Being the (sometimes not so) civilised person I was, we sat down in the long table, one to thirteen. I was the only girl and Seiryuu in the room, unaccompanied by Sehun, which was pretty odd to the eyes since we were almost always together. Genbu, on the other hand, sent thirteen of their own; ten Elders and three sons. But this was Seoul. My territory, my rules. And I was not in the mood to play nice, either. I could tell that they felt the same, but they were not in the position to bargain.

                  “Lady Yoon,” One of Genbu’s Elder started profoundly with a lot of bull about the history between our two clans that went way back – as if I had not learnt enough of that. I ignored his talk and focused on his look instead – high cheekbones and sun-kissed skin even in his forty or fifty. There was close resemblance to Kim Yong Ha, and if this wasn’t his brother, Kim Jung In, then no one else would be fit for that title. It had been so long since someone called me by my surname, and it wasn’t something I was fond of.

                  The next Elder, who happened to sit not far away, was a man in his late thirty. There was something so familiar from this man, and it took me a good few seconds of racking my brain that I finally noticed the similarity to Kim Jongin. Thick eyebrows, hazy eyes filled with tease and a pair of unsmiling lips. He must be a close relative to Jongin’s late father. It was also in this moment that I wished for Sehun’s presence, because he always managed to calm me down when I needed peace most. But Kim Joonmyun, who also happened to be sitting in the opposite direction would suffice.

                  Lady Yoon this, Lady Yoon that. In the end, they would never say the word ‘please’. The snide remarks formed in my head, and my loose mouth was ready to lash out. I never bothered to hide my dislike towards anybody, and fortunately, my heart was broader than most people, so I never took their hatred to heart. Insults, however, was a different story, and everyone could see where that had brought Kim Minseok today. I gave zero like always. “Genbu’s Elders, why are you speaking on Kim Minseok’s behalf? Is he mute or shaken by the current events?”

                  “Lady Yoon, do not insult our leader! You may be a leader of Seiryuu, but he holds the same position as you do,” was their reply, all high and mighty even in the face of danger. I pushed down the burst of anger, my face red but not flustered. I had waited two years, I could always wait for more.

                  “And what are you angry for, Elder Kim? I was simply making a suggestion! Let Kim Minseok speak for himself. You, Elders, are not negotiating anything with me. You can’t simply show up in my territory out of nowhere, begging for a peace treaty when you refused me two years ago. If you want to talk about anger, I should know better than anyone else. The current situation shows Genbu at a very disadvantageous situation. If you are talking about shame,” – as if they had any – “then please cease to speak. Clearly you do not understand your position in my House.”

                  “I beg your pardon – ?“ The Elder I was talking to stood up angrily, while the one sitting next to him quickly pulled him down. I smirked and wanted to say that anger would damage his health, but who was I to him, and why should I advised this ill-mannered Elder? Kim Minseok heaved a sigh, and he finally could not bear it any longer. Frankly I was expecting more from the defiant Minseok, as he should be. “Sena, please take back your words. We, Genbu, will not stay quiet being insulted. We are prideful, and we would not stand defeated.”

                  “I see. So you are here not for the agreement but to declare a war in return,” I said with amusement and sarcasm laced together. I was surprised, and very much taken aback by the audacity and stupidity of some people. “Very well, Kim Minseok. Remember what I said last time we met before you got kicked out? ‘Any children of the Genbu family shall be killed’. And I mean, killed – without mercy whatsoever. Are you sure you are ready to lash out to me, Kim Minseok? And what do you have to defeat me?” I opened the gold door to show them what really happened behind it.

                  “You brought two thousand people –  what’s left from your elite training ground, but behold, Leader of Genbu, who prides himself to be all-knowing. See what has happened to you when all you really brought here was your foolish pride,” I spat out acidly. The guards he put behind the door were down on their knees, guns pointed at their heads by the elites that I brought with me. I could see that the Elders’ faces paled down as their disgust turned to respect and changed to fear. This was exactly the kind of faces I wanted to see. Kim Minseok, powerless and helpless.

                  I did not bother looking for Joonmyun’s approval or Jongdae’s reaction when I brought out a small, polished dagger from my pocket and twirled it casually towards Minseok’s direction. No one would ever understand how angry I truly was on that day two years ago. I almost vomited blood out of disappointment and madness, but Joonmyun, who faithfully followed me back, kept me back from doing so. I remembered his words clearly as if he had spoken just now before me.

                  Revenge was best served cold. On a silver plate, with blood. I suffered shame, again and again, when Minseok put all the blame of that attack on my head, ridiculed me to the media and the world, and rejected the peace agreement Joonmyun sent towards him. I remembered it well. In fact, if it weren’t for him, I would not be alive today, especially after Jongin’s betrayal. Kim Minseok wanted to run, but I quickly threw the dagger a millimetre above his hands. He gave a loud, desperate squeal in an attempt to save himself, and before he could run elsewhere, I pinned him down to the seat and grabbed a fistful of his hair.

                  Click. One of the Elder pointed a gun to my head, his smile cold and calculating. I begrudgingly turned around, and in the process pulled out the dagger from the hard material and placed it under the soft skin of Minseok’s neck. After being shot by Kim Jongin on that day, I grew numbness being faced with gun threats. They would not know, of course, and they didn’t need to. The Elders crowded onto the other side of the room, not even noticing that Joonmyun and Jongdae were standing very calmly at one corner, watching the play unfolded.

                  This was like a soap opera, but tearless with a lot of blood and revenge.

                  “Shoot me, and I will cut his throat open,” I threatened back. I could see the hesitation on the Elders’ faces, as if they were unsure whether I would have the courage to do so. I didn’t need the conviction to start slicing, only skin-deep so they would be convinced. “Try me, Elders of Genbu. My hands have killed thousands. What is Kim Minseok to me? The Gods would find another heir to replace an useless leader like him.”

                  “How dare you, Sena – “ Minseok’s voice was muffled with pain when the sharp edge cut through his skin. The blood trickled down. I looked at the Elders and dared them to. “Yes, Kim Minseok, how dare you! How dare you disrespect me in my own territory! How dare you shamed me in front of the world two years ago! How dare you blamed me for your incompetence in leading! I, Yoon Sena, will never betray my words. Today, I shall kill all of you – ” and bury you somewhere far away near Byakko’s territory whom you hated most.

                  “Sena!”

                  I glared at Joonmyun. Everyone was so immersed in the play of killing Kim Minseok that they forgot about his existence. I was just about to start having fun, but he interrupted me in the middle of my sentences. I was unhappy, but the Elders were relieved. Joonmyun held up his hand and slowly inched closer, “Sena, please. I know you are angry, but for the sake of our friendship and our broken engagement, please let my brother go. He does not understand the dire situation we are facing, but everyone else does. So please. Let him go and we’ll talk in a more civilised manner.”

                  “You think I’ll let go with a gun pointing at my head?”

                  The Elder dropped his gun on the floor, but cautiously watched over my movement. I could tell from their expressions how grateful they were for Joonmyun. I guess our little play really fooled everyone else.

                  “And what kind of power do you have over me that I would just let him go without doing anything? Think about it, Kim Joonmyun. I would never, ever forget the shame he brought upon me two years ago,” I recounted sinisterly, “You suffered it, too. You, of all people, should understand the pain of being abandoned by the people you thought supported you. And not to mention that Byun Baekhyun attacked and killed hundreds of my people because I took this bastard into my headquarter. What do you have for me not to have his head as a decoration for my house?”

                  Lies, lies, lies. It was so easy telling lies when they readily bit onto it.   

                  “We didn’t abandon Joonmyun,” One Elder quickly intercepted, while others nodded at his words. They all looked a little pale, which was understandable. I had been told I looked frighteningly similar to a demonness when I unleashed my wrath upon others, though it only happened once or twice over a lifetime. I never fancied screaming my head off when I could always pull off a knife on someone’s head. Of course that never happened. “We never do, Lady Yoon, please believe in us. We had suggested to Kim Yong Ha to crown Joonmyun, but instead, he…”

                  “That’s your business with his late father, not with me,” I snidely remarked and scoffed. “In the end, Kim Minseok has the position and look where that got you. Genbu – once all powerful – now turn to become a beggar clan, all because of this weak, pathetic wimp.”

                  “No, Lady Yoon!” The oldest of the Elders rushed forward to Joonmyun’s side and looked at me with eyes full of hope. I knew what he wanted to say, and I really needed to hear it now. Minseok whimpered softly as I loosened my grip a little out of slight pity. “We have always planned to replace him with Joonmyun, hoping that someday, he would live up to Genbu’s name and bring us greater glory, but because of Yong Ha’s power at that time, we could not do anything. We would surely, surely…”

                  “We will crown Joonmyun head of Genbu, replacing Kim Minseok if you cease the war declaration. You have our words.”

                  It was the best they could bargain for, and the only thing they could offer now. I held back the giggle down my throat and raised my eyebrows at the Elders, “And how would I know that’s true? Just because you give me your words, do not mean that you won’t cheat or lie. I am not stupid, Elders. I had my own fair share of trouble with mine before I got rid of them. I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to do the same to you now, would you? Especially with Byun Baekhyun chasing hot on our tails, one less clan would surely be extremely helpful to your situation.”

                  “We swear. May heaven be the witness. Give us a month, and you would see to it.”

                  I put down the dagger and pushed Kim Minseok, whose knees had given up on him, back to the crowd of his Elders. He fell onto the floor, and no one bothered helping him up. I gave a slight smile of promise to the Elders if they would live up to their end of negotiation. “I will withdraw the war declaration after the coronation. So you’d better work your assess off, Elders of Genbu. My army does not wait. And you are still facing the wrath of fifteen-thousand people from Seiryuu.”

                  I glanced at Kim Joonmyun, whose poker face would fool anyone but me. Finally, I thought. At last the position was his. This play was the final act to our carefully-crafted plan two years ago. We waited, and waited for the right moment to dethrone Kim Minseok, knowing that he would ultimately cause his own downfall someday. The engagement, the lovey-dovey act, the refugees help, all was staged to form this plan of Kim Minseok’s dethronement. Kim Yong Ha was supposed to be here, watching the loss of his favourite son, but his death totally caught us off-guard.

                  I walked up to Joonmyun, and whispered with a smile to his ear, “Let’s toast tonight, Ex-fiancée. You owe me lots for this favour.”