The first time Wheein saw the woman, was at a grandiose party in her residence, a masquerade to celebrate the birthday of the Jung Kingdom, under the rule of Queen Jung, her mother. Wheein was dressed in a fancy white gown, her shoulders bare and her white heels were completely covered. Her ash gray hair was tied into a beautiful bun, and a matching white feather mask covered her face down to the brink of her nose.

At that time she was quite reluctant to step her feet down to the ballroom, within the crowd of unrecognizable strangers, dancing to a classical music without words. Awkward, she initially thought. But, her mother had forced her out of the comfort of her room with a stern, unbeatable look, while the Queen herself was now busy dealing with higher ups from other Kingdoms for business relations. Her only daughter and legacy was left alone, now stepping down the carpeted stairs gracefully to the sea of people. Truthfully, she was hiding the fear and reluctance under the small smile that was gracing her lips and the elegance she has learned to emit.

That was it, when she had fully stepped down from the stairs that she first saw those eyes. It was a beautiful, and when she said beautiful, she really did mean a gorgeous, glazy, and ethereal, a never seen before, pair of ocean eyes, staring straight at her. Those eyes made her worries evaporated in an instant, making her forgot of where she was. It was a light shade of blue, resembling an ocean at a secluded island, emerging calmness and tenderness, serenity, drowning her in calm waves. She remembered the amazement she felt when her eyes were caught and her breath was taken out of her lungs in awe as she was unable to look away. It was not just her eyes, but her whole presence, the power and prestige that she emitted from her black suit with gold embroidery, her strong gaze and demeanor, her eye-catching features down to her plump lips.

She had not realized, being lost in her charm, that the owner, a taller woman with blonde hair down to her chest, was already a mere few inches in front of her, offering a bare hand, an invitation to dance.

When Wheein came back to her sense, looking down, away from those beautiful, calm but intense eyes to the hand before her, she was say at the least, nervous. She was not even near of a social butterfly, and regardless of her interest in dancing, she had never danced with an attractive stranger before. The woman with the black mask gave her a reassuring smile when she looked up, sensing her doubt. And might she add, an attractive, heart fluttering smile.

Wheein shyly accepted the request, nevertheless. It would be a fool of her to reject. The woman's hand felt soft against her own, a smile still adorned her face as she guided her to the middle part of the hall. She did not know what made her felt so hypnotized into this woman's charm, but she was already smitten, eyes never leaving the woman's, body moving on its own.

She let both of her hands rest on the woman's shoulders, near the collar of her outer. The woman stepped a little closer, that Wheein could not help holding her breath at the close proximity, and placed her hands on either side of her corsetted, slim waist.

They started swaying, slowly, to the classical music that was echoing through the hall, eyes never leaving one another. Her heartbeat would not seem to calm down, racing and thumping inside her chest relentlessly. Everything around her seemed like a blur and time seemed to stop. Maybe that was the effect of a grand ball dance, a beautiful time stopping moment.

She remembered that moment as the most magical night she had ever experienced in her whole Kingdom life. A scene straight out of Cinderella movie, with her breath taken away from her burning lungs, and an odd, fluttery and churning, persistent feelings in her chest down to her stomach.

They danced without a word, heartbeats in sync.

Chestnut brown met ocean blue.

~~~

It took a while, precisely, three months and fifteen days, for Wheein to see the same pair of eyes again for the second time. She had never forgotten the same woman who gave her such a meaningful night and the pertaining feelings that came with it.

She had seen her whole face this time, and she was beyond enamored.

The woman had fair skin, beautiful eyes, sharp nose, plump lips, and sharp jawline. She was beautiful, but at the same time had a part of masculinity, a perfect balance of charm. She was glowing under the scorching hot sun, her blonde hair shining. The woman now was wearing a traditional red and blue male hanbok, a korean traditional wear for battle, completed with a black headband with her Kingdom's logo on it. She was holding the handle of a long, thin sword that was hidden inside the cover.

It was not a condition that she should feel pleasant, as it was a famously held annual competition of sword play against Kingdoms to prove the worth and power of each, yet she could not stop feeling the fluttery feelings in her stomach whenever she glanced down at the woman whose gaze was intense at her opponent. Wheein was sitting on the balcony under the shade, in her now light blue dress, instead of down there fighting for blood, sweat and integrity, the perks of being in one of the richest and most powerful Kingdoms. She blatantly stared at the blonde and her only, her heart filled with worries that solely wished for her safety and triumph.

She had learned the woman's name as the horn echoed through the battlefield.

Moon Byulyi.

Wheein should have been worried about her opponents instead if she had known of Byulyi’s ability.

But soon enough any thought immediately vanished out of her head as her attention was solely stolen by the woman below, how tough and eye-catching Byulyi was. She was really good at this battle, winning easily without giving the chance to her opponent to even lay a finger on her. Her blonde hair was flying around but it never once disturbed her, sweats dripping down her forehead, glistening, and oh how attractive she looked when she moved her swords skillfully, easily, like it was a part of her body; eyes focused in concentration, a huge ambition behind her gaze, and when she grinned in triumph everytime she beat her opponents to dust, my God, it was crazy. The fluttery feelings all over her body felt so bizarre and unusual. She had to swallow once in a while, reminding herself to breathe as her heart thumped so loud in her ears that it was deafening.

She was pulled into reality when the cheers suddenly erupted through the whole stadium, indicating the end of the final battle. Wheein blinked and her heart once again stopped when her gaze was caught with those ocean eyes.

Byulyi was looking up straight at her, her eyes half-lidded and hazy, high in adrenaline of her victory, as she was grinning lopsidedly, proudly, at her, with her chest heaved up and down. Wheein had forgotten how to breathe, the cheers of the thousands of audiences went into deaf ears as the time seemed like it stopped ticking for that moment. Byulyi noticed her presence and was staring straight into her, without sparing others a glance. The woman seemed like she deliberately wanted her attention as she ran her hand through her messy blonde hair with a grin, her other hand was holding her sword, and if that was what she wanted, she had definitely stolen her attention even from the start, as Wheein felt her heart did a somersault inside her chest, and an odd sensation running down her body. A sudden strong need to feel how soft her hair was if she ran her own hand through it, a strong desire to know how it would feel, if she kissed her.

She was just sitting for the whole event, but her heart was racing, like she had been running for miles and miles, it was thumping against her chest so loud she was afraid it would burst, her cheeks were flushed, her stomach churning and her chest tightening. A sudden sharp intake of air she inhaled, for she had forgotten to breathe until her lungs were burning out of oxygen, and when she did, time ticked again, the sounds around her suddenly became alive, loud of cheers and claps that were all for Byulyi.

But those ocean eyes never did leave hers.

Like anyone else did not matter, but her.

Ocean blue met chestnut brown. This time stronger, intense.

~~~

Not until the third time, that they finally talked with each other.

Precisely, did more than just talking.

Wheein did not exactly remember how it escalated so fast.

She just remembered it started from when she was called down to the hall by her mother that afternoon. As she had just stepped her feet that was covered in silver heels down to the marbled floor, she was beyond astonished to see the same blonde from the battle last week. She was wearing a white suit with gold embroidery this time, kneeling down on one knee on top of the maroon carpet, a few feet away from her mother.

When Wheein walked to the side of her mother’s throne in her long white silk-satin robe, her ocean eyes shifted to her, and their eyes met once again. She could not help her heart from jumping up to seeing the small smirk gracing Byulyi’s lips for a mere second.

Everything then happened in a fast forward manner, her mother said things about “ the strongest warrior”, “protect you”, and other things she construed as Byulyi being her personal guard for her own safety as the Kingdom was facing dangerous threats.

After that it was even more of a blur, she remembered walking around at the trimmed garden around the Castle, a habit of hers every evening, and Byulyi tagged along as per her mother’s order. She remembered the woman’s first question to her as they stopped at a quiet, secluded corner of the garden that Wheein usually settled in to avoid any other people.

“I believe we have met before, Princess.” was precisely what the woman said. Her ocean eyes were staring at her so beautifully, a sense of recognition and responsibility, yet also a hint of playfulness and apparent interest were swimming around inside of those blue orbs, drowning her.

Wheein did not know what had happened after that as the tension between them thickened within seconds after a few more talking. Maybe it was her who initiated it, as the desire to touch the woman’s blonde hair was beyond her control. Her hand perhaps moved on its own, taking a strand to feel how soft it was. It was indeed soft against her palm. Then maybe sensing the fluttery feelings that was consuming her body as well as the pressure in the air around them, Byulyi took a step closer until it was too suffocating for her.

So Wheein took a few step back because she had difficulty breathing from her tightening chest and her thumping heart, but her back hit the brick wall, and Byulyi kept on taking a step forward, closer to her, giving her no chance to run, no space to breathe.

And when she looked up to the same ocean eyes, they were filled with desires that were also reflected from her own chestnut orbs. Byulyi might have sensed the intense need behind her stare as the temperature between them started to rise, and might she add, Byulyi had the same clouded look in her light blue orbs, resembling the bright sky with dark clouds. It was more than intense, it was much more than they both could hold.

Byulyi was the first one to give in to the temptation.

“Do you have interest in me, Lady Jung?” She whispered between the pressure, eyes locked into hers, intense and deep.

Wheein did not know what to answer. Her heart thumped, skipping 8 beats at once. Her body shuddered, heat started to consume her body down to her core, making her uncomfortable, unconsciously pressing her thighs together. She held her breath when Byulyi leaned her head closer.

“Do you?” She whispered again, her warm breath hit her lips, eyes never leaving hers, demanding answers.

Wheein gulped the lump in , it was so suffocating she wanted so bad to just pull the woman’s collar and kiss the hell out of her. “I might be” she breathed out instead.

Byulyi chuckled and Wheein felt another bizarre wave of sensation washing her body from her head down to her core. And when their eyes met again with stronger emotions, it was the last straw of the blonde’s self-control.

Byulyi closed the gap between them slowly, tilting her head and paused when she was only a mere inch from her. Wheein was breathing heavily in anticipation, her eyes half-lidded, staring down at Byulyi’s own dark ocean eyes, hurry, she conveyed. The woman got her message and closed the remaining gap between them, and when their lips met, both of them let out a satisfied moan.

The woman immediately captured her lower lips while Wheein ran her hands through her blonde hair, bringing her head closer, deeper. Within every second the kiss became more intense and needy, Byulyi’s hand was wrapped around her waist, pulling her forcefully, bringing her closer.

Wheein stumbled forward from the pull and hit the woman’s unwavering strong body, one of her hands was circled around the girl’s neck for support while the other was busy, tangled in her blonde locks, securing its position behind the woman’s head. She could feel Byulyi’s other hand made its way to her hip down to her bare thigh, warm hand ghosting, caressing her, and she could not help the strained moan escaping . Her body was shuddering in a way that it should not, a forbidden urge to keep pushing her body closer to the woman’s, to be touched in a way that a princess like her should not feel.

When they pulled away, gasping for oxygen because their lungs were burning, all of her rational thoughts were pushed down to the abyss of her desires, their eyes never did leave each other. Half-lidded, filled with lust and want. Those ocean eyes now were staring at her with another dangerous emotions and Wheein’s heart would not calm down even for a bit, her cheeks flushed, and her body was hot, she felt extremely bothered. It might have been a taboo word for her to say out loud, but she was deep in desire, and she wanted Byulyi all over her body, to ease her lust, and relieve her want.

And Wheein could not help herself, because the heat that was consuming her body was too much to bear. So she pulled Byulyi back down again, meeting her lips in a hectic and intense dance, leaning her body against the woman’s, not letting any space came in between them. Because only then, would she feel the bliss and euphoria consuming her body, quenching her thirst even for only a slight, even when she felt that it was not enough, even when she knew it would only add fuel to the fire of her own desire, she kept on wanting more, and more.

Chestnut brown met ocean blue. Deep in forbidden desire, need, and want.

~~~

It certainly did not stop there.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, until the twentieth, thirtieth and uncountable days, were filled with breath-taking, heart-fluttering, stomach-churning, nails-digging and pleasurable encounters.

As Byulyi had been assigned as her personal guard, behind the security and privacy of her room’s closed door was where a lot of things had taken place. Those ocean eyes were sometimes so intense when they stared down at her, hungry in desire, but sometimes so gentle and affectionate when the day had been rough and tiring. Meanwhile sometimes her chestnut brown would be begging for Byulyi to relieve her aching core, but sometimes her eyes would be filled with mischief and tease, and those ocean eyes would be the one who beg instead.

But that was not all that they had between them.

It was much more than they both could put into words.

Sometimes they would sit and talk, for never ending hours, until the sun hid its body and was replaced by the moon, and still, they would listen with both ears wide in understanding. The other times they would be laughing, chasing each other around the room, playing games, and sometimes just plain laughing until their stomach cramped and tears welled up for unknown reasons.

Byulyi had been a part of Wheein’s life, a huge part of it, that she could not live without. She was the source of her happiness and laughs, the sole reason of her genuine dimpled smiles, the anchor of her sanity, and the cause of her fluttering heartbeats as well as her desires.

When those ocean eyes stared down at her, she still felt thousands of butterflies flying around in her body, and even when she had seen her beautiful eyes for thousands of times, the pertaining sensations all over her body never diminished. She could not understand why her heart would not calm down everytime Byulyi stared at her, everytime Byulyi touched her, and said sweet nothings to her. She could not comprehend why her cheeks would flush, she would feel flustered, and her stomach would churn in an odd way as well. Everything felt so bizarre and unfamiliar.

She had never learned of such a thing to address her feelings. She just wanted Byulyi to stay by her side, and she just wanted to hear Byulyi talk, smile, and laugh with her adorable childish laugh, as well as seeing the crinkles on her nose when she did. She wanted to keep on staring at those ocean eyes when they were deep in desire, or deep in compassion. She wanted to sleep next to Byulyi, her blue orbs were the last thing she would see when the day ended, and the first thing she would wake up to when the day started.

Wheein had only learnt the term of her feelings, when Byulyi said it to her one night.

“Wheein-ah” They were in bed next to each other, bodies under the warm blanket. Her ocean eyes stared into her, they were filled with unexplainable emotions that warmed her chest, more than affection and care.

“I love you” Byulyi had said.

Love. A familiar word that Wheein had never thought she would get to hear and feel in her life. So that was the feeling of love, that was the look of love in Byulyi’s orbs, that was also reflected on my own. She had been taught that love was nothing but a vulnerable thing. Her mother had been betrayed by love, and ever since she grew up, she had been taught about anything but love, as it had been described as poison and unwanted feelings.

But her mother was wrong. Love felt wonderful, it gave her a sense of being, of living, a source of happiness. Especially falling in love with the owner of these ocean eyes, she had never been happier than this very moment.

So Wheein pecked the woman’s lips with a dimpled smile, “I love you too” she had said back.

Byulyi looked back at her happily, with a grin adorning her lips, like she was contented with her life. Life that was her, that was Jung Wheein.

Overwhelmed by the feelings in her chest, Wheein kissed her deeply. Grateful for being in her life, thankful of all the love and happiness the woman had brought into her dull being. Byulyi pushed Wheein back to the mattress gently as the woman settled on top of hers, staring down at her.

This time ocean blue met chestnut brown, filled with love and compassion, warm and intimate.

But life was never filled with rainbows without rainy days, wasn’t it?

The rain was pouring down heavily on the chaotic Kingdom that day, the sky was dark and gloomy, but the shouts and yells down there were all that she could hear. Her mother did not lie when she said they were facing dangerous threats, or precisely a thousand of army swarming their Kingdom for a surprise ambush.

It was obvious that their Kingdom was not prepared, lost in numbers and protection, trying to fight and hold back as much as they could while preparing for the evacuation.

She was beyond terrified, pacing around in her bed room, while Byulyi was busy looking around for any sign of danger from her windows, as well as guarding the door.

“Byul…” Wheein whimpered as the lightning struck, she could not calm down, her stomach was churning in an unpleasant way, and her palms were covered in cold sweat. She looked up at her ocean eyes that were also filled with worry but also a glint of strength, an instinct to protect.

“It is alright” The taller woman cooed, pulling her by her wrist and wrapped her thin but strong arms around her body, giving her warmth and comfort. Wheein could hear Byulyi’s thumping heartbeats as she leaned her head to her neck, burying her face, she is also afraid.

The blonde caressed her hair and tucked her chin on top of her head, “you will be safe, nobody is going to hurt you.” She promised, more to herself, her voice low and determined.

Wheein leaned back, chestnut orbs staring up, “I do not care of my own well-being Byul.” She brought her hand up, caressing the warrior’s cheek, “I am just afraid of losing you, of losing us.” She whispered, her heart aching of those dreadful thoughts, eyes warmed up.

Byulyi leaned her head to the touch and closed her eyes. She sighed in content. “I do not want to lose you too, Princess.” She opened her eyes and stared at her with a greater responsibility, as if saying ‘nothing would be able to keep us apart, not place, not time, and not even death. Whatever happened, we will be together, now, in the future, or in the next life’ She held her hand and intertwined their fingers together, somehow Wheein was convinced at the determination in her ocean orbs, those passionate love burning to keep them alive, to keep them together, now and forever.

Wheein tip-toed and kissed the woman again, still afraid it would be their last. The kiss was deep and passionate, of love and unwritten, unspoken promises.

They only pulled away when the door was banged impatiently from outside,

“PRINCESS EVACUATION HURRY” the guard yelled, the ruckus and all the shouts outside were overbearing.

Chestnut brown met ocean blue. Terrified, but determined.

They both wished for the best, but fate was beyond their control. The situation had worsened beyond their grip, everything happened in a mere blink of an eye. The difference of numbers were overwhelming. Blood, fear, yells, everything happened in a blur, in fast forwarded slow motion. Those ocean blue soon reflected pain, drifting away, and chestnut brown was filled with tears, flowing down endlessly. The cold rain kept on pouring on them mercilessly, drowning her cries of help, and wails of despair.

~~~