Commander Jongkook exited his office at the eastern palace, Donghoon and Sechan in tow. It had been a busy morning going through the security procedures in his new line of territory, and he hadn’t even gone through the security reports about the situation in the towns of Silla. The commander knew it was going to be a grueling day.

Having been born into nobility, Kim Jongkook was presented with the path of becoming a minister, much like the rest of his family that belonged to the clan of the Yoos. His mother was the older sister of the Sangdaedeung, while his father was a scholar, and he had spent a part of his childhood with other young noblemen receiving his education from the Tang empire. 

When he reached the age of manhood, a decree was issued recruiting men who would undergo physical and spiritual training from the monks, and Jongkook, being part of the prominent noble families of the time, was selected to be one of them. For years, he underwent grueling training from the monks, but in time, he felt more enamored by the discipline and wisdom that was cultivated in the temples. He became one of the most notable students, and officially became a member of the elite Hwarang.

Being sent back to the secular world, however, he was faced by his filial duty to follow in the footsteps of his elders. However, the Sangdaedeung acknowledged that his training as a Hwarang would go to waste if he merely became a member of the King’s court. So, they set their sights on having him join the military formally, and take up the position of a commander, who will be taking charge of the eastern palace.

Truth-be-told, it was not a post Commander Jongkook wanted. He would have preferred to be stationed on the ground - in rebel-infested areas, or near the shorelines which were constantly threatened by pirates. In the eastern palace, he believed that he was nothing more than a babysitter for a spoiled princess.

He resolved to quickly finish his tasks in the eastern palace by setting up a robust system to keep the princess safe. Then, he would have more time to deal with more pressing matters and support the General in the security issues of the kingdom. All he had to do was to make sure that his soldiers and good friends, Sechan and Donghoon, understood their jobs.

“I demand to see the commander,” Princess Jihyo’s voice could be heard from outside Commander Jongkook’s office. He rubbed his forehead; this would surely be a headache for the day. 

He could hear Donghoon scramble to stop the Princess, “Your Royal Highness, the Commander is currently preoccupied with security matters. Please rest assured that we will inform him of your concerns with regards to your security detail, but, for now, we would like to ask you to comply for your safety.”

“I refuse. He must meet me at once. First, he did not even personally inform me of these new security protocols he set up, and now he refuses to meet me? This is unacceptable,” Princess Jihyo didn’t budge. The commander rose from his seat, and walked towards the door, signaling for his servant to open it.

If Princess Jihyo was surprised, the Commander wouldn’t be able to tell at first glance. This would be their first meeting after all. He had expected she would look a bit younger, likely donned in a brightly-colored hanbok. He knew she was the older sister of the King, but he surmised that the lack of any official responsibilities other than securing a political alliance through marriage meant that a princ