Seungwan had been fidgeting restlessly as she rode in her horse-drawn carriage. The young princess hated how she could not ride her own horse by herself. It was so stifling to stay in a carriage and not to mention how she was missing out everything that was going on around her.

 A myriad of voices of wonderment were about her and she wanted to poke her head out for a view but was forbidden to do so by her elder sister. Ever since the announcement of their visit to the palace, Taeyeon had watched her around the clock, like a preying hawk and nagged at her about proper and improper behaviour in the Bae court so much so that Seungwan could memorise all of her sister’s words. Seungwan was truly getting restless and it took all of her restraint to not bolt out of her carriage.

“Taeyeon, just one peek, please…” Seungwan pleaded.

Reluctantly, Taeyeon gave a nod, “just small peeks.”

Seungwan lifted the tiny curtain in their carriage happily and was disappointed to find her view blocked by a Mongolian warrior who was riding astride with them. Seungwan was about to request for the warrior to move when she had been stopped by her elder sister.

“I told you only quick peeks,” the elder princess said sternly.

With a pout, Seungwan let the curtain fall back as she sulked throughout her journey to the palace.

It was evenfall by the time they reached. They were warmly welcomed to the palace by the court subjects, most of which, Seungwan reckoned held rather high ranks. Miyoung had just exited from her own carriage and shared a long look with Taeyeon, one which conveyed comfort. The princesses were glad that the Khan had decided to bring Miyoung who had focused her studies on bilateral relations extensively, especially with regards to the Bae and the Jin.

Chanyeol then trotted over, still on his horse, a sour look on his face.

Seungwan nodded her head upwards towards the sulking prince to ask why he had on that unhappy look. Chanyeol then hopped down from his horse and walked over to the young princess to whisper in her ears.

“The people were staring at my hat and laughing at it,” Chanyeol replied and Seungwan tried to stifle a chuckle.

She might have been angry too if she had been laughed at but since it happened to Chanyeol and not her, she was happy.

“Who asked you to wear that? Miyoung already told us to dress like the people of Bae. Blend in. But you stubbornly refused,” Seungwan reasoned smugly.

Indeed, the rest of the royal family members, save for the Great Khan, had dressed like how a Bae royalty would. It was to convey respect. The Great Khan however, should be excused for his dressing because he was their main host and the representative of the all of the Mongolian tribes. Chanyeol was… just being Chanyeol.

The palace was huge and rather impressive however Seungwan did not like how there were so many walls all about them. It was as if they were in a really large aviary cage.

Chanyeol stared all about him and frowned, clearly disliking the palace as much as Seungwan did. They were first shown to their quarters and were assisted by the numerous palace maids and servants in settling down before the grand feast. Seungwan had wanted to unpack her things by herself and was not accustomed to people poking around her treasures but Miyoung had also told them that it was only polite that they let their hosts help settle them. Obliging, Seungwan stood at the corner as she watched the maids flutter about the room she shared with her sister. The only thing she would not allow them to touch was the gift that she had prepared for the young princess whom they said she would be meeting.

Seungwan crinkled her nose at the thought too. The Mongolian princess had heard that the young princess was ill of health and had a penchant for spending most of her time confined in her quarters. Seungwan was not interested in meeting someone like that. The princess wanted to meet someone who was as adventurous as she was and go out hunting together. Just the mere thought of hunting had excited her and she missed her royal brothers already.

“Sister, am I allowed to go hunting?” Seungwan asked hopefully and was met with a sharp stare.

“Of course not,” Taeyeon said in an appalled tone.

The elder princess then gripped her sister by her shoulder firmly. “Don’t you dare run around here without anyone’s permission. We are not at home and we are not familiar with the people here. Father might not be able to save you if you get into trouble,” the elder princess warned.

Biting her lower lip, Seungwan nodded. She knew the importance of this harmonious relationship they shared with the Bae despite how pretentious it might be. Seungwan could gather from her father and brother’s displeasure that the Bae had more than once overstepped their boundaries as per their peace treaty. Yet, the Great Khan had time and again closed an eye to such insolence at the risk of tarnishing his own mighty image.

“What are you thinking, Seungwan? The feast is about to start, get dressed,” Taeyeon told her.

Seungwan blew a gust of air out but did as she was told.

The grand feast was just as grand as its name had implied. Swaths of colourful cloths hung from the beams and wound itself around the pillars. Seungwan was dressed in a pastel blue and silver white tunic and she absolutely detested her appearance right now. She looked like a frail female child just like… Princess Joohyun.

Seungwan’s eyes had stopped roving around the opulent setting when she spotted the young princess who was dressed in pastel pink and gold, as if to match her dressing style. What made Seungwan’s eyes really settle on the princess however, was how beautiful the young princess really looked. Beautiful yet… fragile. Princess Joohyun had a very fine-looking nose with a rose-bud shaped lips that seemed perpetually downturned, as if she was very troubled by worldly-affairs. Her sorrowful look was accentuated by her shimmering yet downcast eyes which might have once been bright and gay. The princess had caught sight of Seungwan looking and must have known who she was because their eyes had connected for far longer than usual.

Frowning, Seungwan turned away. Seungwan did not want to develop an interest in pretty things. Pretty and fragile and sad.

The royal guards soon announced the arrival of the Emperor, the Empress, and the three royal princes between them, Prince Baekhyun, Prince Jongdae, and Prince Kyungsoo. Seungwan snorted. The Emperor had far too many Princes and Princesses by his harem and were all in line and possible candidates for his succession. Unlike her father, the Great Khun’in Khan, only children by his first and only acknowledged wife, were conferred the royal status. Perhaps it was a good idea for the Emperor of Bae to have only the children of the Empress in attendance of this feast. At least these three princes looked rather likeable and robust. Maybe Seungwan could make hunting mates out of them.

Then it started to boggle Seungwan’s mind because Princess Joohyun was neither a Prince nor birthed by the Empress. So why was she here as well. Seungwan later understood the reason.

The Great Khan was seated at the dais, side by side with the Emperor and it made Seungwan proud. The young princess however was beginning to grow bored because there was no one to entertain her. Her elder sister was so smitten with Miyoung that they could not keep their distance away from each other meanw