Sunlight shines under the door like a ghoul's grin, yet gives the shutters a halo of golden rays. A chorus of birds breaks the drone of bustling gears and movements outside. Seulgi stirs about upon her soft sheets and as usual three raps on her door could be heard.   “Lady Seulgi. Are you awake? May I come in?” Seungwan voices out and Seulgi grunts loudly before the door pushes open, revealing Seungwan in her usual attire with folded clothes and a basin of water occupy both hands. “You look slightly drowsy My Lady, are you alright?”   Seulgi hoist herself up using her elbows, and shakes her head a few times to regain a hold of herself. She had been reading another book last night and she may or may not be reading it till the crack of dawn, resulting her sluggish appearance at the moment. Seulgi reach out for the basin and washes her face in a not so gentle way and excuses Seungwan out of the room as she shed of her clothes to freshly new ones.   “Will you be joining breakfast later?” Seungwan reappears as she took the used clothes scattered on the floor.   Seulgi hops one foot as she wears her shoe, “Maybe. As for now, I’m going to take a walk.”   It was usual for Seulgi to take a walk every morning. Her walk consist of walking with Atlas around the Godswood ground before practicing alone with her wooden sword or carrying out her archery practice which she had grown skilled comparatively than her brother.   “C’mon boy, sniff around,” Seulgi instructs as she lets Atlas run with its four feet across the fertile ground.   Atlas would always found something amusing nevertheless, from coins to golden pendant, and Seulgi wondered what Atlas would sniff out this time. The Godswood is where Seulgi usually pray for the Old Gods, especially on the large oak tree. Seulgi always feel like her prayers and wishes were being listened and answered if she kneels down and touch the particular tree. This time around, without fail, she prays once more. She prays for everyone’s good health, a peaceful community, prosperous harvest and trading, and most importantly, she pray that her long time desire to become one of the noble knights would be granted soon. As she opens her eyes, Seulgi feels as if there was an unknown presence nearby and she quickly spun behind to see the princess herself, in a different set of dress that matches her milky white skin and glistening black hair. Her personal maiden also stood beside the princess, as the both of them stare at Seulgi.   “Good morning, Your Highness,” Seulgi speaks with a short bow, “May I know what brought you here in this early morning?”   The princess returns her bow and utters in a voice so velvety and soft “I was taking a stroll and I came upon you kneeling in front of this oak tree. Are you perhaps praying… towards the Old Gods?”   Seulgi draws a smile at both corners of her lips. “Yes, Your Highness. I pray for the Old Gods. It is only my father and I whom say our prayers towards them. Most of the people here had changed to the New ones.”   Princess Joohyun nods as she takes in the new information before she speaks once more, “You are, the daughter of Lord Kang, I presume?”   Seulgi then immediately explains, “Yes, I have forgotten to introduce myself, I am Kang S—“   “—Seulgi.” A small trace of smile etches at the corner of Princess Joohyun’s rosy lips. “I’ve heard. The King has spoken much about you.”   Seulgi bit her lips, as she is caught profoundly confuse at the Princess statement, but she poses, “What would a King hearsay about me?”   Princess Joohyun stops and ponders for a moment before continuing, “Something off your childhood if I’m not mistaken.”   Again, with the childhood jargon. What is it that was so interesting about Seulgi’s childhood that even she herself does not know a single bit of information but the King and the Princess herself knew? Seulgi is about to open to ask once more when a horse stomps inside the sacred wood, gaining immediate attention from Seulgi.   “Princess,” One of the King’s knight mounts down from the horse, “Breakfast is about to take place. The King awaits your presence.”   Before Princess Joohyun could utter a word, Seulgi reproach the knight, “I do not mean to be rude, but do you know what this place holds for my family and I?” The knight staggers upon Seulgi’s query. “This forest is a consecrated place and no horses are allowed here.”   The knight may have found what Seulgi stated as amusing when a smirk shows upon his lips. The knight was about to retort something once more when the Princess intercepts, “Ser Minho, tell the King I’ll be arriving soon. You may go now.”   Ser Minho rides back on his horse before throwing some sort of scowl at Seulgi before charging away back to the Kang’s manor. Seulgi glares at Ser Minho all the way; her mind plays different death tactics to be act upon the knight, but she got distracted when the Princess’s maiden clears a little too loud. The Princess looks at her with those soft, brown eyes, which made Seulgi’s insides melt and forgets whatever anger thoughts she had previously, “I am sorry about that. The Western knights could be slightly conceited and rash at times. I’ll make sure to inform the King about the boundaries of this forest.   “There is no need for you to be sorry.” Seulgi imparts, before nodding over the direction the horse came, “Shouldn’t we attend the breakfast now, Your Highness?”   The maiden behind nods joyfully and the Princess invites, “Care to walk there together with me, Lady Seulgi?” And Seulgi is faster to accept the proposal as she walks side by side with the Princess, with the maiden trudging along behind.                                                                                                     ***      

“So tell me,” the Princess wipes the corner of her lips before turning to Seulgi who’s taking a gulp of water, “Do you attend normal classes like others do?”

  Seulgi pauses for a moment, trying to interpret the question, “Well, Your Highness, if you meant that I attend classes such as sewing, literature and doing lady-like chores, well yes I do. Why is that?”   The Princess places a hand over her lips, hiding a small laugh, “It’s nothing.”   But in the back of her mind, Seulgi thought that there must be more to it than just nothing. And so she gazes at the Princess who had kindly invited her to have breakfast at the same table. But her short gaze soon turned into a stare which she initially did not intended to. And Seulgi notices once more the perfect features of the Princess; from the prominence of her cheekbones, the gleam of her light brown hair and the heart-shaped of her rosy red lips.   “Lady Seulgi?” The gentle voice of the owner called her, snapping her from the entranced.   “Y-Yes,” Seulgi blinks haphazardly, telling her mind inwardly to gain composure of herself.   “Do you perhaps…hunt?” The Princess tilts her head slightly, her light brown eyes gleaming.  

Seulgi smiles at the question. If there was a thing that Seulgi loves to do amongst all the things she learnt, it was definitely hunting. Hunting and swordsmanship practice. These two were her most treasured activities and the Princess had just asked a subject of her liking.

  “Well fortunately, I do, Your Highness.” It was her turn to dab the corner of with the white napkin being placed on the table, “It was my brother, a few of our men and I, who caught the herrings for lunch yesterday.”   The Princess lips stretches into a smile upon her answer, “I should have known. This means that there are rivers nearby?”   Seulgi nodded before estimating the distance in her head, “Yes, it’s slightly to the north and we mostly travelled by horses. Although walking is tolerable though it consumes time.”   The Princess abruptly nears her face towards Seulgi’s own, making her taken aback at the sudden action, “If I’ve been granted by the King, would you take me there?”   “To the river?”   “Yes.” The Princess eyes shine as if she really hopes for Seulgi to bring her to the particular river and Seulgi wonders if there was anyone who could object the Princess when she looks at you with such hopeful eyes.   “Sure.”                                                     ***       The horses’ neighs as it noticed the sight of the stream. The river winds through the forest, welcoming stray flora that comes its way. It is part of this place, integral to life, yet also a thing unto itself. The river is always flowing, taking its willing passengers onward to the great ocean beyond. Somewhere Seulgi has yet to venture.   “Is this the place?” The faint voice calls out behind, and Seulgi pulls the rope of her own horse, turning it to face the Princess and the two guards trailing behind.   “Yes, Your Highness.” Seulgi mount down from her own mare and tie the rope onto the bark of one of the trees, before going to the Princess side.   Seulgi first felt the smooth, cold skin of the Princess, as she held her hand, helping her get down from the white stallion and she felt a twinge of discontent when the contact breaks apart. The Princess then ordered the two knights to guard the horses, which Seulgi noted that one of them was the fellow who helped his drunken comrade, while the other was Ser Minho, much to Seulgi’s silent displeased.   “Can we sit at those rocks in the middle?” The Princess asked, an obvious excitement hints in her tone.   “Of course, Princess.” Seulgi answers, equally eager, as she leads the way.   They went down a slightly sloppy trail, which Princess Joohyun firmly held her grip and surprisingly, still not letting it go as they carefully step on the still rocks between the mid-rush currents of the river. And when the Princess let her hand go, she stood in the middle, with a content look on her face as she deeply breathes in, while shutting her eyes.   “You’re very lucky.” The Princess spoke as she opens her eyes, a stunning curved at both corners of her lips. “I secretly envy you.”   Seulgi tried to hide her awestruck as she looked at the splendour by her side, “Funny, I secretly envy you, too. Altho