Night has fallen.

Finally, after making sure the camp was secured and the injured were tended to, they could breathe with relief. She sat by the fire bond, stretching as he brings her a flask of water, sitting beside her.

The night has grown much colder, autumn has arrived. They have been married for 6 months.

While he poked at the fire, she leaned towards him, setting her head on his shoulder. The scent of woods, grassland, and blood was there. 17 years, his life on the field.

He puts one arm around her as she moved to his chest. It felt surreal, to be in the arms of the man she has loved all her life.

“Jong Kook oppa…” she mutters.

“Hm?” he made a sound after a moment of silence.

“Can I call you that?” she asked. Hearing him break into a smile, nodding with an ‘Mm’, she lies her head on his lap.

The vibrant heat blew towards them with the wind.

The fire blazed in her eyes.

“The reason why I left…” she held her hands together as she still lied in his lap in the open camp of his area. “Don’t you want to know?” she hesitated. “Oppa?” she heard no answer from him, turning her body towards him, she sat up.

His tanned face looked distantly into the fire, solemnly lost. He then turns to her, “You don’t have to tell me, you’re here, that’s all that matters.”

She searched his face for an answer but couldn’t find it at all. He was much different, the man she had faced for 6 months.

“It’s strange,” she looks away. “I have never seen this look on your face before.”

Kim Jong Kook, did she really know him after all? Here she was, having doubts. She solemnly thought all she needed to was follow her heart, ensure that she knows what kind of man he was. But now, she can’t help it, wondering how he was able to keep a straight face, cold nor relaxed, as if he was in a deep thought.

His rough fingers touched her chin, moving her face up to him. His eyes radiating a whole new aura.

“Stop it.”

“Eh?”

“Stop thinking so hard about it.” He leans toward her as their faces are inches apart.

Was it the heat from the fire? Or the heat surging within her? She gulped.

“Do you,” his eyes squinted suspiciously, “by chance, think that I don’t know who comes in and out of my territory?”

“Huh?”

He puckers up her cheeks with his fingers, squeezing them, making her lips pout.

“I’m not that stupid.”

“What are you talking about?” she tries to move from the light squeeze but he held her face tighter, mischievously berating her.

“I’m talking about your cousin, Chen Bolin.”

She stops, utterly taken aback, “H-How did you know?”

He hissed at her, “I don’t know, how did I know?” he kisses her pouty lips, lightly biting her before letting go and faced the fire bond again.

She groans, touching her lips before moving closer towards him. “H-“

She groans again as he pinched her cheek with his left hand. He glares at her, “And what? ‘I found the man I love’? Keep your promise and let me go’?” He pinched her other cheek, stressing his disapproval. “Hey, didn’t I tell you to keep your distance from Yoo? How can you brazenly interact with him in the eyes of so many people?”

She glares at him sulking and berating her. She pushed his hands away. “How funny. Don’t make me laugh.”

Ji Hyo turns to the fire bond, poking into it. “I didn’t leave with him… It was only an excuse.” She could feel his eyes glaring at her, waiting for an answer. “I was leaving with Bolin to Yuan,” she squeaked.

Waiting for him to go on his rampage of scolding her, she slightly closed her eyes but nothing happens. She turns to him. He was looking straight at her, still waiting for a response.

“Aren’t you going to-“

“Why should I?” he turns away, crossing his arms across his muscular chest that is covered by the layers of clothes and armor. “Why should I be angry about something I can’t control? Whether or not you leave with him is your personal matter, I have no right to interfere.”

“I… Actually, I am-“

“What?”

“Stop interrupting me!” she wanted to punch him. She hurriedly left everything without informing anyone, running the fields to look for him but he won’t even let her finish a sentence.

He scoff, chuckling, “Fine, speak.”

She braced herself, giving him the most serious expression. “I am not who you think I am. I know this is crazy and I didn’t believe it at first. But-“

“My lady, can you speak a little faster?”

She almost hissed at him but calmed down. “I, am not only the daughter of the Minister of Justice, but also the distant princess of Yuan.”

His mischievous smile still stayed in place.

“My mother, whom I thought was an ordinary military officer of Yuan was actually the cousin princess of the current Emperor.” She found herself caught up. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but… I was going to Yuan…”

He waited but seeing her fiddle with her hands and biting her bottom lip, a habit of hers when she was anxious, he looks away, clearing his throat.

“So you’re saying, you are the distant-niece princess of Yuan. Therefore you were leaving me to verify your identity and behold your role.”

She nodded.

“But because of me,” he pointed to himself, “you came back.”

She nods again.

Letting out a sharp breath, “Don’t you think it sounds a bit unbelievable? These types of family lines only happen in plays and novels.”

Ji Hyo sat in silence. It was true. But when she heard it from Bolin, a part of her felt a bond. It felt real. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she finds herself believing it more and more each day.

“I believe you.”

She looks up at him who looked kept his eyes on her.

“You do?”

“There’s no reason not to. Seeing how often he had met you, I am sure it is true.”

“How do you know him? Tell me, right now.”

Jong Kook takes her hand, interlocking his fingers with hers. “Your father told me.”

She frowns, expression darkening.

“He told me everything when I returned to the capital while you were still in Pohang.” He sighs, “At first, it was unbelievable, but I confirmed it after meeting Prince Bolin. That sneaky rat, he thought I wouldn’t find him in my camp.”

*Flashback*

Just after Bolin had watch Ji Hyo walk away, he turn around to meet a dark figure in the shadows, shy away from the fire bond.

“I believe you are Prince Bolin…” The figure comes out, revealing Jong Kook with his newly bandaged hand.

He had left in a hurry, excusing himself from Ara to find her as he saw her outside his tent just earlier.

“Well, isn’t it General Kim.” Bolin lightly bowed.

“What is this deal you are making with my wife behind my back?”

“This is a private family matter-“

“Well, aren’t we family?” Jong Kook spoke with much restraining as he stepped closer to the hooded Bolin. “Unless you want to get out here unscathed, I advise you to come clean, Royal Crown Prince Bolin of Yuan.”

It was a threat, Bolin smirk. “Very smart of you, brother-in-law.”

*Flashback to Present*

Yet, Ji Hyo revealed a dry humor. “My father told you everything, yet he did not utter a word to me. I see, you are much more than what meets the eye, General Kim. I applaud you, worthy of being a general indeed.” She looks away, “I’m tired.”

She left him, entering the tent on her own.

Ji Hyo threw took off her outer robe and untied her hair from the tight bun on the ground. Her father, her closest kin did not bother clarifying anything to her, nor did her so-called husband.

“Hmph,” she sighed. Maybe she should have left.

A pair of thick arms wrapped under her arms and clasp around her waist. Jong Kook’s head snuggled on the crook on her neck as her hair tickled his nose.

“Don’t you dare think about it,” he scolded her.

She turns around within his grasp to face him. But his head leans forward and pecks her lips, stumbling her.

With their lips apart within an inch, his hot breath brushed against her skin.

“Anyone can leave me, but not you.” Moving his head back, he looks at her slightly rosy face. “Don’t be mad at him, all he wanted to do was protect you.”

She looks down, biting her lip. “Lies…”

He takes her lips again, this time, a little longer as he on her bottom lip, biting it gently before retracting.

“I do not lie.”

He look deeply into her eyes, their nose touches.

“All I wanted to do was protect you. That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

He could hear her breath uneven and the trembling of her heartbeat. Her eyes were shaky, the tint of blush intensify.

“What about Ara?”

He thought for a moment, “What about her?”

“The child… it wasn’t yours.”

He stepped back but she held his face.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Jong Kook sighed, “Would it matter?”

She was about to speak-

“It wouldn’t change the fact that I was a useless . Someone who couldn’t protect his own people.”

He looks at her, a thin smile.

“Don’t you feel dirty, touching someone like me? Someone who had touch another woman, killed countless people, someone who had-“

His words were cut by her lips as she pulled him into another kiss. Her tongue enter his mouth, on his lips, exchanging fluids. Her grip on him was tight, making him falter.

Ji Hyo blindly pushed him back, not breaking the kiss, onto the bed.

Straddling on top of him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her chest beating rapidly.

It was until she pulled away that they both grasp for breath, her breath in his face. She held his chin.

“In your eyes, there can only be me.” She jealously, possessively glared at him. “Don’t mention another woman’s name in my presence.”

He smiled. “Yes m’am.”

With that, she capture his lips again, deeply, forcefully swirling her tongue around his. He caresses the side of her face as her hands move towards his armor, trying to remove it.

He flips her over by surprise and retracts but she hungrily pulls him down again, his lips. Yet he retracts again, huffing and keeping himself in control.

“Are you sure you want this?” he asked her seriously.

Her sparkly eyes enflamed with passion as she moves her face towards him.

“Ji Hyo,” he stops her, holding her shoulders as he still lie on top of her. “Think carefully, it’s not too late-“

She grabbed his collar, pulling him down towards her forcefully. “You talk too much.” She takes his lips again, then retracts.

“But-“

“Kim Jong Kook, I swear, if you stop me again, I’ll rip your clothes off,” she sound irritated as she had difficulty taking off his armor. “And I don’t mind calling in one of your soldiers to help me take heavy metal off you.”

He broke into a smile, agape at her words. Seeing her frustrated and trying to remove his armor while he lie on top was rather amusing.

She hissed, “Why won’t this-“

He takes her hands and sat up. “Like this,” he moved her hands to untie the knots and hook as he took off the armor over his head, settling it by the foot of the bed.

Only in their robes now, they say in front of each other whilst the tight atmosphere.

“Song Ji Hyo.”

She looks at him.

“I love you,” his smiley eyes expressed the sweetest exchange she hadn’t seen in years.

Tears shine in her eyes. Overcome with a wave of emotions, she looks down. Her long hair fondle her shoulders, out of her face.

“I…” droplet of tears spotted on the bedding. “I love you too. So much.” She looks up at him. “I love you, Husband.”

Jong Kook, overjoyed, having fallen deeply in love, he couldn’t help it but caressed her face, wiping away the tears.

“I know a marriage can last long without love, but I can’t help it… I am helplessly in love with you.” her voice cracked.

He pulls her closer, kissing her forehead. He then pecks her wet eyes, one at a time, then her cheeks, and the corner of . Nibbling, he then pecks her lips, a gentle flaming kiss. Sincerely.

His arm then circle around her neck, slowly lying her down on the bed. Without another moment to waste, her hands move towards his waist and back, then around his neck, angling for a deeper kiss as it got hotter.

Their exchange became increasingly passionate as they let down the walls of defense and doubts.

*****************************************************************************

Many apologies for the late update >.<

I'm not sure if you wanted an M chapter therefore I didn't add it. If you do, please tell me. If not, I will continue wih a less explicit imagery chapter. Thanks for reading. I'll try to update asap!