“I can’t believe her!” WangEun whines to his mother. WangEun rest his head on her lap as she only shook her head with a smile smoothing his robe. “She is nothing close to being a lady. She’s the ugliest girl I’ve ever seen. Hrmph. And wielding her sword around like she’s a warrior and all.”

“And you are nothing close to being mature.” She gently smacks her son’s arm making him jump in pain and sat up.

“Mother.” He pouts.

“You’re calling her ugly now, but you know she can also become the crown princess.” Says his mother who smiles pinching his cheeks.

“Crown Princess?” WangEun laughs standing up and placing his hands on his hip. “Mother I don’t think it works that way. If I were to marry her I would never ever fall in love or love her at all! Have you seen her hands!? They are rough, hard, and dirty.”

“Love comes unexpectedly.” She says. “Do you think the King and I loved each other right away? We married to bring piece between our two kingdom.”

“How did you fall in love then?” WangEun ask sitting back down.

“I was just another one of his many wives. We barely saw each other but one day I found a letter on my bed. It was from his Majesty.” She answers and smiles remembering her younger days. “Whenever I come across him in the palace he always look so cold and mean but that’s the face a King must have to keep his subject in place. His letters were so heart warming though. He expressed himself through them and I receive one every other night. He wrote about his day, his sorrow, his guilt, and his love.” She looks at her son. “So you never know love might just find a way to you two.”

“Over my dead body.” WangEun frowns.

When he left his mother’s chamber it was already nightfall. Lanterns lit around the chambers and gardens at night. The weather was a chilly and the moon was bright. As he got back to his chamber he halts in front of his bedroom door.

“I like to spend some time alone in the garden.” He says to his subjects. Eunuch Kim looks up at him worry. “I’m not leaving I swear. I just want some fresh air before bed.” He sighs and Eunuch Kim nods letting the Crown Prince walks his self to the back garden.
 

WangEun sat himself down on a boulder and look up to the stars. He remembers when he was younger an astrologist came and told him his star was the least brightest but told him that within time his star would become the brightest. No one paid attention to the man’s world because WangEun was no threat. He could hardly hold a sword and swing it. His older brother who once doted him though has now changed. WangEun notice how they talk among themselves and once he showed up they stopped talking. He rubs his temple to ease the pain of his throbbing brain against his skull.

“Pst.” He suddenly hears someone. He looks around but sees no one in the moon lit night. “Hansung-ah?” The voice asks. Just then WangEun spots someone standing beside his bedroom window. He squint to see the person and it was none other then Hyeran. She dresses in her normal dark suit and had her hair tied up into a high ponytail. Love? He remembers his mother’s words. Hilarious, he thought. WangEun suddenly smirks when he thought of a great idea. He was going to get revenge.

Hyeran was busy secretly calling out to Hansung. He had been gone the whole day and when she asked one of the Eunuches they told her he might be with the Crown Prince. After what happen at the lake, she couldn’t face the Crown Prince and wanted to punch Hansung in the face. WangEun sneaks behind her ready to bounce on her.

“BOO!” He screams grabbing the back of her shirt. Hyeran jumps from his scare but with a swift move were able to remove his gasp on her and twist his arm behind him. “Argh!” WangEun whimpers in pain. “Ah!” He was not going to lose again, he thought. He turns around swinging his left arm at her. Hyeran lets go of his right arm and blocks his arm. She raises her fist to punch who ever it was but WangEun loses his balances and starts to fall backward.

“C-Crown Prince!” She reaches for him but was only able to grab his sleeves. His body weight pulled both of them to the ground with a loud oof.

“Ah...ah.” WangEun winces in pain. Hyeran shakes her head from the suddenly feel light headed. She chokes in terror when she sees a bloody nose Crown Prince between her. WangEun groan in pain as she pushes herself off him. He reaches to touch the pain on his nose and checks his hand when he feels a certain warm wetness on his finger. “B-Blood.”

“Crown Prince?” Hansung calls out to him upon seeing them both sit on the grass.

“Hansung.” WangEun and Hyeran both say with a cry.

“GET HER OUT OF MY SIGHT!” WangEun screams covering his nose. Still shock Hyeran was unable to move. Hansung helps WangEun up handing him a handkerchief. “YOU!” He points at Hyeran who was still sitting on the floor. “GET LOST!” He shouts before storming off towards his chamber.

“Are you okay?” Hansung helps Hyeran up.

“I’m going to be beheaded right?” She says gravely.

“No, no you will not.” Hansung pats her back. “What were you doing here?”

“I was waiting for you.” Hyeran looks down to her feet. Hansung was going to mock her but suddenly stops when he sees her shoulder shaking.

“Are you crying?” He tries to peek at her.

“I’m sorry. I’m so stupid.” She cries.

“Hyeran-ah.” Hansung pulls her into his chest and hugs her. “There, there, it’s okay.”

WangEun sat on his comforter mumbling curses towards the girl as Eunuch Kim dab his nose with a handkerchief. He was so angry that his face was red and his heart was still racing. Why was she always beating him up? Why was she so fast? Why was she so strong? She’s a girl, it’s not right for a girl to be anything like that. A sudden knock at his door snaps him out of his thoughts.

“Crown Prince, It is Hansung.” He says before opening the door and stepping inside.

“I want her neck snapped.” WangEun complains.

“Crown Prince.” Eunuch Kim shakes in fear.

“Please forgive her.” Hansung kneels down in front of his best friend.

“Hansung! How dare you ask the Crown Prince such thing? Please know your pl-“

“Eunuch Kim.” WangEun stops him from saying anything any further. “His place is next to me.” WangEun frowns. “Leave us.” He hands the bloody handkerchief to Eunuch Kim.

“As your wish.” Eunuch Kim lowers his head and backs out of the room.

“Please forgive her.” Hansung says once again. “Forgive the foolish girl’s behavior.”

“How can she?....” WangEun pauses but sees the sadness in his best friend’s eyes. “Okay fine.” He rubs his temple. “I don’t understand how you can be friends with her. She so –“

“Unpredictable?” Hansung stands with a chuckle.

“Crazy would be the better word.” WangEun sighs sitting on his bed and removing the handkerchief to check his nose, which as now stops bleeding.

“Your highness, please believe me. Hyeran is not your average girl but she is kind and loyal.” Hansung compliments the girl in hopes of WangEun changing his mind. “I promise if you get to know her you will come to enjoy her company.” He smiles.

“Sounds impossible.” WangEun snorts. “Anyways where were you today huh?” He crosses his arms. Hansung shakes his head sometimes he still cannot believe the Crown Prince was older then him.

“I had to run an errand for my the general.” Hansung lie. “Crown Prince, how about in two days the three of us go up to the mountain to hunt.” Hansung suggest.

“A-Are you trying to get me kill? Without any weapon she has manages to hurt me already and do you really think she and I would be all right together when she is armed?” WangEun shakes his head and waves his arms around. “No way.”

“Hyeran is the best hunter in the group. You’ll be amazed. I promise you will not get hurt.” Hansung plead.

“She’s amazing at everything.” WangEun mumbles in a mocking tone.

“Come on it would be fun.” Hansung smiles widely. “Plus in two days they are going to announce the search for a crown princess. Do you really want to be in the palace?”

“Alright! Lets go!” WangEun answers so fast that Hansung almost chokes holding his laugh back.


In Hyeran’s dark chamber, she lies on her bed crying into her pillow. Why was she so careless? Why was she so stupid? Why? Now the Crown Prince will hate her even more.

Hyeran remembers it was two years ago when Hansung and herself were assign to head Jeolla-do to check up on the military status for her father but when they arrived there Hansung had pointed out that the Crown Prince was there on vacation.

They only saw him from afar as he smiles shopping through the market in disguise as a lord. The moment she saw him she knew he was the one. Everything he did from the way he laugh, smile, pout, walk, and even trip made her heart race. While Hansung went to the base, Hyeran decided to do some sight seeing. While shopping around she found a gold hairpin with a colorful tail peacock. Just as she was about to pick it up someone else did. Looking up she notice it was the Crown Prince. He looks at her with a blank expression almost uncertain if he had just taken it away from her or not. She turns away immediately as she feels her face heating up then she remembers her face must be filthy. She wipes her face in hope to at least look a little decent even if she was dress in black attire with muddy boots. Hyeran took a deep breath and turns around to introduce her but he was already gone. She looks around but he was nowhere in sight, Hyeran sighs and turns to leave.

“Miss.” The shop owner calls Hyeran. “You forgot your hairpin.” She hands places the hairpin into a silk pouch and hands it to Hyeran.

“I didn’t buy this.” Hyeran says pushing the pouch back to the owner.

“The Lord bought this and says he bought it for you.” She smiles and hands the pouch to Hyeran. She holds the pouch so preciously in her hands.
It was then that she could not stop thinking about the Crown Prince.

Hyeran sits up on her bed and takes out the hairpin from the inside of her vest. Even without candles the moon lit up the room enough for the hairpin to shine.


“Hyeran.” She hears her father all for her from outside her doors. “Can I come in?”

Hyeran wipes her tears quickly and clears trying to compose herself. “Yes, come in.” She hides the hairpin back inside her vest. The door creaks open and her father comes in holding a candle.

“Yah, why are you sitting in the dark?” He makes his way to her bed and lights up the candle beside it. “And crying alone.” He gives his daughter a small smile as the candle lights up the room enough for him to see the tear stain on her cheek and pillow.

“Father.” She tries to hold back her tears but fails as her father sits down and pulls her into his embrace.

“Aigoo, Aigoo.” He pats her head. “Who do I need to beat up hrm?” He tries to cheer up the atmosphere. “I’m sorry my sweet daughter. I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better father. I’m sorry you couldn’t dress in a pretty hanbok, or braid your beautiful long hair with silk tassels.” He chokes on his own tears. “But to me you are the most beautiful. More beautiful then any silk robe, more then any jaded hair pin, more then the moon and stars.”

“It’s not your fault.” Hyeran sits up wiping her own tears before reaching to wipe her father’s. “I....”

“Hyerannie.” Her father stops her. Clearing his throat and letting out a soft laugh. “I have not cry in years.” He laughs and Hyeran laughs along her sweet father. “The ill King has calls me because he wanted to discuss something.”

“Yes, what is it?” Hyeran sits up straighter.

“The King has request for you to be wed to the Crown Prince.” Her father says grabbing hold of her hands. “With our family military power he believe it would be a fit, and it would make he Crown Prince more powerful. Aigoo.” He rubs his daughter’s hands. “When did my sweet daughter’s hands become so rough and ugly like her father’s.”

“Father.” Hyeran stares at her father who looks up wiping his own tears again.

“We can of course refuse the proposal as well.” He smiles. “It is your call my sweetheart.”

Hyeran lower her gaze to her lap. She did not believe she would be fit to become Crown Princess. Most of all WangEun probably hates her, so how can she even dream of marrying him. She touches the hairpin inside her vest.

“It can be a new beginning, a new start.”