If there is another thing Seulgi like besides playing with swords, it was – is, reading. This hobby of hers is probably the only thing her mother approves of her doing so. Because a Lady needs to be filled with not just knowledge of matters of administration, nor the usual works of a woman that her mother always pest her to do but also the things that occur within their surroundings. Things or events which were left unspoken, or people like her brother, would say silly myths. Myths or not, she never did care. When she was little, her Old Nan would usually tell stories to her before she sleep. Stories that vary from dragons to nymphs to more darker and grimmer creatures, which was only being told when Seulgi did a wrong deed. And up till now, something inside her always believed those things were true though the people around her said the opposite. Even till her nineteen years of age, Seulgi would still pick up a vague looking book from the library, and pour herself into the pages. She would scour, skim and read until she was almost cross-eyed and the words merged into nonsense. She lived each page in breathless rapture and sometimes the characters leapt out at her. Just like the other day when she read Veterum Bellua. Seulgi was always a curious person. And her curiosity had been peaking, especially after the incident during the day of the joust. Her inquisitive mind had initially started when she found out about the case of their Princess, being locked away in the castle. But she kept her interest at bay, though after her arrival at Whiteridge, she had heard many things and even witnessed an intriguing sight coming from Jongin after they got out from the tavern weeks ago. And the Princess, Joohyun, also told her a bit of her memory during the late Queen’s memorial and the cloaked people interests her more and so she read and read which lead her to some new information which might also be a myth, though now it was confirmed that it wasn’t.   “…I am not the only Ice Paw in this land, My Lady. Her Highness is one of us too,” Jongin whispers in her ear, before pulling back to properly look at her.   Seulgi remains static, her eyes still and gaps open. “But Her Highness…she is a Westerner. She was born in the castle, at Whiteridge. How can she possibly be…an Ice Paw?”   Jongin heaves a deep sigh, he walks towards the single pane window, and checks the surrounding before pulling the moth eaten curtain hastily, leaving them engulfed in darkness. “Yes, the Princess is a Westerner by birth, she is. But the blood of Northern Ice Paw runs in her.”   Seulgi tries to connect the dots in her mind, “But the King is from Lunaris. His Grace family has been long existence in history and our late Queen…she lived in the West her whole life did she not? Her father used to be the official scribe for the castle?”   “That was not her blood father.” Jongin whispers, though Seulgi was sure there was no one around, “Our late Queen’s mother was one of us, but she fled here with the Queen while she was still a babe alongside a number of people from our tribe. Our old scribe had taken pity and soon fell for the woman. He even took our Queen as his own child and never spoke a word of her origin.”   Seulgi nods, filling up the new information, “But how do you know all this?”   Jongin’s lips forms a thin straight line and he attempts to smile, though it look rather weird to Seulgi. It was as though he was recalling a painful memory. “My father told me before I left for the Castle. He told me every single crook and nanny. And days after I departed, I was told that he had already perished from the mass killings.”   “I am truly sorry about that.” Seulgi approach closer towards the man.   “It is nothing. There is no use dwelling on the past.” Jongin articulates, “There are much more important matters to be handled these upcoming days. Difficult times will start to occur soon, I can feel it.”   “The Princess’s Name Day is nearing. There would be a huge feast according to the castle, but only close families are attending,” Seulgi illuminates,   “Surely, nothing could go wrong, would it?”   “That is where you are mistaken,” Jongin looks at her, his eyes shifting back to his normal colour, though the concern in his eyes does not extinguish, “Everything could go wrong on that day. The Princess is very much not aware of what would happen when this name day comes.”   “What would happen?”   “Every Ice Paw would have their seal broken on their 21st name day and our abilities would unleash fully on that day.” Jongin looks away to the expanse of the dark, “And if she could not control it well, especially her emotions, things could go very wrong.”   It was now Seulgi’s turn to frown and she recalls how sometimes Joohyun’s skin will turn icy amidst the summer weather. The Princess knows nothing of what is stirring within her and Seulgi felt pity of the woman. “Does the King know this? Is that why he kept the Princess locked?”   “The King did found out about Queen Chaeyeon’s history after she passed. He thought she was the last Ice Paw and because of the incident during her memorial, the King thought the killer would want to take away Joohyun too, so he kept her protected within the walls of the castle.” Jongin explains.   “I deduce His Grace does not know that his daughter had inherited the ability…” Seulgi generalize, “Oh Good Gods, what must be done?”   “In the castle, there is only you, My Lady, and I, who knows about this.” Jongin justifies, “And if others knew, perilous things might happen because we do not know who to trust. Therefore, the only thing we could do to help Her Highness at the meantime, is to guard her every so often, especially during her Name Day. And if uncontainable things happen…”   They stare at each other’s eyes; both seem at loss on what to decide. And they left the answer unspoken, hung above the air.                                                                                                                   ***   The castle was busy than ever. Seulgi thought it looks busier than the time when she and her father arrived back then. Though the Princess had requested to make a feast rather than a ball which was what the usual custom, the castle workers had fully went all out cleaning and scrubbing the walls of the castle.   “I thought I reminded him not to make a grand occasion, after the amount of silver and gold he spent the last time,” Joohyun huffs as they climb the stairs to another part of the tower. “The King never listens to me.”   “He wants you to feel special for your name day. A father’s love should not be question, Princess,” Seulgi teases, earning a glare from the woman.   They arrived at their private bath and the room is in pure haze. Flowers and sweet green herbs fill her nostrils and their attendants lead the way to two big wooden tubs that has a tent like cloth hung above. The tub was already filled with lukewarm rose-water and all is left was for her and Joohyun to take place and enjoy themselves in the bath. But Seulgi’s mind was running extremely wild. When she first heard Joohyun wanted her to join for a private bath, she almost choked on the pumpkin soup in . Stunned, she asked why and the Princess dejectedly explains that possible suitors would come for both of them during the feast and that was when Seulgi felt disturbed at the thought. Not just for herself, but for Joohyun too. And Seulgi suspected the Princess was not pleased too, or maybe it was only her who had hoped.   “…Is the water ready?” The Princess questions the attendants and they nodded. “Well if it is, then you may kindly leave. I would only want Sooyoung for this and Seulgi…?”   “Yes?” The Princess and the attendants were looking expectantly at her, “Umm…Seungwan...she should be sufficient enough.”   Seungwan walks out among the attendants and her maid was so small, Seulgi almost did not realise the girl was there in the first place not after she saw bright pair of eyes blinking hopefully at her. Her personal maid went by her side and Seulgi immediately noticed a downfall expression coming from several attendants, though she does not know why.   “You may leave,” The Princess spoke aloud and the attendants’ bows and close the oak door shut.   Seulgi was not embarrassed to bare herself before Seungwan, as the maid had always help her with her dress and fitting every single morning and every night fell. But Seulgi had never been bare in front of other people, more so the Princess herself. And she starts to feel anxious for no apparent reason. They were both women after all and seeing each other’s body is deemed to be something normal, but why was she feeling things inside? Seungwan proceeds to take off her tunic and at the corner of Seulgi’s eyes she saw Sooyoung removing Joohyun’s dress and the woman without a shed of discomfort dips her feet into the welcoming water and Seulgi had just witnessed the most fairest skin of all kingdoms. If Joohyun’s face is already the epitome of beauty, her form is twice bewitching. There is vulnerability in her eyes as she rests her body inside the tub, a serene look on her face which makes Seulgi stares openly. Her eyes travel from her face to her collarbone, then to her s, hidden in the water.   “Aren’t you stepping in?” Seungwan questioned.   Only then Seulgi realised she was already in her glory, feeling blood rushing to her cheeks, Seulgi quickly dips her foot into the lukewarm water, her wooden tub placed just beside the Princess. Both of their maids then untie the tent like cloth open, easing their work to scrub their back. Joohyun lean forward facing Seulgi’s tub, placing both of her hands on the rim, with her head on top, and Seulgi did the same.   Joohyun first spoke between them, her voice low and hush, “Is it bad if I wished there were no suitors coming for me?”   Seulgi breathe through her nose, as her eyes trail on the water dripping from Joohyun’s arm, “Is it bad if I wished for the same thing as you do, Princess?   A smile creeps on the beauty’s face, “Why must we get wedded off with people we hardly knew?”   The sponge scrubbing on Seulgi’s back really made her feel sluggish and heavy-eyed, “I questioned the same thing every night before I sleep.”   “So do I,” Joohyun sniggers, before Sooyoung gently pulls Joohyun’s body up and that is when Seulgi witness the Princess’s perfectly shaped . It was milky white like her skin and moulded to her form, though she tried to not linger her eyes over those pair for too long because for a moment, Joohyun caught her staring and the woman simply grins knowingly at her.   “Do you want more water to fill up the tub, Lady Seulgi?” Seungwan inquires, as she too pulls Seulgi back to sitting posture.   “No, it’s fine.”   When the both of them were clean, their maids help them from the water and toweled them dry. The other attendants soon enter once more and they brushed her hair until it shone like molten silver, while Seungwan anointed her hair with the spiceflower perfume of the Southern plains, a dab on each wrist, behind her ears, on the tip of her s, and down near her inner thighs.   They dressed her in sun glow yellow gown, and bracelets crusted with amethysts were being slid around Seulgi wrists. Seungwan sets a crystal necklace on her neck and later places a flower crown encircled with fresh daisies.   “It is done, My Lady.” Seungwan pronounces.   Seulgi looks to her side and her breathing gets a little heavier, for staring back at her was the Princess looking extremely breath-taking, one could not form words to utter. The Princess wore a cherry red silk dress, complimenting her glowing white skin. She was wearing the same bracelet as Seulgi though it was golden in colour and a heavy looki