Sooyeon could hear people bickering late at night. Yoon ah was in her chambers, getting her ready for bed when the shouting started. Curiously they all walked to the balcony door and saw the general standing next to the Empress and a young man, she couldn’t tell who he was. "How dare you? Who do you think you are to do that to my cousin?!" The man growled at the general who was only looking down at the floor. Luckily the balcony extended all the way in the shape of a square. Sooyeon found out it was her drunk of a cousin that the general and mother were talking to. "I asked that of her, she was only acting on my orders. I heard all about what you and your cousin were up to while you were there." The Empress seethed from her spot through clenched teeth. Sooyeon can sense the anger that her mother is trying hard to hold back. “Who is that man who’s daring to speak so brazenly with the Empress?” Yoon ah asked curiously. The princess didn’t turn because her eyes were glued to the general’s form. Even this late at night she could make out the tensing of muscles underneath the very thin material of the general’s sleep shirt. “That’s Yun ho, he’s my older cousin. I’ve always looked up to him, but he made some bad decisions in his life…” Sooyeon was hesitating to add more, and ultimately she refrained from doing so. "He lied, stole, gambled, drank and slept his way through the entire Kingdom!” the princess was beyond upset about her cousin’s transgressions. “Oh, right, I forgot that she’s the perfect soldier and the perfect in-law of yours." Yun ho shouted at the Empress. “I could’ve been the Emperor! I could’ve done it better than you and your daughter and you know it! That’s why you went ahead and got your daughter married with the soldier, all in your attempt to stop me from inheriting what was mine, the throne!” Yun ho pointed his finger aggressively towards the empress. There’s even spit flying from his mouth in all his anger. And that was it, Taeyeon couldn’t stand and watch him talk to the Empress that way, she’s a solder after all, her protective nature kicked in so without hesitation she slapped him hard that he fell on the ground groaning in pain, even the space they stood echoed and the princess winced at the hard slap. "You do not talk to her majesty that way, no matter what relation you share, she’s the queen and mother of the nation, if you can’t respect her as the Empress at least show some for her age." The general spat and stalked like a hungry lion towards the man still on the ground cradling his jaw, which is probably broken from the strong slap of the general. "Taeyeon leave him be." The Empress held her back. "I’m sure he’s leaned his lesson, look." She pointed to the man as he spat two of his tooth out of his bleeding mouth before drunkenly standing on his feet to run away. "And I’m sure it will be difficult for him to find his way home." The Empress smiled proudly at her in law. "Thank you general." She adds sincerely. "Go back to bed, I mustn't hold you for long, Sooyeon is probably waiting for you." The Empress grinned while shaking her head at the general's sudden red face. "Goodnight, your majesty. Please if there's any inconveniences from that guy or anyone, don't hesitate to let me know." "Oh I will, Taeyeon. You just go ahead now." The Empress instructed, before turning to return to her chambers with her guards following her suit. ~~ Sooyeon has seen everything from the balcony doorway. Her jaw is left ajar at the general’s words and actions. The general had defended her mother and given her so much respect in just a few words. It made Sooyeon’s heart swell with a strange feeling and it felt like there was a herd of elephants stampeding in her stomach. She was just in awe of how venerable Taeyeon was, the first time she had allowed herself to think of the general beyond just her title as she possess one of the trails the princess was looking for in a lover... Someone that respects her parents not as the royalties but as common parents. Yoon ah giggled near her ear and it broke the Princess out of her thoughts. “The general is always like that not just because she’s the Empress, Taeyeon would slap him even harder for a beggar!” As if hearing her thoughts Yoon ah assured and once again, the princess looked at the general with a kinder heart and she was definitely blushing. "Really? Is she always nice with everyone?" "Not really with everyone, only the vulnerable ones, but most importantly the elderly and children." Yoon ah smiled fondly at the figure approaching the chambers. Taeyeon is everything anyone would ever wish for in a lover, "You’re lucky princess because she’s one in a million and she’s yours." Yoon ah adds just as the general turned the doorknob. ~~~~ The next morning, the princess was walking out of her chambers onto the balcony. She had a plate of bread crumbs she wanted to feed to the doves that had taken a liking to walking around on her balcony. She lifted the curtain with the plate in hand, ready to go out, but something stopped her in her tracks. The general was swinging a sword around. It was clear that Taeyeon was practicing but Sooyeon was more interested in looking at the general’s form than her mastery of the sword. Taeyeon was wearing plain white trousers and a band. That was it. The general had forgone a shirt and the princess couldn’t help but enjoy the view. Taeyeon’s back was turned against Sooyeon so she had a good look of the general’s back muscles working in harmony as she swung the sword around in one hand. Sweat dripping down muscled back, disappearing into the loose trousers that were hanging dangerously low on Taeyeon’s hips. Taeyeon’s broad shoulders tensing as she held the sword out in front of her. The way Taeyeon’s forearms tensed as she gripped onto the sword tightly, got the princess's hands shaking and she had to put the plate down before she continued gawking at her wife’s half- body. Curiously, her knees were feeling weak too so she had to grab ahold of the doorway. Then Taeyeon turned around, swinging the sword around wildly, like performing a mesmerizing dance, but again, the princess wasn’t focused on the immaculate swordplay. Instead she bit her lip as she saw a bead of sweat running along well defined abdominal muscles. Absently she wondered what it would feel like to run the same path along the grooves as the bead of sweat had, but with her tongue instead. The vein running along Taeyeon’s biceps made her shiver. How strong must those arms be? What would it feel like to be trapped underneath all that power? 'It’ll be heaven and hell, divine temptation and wretched torment.' she thought. The Princess’s gaze on her hadn’t gone unnoticed by the general. She would have smirked if it wouldn’t give her away. Feeling confident she swung the sword in front of her dexterously, making the muscles in her forearms jump. Taking a deep breath in, she tried to accentuate her abs as much as possible. She grabbed ahold of the sword with both hands, slowly pulling it towards herself (which was unnecessary) but it made her biceps looked bigger. Then again she really couldn’t take this any longer. She never really could contain her excitement well. With a smirk she turned around and looked straight at the Princess’s hiding spot, her smirk widening when the Princess quickly pulled the curtain in front of her in an attempt to hide from her curious gaze. Sooyeon’s breathing had gotten labored. The general’s’ entire body was on full display in