he said. 

"No matter what happens, you have to marry Prince Donghae", King John is leaving his last message to them.

"Mianhe, my princess", King John brings his hand to Jessica's face. Jessica nods.

"I will, father. I promise", Jessica forgot all her resolve with the arranged marriage. She was thinking of getting married at a later age, but not at sixteen. But everything change with the health condition of her father. A princess must do what she must do for her country. She made a vow to her father before and she's keeping that.

King John smiles and looks at Krystal.

"My baby", he said and Krystal hugs him tight.

"I love you both", King John said and took his final breath. 

Krystal wails and Queen Jane is comforting her youngest. She has to be strong for her daughters. 

Jessica stood by the bed and looks at the lifeless body of her father. A great king and a great father.

She move her father's hands and placed it on his chest and pulled the quilt to cover his body.

She continued to stand there, unbelieving that their father who is so full of life and vigor is already dead.

"You're father can now rest in peace. Be strong, baby", Queen Jane hugs her youngest in a tight embrace.

Prince Heechul, the successor to the throne is out of the palace. He is already on his way back and he will be arriving later that day.  

Jessica composed herself. She can cry later and did not let any tears to fall. She as the princess, and with the King gone, while Prince Heechul is away, there will be unrest in the kingdom. 

She is politically educated and knows that his father's enemy are lurking around waiting for this time. There are traitors in the line of nobles who wants the throne to themselves. His father had had some arguments with some of them because he sided for the good of his people.

If the news on the King's death gets out, anyone can attack the palace and claim the throne illegally. Worse is the absence of his brother, the rightful heir who should be proclaimed right away as the new King. 

Heechul oppa, come back quickly, Jessica thought to herself. 

"Guard the palace gates and don't let anyone enter besides Prince Heechul", Jessica gave orders to the Chief of the royal guard.  

The royal guard made a salute and left the room. 

Jessica sent a note to the bishop to come to the palace immediately, for the blessing of his father's body and for the oath of her brother once he arrives. 

"Princess", the Chief of the royal guard came running towards them. 

"The castle is being attacked", he immediately informed them. Queen Jane's eye widened in shock and Krystal stopped crying.

There's a traitor inside the palace who passed the news of the King's demise. The King's enemies are now forcing their way into the palace and they also have another troop to block Prince Heechul's way and kill him. Once the successor to the throne is dead, and since there are no other male heir, the nobles can proclaim one of them as the New King while marrying the princess.

"Who is staging this treachery?", Jessica asked

"The men are from lord Chi's troops", replied the chief. 

"You have to escape Your Majesty. We are losing", the chief added. 

"I can't do that", Jessica replied. 

I have to protect the throne for my brother, Jessica said. 

"How many men do we have now?", Jessica assessed their situation. The chief replied and their number is not good. 

"We have some troops coming in from the north. The troops of Captain General Tyler", he replied. 

"Ani. Send word to have them join with Prince Heechul", Jessica said. Prince Heechul's safety is top priority. 

"Arasseo, Your Highness", he replied.

"And you leave the palace with the Queen and Princess Krystal", Jessica instructed the chief.

Queen Jane hearing this, protests.

"Mom, you and Krystal should go to Cheongdam", Jessica talked to her mother. The lord Sungmin is a good noble and is a supporter of the King.

"I will not leave you here", Queen Jane insisted. 

"You both leave while I stay with your father's remains", the Queen replied.

No one wants to leave while the other stays.

"We'll stay together", Krystal said. 

The palace guards cannot hold off the enemies any longer. They got defeated and lord Chi's men seized the palace and the royal family. 

They were captured by the enemy and were led outside to the corridor where Lord Chi is. 

The Queen looks back to where her husband lays. 

Yeobo, watch over our daughters, Jane said to herself. 

"Well, well", Lord Chi meet them.

"The royal family. But not for long", he said while laughing.

"Princess Jessica, my future wife", Chi said.

"That will never happen!", Queen Jane placed herself before Jessica.

"Who will stop me? You're dead king is just but a dead", he added.

"You filthy beast and traitor", Queen Jane spoke up with rage. 

"You won't get away with this!", and to everyone's surprise, she slap the traitor's face. He was stunned but after a few seconds,  he brought out his dagger and jab it to the Queen's belly. 

"You can rest now with your dead husband", he whispered. 

The Queen's eye widened in shock and looks at down and sees the dagger jabbed on her.

Jessica saw the dagger being s to her mom. Then Chi pulled back the dagger with blood dripping on it. Everything happened so quickly. The Queen fell the floor and Krystal rushed towards her mother.

"Eomma!", Krystal shrieked and tried to stop the bleeding with her hands.

"You monster!", Jessica sees a hanging sword from the guard beside her. She took it and swish it at Chi. His face now has a line in red. He brings his hand to the wound on his face.

"You rat!", he bring out his sword and fights Jessica. Jessica is well-trained with swords. After the incident in the forest 7 years ago, she had been given training in sword and archery by her late father. 

This is for you, appa, eomma, Jessica fights him. Then other men joined Chi. A sword swept her arm and she got wounded but she's still fighting.

"Your sister's life", Chi's man captured Krystal and has a sword placed infront of her neck. 

"Don't think of me, eonnie", Krystal shouted. She is still crying and her hands are drenched with their mother's blood.

"Eomma!", Krystal continued to cry while looking at their mother on the floor.

"Place down your sword and surrender", he added. 

Jessica cannot do anything anymore. She throw down the sword. She looks at Chi with eyes full of anger. He goes to her and slaps her hard on her face that she fell to the ground. The corner of her lips bleeds. 

"Such a beautiful face. What a waste", he said.

"Bring her to the dungeon!", Chi said and touched the wound on his face.

"You will pay for this", he hissed.

Jessica had been standing and her hands are tied above her head.  

The blood hasn't stopped dripping from her arm.

He needs me alive for the marriage. But I'd rather be dead than have him crowned as King, Jessica said to herself.

Heechul oppa, you have to come, Jessica thought.

She is now an orphan. She lost both of her parents on the same day, but she hasn't showed any tears yet. Even with her current situation, she is hoping that her brother will make it through with Tyler's help. 

The blood has finally stopped flowing from the wound. Jessica is unsure how much time had passed. She's going in and out of consciousness and she's exhausted from standing and the ropes on her wrists are creating wounds around it.

Tears fall on her eyes without her realization. 

Her thoughts goes back to the forest. She's scared and she's feeling lost. She's mumbling words, in her semi-conscious state.

"Oh, God keep us safe".

"Appa, find us soon".

"Donghaeyah, keep your promise".

"Your Majesty. Jessica", someone is calling her. She tries to open her eyes but her vision is blurry. She squint her eyes and she's seeing a man with a mask covering his nose and mouth, then her sight became blurry again.

"Sica", She feels someone touch her face and wipes her tears. Then her hands came loose from being tied.

"Your safe now", she heard the man said. She opens again her eyes, the mask is removed from his face this time. However, she is so exhausted and she fall into unconsciousness.

"Prince Donghae, let's get out now before anyone notice us", Hangeng came to the dungeon. Donghae put his mask on, and checks the map. 

That map was the one King John gave to him. A map of the secret passage of the castle. His mission three years ago was given by the King himself: to enter the castle and be ordained as Knights of the princess in the Royal Hall. Donghae, Hangeng and Kibum were given the task to protect the princess, in exchange for the unity of Seoul and Mokpo kingdom. Their upcoming marriage would have sealed the peace between the two countries and that would safeguard Mokpo.

Donghae just arrive for the engagement that evening, but they saw some guards entering the palace and fights started. They entered the secret passage and heard from the traitor's men that Jessica was kept in the dungeon. They had to use masks to hide their identities. Mokpo royalties or guards shouldn't interfere with any political or military issues with other countries, even if it's saving a princess life. Things could go against them and their country, if their identity be revealed.

With the current events, the King dead and chaos in the palace, it would seem impossible that the engagement would push through.

I am here to protect you, Donghae said as he carried Jessica out of the dungeon.

I am keeping my promise this time, he said as he carries Jessica closer to him.