Wooyoung sighed and stood up from where he sat and walked over to Joon. He silently placed his hand on Joon’s shoulder. After some time, the latter sighed and turned away from the entrance of the cave. His head was bowed but his eyebrows were knitted in determination when he addressed the girls who were all sitting anxiously by the edge of the cave, ‘it’s time to go. He said not to wait for more than a day.’
Without another word, he began unloading the bags from the horses.
Tiffany walked up to him and grabbed his arm, ‘what are you doing?’ she hissed.
‘We can’t leave our supplies here with the horses. We’ll take them with us, don’t worry, we’ll come back for the horses when everything is over. They can survive on their own; they’re right by the water and can live off the forest’s vegetation.’
‘No, you know that’s not what I meant,’ she glared at him furiously, ‘how can we just leave?! We can’t abandon General Ki! He is your father, how can you do this!’
‘I know he is my father. I trust that he is safe but is just unable to get to us right now. I have to follow his orders and bring you back to the palace. Let’s go,’ Joon muttered, swinging a large backpack onto his back.

Joon turned and left Tiffany to fume on her own.
‘Urgh!!! How could he do this?’ she exclaimed.
‘Don’t be too harsh on him. It’s hard on him too but he has a duty to fulfil. General Ki is going to be okay,’ Wooyoung said.
Tiffany shook her head, ‘unbelievable! Do you believe this?’ she asked her sisters.
Taeyeon sighed, ‘I don’t want to leave either but we have to. We must follow General Ki’s orders.’
‘No we don’t!’
Hyoyeon frowned, ‘yes we do. This is how it works on the battlefield. We follow orders,’ and without another word, she began to prepare for departure.
‘This isn’t a battlefield! What do you know, Hyo? You haven’t even been on a battlefield.’
Yuri hopped off the large rock on which she was perched and began preparing too, ‘but we’ve learnt the ways of a soldier from General Ki himself. This is what we have to do. In times of war, sacrifices have to be made.’
Tiffany sighed as if she could not believe what everyone was saying, ‘this isn’t a war!’
Minho walked up to Yuri and began helping equip her with her weapons. He turned to look at Tiffany briefly before solemnly saying, ‘the war has begun. The stench of blood is in the air and the people seek revenge.’

Throughout their journey in the secret tunnel General Ki had notified them about, Tiffany grumbled and pouted, refusing to look anyone in the eye and continuously glared at their backs as if they were traitors. The others decided to ignore her and let her be as they too could understand why she did not want to leave General Ki behind, but ultimately they too understand how crucial it was that they did. The trek through the tunnel was laborious and seemingly never-ending. The labyrinth of a tunnel looked identical no matter where they turned; causing the young group confusion in whether or not they’d made any progress.

‘Aish, we’re not getting anywhere! People in the future are going to discover this tunnel and find our dead bodies in it! We’ll either die of exhaustion or malnutrition!’ Sica complained.
‘Toughen up, you’re not even carrying anything and you’ve been repeatedly sipping water and refusing to give me any,’ Jjong grumbled.
She shrugged, ‘hey, you were the one that offered to carry my stuff.’
‘Because you wouldn’t stop complaining; now you’re complaining again. Just tell me what it will take to get you to stop this time,’ Jonghyun sighed exasperated.
She pursed her lips and thought longingly, ‘hmm… well… ah! I’ve got it! Carry me! Princess style!’
He looked at her in amusement, ‘you really think I’m going to carry you and all of this stuff?’
‘Don’t laugh at me!’ she scolded.
‘Ah! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! All you two have been doing is arguing. Even Sooyoung and I have shut our mouths. Can’t you be quite and just keep walking?’ diva-Key snapped.
Sica pursed her lips together in surprise and looked at Jonghyun before the two burst into a fit of giggles.

‘Ah, those crazies are at it again,’ Eunhyuk sniggered.
Hyoyeon rolled her eyes, ‘so annoying.’
‘Which is why we’re all so far ahead of them, to avoid that,’ Joon smirked.
‘That and because we’re just faster and fitter than them,’ Minho boasted.
Yuri rolled her eyes, ‘arrogant,’ she scoffed.
Eunhyuk, Hyoyeon and Joon began to laugh like crazy, causing Minho’s ears to turn red.
‘Well, you know it’s true,’ he muttered.
Yuri jutted out her bottom lip and began talking to him like a baby, ‘yes it is. Why, yes it is. Our little Minho is a strong little boy isn’t he?’
‘Don’t tease me,’ he pouted.

A fair while later, the five walking in front noticed a change in the tunnel’s features. The ground on which they walked was smooth and flat, easier to walk on. In addition, the dirt tunnel walls turned into flat, perfect walls made out of fine stone.
Hyoyeon grinned, ‘we’re home.’
‘Yah! You guys! Hurry up!’ Joon shouted to those behind them.
‘What is it? I can’t go any faster! I’m covered in cuts and grazes!’ Onew’s voice came echoing back.
‘We don’t care! We’re almost home! Hurry up,’ Eunhyuk shouted as the five continued on ahead.

They reached the sturdy wooden door long before the others. Hyoyeon went to open the door but it would not budge.
‘Here, let me,’ Joon said.
He barely gave her enough time to move before his smashed his leg against the door, immediately causing it to swing open. They walked inside and inspected the dark, dusty room.
‘Ah! This is the storage room down the hall from Father’s office!’ Yuri exclaimed.
Minho nodded but narrowed his eyes, ‘something’s not right.’
The sound of footsteps caused them to freeze. Quietly, they all unsheathed their weapons, holding them at the ready facing the door to the hall. The door fell open and they were met with several soldiers holding up their Imperial weapons.

‘See, sunbae? I told you I heard noise coming from here!’ an obviously young and new palace guard said excitedly.
The others chose to ignore him and lowered their weapons, bowing at the group of five.
‘What are you doing? Their trying to break into the palace! Kill them,’ the newbie shouted, charging at Yuri.
The unarmed him with a flick of her sword so fast that no one would know that it was her unless they knew of her amazing abilities.
‘How dare you try to harm the princess?’ Joon roared.
He scoffed, ‘her? Don’t try to come here to claim that you are the princess and steal their riches. We won’t be fooled.’
‘You arrogant fool!’ his sunbaes yelled, ‘that is the princess! Princess Yuri, we are so sorry for his ignorance. Please allow him to be taken to the dungeon!’
‘Do whatever, just call the King,’ Eunhyuk waved them off dismissively.
‘Right away!’    

As soon as the soldiers left, the rest of the group came barging into the room.
‘We’re home!’ Kyuhyun cheered.
‘Wait… what happened? Why do you guys have your weapons out?’ Jonghyun asked.
‘Some idiot soldier tried to kill Yuri,’ Hyoyeon explained.
Minho walked over to Yuri and hugged her, grinning mischievously at Jonghyun, ‘she almost killed him with a flick of her wrist.’
Nichkhun rolled his eyes, ‘typical, you guys solve everything with violence.’
Yoona shook her head at Nichkhun and looked at Yuri, ‘good job!’
The sound of running interrupted their conversation.

‘Omona! My children!’ the Queen exclaimed as she came rushing into the room.
She swept her daughters into a tight hug and began crying. The King walked in afterwards along with a young man the males did not recognise.
‘Leeteuk Oppa!’ the girls cried as they pulled away from their mother and ran to their brother for a hug.
‘Who is this?’ the King asked, ignoring the antics of his daughters.
Joon bowed to the King and greeted him, ‘annyeonghaseyo, I’m Lee Joon. First son of your loyal servant, General Lee Sung Ki.’
‘General Ki?’ the King asked in shock, ‘where is he?’
‘Unfortunately, we were attacked by rebel soldiers and he was left behind. He ordered us not to wait for more than a day for him,’ Joon replied.
The King looked disappointed, ‘I will order a few of my soldiers to search for him during their patrol of the area…’
‘Thank you, your highness,’ Joon bowed.
‘No, thank you for bringing my daughter back safely.’
‘It was my responsibility.’
A bang from the tunnel door interrupted them as they all turned to look at who the intruders were…

(a/n): ... five months huh? that's quite a while but I've finally updated!! :D yay!!! please comment because I updated my other story after months a week ago and only got 5 or 6 comments... it made me sad and I didn't end up updating The Nine Princesses until today... :D

anyways, comment and subscribe!!!