ChapterOne

"It's decided, then?" asked King Ilsung, king of the Lumen Kingdom. "Our boys will all compete for the princess's hand?"

"Yes." Queen Areum smiled kindly back at the kings that stood in front of her. "Since we all agree that our children should get to marry for love unlike those other stuffy kingdoms." She bowed her head slightly. "When will your sons and nephews be here?"

"It'll take about a week for my three boys," the king of the Solar Kingdom answered, since his kingdom was the farthest away. He was sending the most boys too; he had three princes in his Kingdom that were of age, while the other four Kingdoms had only two.

The other kings answered no later than a week, bowing to the king and queen.

"Our daughter's growing up," said King Jaehoon. "Meeting her suitors." He sighed softly. "And once she falls for one of them, which she will, she'll get married and one day be queen." The king sighed again. "But if those boys think they can just take my little princess away from her appa, they're dead wrong. They must gain my favor first."

"And the favor of her brother," the queen added. Xiumin, the crown prince, was very protective of his little sister. So the suitors would have to go through him as well. 

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"I'm bored," Minah said as she dropped the book she'd been forced to read on the history of boats and ships. She tossed the book on the table in front of her, bringing her knees up to her chest, not caring about the fact that she was wearing a dress.

Xiumin chuckled at his sister, putting his book down on politics. "Me too," he admitted. "These books we have to read aren't very interesting." He scrunched his nose, shutting his book and putting it down. "I heard your suitors are going to be here by the end of the week."

Minah sighed and shrugged. "Is it weird that I don't care?" Xiumin crossed his legs as he studied Minah. "A bit," he admitted. "Girls your age usually start dreaming about their prince. Except in your case, you're literally getting a prince. You should be happy, Minnie."

Minah smiled hearing Xiumin use the nickname he'd given her when they were little. "I guess you're right, oppa," she said with a sigh.

Xiumin's lips curved upwards as he moved closer to his sister. "There are eleven of them, Minnie. I'm sure you'll fall for at least one of them. I heard they're all good-looking. Just try to see if you like any of them, okay? Just talk to them, make friends." He nodded encouragingly. "You'll be fine. After all, you're the tough princess. No one can resist you." He pinched her cheek affectionately and kissed it. "Now," he said, "let's go get lunch. We have to bid the visiting kings farewell too." Xiumin held out his hand for Minah to take, the both of them standing and moving to the dining hall.

Xiumin's arm was linked with Minah's as they walked through the long halls. Their castle was beautiful. Not scary and made of dull gray stone with gargoyles as decoration. No, the castle itself was a pleasant cream color, the interior warm and cozy, the marble floors always reflective.

Minah always took the time to look at the paintings as she wandered through the many halls of the palace. She always noticed something new about them each time she looked at them. The way her great-great grandfather's eyes shined as he held her great grandmother when she was a child. Or the turquois necklace that was settled in her grandmother's that Minah could remember her mother wearing on special occasions.

"We're lucky to live here," Minah noted, thinking of the visits she would take to the town, seeing the mothers with their small children living in huts. The villagers lived quite well since her parents never needed to collect a high tax; they were at peace with all the neighboring kingdoms. In fact, Minah would rule one of those kingdoms one day.

"We are," Xiumin agreed, looking around at the high walls. Minah nudged her brother playfully. "One day, this place will be yours." Xiumin nodded and smiled softly.

In all the kingdoms, the throne wasn't always handed down to the sons. It went every other generation. This time in the kingdoms, it was time for the princes to inherit the throne. In the future, if Xiumin had a daughter, his daughter would take the throne, just as their mother took the throne.

Eventually the siblings came upon the large mahogany doors, the guards opening them with care, bowing to the prince and princess. Both of them bowed their heads respectively. The pair walked into the dining hall where the kings, and their parents, were already seated, waiting for them.

"Afternoon," they said at the same time, bowing low before standing up straight, their posture perfect, just as they'd been taught.

"Good afternoon, Minah, Xiumin," said King Ilsung with a kind smile. The Lumen Kingdom was the closest to the Lunar Kingdom, so King Ilsun often visited them, and vise versa, though the prince and princess had never accompanied their parents to the kingdom. But still, King Ilsung was like an uncle, and was able to call them by their names comfortably. He had also requested that the siblings call him ahjussi.

"Ahjussi," Minah said with a bright smile, bowing her head at him, then at each king. Xiumin did the same, pulling out a chair for his sister before sitting beside of her, the servants bringing in lunch.

"Princess," said King Sanghae, ruler of the Ignis Kingdom, "I believe you'll like my boys. They're both quite popular, and good-looking." He smiled proudly. "Kai is quite the charmer, though Sehun's just a tad bit shy."

"Actually, I think you'll find one of my boys to your liking," said King Hanjin, the king of the Solar Kingdom. "Kris is quite handsome, Luhan is romantic, and Lay is sweet as can be. The perfect princes. You would make beautiful children with any of them." He beamed.

Minah sighed inwardly as she grabbed her brother's hand under the table. Both of them were thinking the same thing. *Here we go.*

Soon, each king began to promote their sons and nephews. All of them claimed that Minah would make beautiful children with their princes, or that they'd look good together, or any other variety of things.

The queen noticed her daughter's discomfort, and with a kind smile, suggested they all eat their soup before it got cold. Minah sent her mother a grateful glance, to which she replied with a smile and nod.

Not long after lunch, it was time to see the kings off. The family wished the kings well, also wishing the princes a safe journey to the palace.

After the kings left, Minah quickly ran off to the courtyard, grabing her bow and quiver of arrows. Xiumin saw her run past him and smiled, shaking his head at his dongsaeng. *Always the same. Eager to be a tomboy.*

Minah was a lovely princess, really. A perfect princess. Well, not exactly. The girl loved dresses, really she did. But sometimes they annoyed her and she'd rip them off at the knees so she could run easier in them. She also had a habit of wearing men's trousers when she wanted to play, or when she trained in archery or sword fighting. Minah was quite the archer, better than some of the guards.

As soon as her guards saw Minah with her bow in the courtyard, they chuckled and brought the targets out for her. Minah smiled at them as she stepped back and pulled the string to her cheek before releasing. The arrow cut through the air with swish, landing almost in the middle.

"Having an off day, princess?" one of her guards teased. Minah glared playfully back at him, putting another arrow on the bow. She drew back again, releasing once more, the arrow landing in the center circle. It wasn't dead-center, but it was still on the red dot. Minah smiled in triumph, shooting her arrows until the quiver was empty.

Xiumin, who had been watching, applauded his sister with a smile. "Good job, dongsaeng," he said. "If I were those princes, I'd watch out for you." He winked at Minah and stood, walking to her and helping her gather her arrows. "You were born in the wrong body," he joked. "You should've been one of the royal archers, or a knight perhaps. Not this soft princess you show everyone." He pinched Minah's cheek with a smile.

"I'm not soft," she argued, pouting unintentionally. "I'm just...kind, to the public. As a princess should be, thank you. I know my duties."

"A princess," he mocked, "shouldn't shoot arrows better than some of her own guards. She shouldn't even know how to hold a bow, let alone shoot an arrow and sword fight."

"Shut up," Minah grumbled half-heartedly. She was used to her brother's teasing and didn't take it to heart. Xiumin chuckled. "Oh~ The princess told me to shut up~ I'm so scared!" He laughed and tugged on her chocolate brown hair before running his fingers through it as an apology. "Aigoo. And to think, soon you'll be getting married."

"What about you, oppa?" Minah asked curiously. "You'll be inheriting the throne. Shouldn't you have a queen?"

Xiumin shrugged. "I can rule with or without. I'll just have to find my princess." He smiled softly. "But I have to take care of my baby sister first." Minah softened and hugged Xiumin. He sighed softly and pet her hair. "I don't know what I'll do when you get married. I'm not sure if I'll trust anyone else to protect you and take care of you." Xiumin sighed again and kissed the top of her head, hugging her lightly.

"Just protect me until then," Minah suggested with a soft smile. She patted her brother's head and kissed his cheek with a smile. "I love you, oppa."

Xiumin chuckled. "I love you too, Minnie. And when you're married, don't forget about your oppa, okay?"

Minah scrunched her nose. "I won't," she promised. "I'll visit you every week!"

Xiumin chuckled. "So long as you promise, Minnie."

She nodded, suddenly feeling a bit excited and nervous about meeting her suitors.

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