It was nerve wracking to meet former friends especially when you leave them in suspence after stealing from their castle but that was the price of her job, steal from old friends and then ask them for help regarding said book but try to dodge any questions they ask, good plan Lip thought patting herself on her back sarcastically.

“Ah no wonder you look so familiar oh it’s so good to see you after so long.” Chuu squealed wrapping Yeojin in a bear hug Yves ruffling the younger girls hair it was clear to see they were fond of the girl.

“Have to say I never expected the next time I saw you to be in Eden with a ghost.” Yves said looking up to see Lip standing at the doorway her face passive as she entered the room ignoring the cold sweats prickling from the guards unrelenting glare. Yeojin unlatched herself from the Princesses hug and walked towards the hunter with a nod her way Yeojin left the room leaving the three in a tense silence.

“I need a favour.” Lip stated putting the tome on the table beside her. “I’ve bookmarked parts of the tome that need to be translated it’s in Edens bygone tongue I’ve done all I can but…”

“We haven’t seen each other in years we thought you were dead Jungeun dead and then you pop out of nowhere stealing a tome from the scholars library and then you tell Chuu to translate things for you without telling us anything.” Yves said in frustration marching up to the younger girl.

“This isn’t for me this is for the people going missing if this is right then we’re all screwed.” Kim Lip said staring at the older girls frustrated eyes, making her way between the two girls Chuu rested a calming hand on her guards shoulder whilst the other hand hesitantly stayed raised above her old friends shoulder.

“I’ll translate but whilst I do can you please answer us.” Chuu asked and with a hesitant nod her way the Princess sat down taking the papers Lip had put to the side for her to use.

“What’s so important about this anyways?” Yves asked looking over Chuu’s shoulder at the archaic tongue whilst she only knew a bit like Kim Lip thanks to Chuu teaching them when she had difficulty studying even then the words were still strange to look at.

“The tome talks about magic the control and flow of it but when it come to the markings it’s all written in Eden the strangest thing is those markings in those tomes are eerily similar to the ones we found on the dead bodies of the Avent guards.” Kim Lip replied standing by the fire watching the look of shock make it’s way to Chuu’s face before it marred in to one of sadness, muttering a prayer for the deceased Chuu continued her translating whilst Yves looked at Kim Lip in surprise.

“Do you know what type of tome you stole?”

“A really important one.”

“If it mentions magic it belongs to the King you didn’t just steal something from his scholars you stole his tome.” Yves stressed looking over to Chuu the Princess nodding in agreement as she pointed to the handwriting.

“It’s his writing when it comes to magic everything has to go through him.”

“You’re saying it as if magic is real and not just some experiment he was trying.”

“You know the story of the tree from the first King it is said he was granted magic since then it has been passed down the royal lineage magic isn’t parlour tricks, it only comes as a response to a need.”

“So magic still lives?”

“If anyone were to find out Eden’s royalty would be threatened, magic is desirable and you know what happens to desirable things.” They get twisted and broken Lip thought as she looked at Chuu working on the tome, magic had been used in the first great war to stave off the beasts using every man, woman and child regardless if they were fighters or not in the end the line of magical users had died. It was essentially a genocide of the magical race to save everybody else but here was a living magical user it was odd thinking the small girl had so much power in her but she was always full of surprises.

“How did you know to look for this tome if you didn’t even know about magic?” Yves looked at the girl curiously.

“I didn’t.” Lip answered honestly chuckling at the look of shock on both girl’s faces. “Truthfully I didn’t even know what it was Yeojin just came up to me with an odd paper we deciphered it and we got this tome.”

“How do you get something so important so randomly?” Yves shook her head in wonderment allowing the silence to stretch it wasn’t as stifling as before the scratching of the quill allowing Lip to relax a bit as she thought about what she learned.

“Ah I’m done.” Chu cheered after a while causing Lip to come closer to the girl however Yves stood between the two.

“You’ll get what you want we’ve been fair to you but we need you to be honest with us.” Yves said her voice gentle towards the girl for the first time whilst true they had been more than accommodating towards her she still didn’t like it.

“Please Jungeun ah we just want to know what happened to you we were so happy the day before you left, we snuck out had food and then father came the next day telling us your team had been killed during a patrol but then here you come eight years later saying you actually left because of the war.” Chuu spoke her eyes sincere looking up at one of her oldest friends the Princess had always been kind to her and everybody she came across, she didn’t deserve her animosity. Patting the seat beside her Lip heeded the call and sat beside her Yves sitting on the other side essentially sandwiching the hunter making sure she couldn’t run without a chase.

“What I say it stays between us I can’t have your father know I’m here.” With a nod from the Princess Lip continued. “I didn’t keep it a secret I was opposed to the war against Avent even if I didn’t like Avent I didn’t want to fight in a war after having run from war, when the King found out me and the seniors who spoke out against it we were punished. We were locked away, starved, beaten in to accepting the war would be holy.” Lip said wringing her hands nerves over taking her as she kept her eyes on the floor.

“Father couldn’t do that he’s…”

“He was different back then short tempered, cold ready to hurl anybody to the fires as long as they could answer his wife’s death.” Lip interrupted lifting one of her gloves the girls gasped as they saw the mark etched on her skin, a mark so similar to what they had come across they couldn't deny it had come from Eden, the mark remained a painful reminder of her abuse in the cells. “You don’t have to believe what I told you he’s your father after all but I didn’t run away from you guys I was thrown away like a rag doll everyone died but me. Whether a blessing or a curse it depends on the day but I’m trying to stop another war from breaking out right now.” The sound of Lips heart beat sounded throughout the room or was that the girl’s imagination she had been as honest as she could for the day, she couldn’t handle vulnerability and she definitely didn’t know what reaction she would be able to handle.

“I’m sorry.” Chuu whispered crouching down before the hunter careful to not touch her. “I’m sorry I was never there to protect you but I need you to know Jungeun that I’ll always be here for you, we lost so much time together but know that I will stand by you just like when we were younger.”

“You have both of us.” Yves spoke up crouching beside Chuu. “We swore we’d be there for one another when we were kids and that vow was never broken we were just lost, we’re here together now.” Keeping her tears at bay from the reassurances of her oldest friends Lip looked up to see their glassy set of eyes. Things wouldn’t go back to normal but like Haseul had said whatever happens they’ll face it together. Lip could just imagine the older Queen wanting to do a group hug causing her to recoil at the very thought.

The three sat together looking at the tome in contemplation the meeting would be nearing its end and with that the King would stay for the cursory dinner so they had time to plan but the question was what would their plan of action be.

“I wouldn’t want to push you in to doing something you don’t want but if you went to the meeting you could change things.” Chuu spoke up.

“Yeojin slipped in a note saying there’s been no progress in the meeting if you said something things would move along and we could find out what the King is doing.” Yves said handing the note the younger girl had slipped in when they were arguing before, the note brought a smile to her face Yeojin really was something, how she was eavesdropping on the meeting she didn’t know as Eden, Avent and Tsume guards had all been posted around but the girl was sneaky when she wasn’t talking on top of that she was in her own territory she was dangerous here.

“The guards won’t say anything to me so you can get in to the room without question and nobody will dare lay a hand on you least of all my father.” Chuu spoke her voice more resolute and reassuring then Lip could have imagined.

“You’re going to have to tell Jinsoul anyways at least if you tell her now she can do something with the King.”

“I don’t know what I can do she travelled with a couple of advisors who are pushing for this war they’ll probably get it by the end of the night if I go the war will only hasten.”

“We can get some answers as to why this is happening we need to stop this before more people get hurt or before this spell actually works.” Chuu said pointedly looking at the hunters gloved hands; the girl could only sigh in defeat the memories she had tried so hard to push back were now threatening to break free. The fear of losing control of her thoughts would petrify her for so long the hunter had been trying to avoid the pain pushing it to the furthest depths of her mind, but now she had to bring them to the surface and face them head on to save the people at risk of this anonymous threat.

“Okay.” Lip muttered standing up.

“We’re with you.” Yves said walking beside the girl as Chuu took the lead it was comforting in a way to stand beside her friends once again, they had grown from their days in the castle each becoming different yet still remaining the same, juxtaposing? Indeed, but did it make complete sense to the hunter? Completly.

“….I do not have time to argue please open this door this instance.” Chuu’s demand was met by wide eyes as nobody had seen the Princess ever angry, she was always the nice girl giving soldiers flowers thanking them for their hard work. The guard only shrunk further in to himself when he met Yves unwavering glare.

“…..They’re threatning the very stabi….” The door opened.

“Thank you.” Chuu said before leading the trio inside to wide eyes.

“Princess what are you doi…”

“Everybody out!” Yves bellowed for the Princess earning even more disbelieving glances, Vivi turned to look at Kim Lip who let a meek little wave her way before pointing at the book. Jinsoul noted the interaction and nodded at the Queen her confusion still there but surely the hunter had come here for an important reason.

“All advisors and guards please leave the room- Hyunjin Heejin please Avents advisors outside.” Vivi commanded standing up looking around the room the Queen wasn’t one for many words but when she spoke everyone listened, with direct commands Hyunjin and Heejin ushered out the muttering advisors who were adamant on staying however the guards paid them no head as they unceremoniously dumped them outside the room. “Is everything alright Princess?”

“I apologise for interrupting however we had urgent news to share regarding the case, you see this tome.” Chuu spoke pointing to the tome in Lips arms the King’s face falling as he noted the cover.

“Chuu whatever-“

“Please don’t interrupt me father.”

“You cannot tell these people what’s in the book remember we must guard ourselves.”

“The things in this book are vital for the safety of the lands.”

“Please your highness, allow the Princess to continue.” Haseul said hoping to ease the situation however the King seemed stressed as he shook his head.

“She does not understand the gravity of what she is going to reveal.”

“I understand that you will be incriminated.” Chuu said stopping the King from say anything further as he looked at his daughter in shock. “This tome details the flow and control of magic something the royals of Eden hold however the most important thing is what my father attempted to do with his magic.” Using a bookmark Chuu handed the book over to Jinsoul who looked at the drawings in shock.

“This was on the bodies of my guards.”

“The children had these marks as well.” Haseul said in shock looking over to the King. “Your highness, you should know you’re looking guilty every second you sit there not saying a word.”

“It says the marks are used to control people? What were you hoping to achieve doing this?” Jinsoul questioned looking over to the King hwo looked at his daughter in surprise.

“Whilst the part of magic is true I have not done anything regarding these marks I have never seen them.” He defended.

“They’re from the scholar’s library everything regarding magic goes through you.” Chuu stressed.

“This was clearly done without my consent you should know better than to doubt your father.” The King said trying to look at his daughter earnestly however Lip stood before the Princess diverting his attention to the hunter.

“I beg to differ.”

“And who might you be?”

“Kim Jungeun I trained with Ha Sooyoung in the first garrison.” Lip replied watching as the man’s face went from confused to scared it would have made her laugh if she wasn’t in the middle of exposing herself before the man who tried to kill her for speaking out against him. “You should remember those marks considering you etched them in to my seniors and me.” Taking off her gloves Lip showed the markings deeply engraved in her skin markings she wishes she could take off but she was marred for life.

“What did you do?” Jinsoul asked her voice losing all it’s natural jovial tone, a sense of protectiveness overtaking her as she looked at the hunters hands. Pain, anger, protection far too many emotions whirled through the Queen as she awaited a response from the dumbfounded King.

“This was from research many years ago I haven’t harmed any of your people.” The King defended weakly.

“Research? So you actively went and used people for your experiments?” Vivi questioned looking over at the hunter sadly who was doing her best to wear her gloves as quickly as possible the sight of the scars clearly revolted her however the others in the room could only look at the headstrong hunter with sadness, even now the hunter tried to pretend to play the cool card and act as if nothing affected her.

“I needed to see if it was possible.”

“What was possible? What was your goal?” Jinsoul pushed losing her patience with the man.

“Control.” The King seethed. “I wanted to control a person by imbuing my magic in them it’s a lost art form used by our ancestors to command the magic users in the first war, I wanted to see if it was possible to do it to non magic users.”

“Why would you want that?” Jinsoul asked not understanding why someone would seek to harm someone like that especially their own soldiers.

“I was sure your Kingdom killed my Queen I needed an army capable of taking Avent.”

“But it failed.” Haseul said earning a nod from the man.

“I couldn’t do it so I packed up the research threw out the experiments and resolved the problem best as I could.”

“Then why do it now?”

“I haven’t neither have my scholars, this was my first time hearing of the markings since we conducted the research.”

“You have to have some clue you started this father.” Chuu said looking to the now weary looking man the truth having taken a toll on him.

“There was a scholar that had been part of the research but when I stopped it he left the castle he was always interested in the more mystical elements of the kingdom, he loved the lore his belief in the tree was stunted he didn’t know whether to revere it or worship but he was bright so very bright but apart from that I don’t know more.” The King said looking over to his daughter who looked at him without any of her usual warmth.

“Do you know where he was last seen?” Chuu asked.

“His trail led south of Eden we had sent guards however they found nothing.”

“Of course not it’s a blistering desert down south they’d only be gone for a couple of days before coming back.” Yves remarked.

“I always kept the map of where the soldiers had searched in case we ever needed to restart the search-what he’s one of my brightest scholars I might need to search for him.” The King dug through his pocket holding out the map seeing as Lip stood glaring at the hand Chuu stepped forward taking the map from the Kings hand. Passing it over to the hunter who scanned it Yves looking over her friend’s shoulder looking at where their search would start.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Haseul asked the King who looked over to his daughter who avoided his gaze instead she turned to look at the map feigning ignorance. With a shake of his head the Queen continued. “The crimes you committed would not hold up in your court I understand how lenient the system is with royalty but you have lost all out trust I cannot under good faith of my allies allow you to walk around this castle as if nothing has happened.”

“As a monarch I did what I did to give my people a fighting chance.” The King weakly defended earning a scoff from Lip as she tried to stop the trembling of her hands trying to stay strong before the man who changed her life.

“While that may be true I do not want you in my kingdom the Princess is welcome to be our liaison but I do not wish to see you again, Hyunjin please the King out of the castle.” Nodding his head at the Queen’s decision he made his way out walking past his daughter hoping she’d call out to him once even if it was for a simple goodbye however Hyunjin steered the King away from his daughter and out of the room. With the door closed behind them the room was left in a resounding silence.

“I’ll get to work.” Lip mumbled keeping her head down turning to leave however she stopped hearing the Queen’s voice.

“You need some rest today’s been tiring on you.” Vivi spoke standing beside the girl. “You need a clear head for the desert and if you go like this you’ll only worry us get some rest and leave when you’re ready.” Vivi looked to the younger girl who for some reason couldn’t find it in her to say no to the older girl, she was a calming presence and she was too tired to argue now after her past had been dragged up. With a reluctant nod Kim Lip walked past the worried stares from the girls to her room, a place where she could think of her next steps.

Staring at the fire Kim Lip could do nothing but reminisce on what happened in the meeting her thoughts going haywire hands clenched together breath shallow, calm down Kim Lip chanted like a mantra. Seeing the King after so long and speaking to him had drained her much as she didn’t want to admit that meeting took more out of her than she had thought she needed to get out of there the looks of pity on everybody’s face making her want to run. Run as far as she could away, from here, from it all. But she’d end up in the desert of Eden searching for the runaway scholar the one willingly putting people through so much torture the pain ebbing through Kim Lips own wounds, flashes of tools piercing skin, blood pooling out of her, starving her to weaken her, shaking the image out of head a slight relief washed through her as the door knocked. A distraction. Yeah she could use one.

“Come in.” Lip said through a strained throat.

“Lippie.” Chuu yelled running over to the girl arms spread however stopping short as she saw the girls outstretched hand.

“Sorry.” Lip apologised for a flash of a second a look of sadness passed through the girl however the next second the look was gone as she looked at the girl in a mix of happiness and concern.

“It’s okay I’m just glad you’re here how are you?” Chuu asked sitting beside her friend whilst Yves went to stand in front of the fire eyes scanning over the hunters tired figure.

“Fine what about you? I wasn’t expecting your dad to come clean.”

“He knew it was too late he couldn’t let it go on any longer without losing me, but after it all I think he has.” Chuu replied thinking of how her father had tortured her best friend and other soldiers in a selfish way to avenge her mother in the end he lost them both.

“I’m sorry I know how much you loved your dad.” Kim Lip said remembering how bright the girl would smile when her father would come bounding their way, they were a happy family until the Queen had been assassinated his personality shifting when she had gone, his kingdom having to bear the brunt of his state of mind.

“You don’t have to be sorry I’m glad he was honest in the end at least now we have a lead to go on, once this is all done we’re going on holiday to every kingdom for a feast.” Chuu planned gaining a chorus of agreements. “Before then though you need to be safe.”

“And that means no sneaking out to the desert by yourself.” Yves added looking over at a packed bag by the door causing Lip to look at her sheepishly just then a figure rushed through the door startling the trio.

“You’re still here.” Yeojin said in surprise looking at Lip in surprise. “I came to stop you thinking you were running away.” Kim Lip chuckled sheepishly pointing at the bag by the door as Yves shook her head at the pair.

“I’m glad somebody’s been on your lookout even if she also has ridiculous ideas.” Yves said pointing at the bag Yeojin had on her shoulders.

“I wasn’t letting Kim Lip go by herself it’s dangerous.” Yeojin defended crossing her arms.

“It’s dangerous for you as well.” Yves pointed out.

“Two sets of eyes are better than one.” Yeojin countered causing Yves to chuckle.

“Make it three I’m coming as well.” Yves said surprising the two.

“It’s okay I’m going to go back with Jinsoul I’m officially tasked as Eden’s liaison as well as all round magic extraordinaire.” Chuu said with a giggle. “Haseul and Vivi will be travelling to Avent as well to talk to the nobles and make sure they stay off Jinsoul’s back so I’ll be safe, Yves will be more useful with you.”

“She does look like she can fight a bit.” Yeojin muttered scanning Yves earning a mock scowl from the girl.

“I’m a royal guard to the Princess I have to be one of the finest fighters of Eden.” Yves said earning a shrug from the younger girl.

“Still look like I can blow you over.”

“Blow me over? Fight with someone your own size midget.” Yves said walking up to the younger girl who confidently squared up to the taller girl.

“Why can’t handle a midget?” Yeojin ohhed herself causing Lip and Chuu to laugh in amusement at the bickering pair.

“Fight, fight, fight.” Hyunjin and Heejin chanted at the door oohhhing at the pair as Yeojin settled into a faux fighting pose.

“Yah what are you even doing here?” Yves asked grabbing a pillow and throwing it to the pair.

“To watch a fight but you're dissappointing me Yeojin would definitly kick your .” Hyunjin replied a voice grabbing her attention down the hall. “Don’t fight till tomorrow we have to check on the Queens.” With that the two rushed out of the room.

“Well I guess that means we should also get some rest.” Chuu said standing up. “Get some rest Lippie we’ll see you tomorrow.” Yves nodded her head at Kim Lip before ruffling Yeojins hair with that she wandered out of the room with Chuu.

“I don’t remember her being so violent before.” Yeojin said looking at her hair in the mirror combing her fingers through them.

“You did willingly square off against her though she did enjoy it.” Lip replied chuckling at the pair wondering how they were going to handle being on the road together. “Were you really coming to check on me and leave?” Lip asked looking at the bag Yeojin now put on the floor.

“Of course. I’m not letting you go out there by yourself it’s dangerous we said we’d always have each other’s backs. Olivia Hye and Gowon also said if they found your horse gone in the morning they were going to chase you beat you up and then go with you.” Lip laughed at her friends thoughtfulness the feeling of dread from earlier gone now as she lay in the seat in front of the fire feeling content as Yeojin brushed her hair absentmindedly humming a song lulling Lip to sleep.