“What are all these herbs for?”

Baekhyun crouched beside the girl who was busy bundling up various herbs in paper bags, meticulous hands hurriedly tying up each bundle with a string and packing them in a bag.

“To take with us to the fort of course.” Jungsoo replied with widened eyes. “Isn’t that obvious?”

“Ah...” Baekhyun rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t recognize the herbs so how can I know... Wait, Jungsoo did you just say ‘Us’?”

The girl blinked at the gaping young captain in front of her. “Why, weren’t you going to take me with you?”

Baekhyun sat on the floor, biting his lower lip uneasily. “Jungsoo-yah the thing is...”

“You need a doctor to treat if any soldiers get wounded!”

“But we do have enough doctors in the fort Jungsoo.”

“But what if you get injured somehow? I need to be there to treat you!”

Baekhyun couldn’t help but smile, as the girl was emphasizing the fact that she wanted to be the one to treat him if he was ever injured. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on her cheek. “Will you stay in and be safe if I take you?”

Jungsoo turned her reddened face and widened her eyes at him. “Will you really take me then?”

The captain shrugged. “Guess I have no choice. But you can’t take a single step out of the fort until we return. Alright?”

“Sure!” the girl grinned, and returned his kiss with a peck on his lips. “Promise. Taking me with you is more than enough.”

* * * * * * * *

All the heads were turning their way as the couple walked through the busy market street. The tall and strapping male had his wife’s hand securely held in his, who looked extra small beside his broad and tall frame. And he leaned down to her level every now and then, whispering in her ear and pointing at various stalls, asking whether she needed any of the fancy items displayed in front of them. And she giggled and dragged him to the snack stores, asking him to buy various snacks instead of jewellery or accessories.

“Isn’t that the Last Hunter?”

“Shhh! Mind your words!”

“Lord Park. Or General Park. Give him the right respect he deserves.”

“No I’m not trying to be disrespectful... I mean, I can’t believe that he’s the same person who used turn the market upside down every month to find the black merchants.”

“Well that’s right... he seems like a different person now. Less cruel and more human.”

“I guess the lady’s love changed him.”

All kinds of discussions took place behind their backs, careful enough to make the remarks not loud enough to be heard by them. Meanwhile the couple was having fun in their own world, getting fascinated even by the simplest and most ordinary things in the market, as they made their way to the clothing store.

“Welcome my lord, my lady.” The middle aged lady stepped aside, bowing deep down as the couple entered her shop. “What are you looking for my lord? Is it dress material, or ready-made clothes?”

“We need a dress for her.”

Placing a hand on Seora’s back, Chanyeol pushed her forward. “Something suitable enough for a royal banquet.”

“We have the best in the capital My Lady.” The store owner beamed, opening the curtain to reveal a room full of dresses hung in rows, in every possible colour one could imagine. “Tell me the shades you prefer, and I will bring out the latest patterns.”

“I need bold colours.” Chanyeol answered before his wife. “Like, red, dark brown and black... She wears pastel colours most of the time, so I want to see her in something brighter and bold this time.”

“Chanyeol!”

Seora hissed at him, making the later blink in confusion. “This is not a banquet! This is a religious ritual!!!”

“Ah, right.” realizing his mistake, Chanyeol gave the store keeper a sheepish smile. “White. Something white, please.”

Suppressing her smile, the older woman escorted Seora into the room stored with hanbok dresses.

The curtain parted a few minutes later, and Seora stepped out, reddened in embarrassment since dressing up and posing in front of someone was never her forte. Nevertheless Chanyeol was entirely thrown off guard at her sight, when the girl came to stand in front of him, dressed in a plain white hanbok with silver butterflies embroidered all over the skirt.

“Beautiful, isn’t she My Lord?”

“What... ah, yes...” Chanyeol answered half consciously, his eyes never leaving his wife’s face.

“If you still want bold colours on her outfit, we can do it with jewellery and other accessories my lord.” The shop owner added. Chanyeol’s attention was finally averted to her, and he straightened up in his chair attentively. “Sure. We can purchase everything here. Can I have a preview then?”

“Why would I wear them now? Can’t we just take them home...?” Seora whined, already fed up of being dolled up.”

“Ahjumma, please do it for me.” Chanyeol asked the shop owner. “I might not attend the even with her, so I want to see it now.”

Seora’s face visibly darkened, and she walked back into the room in silence, head hung down in disappointment. And in a few minutes time she returned, wearing blood red shoes, a red and silver Norigae ornament hanging down her dress, her braided hair held up in a low bun with a hair pin glimmering in red and sliver. “Will these do, my lord?” the older woman asked.

“Perfect.” Chanyeol smiled, the smile so loving that Seora couldn’t stay mad at him for any longer. “I want my wife to look prettier than all the other ladies in the event. That’s all.”

“Now where are we going?”

Seora looked up at her husband, as the two exited the clothing store and started walking through the crowds again. “Just follow me.” Chanyeol took the lead, dragging her behind him as he made his way towards the largest jewellery store in the area.

“Chanyeol we already bought the accessories –”

“Ahjussi, show us rings made with red stones.”

Chanyeol asked the elderly shop owner, who beamed at him with a nod and stared pulling out dozens of jewellery boxes and placing them on the wooden showcase in front of the couple. “What kind of stone do you prefer My Lord? Do you have a certain one in your mind?”

“Ruby.” Chanyeol answered. And his eyes ran over the boxes spread open in front of his eyes, and he finally pointed at one ring with a single blood red stone adorning the elegant patterned metal surface. “What’s this metal ahjussi?”

“It’s white gold my lord. It’s mostly used in west.” The man answered. “The ruby’s blood red resembles eternal love, and is one of the most precious stones used in China for jewellery making.”

“We’re buying two rings in the same design.” Chanyeol declared, making Seora widen her eyes at him. “That design is plain so even I can wear it. Do you have different sizes ahjussi? I think mine will be about twice as big as hers.”

“Of course I have my lord!” the shop owner bowed to the couple and ran to the insides of his store, delighted to get one of the most expensive rings in the shop to be sold so easily.

“I never bought you something precious and memorable.” Chanyeol nudged his wife, flashing a smile at her. “I always wanted to do that... but all these problems got me delayed. I’m sorry.”

* * * * * * * *

Yingyun looked around the foreign place as she followed Sehun, when the two were walking into the royal infirmary. Sehun finally came to a halt in front of a closed door, and knocked on it. “Yuri noona, it’s me.”

“Come in Sehun.”

Sehun opened the door at the reply, and walked in, signalling the girl to follow him. And inside the room, there was a lady physician busy writing down a prescription, and she raised her head with a welcoming smile. “I’m done with this. Take a seat.”

The couple sat in front of her desk, and waited until the physician roll the parchment and look up at them. “Is she the one? I see why Sehun was totally whipped by you.” she remarked with a smirk. Ying bit her lip, as a pink blush crept up her pale face.

“Aish... Watch your words noona! It’s not like that!” Sehun pouted at the physician. “By the way noona, as I mentioned before, she has a really deep cut on her thighs. A sword cut. It’s half healed, but I think it still has a risk to get infected.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it. You can leave now Hun, you’re out on duty hours aren’t you?”

Sehun turned to the girl, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Noona is the best lady physician here. She’ll take care of you Ying so I’ll leave now alright?”

Ying nodded in reply, with a reassuring smile. And Sehun stood up from his chair, giving Yuri a curt bow. “I’ll get going noona.”

“Aish leave already kiddo! Stop acting like an old man who’s marrying off his daughter.”

Suppressing a smile, Sehun exited the room leaving the girl with the doctor. Once the door was closed behind him, he heard the lowered voice of Ying hesitantly asking Yuri a question.

“Doctor... about the scar... is there a way to get rid of it?”

“Um... I’m not sure... since it’s deep, I can’t assure that Yingyun.”

The door flung open, making both girls turn their head in surprise, and Sehun was standing by the door, staring at Ying.

“Did I say anything about a scar?”

Speechless, Ying stared back at the young man.

“Did I ever mention a scar? Do you think I’ll leave you just because you have a darned scar on you?”

“Sehun-ah, calm down–”

“I’m treasuring her after everything that happened and why does she think a scar will make me leave her noona?”

“Hun, it’s natural for a girl to worry about her appearance.”

“But Ying doesn’t have to. I might have first fallen for her because she was beautiful, but that’s not it now noona.” Sehun sighed, and tore his eyes away from the girl who was still staring at him, speechless. “Just get your wounds treated. And be safe until I come back.”

The door slammed, and the girls heard him stride away in raged steps. Yuri reached for the younger girl’s hand, and