The first time Minjoo left the palace in almost two weeks wasn’t for her usual walks through the market, or even to visit some boring noble her father was trying to set her up with. Instead, she was following her general through a narrow path in the woods, she initially thought they would visit the school Chaewon’s family runs – but ever since they left the main road, she was seeing nothing but trees. It didn’t help that Chaewon kept quiet.

If the guide was anyone else, she would be worried by now – but it was Chaewon, and albeit her bodyguard could be a little annoying with how quiet she was at times, she was surely reliable. Of course, there was also the fact that they weren’t alone.

Wonyoung and Yujin went in front of them, they were there to help with training but also protect the princess; At the back of the group there was a line with Hitomi, Hyewon, Yena and Yuri – her official security detail plus her closest friend and maid. The small group was supposed to guarantee that the princess would be safe and sound, without any mishaps like last time.

Minjoo thought it was a bit too much, but she appreciated the fact that Chaewon had picked only younger, gentler, soldiers to keep them company this time. Her sensitive nose was thankful for being spared of the smell of sweaty old men. Walking beside the silent general was still much more pleasant, even if she couldn’t help but feel a little bored after a while.

“I thought we would be visiting your family place to practice, but we are in the woods.” She gestured to the nearly infinite tall trees that surrounded them. “For a long time now.”

“You will see.” Chaewon replied with a hint of amusement in the bright chestnut eyes, the little scar on top of her upper lip more prominent as she bit back a smile. Minjoo’s impatient self was rather funny in her eyes. “I reckon you enjoy visiting the forest, Your Highness.”

“I do, it’s my favorite place. But I just think this is a bit odd.” In fact, Minjoo was glad they could spend some time in the forest, after all she always felt more at ease whenever she was near nature. The beautiful green tones and the gentle breeze, just like the earthy smell of the place, were very pleasant and she could feel her body relaxing and her steps becoming lighter as they walked further inside the forest – but it wasn’t what they had planned for today, what made her constantly look around, expecting to see some men-made construction signalizing they had arrived. “Also, I told you to call me Minjoo when we are outside the palace.” She added a little late, remembering to nag the older Kim for insisting on this over formal behavior when they were in the middle of nowhere.

Chaewon only gave her a small smile in return, bowing her head politely as she kept walking. Calling the princess by the name still didn’t feel very appropriate, and maybe it was for the better – getting too familiar could be dangerous. She was already spending too much time with the girl, perhaps too much time, even for someone in her position.

The issue wasn’t being close to her, but enjoying it so much. Minjoo was, at times, like a kid with her curiosity and persistency, however it wasn’t all she was. The princess was kind and gentle, she had an infectious smile and calm voice that was so pleasant to hear. Minjoo didn’t have a problem making friends, with her observant eyes and easy words, she made everyone feel comfortable – even Chaewon herself was finding it hard to not see this girl as a friend, instead of just a responsibility.

And now here she was, in what was the result of one of her most controversial decisions.

Slowing her steps, the general gently pushed aside the thin branches that covered the end of the trail to reveal the open plains ahead of them, the vast green lawn with fructiferous trees here and there and the large lake placed at the left of it. Stepping outside the trail, she made sure to keep the branches pushed aside to make way for the princess that stared in awe at the place.

“This is…Wow!” Minjoo exclaimed, the golden inside the dark eyes more evident as she smiled brightly, her face lit up and her whisker-like dimples were in full bloom now – she looked genuinely happy and Chaewon couldn’t help but show a smile of her own. The princess looked like a kid, the elegant battle clothes Chaewon gave her waving at the wind as she sprinted to see the lake from up close, the grin she gave over her shoulder to Chaewon was nothing short from beautiful.

The general allowed the others to come in and explore a bit, while she approached the princess with slow steps to not disrupt her, albeit it only made Minjoo look over her shoulder again and gesture for Chaewon to come sit beside her; the older Kim did as she was told, sitting down as she watched the breeze gently agitate the calm waters of the lake that reflected the blue sky of the morning. She could see a high construction at the other side of the lake, the building looking less imponent from afar, but Chaewon knew that place like the back of her hand – it was the school and her family’s house, the place where she had grown up.

“I apologize for earlier. You didn’t fail to keep your promise.” Minjoo said, shaking her head slightly as she noticed the fondness in Chaewon’s expression as she watched the house from afar – of course, the bodyguard wouldn’t bring her anywhere she didn’t think she would be perfectly safe, and this land was definitely a safe place for them. “That’s your family house, right?”

The general nodded, looking more relaxed than Minjoo had ever seen her before. “Yes. The king was kind enough to lend my family that piece of land once my grandfather was put in charge of training the swordsmen for the royal guard. This side was left under our protection later.” Chaewon explained, recalling what her dad once told her about the origins of the school and how they had established themselves in the city thanks to the kindness of the royal family. “I used to practice here when I was a kid. I thought you might enjoy it as well.”

Minjoo nodded, resting her weight on her hands as she lifted her head to feel the morning sun warming it – she already loved that place. “I surely will, lady Kim.”

The brown-haired woman only watched her for a moment, thinking that maybe she hadn’t made the wrong decision after all. “Shall we get started then?”

After hours of practicing with the energetic youngsters under Chaewon’s surveillance, having a nice lunch with the food they had brought and the fruits and sweets Chaewon’s family had sent them as a treat, and watching – and laughing – as Yena and Yuri argued as the major tried to teach the maid how to hold a sword properly and Yuri hit her instead, Minjoo was tired, yet very happy.

She couldn’t recall ever having such a fun, easy-going day, especially outside the palace grounds.

Even her always so serious bodyguard had a small smile on her face as she watched their friends bickering and playing around, just like they were a big family – Minjoo found out Chaewon looked even prettier when she was smiling. Actually, the general looked particularly soft today as she took a seat beside Minjoo once more and handed her a perfect peach, the small smile making lines appear on each side of making her look like a fluffy kitten, rather than the guardian tiger she should represent.

“Thank you.” The princess said, holding back the urge to poke Chaewon’s cheeks – what an odd thing to do to her bodyguard, Chaewon might as well turn into wood from the shock. Smiling to herself, Minjoo thought she should try it another time.

The innocent general in question, only nodded in reply, unaware of the raven-haired woman’s intentions. “The sun should go down in a few hours. We can head to the palace now, I shall ask for a horse if you are feeling tired, Your Hi-…My lady.” Chaewon managed to hold back the honorific – barely.

“I’m not a kid, neither an old lady.” Shaking her head from side to side, Minjoo played with the peach she still held in her hands and looked at the lake that had been calling for her since they arrived. The lake was large enough to allow them to swim, going as far as the normal eyes could see, yet not too far to make it impossible to lose sight of someone. As if lightning struck her, she grinned as she leaned in to ask, “Chaewon, can we explore the lake a bit? With a boat of course, I don’t want to give you a heart attack by trying to catch me as I swim with a sword in tow.” She said as if it was the most natural thing – and it was, because showing Chaewon the worst possible outcome would make her idea sound a lot better; she knew it thanks to the years of practicing using this tactic on her dad.

As expected, the other Kim didn’t seem very excited with the idea, but she didn’t have much of a choice as the younger girl gestured to the small boat the servants left by the edge of the lake – the small boat young Chaewon used to paddle to reach this side of the land. It was only big enough for two people, so it was clear what would happen next.

“Only for a few minutes. This boat is not appropriate for a princess, you might find it very uncomfortable.” She still tried warning, but the princess was already by the boat, looking like she was about to go with or without the general’s help.

With a sigh, Chaewon followed her and after a few instructions they were inside the boat, crossing the calm waters as Chaewon padded – luckily she knew the princess was a good swimmer and there were no other threats there, therefore she didn’t need to pay extra attention to their surroundings.

She watched as Minjoo rested her hands on each side of the boat, body leaning back a little as she closed her eyes to enjoy the breeze hitting her face – she looked completely relaxed, her full lips curved upwards, black hair flowing freely over her shoulders without the usual restrains of complex hairdos…She almost looked like a happy fox in the middle of the woods.

“Thank you for today. It’s amazing how I lived in this town all my life and I still don’t know so much about it…or the country I should take care of.” The princess slowly opened her eyes to gift Chaewon with the sight of the burning flames they carried, reflecting the sun that slowly descended into the water. As the lake surrounded her, with the clear blue and orange sky behind her, the green shades of the trees afar...She was a princess that didn’t need exquisite dresses and jewels to show her true grace.

Chaewon’s pupils dilated, making her feline eyes more evident as she averted her gaze to the sky and paddled once more. “You will see a lot of it, once it’s time. Sometimes growing up too fast is not good.”

“I already told you I’m not a child, whether or not you acknowledge it.” The princess replied with a sigh that was more tired than truly annoyed, for some reason, she didn’t like the idea of Chaewon thinking about her as anything but an equal adult. “And I know, compared to some, I have a good life, it is just…suffocating.”

Holding onto the paddles, Chaewon let the boat float freely, taking them farther away as she softly spoke, “I didn’t say I see you as a child.” Allowing her gaze to briefly meet the princess’ eyes, she continued. “The king has reasons to want to keep you safe. As the princess, you are precious to this kingdom.”

Minjoo pressed her lips firmly, being precious didn’t mean to have it better though. “A princess imprisoned in the palace is such a cliché.” She let out a chuckle that lacked any humor, the bitter taste of old memories tinting her yellow day grey. “It’s not because of me, it’s because of what happened to my mother.”

“The queen…” Chaewon lowered her head, feeling a heavy weight on her chest – she was still a kid back then, when the queen tragically died, yet even she could feel how strongly it affected their kingdom. Albeit nice, the new queen couldn’t compare to the effect Minjoo’s mom had over the country, as if her sparkle shined light over the whole kingdom. And maybe it did. “It was a tragedy.”

Silence fell heavily over them for a moment where Chaewon couldn’t think about anything else to say, nor Minjoo wanted to speak – her mother had died many years prior, when she was still a child that run freely through the woods accompanied by the woman that was the only one capable of understanding her love for the nature that surrounded them. Those were the good times, but like everything good, it came to an abrupt ending.

The sky was starting to lose its light, getting ready for the night time – just like Minjoo was preparing to talk about the things that still hurt so much.

“After her death I was devastated, just like this country.” She said, leaning over the boat's side to allow her hand to touch the water blue like the sky. “My dad never fully recovered, and he is afraid I would have a similar fate.” Her smile was completely gone now, her eyes chocolate-brown, free of the special hint of light that tinted it golden before. She had loved her mother dearly, yet, now she was left with only her memories and her father’s fears. “But I am not my mother. This country, just like my dad, has moved on already. I should do the same.”

The soldier placed the paddles on its’ place, leaning in so she could look at the princess directly – something she would never dare to weren’t they alone and out of sight now, like two friends instead of a princess and her loyal servant. “You are moving on. Someday, you will be the queen of this nation, a very special one.” Her words were honest, her heart free of doubts – someday Minjoo would bring their country the same light her mother had brought.

Minjoo fixed her posture, coming closer to the older woman whose voice was so gentle and caring now, the voice that could reach her heart with ease like Chaewon’s hands had been there to protect her the other day – maybe her father had chosen the only person that could truly keep her safe, in more than one way.

It was her first time seeing Chaewon like this, the first time where there was no danger or awkwardness that made any of them to pull back, instead there was a comfortable air of familiarity and safety now. Chae wasn’t smiling, but her chestnut eyes looking like bright silver in the dusk, like guiding lights that would always lead her way – those eyes were filled with genuine care and somehow it was enough to move her heart.

It was fondness instead of mischief that made Minjoo reach out and tentatively touch the little scar over Chaewon’s lip, giving her a smile that was small but genuine. The skin was slightly cold and nice underneath her fingers, the woman naturally leaning onto the touch. “So that is why I was gifted with such a special bodyguard?”

The sparks were back to Minjoo’s eyes, the warmth involving them just like the twilight, and for a moment Chaewon was completely lost into them – a moment long enough to make the both of them know that it, whatever feeling it was, was mutual.

Pulling back, the general rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand before going back to paddling – making sure they would show nothing but a façade of indifference, instead of revealing her convoluted emotions. “It’s time to come back, we are losing light.”

No, they weren’t – and even if they were it wouldn’t be a problem since they were in the land of the Kim. Yet, Minjoo didn’t argue, averting her eyes to the lake as she played with the strings of her clothes – the tip of her fingers still burned hot from touching Chaewon, the brief feeling of the soft skin engraved inside her mind. She wondered if it would always feel like this.

She didn’t get to test it another time, since they were received by another group of soldiers the moment they were back on land.

“Your Royal Highness.” The leader of the group had greeted before turning to face Chaewon. “I’m sorry, General. But the king requested for your presence.”

“My king.” Chaewon had greeted as she entered the room, bowing down before taking her place, sitting across the man on the table. Her posture was rigid, face expressionless as she listened attentively to whatever he had to say – nothing good ever came from emergency meetings.

“General Kim.” The man graced her with a nod, his hand gesturing to the table where a map could be seen as well as pieces of paper. “I apologize for interrupting your duties, but we have a delicate situation in hand and I’m asking for your advice.”

He encouraged her to check for herself the content of the letters, as well as examining the map. It only took Chaewon a few minutes to understand the situation, and the more she read, the darker her expression grew. Nothing seemed to make sense, they thought everything was under control after the last big war and the change of government in the South, a new menace after such a short time just didn’t seem possible. “The queen of the Beojji is not one that pursues power or takes pride in violence.” She pointed out, rereading the letters General Kwon had sent the king regarding suspicious activity at the border. “It’s an odd time to choose to attack when they barely recovered from the last war.”

“I think the same. We are an agreement. However, we have been betrayed before.” The king spoke, his voice deep and heavy like the fingers that persistently hit the table, showing how upset he truly was. “The Lee family also sent in a formal invitation.”

What could the Lee’s even have to do with it? They were another rich family that hoarded money and contributed to nothing but political gossip. Tension filled her body as she asked, “An invitation?”

“For the princess, they want her to visit and have a formal meeting with their son.” The king handed her the letter and Chaewon had to refrain herself from kneading it between her fingers.

It was just another political ploy. Whether the Lee’s just knew about the delicate situation the kingdom was facing, or they were even supporting the enemy in favor of their own interests, it was equally despicable. They just wanted power and the princess was nothing more than a tool for them to obtain it. Minjoo would be nothing but a toy to some spoiled noble and his ambitions.

The general left the letter on the table, her hand searching for the guard of her sword as she pressed it tightly – if she had the chance, those greedy bastards might end up headless.

“The Lee’s have shown interest in an alliance for a very long time, they have been our allies for many decades and their son should be the best option for Minjoo, if she were to marry a noble.” The king continued, his tone was full of diplomacy and a calm that Chaewon didn’t think it was possible to show – but the man had to behave as such, after all, there was a lot in play here. “I think this visit might change her views on marriage and maybe it will help her to understand the burdens that come with her title.”

“My king, if I may speak freely, and with all due respect, I don’t think sending the princess to an unknown place in such a delicate moment is the best decision.” It wasn’t like her to talk like this or just give her opinion unrequested – but if the king had shown her those things, he must’ve wanted her input. She was a strategist and even if she put her feelings aside and only looked objectively at the matter, it still sounded absurd. “I don’t understand why she would have to visit them and not the other way around. They are showing great disrespect for the princess and Your Majesty.”

The king did what she wanted and crushed the invitation under his fingers, forgetting about his well-polished calm façade to be direct with the general. “I don’t think it is appropriate either. Their request is far from reasonable.” A grimace appeared on the man’s face as he tapped his fingers against a certain point in the map. “But we can’t afford to have both our neighbor country and the most influential nobles against us. If the Lee family decides to support our enemy, we could be facing something worse than war. I heard their family has connections in the South.” His voice was bitter as he leaned over the map, piercing dark eyes on Chaewon as he spoke. “I’m not sacrificing my daughter, general. I’m keeping her safe while I find a way to protect us from Beojji. I trust you to keep the princess safe and sound while dialogue is made.”

Gripping tightly to her sword’s guard, the young soldier bowed her head in respect to the king, feeling her chest a little less heavy now that she knew the man wasn’t simply handing his daughter to the Lee’s.

“I shall do anything in my power to protect the princess.” Chaewon surely wouldn’t allow anyone to come closer to Minjoo as long as she was under her protection. In the last couple of weeks Minjoo had become more than a mere responsibility to her, she was now someone Chaewon had learned to appreciate and care about as a persona – someone who didn’t deserve to be preyed on by greedy men. “I will bring her home safely, Your Majesty. You have my word.”