"Open the palace gates!" The head guard ordered as Chaeyoung rode furiously towards the entrance, "the princess has been found!"

Without slowing her pace at all, she led Midnight inside the palace just as the iron barricades lifted. Once inside, she could finally exhale a breath of relief that she was not aware she had been holding since leaving the garden. She pulled Midnight to an abrupt halt in front of the stables, causing a whirlwind of dust and sand to momentarily engulf them. Immediately, dozens of guards and court maids surrounded her, all of them holding wooden torches and lanterns. They began to all speak at once, muttering words of relief and concern which simultaneously made Chaeyoung feel guilty and overwhelmed.

"Oh my, what happened?"

"Is that blood, your highness?"

"Your hair is a complete mess!"

"Who did this to you?"

Chaeyoung glanced from one worried face to the next, at a loss for words, and unsure of where to begin explaining the events of the night.

At that moment, Lisa elbowed her way through the large crowd and stood in front of Chaeyoung protectively, "that's quite enough everyone. Thank you for your concern, but the princess needs her rest."

After a couple moments of hesitation, the crowd reluctantly dispersed to leave Lisa and Chaeyoung alone in front of the stable.

Lisa turned towards her sharply, her long auburn braid almost whipping Chaeyoung in the face, "where have you been? We have been looking everywhere. We were about to begin a full-force search party!"

"I'm sorry, Lis," Chaeyoung replied with a sheepish smile before pulling her stiff body into a brief hug.

"Your highness!" Lisa exclaimed, immediately pushing her away and glancing around cautiously, "I am your servant, it is inappropriate for you to be so affectionate-"

"That's quite enough," Chaeyoung interrupted, pulling Lisa back into her embrace, "I've known you since you were a baby. And, I was almost assassinated today, so I could really use some comfort."

Lisa's mother was the head court maid of the late queen, so Lisa was naturally raised in the palace with the intention of following in her mother's line of work. Chaeyoung and Lisa had grown alongside each other and formed an unbreakable bond before they could even speak in full sentences. However, the politics within Goryeo forced Lisa to detach herself from Chaeyoung at times, forming an unnecessary boundary that irked Chaeyoung to the core.

"Assassinated?!" Lisa screeched, pulling back to stare at her with wide, shocked eyes, "who would dare to commit such treason?"

"I'm not sure. I pulled back their face masks but couldn't recognize any of them."

"Wait, did you manage to defeat them all by yourself?" Lisa asked, her eyes even wider than they were before.

Chaeyoung laughed, looping her arm through Lisa's and beginning to walk towards her bedchamber, "I wish I could say yes, but I had some unexpected assistance. One of the new soldiers happened to be in the area at the time and came to my rescue."

"Oooh, a soldier?" Lisa turned to give her a mischievous grin, "please tell me more."

Chaeyoung avoided her gaze and shrugged, "there's not much to tell."

She suddenly wished her room was closer, so she could run inside and avoid this topic. But, Lisa remained adamant.

"Well for starters, was he handsome?"

Images of the anonymous man flashed in Chaeyoung's mind. His large, intriguing eyes. Those dark, slanted eyebrows. His smooth, golden skin and distinct jawline. That broad chest, and lean figure. A husky, deep voice that sent shivers through her. And who could forget those full, distracting lips?

"He was alright," Chaeyoung replied, her voice wavering ever-so-slightly, just as they reached the front door of her bedchamber, "but he was a total jerk at first."

"A jerk that saved your life," Lisa pointed out with a smug smile.

"A jerk nonetheless," Chaeyoung argued, stepping into her room quickly and beginning to slide the door closed, "and that is all I wish to say about that matter. Goodnight, Lisa!"

"Wait!" Lisa exclaimed, using one foot to keep the door propped open, "you're supposed to report to his majesty immediately after you wash up."

Chaeyoung's heart sank at that, but she sighed in resignation, "fine."

"He was really worried about you, Chaeng," Lisa said softly, her eyes sincere.

Chaeyoung simply smiled and closed the door, feeling slightly apologetic for the mass panic she had caused, but also mentally preparing herself for the scolding she was sure to receive.

~{❀}~

After washing away all traces of dried blood from her skin and changing out of her tattered hanbok, Chaeyoung now awaited anxiously in front of the King's chambers for her turn to speak with him. She stared at the polished wooden doors, her eyes following the intricate, gold design which decorated it, trying to mentally string together the right words to explain the events of the night. Because it was so late during the night, her usual entourage of court maids did not accompany her, intensifying her anxiety and making her feel slightly lonely.

A few moments later, the doors slid open just enough to allow the King's primary eunuch, Daesung, to exit. He smiled at Chaeyoung before closing the door gently behind him.

"His majesty will be with you shortly," Daesung, told her with a subtle wink. He had always been the King's closest companion, which meant Chaeyoung had also spent a lot of time with him growing up. During her teenage years, she would often complain to him about her boy troubles and express her frustration over the King's overprotectiveness. Throughout it all, he would listen attentively, constantly, and offer advice to solve her romance (or lack thereof) life. If both individuals happened to be frustrated at the King at the same time, sometimes she could even coerce Daesung into helping