The halls filled with soft cries and footsteps. The emperor had no plan on stopping. "Zhong! How is my wife?" Zhong. One of Kim Byeong-Ho's, the emperor, most trusted guard, and warrior. He traveled all the way from China as a poor worker. Ever since the emperor had aided him in life, Zhong had become one of the lead royal guards. "I am sorry. She is very weak. The doctor said that if she lives a week after the babies' birth, she may have a chance to live. Thither was a problem while giving birth to the twins." 

"Chou Kyung-Hee!" The door slammed open as the emperor briefly scanned the room to find the bed that his wife is on. With weary eyes, she held the baby who was crying in a quiet tone. "Kyung-Hee, art thou okay?" He dashed towards the weakened women. She held two babies, who she wrapped in a soft blanket. Gesturing the emperor to hold the baby so she could rest her frail arms. "Kyung-Hee. Art thou o-" 

"What is their name?" 

"What?" He asked, confused. "What art thou going to name them?"  He stared at the little girls. She had pale skin. Soft cheeks. And a quiet cry. The other was just like the first, only her skin was tanner. His thumb wiped the tears of the pale baby. "J-Jisoo. Let us name her Kim Jisoo."

"Then I will name the other Chou Tzuyu." Kyung-Hee placed her hand on the emperor's wrist. The wrist that held the babies over its covered legs. he noticed a little birthmark on her back, between her shoulder blades. He thought, until something shook him out of a state of pondering. "Kim Jisoo. I like it."

"I like Chou Tzuyu. I say they are wonderful names." Her hand slowly moved to the babies cheeks. Softly the surface. "Byeong-Ho." 

"What is it?" 

"Pray." Her words took a pause, "Take care of them." Her hand fell. Drooping over the bed. Her eyes slowly closed. Breathing wavered. And life itself. Had taken the empress with them to rise above the clouds. Clear tears fell. Heavy breathing could be heard. The great emperor himself is shedding tears. But it was not just him. It was not just the kingdom who worshipped the Empress. It was not just her friends. It was just not the guards who have grown close to her. No. The babies were crying too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More than a year had passed since their departure. The emperor still mourned. Jisoo slowly walked and stumbled towards the shrine that the castle staff made to mourn the Empress' death. He kneeled. The tears never ran dry. However even with no sounds. The tears never ran dry. "Father. Bly swad. Mewl da." Jisoo's incoherent babbling always gave the emperor a slight smile as she tried to talk. "Jisoo, dost thou remember thy mother?" His hand patted her head as she sat down on the wood. The candlelit flames burned the string. The roses and lilies' sight was one to match with the beauty of his deceased wife. With the time and silence that has passed, Jisoo then tugged on her father's red robe. "Hmm? What is it Jisoo? Wait... Should thou not be playing with Tzuyu?"  

"Wherefore father sad?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About four years had passed. Outside the grand palace, about half a mile is a small school girl. Her parents were just able to afford her education and have enough for food and clothing. They were not rich, nor extremely poor. "Jennie!" Chaeyoung, Jennie's friend, waved excitedly as she was waiting for her in front of the school that they're attending to. "Thou art late." Chaeyoung puffed her cheeks. "Sorry! I was sleeping." 

"Come on! School is starting." She dragged Jennie towards the school as the bell chimed. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding...The tower was in the middle of the courtyard. Jennie would always listen to the bell to drown out the scrambles of her classmates. The silver bell, however, rung more than it should. Jennie noticed. "Wherefore though?" She thought. The silver bell always rings four times. Now it rang five times.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jisoo was laying in her bed. Yet another day of etiquettes. Yet another day of boredom. Jisoo already had already learned everything and her sister was taking more classes to pass her time. However, she is only redoing the lessons to pass times. Honestly, it just made time go slower, something they both agreed on. As the other village kids go to school, the two had to stay at the palace. Waiting for her tutor to teach her the same stuff repeatedly, waiting for her sister to collapse on the bed like it was finally over. She had just came back from a meeting with Emperor Aran and his daughter Lalisa, the princess of Thailand, and she was in a silky blue dress. Her next thing to do was to study with her boring tutor. However, she thought the latter. Today, she was going to sneak out of the castle. Sneak out and take a walk, take a break from being royalty. And if she was caught? Jisoo didn't care. So, what if she'd get scolded by her father? Tzuyu sometimes would sneak out, they both done it before. Since her mother was dead her father does even more work and that Tzuyu is learning Chinese and is currently with her tutor Jisoo was left with nothing to do. Because of this, Jisoo decided to just sneak out and take a walk.

With each movement came with great caution. One wrong move and she'd be caught in broad daylight. Another flaw into this plan is that Jisoo didn't even bother to find her black suit. The maids traveled and the guards scattered. Jisoo hid behind the door, looking if someone would see her and or walk into the room, she was in. No one. With that she quickly, but silently, dashed across the hall and glided down the steps to the second floor of the castle. There Jisoo sharply took a right and ran to a room. It was an empty room as nobody knew what to put in it. In the room was a window. Quietly, Jisoo lifted the window up and climbed out. 

The height wasn't so bad. Only a little jump. With that, she ran to the dark forest behind the castle. The trees dimmed the path to wherever she was going. The bushes rustled and the twigs snapped under her shoes. There, was a light that shone through the dark leaves. And where the light shone was another tree. Quite a large tree too. It was on an island and had a bridge that connected to that island. "Wherefore?" Jisoo thought. (If you had not caught on, "Wherefore" is "Why" in medieval language or wording, thou is you, thy is your, thither is there, whither is where, art is are, hither is here, and dost is do. This might not be proper medival words but it was the best I had. I am editing the words after the chapters were made so if there is an error i do apoligize. Words with apostrophes will rarely be present and if normals words slip, blame my lack of energy. But the medival words are only available for the prologue as I am very lazy.)

 

It was the first time she saw this tree. Yet it struck her heart like an arrow piercing her chest like nothing. She felt as if she saw it and felt connected to it. Jisoo slowly took her steps to the tree. The wood was beautifully constructed. The water glimmered to the setting sun. And the tree sparkled. Jisoo then traveled to the back of the tree. There, she broke down. She didn't know why she was crying. But in that area, she felt sad. Like she had lost something that is tied to the roots of the tree on the island. Then, she heard clunking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School had ended. It was just all about introductions. Chaeyoung had gone home to her large estate since her family was rich. Why was she in a moderate school? Because she had wanted to stay with Jennie. "Buh-Bye Jennie!" 

"See thou tomorrow Chaeyoung!" They both waved their goodbyes and left in their different directions. After about 10 minutes of walking, Jennie had reached her cozy cottage. However, she did not steer into the direction of her house. Instead, she navigated through the woods that was present behind her cottage. With all the different trees, oak, pine, aspen, spruce, maple, and more, one tree stands out the most towards Jennie. It was the giant Willow Tree. A small bridge was made to reach the Willow Tree, which was on a small island in the middle of a lake. 

The wind blew and the water rippled. The cattail bristled and the lily pads drifted along with the soft movement of the water. Jennie had gathered skipping stones from the nearby rock pile she and Chaeyoung had made. With the skipping stones, at least eight, Jennie skipped along the small bridge to get to the little island. Until something had caught her eye. 

The girl had beautiful black hair and milky skin. Her eyes were a deep brown and her dress was a silky, icy, blue. "Who