"THE FIRE CITY IS UNDER ATTACK!"

  There was silence, before the crowd broke into a fervent whispering. Dara and Seungri stood frozen with the news, unsure of whether to believe the sudden and absurd news. The whispering turned into a few giggles and soon, the remaining party-goers that weren't either drunk or careless about the situation openly laughed at the situation.

  "Even if the Taeyang bandits did attack, what losses would that broke Fire slum cause for us?" One magistrate chortled, as another minister laughed along, shaking his head at the magistrate's remark before offering him a toast.

  Dara clutched her fists tightly together as she looked amongst the crowd anxiously for Jiyong. The helpless soldier surveyed the high ranking people that has no sympathy nor alarm at his situation before another figure appeared out of no where and mounted the horse that he was on.

  "My Lord!" The soldier whispered in relief, to which the Ice Lord did not respond to as he sped out of the gates with him.

  "Hyung!" Seungri called after them, but the young general was already out of the palace wall. Dara gripped on Seungri's arm anxiously. What if its true? Back in the city, there's still Doodoong and the people in the household.

  "Bastard..." Seungri muttered in fury, advaning to the magistrate who continued his malicious tauntings about how invaluable the Fire City is, and swung his fist swiftly at his face. The small crowd around them gasped as the magistrate stumbled and fell. Seungri grabbed Dara's arm and led her quickly towards the entrance of the palace.

  "How dare this useless half breed..." Dara heard the magistrate curse behind them, which Seungri ignored.

  "Get on." Seungri commanded, an a fazed Dara climbed on the stallion behind Seungri. It still didn't seem creditable that the Taeyangs would be able to capture the city in less than a day, but Dara couldn't stop thinking about the worst now. With Seungri being unusually dominating and wiped of his taunting and jerk-like demeanor, he seems to be having the same omnious feeling about things back at home as well.

  The Fire City wasn't big. It would have been easy to capture once the assualting side was in town but it had always been hard for them to break through the boarder's tough defense, especially under the Ice Lord. But recently, the guard towers stationed at the frontiers are down which minimisedt their vision towards the enermy's side. Tonight, the Fire City seems especially vulnerable with their general out of town. How would the Taeyangs know this weakness?

  Taeil watched as even Seungri rushed off from the party in alarm, pulling Dara Park with him.

  Could something really be wrong?

  The Crown Prince turned around and started walking briskly towards the Royal Chambers where the King had retired for the night first. The candles flickered dimly in the long, twisting hallways that gave the entire setting an eerie yellow glow. He could still hear the mindless chatter and laughter of the noblemen outside. He smirked to himself, wondering how he is going to command over those useless, shallow idiots without an ounce of care for state affairs when he becomes King when suddenly, a man pulled him into the room on his left.

  It was Lady Kim.

  "M-mother!" Taeil spluttered in surprise. He almost thought it was an assassin.

  Lady Kim looked outside the hallway, making sure it was clear before she slid the bamboo doors shut behinf them. 

  "Where are you going, not enjoying the ball outside." The Lady asked suspiciously. 

  "I've heard about the Fire City. It's best that Father is informed." The Crown Prince answered, looking away from his mother.

  "Foolish!" Lady Kim hissed loudly, startling the Crown Prince. "You wake him so that there would be reinforcements for that filthy fourth child?"

  The Crown Prince stared blankly.

  "That ingrate dared to speak to me with such disrespect in front of a lowly woman." Lady Kim spat, recalling their earlier encounter in the greenhouse. "He refuses to move out of the boarder city for you to fulfil your coronation criterias. This is the perfect opportunity to oust him out."

  "The Fire City is the boarder to Dal! Allowing the Taeyangs in would mean welcoming their invasion, mother!"

  Lady Kim sneered coldly at her son's ignorance. Weakness is letal in the palace and her son looks especially pathetic when he is being like this. "If I had known you would turn out to be such a dimwit, I should have borne another child or at least adopted one." She sighed lightly, turning around to pace in the room. There was a brief flash of anguish on the Heir's features before he hardened himself again. "Those bandits would never be able to go any further than the Fire City."

  "Why not?"

  The Imperial Lady smirked darkly. "Because the Gukhwa City would never open their city gates in times of an invasion. Not to the refugees from Fire, not to the enermies from Taeyang. It's a play on the selfish nature of every city's will to survive."

  The Crown Prince swallowed as he felt the chill that was sent down his spine.

  "And then when things quieten down, you, the Crown Prince, the next King, the hope of the people, would then go in and provide relief and aid to the victims. You shall become the new faith that the peasants in that city have. And nobody, my child, nobody, would look down on you when you're compared with Kwon Jiyong again." Lady Kim whispered, holding onto the Crown Prince's shoulders.

  The Crown Prince looked like he was having a struggle with himself, before he tightened his jaw and gaze with a shadow on his face, and nodded to his mother with a fiery determination.

  No one, would think of him as inferior to the ever-perfect Jiyong ever again.

  No one, should doubt his appointment as the next King. 

  Unbeknownst to them, a terrified musuri (maids that were of the lowest rank in the palace) heard everything by the turn outside the hallway and hurriedly left the scene with the basin of water she was to deliver to the Lady's room. 

  Seungri and Dara were stopped by the boarder gates of Gukhwa City that led to the Fire City outside. The guards protested loudly about the amount of refugees outside that would flood and overpopulate Gukhwa City should they open the gates.

  "We also don't know if there are enermies in the crowd, sir!" The Gukhwa guards pleaded as Seungri leaped down from his horse and grabbed his collar in fury. These leeches are only alive today because of the dangers that Fire City are guarding the boarders, but now when they can help, they are actually going to leave the civilians of their own country outside to die so as to ensure their own safety?

  "Bastards.. Open the gates now. I need to go through." Seungri growled.

  "Our town magistrate said..." The guard looked like he was close to tear, rubbing his hands together for mercy.

  "NOW!" Seungri roared, flashing the plaue that proves the blood of royalty in him. The guard stumbled behind, before stammering for the soldiers behind him to open the gates.

  There were hundreds of refugees outside the walls of the Gukhwa City, some bloodied, some unconscious. Seungri and Dara sped through the gates, and Dara watched in silent horror as the refugees of their city, the people whom may be in the crowd in the bustling market or are, too, patrons of the noodle stall she loved, pleaded and wailed for the second boarder city to save them and let them in, but the gates were quickly shut after they had passed through without any regards for the sufferings on the other side of the wall. 

  "Shouldn't we help those people?" Dara whispered, gripping Seungri tighter with the sheer speed that they were going at.

  "We don't have the time now." Seungri said in a low voice, his tone startling Dara, who was already nervous from anticipating the horrors of what might be awaiting them. 

  There was a distance between the boarder of Fire and Gukhwa and the actual town of the city itself. The barren land was eerily quiet, which made Seungri's hold the leash of his horse tighter. Once in a while, they would pass by a few civilians that were running or stumbling towards the direction of Gukhwa City, and the refugees yelled at the pair who were rushing back to the city instead to turn back. It wasn't until a good 5 minutes later that the two understood why.

  Seungri halted the horse, and Dara watched in wide-eyed shock. The town in front of them was smoking, with fire breaking out everywhere. Distant screaming and the metallic sound of swords contacting broke through the chilly night. What exactly happened within the 20 hours that they were away?

  "...." Seungri cursed.

  Dara spared him a glance, and then looked back at the city. Where is Jiyong? 

  "Dara-"

  Where is Soo Hyuk? Where is Doodoong? Where is Jisoo-

  "Dara get off the horse and stay behind me."

  Dara blinked, and then realised then her rider was no longer in front of her. She raised her head, and took a sharp intake of air. Surrounding them, there were 5 soldiers that looked very different from the ones she have seen in the Fire City, poised ready to strike with their weapons drawn.

  Shaking but speechless, Dara slid off the stallion.

  "Run when I tell you to." Seungri whispered to the girl behind him, his eyes focused on the situation ahead.

  Dara nodded, twisting her trembling hands together.

  The soldier beside her leered maliciously at them. His sword was stained with dark, fresh, crimson colored blood.

  Two warriors attacked, and their swords made a small spark when Seungri's swords deflected their strikes. The three men stand in one place, trading feints, 
s and parries with lightning speed, almost impossible to follow. Dara gasped, stumbling away from Seungri, who seems to be at the upper hand as the two warriors's attacks turned into futile defense, useless as the fifth prince mercilessly slain them one after the other. The leering soldier's expression had changed, and he too, charged foward with another of their men. But instead of both of them going for the prince at the same time, the tip of one soldier sword was aimed straight at the defenceless girl instead.

  Dara squealed and ducked, and the sword plunged straight into the stallion, which stumbled, knocking a distraght Dara off her feet before falling. With a slash of his sword, Seungri blocked yet another of the soldiers's attempt for his life and slashed the neck of the leering warrior, who had raised his sword at Dara.

  "NOW!" Seungri yelled, as the remaining soldiers continued to fight gallantly. His command ringed in Dara's ears, who was momentarily stunned by the spurt of blood that whipped across her face from the now-dead soldier's broken jugular. She scrambled to her feet, in both awe and fear with the demonstration of Seungri's more-than-fine combat skills, but lingered for the fear of his safety.

  "GO! I'LL MEET YOU BACK AT HYUNG'S RESIDENCE!" Seungri commanded, and Dara, still breathless with fear, nodded tightly and sprinted towards the direction of the town.

  Dara stuck herself close to the wall while moving, frantically looking around her for any signs of aggresion. Occasionally, when there are sounds of rapid footsteps, she would hide behind any thing she finds. Why is road home exceptionally far today? 

  "Jisoo!" Dara called out as soon as she reached through the gates of the Kwon Residence, her eyes wide with panic, her face shining with sweat. The interior of the residence seems untouched, but Dara knew it wouldn't be long before the Taeyangs rampage this place. There's no way they will leave the Ice Lord's home alone.

  Where is everybody? Dara thought in frustration after a futile search in her room, supporting her forehead with her hand, her eyes stinging with fears for the worst. 

  In the dark, the servant that maintains the Ice Lord's stallion crept out from under the table, and Dara gasped before helping him out. 

  "Are you hurt anywhere?" Dara asked, feverishly for any wounds on the terrified man. "Where are the others?"

  "They-They all ran away!" The horseman spluttered, rubbing his eyes on his sleeves.

  "Where's Jisoo? Did you see the child?" Dara asked anxiously, gripping his shoulders.

  "They just ran out before you came- No Miss Dara, you can't go out!" The horseman gripped Dara's arm hastily as she turned to leave. "They're rounding up any girls they see outside!"

  Dara glared outside the door, then back at the pleading man. "Aish!" She cursed, sprinting into the servant's quaters, emerging a minute later with her hair hidden in a straw hat, her white gown gone, replace by those of a peasant man's baggy clothes.

  The horse servant tried to stop Dara again, but this time, it proved useless as Dara rushed out, frantically searching for the child and her friend. 

  A scream pierced through the night, sounding not far away from Dara and she froze, followed by sounds of someone running. A figure emerged from the turn down an alley. It was Jisoo, with a wailing Doodoong in her arms. Dara gasped, running up to her and get the child from her hands. 

  "This way!" Dara cried, pulling her crying maiden girl with her free hand. There were sounds of more footsteps behind them, and they ran. 

  "Miss Dara..." Jisoo stammered, stunned with the getup that Dara is in. She almost couldn't recognise her.

  The footsteps were closing in and Jisoo seemed too out of breath to run. Dara looked around her in blind alarm and spotted a huge stack of hay lying by the road. She rushed foward, pulling the hay apart so it could fit exactly an adult and a child, and ushered the two in.

  "What about y-" Jisoo stuttered as Dara quickly covered the two with the remaining hay and lifted her finger to . 

  "There's a man here!" A soldier shouted behind Dara, and she turned around just in time to see the soldiers catching up. She threw the two one last anxious look and hurried away, with the soldiersin tight pursue.

  Dead bodies were strewn everywhere in the town, some caught fire and some trampled upon. Jiyong gripped his sword so hard that his knuckles turned white, his face and body streaked with blood. Not his, but those of his enermies. He was shaking with hot white anger, slaying every Taeyang soldier he meets with a blank expression.

  He is supposed to be these people's guardian.

  His mind is fogged with only one aim, and that is to find and tear the Taeyang's general into pieces.

  The Ice Lord grabbed a Taeyang soldier in the alley that was forcing himself upon a Dal girl, and coldly plunged his sword into the soldier's stomach, who guggled blood. The Dal girl screamed in fear before blacking out, and the dead soldier's accomplice drops to the ground, trembling in fear.

  "Where is he? Your general." The Ice Lord asked monotonely, and the soldier shook his head in terror, begging for his life. Jiyong raised the sword, and the soldier screamed, stopping him.

  "I'LL TELL YOU I'LL TELL YOU! He's- he's heading for the Ice Lord's residence!" He cries, and Jiyong released his collar before turning around. 

  The soldier got off his knees and grabbed his spear just as the Ice Lord turned his back and charged foward. Just as he was about to reach the Ice Lord, a Dal warrior jumped out and took the blow for himself. 

  Jiyong wheeled around and supported the shoulders of his dying man with a flash of agony on his face. Without sparing the Taeyang soldier a look, he lacerated him with a glint of his sword.

  "My.. My mother... They killed... my mother.." The dying Dal warrior blurted as Jiyong lowered him to the ground, gripping his hand tightly. "Make them pay for it, my lord, please." 

  The hand held within Jiyong's loosened and slipped to the ground. Jiyong buried his face into the chest of his fighter that died for him in despair, before regaining himself and getting back onto his feet, proceeding towards his house with a renewed determination.

  Soo Hyuk leaped from a tree to another and onto the fence surounding the Kwon Residence. He peered across the ledge, and see his brother clad in a full golden armor, whistling leisurely in the yard. Effortlessly, Soo Hyuk flipped himself across the wall and straight onto the Taeyang Crown Prince's horse. The Taeyang prince, caught off-guard, was punched off the horse from his younger counterpart.

  The guarding Taeyangs loaded their bows but their prince put a hand up in the air, stopping them. He smirked at his flaring brother, the blood off the corner of his mouth before standing up, gesturing for his guards to leave.

  "What could've gotten you so furious, brother?" The prince cooed.

  Soo Hyuk jumped down from the stallion and pushed the prince, who stumbled backwards. "Lee Soo Jun. You used me!" Soo Hyuk spat, grabbing the prince's collar. "You said you were only going to steal their harvest."

  Lee Soo Jun laughed. "Well, the ocassion of the Ice Lord not being on guard was simply too.. tempting." 

  "You bastard!" Soo Hyuk roared, delivering another punch to his brother. "Those people did no ing thing to you!" 

  The Prince sneered.

  A Taeyang soldier emerged at the gate, sinking into a low bow. "Your highness, we caught a woman that was pretending to be a man."

  The Crown Prince of Taeyang raised an amused eyebrow. "Bring her in."

  The guard nodded, and disappeared from view. When he reappeared, he was grabbing the arms of a man whose face was covered by a straw hat, stuggling hopelesly against the grip of the two Taeyangs who had pinned his arms at his back. 

  "Are you sure he's a woman?" The Crown Prince of Taeyang asked, and the man only kept his head lowered. One of the soldiers plucked the hat from the captured and threw it aside. It was a woman indeed. Unable to hide her long hair, she continued to keep her face hidden, refusing to look at the prince.

  "Look up." The prince commanded.

  "Our Prince told you to look up, wretch." The guard that reported her snarled, grabbing the woman's cheek and forcing her to face up. 

  With a look of defiance on her face, Dara glared straight at the Taeyang heir, but her expression changed into bewildement when her eyes met with the man standing beside the prince.

  "Dara..." Soo Hyuk breathed out, stupefied.

Wrote a little much today, 

anyway, I realised maybe not everyone can imagine or picture how The Crown Prince (of Dal) 

looks like, as Chen Kun, so

I've decided to change the reference to 

Ji Chang Wook. 

Villianous role but he's so good looking who'd complain right? :P