Seulgi looks at the trees while cantering with her mare, noticing the orange leaves of the trees covered by few snow, giving her the announcement of the start of Autumn, until she starts hearing the crack of the leaves on the ground.

“We are finally in Autumn” The Queen comments to the warrior ahead of her.

Irene moves her head a little, nodding. “Everything is orange, so yes, it’s clear that we are in Autumn.”

Seulgi scoffs mildly. “Not everything is orange, Irene.”

“Well, maybe just the tree logs, but look around and tell me what is not orange, Snowflake” Irene challenges and Seulgi swears she can see the woman smirking even though she is looking at her back.

The hazel eyes girl lifts one of her eyebrows taking the challenge silently, biting her lip when she can’t find something that is not orange.

Irene laughs and smirks. “Well? I’m still waiting”

The young Queen bites her lips even more until her stomach is the one speaking, a loud rumble that makes the warrior stop her tracks and Seulgi grabs her stomach feeling her cheeks red.

Humming, the light brown-eyed woman speaks. “Interesting, the word orange triggers your hunger, also your stomach has a somewhat loud voice by the way.”

Seulgi makes an embarrassed grimace to the caramel-haired woman who is having a hard time holding back her laugh. “I-I think maybe one apple wasn’t the best breakfast.”

Clicking her tongue and shaking her head the warrior looks at her. “One apple is not going to help you.” Irene dismounts Apollo and signals the Queen with her head to follow her.

Looking at the warrior Seulgi dismounts her horse, she kinds of expected some chivalry from the warrior, since she is used to Wendy or Sunmi helping her to dismount her horse, although she can do it by her own, she couldn’t help to expect the warrior to give her a hand while dismounting but she was wrong.

Following the warrior from behind she notices the warrior walks just a little, then, the warrior crouches down in front of a pond analyzing carefully.

Tilting her head Seulgi looks at Irene with a questioning look, wondering what the warrior is looking or trying to do, and how did she know there was a pond here?

Irene shushes her thoughts when the warrior puts her hand on the water fastly making the pond splash for a second.

Seulgi jumps surprised and blink looking at the warrior even with more curiosity until she looks two fishes on the warrior's wet hand.

opens wide, surprised by the warrior in front of her who just gets up and winks at her, walking back to the horses. Seulgi follows her when she snaps from the surprise and when she gets to where the horses and the warrior are, she notices the fishes ready to grill while Irene tries to generate a spark from the rocks she is rubbing until she does, the fire starts slowly on the bonfire, and the warrior checks the fishes.

“The fishes will be ready soon, Queen.” Irene turns to look at the surprised girl and chuckles. “What? You have never seen anyone catch a fish?”

The Queen shakes her head slowly blinking a few times. “Just how do you?-“

“How do I know?” Irene piercing Summer eyes look at the hazel ones. “Simple, I like to travel and sometimes you have to climb a tree or learn to fish with a hand, also, it’s almost like an insult if someone in Summer doesn’t know how to survive.” The warrior explains still looking at her.

Seulgi looks at her surprised despite their height difference Irene feels taller, she makes her feel smaller, with her imposing and strong aura, an experienced and skillful woman, and she? She is The Queen but she is still inexperienced in some areas, and she is used to having everything on the palm of her hands, while she was busy learning about healing herbs maybe the warrior was learning how to survive, it’s obvious that she and the warrior don’t share the same path, however, she still feels left behind.

“All right, the fishies are ready.” Irene takes the fishes out of the bonfire, and turns it off with water, checking the temperature, she handles the lukewarm fish to the young Queen with a smile. “Here, this is a better breakfast than eating just one apple, the fishes of that pond are yummy, so you don’t have to worry about the flavor.”

Nodding, Seulgi takes the fish whispering a ‘Thank you’ that the warrior answers with a hum, she is still troubled by the fact that she feels ‘smaller’ than Irene, but she slaps her cheeks, on her mind thinking. “We are not from the same station, our lives were and are different, maybe on her field I am small but I’m not small on my field, come on Kang, have some confidence, a Queen without confidence is nothing.”

She starts eating the fish seating in one stone, while the warrior eats in front of her sitting on the ground, noticing the warrior is not a messy eater as she expected, instead, the warrior eats carefully and enjoying her food, blinking repeatedly and humming.

It’s adorable, the sight of the warrior looking like a happy kid while she eats her fish, making her chuckle on the inside, and smile on the outside.

Just then, a question pops out of her head. “Irene.”

“hmm?” Irene looks at her munching her fish.

“How did you know about that pond?”

“Oh, well, I know Autumn really well, when I was little I used to come here quite often, my friend, Jennie, invited me sometimes to eat her creations, and while staying here, I explored, that’s why I discovered the pond and other things.”

Hearing the name of the Autumn lady her curiosity for the warrior appears once again. “How did you meet Jennie?”

Irene hums thinking for a while. “Well, our parents are friends, that’s why I know her, she is…important to me, and is one of my dearest friends.”

Seulgi notices the warrior smiling with no hint of teasing or playfulness. “You must be special for her, she doesn’t let any person try or test her creations, her talent is the one and only on Autumn, she created jelly, the crossbow and found a way to make the armors lighter and stronger, just to name a few.”

“You seem to know a lot about her too.” Irene looks at her while she finishes her fish.

“She is one of my dearest friends too, we used to play with Nayeon too, since we are almost the same age, Taeyeon would give us piggyback rides or just play along with us despite the age difference.” Seulgi smiles fondly remembering her childhood with the young ladies. “It was always fun, Jennie yelling at Nayeon for hiding her tools or notes, and Nayeon yelling to Jennie for taking her fruits or trees seeds.” Seulgi laughs and sighs softly. “Both have a strong character, and are not afraid to speak their mind, that’s why they would argue always when we were young, but not serious arguments, and they are actually a good combination, Nayeon has the discoverments and Jennie has the knowledge.”

“I know, without Nayeon's raspberries cultivation, we wouldn’t have the jelly we all love, when Nayeon told her she cultivated an orchard of raspberries and that she should make something ‘yummy’ with them.” Irene shares with a soft laugh.

Seulgi agrees but she tilts her head. “Are you close with Nayeon too?”

“Of course, I’m very close to her, Jennie and Taeyeon-unnie.” Irene smiles and stands up and stretches a little. “Come on, Queen, we have a witch to find.”

Seulgi watches Irene leaving her again with her curiosity before she gets up to follow the warrior to their horses.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The warrior stops her horse when they are in front of a wooden house that has a signpost with orange letters that says ‘Acorn whistle-stop’ Seulgi wonders why they stop there, maybe Irene is going to buy some food or ask something, she doesn’t know, sighing softly, Sunmi would say her right away where they are going but the warrior seems to like to make her stay in suspense.

After Irene tells her to put on the cap of her cloak she watches the warrior dismount Apollo and entering to the house, she gets out of the house quickly and guides the horses along with her to the tiny barn of the house after dismounting her mare she finally asks. “Where are we?”

“It’s a guesthouse, don’t worry, Jennie and I know the grandma who owns it, but we have to stay here since we are still far away from the Autumn citadel and if we stay outside it can be dangerous. And I’m not traveling alone or with Sooyoung, right now I can’t take an unnecessary risk.” Irene looks at her while she starts to discharge their bags from the horses, when she carries the bags on her shoulder, the hazel eyes looking at her with the spark of innocence that makes her smile at the young Queen.

“Right now, your security is my priority.” Irene’s voice is soft and Seulgi feels her heart skip a beat when she looks at the warrior's honest and soft light brown eyes.

They stare at each other for a while until The Queen looks aside, coughing a little. “T-thank you, Irene, can we go inside?”

Irene nods a little and before they enter she speaks again. “Since we are going to be careful with your identity, I’m gonna tell the grandma you’re one of Jennie’s friends that she asked me to .”

Seulgi listens carefully and agrees. “It’s all right, is not like you are saying a lie since we have to visit Jennie too.”

“I never lie.” Irene smirks and looks at the Queen who just raises her eyebrows. “And we might visit every Station lady since it’s the safest place where we can make a stop and also if they know some important information.”

Nodding, the hazel eyes girl smiles, liking the syntony she has with the warrior, almost like she and the warrior didn’t know each other for a few days, she enters to the guesthouse with the warrior beside her, trying to take one of their bags.

The grandma who owns the guesthouse turns to look at the sound of two women bickering.

“I said it’s all right, my wound is almost cured.” Irene frowns when the Queen insists on carrying one of the bags, she refuses because she can’t let the girl carry the bags, her chivalry doesn’t let her.

“And I say you must take care of that wound even though it is almost cured.” Seulgi speaks with a worried frown and turns her head when she hears the light laugh of the owner of the guest house.

“Oh, sweet pumpkins! Irene-nim I didn’t know you brought your lover!” The grandma covers while she keeps laughing softly.

“W-we are not-“ Seulgi feels her cheeks red and shakes her hands in front of her embarrassed.

“Grandma! She is one of my friends, she is also Jennie’s friend.” Irene explains calmly and grins. “Also, I don’t have such bad taste.”

“Excuse me?” Seulgi forgets her embarrassment for a moment and looks at the grinning warrior with an incredulous look.

“You are excused.” Irene winks at her making the Queen step closer to the warrior looking the warrior with an annoyed frown. “Don’t start with your jokes, Irene.”

“Oh, woah, I feel soo scared.” Irene teases until she laughs friskily. “I don’t care if you are taller you are not scary, instead, you are adorable.”

Seulgi frowns, even more, she feels irritated by the warrior, however, she tries to look scarier just like when she is angry but only manages to look like a pouty girl.

Irene chuckles and shrugs. “Follow me to our room and stop pouting, it makes you look even younger and that’s not adorable.”

The Queen follows the warrior while she talks. “Why is it not adorable? Because I’m younger than you and I make you feel old?”

Irene turns around before opening the room looking at the Queen's challenging look before smirking. “I’m older, but I’m aging like fine wine, snowflake, and maybe with luck, you will too.”

“I’m not-“Irene shushes her raising the palm of her hand in front of her lips but not touching them. “It’s all right, I know the truth is hard to chew.” The warrior gives the keys to the hazel eyes girl, still with her frisky grin on her cherry lips. “Now, get comfortable, I will talk to the grandma, be a good snowflake, and stay here, all right? All right.” Irene leaves Seulgi with no time to answer, looking as always at the thin back of the warrior.

“You snowy little-“The Queen breathes deeply, trying to calm herself, she is not angry but she is definitely beyond annoyed, the warrior really makes her fly off the handle, she is quite convinced by now that there’s no human in the entire Four Station Kingdom that has made her leave aside her posture to argue with the warrior as if they were kids, the only difference with them is that they don’t insult each other with phrases like “Your head looks like a watermelon.” She prays they don’t get to that point because that would be an insult to her whole manners classes.

“I’m fine, just breathe Kang, it’s just a dumb arrogant narcissist just that, no need to lose our posture.” Seulgi thinks and keeps breathing slowly until she opens the room and the keys fall from her hands at the moment she notices there’s only one bed.

Are they gonna sleep together?! Why in the snowy hell Irene didn’t mention it?! The warrior is crossing her limits and how dare she?!

“Why the keys are on the floor?”

She turns around slowly looking like she has seen a ghost to the warrior who is holding something like a large duvet, the warrior tilts her head. “Uh, are you still here?”

“T-there’s o-one-“ Seulgi doesn’t know why she is stuttering when inside of her head she is choking the warrior.

Irene raises one eyebrow and enters to the room finding the reason of the Young Queen's state, she starts laughing her off making the Queen look at her incredulously.

“You really thought we would sleep together?” Irene manages to speak between laughs. “You are really dense, your grace, I’m not into cuddles but If you want some of them or…” Irene looks at her with an impish look “Something more, you can count with me.”

Seulgi takes a moment to understand the meaning behind the warrior's last words she feels her cheeks boil and she takes one of the pillows to attack the warrior.

“YOU! Really! Don’t! Have! Any! Shame!” the hazel eyes girl hits the warrior vigorously making the caramel-haired girl cover with her arms but the warrior keeps laughing until she catches the pillow and takes it out of the Queen's hands, but Seulgi fight doesn’t end there, she tries to take the pillow back but the warrior takes her hands and pushes her to the bed.

Feeling the soft texture against her back she opens her eyes to find the warrior looking at her smirking, both of her hands are trapped by the warrior's hands, resting beside her head, however, the warrior is sitting calmly beside her legs.

Even though they were ‘arguing’, Irene didn’t trap her with her whole body above her and is just holding her hands, despite the situation, Seulgi thinks the warrior has some manners after all.

Looking at each other eyes, Irene slowly lets go of her wrists still looking at Seulgi “You are not going to look away, do you?” chuckling the warrior gets up.

Seulgi looks at her while she sits up, thinking how the warrior was above her just a few moments ago, even though she doesn’t want to admit it that was the best way to stop their little ‘fight’.

“Come with me, I want to show you something, grumpy snowflake.” Irene grins and starts walking to the door.

“Why do you call me like that?” The hazel eyes girl gets up looking at her with a little frown.

“Grumpy? Well, maybe your constant lack of patience or your pouts can explain it” Irene shrugs amusingly.

Seulgi rubs her temple trying to stay calm in front of the cynic woman.” Not that, mastermind, I was talking about that moniker, ‘snowflake’”

“Ah, that, It’s boring to call you ‘your grace’ and since it’s disrespectful to call you by your name I decided to give you a moniker.”

“Without asking my permission?” Seulgi chuckles in disbelief, really, this warrior is quite ‘amusing’.

“You didn’t say anything the first time I called you like that.” Irene smirks.

“That’s not the point.”

“Excuse me, but you can’t complain after being called like that several times, it’s an unwritten rule.”

Seulgi scowls she cannot believe it. “Who said that?”

“Me, and…other thousand people so you can’t complain.” Irene shrugs with a teasing smile.

“Are you five years old? Because that’s an answer a kid would say to me.” Seulgi looks at the caramel-haired woman with a serious not so serious face.

“See? That’s why you are a grumpy snowflake.” Irene looks at the blonde before she signals the Queen to follow her out of their room.

Sighing, the light blonde decides to follow the warrior mumbling annoyed, she wonders who is the real Queen here?

“Grandma!” Irene’s voice makes her look up when the old woman is in front of them. “Can we see your flowers?”

The grandma looks at both women and chuckles nodding. “Of course, Irene-sshi, remember to think of this guesthouse as if it’s your own house.”

“Thank you, grandma, your kindness is just as amazing as your delicious desserts!” Smiling the caramel-haired woman looks at the grandma.

“Oh, you are always so charming dear!” laughing softly the grandma pats the warrior's shoulder a little.

‘Charming? Grandma, don’t let this idiot narcissist fool you!’ thinking, the young Queen watches the interaction, however, she notices Irene looks different, she can tell the warrior is being genuine to the grandma, she tilts her head questioning the warrior internally. ‘Just how many sides of you do you have Irene? you can lack some manners but at the same time have some of them, you tease too much but at the same time you are genuine, you look like a contradiction sometimes…”

“Then, we will see your flowers grandma, if you excuse us.” the cherry lips woman's voice makes her snap from her thoughts and nod shyly to the grandma.

The grandma smiles and pats the Queen's head. “How adorable! Irene-sshi your friend is so absolutely endearing.”

“She really is, isn’t it?” Irene smiles and looks at the timid Queen who nods shyly to the grandma. “Thank you.” Almost whispering the Queen manages to speak, she is used to be called beautiful or another adjective that describes her beauty, but when someone calls her adorable she feels shy.

Irene raises one eyebrow smiling but she looks at the grandma again. “Then, we see you later, grandma.”

Both women bow slightly and the light blonde follows the caramel-haired woman until they reach a small garden, filled with diverse flowers making the Queen smile surprised.

“I was right, you like flowers.” Irene smiles meeting the innocent hazel orbs.

“I really like them, they can be so beautiful.” Seulgi smiles and wonders around the small garden.

“They sure can be.” The warrior looks at her wondering how simple but indeed beautiful plants can brighten the mood of the people, she looks at the light blonde who is smiling while she appreciates the flowers with her shiny eyes.

Irene looks at her smiling until she stops smiling and walking beside the Queen.

Seulgi turns around to find the warrior in front of one of the white rose bushes when she approaches the cherry lips woman she feels astonished by the expression the caramel-haired woman is wearing.

Her always playful light brown orbs looking blank at the lack of emotion, the always bright smirk is nowhere to be seen, the cherry lips pressed in a straight and serious line.

“Irene..?” calling the light brown-eyed woman quietly Seulgi softly pulls the sleeve of the warrior's white silk blouse.

Shaking her head a little, the warrior seems to get out of her inner thoughts. “Excuse me, did you say something?”

“No, I was just worried about you, is everything okay?” The Queen asks with deep concern and Irene raises her eyebrows a little bit, surprised by the Queen's concern, she smiles lightly, finding adorable the genuine gesture.

“Yes, I just…don't like white roses so much.” Irene looks at the Queen with a weak smile.

“Why?” Seulgi can’t help to ask, not when is the first time she sees such a dreary expression on the warrior’s face.

“I don’t like how they can easily be painted with anything, white is so easy to ruin isn’t it?” Meeting the gaze of the young Queen, Seulgi feels a sting in her heart.

The warrior light brown orbs look so so hurt, just by looking at that pained look, Seulgi can assume, the white roses bring sorrow to the woman in front of her.

What or who hurt the playful warrior so heavily? She purses her lips, despite how annoying Irene can be, she can’t deny the warrior has a charming and bright side too, looking at the woman's pained gaze affects her, she can’t and won’t deny the sting in her heart.

Slowly, but surely she reaches for the warrior's thin little finger, jumping a little, Irene looks down to their now intertwined little fingers, she looks up to find Seulgi’s hazel orbs filled with authentic sympathy.

She smiles softly and nods in silent gratitude, looking at the Queen's sincere eyes, normally she doesn’t like to look up, the slight height difference between them didn’t bother her since the beginning but now, she is slowly starting to like it.

Because every time she looks up, she finds the honest and gentle eyes of the young Queen.

“If I have to meet this kind eyes every time I look up, then…maybe is not that bad being slightly shorter than her.”

---------------------------------------------------

“I’ll go to the grandma’s hot spring, you can come too if you want and before you argue, we can use towels.” The warrior speaks while she looks into the drawer. “Don’t worry, we will be the only ones here, nobody else is going to watch you.”

Seulgi looks at Irene's back thinking for a while. “And why should I go?”

“Take it as a relaxing time offer, also they are good for a tired mind and muscles, handling emotions can be quite hard.” Irene smiles mildly. “I’ll be there if you decide to go, there are some towels on the drawer beside the bed.”

The caramel haired woman walks out of the room leaving Seulgi to decide alone if she wants to go or not.

“Is it really okay to relax in a hot spring while my sister is out there? Still lost, still missing.” Seulgi grabs the bed sheets pursing her lips, however, as the warrior said, she needs time to relax, being constantly stressed about her sister unknown location is not good, aside from her sore muscles because she is not used to traveling like this.

The window shows her the view of the now calm night, as Irene said, they can’t move in the night because is too dangerous, is now when she feels incompetent, they would be traveling faster if she knew how to defend herself but no, she can’t even hold a sword without shaking.

On the other hand, she carefully thinks of going to the hot spring, is not like Irene is going to see her , but still, she will see some unrevealed skin that is technically against her royal protocol.

Besides, it’s almost like going into the lion’s den, since she doesn’t know what to expect, she doesn’t know how the warrior is going to act, annoying or charming?

Looking at the drawer she sighs, not believing she actually wants to go to the hot spring. She could take this opportunity as a rest from the annoying warrior.

It would be normal to explode with the constant teasing of the woman, and even think to have a decent distance from her for the sake of your head.

However, this is not Seulgi’s case and she can’t help but wonder why.

Curiosity killed the cat, but she is not a cat, she is Kang Seulgi, the girl who is deadly curious about the mysterious and arrogant warrior.

Irene is the first person who fills her head with why’s and no answers, she actually has a genuine interest in who the warrior is.

She might lose the opportunity to have some peace without the presence of the caramel-haired woman, but she might gain a chance to do a breakthrough, a breakthrough in the warrior’s box, the box where the warrior confines her heart.

Although it is contradictory to have an interest in someone who constantly irritates her, she decides to go.

Maybe because for her, the dancing warrior is like a book written in an extremely rare language, the more the warrior annoys her without shame or fear, the more her interest for the woman grows, calling her, almost like a siren song.

Taking the towel in her hands she heads to the hot spring, feeling a tiny shiver of excitement from doing something she is not used to, she feels like a curious little kid, going to where her parents banned her the entrance.

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Hello! Hello!, here's a little update hehe, feel free to tell me in the comments what you think about this story so far! c;

Are you guys excited for The Reve festival day 2? I wonder how the girls are going to surprise us C:

Eat well and rest well! I will see you later!