The ceiling of the teaching room, that turned into the students bedroom at night time, was covered with a translucent veil of silvery moonlight. Unable to sleep, I must have gazed at it for hours, watching a moth's shadow dance. In only a few hours time, I would meet the prince. The day I had been anticipating ever since I started gisaeng training, had finally arrived.

"Your eyes will be swollen, if you don't rest enough" Subin, whose bed lay next to mine, said suddenly.

"Do you think I will be able to find him?" I wondered, trying to soothe the uneasy feeling in my heart with deep breaths.

"Your father?" she inquired, to which I nodded. "I'm not sure you will, but I'm sure your chances are high if you use your wits"

With a sigh I turned over to face her. Only the outlines of her features were visible, as well as her dark eyes, which glistened through the darkness.

”Please promise me you won't die a gisaeng” I advised her. “Find love. Marry a man who will treat you well. You are too good for this. Too pure.”

"Weren't you my friend I would take your words as an insult. I wish you wouldn't make me feel uncapable all the time. I know you mean well, but I pride myself in being a gisaeng, just like you do" she defended herself, sounding hurt. Apologetically, I her arm. "Besides, you will fall in love far before me, just wait"

Her comment caused a laugh to escape my lips.

”Why are you laughing?” I gazed back at the ceiling in thoughts, discovering that the moth was gone.

"Falling in love is impossble for me, Subin-ah. Fire will freeze before a man makes me fall for him" I replied.

"That's easy to say when you have never met many men. I heard both princes are rather handsome and the young general is not to be ignored either" she mused. "Just you wait, once you make it to the palace your head and heart will be turned. Mark my words."

Her words were followed by a loud 'shush' from the other end of the room, to which Subin gave me a covert grin and I rolled my eyes at her. "I cannot help but wish they would take Daeun away instead of you." she added, to which I a strand of her silky hair behind her ear.

"You will live, don't worry. If I am to leave, Daeun will be weakened by her jealousy. Just don't forget me" I reassured her to which she smiled at me.

”Never.”

Jiyong’s POV*

Stretching my arms above my head I greeted the day, taking a deep breath of fresh dewy morning air. It had rained the night before, so the dirt was trailed with shallow puddles. The eunuchs were already waiting by the carriages.

“Master Jiyong,” head eunuch Paek greeted me with a bow.

”Good morning Paek, is my father up?”

”There he is, daegam" Paek replied and pointed to his left.

”Are my eyes betraying me?” my father’s voice sounded. All eunuchs sank to their knees as my father descended the stairs from his chambers to join us.

“Who would have thought I would ever see my son at this hour of the day. How did the servants wake you? Ice water? Bees?” he wondered, his arms resting behind his back as he approached us. ”

I guess the perspective of beautiful young women had me rise early with ease” I replied.

”Rascal,” my father said, ruffling my hair affectionately. “Where is your brother? Isn’t he going to join you? I’m sure he would enjoy the sight”

Eunuch Paek coughed slightly to gain our attention and bowed in respect. “Master Seunghyun is still asleep. He said he had too much wine last night and doesn’t feel well"

”That means he drank with Jiwon last night,” I sighed and received a pat on the back from my father. "Why don't you come with me?"

"Sorry son, but work is calling. There are still negotiatios to do with Hyoseon" he explained with a heavy sigh.

"Unlce? He still won't hear you out?" I inquired.

"He won't allow us to position another empress at your side but his daughter. But my health is weakening by the day" he mumbled.

"Father, if only you wouldn't talk as if you dropped dead tomorrow I muttered. My father surely had greyed before I reached my fourteenth birthday, but still I wouldn't consider his death.

"You better make your way now" he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Full of regret, that neither my brother nor my father would join me that morning, I entered the carriage and stuck my head out of the window.

"Choose wisely, after all you are taking somebody into court" father advised me and raised his hand to wave me goodbye.

Well-guarded, I was soon brought to a small village called Hangsu. It truly was a shabby patch of land, compared to the stately school that lay dreamily in the woods. Close by lay a waterfall, which we passed on our path. As I watched the water thunder peacefully into the stream,  I suddenly I noticed a girl on top of the waterfall, standing on one of the large charcoal coloured rocks. She must have been a student of the gisaeng school, as she practiced dancing with swords.

"Paek!" I commanded. "Hold the carriage"

"Ye, Daegam" he replied.  "Halt the carriage!"

As we stopped I watched the girl dance. Two swords whirled around her like ribbons, so easily and effortlessly, as if they had no weight. She was dressed in a yellow and red hanbok, whose fabric waved through the air, making every movement of her appear magical. 

”Paek! Bring me up to that waterfall!" I commanded.

"Daegam, the mistress of the school is awaiting us" he objected.

"Don't make me repeat myself" I said, eager to meet the girl.

"Y-ye Daegam" he muttered.

Nabi's POV*

Dancing with swords was my biggest passion. Ever since I found out that my mother was killed by a soldier, I practiced with swords. For years I bad met the armourer in Hangsu and had him teach me the basic movements. As self-defense wasn't appropriate for a woman, I began to practice the sword dance as my speciality. Nobody knew of my fighting skills, except our mistress, who helped me to cover them with the sword dance. I would consider myself well enough for court, but at this particular morning, I kept making mistakes. Sleep-deprived and excited about meeting the prince I kept forgetting steps, or dropping my swords entirely.

"Give up already" Daeun's voice sounded behind me, after a while of practising. Her eyes pierced through me, with their usual arrogance. "Or do you really think the crown prince would pick you?"

”What do you want, Daeun?” I asked, annoyed by her unnecessary comments.

”The mistress sent me to fetch you” she replied coldly and approached me wit ha smug expression. I raised a brow at her, preparing myself for an argument.

”Today the crown prince himself will prove to you, that all along i have been the better one of us, Yi Nabi” she said. Daeun and I had been riivals ever since I could remember. A haughty laugh escaped her pink painted lips.

"We will see about that" I replied with a smile.

”You really think you have a chance, don’t you?” she asked with amusement. “As if your purpose was to please the emperor or become a consort. All you want to go to court for is not to entertain the emperor, but to find the dog who impregnated your mother.”

Too far.

At once I seized my sword and held its slate to her neck. Daeun gasped for air but did not dare to scream. Her entire body was in shivers, as she glared at me in shock. "How dare you to hold your sword to my neck?" she choked.

”Why are you shivering? You were much more daring a second before,” I asked, lining her skin with the backside of the slate.

”Y-you’re insane!! You could have me killed!!” she cried.

”Exactly” I said coldly, enjoying the fear in her eyes more than Buddha would like me to. “I am ready to kill anybody who insults my parents in front of me."

”Put your sword down this instant or I’m going to scream for the mistress!!” Daeun shouted angrily to break the sheer panic that had overcome her long ago.

”Scream, nobody will hear you,” I said, nodding towards the waterfall that showered down the rocks behind me. “But I'll let you live this time, if you beg me to forgive you. One-,“ nothing but evil glares. “Two-,“ still nothing, but she began to bite her lips uneasily. Of course Yang Daeun didn't beg for my forgiveness. The girl would rather die, than hurt her pride in front of me.

“You leave me no choice but kill you then. Three” I finished my count and swung my sword back, to which Daeun let out a blood-curdling scream.

But before I could swing my sword, a hand seized my wrist and held it tightly above my head. "Who-" I stuttered, turning around in confusion.

I looked into the eyes of a young man. He may not have been the tallest, but his face was rather handsome. Dressed in blue silken clothes with expensive golden embroideries, he appeared to be of wealth. "What do you want?" I asked.

He raised his brows at me in surprise. "Excuse me interfering here, but I cannot allow this" he announced.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked angrily, trying to free myself from his grip. "Let me go at once!"

"What if I don't?" I challenged me. "Are you going to kill me instead?"

"Leave it to us, this is none of your business" I muttered. Again the young man looked surprised at my tone and tilted his head slightly. His smile morphed into a serious glare.

"I belielve, as the future emperor of this country. It is very well my business." he replied, his eyes piercing into mine, waiting for me to realize his identity. His clothes, polished skin and the smell of Sandalwood incense, soon combined to a realization, that had my heart sinking into my stomach.

"D-Daegam?" I choked and fell to my knees, my sword landing next to me in the grass. In awe I bowed my head in front of the crown prince. He clasped his hands behind his back and nodded, approving of my respect.

"You sure have nerves to talk to your future emperor like that" he said with a raised voice, yet unable to hide amusement in his voice or smile. Noticing his humour, my heart was still ashamed but soothed instantly.

"Forgive me, Daegam" I begged still and to play along I raised my sword to hand it to him. "Kill me, I do not deserve your presence"

"Nonsense. I came here to choose a gisaeng for my court and judging by the ribbon you wear, you are one of the candidates" he noticed. "You seem passionate for a woman, may I ask your name?"

"Yi Nabi, Daegam" I replied nervously, feeling betrayed of time to prepare mentally for our encounter. The prince asked me to raise myself. As I stood in front of him, he mustered me with a smile.

"Yi Nabi, we do have plenty of ordinary gisaeng in our court" he said with a sigh. "I am not only looking for another dancing, doll. I am looking for a companion

Curiously, I glanced up at him. "A companion, Daegam?"

The prince considered it for a moment. "You seem good with your sword and you seem clever. I could use somebody to be my company at court. I get bored so easily. The other gisaeng are no use for a conversation. But you seem to be quite entertaining"

There was a pause, in which he tilted his head and mustered me once more while thinking thoroughly. "We should make our way to the school, so you can go and pack your belongings"

"Daegam!!" Daeun who stood close by, watching the entire scene, cried. "How can you choose her without looking at other candidates?!"

The crown prince turned around and glared at her. "Have you forgotten your place?!" he shouted, to which she shut and bowed respectfully. "One more unfitting word from you and I will have you beheaded before you can insult someone else's family again!" 

The prince seized a golden tassle with Jade pearls from a pouch in his sleeve and adjusted it to my red bow. "I think you will bring me joy" he said and gave me a soft smile.

"Daegam. May I ask why you chose me?" I inquired, to which he clasped his hands behind his back and nodded.

"These days it's hard to trust people at court, especially as my coronation approaches. You seem to be good with your sword, so I will have you trained by general Chu. You seem unlikely enough for assassins and enemies to become careless. While Jiwon will teach you the fine arts, you will keep me company and keep me entertained"

A smile crossed my face as I bowed for an agreement. If he wanted me at court, I wouldn't say now. His description sounded like a position that could well rise in rank. The higher my rank, the higher were the chances to find my father. "Thank you, Daegam"

"Let us return to the school for formailites" he said.

"Yes, Daegam" I replied, to which the crown prince turned around to face Daeun.

"I don't want to see your face again, so don't return until our departure, did you understand?" he inquired coldly.

"Yes, Jeoha" she replied, but her expression was sour as old milk.
 

Prince Jiyong’s POV*

The mistress of the institution, a small woman, with dark hair lined with grey strands, blood red lips and deep eyes, already awaited us at the gate of the school. "Daegam!" she greeted me with surprise. "How come you arrive after your guards and eunuchs, together with our Nabi?"

"I happened to find her in the woods" I replied with a smile towards Nabi. She was rather charming. Her hair fell long, brown and silky down her shoulders. Only decorated by a single golden hair pin, studded with garnets, in shape of a butterfly above her left ear. "Headmistress I have chosen her"

"You have?" she asked, her eyes beaming at Nabi. She must have been favouring her most.

Nabi smiled slightly and bowed her head to pay her respect.

"Will you hand her to me?" I asked, to which she respectfully handed me a pink coloured scroll. I handed the seal to Paek, who had been waiting with the mistress.

"Daegam" Nabi said. "May I bid my goodbyes before we leave?"

"Of course, do so" I said and watched as she parted from us after a bow. Curiously I turned to the mistress who gave me a pleased smile.

"You won't regret your decision" she remarked.

"I believe so, yet I am curious about something I overheard. The girl is trying to find her father?" I began, which caused the mistress to raise her brows in distress. Seemingly alarmed, she dismissively shook her hand.

"Daegam won't have to be concerned about it. Nabi will do her best in training nontheless. It's only that she hopes to find her father, whom she never met, at court." the mistress explained

"How so?" I asked and leaned in for more privacy.

"Well it is, that her father, a wealthy man in politics at court, was to marry her mother who was a gisaeng at court. But her mother fled with the child and brought it to this school. She wouldn't tell me any details. This woman lived here for a week but then disappeared without a trace." the mistress explained. "We found her a few days later dead by the river, covered in blood."

My expression darkened, "What a terrible destiny."

"Isn't it? I told Nabi all I know, and now she is eager to find her father. Her only living relative" the mistress told me further. "But do not be concerned with it, Daegam"

I nodded with a deep sigh. Yet, although I knew it shouldn't concern me at all, it somehow did nontheless.

Nabi's POV*

"Subin!!" I shouted, as I ran towards the garden, where she sat amongst flowers and read. She glanced up at me in surprise and raised her brows as I seized her shoulders. "You won't believe it!!"

"What? Is the prince here?" she asked.

"Yes and have a closer look" I said, subtly pointing out the tassle on my ribbon. Subin's eyes widened as she seized my arms in return and squealed joyously.

"Nabi!! You are going to live at court!!" she sang and jumped to her feet to hug me. "But how did you make him choose you so quickly?"

"I have no idea! To be honest, I haven't done anything really" I said, still confused about how threatening Daeun with my sword had caused him to be in any way smitten with me.

"Oh Nabi! Let's go and tell your mother!" Subin said, seized my hand and together we ran to the shrine. Prayer was the only way I had left to talk with my mother. She was killed when I was only an infant. The gisaengs have become my new mothers, yet, I went to the shrine every single day to talk to my mother. I remember thinking, that she must miss me terribly.

On this special day, I was finally able to tell her, that I was accepted for a position at court. And as I told my mother about it, I imagined her smiling down on me. "She must be proud of you" Subin said and seized my arm.

"I hope she is" I said with a sigh, resting my head on hers. Please mother, I prayed, help me to find father. Support me and lead my path. As if she answered, one of the eunuchs appeared with us.

"It is time" he said. "Your horse is waiting outside"