Your father, the King, had always been highly protective of you.

Nothing was to ever affect your life growing up, not even the common cold was allowed to greet you in the midst of the coldest winter. You loved your Father, you really did. You were his world but your own was too limited.

Now as a young adult embarking on a journey to find who you were, it was very clear your path was blocked from all sides.

You couldn’t leave the castle without an entourage following you. And within the grounds of your home, you were shadowed constantly there too. You appreciated their support, you did, but even a princess can use the bathroom in peace.

You were suffocated and needed to break free from being so wrapped up in your Father’s love and his well-stationed people.

Despite the amount of staff around you, the King had always insisted you have someone to play with as you grew up. Jane was the only person in this world that you could trust with any secret within your head. She was your best friend, your confidant, your advisor and your rival.

Because once a month, Jane got to leave and see her family.

You wished she could see them more often. It hadn’t been easy for her to be plucked up as a wee babe and brought into the palace to be a play toy for you. Essentially, that was her role and whilst her parents received money for her companionship at your side, it wouldn’t make up for the lost moments of watching her grow into the fine lady she now was.

All the same, the two days she was granted away from the castle were the most difficult for you. For those forty-eight hours, you were trapped with Bessie, your housemaid, attempting to keep your attention by offering to play games of Scrabble with you or teaching you how to embroider. You craved more interaction and understanding than the old woman could deliver. During that time you would ruminate over everything Jane would be doing. Would she tackle the markets with her Mother and Aunt early in the morning so she could help them gather the best produce and fabrics they could haggle for? Would she get to see the kids play in the courtyard of the school, hearing their laughter and encouragement for her own to sing out from their juvenile view on the world? Would she travel to places where people of your own age would hang out and watch as couples fell further in love over well-brewed beverages and a slice of berry pie?

Would she eventually find someone who would stare back at her with the same heady gaze and fall in love herself, effectively leaving the palace life for good to become a lady of her own home?

You were afraid of being left behind when Jane finally got to live the lifestyle you both craved.

Thankfully for you, Jane reappeared every time, her smile weak and sombre. Yet for you, the hug you gave her was relieved, clinging to her in the gratification of seeing her back home with you once again. It was a cruel fate you both shared, wanting the best for one another but knowing that would never exist with each other anymore.

“And what did you see this time when you were out?” you asked eagerly as you settled into your chambers soon after her return, your favourite pastime whenever Jane returned was asking her about her adventures. Of course, you got to leave the castle grounds on trips out to visit the King’s people but those events were never to see the mundane daily occurrences of the village below. It was only for excursions where the people of the land would prepare and present themselves for your family to ride or walk by; interactions were pre-planned and expected to happen in a certain manner. You craved to see the world how it was on a daily level, to see the hard work of your people, to ask them questions about their skills, to understand what it was like when it wasn’t all put on for show.

“I went to a bar with my cousin.” Her voice was hesitant as if she wanted to tell you everything that happened that night but knew better than to do so. You leaned forward to encourage the reckless behaviour, wondering why her eyes shone in a way that made your heart skip a few beats. Jane let a small smile cross her lips. “It, it was wonderful.”

“In what way?”

“The music was reckless, the dances too. People spoke loudly; there was a strong smell of cigarette and alcohol.”

You scrunched your nose up a little, it didn’t sound that magical to you.

“And then, as we sat there,” Jane continued; now revisiting her memories with a dazed look. “He approached me and asked me to dance.”

“Who did?” you implored and Jane finally gazed at you, a blush rising on her cheeks.

“He said his name was Ten.”

“Ten?” you repeated, frowning at how peculiar it sounded. “As in the number?”

Jane giggled. “He’s from the neighbouring kingdom. He came here to work as a dancer. I suppose it’s his stage name.”

“You can work as a dancer outside of the castle?” you asked in surprise, wondering what you would dance to if it wasn’t a state organised ball. You felt naïve the longer Jane spoke, this all sounded too farfetched for you to truly understand, having not experienced anything but royal commands, events and the loneliness of this grand home.

“Of course, you can be almost anything out there,” Jane informed you and you nodded slowly, wondering if you could make much money as a dancer.

“What else happened?” you asked eagerly and Jane diverted her gaze. You gasped and inched closer. “What more did you experience?! Was it with Ten?”

“He, he kissed me.”

You had never felt so much envy and joy all at once. You clasped her hand in yours and begged for further details by shaking her limb up and down. Jane was visibly embarrassed, though you could see how vibrant her eyes shone revisiting the intimate embrace within her mind.

“It was soft but then his mouth moved in a manner that my breath away.” Her eyes were closed now and a dreamy state took over her face until she giggled. “Oh, and he used his tongue as well.”

“Really?” you asked, blinking a couple of times. “Is that necessary?”

Jane opened her eyes and nodded knowingly. “Definitely.”

For the next couple of days, all you did was discuss Jane’s excursion. The kiss with Ten was spoken in such detail that you were certain you could almost taste it yourself now.

Admittedly, it left a bitterness in your mouth knowing that you had never locked lips with anyone yet. You wondered how you could ever experience such a thing in life if you had to have at least five people you around.

It would be positively embarrassing if you had to kiss in front of your convoy too.

The more you talked over everything with Jane though, the deeper your yearning was to escape the lush fabrics of your gowns and sneak away from this life. You had already wanted to break free for so long now but the urge was now stronger, greater.

You wanted to experience this crazy little bar. You ached to hear the loud music unlike those you heard the orchestra play. To taste the drinks they offered and avoid inhaling too much cigarette smoke. To be within a raucous environment where no one bowed or kept five feet from your side because you bore royal blood.

You craved normalcy.

And so over the week, you and Jane planned the unthinkable. It wasn’t easy to consider how to escape the guards, the fortress you were entrapped in held many eyes and they never slept. All the same, you managed to de-robe and clamber out of your chambers without so much as a sound, meeting with Jane at the spot under the Oak tree she told you to come to. Five minutes later you were on the other side of the castle walls, free from being a Princess for the night.

It had been much easier than you anticipated and you wondered why it had taken you eighteen years to finally skip out of your oppressive lifestyle.

“Now, we’re only out for the night, agreed?” Jane confirmed, her own posture agitated compared to the loose way you walked. To you, once out the gates signalled a different life. But for Jane, you knew she had a lot to lose if this all went awry. She didn’t relax until you were deep into the main street of the village below, her tension easing as you both gasped and giggled over the nightlife. You had been foolish to believe the world truly stopped moving when you went to sleep. It was alive with wonder and mischief as you weaved through crowds of townspeople laughing and conversing with one another. There wasn’t any time for you to ask questions of Jane, there was too much to soak in and too many people surrounding you both.

Eventually, you entered a building and gagged on the strong stench. Your eyes watered, and a few sets of eyes all lingered over your faces, becoming uninterested a moment later.

You were inside a bar.

It was exactly as Jane described it to be and as you sat down at a table, you concerned yourself with wondering how sanitary it was. You decided you would not allow your hands to touch it just in case, resting your clothed elbows onto the wooden surface and propping your head within your hands. Jane held a similar position and you giggled at each other, simply mesmerised by all that was happening around you.

And then the music changed.

Jane squealed and reached across the table to tap at you excitedly. “This is Ten’s song!”

You watched intently, seeing the man step out onto the stage and then frowned, Jane had never mentioned he was joined by others. You guessed from the lengthy description you had heard earlier in the week, that Ten was the slight man in the front, his dark eyes smouldering as his lips curled into a wicked smile. He was positively sinful as he moved his hips and you quickly diverted your focus away from him, looking to the man on his right. He was taller, broader, and had a sweeter expression. His eyes were a liquid brown and you found yourself sinking into them, smiling at how handsome he was. In plain clothes he was gorgeous but from habit, you dressed him up in your mind in the finest suit and you gasped a little, he could pass for a Prince.

You sullenly wished you hadn’t imagined such a thing from the sheer disappointment that no Prince you had met in your life looked as good as he did.

All the same, you watched on until you were shoved roughly, your hands falling to the table to support yourself and you were aware of the sticky residue now upon them. Your eyes narrowed and you snapped your focus to the jostling man behind you.

“Oh what do we have here?” he oozed and you scrunched up your nose, shaking your head indignantly.

“Be on your way, sir.”

“Sir?” he repeated and chuckled, slinging an arm around your waist tightly. You attempted to fight him off and reach out for Jane but she was in too much of a stupor to realise what was happening to you.

You shamed her for being so love-drunk with Ten.

“Now now, Princess, it’s not nice to fight in a place like this.” Your body slumped within his grasp and your eyes widened.

“H-how did you know?” you breathed, but the sentence was lost on him, instead, he pulled you out of the chair and it was only then that Jane noticed your situation. She shrieked and got up, causing the performance to halt and the room to become chaotic. Bodies moved, and voices were raised. You attempted to elbow the man who held you captive and soon you were pulled free by another hand that you did not recognise. But it held you protectively and you allowed it to drag you away, out into the darkened night and away from the noise and smells. You ran at his side until you met a forest edge and breathed heavily when you both stopped.

It was only then that you realised it wasn’t just you two.

“Are you alright?!” Jane cried breathlessly, tears streaming from her eyes. You stared at her blankly, and then back at the hand that held you still. Your gaze seemed to break the spell and he let go, chuckling awkwardly. It was the man who had captured your attention beside Ten earlier. “Your Hi-”

“Jane,” you called out and shook your head quickly. She bit at her lip and then glanced up at the man beside her.

There were four men in total and they all appeared to be not from your kingdom. Ten, you knew was the one holding a protective arm around your best friend, his dark eyes silently worrying over her. Beside him was a slightly taller man, who looked to be the eldest of the four. He seemed kind and gentle, glancing at everyone in the group and then sighed heavily from the predicament you were all in. The next was laughing now that he had his breath back and slapped the older one on the arm, shaking his head at him happily.

“Ah hyung, don’t look so concerned, I haven’t had so much fun in months!”

“Lucas, if you don’t settle I will-” the man he referred to as Hyung winced as he glanced back at you and bowed his head lightly in apology. “We have company and we shall behave, understood?”

“Are you alright?” You flinched at the voice at your side, and you wondered how you could forget he was still standing beside you, his large eyes glued to yours. He smiled warmly and you couldn’t help but sink further into his gentle features. You nodded softly and he let out a breath you hadn’t notice he was holding.

“I am fine.”

“Oh thank goodness,” Jane gushed, rushing to your side and hugged you tenderly. You winced at her pressure on your waist and realised you weren’t as fine as you had thought to be. “If anything happened to you, my goodness your Father would have me killed for sneaking you out!”

“Enough,” you told her, uneasy from the men watching over you both.

“Snuck out?” Ten asked and then a smile crossed his lips. “Like, are you usually locked away? Like some Princess in a castle?”

You and Jane both coughed and spluttered in a very unconvincing manner before outwardly disagreeing.

“Of course not, she is as normal as I am,” Jane assured hastily and then smiled. “Her Father just loves her dearly.”

“Then we should assist you back home so he doesn’t worry,” the eldest mentioned and you shook your head.

You couldn’t go home. Your ribs felt bruised and there would be no way your body’s condition would go unseen in the morning when Bessie dressed you. That woman had no tact; she would shrill for the best medic in the land before you could so much as reach to cover .

You shared a knowing glance with Jane who cleared and shook her head. “Where are you heading?”

“Are you wanting to join us?” Ten asked, smiling brightly at her. You could tell why your friend liked him. He was playful and yet had an air about him that cared for her company in an honest way. You decided you liked him more when his hips weren’t swinging dangerously.

“They can’t join us!”

“But why not, hyung?” Lucas asked simply, shrugging and then shooting you a grin. “I like them.”

“You like any girl who is beautiful,” the man beside you muttered and you didn’t know whether to take his words as a compliment or an insult.

“As do you, Jaehyun,” Ten reminded and you glanced up at him again, repeating the name you had now learned over and over in your mind.

Even his name was breathtaking.

“Could you take us with you?” you then asked him gently, soon turning to look at the one who appeared to be the leader. “Please? I can’t return home, not at least for a few days.”

“A few days?!” Jane hissed into your ear, and you felt her turn rigid. “Are you wanting the entire royal guard to chase us down for kidnapping? I don’t want to die, Y/N.”

“And you won’t,” you whispered back.

“Are you hurt?” Jaehyun asked again, his eyes focusing on the middle of your body. “I know someone who can help ease some of your aches. Let them join us, Taeyong-hyung. We can take them to the healer in the township over within a day and then bring them back right after. I’m sure her Father would be happy we saved her life and not put her at further harm.”

“Come on, its cold and getting late. We need to move,” Ten added on and Taeyong finally nodded, chewing at his lip lightly.

“We only help them as far as that. We have our own journey home to make.”

You sighed in relief, squishing the nagging worry over your Father’s reaction and started to follow the men down the darkened road.

Your adventure away from the palace would continue.