Princess Seungwan had stopped coming to her quarters and Joohyun had stopped playing the zither for a long time. The Great Khan’s war with the Jurchen army of the Jin was semi-victorious. News of it had shaken the Bae court a little and with it, came the Great Khan’s demands for his daughters to return briefly back to Mongolia for a celebration.

Despite the Bae court’s mild reluctance, the Emperor of Bae could not deny the Mongolian princesses of such a meeting and immediately arranged for them to return to their homeland but not before making them swear to return.

There was little time for Seungwan to say her farewells and she did it quickly with the princes. They looked cheerful because Seungwan had sworn to return and thought nothing more of it. The next place Seungwan went to was the horse stable, where Scarlet was. The equine had whinnied but it was still a beast after all and did not understand the meaning of departure the way humans did. Then, the hardest thing to do finally came; bidding Princess Joohyun goodbye.

The door had opened even before Seungwan had announced her presence. Standing before her was Princess Joohyun. Seungwan did not wish to think that Princess Joohyun had been awaiting her visit. The elder princess still looked beautiful but she had acquired a touch of sadness to her appearance and fragility in her movements. It broke Seungwan’s heart a little.

“You’re leaving?” Princess Joohyun opened before Seungwan did.

Nodding, Seungwan confirmed. “I’m leaving.”

Seungwan thought she saw Princess Joohyun’s lips quiver but it lasted only for a second. “Then… travel safely.”

Seungwan nodded sharply.

They had stood like that for a long while, awkwardly before Princess Joohyun asked in a soft voice. “Do you want to come in?”

Seungwan peered into the room for a while and remembered their last quarrel. If she had gone into the room, it would give her lingering feelings which was why she shook her head harshly.

Princess Joohyun looked almost crushed and Seungwan felt apologetic but she had to control her emotions.

“I will return,” Seungwan then said, hoping it will alleviate some of Princess Joohyun’s sadness.

It did not help much and Seungwan knew why. Princess Joohyun had thought of all the worst possibilities. The courtly princess knew of the Great Khan’s capabilities very well.

“I will return.” Seungwan said again. “I have to go now, the royal escorts are waiting.”

Princess Joohyun nodded with a slight unwillingness and when Seungwan turned to leave, she felt a hand around her wrist.

“Promise to return,” Princess Joohyun said almost in a pleading voice.

A promise. That was what she had owed Princess Joohyun. Seungwan’s mind then returned back to all the times Princess Joohyun had played the zither for her, be it in the courtly princess’s room or outdoors, which was how the other promise came about.

 Seungwan nodded without a backward glance towards Princess Joohyun, afraid that it would make it even harder for her to leave. When Princess Joohyun had removed her hand from her wrist, Seungwan had walked away with a small regret forming in her chest.

Never would Seungwan expect that this promise would be so hard to keep.

**

Seungwan whooped with joy as she raced across the green fields and heard the cries of birds in the skies. A horse with its rider raced past her, triggering her competitiveness. What the rider said triggered her even more.

“Seungwan, why? Have you not gotten used to riding across such wilderness even after returning for so long? Have you become as weak as the Han people of the Bae?” Prince Sehun taunted his little sister.

A wolfish grin crossed Seungwan’s face, her legs fastened its grip on the steed as she half-stood from her mare, took out her bow, nocked an arrow and let it fly. All within a matter of seconds. The sharp shriek from her target was proof that her skills were just as formidable or even greater than before. Prince Sehun’s head whipped about and his nostrils flared, looking impressed.

“Brother, I was not racing, I was hunting,” Seungwan replied smugly.

Prince Sehun shook his head with a feral smile. “Glad you have not been weakened by the Han people then.”

Prince Sehun then ruffled his little sister’s hair. “To think that my baby sister will be turning twelve years old.”

Seungwan giggled but she was assaulted with a sudden pang of ill-feeling. It was soon her twelfth birthday, she had already spent nine months back in her homeland.

Back when she had first returned to her homeland, she had promised the Emperor of Bae that she would return but she had not said when. Her elder sister had returned after two weeks because there was no excuse for her to stay with their marriage proposal still in effect. However, for Seungwan, the Great Khan had plenty of reasons to make her youngest stay. There was the excuse of negligence that resulted in her injury then there was also the justification that Princess Joohyun’s health had improved before Seungwan had left.

With their numerous wars with the Jurchen people of Jin, the Great Khan would not allow another country to distract him by using his daughters as hostage and as a bargaining token against him. Seungwan had also conceded to the fact that the possibility that she could break Taeyeon’s marriage proposal was slim and the social class difference amongst the Han civilians of Bae was perhaps out of her league to care for. Maybe Taeyeon was right, she was only a child, what could she do. Therefore, Seungwan had pushed those affairs to the back of her mind. Perhaps, just perhaps, she would give up on all these goals and leave it to greater men to accomplish it.

The Great Khan had doted on her so much more, hiring martial arts teacher from their lands and afar just to teach Seungwan all that she had wanted to learn.  

Asides from joy attained from learning all the martial skills, what was most important was that Seungwan felt carefree again. She was surrounded by nature, the very sight, sounds, and smells of it made her feel happier but she had to admit that she was beginning to miss some things or rather some persons. The person who kept coming to her mind was undoubtedly her companion, Princess Joohyun.

Her other royal brothers, Yixing and Jongin, soon rode up to the pair of younger siblings. Upon noticing how unfocused their younger sister looked, they were slightly wary. They reckoned that Seungwan must have been thinking about her palatial life again and tried to occupy her senses to distract her from her thoughts.

“Come on, Seungwan, time to let our eagles unfurl their wings,” Prince Jongin said. 

Seungwan was delighted, this would be her new favourite moment, eagle training. During her past nine months, she was also finally allowed to hunt with their eagles and spent a lot of effort learning the ropes from her elder royal siblings. They were all experts at the hunt and they gifted their sister one of the most capable yet gentlest golden eagle to practice with.

Once they had returned to the aviary and equipped themselves, they were out again. Their men brought the magnificent hunter to Seungwan who the eagle’s neck as she had been taught to before perching it on her forearm.

“Careful now, we do not want any scratches on you like the last time. Father will skin us,” Yixing said, his hands in an open gesture, ready to control the situation should it turn awry.

Seungwan gritted her