Raina wiped the sweat from her brow as she documented the quantity of herbs when she heard footsteps.

"Come out and receive the Queen's order!"

On hearing this, she stilled, wondering whether the Queen found out about her when Seonu appeared from his room and walked up to the royal messenger.

Raina turned around as she listened to the conversation, wondering what the Queen was up to.

As soon as the messenger left, she rounded on Seonu.

"The Queen threatened you didn't she? Are you going to join Hwarang? As the Queen's dog?"

Seonu's face was impassive to all the questions. Just then the familiar voice of her father was heard.

"Leave the poor boy alone. He and I need to have a talk."

Smiling at his shocked daughter, Master Ahnji ushered Seonu into his room and shut the door.

As time passed, Raina found herself wondering what they were talking about so seriously.

'How was she supposed to protect Aro's brother if he joined Hwarang?'

Just then the door opened and she stopped pacing. Her father gestured for Raina to enter the room. Standing next to Seonu, Raina's mind whirled with possible theories as to what they had been discussing when her father broke the silence. "Raina, help your brother and teach him what he needs to know as a Hwarang. I'll leave you to it." Clapping his hand on her shoulder in an encouraging manner, Master Ahnji left the room.

Turning on Seonu who was playing with a dice, she asked "Do you know how to read?"

"I can read everything on this dice."

Glancing close at it Raina realised that it described ways to beat people up."

"Do you honestly think that being able to read ways to beat people is enough for a Hwarang, let alone the Queen's Hwarang? Just answer me this. How many characters do you think there are in the world?"  

At this the dice fell out of his hand as he hesitantly replied.

"200?"

"Wonderful."

Standing up she pulled Seonu to his feet and dragged him out of the room and seated him on the table outside. Then she brought some spare parchment from her room along with writing utensils and placed them in front of him. Ignoring his inquisitive gaze, she wrote his name in big letters. "Right. This is your name. Try writing it." She urged him and watched as he awkwardly held the brush and attempted to write.

Feeling impatient she took hold of his hand, corrected the position of the brush  and slowly wrote out his name, both her hands guiding his. Feeling satisfied at the result, she leaned in yet again to write when she heard a sound. The sound of something similar to a drum. Unaware that she was still holding onto his hand she tilted her head to the direction where she heard the sound not realising that she was in Seonu's personal space. 

Edging closer and closer to the sound, unware that Seonu was edging away from her and they both were nearing the edge of the bench, she was surprised when she felt herself falling onto a body. Staring at Seonu who was underneath her, desperately trying not to laugh out loud, she realised that when they had fallen, Seonu had accidentally drawn a line under nose with the brush in his hand. Knowing that she probably had a mustache, she glared at him in mock anger.

"Think this funny do you? Just wait." With that she scrambled to feet, dipped the spare brush in the liquid charcoal and turned to the man who was still lying on the ground.

As he attempted to stand she pounced on him and pinned him down while she drew on his face until the brush was knocked out of her hand. Her eyes met his and she found herself staring at him, her heart beating fast and as she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. Quickly standing up, said hurriedly "Horseriding. Wait here. I'll bring two horses." 

That said she headed towards the outskirts of the city in order to retrieve her horse, dissmissing her increase of palpitations as a result of getting too excited.

///////////////// $$$

Circling around Seonu, who was clinging to his horse in fear, on her horse, Raina found herself chuckling at the sight. Biting back her laughter she encouraged Seonu to sit up straight and hold the horse's mane. Since she procured both horses from the countryside, they were both riding and Raina was a little concerned as the white animal Seonu was riding wasn't used to humans and was about to suggest exchanging the horses when her horse reared and started to gallop all of a sudden.

Gripping onto her horse, she tried her best to soothe the animal while galloping, Seonu's horse right behind with its rider hanging on for dear life. Fortunately she was successful in her attempts and unfortunately Seonu's horse who had been thoroughly startled, galloped even faster. Digging her heels into her horse's side, she cantered after them through the capital, past the football field until they reached a forest.

She heard a rider behind her as well but didn't dare look back as they were now heading towards a cliff. Urging her horse to go faster, she caught up to Seonu's horse and jumped from her horse and landed in front of Seonu who looked as if he was about to pass out, when someone cut them off from front. Using this moment, she pushed Seonu off the horse into a couple of bushes.

"Woah, girl. Steady."

At the sound of her voice the white mare stilled. Whispering calm reassurances in her ear, she patted the horse when a group of people arrived from behind. The new arrivals scared the skittish horse and caused her to rear onto its hind legs, resulting in Raina losing her grip on the horse.

Feeling herself falling, she shut her eyes and did the best thing a person could do in her situation. Tuck and roll. Rolling onto her feet, her eyes widened as the frightened horse cantered towards a handsome man dressed in red. She ran and jumped in fron of him. "Steady girl." She said soothingly as she asked "Are you alright?". When he went to reply she quickly placed a finger on his mouth, effectively shushing him. Her attention then focused on Seonu who was watching her anxiously. Seeing that he was fine and he didn't sustain any injuries, she began to lead the two horses away from all the people gathered there.

/////////////////////

After having released both horses back into their natural habitat, on her way back to where Seonu was waiting for her, she was confronted by the man she saved. Nodding at him, she attempted to side-step him but was blocked. She stumbled a few steps back in surprise. Looking up at him, she watched with wide eyes as he leaned in until they were eye level and said "Kiss me."

Adopting a blushing and innocnet personna she leaned until there were practically kissing and breathed out "Maybe next time."

With a wink she walked past the stock-still man and joined the others, unaware of Suho's thoughts.

'Who are you, to stir such a fire in me. I have never met a girl who gave me a challenge and I'm glad I met you', he mused as he stared at her enchanting and retreating figure.

Meeting the gaze of the man who had bandaged her hand at Okta, Raina walked up to him.

"Thank you for earlier. I'm Raina. What's your name?"

"Jidwi" came the reply. Just then the man in red spoke. He had arrived a couple of seconds ago and as he asked Seonu and Jidwi to join then for a game of football, Raina readily agreed. It was an opportunity to get to know his future colleagues, Hwarang.

///////////^^^^/://

At the stadium, Raina beckoned Seonu from the audience. Informing him of the fact that there were no rules in this game and wishing him good luck, she settled in her seat ready to see a unique game and she did. Seonu started by scoring a point for the opposing team but from there on it was amazing and Raina found herself on her feet, cheering him on. When he scored a second goal, she wolf whistled unaware of two pairs of jealous eyes staring at her.

Jidwi, whose attention had been drawn to the beautiful sister of the man he had helped save, remarked, "when she sees horse-'s face she wolf whistles but on seeing my perfectly handsome face, there's only a blank look," refering to when he stole the ball from Seonu, scored a goal and did a celebratory performance in front of her and received an expressionless face from Raina.

Making up his mind to grab her attention, he resumed the game with newfound enthusiasm. Another man with abundance of enthusiasm was Kim Suho, the man who had been saved by a women smaller than him. Performing a tricky move where he scored a goal, he was awarded with the sight of a beautiful smile on her face. Noticing his sister talking comfortably with her he grinned. Now he had an excuse to be properly introduced to her, thanks to his sister.

Once the match was over he approached the stands where she was talking to Seonu. Grinning widely, he was left crestfallen when Seonu placed his arm around her shoulders and steered her away from. His sister, Sooyeon joined him. Suho immediately rounded on her. "Why didn't you tell me you were friends with her?"

"Who, Raina? You don't stand a chance, brother, she's not like other girls. She won't fall for your flirty remarks."

"Wait and see. She's different and I'm interested."

$//^/^//// $////

Night had fallen as Raina and Seonu slowly walked back home under the moonlight. Raina who was bored, started making shapes. She caught the attention of Seonu who watched as she created a dove, fox and a rabbit. Smiling slightly he resumed staring at the road when he saw a hand appear on the top of his head in his shadow. He stares at his shadow before saying "You're dead." Turning around he started to chase the laughing Raina. 

Having caught her in his arms, he placed a finger on both sides of her head and said. "This suits you perfectly, don't you think?", gesturing at the devil horns in her shadow.

"Yah!"

"Yah? I'm your brother. Now repeat after him. Ora-beoni."

"No."

"Please"

"I'll think about it."

/////^///////^///^

In the morning Raina entered Seonu's room and gasped. Right in front of her stood a handsome young Hwarang adorned in his official robes. 

"I look handsome right, totally."

"Don't flatter yourself." Snapped Raina

"I did not. You did. 'Completely handsome' That's what you said."

"Do you want to leave with your limbs attached or not?"

"Let's go" said Seonu gesturing for her to go first.

As they strolled through the market, Raina greeting the vendors as they passed them when she saw the same shop she bought her butterfly pin from. After ordering Seonu to wait for her, she hurried towards the shop and began looking for something to complete Seonu's outfit when she felt someone staring at her. Just then the pin fell from her hand and rolled away. Hurrying after it, Raina didn't notice the man behind her and when she slowly stood up apprehensively, she was grabbed by somebody.

Struggling against her kiddnapper, she kicked a box that was near her causing it to fall, creating a noise that alerted Seonu. She then banged her head into the nose of the guy that was holding her and kicked the man, who was approaching her from the front with a rope, in the groin when she fell to the ground due to a smarting slap to the cheek. Raina attempted to sit up as she felt her hands being tied behind her back with a rough rope and being gagged. She was then dragged to a reclusive spot when she spotted Seonu being held at swordpoint followed by Jidwi who was being manhandled by a couple of thugs.

Raina bit the man who dared to touch her face as hard as she could while kneeling on the floor when she was kicked in the side by the leader. At that Seonu grabbed the knife, uncaring of the blood that dripped down his arm. Rainna struggled as hard as she could against the ropes when she felt a blow to the back of her head, the last thing she saw being Jidwi and Seonu being knocked out as well, before the world turned black.

//////////

Sorry for the wait. Just finished my test so expect another update soon.

Andrianna2016