The road to Portol used to be packed with farmers and oxen pulling wagons to bring them to the Capital for trade. Today however, the citizens either decided to come early to the city for the preparation of the yearly Moon Festival. It was their the time of the year where they celebrate thanksgiving by sharing food either by a small gathering in villages, or to go and experience the whole deal in Portol and enjoy the feast and drinks all night like it would never end. 

Hyunjin was riding her horse traveliing through the same route with all these farmers and serfs. She was infront leading her company of hard mercenaries riding their horses as well with a small wagon in the middle of the pack with their equipment and loot. They all had different armor and weapons where some of them they bought along their travels and some were contract loots. Alongside her was Jinsoul, who has aged a bit, but nevertheless a brutal enemy in battle. Some would say she was the most brutal shieldmaiden by anyone who witnessed her, but Hyunjin was the leader for the reason that she was most reasonable, but a force not to be reckoned with. 

Hyunjin looked back and motioned Jinsoul to come close beside her. Jinsoul clicked her tongue making her horse trot beside Hyunjin and finally following the speed of the latter's horse. "When we reach Portol, l'll go meet someone, an old acquaintance. You go ahead with the boys and look for work around the Tavern." Hyunjin commanded Jinsoul. "Yes Captain", replied Jinsoul bowing to her side. Hyunjin chuckled to the gesture, "Jinsoul, how many times have I told you not to do it". Jinsoul looks up with a smirk on her face, "I thought you liked the attention, and the authority" Jinsoul raised her fist in tease, Hyunjin furrowed her brows and frowned "I dont want you to, you're no simple follower of mine. You're like my older sister at this point". Hyunjin confessed looking over her shoulder smiling sweetly to the older woman who gave back the same. "4 years... 4 years I've been in this business. I've quite aged and all this swinging and killing makes my body ache like never before. Hell, I feel like Im about to die soon". Hyunjin groans in disbelief, "Dont say that, I still need you. Who will share my spoils?", "Hyunjin, I'm not as young as you, you know. I cant hustle and tustle my whole life. I need to rest someday in the future. Surely there is someone in the band who would make a good companion in replace of me" Hyujin lets out an "ohh" face and puts her fingers on her chin as in thinking, "Hm, lets see... Oliver is dumb, Lilian is crazy, Julian is dumb and crazy. The rest, I dont see leadership and care in them, like you do". Jinsoul chuckles to the observation, "I know you like the bunch of sorry sods, feels weird to hear you insulting them", "I speak the obvious truth, Soul" Hyunjin hands out her palm, expecting the older woman to agree which she nods without looking at her captain. "Its just that... knowing you'll be wanting to retire soon, Im going to need a new companion to I can count on, someone I adore and love so much". Hyunjin tries to give Jinsoul puppy eyes to feel bad for her, Jinsoul smiles with her brow up, "More like to take care of you, you big baby", and with that Jinsoul clicks her tongue again making the horse paces faster, passing by Hyunjin left in disbelief. "Hey, wait up!" Hyunjin does trots along to, and so the rest of the company follows along and before they know it, they were outside the the city walls.

They arrive shortly to the gate of Portol. They had high walls and guards all over the place most likely necessary since the capital was the most populated town in all settlements. They stop infront of the gate, just then a guard comes up beside them to talk to the one infront. "What's your business here, lady?", Hyunjin takes off her hood and speaks with the man. "We mean no trouble, sir. We are mercenaries travelling that came from the east, looking for work", "Are you sure you're not trouble? This week is very important to the capital, any trouble makers are going straight to jail here", The guard squints his eye looking up at the young mercenary. Hyunjin looks back to Jinsoul, and eyes her to do something to the thing. Jinsoul canters her horse to the guard and bends down to get close to him. "Good sir, we are mercenaries that travelled from far places. We have lots of resources and loot in our wagon that we also want to sell off to the market. Flax, Furs, Velvet... Gold...". The guard's eyes grew bigger to the mention of gold. "Well then, you seem the good enough sort. Let them in" the guard looks back to the gate operators up top and signalled them to open the gates. "Good lad," Hyunjin reaches in her pocket and flicks a piece of gold coin to the guard, which he stumbles and catches it. He looks back to the other guards if anyone saw him, but no one batted an eye. Hyunjin continued forward inside and tried to swerve her horse through the large crowd. 

Portol is the capital of Eden, along with two other towns down south. It is a large city with its own acres of farmlands, pastures and smaller villages for food production complementing the large population of the city. Most major villages are days away travelled by horse or cart, and even longer by foot so they need to supply their own resources. This is the path of trade of the other cities and the nearest major village, Kréigswurt and sometimes the village in the northwest of the kingdom, Wissen-Hulf. The roads up are filled with decorations and banners to honor the their Queen's Regime. Peasants walk around with goods and resources they harvested today to sell or supply the local taverns and inns, where cooks and bakers to use to prepare food for the evening feast, furs and flax for linen used by clothiers and silk traders to sew clothes and banners, and iron and steel for smiths making tools and weapons to supply the guard garrison, as well as looking over the weapon supplies of the festival tournament, which only used wood weapons to not inflict major injuries. Overall, everyone was busy but it was evident that they were pretty happy and excited to this particular night. This was one of the major festivals conducted at the exact night of the coronation of Queen Yves on a Full moon. They say every year when they celebrate at this particular day, there will be a full moon which will signify the ongoing prosperity of the kingdom.

"Ill be going, head off to the Tavern and-", "And look for work, yes Hyunjin Im old but not forgetful yet". Hyunjin chuckles to the older woman being snarky, "But I do know old women are more impatient and irritable", Jinsoul closed her eyes shut and exhaled loudly while hands on waist trying her best not to strangle the young captain. Hyunjin held her hand in apology which the older woman accepted without any words spoken. "Remember our rule...","The bigger the job, the bigger the money". Hyunjin saluted in gesture to Jinsoul and went the other way. Jinsoul asked an old man working on a stall for his shop directions to the tavern, and after a couple minutes or so, she was outside the spot. She went in, and the usual was seen. Drunkards, wenches and of course, the good ol' beer. As she was walking to the counter, she eyed another woman who was sitting by a tavern wall. She had decent clothes apart from all the ragged and dirty folks inside, she could even possible be a lady of royalty but not like the fancy ones nor someone very important as well because if she did, she wouldnt be in this old creaky tavern. She seemed too boyish to be one as well, long brown hair that fell on her shoulder and pale white skin, one of her legs was propped up on the table. All this Jinsoul noticed but she didnt bother to give her attention anymore, and went straight to the bartender for a couple of drinks and information.

After some asking around, Hyunjin finally reached her destination. She got down from her horse and tied it to a nearby fence on the entrance. She slowly walked around, trying not to hit any of the tombstones beside her. And finally, under one of the trees, there she was with the person she came to meet. The tombstone of her non-biological mother. The woman took Hyunjin in her care when she was very young and had no true conscience yet. As a child Hyunjin was different from most kids, rather than learning knitting and be graceful like the other girls, she always hung out with the boys in her village and played with wooden swords with them. Her mother was worried at first but seeing her happy made her as well. Her mother never told her who her real parents where, and when she was old enough to be was when her mother became gravely ill and died from fever. She was in her teens at that time when her mother died and she decided to move out and joined the mercenaries that visited their tavern a couple days later. Her question about her true identity was never answered, so she figured that she would rather find it out herself and started travelling the continent in search of her birth right. She took out some flowers she bought on the way here  and placed them on top of the grave. She then proceeded to kneel infront of the grave and spoke, "Hello mother. Its been a while. You're daughter is doing well, I have travelled far, like I always told you I will someday". The bright sun shone down on them both illuminating the nearby pond, the wind gushing through the grass which is the only sound around as the graveyard was barely outside of the city and was empty today. "I have a dear friend, Jinsoul, whom I picked up in my travels. She's a great person that would always be there for me like you would. You see, Jinsoul told me she wanted to retire. I was bummed out about it, I didnt want her to leave me yet, shes a big part of my life now and I cant bear to go work without her advising or scolding me for being impulsive sometimes, or being a jackass in general" Hyunjin chuckled to herself reminiscing the moments she worked with Jinsoul, she was like another non-biological mother to her that she can't bear to lose., "I did say I would be sad if she left ... but to be honest... I kind of feel like it too. I want to try and live simple and safe from now on, away from the hands of people who I need to kill or wants me killed. I just want to live life like we had when I was young, and you were a beautiful maiden in the village. In fact, I plan on buying land here in Portol. I want build my house and raise a family here. I never knew why they had to deliver your coffin to be buried here, but I am glad you are. Because when I finally settle down here, I want to stay here so I can visit you everyday". There was a breeze that sent a chill to Hyunjin but she didn't mind and kept speaking, "I know I told you a million times before, but always know that you have my heart. The people were doubtful of you for raising me as I am but you never minded them. I hoped they saw and loved you for what you truly were. I want to be at peace, mother. I want you to be as well" . While she was immersed in her speech, a tear rolled down Hyunjin's cheek, she swiped it with her hand and stood up. "I'll come back for you, mother. One last contract, and we'll be together now. I promise". After a tearful reunion, Hyunjin pulls up her hood and leaves the graveyard to find and meet Jinsoul.

~*•°•*~

Inside the castle of Portol

"Auntie, this is too tight!" Heejin exclaimed, looking at her Aunt standing beside the door frame while maids come and go with new dresses on their hands. "You've been saying that for the past 3 dresses, Heejin. Just picked the one that feels the most comfortable to you". Exclaimed her Aunt, the Queen of Eden. She had brown shoulder length hair, and was one of the most beautiful women in the Kingdom, including Heejin and her sister. "Thats the problem Aunt Yves, nothing is comfortable". Heejin slouched letting out a heavy sigh. Yves snapped her fingers twice and pointed at Heejin, "Posture". Heejin looked at her aunt in distress yet with another heavy sigh, she stood up straight. Yves noticed something was off wit her niece and decided to confront her about it. "Stop", with one word, all the maids stopped and looked at their Queen. The Queen walked to one of the maids and took a pink dress. The maid holding the pink dress seemed so nervous since Queen Yves was know to be strict and reserved. The Queen raised her hand and waved to tell the ot