"Unseen"

"Love may be a battlefield, but ours will always and will be worth the fight."

Yifan's POV

By the time I was going to excuse myself, Father encouraged me to stay for the war meeting along with his officials, advisers, and brilliant generals. He wanted me to be familiar with these things so that in the near future, I'd be tactical. I'd be prepared. I'd be...so dead. I was sitting right beside my father; putting up a stern look while listening to his men. Our men.

"I will personally lead the 2,000 men along the bank of the river. There, we will set up defense position. Please acknowledge, Your Majesty. If Zhang's army will-"

He was cut off entirely by another general.

"The river bank is within too close to our grounds! How can we secure if we let them enter us like that?"

"Distance is not our issue here. The formation of General Liao is unbreakble. I trust my men they will do greatly in protecting their families and loved ones. As well as the great empire of Jin!"

Hours go by without a single peace until my father dismissed the meeting. Finally. Some time for myself.

***

Joonmyun's POV

"Joon gēge, does this look good on me?....Joon gēge...JOON!" 

I snapped at Sehun's calling. I was too busy looking out the palace window and thinking about the person who I was going to marry tomorrow. I don't know who will it be but one thing is for sure, I must fulfill my duties as the prince of this dynasty.

"Oh, sorry."

"What were you thinking? Is it about tomorrow? Don't worry about it. I'm sure she's going to be a great wife gēge."

He smiled at me.

"I went to ask mother who she was but she won't tell. She said it was tradition for both the parties never to see each other until their wedding." I swayed across the room with Sehun's eyes turning towards me. I think he was aware of my face being filled with curiosity. Well, who wouldn't be curious? 

"To ease up the tension, why don't you go out the river bank not very far from here? You can take my horse, gēge." He said as he pointed out the location of the said place. 

"Stupid! You know fully well I can't get out! There's guards everywhere. And if I were caught, Father is going to strangle me."

"You can with my help and no, he won't strangle his eldest son. Well, particularly not for that reason." He chuckled and I gave him a smack on the shoulder.

***

Sehun went out to the cook's room and asked if she had any spare clothing for them to borrow. Without a single hesitation, she rummaged through her clothes and found a slightly tattered white linen robe with a hood and some fish oil stains on the bottom. Then the cook handed out a pale yellow cloth to be tied around Joonmyun's waist. He bowed and promised to give her food and clothes for her kindness. Sehun quickly ran up the stairs and held the robe out to Joonmyun.

"Here. Wear this gēge." He  threw them to Joonmyun's arms with him catching it fastly. 

"This is womens clothing!"

"Do you want to get out of the palace or not? Stop whining gēge."

Joonmyun pouted but he had no choice. He wanted to escape for a while from the palace. He dressed up behind the red silk curtains. Minutes passed and Joonmyun was ready to let Sehun see what he looks like.

"Sehun, I look like a woman!"

"Get out of there and let me see gēge!"

He shyly went out and found Sehun's mouth on the floor. It was perfect for Joonmyun along with his slim figure, porcelain skin, and an astonishing small waist. 

"For a man, you're far more prettier than some maidens that I've met. I am down right sure you can pull this off gēge." 

***

The two of them tip-toed out of the room with the servants not noticing them going out the back door. Sehun went to get the horse while Joonmyun looked uncomfortable with the clothes he's currently wearing. He pretty much adjusted every single angle of the cloth on his waist but it still kept on pestering him.

"Sehun, you could have just borrowed from mother's maidens. Why the cook?"

"Because, gēge, those were the only clothes fitted for you to look like a peasant."

Sehun quickly grabbed the hood of Joonmyun's robe when he saw the guards on the palace gates and flipped it over Joonmyun's head so that the guards won't be able to see his face. They slowed down while Joonmyun held onto the horse's rope; leading it steadily. 

"Act natural gēge." Sehun whispered.

The 4 guards hovered around the two of them. 

"Prince, what are you doing here? Is this lady with you?" asked one of them.

"Yes. She is the cook and mother has sent her to pick herbs down the river bank."

"Prince, the Emperor said-"

"Open it right now. This is an order."

Sehun studied their faces. Almost all of them hesitated but gave in eventually.

"Open the gate." One of them ordered and so they slightly opened it with Joonmyun slowly taking the horse out along with him. Sehun then whispered, "Don't stay out too long, gēge. Be back before night fall."

Joonmyun gave a small nod in return then the doors were shut. He got on the brown horse and went out; still uncomfortable in his clothes.

***