A dark shadow leapt over the banister of the nursery's balcony. The only sound that was heard was the wind rustling through the trees. A few leaves blew past the shadowy being now standing in front of the glass panel doors and gazing through them. The shadow took a soundless step, another and reached out a gloved hand, carefully grabbed the doorknob and pulled. To the shadows surprise, the door was unlocked.

'It‘s my lucky day,'

it thought. It entered the nursery and pulled of it's hood to reveal a woman in her thirties. She had mousy brown hair, green eyes that had once held the sparkle of a woman in love, a small but slightly crooked nose and a full pout the colour of pink roses in early bloom. She had a slender figure, but covered it completely with loose black clothing.

The woman looked around, taking in her surroundings until she finally had the young princess' crib in sight. She stalked over and looked inside. The toddler princess was incredibly cute. She had long light brown eyelashes, perfect eyebrows in the same light brown colour and almost white-blond hair.

'Too bad your kingdom won't be able to enjoy your beauty,'

the woman thought as she took out the piece of cloth she had soaked in chloroform and gently covered the princess' nose and mouth. She then wrapped the princess in her blanket and made her way out of the castle after leaving a letter on the princess' pillow.

The next morning when the nursemaid rose and was getting ready to dress the little princess, all she found was a letter addressed to the king. She barged out the door and into the hall, screaming at the nearest guard;

“She's gone, the princess is gone! Where is his majesty?!”

She didn't wait for an answer but ran off in the direction of the majesties' chambers. For the next few months the kingdom was in complete turmoil. The king and queen stayed within the confines of the castle and the only person they smiled for was the 8 year old crown prince.

The king read the kidnappers‘ letter every evening, when he was alone in his study. No one other than the nursemaid and himself knew of it. But no matter how many clues the king believed to be in the letter or how much time was spent searching for the little princess, she was nowhere to be found.

Nearly 17 years later, in a neighboring kingdom.

Iseul swiftly made her way in between the booths that clustered Market Square. It was her task to buy bread and milk that day. She was a little lost, it was as if everything had been rearranged, but not to make it any easier to find the booths that carried what you needed.

'I haven't been looking after Mrs. Kim's twins for so long that I don't know my way around anymore, have I?'

Iseul silently questioned herself. In all her concentration on finding what she needed she didn't notice the man walking towards her until she literally walked straight into him. She would've fallen to the ground too hadn't the man grabbed her and pulled her tightly and securely against his chest.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Uhm, yeah, I believe so. I am so sorry for crashing into you like this, I'm afraid I wasn't paying attention to anything but finding what I am supposed to buy.”

“That's quite all right. My name is Kyu- Park Hyunjae. Is there any chance I may be able to help you find what you need?”

“That'd be a complete lifesaver, if it's not too much trouble. Oh, and my name is Park Iseul.”

They set off in search of the 'lost' bread and milk chatting.

***

', I almost exposed myself today...'

Prince Kyuhyun thought as he slipped into the palace unseen, as usual.

'Even so, I must meet that girl again, she was very intriguing.”

Kyuhyun kept thinking about the girl named Iseul and was so lost in his own train of thought he almost forgot that he looked like a poor stable boy, and would either be thrown out or seriously scolded by his brothers, Crown Prince Leeteuk and Prince Heechul, if he stumbled across any guards.

***

Iseul spent the next few days re-acquainting herself with Market Square, making a few new friends and thinking about the somewhat mysterious Park Hyunjae. She hoped to bump into him again. But perhaps not literally like the last time though.

Two weeks after Iseul met Hyunjae, Market Square was clustered with people. Iseul was there, with her adoptive family, the Kims, their young twin daughters and her adoptive sister, and best friend, Aida. The Royal family was addressing their subjects about a newly passed law on curfew. Apparently some bandits had been stirring up trouble in nearby towns, always drawing closer to the capital.

As the Royal family settled on the makeshift stage, Iseul couldn't help but stare a little at the youngest of the three princes, Kyuhyun. Why did she feel like she'd met him somewhere? I mean, yeah, sure she'd seen him before at the family's ventures into town and such, but actually met him she'd never done. So why did she have that strange gut feeling of having met, and spoken, with him?

***

As Kyuhyun walked onstage, trailing behind his two older brothers and their parents, King Heejun and Queen Hyunae, he lazily scanned the crowd. It didn't take him long to spot the girl Iseul and, for some reason, his heartbeat sped up a tinge, before he realized that she might recognize him. Yet, the look on her face indicated that she had no idea who he was. He smirked a little devilishly and simple gazed at Iseul the entire time his parents addressed the crowd.

Heechul poked his older brother, Leeteuk, leaned in and whispered so only Leeteuk could hear;

“What's up with Kyu?” Leeteuk glanced at his youngest brother.

“I have no idea, but seems to be very fascinated with something.”

“Or someone,” Heechul stated, making Leeteuk shush at him.