As Seungwan paced around the quarters shared between Prince Baekhyun and her elder sister for the final time, Seungwan felt a mixture of emotions. In it, there were evidences of the couple’s celibacy. It made Seungwan happy for her sister but at the same time, she felt copious amount of pity for the prince. Prince Baekhyun must really respect her sister’s body a lot for him to live in this manner. For that, Seungwan respected the prince as well however she thought it best to not mention this before Taeyeon for fear of wavering her decision, her sister was to be reunited with her true lover that was Miyoung after all.   

An wolfish grin emerged on Seungwan’s face as her sister returned to the common quarter with varied types of snacks and tea, some of which she had personally prepared in the kitchen.

“Sister, are you excited? I heard that Miyoung has returned back to our homeland to receive you.”

“Must you make me confess my feelings?” Taeyeon joked and hit Seungwan’s shoulder playfully. A wistful sigh was released shortly after and Seungwan knew what her sister’s answer was.   

Seungwan chuckled. Thoughts about herself and Joohyun came to her mind and she wondered how she would feel if she had been separated for Joohyun for the same length of time. Seungwan shuddered in fright. The only time when they had been separated was when they had been much younger, for nine months at that. Back then, Seungwan had not comprehended what love was and their relationship had not reached such unthinkable depths.

Now, however, Joohyun has become so deeply entrenched in her mind and firmly rooted in her heart. Their love was a meeting of minds and souls, a most flawless weave of their two personalities and bodies, and only when together, they were whole and complete. Joohyun was her everything and she could not imagine even having to part with Joohyun for more than a day. The wide grin on her face morphed into something gentler as these thoughts passed in her mind.    

Silence was maintained between the two sisters for a few long minutes before Taeyeon lunged towards her sister to engulf her in a hug.

“Thank you, Seungwan for persevering and helping me return to our homeland. You must return soon too, I have charged Sehun with that mission.”

Seungwan was truly happy for Taeyeon but she wanted to tell her sister that she wished to stay because of her newfound missions in the land of Bae and for Joohyun. Seungwan wanted to tell Taeyeon that she had learned many things from Joohyun, especially her relentless missions to improve her country. Seungwan wanted to tell Taeyeon that she had grown up and changed over the years, that she no longer saw the people of Bae and Son as different but they were the same and Seungwan would do her best to help anyone that was within her reach with the help of the members in her organisation.

“Sister, do not worry about me any further. I would take care of myself. It is Sehun who needs to be kept a tab on, I would take care of him,” Seungwan said cheekily and earned another slap to her shoulder from Taeyeon.

Later, Taeyeon Seungwan’s cheeks instead, “you are already of age, Seungwan, no longer the young and wild child of ten when we first set foot into this palace, you must keep in mind that any wrong move you make can land you in jeopardy. Our father Khan may be a fierce and admired warlord now but it is also this reason that would further endanger you in this foreign land. Never forget that you are a Mongolian princess, no matter how close you might have gotten to the royal family of Bae.”

Seungwan felt a knot form in but managed to put on a smile, for her sister at the very least.

“Yes, sister, I am a Mongolian princess at heart who wishes for the people to live and hunt freely.” Those words came easily out of Seungwan’s mouth, as it often did when she was a child but right at this moment, she realised just how superficial and childish it sounded.

Still, it managed to pacify Taeyeon and that was all that mattered.

“Seungwan, I pray you would never forget that and you must return to us swiftly. You have read all of father’s and our brother’s letters, it is only when you and Sehun has returned that our family is complete. And only when our family is complete, can we pursue our ideals.”

Seungwan nodded her head and in a deep breath, not wishing to burst Taeyeon’s bubble on this very day.

Sehun had arrived shortly after.

“I wish you speedy recovery, my elder sister, and bear us a chubby prince or princess soon,” Sehun teased immediately upon setting foot into the room.  

“Or perhaps both a prince and princess, twins in the royal bloodline is not unheard of,” Seungwan added.  

The slanted smirk on Sehun’s face was nearly a mirror of Seungwan’s own. In that minute, Seungwan had nearly forgotten that she had sent Seulgi to spy on her own brother.

“The two of you will be the death of me,” Taeyeon said in exasperation.

“Where is Prince Baekhyun? I heard that he was the one who made all the preparations for your trip back to the homeland.” Sehun asked impassionedly.

“Well… he… has his royal duties and with the numerous proposals that are ongoing… I already bade him farewell in the morning,” Taeyeon said with a hint of guilt in her voice.

With a raised brow, Sehun nodded. “That is appropriate enough.”

There was no morsel of pity in Sehun’s voice and Seungwan felt bad for Prince Baekhyun again.

“Very well, sister, let us see you to the gates, we would be expecting you back soon,” Sehun said slyly.

Once they had sent Taeyeon away, Seungwan felt an inexplicable amount of heaviness in her heart. Not only because she knew that Taeyeon would likely not be returning but also because she was finally alone with Sehun again. The confrontation began as expected.

With his hands folded behind his back, Sehun turned to Seungwan and spoke. “Still fooling around in the palace? Princess Joohyun has already made full recovery, has attained full maturity and is now a sharp-tongued politician, she no longer needs you as a companion. Don’t you think it is time for you to return back home too?”

Seungwan shrugged, not wishing to let her temper show. “Speak for yourself, brother. I have not seen any radical improvements between the Mongolians relationship with the Bae. I question your work effectiveness and efficiency.”

Sehun shot her a warning look, one that reminded her so much of the Bae officials then he softened his gaze as if just remembering that Seungwan was once his favourite sibling. “I have been hampered by certain changes in the palace.”

There was silence between them before Sehun spoke again.

“Seungwan, did something happen between us? Why have you suddenly become so unapproving of me, your elder brother?”

Seungwan set her jaws, she had no answer to that as well. She was certain that it was not something that happened overnight but rather a culmination of events. Especially when the closest people by Seungwan’s side began to sensed oddity with her brother as well.

“Because you have been meddling into my affairs, brother. Do not think that I do not know your reason for befriending Seulgi.”

“I am just concerned about you.”

“About my where-goings you mean.” Seungwan said snidely and saw the guilt-ridden expression on Sehun’s face. It was then that Seungwan was reminded of when they were children.  

Whenever they did something wrong together and got caught. Sehun would have that face on and Seungwan would