A/N: Sorry for the really long delay! Work has been at the forefront for many months now, up to the point my health deteriorated. Hopefully I can write more frequently until the end of this series, at least!
Also, due to the personal condition of my regular beta reader for this series, I have refrained from asking her to beta this chapter. So please forgive me if there are any grammatical mistakes!

“Are you sure about this?”

Instead of answering him, you rushed forward, not even bothering to give him the withered look you shot him the first time he asked you that question at the inn. Jin knew full well that you wouldn’t have dragged him out in this foreign country where you could barely make your way through without getting lost if you weren’t sure beyond a doubt. But you supposed that he had more than enough reasons to worry. Even though the crowd was dwindling as the moon replaced the sun, getting lost or separated from your Royal Guard was the least of your worries. You could get caught, and get your entire party into trouble. Worst yet, you could have been wrong, and this trip would have been for naught. Ki Joon had to be there, otherwise you might not be able to save all those innocent people from being sold to slavery.

Spirits renewed by the reminder of the people you were fighting to protect, your steps hastened towards the main square. Jin, who had pointed out the general direction to you earlier, kept up with your pace effortlessly. The lights that illuminated the square spilled out into the darker alleyway you were coming from before the place itself came into view. As you stood at the edge of the square, you tried your best to peer into the narrow paths between the buildings without appearing conspicuous.

“Do you see him anywhere?” A shadow fell over you as Jin stood next to you, slightly in front of you to shield you from strangers’ view.

“Uhm,” was your unconvincing response as you continued to peel away every nook and cranny that your eyes could reach. Even though the lanterns put most of the square into view, the light didn’t extend far into the alleyways. The man you thought you’d seen in the daylight was obscured now, hidden in the shadows of the night. Still, you’d risked both Jin’s and your safety to come out here, so there was nothing to do but to take another step forward. If Ki Joon had remained in the same spot you saw him in earlier, he couldn’t be too far down the alley, but you couldn’t remember which one he was in, and he wasn’t in the first two that you checked. It was hard to ignore the frustration and concentrate through your hazy memories of the afternoon. Your glimpse of Ki Joon had been fleeting, and you were starting to question if you’d really seen him after all.

Luckily, the third time was the charm. As you’d thought, the light from the square still extended far enough into the narrow path to touch the man you’d been looking for, if only barely. Like the other beggars you and Jin had passed by, the man, already sitting on the dirty ground, stared at it, shielding his face from view. But you already knew who he was, and you weren’t about to waste precious time. Cutting to the chase, you squatted down next to him and whispered, “What are you doing here, Ki Joon?”

His head snapped up in surprise upon hearing his name in a place far away from home. At first his shaggy brows met in a frown, then lifted in surprise as he matched you and Jin with his memories. You could see the recognition dawn on him, and when he turned his gaze away shamefully, your already pained heart squeezed in agony. For all the pain you felt when you looked at the state he was in now, you knew it must have been indescribably more torturous for him. But he couldn’t run away as you were sure he wanted to; not with the stump where his right leg had been.

It was just as you’d feared. No, actually, it was worse than you could have imagined. You’d expected Ki Joon to be taken by those people he owed money to, but you didn’t think that he would be left in such a horrible state. Just in this small space, you could see many others who were in the same situation. Disfigured, with nothing to their name, lurking shamefully in the shadows and forced to beg for money that would undoubtedly go into their captor's pocket. It made your blood boil, heating up your resolve. However, Ki Joon was reluctant to reveal any information on the people who held power over him, and it left you frustrated with no idea on how to persuade him. He had nothing else to lose. He had already lost everything he’d had, and he wasn’t willing to help you and risk parting with his only remaining possession; his life. You bit your lower lip, wondering what to do, when Jin crouched down beside you. The warmth of his palm on your arm reassured you that he would solve this.

Sure enough, less than an hour later, you and Jin were rushing back to the inn. The location of the pirates’ hideout was traded with the solemn promise that Ki Joon’s involvement would remain an absolute secret. It was too late for him, and his sisters were probably beyond saving as well, as chances that they were already sold to a foreign country was high. Yet Jin knew just the right buttons to push, reminding Ki Joon of the lives he could save, innocent women and men that didn’t have to end up the way his family did. Shaking your head to yourself, you wondered if you could have gotten the information out of him, even if you’d known his family background. Jin’s persuasive powers impressed you, but you had other things to worry about.

“How are you going to explain your source of information?” Jin asked, his long strides letting him keep up with your brisk pace.

It wasn’t a difficult question. Just tweak or omit some of the truth to conceal your relationship with Jin. You’d done this before, and it worked like a charm. Still, a frown twisted your face upon hearing it. Before this, keeping this secret made you nervous, but still the thrill and your love for Jin made you excited. Not that your passion for him had dimmed any, but continuing to keep your feelings for him a secret from your family now felt like sticking a dull knife into your stomach. The secret was out ⁠— to one of your brothers, anyway ⁠— and this wasn't a game you were playing for fun. This was reality. And Jimin’s disapproval was more painful than you could ever have imagined. The weight of your emotions threatened to crush you, but once again you pushed it away. There was no time to dwell on your personal issues.

“Y/n?” Jin’s tap on your shoulder was soft, full of worry, but it was enough to make you jump in surprise and out of your internal war with yourself.

“Let’s just say you found out from your own investigation. Is that alright with you?” You hated yourself for continuing with this charade, but what else could you do?

“I suppose that’s the best solution,” he mumbled thoughtfully, probably working out the details in his head. Unlike you, Jin had more of a grasp on reality. After all, that was the reason he was so reluctant to admit his feelings for you when he found out you were a princess. However, you managed to convince him it didn’t matter. If he found out that you were having second thoughts about it now, how much would it hurt him?

Upon lear