CHAPTER: FINAL

Si An walk on the Square that morning where they always do the Royal memorial service. It seems like any ordinary morning except that every one busy decorates the place for tonight. The Royal Guard on duty walks around the Square and other place for security. This time around the palace tighten their security because many civilian come and go for the event. Si An did not walk with any bodyguard today. She was alone. She stands there for sometimes to looks around.

When she wakes up this morning, Jaehyun already left. He must be busy too this morning. Tonight might be the last time for her to come for her mother memorial service. She doesn’t know if tomorrow might come for her or not. The only thing she knows is no matter what happen tonight the curse will end.

“Princess! Princess!” Someone was calling for her. She turns around and saw a young maid girl catching her breath after running looking for her.

“Yes....”

“Chief Court Lady Hwang looking for you this whole morning.....” She begins to explain.

“She wants you to go to your study room.” She added after catching her breath. Si An turn away from the Royal maid and walks toward her study room. As she walks she saw Jungkook and Rowoon walking toward King HwalQuaters. They wears their Royal Guard uniform.The different between Elite Royal Guard that works under Jaehyun’s command is their badge.

“I’m here.” Si An said after she open the door to her study room. She saw Mrs. Hwang sit down with an old lady in red Hanbok. Her aura is so strong and different that normal human being.

“Princess Si An....” Mrs. Hwang called and she stopped walking toward them. The old lady in red Hanbok watch Si An closely. If Si An did not mistaken, this is the same lady gave her the special clothes to protect her from demon years ago.

“This is Shaman Lady Seo.” Mrs. Hwang introduced them.

“Nice to meet you, Princess Si An.” Shaman Lady Seo speaks up and bows to Si An.

“It’s nice to meet you again, Shaman Lady Seo.” Si An says makes Shaman Lady Seo smile brightly.

“You still remember me.”

“Yes, of couse. You save me that night.”

“That’s good you still remember her so I don’t need to tell you why she is here today.” Mrs. Hwang said makes Si An smiles.

“You seem busy today.” Si An tease Mrs. Hwang.

“Someone makes me worry....” Mrs. Hwang replied and looks at her. Si An just keep smiling. Shaman lady Seo shaked her head as she look at Si An from head to toes.

“She supposes to die long ago....” Shaman Lady Seo begin and it did not surprise Si An at all. She knows about her past very well. Si An remain seated facing Shaman Lady Seo and Mrs. Hwang.

“Your mother fighting spirit makes you alive and she keeps protecting you until now.” Si An nods as she agree with Shaman Lady Seo. When she learns the truth about herself she really angry and upset because of her mother she becomes a monster but now she kind of understand. Just like her mother, she wiling to do anything to save someone she loves including sacrifice her own life.

“Dress her up using her mother clothes. I’ll believe she will protect her again tonight.” Shaman Lady Seo told Mrs. Hwang then she look at Si An once again.

“I saw a man that always by your side, his energy is strong but one of you will die tonight if you stay together. You should stay away from him.” Si An know who she refer too. She talked about Jaehyun. Mrs. Hwang also knows that Shaman Lady Seo talked about Jaehyun. Before today, Jaehyun are Si An lucky charm and he will keep her safe.

After talking for a few more moment with Shaman Lady Seo, she leaves with Royal maid. Mrs. Hwang and Si An remain seated. They did not talk until they are alone once again.

“Pretend that you did not hear anything from Shman Lady Seo about Jaehyun.” Si An calmly talked. She does not want Mrs. Hwang to raise alarm about him to King Hwal.

“Why should I do that, Princess Si An? He is a threat for you.”

“Because I will wear my mother clothes as a good luck charm tonight.” Si An says in playfully. Mrs. Hwang shakes her head. She never talked serious but Mrs. Hwang understands. Si An never see how she looks right now. She was smiling but her eyes full with emotion. She basically begs Mrs. Hwang to forget what she hears about Jaehyun.

“Do you love him that much?” Si An nods and her eyes glittering with tears.

“I should leave..... I will bring your mother’s clothes to your room later.”

“Thank you.” Si An says and watch Mrs. Hwang leave.

Si An walked around the palace the whole day. She did not stay in her room. Hyun Woo and Jin young were with her while the other busy with work. She comes back to her room when it about time to change her clothes for tonight event. Si An take a quick shower and saw a black dress on her bed while a black coat hanging on the cloth rack.It both belong to her mother.

Si An get ready and stay inside her room until it’s time for her to leave. Jungkook and Rowoon wait for her at outside. They walk with her to the square. Si An saw King Hwal already sit down waiting for her to come. It a close event but the Royal Guard and Royal Maid stand there with them. Only a few ministers were invited to come.

Si An look around them and praying that this event will go smoothly. She hopes no one or anything come to distrupt the event. After Si An come the event also start. The weather changes after a while. It becomes windy and cold. Si An did not see anyone or demon around the square maybe just the weather change. She looks at Rowoon and Taehyung. They remain calm. Si An look up to the sky. The moonlight is so bright. It’s a full moon.

“Si An-ah....” Jungkook called her.

“Wae....?”

“Your turn.” Jungkook said and Si An walk to the altar to light the incese stick and bow in front of her mother picture. She stands there looking at her mother picture for a while.

“Eomma, please protect Jaehyun tonight. Don’t worry about me. I will come and keep you company. There are so many things I want to tell you. Maybe we could have mother and daughter time....” Si An says in her mind while smiling.

Si An stay at the event for a few minute before she slip out. Rowoon and Taehyung know that she needs to go tonight. They will distract other if they looking for her. Si An change her clothes but choose to wear Jaehyun’s black jacket. She want to be brave and think as him will be there with her. She drops by at the crown room to take Hwan’s Sword then she run to the back gate when no one guard it. She continues walking in the dark bamboo forest.

The night feels cold. The bamboo forest did not that dark as the moonlight shone thought the leaves. Wind blowing creates the soft sound when the leave rattles. Si An call her power so she could see better in the dark. Darkness makes her heart shrink in fear. She did not know if someone or something hiding in the dark.

Suddenly a demon attacked Si An from behind without she aware of. She kind of expected Ha Eun will do something like this. Lucky Si An has a quick responded and it did not hurt her very much. He just scratches her arm and her shirt torn a bit. Si An did not heal faster when a demon hurt her. This she notice when she trains with Rowoon and Taehyung. Sword and knife cut she can heal faster but not if Rowoon and Taehyung hurt her with their bare hand. Si An called her power and a fire form from her finger tips and she throw it to the demon like she throw a small ball. He caught by the fire and burns his whole body with a loud scream. A few second later his whole body turn to ashes.

Si An turn and saw a few more demon stand, ready to attact her.

“It’s start now.” Si An told herself and she loosen her muscles.

Sword was stay at the strip behind her back. She did not need the sword for now. She can handle them all by her power. Practice with Rowoon and Taehyung did help her a lot. Demons are fast compare to human but they are not fast enough for her. Training with Jaehyun and Jungkook over the years builds up her stamina. It was easy for Si An to kill them all.

One by one demon fallen and turn to ashes. Si An did not know how long did she fight them all but she could feel her energy slowly draining. She was breathless when the last demon fallen. Then she looks around her and saw Ha Eun stand not far from her. She was waiting for Si An to finish them all with smile on her face.

“I do expect you do this to me.... Demon is demon after all. Never play by rule and fair play.” Si An said nonchalantly. She takes her jacket off and put it on the tree branches. She treasures this jacket so much but it dirty and rips already. She shouldn’t wear this jacket tonight.

“You’re demon too, Lee Si An.” Ha Eun replied with a smirk.

“Look at yourself.....” Ha Eun added and throw a small mirror to Si An. She picks it up and strangely it did not break. It was an antique mirror. Si An look into the mirror and saw her reflection. Her eye is brown reddish color. Her pale skin looks gliterring against the silver moonlight and her hair color black reddish color too. She is fully manifest demon. Ha Eun has red eyes color while her hair is black as darkness night making her skin look so pale.

Si An did not look at her really closely before but tonight she could see every detail of her face. She is beautiful as human and demon nothing much different when she was human except that she did not have red eyes.

Si An throw the mirror to the ground and it break. She takes a deep breath to calm herself. Demon or human, she must keep end this curse tonight. It’s all or nothing.

“Take your sword out Ha Eun.... Let’s end tthis tonight.” Si An said and Ha Eun snickering. She takes her sword out and Si An notice the sword was belong to Na Eun.

“You still believe this will end if you kill me?” Ha Eun asked.

“Yes.” Si An lied.

“How naive you are.” Ha Eun said and Si An smirking this time. This is all about psychology war. Do not show how weak you are in front of your enemy. That is rule no. 1 Jaehyun taught her. Si An take the sword out and reveal it. Ha Eun expression change when she notice it.

“Did you looking for this sword?”

“That sword belongs to my Hwan.” Si An surprise when she refer Hwan as ‘my Hwan’. Her memories did not accurate anymore.

“Hwan and Lee Na Eun was lover and they loved each other.” Si An corrected her. Ha Eun looks at her in hurt. She knows this but she want to believe differently.

“How do you know about Hwan and Lee Na Eun? You remember?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you denying that you ar