A/N: This is a Jongdae/Hwa-In dedicated chapter. Kindly excuse any mistakes. 

“Have you truly never ventured outside of the palace?”

Hwa-In gives a gentle shake of the head to Jongdae’s question. 

“I see.”

“Not due to a lack of desire on my part. As you may know, the royal court is quite rigid when it comes to stepping beyond the gates of the Royal Palace. Especially, for the female members of the Royal Family.”

“Of course.” Jongdae gives an understanding smile. 

“Mama!”

Both Hwa-In and Jongdae turn their heads at the person who just called out for the princess.

A maid comes running at the two. “Mama, it is time.”

Disappointed, Hwa-In looks at Jongdae. “I’m afraid I must return to my quarters now.”

Jongdae nods. “Yes, of course.” 

“When should I expect your return to the palace?”

“In a fortnight, as always.”

Hwa-In gives a small smile. “Very well.”

“Please, make haste, Mama.” Jongdae says and bows in farewell.

Hwa-In returns the bow before she and the maid make their discrete return to her quarters. 

Once back in her chamber, Hwa-In dwells in the thought of never having visited the very town she lives in. She imagines what a day roaming out and about would be like. Especially, in the company of a certain young lord. The princess smiles at the thought. After a hard and long consideration and emboldened by the possibility of an exciting adventure, Hwa-In lays down an empty piece of parchment on her desk, picks up a brush, and begins to write a letter intended for that certain young lord. 

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A week later.

“Mama, please drink this. It may help relieve some of the menstrual cramps.” The Royal Princess’ lady-in-waiting hands a bowl of tonic to her mistress. 

Hwa-In moans in pain before drinking the said tonic. She then hands back the bowl to her lady-in-waiting before grasping at her lower belly and groaning in pain again. 

“Aigoo, I hate to see you suffer like so, Mama. Please, lay down.”

Hwa-In follows the request of her concerned lady-in-waiting. She mewls while the lady-in-waiting places the duvet over her. 

“I wish to rest in solitude. No one is to disturb me unless I specifically call for assistance. And no need to serve me lunch later, I fear I may not be able to stomach anything. Is that clear?” 

“As you wish.” 

“And you.” Mura points at the maid present in the chamber. “Bring me some drinking water.”

“Yes, Mama.” The said maid promptly leaves the chamber.

Hwa-In looks at her lady-in-waiting. “You are dismissed for now.”

“Rest well, Mama.” The lady-in-waiting bows before exiting the chamber. 

A few moments later, the maid from earlier enters the room carrying a tray of drinking water; the tray shakes because of her trembling hands. 

“Has she left?” Hwa-In whispers, referring to her lady-in-waiting. 

The trusted maid swallows and nods. 

Hwa-In quickly removes the duvet off of her and quickly springs up on her feet. Her having been tormented by menstrual cramps has been nothing but a ruse. The maid sets aside the tray and gently knocks on the door to the adjoining chamber in a very specific fashion. The door slides open and another one of the princess’ trusted maids walks in. She had been hiding inside the adjoining room this whole time. 

“Quickly, undress,” Hwa-In whispers to the maid, who just stepped in, as she, herself, proceeds to take off her own clothes. 

“Mama, I beg of you to please reconsider this plan. If we get caught, a grave doom shall befall us.” The other maid pleads. 

“If you do exactly as I have instructed then we will not be caught and no doom will await us,” Hwa-In assures. “Now, do not just stand there, go fetch my clothes.” She then hands the partially dressed maid the clothes that she has just slipped out of. “Here, put them on.”

The other maid approaches her mistress with a fresh set of clothes and begins to dress her in them.

“All right, now all you need to do is pretend to be me and quietly remain there until my return,” Hwa-In tells the maid, who now lays in her bed donning her clothes and covered with her duvet.

The said maid looks at her mistress nervously. “Pray return at the earliest, Mama.” 

“Do not fret, I shall return by late afternoon.” Hwa-In promises. 

The other maid provides the Royal Princess with everything she may need on her outing before following her two rooms down. There, the maid opens the back window and sticks her head out in order to make sure there was no other presence. She turns her head to the princess and nods, deeming it safe for her to sneak out through the window. 

The maid hands the princess her veil. “Remember to egress from the east gates. The guards there are unlikely to recognize you.”

Hwa-In nods before shrouding the veil over head.

“Pray be careful, Mama. It is your first foray into town and that without a chaperone,” The maid says worriedly. “If something were to happen—”

“Nothing shall happen. I may be inexperienced, however, I am shrewd. And, I won’t be alone. Fret not, hm?”

That does little to appease the maid but she nods, regardless. 

Hwa-In does one last inspection of the surrounding before slipping out through the window. She calmly but cautiously makes her way to the east gates. There, she is stopped by a guard. 

“Permit.” He utters. 

Hwa-In provides the guard with the permit— a wooden plaque with letters stating its owner’s name and her position as a court maid carved onto it. It was of course borrowed from one of her trusted maids. 

The guard takes a quick look at the permit before carefully eyeing its owner, who has most of her face covered with a veil.

“Lower your veil,” the guard orders. 

A sense of dread fills Hwa-In. She reluctantly complies with the guard’s demand and lowers her veil.

The guard looks at her closely. 

Hwa-In’s heart hammers away at her chest. She prays not to get recognized.

“Very well.” The guard returns the permit. “You may go.”

Hwa-In internally sighs in relief. “Thank you.”

The Royal Princess passes through the gates and takes her very first steps beyond the confines of the Royal Palace. She takes one final glance at the palace gates behind her and smiles at her small achievement before overlaying the veil back on herself and advancing towards the adventure that awaits her. 

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Hwa-In reaches her destination.

I shall wait for you at the pavilion by the lake located in the town square, Lord Jongdae had mentioned in their correspondence. 

The princess looks upon the two-storied pavilion from the outside and locates the young lord standing on the upper level. She smiles before making her entrance inside the structure. 

“Doryeonnim,” Hwa-In calls the young lord, whose back faces her. 

Jongdae turns and finds a woman wearing a veil.

Hwa-In lowers her veil, revealing her face to the young lord. 

Jongdae grins. He can’t believe the princess actually managed to sneak out of the palace. Truthfully, he had very little hope. “Mama.” He bows. 

Hwa-In returns the bow before she and the young lord share a smile filled with glee and excitement.

“I reckon it must have been a rather difficult task to slip away from the palace," Jongdae states as they walk side by side on the town street.

“Thanks to my meticulous planning it hadn’t been much of an issue.”

“I’m glad.” There was a momentary pause. “So, how shall we go about this? What does Your Highness wishes to do on her very first excursion in town?”

“I am at the complete mercy of my guide. I shall follow his lead.”

Jongdae smiles. “This guide shall gladly lead you if that's what you wish. I only pray I can make it a memorable jaunt for you.”

“I do not doubt you will. I have complete faith in my trusted guide.”

The smile on Jongdae’s lips widen. “This humble guide of yours is ever so grateful for your confidence in him.”

The two wander about the town square before Jongdae takes the princess to its busy market street. Hwa-In takes everything in with great joy. The hubbub of the town is at such contrast with the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the palace. Although initially, she had difficulty navigating through the crowded streets, she quickly adapts to it. Of course, Jongdae is there every step of the way, assisting her and making sure of her comfort in this unfamiliar environment.

As they step out of the market, the two catch a large crowd of spectators standing in a circle watching what looks to be something riveting while the sound of music fills the air.

“What is happening?” Hwa-In asks. 

“I believe it is a traveling troupe, Mama.”

Hwa-In’s face beams. Jongdae notices.

“Do you wish to see them?”

Hwa-In nods with excitement. 

They end up joining the crowd of spectators to watch the troupe, in their colorful attire, performing various acts, such as, ribbon dancing; balancing rotating plates on sticks; walking on a tight rope; other acrobatic sports. This one particular act involving children being tossed around and balanced over shoulders, while a little concerning, leaves Hwa-In in awe. 

Jongdae smiles to himself while watching the princess’ wonder-filled expression. The day, so far, has been nothing short of a dream for him--- getting such a glorious opportunity to spend some time with the other outside of the palace, where they constantly have to be on high alert. 

The troupe performance comes to its conclusion and the crowd begins to disperse. 

“Did you enjoy that, Mama?” Jongdae asks as they leisurely make their way to their next destination. 

“Oh, that was such fun, Doryeonnim. I have never seen anything quite like it," Hwa-In shares in high spirits.

Jongdae grins. “I am so very glad.”

“Jongdae?”

The said man tears his gaze away from the woman next to himself to look ahead. Whom he sees leaves him stunned. “Kyungsoo-ah?”

His cousin stands before him and the princess with a questioning gaze before focusing on the princess. “Gongju-mama?” Kyungsoo remembers the princess from their one encounter on his first visit to the palace with his other cousins.

Hwa-In panics and swiftly drapes the veil over her head, an act done too late. 

Kyungsoo continues to stare at them in utter confusion and concern. “Cousin, care to explain?”

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“Have you utterly lost your senses?” Kyungsoo half shouts at his cousin after the other tells him everything upon pulling him aside. 

“It is fine Kyungsoo-ah. Everything’s okay.” Jongdae tries to placate the other.

Kyungsoo glares at his cousin. “It is not fine, Jongdae-ah. Have you forgotten who she is. She’s the Royal Princess. A Princess! The King’s daughter!”

Jongdae groans. “I am completely aware.”

“Yet here you are mixing with her, outside of the palace, unchaperoned, in secret! If you had such deep desires of having your head cut off you could’ve told me, I would’ve gladly done you the favor.”

Jongdae remains silent, staring at the ground. 

“ her back to the palace, at once!”

Jongdae pouts. “But there was one more thing I wished to show her.”

The glare that Kyungsoo casts is enough to bore holes through his cousin’s eyes. 

“Fine!” Jongdae hisses. He returns to the princess, who has been standing by herself a few distances away. “Mama, please allow me to you back to the palace.”

Hwa-In becomes crestfallen. She nods, nonetheless. “Very well.”

“I shall accompany you both,” Kyungsoo says, appearing before them. “I hope you do not mind, Mama.”

Hwa-In’s eyes flit to Jongdae. “I do not.”

“Why did you join us? You couldn’t even allow me the last bit of private time with her?” Jongdae whispers to his cousin as the three of them walk in the direction of the Royal Palace. 

“I had to make sure that you were indeed taking her back to the palace.”

Jongdae curls his lip at his cousin. 

“Kyungsoo Doryeonnim, I must apologize for any inconvenience I might have caused you,” Hwa-In expresses. 

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “Not at all, Mama. I only wish to ascertain that you reach the palace safely, otherwise, I would have been riddled with worry.”

“You mustn’t. Jongdae Doryeonnim had taken very good care of me today.”

“I am relieved to hear that, Mama.”

“Kyungsoo Doryeonnim, may I rely on your discretion regarding the matters of today?”

“Of course, Mama. I urge you to rest easy, I shan't dare speak of it to another soul.”

“My deepest gratitude to you, Doryeonnim.”

Kyungsoo offers a small bow.

“It is best if we part here,” Hwa-In says after reaching a place that is near the palace but isn’t quite within view. “It should be wise for neither of you to walk me all the way.”

“Very well,” Kyungsoo says. He then notices his cousin telling him with his eyes to step away. Kyungsoo complies. He bows to the princess before excusing himself and standing a few distances away from the other two. 

“I do not know how to express my gratitude to you, Doryeonnim. Today has been truly unlike anything else,” Hwa-In relays. “I am indebted to you.”

Jongdae shakes his head and waves his hands. “Not at all, Mama. It is I who should be grateful that you had chosen me as your companion for your first excursion in town. I am beyond honored.”

Hwa-In smiles, although her heart is heavy that this--- what has been a magical--- day must now come to an end. “I shall eagerly await our next encounter.”

Jongdae can’t help but smile. His pride swells at the Royal Princess' expressed eagerness to see him again. “Likewise, Mama.”

“Thank you, Doryeonnim, I shall cherish our time spent today near to my heart,” Hwa-In expresses before bowing. 

“Uh—” Jongdae becomes speechless by such a touching statement. All he can do is bow back. 

They share one last look of sadness, due to having to say goodbye, for now at least, before the Royal Princess resumes on the path to the palace... on her own this time.

Jongdae sighs in disappointment. He wished their time together could’ve gone on. Of course, that was never possible. Parting was inevitable. He turns to look at his cousin with a distaste for cutting their rendezvous short. 

Kyungsoo approaches him. “Whatever intentions you have with Gongju-mama, I suggest you cast them away. Today’s events shall never be repeated. It wouldn’t do anyone any good. If not yourself then think of your family and think of the Crown Princess. If our cousin falls victim as a result of your foolish arrogance, I shan’t forgive you.”

Jongdae doesn’t respond; instead averts his gaze sullenly.

“Do you understand, Jongdae-ah?” Kyungsoo asks sternly. 

“Hm,” is all Jongdae utters before starting to walk away, immediately joined by his cousin.

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