Byul looked around the Palace, her large eyes alert. She was dressed in men's robes despite being a girl since it wasn't too convenient for her to move about in a hanbok. Besides, there were virtually no girls in the Military Academy which was why they hadn't even bothered making the female uniform.

She followed behind the rest of her classmates and hurried into the Palace grounds.

They had just graduated from Military Academy and hence were given the chance to help with the Queen Dowager's Birthday as extra security patrol. This was their first mission in the Palace and they were all excited.

"Look at those girls Eunbyul!" one of Byul's classmates called Eunhyuk elbowed her. A crowd of female Palace attendants hurried around with new table cloths for the birthday festival.

Byul rolled her eyes as Eunhyuk ogled at the girls. Byul was pretty much the only girl the boys in the academy knew since she was the only female student they had in ages.

"You're drooling." Byul pushed Eunhyuk's jaw up as she hurried after the other guards. Eunhyuk used the back of his hand to wipe at his lips and quickly rushed after her.

"Awww don't be jealous Byuuuulll~~" Eunhyuk cooed. "You know I only love you." he grinned.

Byul rolled her eyes. "Yes and I heard you saying that to next door's Hyoyeon and how about seongsaengnim's daughter Jiyeon?"

Eunhyuk pinked. "Awww you know you mean the most to me!" he continued on stubbornly.

Byul shook her head and laughed. Eunhyuk chuckled and ruffled her hair. There wasn't anything romantic between them but Eunhyuk, being the academy's jokester, he made everyone laugh whenever he tried hitting on Byul. It wasn't that Byul wasn't worth hitting on, but no one dared.

Byul snuck a punch at Eunhyuk's tummy and he doubled over in surprise. "Work, oppa. Don't lose your job before you even get it." she laughed.

Baekhyun looked around at the ministers and officals that had arrived for his grandmother's birthday. She was turning a ripe old age of 90.

Despite being a grand celebration, Baekhyun thought it was rather boring. He had to sit beside old men he didn't find interest in, and talk about boring things.

Those ministers would do anything to introduce their daughters to Baekhyun, in hope of having a future Queen in their family. But Baekhyun knew better than to meddle with girls that came from righteous families as such. Doing so would result in heavy consequences.

But the ministers don't often get the hint that Baekhyun wasn't interested, just like Minister Im who was in charge of agriculture who had been trying for a long time now.

"I heard you like riding, Jeonha." Minister Im smiled at Baekhyun. "My daughter Taeyeon loves riding too! I'm sure if you meet her you'll be able to connect with her, since you two love riding."

Baekhyun resisted the urge to roll his eyes. *Does he think that love can blossom just from riding horses?*

"Yes I love riding." Baekhyun nodded as he picked at the dishes. "But I'm afraid I don't like girls who do so. I prefer girls who are dainty and feminine." he fibbed. To be completely honest, he didn't even know what sort of girl he liked. He just did.

Minister Im's face fell and Baekhyun heard someone stiffle his laughter from behind him. He glance back and saw Chanyeol biting back his laugh. Baekhyun chuckled and shrugged. This sort of flattery between the royals were pretty common.

"How about my second daughter, Jeonha?" Minister Im asked. "Unlike her sister she's more of an introvert and she loves sewing. She is really talented. I'm sure she's of your taste, Jeonha."

Baekhyun sighed. "If I'm not wrong, Minister Im, your younger daughter Seohyun is what....13?" he raised his brows. "Isn't that a bit...young?" he retorted.

"Love sees no barriers, especially in age, Jeonha." Minister Im said seriously.

Baekhyun shook his head. Oh man, save him.

The dinner finally ended and the crowd moved out to the pavillion to watch the night's performance that was put up by the talented performers in the Palace. Baekhyun quickly rejoined his fellow EXO-K princes, eager to get away from Minister Im.

"That guy is completely desperate." Baekhyun shuddered. "I wanted to take the ceramic cup and knock it on his head." he blurted. "He wanted to introduce me to his 13 year old daughter. 13 year old! God. Besides the fact that we have such a large between us, she's severely underaged!"

Suho laughed. "They would do anything to get their daughters to be royalty, you know that." he shrugged.

"And just because you're the Crown Prince, you have to bear with all these even more." Kai smirked. "Good luck hyung."

"Aish." Baekhyun grumbled.

The princes sat beside the Queen Dowager as she bobbed her head to the music. There were street performers who juggled and did amazing stunts that wowed the crowd.

"Halmeoni." Baekhyun bowed. "Happy Birthday Hameoni. May you live all the way till you're 150!"

The Queen Dowager chuckled. "Then I think I would hardly be human, my boy." she smiled at her grandson and the other princes. "Come, sit. Watch the performance with me."

The princes relented and sat down. The performance ended and another one started. This time, it was traditional dances from the various gisaengs.

Baekhyun watched them move about gracefully, not exactly impressed. He was just interested in getting back to his quarters for bed.

The Queen Dowager saw the Crown Prince yawning and shook her head in amusement. "Baekhyun, can you get me a cup of water?" she gave him an excuse to step away.

Baekhyun smiled and jumped at the chance. He quickly excused himself and walked away to one of the attendants, requesting for water. While he did so, his twin bodyguards followed behind him closely as they were required to.

He was just tapping his foot and waiting, when he heard a swift plucking of string and the sound of something cutting through the air.

He turned to see what it was. And his eyes widened in shock.

Byul clapped as the gisaengs got into the pavillon to start their dance item. They were so graceful and beautiful, and a tomboy like her couldn't help but envy their feminine aura.

"Why can't be be like them, huh?" Eunhyuk asked Byul as they stood guard at the sides.

Byul rolled her eyes. "The day I become like that, I bet you'll scream with fright and run away, yelling that it's the end of the world."

Eunhyuk nodded with a laugh. "True true."

Byul laughed. She looked over at the second level where the Queen Dowager was seated. She saw several of the other princes seated beside her. *So that's what the royals looks like.* she wondered.

"Why? Ogling at guys?" Eunhyuk teased.

Byul laughed. "You know me better than that oppa." she shook her head. Her eyes trailed back to the princes and she saw one of them walking off with two of his female bodyguards. Byul's eyes narrowed on the two female bodyguards that look so skinny and unable to even lift an axe.

Byul shook the thoughts off. If they were able to get the job as bodyguards, they must be capable and she must learn from them.

She saw the prince talking to one of the attendants and waiting while the attendant walked off to get something. Byul shrugged and turned back to the dance performance but she had this nagging feeling that something was wrong.

She frowned when she felt movement from the corner of her eye.

She saw a black figure just above the wall and something sharp. She squinted and tried to make out what it was against the moonlight.

Her eyes widened. It was an arrow.

Before she could open to warn someone about it, the arrow left it's attacker and flew across the crowd.

And it landed on the prince's arm.