“Do you trust me?”

Joonmyeon said. His eyes were sparkling like precious gems and his lips were curling into a mischievous smile.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

With your reply, he lifted you by the waist and placed you on the back of the magnificently built stallion.

“Hold on to him. I know you don’t like heights.”

You held on to the stallion for your dear life, afraid to fall from it. ‘Strange… How did he know that you didn’t like high places?’ you thought. He then climbed up the horse with ease and you felt his arms encircling you.

“He won’t be able to run if you keep on holding onto him like that.”

He chuckled and placed your arms around his waist. Next thing you know, he was hugging you and was placing his chin on the top of your head.

“Hold onto me instead. Okay?”

Your heart was beating fast and your cheeks were heating up. You can’t seem to utter a word. Instead, you gave him a silent nod.

-

You were sitting near to a body of water, underneath a tree. The leaves were starting to fall, leaving the both of you in an orange and brown makeshift snow. The orange leaves were falling on the water and created small and large ripples in it. The water was very much like your heart, disturbed by the man next to you; letting it beat faster and faster.

He was looking at the blue sky and a smile was placed in his thin yet tempting lips. The sun was enhancing his milky skin. You wondered how soft they were when touched with your own hands. ‘He is handsome indeed.’ you thought.

While you were spacing out, he caught you looking at him. Instead of asking why you’re staring at him, he just smiled and came closer to you, not leaving a single space in between. Your shoulders and arms met then he whispered something to you.

“I have waited for so long to take you to this place. Are you happy?”

“Yes! It’s beautiful! Thank you.”

You said as you started to look around you. Every inch was perfection and the warm color of the leaves contrasted the cool autumn breeze.

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

“I always am.”

You smiled at him, looking into those dark brown orbs that you love so much.

“But I’m happier now. Thank you.”

“Since I made you happy today, I’ll ask you a favor.”

His face was nearing next to yours. You can smell his intoxicating scent, drugging your mind with thoughts of him.

“Be with me tonight. Become my bride. Let me show you how much I love you.”

He moved closer, filling the gap between your lips with his and finally claiming you as his under the same tree after years of waiting. Even though you could not remember, it was enough for him. It was enough for him to be with you.

The night after, his body hovered over yours. Clothes were peeled away so flesh could meet flesh and your lips were bound in a tender and passionate kiss. Your bodies met; skin against skin and your names were on each other’s lips. With the dim light of the candle being the only witness, you consummated your love for each other. Proving that you are his and he is yours; mind, body and soul.

That wonderful night, you didn’t have nightmares. There were only sweet dreams of him and you as reality and fantasy became one that night.

-

It was a bright a sunny day, a wonderful spring day. The birds were humming their beautiful songs again and the flowers were starting to wake up from their icy slumber. You looked at your surroundings with pure content and bliss; holding a book close to your heart that was beating fast with excitement.

You picked the nearest flower you can see. You closely examined it from the inside of its petals to the dew covered exterior. ‘It’s amazing how these things grow so beautifully.’ you thought. You began to read your book, scrutinizing every line and of the brush; word by word. Falling into the spell of the book, you read more pages until you fell into a deep slumber.

You felt a pair of arms encircling you and a chaste kiss was placed in your forehead, waking you up.

“Have you waited long?”

Your lover asked.

“It was worth it as long as I get to see you.”

You smiled as you rubbed your eyes.

“Thank you for waiting for me. But please, try not to sleep if you are alone. You might get in danger.”

He looked into your eyes with his full of concern

“I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.”

“Lose anyone? Who?”

You asked

“No one.”

He tried to smile but you can clearly see the pain in his eyes.

“Do you know how painstaking it was to lose my attendants just to come here for you?”

You pouted

“Should I just not see you instead?”

“No, but please promise me that you’ll be careful next time.”

With those words he placed a sweet kiss on your hair, taking in your scent. The scent of the woman he loves.

“I promise.”

“Had you brought the book?”

“Yes.”

You chuckled handing over the book you were reading earlier.

“Do you need it now? The flowers inside aren’t even dried yet.”

“No but I need it for something else.”

His lips curled into a playful smile, adding to his boyish charm.

He went back to his horse carrying the book that you brought and returned carrying his writing materials; pen and ink. He returned to his prior sitting spot, next to where you are. He then looked at you and smiled. He began grinding the ink into the stone slab where it should be and soon after he was dipping his brush in the dissolved pitch black ink. He opened the book at the back and began writing words made out of complex characters. His handwriting was neat, even neater than yours, just like you imagined it would be. You adore the older boy beside you, you love him.

“What are you writing?”

You asked out of curiosity, intrigued that he didn’t pick a flower and pressed it between the pages just like he usually does.

“It’s a secret. But it will remind you of me at times when we can’t see each other.”

He continued writing after giving you a reply.

“How will it be a secret? I can read it anytime I wish. It’s my book.”

You laughed.

“It’s a secret, yet.”

He finished writing and had let the ink dry, being careful that you’d have no chance at reading what he wrote.

He held you in his arms again, both of you savoring each other’s company. He looked at you with those marvellous eyes again, taking in your beauty. His lips moved to meet with yours, giving them a chaste kiss.

“Let’s meet again, someday.”

He whispered at your ear, still not letting go of you.

“I will make you my bride by then”

“We won’t meet again?”

Tears were forming in your eyes and the older boy can feel you quiver in his arms.

“Are you going somewhere?”

“Yes, but I promise you that we will meet again.”

You can hear the sadness in his voice as he hugged you tighter.

As soon as the both of you released each other, he fell on his back. An arrow pierced him at his chest. Everything happened so fast. You didn’t even see it pass by. You looked at him in shock and held him. You tried to cover the wound, hoping that blood would stop coming out as beads of tears fall from your eyes. His breathing pattern was quickening its pace.

“Suho! Please!”

You cried as blood continued to flow from the wound. Blood, there was too much blood than you can handle as you hugged his body, drowning in the metallic smell of his blood.

Help us!

“Suho!”

You screamed as you woke up in the cold autumn night. Your forehead was sweaty and you were trembling. You remember almost every detail of the dream but vaguely remembered the face of the boy. You headed to your study room to look at the book again.

“The author of the verse was my lover, but how come I can’t remember? Why can’t I remember his face, everything about him?”

You asked yourself if all of it was a delusion created by your imagination but the writing and the dried flowers that once fell from its pages proved that it was real and it had happened before.

-

“Your Highness, there is a visitor for you.”

You looked up from the novel you were reading and saw a tall man enter your room. His eyes were piercing and were emitting an air of authority. He smirked as he looked at you playfully.

“Yifan, it looks like they already allowed you to enter the palace.”

You said as you closed the book and had gently put it on the table in front of you.

“Yes. It’s probably because Joonmyeon’s place in the palace is secure.”

Sitting in front of you, he grabbed the book that was peacefully sitting at the top of your table and scanned it.

“Thanks to you my little friend.”

“Are you going to return to the palace?”

 “I wouldn’t dream of it. I have a playmate outside that was keeping me entertained. I wouldn’t want to let go of that yet.”

Knowing this man, he loves to live in freedom. He likes doing things as he wishes and having them when it pleases him. He doesn’t exactly live in luxury but he lives he lives in the pure bliss of his freedom.

“Is that playmate a girl?”

“Yes. Are you jealous?”

He was smirking playfully again, enhancing his god-like features.

“No, as a matter of fact, I think you’re in love. Being entertained is not like you. You become bored quickly.”

Seeing him being flustered at what you just said, you took your chance to playfully smile at him; just to more.

“Being in love is not in my dictionary. I don’t do love. She was simply interesting, nothing more and nothing less.”

He bowed and stood up, regaining his composure.

“I need to take my leave now. I need to visit my brother.”

-

 A Noron minister, a faction opposing your father’s Soron, had been informed about you waking up in the middle of the night screaming. Of course, you being the princess had always been a bother for him as it means that the Sorons would be better favored by both the king and prince and it would be better for him if he can get you out of his way then place his daughter in your place.

He exaggerated the little information he received and told his wife to spread the “news”. The rumor had gone from one woman’s lips into another, spreading faster than wildfire. Soon enough, it had spread throughout Joseon and worst of all, the people believed that you were going insane.

“Please select a new girl to have the princess’ position!  The people are talking about her worsening mental health! She isn’t fit enough for the responsibility!”

The Noron ministers kneeled at the cold snow as they continued to plea outside the king’s grand residence at east wing of the palace.

“It will start an uprising!”

They repeated the same thing again and again until the king decided to come out of his quarters and into his veranda.

“Only those with small minds believe that rumor! Do you believe in it as well?”

He asked the Norons with a certain tone. With those words, he effectively sealed their mouths and made them look at each other with shock.

“It will start an uprising, Your Majesty! The people are more powerful than you think!”

A Noron said.

“Very well, I’ll have the royal doctor prove this. If she proves to be insane, she’ll be replaced immediately; but if she was falsely accused, I’ll punish the one who had begun spreading the rumor.”

With that, the king went inside his quarters again.