"Welcome to Kosmo, Queen Karina." The Queen of Kosmo, Yeji's mother greeted. Karina bowed and smiled. Winter roamed her eyes to look for her mother but see no one. The King might have shipped her mother to their house on a faraway island. She should have known. 

"Thank you for taking me in again, Your Majesty." Winter rolled her eyes before walking to the King's side. Her father adored Winter. Sometimes, more than he adored his legitimate daughter. 

"Please, come inside." The King said and gestured to the door. Yeji held the Queen of Kwangya like some prized possession. It irks Winter. Not because she has feelings for the tall girl, but because they are too privileged to treat other people like a thing.

"The palace looks the same." Karina blurted out. Winter scoffed. How could a palace change? 

"Well, it is too beautiful to change," Yeji answered with a shrug. Karina hummed as she traced her fingertips on the wall. Winter remembered seeing Karina running down the hallways. She was only five, but her father wanted her to read books. She never had the time to play outside, like Yeji or Karina. 

"Yeji, can we talk?" The Queen asked. They stopped in their tracks. Yeji looked at Karina for permission and the girl nodded. Winter knew she is not going with them. It was like she is being left out of the family. 

"Tour her around, Winter. Bring her to her chamber afterward." The King ordered before leaving with both the Queen and the Crowned Princess. Winter cleared . Karina and her never really bonded. Maybe, that's why she did not remember her. 

"I guess it's just you and me." She said with a smirk. Karina rolled her eyes and started walking to the stairs. 

"You do know I find you annoying, right?" Karina asked with a raised brow. Winter pointed at herself with a fake shocked face.

"Ah, I thought you find me attractive. Guess I can be both!" 

"Why are you being like this, Winter?" They stopped walking. Karina had her hands balled into fists. Winter saw them but still pushed further. 

"Being what?"

"You are flirting with me! You knew I am already promised to your sister, so what good will this do to you?" Karina asked with a creased forehead. She made the Queen mad. But asking such a question would not do any good with Winter. Karina would not understand because nobody does. But it still stung.

Winter's smile faltered. She pointed at the farthest door in the hallway. 

"That will be your room, Your Majesty. Please excuse me," Winter said and left. 

As she took the East Wing, a hand finds its way to her shoulder. 

"Where's Karina?" Yeji asked.

"She's already inside her room, Princess." The taller girl snorted.

"You don't need to call me that, Win! You are my half-sister, no?" Winter smiled and excused herself. Is that all she is going to be? A half-sister? The King's mistake? Her mother's source of income?

She rested her hand on the window before looking down. She saw four cars parking in front. , Must be the Queen's friends. There is Lia, the Princess of Waerus. Next to her is Gaeul, the daughter of Kwngya's Count. The other is Minju, the Queen of IZLAND. And the last one is Ningning. She is the youngest of the bunch. She is a servant who used to play with the Queen. 

Winter is familiar with them. It is not the first time they have visited Kosmo. She saw Karina running towards her friends. She hugged them tightly. Winter wished she had that kind of privilege. A friend. Someone that will listen to her. 

"Winter. Come here, child." The King ordered. Winter quickly went to her father and bowed politely. She is only 15, and she has done things. Some she is not proud of. 

"What is it, Your Royal Highness?" Winter asked with a frown.

"I want you to guard the Queen of Kwangya. Yeji is going away for some business," Winter tilted her head.

"We have plenty of palace guards, Father. Why me?" 

"Because it is you who I trust, Winter." The girl nodded her head with a grin. She only wants her father's approval. But she and Karina would cause chaos. They hate each other, or Karina does. 

Winter excused herself and started climbing down the stairs. She needs to do a great job, and maybe, the King would make her a legitimate child. She watched Karina from afar. She is sitting on a mat in the garden with her friends, laughing and conversing. Winter guessed it was about boys or their significant others. 

The younger is not blind. She sees hearts in Karina's eyes whenever she sees Yeji. Unfortunately for her, Yeji does not feel the same. It was Ryujin, Winter thought. 

Ryujin is a servant's daughter. She frequently deliver the newspaper, that's how Yeji met her. She knew they are fooling around. She did try to make Yeji remember about her fiancee, but the older did not budge. 

It was just like a game of chess. Karina is the pawn to make them more powerful and wealthy. Yeji is the player that has Karina wrapped under her fingers. And Winter, poor Winter is a watcher who cannot say or do anything. She did want to, but for the sake of Kosmo, she did not. 

"You have been staring at her." A voice said from behind her. 

"You are leaving for Ryujin, aren't you?" Winter asked without looking at her sister. Yeji sat beside her and looked at the five girls.

"Father knew and he approved. Said it's okay." Winter nearly scoffed. Of course, it is okay. Their father is a cheater himself. And that cheating leads to another child without actual power over the Kingdom. 

"Are you sure about this, Yeji?" 

"Yeah. I love Ryu. She is the one." Winter hoped that Yeji would take back her answer. She hoped Yeji would give the girl 10 meters from them a chance. She hoped that Yeji would not commit a mistake like their father. But here she is, not yet married, and already in love with someone else.