Even from a distance Seulgi could hear the sound of metals clashing with one another added up with cries and groans. Her steps became faster as they descended down the stairs to a small tunnel and Joohyun turns back to look at her, smiling as if knowing how excited Seulgi is. Excited would be an understatement, she was completely agitated and her heart beats faster than usual. And when they met with the open, a vaulted chamber constructed underneath the rampart came into a view. It was a large covered area and Seulgi lost count how many dozens of knights could be filled in the wide space. There were rows of wooden horses with wheels, one which Seulgi was very familiar to as she and Jaebum had been practicing when they were little. There were also some equipment leaning on the wall, lances to sharp maces and wooden swords, though Joohyun told her, “There’s more of these things kept in the vault.” There were a few squires practicing with the wooden sword on the back of the chamber but what garners Seulgi’s attention the most was the happening in the middle of the space. Two knights, both in their plate and plate armours covering their knees, though minus their helms, were being observe by a man who was only in his linen shirts and pants. Seulgi recognized one of the two knights, who was standing with a proud expression as he held his sword, watching his other opponent on the ground after getting a blow in the middle. It was the drunken lad who tried to make a move on Seungwan. The man looks startled for a bit upon the arrival of the Princess and Seulgi, and he quickly held a hand for his opponent, helping him stand up.   The observer greets them, “Your Highness, Lady Seulgi, what brings you here?” Seulgi notices the drunken lad turns wide eye when his eyes fell upon Seulgi and he quickly darts his pupils away and look at the ground instead.   “Oh, I just wanted to accompany Lady Seulgi here. This is Ser Choi, the Master of Swords for our realm.” Joohyun turns to her,   “You see Ser Choi, this lady here is quite capable to handle her hands with these swords, am I right?”

 

“Uh,” Seulgi searches Joohyun’s eyes and notice a mischief glint, “N-Not at all, Ser. Maybe a few slashes but not that good.”

  The man then said, “Really? Would you like to try a one on one with Chanyeol here.” The man grabs the drunken lad, Chanyeol, by the shoulder giving him a small squeeze before pushing him slightly forward. “Chanyeol was just appointed not very long ago and I also heard the birds telling me how you, My Lady, have trained with the soldiers back in the East.”   “It was nothing.” Seulgi denies, “Our drills weren’t as fully equipped like the royal trainings. And my mother did not like the idea of me practicing with the boys, so most of the time I’ve been devious and trained without her knowledge.” Though later on she knew.   Ser Choi nods as if he is already aware of what Seulgi just told, which might be possible considering how her father kept telling the others about herself behind her back. “Those trainings must have built some experience in you would it not? I would gladly step back to see the both of you in combat.”   Chanyeol turns to look at the observer, “Master…” The knight mumbles as if he was unsure if it was the right decision, “She’s a lady.” The guy presses as his pupils’ darts from Seulgi to the observer.   “It’s alright.” Seulgi steps forward, “I will humbly accept the offer.”   The previous guy who was on the ground, immediately entrusted her his sword and by reading his eyes, Seulgi might get some hints that he wanted her to payback what Chanyeol did to him earlier. And so Seulgi accepts the sword with a smile. Truth to be told, it was not her first time holding a sword. It was actually her third. First was when she sneak passed the equipment room back at her home and held every sort of equipment she could, just to have a feel on her palms, before she sneaked back out. Second was during double swords training where her father had been the man who displays a few tricks and later on he lets Seulgi do it a couple of times, which was a success of course. And the third is when she butts in her brother’s training and manage to topple off the sword from his grip, and takes it away as Jaebum chased her. So, the sword was definitely not foreign to her. And when she took hold of it, Seulgi notices how finely made the sword is, with its polished metal and the grasp being carved in what probably an emblem of the West. It felt slightly heavy in her hands, but it was adaptable.   “Put those on.” The Princess murmurs from behind as she points out at the plate the guy earlier hold out to her.   “Let’s move a bit further shall we, Your Highness,” Master Choi took a couple of steps backwards, along with the Princess.   Chanyeol faces her and grips the sword on his left hand, and so did Seulgi who was actually right handed though she wanted to challenge herself for a bit. And with no hesitations, Seulgi swiftly made a move and their swords clanks in unison, echoing the gaps of the chamber. When she attacks, Chanyeol defends. And when Chanyeol attacks, she defends. It went that way for quite some time with no quitting from both sides, though Seulgi felt her hold was getting weak.   “I am not left-handed.” Chanyeol suddenly exposed as he switches the sword to his right before hitting the plate covering her chest and Seulgi almost lost her balance. Almost.   But she quickly changes her hold of the sword to her right hand and mutters, “I am not left-handed either.” And with that she strikes the guy who was momentarily stunned by her revelation before he tumbles to the ground.   A cheer erupts from one side of the room and Seulgi notices the other squires who were practicing earlier was now standing near Ser Choi and the Princess. Chanyeol glances up as she approach, removing her plate before pulling him up to his feet. There was the slightest curve at the corner of his mouth as he spoke, “You’re really good.”                                   ***     Since that day, Seulgi had been visiting the place frequently, though her father did not knew upon this knowledge at first but it was the castle after all. Message flies faster than any birds Seulgi had ever witnessed. And one night, her father called upon her in his personal room and it was Seulgi’s first time seeing the man after the separation on the first day they arrived. It was not more than two weeks if she wasn’t mistaken since they arrived at the castle, but her father looked like he had been aging in quite a fast pace. His beard remains unshaven and his eyes have a dark hood underneath, making him look extra weary.   “Father, you look…spent!” That was the first thing that came out from when she met him. “Are you alright?”   “I’m fine, little one.” Her father always called her that though she was not exactly little anymore. “I’m just a bit tired. My body needs to rest yet my mind needs it to move, there are many things I need to handle at the moment.”   “But your health is what matters the most,” Seulgi prods on, taking a seat on the chair facing her father’s desk. There were rolls of parchment, books and ink on the table and it was fairly unorganized and her eyes managed to catch an open book, which she became aware that it was the Ancestral Lineage book. “Have some rest, father. Surely the King would understand, wouldn’t he?”   Lord Kang brushes off her suggestion and slightly leans forward, looking intently at her. “Now enough talking about me, the reason I asked of you to be here is to know what you’ve been up to.”   She gulps. “I’ve been…with the Princess. I’ve been following the lessons with her and with Maester Junmyeon.”   “Is that the only lessons you’ve been attending?” Her father’s eyes twinkled and she knew her father knew. And when Seulgi did not reply anything, her father lean back and chuckles, “Oh my little one, you surely are my child. You’d think I wouldn’t know how you’ve been attending training sessions with other fellow squires and knights. Ser Choi had spoken much of you to me.”   Seulgi slumps back in her chair. “Father, why do whenever I met some high-ranking people in this castle, they would always proclaim that they kno