A/N: For the sake of this story, all of the population are female. No male in this story :)

Italic = Chinese (or Mandarin)

Normal = Korean

Pinky is 12 y/o

Chaeyeon is 13 y/o

Nayoung is 18 y/o

In the land of China lives a beautiful princess. The princess was said to be the most beautiful creature in the great land of the Zhou Dynasty which was one of the four major kingdom, ruling the north of China. The daughter of Empress Zhou was beloved by many. Even at the tender age of nine she was already the talk of many for her heavenly beauty. Rumor has it that the Empress love her daughter so much that she will grant any of her wish. The neighboring kingdom rulers has been awaiting the princess coming of age to send their children to marry the princess. It was another three years left before the princess turn fifteen and became an adult. The princess was said to be graceful, kind, smart and a talented artist.

It was another day at the royal palace. The day occurrences consist of the princess’s personal servants and guard running all over the palace in search of the so called graceful Princess. The princess might be kind, talented, smart and all of those good things, but graceful was definitely not one of them. The palace was in ruckus at least once every week because of the princess curiosity and hyper behavior. They always search right and left for the princess but the princess always seems to escape. They didn’t even know where the princess was gone to. They always found the princess sleeping with mud all over her body and clothes inside her room when the evening come. Her personal maids has to clean up the mess and bathe the princess forcefully making sure the princess doesn’t drown in the big bath tub because she was sleeping.

While all the commotion occurred, the princess was watching it all from the top of a tree near the back gate of the palace. She let out only a soft chuckle to not alarm anyone of her presence. She waited until no one was around, to come down the tree. She was planning to go to the town near the palace to see what was new, and maybe play with kids her age. But of course she didn’t tell anyone that she was the princess. She would wear commoner clothes when she went to the town nearby. If she didn’t sneak out she would never meet kids her age or play sports or whatever game was played that day.

When the coast was clear, she came down skillfully from the tree and prepare to climb the back wall of the palace. It was a good thing that she had the appropriate attire, climbing tree and wall with a silk gown would be a disaster. The princess was preparing to climb the wall when someone called out to her.

“Princess.”

The princess gulped and look back to find one of her head maid looking at her with raised eyebrow and her hands folded in front of her chest. The princess let out a nervous laugh as she froze in her climbing position.

“Hello Nayoung.”

“Care to tell me what you’re doing princess?”

“Ah, well. I was… checking the strength of the wall?”

The princess ridiculous reason would made other people baffled and laughing their off but this was a very special person. She wasn’t called Stone Nayoung for nothing. There was an awkward silence following the questionable conversation. Nayoung just stared at the princess while the princess stare back, frozen in place. This wasn’t a rare occurrence either, sometime Nayoung would caught the princess while sneaking around and bring the pincess back where she was supposed to be, usually some kind of lesson.

“Can you please get down now?”

“Can you please let me go this once?”

The princess asked with adorable puppy eyes. Other people would melt on the spot, but of course not the great Stone Nayoung.

“You are the future ruler of this country, I hope you would start to think about your responsibility.”

“You are so stiff Nayoung. Live a little bit. How about you come with me?”

“No thank you princess, please come down before I drag you down myself. The history teacher is waiting for you.”

“Pffttt… why do we have to learn history anyway? It is so useless. Why do I have to know what a bunch of dead people did in the past?”

“So you can learn from their mistake and not make the same one. And please be respectful, they are your ancestors.”

 “Boring. Oh by the way.”

“Yes?” Nayoung questioned her.

“I’m still waiting for you calling me by name and not princess.”

“Maybe if you be good.”

“Argh, fine.”

The princess finally came down from the wall and agreed to go to the study hall. They first stopped by the princess living quarter to change the princess clothing. The already beautiful princess was even more stunning adored by the finest silk dress. Her long straight midnight black hair was flowing until her mid-section, adored with various ornament and braided hair on the top. Her skin was so fair that her hands and legs have the tints of pink on them.

After the princess was deemed presentable by her maids she finally set to went to the study hall accompanied by about a dozen of her maids and guards. To reach the study hall from the princess quarter, they need to went through the court yard, which was near the main hall where the Empress spent most of her time. As she crossed the court yard, the soldiers that was training there froze in place seeing the beautiful princess, it was followed by a comment from the general about being beheaded if they look at the princess the wrong way which made them continue their training and stop admiring the princess. The princess was used to something like this, she know that she is beautiful. How can she not, when people told her that ever since she was born? What unusual was seeing someone as beautiful as her or maybe even more beautiful.

The princess froze when she saw the beautiful creature that had blessed her with her presence. Though she was dirty and unpresentable the princess know of beauty when she saw one. There she was, a goddess among sea of slaves that was brought in to the palace. The ragged clothing and smudged mud couldn’t taint her beauty. The princess finally understood what people was feeling when they saw her. It was a strange feeling. She was so attracted, she couldn’t even take her eyes off the girl.

“Nayoung.” The princess called on her favorite maid without taking her eyes off the girl.

“Yes princess?”

“Who is she?” The princess pointed to the crowd of fatigued people in dirty clothing.

“They are slaves. A gift from Empress Wu I heard. They came from Korea.”

The slaves were brought in front of the main hall. They were told to line up by the western kingdom soldiers that was ruled under Empress Wu. The soldiers was harassing them, using whips to get the slaves to line up when they didn’t do what was told. The princess saw the beautiful girl flinch and let out a little scream as the whips hit her hard, letting out a horrid sound. The princess was furious, and ran to the crowd of slaves. Her maids and guards ran after her after their initial shock. The princess screamed at the western soldiers to stand down and ran to the girl. Everyone in the courtyard was in shock by the unexpected situation.

“Are you okay?” The princess asked the girl as she help her stand up.

The girl could only stare at the princess, not understanding the situation. The princess inspected her wounds and an angry frown forms on her face. She turned around and snarl at the soldier who wounded the girl. The soldier could only kneel in front of the princess, not fully understanding what was going on.

“You! What do you think you’re doing?” the princess pointed the soldier.

“Forgive me princess.”

“Do you want me to execute you?”

“Forgive me princess.” The soldier was really scared and could only bow down.

There were crowds forming around them. The soldier was shaking, scared for her life as the crown princess was furious. The commotion was stopped when a loud dignified voice called out.

“Zhou Jieqiong!” The voice called out.

“What is this commotion?” The voice continued.

The princess looked up to source of the voice who called out her name to find the Empress standing at the top of the tall flight of stairs that was leading up to the main hall. She stood up and made her way to the Empress. The crowd spilt up to made way where the princess was heading. She made her way to the top of the stairs to meet with the Empress face to face. When she reached the top, she offered a bow and stand up with pride, facing her mother.

“Mother.”

“What are you doing?” The Empress questioned.

“I want her.” Jieqiong pointed to the wounded girl.

The empress gave her a questioning look, but Jieqiong didn’t waver and repeated again.

“I want her.”

“Jieqiong, what do you want from a slave?”

“I want her to be mine.”

“She’s not a thing Jieqiong.”

“I know. I want her.”

The empress sighed at her daughter stubbornness. Spoiling her that much wasn’t a good idea after all.

“Shall I make her one of your personal maid then?” the empress asked.

“Does that mean she’s mine?”

“Well not exactly.”

“Can I at least play with her then?”

“If you want to.