Cheng Xiao opened the door to her room, pulling Eunseo with her. She was about to close the distance between their bodies, when Eunseo spoke. 

“Hello, Bona.” 

The princess turned to find her friend staring at them with raised eyebrows. 

“Welcome back, Xiao. Eunseo.” She greeted with a grin.  

“B-Bona! Hi!” Cheng Xiao forced a natural voice. 

Bona's stare jumped between the girls and their linked hands. 

“I’m going to get dinner for you.” She smiled, walking towards the door. “For the both of you. How rude of me.” Bona added before Cheng Xiao could reply. 

They waited for Bona to close to door. Cheng Xiao let out a long sigh, with a chuckle at the end. 

“I completely forgot she could be in here.” The princess sat on her bed, Eunseo following and sitting beside her. “She would eventually understand even if I didn’t tell her anything. She catches on to things quickly... Reminds me of a certain someone.” 

“Oh, is that so? Who is that certain someone who can read you so easily?” Eunseo teased. 

“I think you know her. She’s this absurdly beautiful, gentle, kind and strong woman. And when I'm with her, my heart seems to jump off my chest.” Cheng Xiao confessed, grabbing both her hands, feeling her face warm up. 

Eunseo gasped, trying to stop her lips from forming a wide grin. 

“Oh my, thank you, Your Highness. I’m certainly flattered by your flattering words.” Eunseo took her hand to her lips, kissing its back. “But I already know all of that.” She finished with a wink. 

Cheng Xiao smacked Eunseo shoulder, earning a protest from her. 

“If you get cocky, I'll stop saying these things.” She threatened with her fierce glare. 

“Oh, please forgive me, Your Highness! I must be punished for my behavior.”  

A smirk snickered through Cheng Xiao's lips, as she leaned in closer to Eunseo, stopping an inch from her face. 

“And what would that punishment be?” She whispered, pushing Eunseo until her back met the mattress, following the movement and allowing her body to rest on top of hers. 

“Whatever the Princess considers adequate.” Eunseo whispered back.  

The second their lips were about to touch, the click of the door echoed.  

“Did I... interrupt something?” Bona asked, seeing Cheng Xiao standing awkwardly by the bed, her face red as a tomato, and Eunseo straightening herself. 

“No! We were just...” 

“Resting.” Eunseo quickly added. 

Bona bit her lip, fighting back a loud laugh. 

“Xiao, His Majesty wishes to have dinner with the both of you.” Bona announced, regaining her posture. 

Cheng Xiao irked an eyebrow and shared a look with Eunseo. 

“Why?” 

“I don’t know. But you're expected in the dining room.” 

♚♚♚

After a long meal, Eunseo escorted Cheng Xiao to her room. They stopped in front of the door, facing each other, not knowing exactly what to say.  

“You should rest. You’ll be back to training tomorrow.” Eunseo said, fixing her bangs. 

“You should too. You'll start attending my own sessions, I want you to work hard and show the others how it’s done.” 

Eunseo chuckled. 

“A guard attending army training. What can't I do, really?” She smiled. 

“Meditation. We start tomorrow.” Eunseo frowned and Cheng Xiao continued, before she could protest. “It’s not boring, and you’ll like it. Trust me.” 

“I will do whatever Your Highness wants.”  

“Kiss me, then.”  

Eunseo raised her eyebrows. She looked around, making sure they were the only ones in the corridor. Without wasting any more time, Eunseo cupped her cheeks and leaned forward, attending the princess’ wish.  

“Good night, Xiao Xiao.” Eunseo whispered, resting her forehead on hers.  

“Good night, Eunseo.” 

Eunseo planted a long kiss on her forehead before taking a step back. Before she could move one more inch, Cheng Xiao grabbed her hand and pulled her into a tight hug, resting her face in the crook of her neck.  

“I love you.” The princess whispered in her ear, squeezing her body against her own.  

“I love you too.”  

Kissing her lips just one more time, Eunseo walked away.  

Cheng Xiao opened the door and stepped inside her room, her lips in a wide grin. Her smile was soon replaced by a frown when she found Bona sitting by the window.  

“God, Bona, you scared me. What are you doing?” 

“I was waiting for you. How was dinner?" 

“Hmm… fine, I guess. My father wanted to properly thank Eunseo for saving me and ask her to keep up the good work.” Cheng Xiao said, letting her tired body dive into her bed.  

“That’s good. So… what about you and Eunseo?” Bona asked, her eyes fixed on her.  

“W-What about us?” 

“Don’t play dumb, I know you’re together. I’m really happy for you, Xiao. You finally found someone you love and care for, aside from yourself.” Bona teased, earning a glare from her. “But I’m also worried.” 

“What are you worried about?” 

Bona stood up and sat in the edge of the bed.  

"You know you'll have to marry a prince eventually, right?"  

Cheng Xiao remained silent and drove her look anywhere else other than her eyes.  

“I know.” She breathed out. "But that is not going to stop me from being with her." 

"And I'm glad it's not. Xiao, I will always support you and your choices, if they make you happy. I just want you to be careful. If your father finds out... I don't know what could happen." 

"I just don't understand why. I don't care if I have to marry a prince, but why can't I be with her? Why is it so weird? Why wouldn't people accept me because of it?" Cheng Xiao's voice raised, her eyebrows drawing together. 

Bona grabbed her hand. 

"That was never… well accepted in our society, unfortunately. That's why I only ask you to be careful, Xiao.” Bona said, sadness in her low tone. "You can count on me to keep your secret. I'll protect it with my life." 

♚♚♚

Cheng Xiao missed her training, and now, having Eunseo training with her gave her an extra motivation. She managed to keep her mind occupied for most of her day, but sometimes, the conversation with Bona popped up in her head. Cheng Xiao tried not to give it much thought, not to make Eunseo worry. 

It was time for meditation, at last. She sat down on the grass, cross-legged, and Eunseo followed. 

“Meditation is all about becoming one with your surroundings and the present moment. Your mind should be right here, right now. Not in the past, not in the future. You should just... be.” Cheng Xiao explained. "Rest your hands on your knees, like this.” Cheng Xiao did so, and Eunseo followed. “Now, let yourself be in a comfortable position and close your eyes.” 

Eunseo let Cheng Xiao do it first and then repeated. She straightened up her back and let her eyes close.  

“Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, and take deep, long breaths. Feel the environment and the elements around you and empty your mind.” 

Eunseo nodded as if the princess could see.  

A couple minutes went by with silence between them.  

“Xiao.”  

“You aren’t supposed to speak.” Cheng Xiao said, without moving or opening her eyes.  

“I can’t focus anyway.” 

“Yes, you can. It might be difficult at the beginning, but if you overthink what you're doing, it's only going to get worse. When you have a thought, don't blame yourself for it, thinking you should have an empty mind. Just be in peace with it and watch it pass like a cloud in the sky, without letting it take over your mind.” 

“I can’t do that.” 

“Why?” 

“I can’t stop thinking about you.” 

Cheng Xiao opened her eyes and looked at Eunseo. The latter was already staring at her, her lips in a straight line and her eyes sincere. The princess let her body fall to her side, resting her head on Eunseo's lap. 

"Eunseo." She hummed in response, her hand playing with Cheng Xiao's bangs. "Why did you fall in love with me?" 

"Why did you?" 

The princess glared at her. 

"Don't answer a question with a question. And isn't that... obvious?"  

"Isn't it obvious for me too?" Eunseo smiled, earning another glare. "You're too... well, you." She caressed her cheek. Cheng Xiao met her eyes but didn't say a word. "I think your beauty is the first thing that catches everyone's attention. And then, when I got the opportunity to stay by your side, watching you closely, I found you're also brave, strong, intelligent... but also insecure. That was why I wanted to help but, well, it was not in the best way. I still regret the way I talked to you that day.” 

“Don’t regret it. I’m thankful you did it. It was exactly what I needed to realize what I was lacking.” 

Eunseo smiled and leaned to kiss Cheng Xiao's forehead. 

“You can now tell me what’s troubling you.” Eunseo asked. 

Cheng Xiao avoided her eyes. There was no use in trying to hide whatever it was from her. Eunseo always knew when something was wrong. Was the that easy to read, or was it that she was naturally drawn to cunning and observant people?  

“I had a conversation with Bona, and I’m still thinking about it.” 

“What was it about?” 

“Eunseo, you know that… I’ll have to marry a prince, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“What do you think about it?” 

Eunseo pondered for a bit. 

“I think marriage is just something written on a piece of paper for a diversity of reasons, except for love. The majority of noble marriages don’t have any meaning to it, and most of the times, they’re in love with other people. My father, for example.” Cheng Xiao widened her eyes. “He married my mother, but he never loved her. He fell in love with a commoner. Do you think it would ever be acceptable for a noble man to marry a commoner? But they never gave up on each other, even if he had to be married to another woman. So, the fact that you’ll be married to a prince won’t change our feelings for each other. You know I’ll always love you, no matter what. I’ll always be by your side and I’ll always protect you. And I know you will do the same for me.” 

Cheng Xiao took a deep breath, almost a relieved sigh. 

“I know it works like that, but I'll still have to... share a bed with someone else. Sometimes. I just didn't know how you felt about that. It frustrates me that I have to marry a person I will never love just for the sake of it, and that I can’t be with you like I wanted to because it’s not the way things work.” 

“I know. But who knows when that will change. And it’s not for the sake of it, you’re the only daughter of the king, you need to continue his legacy. I’ll take care of your child like it’s my own. I don't care if you need to fulfill that duty and be with someone else for a few nights... as long as most of them, you're with me, and you always come back to me. But if that man, whoever he might be, tries to abuse you, I swear I’ll kill him.” 

“If that happens, he'll be dead before you even hear about it.” Cheng Xiao said, her voice deep and somehow dark. 

Eunseo raised an eyebrow and smirked. 

“That’s… attractive.” 

“W-What?!” Cheng Xiao sat and punched Eunseo's arm. 

“Okay okay I’m sorry, I was joking!” Eunseo tried to escape her punches. “Not really.” She added, earning another punch. 

“Stop. It's an order from the Princess.” Cheng Xiao demanded, pointing with her index right in front of her face. 

“But it’s so cute when you act all aggressive to hide your shyness.” 

“Can't I have any thought privacy in this castle? Stop reading my mind. And stop saying that out loud, I have an image to maintain.” The princess hit her again, now playfully, with her cheeks redder. 

“I love you, Xiao Xiao.” Eunseo blurted, pulling the princess into a hug. 

“And I love you, Eunseo. Thank you for wanting to fight this battle with me.” 

“I always will, and it will be alright as long as we’re together.” 

♚♚♚

A/N: hurray to more fluff, and please get ready for the next chapter *evil laugh* c: