I try my best to answer the dozens of questions being asked, but they're too overwhelming. Today's been an extremely long day, and I want to go to sleep. I motion to Taeyeon to follow me, but the minute she does she is stopped by my guards.

"S-Soonkyu..." she calls for me. I don't want my guards hurting her or getting any wrong idea.

"Hey, hey. She's with me," everyone seems a bit shocked. I raise an eyebrow. "What?" I ask. I can see Minister Kwon from the corner of my eye, wanting to pull me aside. He's visibly perspiring. It's a little off-putting. Regardless, I let him talk to me privately.

"What?" I let my irritability show.

"Who is that lady?" he asks, still nervous.

"Kim Taeyeon. She's a princess," this seems to settle his nerves, but not all so much.

"You mean to tell me-"

"No, it's not like that," he gives me a look of relief and takes a look at Taeyeon, who looks so uncomfortable I feel like running over and hugging her. I feel bad. In the little time I've spent with her, I can already tell she's a huge introvert. This whole ordeal must be making her really nervous.

"You understand that if the people-" I realize where he's going with this. 

"Are you meaning to tell me that people will look down on me if I associate myself with someone who's disfigured?" My anger rises. To think that this is even a possibility infuriates me. Sure, Taeyeon's scar doesn't do anything to help her appearance, but that doesn't make her a terrible person, does it?

"Listen. You're a prince. It's just the possibility-"

"I get that, okay? It's just-okay listen. I found her in the forest. I'm trying to help her out because she has nowhere to stay. I'm not interested in her, but I'd like to be her friend. Get off my back. She's a great girl," I don't think about my words as they come out of my mouth. I haven't known Taeyeon for more than two hours and I've complimented her even though I know nothing about her. My emotions are definitely getting the better of me.

Minister Kwon seems to think a bit. He's a caring guy for sure, and I have no doubt that he'll allow me to host Taeyeon. It's just that he's so interested in my love affairs that he thinks it's his duty to find the best girl possible for me. I feel that he's only looking in terms of appearance judging by the women he's brought to the castle.

"Alright. She can stay. And know that you have another princess coming tomorrow morning. Don't sleep too late," he says that last part in a matter-of-fact way. I can feel his warnings. He calls the guards and advisors away and everyone leaves the back enterance, leaving Taeyeon and me alone.

I walk back to her. She's looking at her feet.

"I'm so sorry about that," she nods only enough that it's slightly noticeable. She doesn't speak.

"You tired? Looks like you've had a long day," I earn another slight nod. I run my hand through my hair and motion for her to follow me. 

The minute I show her around her room she sits on the bed and stares at the ceiling, not bothering to speak to me at all. Did I do something wrong? I'm not sure what's her problem, but she doesn't seem to like me all too much. I tell her that I would be in the room down the hall and to call if she needs anything.

We, or rather I, say goodbye and head to my room.

When I get to my bedroom I sit on my bed and take a deep breath. I don't know why I've been so tired lately. My busy schedule must have caught up with me. I have to get ready for bed.

As I try to stand, pain shoots up my leg. I've forgotten about my injured ankle. Thank God no one noticed during the confrontation. I limp towards the bathroom and prepare a bath.

The hot water feels great one my sore muscles. I try to avoid putting my foot into the water and instead rubbing it gently to get the dirt and blood out. It's been over half an hour in here. I really should be getting out. 

I urge myself to get up but my body doesn't move. I must haven been more tired than I thought. Just a few more minutes...

It's getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open. The white plaster ceiling is slowly fading away into blackness, darkness. It's warm and comfortable. Soon all I can see is blackness, and the serenity of silence takes me away.

I hear a loud banging at my door.

What? It feels too early to be getting up. It feels like I had just fallen asleep. I move my feet and hear the sound of water. I fell asleep in the bathtub, it seems. I close my eyes for a few seconds. They feel raw. 

The loud knocking doesn't stop. I keep my eyes closed, "WHAT?"

The disturbance quiets down, but I hear Minister Kwon's voice muffled by the wooden door between us, "You have a visitor. Come out in a few minutes!"

I sit up, letting the water drip from my hair. I rub my eyes and stand suddenly.

I don't have my chest bandage.

I begin to freak out. "U-uh, j-just give me a few minutes! D-don't wait up for me!"

He doesn't speak and I'm pretty sure my not-so-smooth act probably concerned him. I compose myself by taking a breath.

"Please, just go. I'll be out as soon as possible!"

He seems to be flexible and I can hear his footsteps clatter away. I wipe my brow and step out of the tub.

As soon as I do, though, the nerve in my leg freaks out on me and I have to catch myself against the wall with the elegance of a rhino.

"My prince! Are you ok in there?" Minister Kwon starts jiggling the door knob. Damn this. 

"I'm fine! Just slipped on the water!" I make my voice as cheery as possible.

This is gonna be a long morning...

My hair is still drying as I walk down the hallway. Why is it that I've been getting so many visitors? I have this feeling that it's going to be mandatory that I marry soon. Gosh. Even the thought scares me.

I pass by Taeyeon's door and I realize that I haven't checked up on her since last night. I decide to knock on her door.

"Hey, Taeyeon?" I hope she's not too shocked by the sudden change in environment. Well, she was a princess... how different could this be?

No answer. Was she really mad at me? What did I do?

"Taeyeon?" I grip the door knob. I really shouldn't barge into a girl's room.

"Taeyeon, I'm coming in, okay?" I slowly yet forcefully open the door. The atmosphere doesn't seem dangerous. I've just been overly paranoid...

I see a figure under the blankets of the bed. She must have still been sleeping. I was woken this morning, after all. For whatever reason I decide to approach her.

I sit on the bed and take this opportunity to study her face. The moment I saw her I was curious about the strange dark marks that defined her facial features. As I look closer, I notice how intricate the burns were. 

The burn takes over a lot of her face. It is on her right profile. It definitely isn't bad enough to make a residing impression on a stranger, but it's... there. The scars reach about her eye. If you don't look hard enough, you might not notice them at all. In fact, you could mistake them as some sort of tattoo. It's... pretty, in a way. I didn't study art, but the scars are in a direction that flows along her cheek. It's like the tidal waves I saw when I made a visit to the coastline. I realize that I've been staring too long, but I want to see more. Her dark bangs obstruct the view. I reach for them with my thumb. Is this going too far? Could this be considered invasion of personal space?

Before I know it, I'm already sweeping the hair out of the way. I'm taken away by the sight. Not in a bad way whatsoever. The hues get darker the closer they get to her ear. The lines and different indents they make create such a beautiful effect. They're so captivating, that I don't realize that Taeyeon's getting up. I feel a jerk and turn my attention to the rest of her facial features.

Her eyes are staring back at me as wide as saucers. Her shock contributes to my own, and I don't know what to do. I stupidly stay there, frozen, my mouth gaping a bit. I can feel my blood rise to my cheeks.

"U-uh... um..." I being stuttering. Gosh, how much more uncomfortable could you make her?

Thankfully yet unfortunately, a knock at the door frame takes both of our attentions. 

"Um," It's Minister Kwon. Of all people, "S-sir, a word," his voice is loud and firm. I curse him out mentally and give Taeyeon a gentle rub on the cheek to notion my leaving. Was that too much? I ignore the thought and get up slowly, readying myself for the hell that's about to break loose.

As I turn to corner out of the room, I see Minister Kwon's reddened face. I feel a little regret but frustration at the same time.

"What did I say about this?" he's whisper-yeling at me. 

"Minister Kwon I've told you not to worry about this," I cross my arms to signal my annoyance.

"I know what I saw, my Prince, I can't have you doing this!"

"Minister Kwon. I need you to trust my judgement, I was just checking up on her," it was true, but in a way a bs excuse. The way it looked was in no way just a 'check up.'

"I need to say if this continues I will not be complient in letting her stay!" My eyebrows twitch at this statement. This again.

"Excuse me? I don't mean to be rude in any way but I will definitely not stand for that by any means. You need to be thinking of my desires in addition to what you want. And besides, how could you think about kicking out an innocent girl so easily?"

He takes a sigh and looks at me straight in the eyes, "Listen. I'm trying to look out for you! There are things about people that you don't know. There are mean people in this world, and I've come to learn that you need to put others down sometimes. We need to end this conversation now. The Princess is waiting for you in the office. Please, just fix yourself and meet her immediately."

I watch as he walks down the hall until he disappears. I turn around, and I'm suddenly met again with a pair of brown eyes.

I jump at the shock, and she jumps with me. 

"I-I'm sorry... It's just... well... I am sorry for that," her voice is so small and quiet that it's hard to understand her, though I get the jist of what she's saying.

"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have just gone into your room like that in the first place," she gets this look on her face. It's almost peculiar. Like she's surprised that she's not the center of the blame. 

"So... so are you going somewhere?" she figets with her newly changed skirt.

"Oh, yeah. I'm about to go meet another visitor," a thought crosses my mind, "Would you like to come?" I watch as her eyebrows lift and she turns away from me a bit. She quickly faces herself completely towards me though. 

"Y-yeah..." I can't say that I'm not surprised that she agreed to go with me. I nod and walk down the hall, motioning her to follow. She still stands at least an arms length away from me but it's progress. At least she's talking somewhat comfortably with me.

I open the door for her and follow in afterwards. I'm here again. I wish for it not to be a repeat of the previous day.

"Oh, hello. For a second I thought it was a girl that I was supposed to be meeting," the princess motions to Taeyeon, who is currently hiding behind a bookshelf. I laugh inwardly at the irony of her statement.

"No, it's just me. I am happy to meet your acquaintence. I am Prince Soonkyu, first of my name. May I ask for yours?" the standard gentleman talk. She's being polite so I guess I will be too.

"It's very nice to meet your acquaintence as well. I am Princess Jessica, heiress to the Glacier lands. Please don't call me an Ice Princess, though," she laughs a bit. She seems nice, a bit robotic though. I think she's a warm-hearted character inwardly, though.

I reach for the hand she offers and give it a peck. "Thank you for the grace of your visit."