Hey all! For my next chapter, I'm going to base it off of your guys' recommendations. Leave a comment with a plot idea within three days and I'll pick the winner prior to writing the next chapter.

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Minnie finally extricated herself from Yuqi’s embrace.

“Yuqi, we have to go.”

Yuqi held on for a moment longer but then reluctantly stepped back. Minnie let herself take in the sight of her beloved, from the way her bangs curled on her milky white forehead to how her lips pulled down at the corners. Even in the darkness of the night, Minnie could see Yuqi trembling with unshed tears.

“I’ll come back,” Minnie promised. “And when I do, we’ll get married and live on a farm with pigs and corgis.”

Yuqi let out a shaky laugh and nodded. Minnie desperately wanted to take Yuqi up in her arms and kiss her until they both ran out of breath. Was it only an hour ago that they had agreed to get married? Fate was cruel.

“Keep my heart safe,” Yuqi whispered.

The words felt like a loving caress against Minnie’s ear. She abruptly stepped into the stirrup and hoisted herself up on her horse.

“Ready?” Soyeon called.

“Ready.”

The three of them, Soyeon, Minnie, and Miyeon, silently rode through the trees toward the soldier camp. As they approached, Minnie could make out scattered fires burning low with groups of men clustered around them. Miyeon was right—they were the same group of men the King’s Guard encountered the night of Shuhua’s first escape.

“What’re you going to tell them, Soyeon?” Minnie hissed.

“I’ll think of something.”

That didn’t sound promising but Minnie implicitly trusted Soyeon. She had a way of getting them out of tight situations. They rode forward slower now. Miyeon checked over her supply of poisoned daggers while Minnie hefted her trusty bow. Soyeon held her sword in front of her. They were so close to the camp that Minnie could see a pipe in one of the soldier’s mouths. She gulped and gripped her bow tightly.

“Ho! Who’s there?” a thick voice rang through the night.

Minnie watched as Soyeon her lips.

“It is I, Jeon Soyeon. Leader of King Yeh’s personal guard unit!”

Four men on large war stallions cantered into view. They must have been lying in wait as sentries. Minnie could just make out a rough picture of a castle on their tunics underneath the grime. They stopped right in front of Soyeon and lowered their spears.

“Come with us.”

Minnie obediently nudged her steed and followed the men into camp. As they rode into the firelight, all the soldiers stopped and stared. Minnie held her head high and didn’t spare a glance for any of them. She saw Soyeon and Miyeon