"Ha! You'll never beat me!" Minho laughed as he parried Jessica's strike. She ignored him and pressed him harder. But Minho suddenly attacked her an twisted Jessica's sword. The sword fell to the ground with a loud clang. Minho smirked as he wiped his sweat. 

"You're good. But not as good as me." he told Jessica smugly. Jessica just rolled her eyes and said, "Don't get too cocky, Minho." She picked up the sword and turned and walked away. "Where are you going?" Minho called. "None of your business. I'm just going to practice." Jessica grumbled as she stomped away.

She walked to the North gate and mumbled angrily, "That Minho... I need someone to beat him in fighting, then he realises that he isn't the best in the world." She swung her sword and it hit the metal gates of the guard tower. The sound echoed in the distance. Jessica walked out of the gates and ventured a little deeper into the forest.

"Stupid guy... So cocky..." Jessica grumbled. Then she threw a dagger into the nearest tree trunk and it hit the trunk with deadly force. "At least my aiming is good." she said. She then went forward to retrieve her knife.

She tugged the knife out and then she made her way out of the tall grass into the clearing. But, she heard more rustling sounds than needed. Her instincts went all "Intruder!!!" The she spun around and threw her knife towards the sound.

She heard someone make a little gasp. Then there was silence. Jessica thought that she killed the person, so she stepped forward to check. But as soon as she took a step forward, the knife came flying back at her. She jumped aside and caught it on the handle. 

"Who's there?" she asked, her alert level rising to the fullest. "Come out! I know you're there!" she hissed as she gripped her dagger tightly. There was silence again. Jessica growled and walked away, thinking that her brain must have been tricking her or something. When she walked no more than a few steps, she heard faint footsteps running towards her. She instantly drew her sword and swing it backwards. Her sword met with another blade with force and the sound echoed around.

Jessica turned around and saw a hooded guy running towards her with his sword poised. She swung her sword and twisted the guy's sword. The guy ducked from her sword and swung his sword. Jessica did a cartwheel backwords, the blase missing her neck by a hairline. She growled angrily and threw her dagger at him. The guy caught the knife in the blade with his sword and reflected it back to her. Jessica got shocked for a moment. She had never seen anyone able to deflect a blade, using a sword before. She was waking up from her momentary shock when the knife shot towards her. She yelped and tried to dodge it, but the blade cut her skin on her arm. She winced but she picked up the knife.

The guy took his own dagger and threw it at her. This time, she caught the dagger perfectly, but the pain in her arm was throbbing. She hissed as she pointed her sword at the guy and walked towards him. "Who are you?" she asked dangerously. The guy just tilted his head and Jessica could see his eyes. "Why do you need to know?" he said, before running towards her with his sword in the air, preparing to strike Jessica. 

She parried the strike and said, "You do not want to anger me, boy." The guy just sneered and asked, "Why? Aren't you just a girl with no real fighting skills?" The moment Jessica heard that, her uncertainty turned into ultimate anger. She swung her sword in the boy's face and the boy tripped over a tree root on the ground. "You are so dead, Mr Tresspasser." she hissed.

She pointed her sword at the boy's throat. The boy tried to raise his sword but Jessica kicked his sword away. He gulped and looked back at Jessica. "Who are you?" he finally asked. Jessica just smirked and sheathed her sword. She took out her knife and knelt down beside him. "Look carefully at me." she told him. He looked at her and his eyes instantly settled on a golden carving of a dragon on the of her sword.

Realisation dawned on the boy. He looked at Jessica and said, "You..." She smirked and said, "Yes yes yes... I'm the second in command for the Royal Guards." She used her knife and flipped over the boy's hood. He snarled at her. Jessica would have graded this boy 9/10 for his looks, but, unfortunately, they were enemies now.

Jessica moved her knife down to his neck and saw a gold phoenix hanging from his necklace. The phoenix had for different feathers at its backside, so...

The guy just growled, "Do you know who am I, miss?" He kicked her backwards and jumped to his feet. Jessica did a backroll and came up on her feet. The guy had retrieved his sword and was smirking at her. "I'm the leader of the Warriors." he said as he spun his sword. "Of the Chinese royals." Jessica said. Then she had a bad idea, that made any idea of truce with the guy flat.

"Hey! Then are you spying on Korea?" she yelled. Then she charged towards him. Just as she was about strike him on the head. The guy dodged aside but he pulled Jessica's sleeve. Jessica tripped over a rock and they both fell on top of each other. After a second, Jessica realised that she was face to face with the guy, like directly close to each other. The guy grinned at her.

Jessica jumped up and yelled at him, "Yah! What do you think you're doing?" She grabbed her knife and pointed it at the guy's face. "I was thinking maybe you could be a friend, but I think I'll just kill you, right now." she said angrily. The guy inched backwards and yelled, "What?" "I said, I am going to kill you!" she repeated loudly.

Just then, a familiar voice said, "Suyeon! Put that knife down!" Jessica turned around and got so shocked that she dropped her knife instantly. Unfortunately, it landed an inch away from the guy's right hand. "Watch it!" he hissed as he glared at Jessica. He got up and looked at the person who just yelled at them. He got so flustered instantly his face turned a little red. "Your Majesty!" they both said at the same time.

Then they both glared at each other. Jessica bowed towards the Emperor and said, looking at the guy spitefully, "Your majesty, this guy here was tresspassing the Royal property." Then the guy bowed and said, "Your majesty, I believe I came here to deliver a message." he paused, then he looked at Jessica accusingly and continued, "Not to be killed by someone." 

Jessica instantly defended herself, "Hey! You were the one who flung that knife back at me! If I didn't do something, I would be dead by now!"

"You wanted to kill me without finding out the truth!"

"Hey! It was you who who said my fighting skills were bad!"

"When in the name of gods did I say that?"

"Yes you did, Mr Arrogant!"

"Do you want to get killed?" the guy growled, "Don't underestimate me, I can do it if I want!" Jessica stepped towards him, gripping the hilt of her sword. She yelled, "Yah! I can kill you easily if I want to too!" They both glared murderously at each other. Then they both shouted, "Your Majesty!" and looked at him.

The Emperor smiled and walked towards them. He picked up Jessica's knife and handed it to her, then he said, "Look at both of you. Enemies at first sight." He tutted and and continued, "I don't want you two killing each other." "Yes, your highness..." Jessica mumbled and then glared at the guy.

The Emperor smiled and then walked towards the guy. He held out his hands and asked, "Jonghyun, where is the message that you wanted to pass to me?" The guy nodded and took out a scroll cannister from a small sack he was carrying and handed it to the Emperor. Jessica thought as she looked at the guy: So... He's called Jonghyun...

The Emperor walked around in circles while reading the scroll. Jessica concentrated on the Emperor but she caught Jonghyun making faces at her. She rolled her eyes and looked back at the Emperor. He read aloud with a weird smile, as if he was ready to laugh:

To Emperor Jinki,

Ahead of your previous plan, I would like to request for my family and my Warriors to stay over at your palace for a month, to see how life is like in Korea. My daughter is interested in the highly spoken of Royal library in the Palace. As for my Warriors, I would like them to befriend your Royal guards. Perhaps, they can exchange some fighting techniques. I sincerely hope you will agree to this plan.

Wishing you peace and prosperity,

Emperor Leeteuk.

Jessica and Jonghyun looked at the Emperor in horror. "Your majesty... Will you accept this plan?" Jonghyun asked nervously. He laughed and said, "Of course! It would be a great opportunity to build on our friendship." He paused for a while, thinking deeply, then he continued, "In fact, I would like you two to be partners during this special time." Jonghyun's jaw dropped and Jessica was like, WHAT?!

"And Jonghyun, since you're here already..." he turned to Jessica and beamed, "I would like you to share your chamber with Jonghyun, Suyeon." Jessica almost got a heart attack when she heard that. She gave Jonghyun a disgusted look and said, "But... your majesty-" "No, buts Suyeon. I want you to learn to make friends with different people." the Emperor said.

He gave them a smile and said, "I'll leave now... Have a great time, you two." Then he slotted the scroll into his sleeve and walked back through the North gate, into the palace.

Jonghyun asked once the Emperor was out of sight, "So? What do we do know?" "I'll bring you to our quarters, obvious. It is an order from the Emperor, I would be stupid if I deified his orders." Jessica turned and told him. "I didn't know you were that clever, miss." Jonghyun said thoughtfully.

Jessica glared at him and said, "You are the most annoying person I've ever met!" Then she stomped to the gate. She turned behind and saw that Jonghyun was picking up his sword. "Hurry up! Otherwise I'll shut the gates and you'll enjoy your day outside here." Jonghyun mumbled something and followed after her. She closed the gates as Jonghyun walked past her. 

"Why is it so empty?" Jonghyun asked as they walked across the courtyard. Jessica rolled her eyes and replied, "It's the midday meal time, so everybody is allowed to rest." He didn't saything else.

Jessica walked towards the guard's quarters and training ground, which were not that far. "Where are you bringing me?" Jonghyun asked, as he looked around with the unfamiliar surroundings. Jessica turned and saw him gaping at a painting of a dragon on the wall. She smirked and said proudly, "That dragon, was painted by the princess."

"The princess?" Jonghyun asked, puzzled. "The eldest daughter of Emperor, Princess Miyeong." Jessica replied as she walked. She turned and saw that Jonghyun still had a confused look on his face. "You don't know about the Royal family here, do you?" she asked. Jonghyun shook his head. "Can you explain?"

"Well, there's Emperor Jinki, then the Empress Taeyeon."

"Is the Empress friendly all year round? She was quite nice when I met her."

"She is quite nice."

"That's good."

"Why?"

"I find Empress Song Qian a little scary. I think she puts too much make-up."

"Really? Is that all?"

"And the way she looks at you it's as if she can see right through your mind."

"Oh."

"What else about the Royal family?"

"The main family consists of Prince Ryeowook, Princess Miyeong, Prince Kyuhyun and Princess Sunkyu."

"They're from oldest to youngest?"

"Yeah."

Jessica and Jonghyun neared the gates to the training area. Sounds of swords clashing could be heard from inside. "That's where you all train?" Jonghyun asked. She nodded and smiled as she pulled open the gates.

"Come, let me introduce you to my friends."