A little while later, Jinyoung

 

Jinyoung groaned as he slumped over the edge of the ship, his head spinning. 

 

“Why did I think this was a good idea…” He muttered. He hadn’t been on a ship very often while he was in Assai, and whenever he was, it had been during  clear skies and calm waves. Today, as if the skies knew that the queen had left with a mission in mind, the sky had darkened not long after they had set out on a prearranged merchant ship, followed by waves that grew increasingly larger, their rhythmic movements making the ship sway along with it. 

 

“Open your mouth.” A voice sounded near his ear, and the prince was too weak to refuse or even wonder who was speaking to him. A soft pill was immediately placed into his mouth, followed by a light but swift yank backwards that made Jinyoung swallow it. Blinking in surprise, Jinyoung turned his head to see the queen crouched next to him.

 

“What did you give me?” He spluttered, his mind still half reeling from the waves. Soyoung scoffed slightly and dusted off her hands before rising to her feet.

 

“You’ll know in a few minutes.” She answered simply before walking away. Jinyoung stared at her retreating figure, flabbergasted, until another pair of footsteps strode up to him and Hans sat down next to him.

 

“I see Her Majesty gave you medicine.” He commented, “Your seasickness should be gone in a few minutes.” Jinyoung blinked in surprise. Sure enough, he could already feel his stomach settling and his head was spinning less even though the ship was still being tossed in the waves. 

 

“Medicine?” He repeated. Hans nodded.

 

“Her Majesty had the royal physicians create it many years ago when we began spreading to battle at sea.” He said, “At the time, a lot of our brothers couldn’t stand the motion of the waves, so the queen ordered a special medicine to be made!” Jinyoung nodded slowly. 

 

“It seems…the queen treats you all very well.” He commented, “She even trains you personally.” Hans grinned and nodded eagerly.

 

“But of course!” He declared, “Most of us have followed Her Majesty since her early military days and watched her climb up the ranks all on her own. There hasn’t been a single time she’s let us down, and all of us brothers hold the utmost respect for her.” 

 

“Then…do you never question her actions?” Jinyoung asked hesitantly, “Do you always listen to her?” Hans chuckled. 

 

“No, of course not.” He answered, “There are times when we give our opinions on Her Majesty’s decisions, and if she thinks it’s accurate, she’ll change her decisions accordingly. But if she doesn’t, then we all trust her enough to do as she says.” Hans winked playfully at Jinyoung.

 

“After a few more years by her side, you’ll understand.” He said, “Her Majesty may seem stubborn, and she doesn’t always say everything out loud. But in the end, her intentions are good..” Hans was called away before Jinyoung could say anything else, leaving the young prince deep in thought. 

 

It’s incredible, how much implicit trust everyone has in her. I’ve never seen any ruler with that amount of trust before.

 

When Jinyoung had been in Assai, the citizens had undoubtedly obeyed the king, and none of them ever dared to question decisions he made. His father wasn’t a tyrant, but even the court officials listened more out of respect and fear rather than an implicit trust that their ruler’s decision would more than likely be right. There were court officials who were against Soyoung, of course, but that was generally limited to the older generation who were disapproving of the young female ruler’s different ideas. That part was unavoidable in every court. Even when the queen suddenly announced something that sounded ridiculous on its face, like personally uprooting pirates from the country, her soldiers faithfully, and even excitedly, followed. Jinyoung’s gaze moved slowly over to where Soyoung was walking along the edge of the ship with one of her generals, her gaze switching periodically from the map in her hands to various parts of the ship as she pointed and gave orders, the older man next to her nodding in agreement.

 

This woman…is certainly extraordinary.

 

As if she could feel his gaze on her, Soyoung’s gaze flicked up slightly, and Jinyoung jolted as their eyes met. Embarrassed at having been caught staring, he quickly looked away, but to his surprise, heard a voice call out to him.

 

“Prince.” Soyoung’s firm voice carried over the voices of the soldiers milling about the ship, and Jinyoung turned his head back slightly to see the queen raise a hand and beckon to him. Confused, he pointed in bewilderment at himself, to which she nodded and crooked a finger towards him again. Jinyoung rose to his feet and walked over to the queen as the general next to her bowed and walked away.

 

“What is it?” He asked. Soyoung directed his gaze at the map in her hands.

 

“Look carefully.” She said, “The red circles mark where all the previous ships have been attacked by the pirates. Each time, the pirates made their move from three directions right before the merchant ships entered the open sea, effectively blocking off all escape routes. In a little while, we’ll be right near the spot where the previous ships were attacked.” Jinyoung frowned.

“So…that means you are using your own ship as bait?” He asked. Now that he thought about it, the queen had used a regular merchant ship from the port rather than one of the armored ships from the royal fleet. And unlike what someone would have otherwise expected, the queen was dressed in simple clothes, having seemingly left most of her protective armor in the palace except for the sword at her hip and a light plate barely visible beneath her shirt. 

 

“Precisely.” She answered, “After all, the pirates are after money and goods, not the royal military. They’d never come out if we made it obvious we were coming to capture them.” Jinyoung nodded in agreement.

 

“But…why are you telling me this?” He asked curiously. Soyoung looked over at him wryly.

 

“Aren’t you the one who blamed me for keeping secrets from you?” She answered dryly. Jinyoung’s cheeks flushed slightly. 

 

“That’s true, I did, but…” He spluttered, looking away awkwardly. 

 

She doesn’t have to put it that directly, does she?

 

Soyoung scoffed lightly.

 

“Besides, if you’re going to face danger with the rest of us, you should at least know where you’re going.” She continued. A shout came from one of the soldiers before Jinyoung could continue.

 

“My Lady, an unknown ship is approaching!” Soyoung’s gaze immediately turned cold at the warning.

 

“Get into formation!” She ordered before taking Jinyoung’s wrist and pulling him towards the lower deck. 

 

“What are you doing?” He demanded as Soyoung shoved him into the little room below the deck.

 

“Stay here.” She ordered, her voice firm. Jinyoung spluttered in protest, but the queen pushed him back.

 

“Can you fight?” She asked. Jinyoung shook his head, and Soyoung gave him a knowing look.

 

“Then stay here.” She continued, “At least here, I know you’re safe. I let you come along to see my work, not to let you get injured. Don’t move until I come to get you.” Jinyoung couldn’t help but admit that she was right. If he was outside, he’d only run around like a headless chicken, and probably get in everyone’s way as a result. A loud thud suddenly came from near the front of the ship, followed by the sound of pounding footsteps coming closer. Soyoung cast a gaze towards the window before cursing under her breath.

 

“There’s more than I expected.” She muttered before giving Jinyoung a warning look.

 

“Remember, don’t move.” She ordered before shutting the door and rushing out. The sound of metal against metal filled the air a few seconds later, and Jinyoung felt his heart begin to pound nervously.

 

Just what did I get myself into?

 

__________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

Soyoung’s footsteps moved quickly along the top edge of the ship, the cape and hood she had slipped on fluttering protectively around her and hiding her signature midnight black hair from view. Her swift movements sent pirates sprawling in her wake, her blade barely making a sound as the metal cut into vital points across their bodies while she used the other hand to pull soldiers out of harm’s way. The large ship was an entire scene of chaos, with soldiers fighting against pirates on every inch of the wooden structure. If someone looked closer though, there was a certain structure to the apparent chaos. After all, Soyoung had arranged every movement and knew where every soldier had been placed. The moment she had made the decision to set out to rid her country of these pests, she had no intention of letting them win.

 

Even with her hair covered, Soyoung was well aware that she stood out in this battle; her movements drew the pirates to attack her, only to be thrown down a few seconds later, but that was the point. After all, it was only when she made the battle difficult would the true boss appear. As she had expected, before long, she caught the sound of another board hitting against the edge of her ship, and she turned to see another group of pirates coming onboard. This time though, the group was led by a tall burly man holding a large sword that anyone smaller than his size would surely find hard to even lift, much less use as a proper weapon. Soyoung’s eyes narrowed as she watched the nearby pirates reacting to the man’s presence.

 

There.

 

Soyoung lifted two fingers to her lips and gave a whistle, signaling her soldiers to move to the next step of their plan. As her signal spread through the ship, the soldiers backed away from direct combat, and a few seconds later, a volley of arrows flew through the air towards the pirate leader and his group. As the men were distracted by the sudden attack, Soyoung ran quickly towards the pirate leader along with a few of her best soldiers, and before he realized she was coming towards him, she leapt into the air and brought her sword down hard towards him. The man barely had time to defend against the sudden move, but he still managed to bring his large weapon up to blow Soyoung’s slender sword. With a flick of her hand, Soyoung brought her sword along the edge of his bulky weapon until the sharp edge cut against his wrist, causing him to let out a shout and drop the heavy sword. Undeterred though, the man quickly launched a counterattack, and Soyoung threw herself backwards to avoid the sharp rings that were on his other hand. She landed neatly on the wooden floor a few steps back with barely a sound, drawing a laugh of disbelief from the pirate leader.

 

“So they send a woman to fight me this time.” He sneered, “Those old men in the capital must be getting desperate.” He stretched out his arms, a mocking look on his face.

 

“But little girl.” He sneered, “If you wanted to use a honey trap, I think you’ve forgotten how that is supposed to work.” Soyoung scoffed at him in return.

 

“A honey trap from me?” She answered coldly, “You are out of your league.” Without wasting another second, Soyoung leapt towards him again, her sword gripped tightly in her hand. The pirate leader managed to dodge a few of her initial blows, but Soyoung’s lithe figure and speed gave her an advantage over his unwieldy weapon and burly build, and within a few blows, Soyoung had him on his knees with a final blow to the back of his legs. The man chuckled as Soyoung pressed her sword against his neck, one booted foot pressed firmly on his leg to keep him still.

 

“It seems I underestimated you, little girl.” He sneered, “You are better than I expected.” Soyoung smirked as she motioned for another soldier to come and hold the pirate leader still, and walked around to stand in front of him.

 

“But of course.” She answered, pulling her hood off with a flourish, “After all, I have always been confident in my abilities.” The man’s eyes widened slightly as Soyoung’s midnight black hair fell down her back in a rush before he laughed dryly.

 

“What an honor.” He sneered, “To have the Queen herself come and capture me. Is the royal military lacking in suitable soldiers?” The soldiers bristled at the thinly veiled insult, but Soyoung merely smirked calmly.

 

“Of course I had to capture you personally.” She answered, “If I sent my soldiers alone, I’m afraid they’d kill you within a few moments. You see…” Soyoung pulled out a dagger she kept near her hip and dug it into the man’s chest, just deep enough to cause pain but not to leave a serious wound.

 

“Letting you die with one blow is far too easy.” She said, “I need you to suffer slowly, in order to pacify the pain you have caused on my people. You will rot slowly in prison for the rest of your days.” The man’s face paled slightly as he realized his fate, and Soyoung waved a hand at the soldiers behind him.

 

“Take him away.” She ordered.

 

“Wait.” A gruff voice cut through the air before the soldiers could carry out Soyoung’s order, and she turned to see a tall pirate stepping boldly forward. For a brief moment, Soyoung wondered why no one moved to stop him. Then, her heart skipped a beat and her eyes narrowed as the man stepped out of the crowd, and she saw him fully for the first time, along with the other man being held at swordpoint. 

 

Jinyoung.

 

Her husband had been captured.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

Being captured hadn’t been part of Jinyoung’s plan. 

 

In fact, he had been quite content to remain in the room the queen had left him in until the whole affair was finally over. 

 

That all changed though, when in the middle of the chaos, one of the pirates had managed to make his way into the lower deck and came across Jinyoung while he searched the area. Jinyoung had attempted to put up a fight, but he was subdued before he realized it. As he was dragged onto the top deck, Jinyoung quickly realized what was going on. 

 

The fight had long ended, and a large burly man was being held on one end of the ship. As far as Jinyoung could see, all other pirates had either been killed or subdued, and the ship was surprisingly quiet compared to the chaos that had reigned not that long ago. If he hadn’t been held hostage, everything would be wrapped up within the next hour. Jinyoung saw surprise flicker through the queen’s serious face for a brief second before her eyes narrowed angrily. 

 

“Your Majesty, you have quite an interesting taste.” The pirate holding Jinyoung sneered, “You bring your little pets to battle too?” Jinyoung opened his mouth to protest at the way the man was describing him, but Soyoung spoke before he could say anything.

 

“Pets?” She scoffed, an amused smile on her face, “Indeed, the man you’re holding there is quite a favorite of mine. He often keeps my bed warm..” Jinyoung’s eyes widened at the queen’s response. Rather than correct his position, the queen’s answer indirectly admitted that he was one of her male pets!

 

Putting aside the fact that she doesn’t have any lovers, just what is she doing?

 

The pirate scoffed and tightened his grip on Jinyoung, jolting the young prince slightly as he pressed the sword closer to his neck.

 

“Let my leader go.” He demanded, “Or else I will kill your little lover here.” To Jinyoung’s further surprise, Soyoung laughed after looking briefly at the soldier closest to her.

 

“Do you really think you can use a mere lover to threaten me?” She sneered, stepping forward as she spoke, “You can have him if you want, that’s no business of mine. There are plenty who are willing to fill his position. I’m sure I can find a new favorite among them.” Jinyoung stared at the queen incredulously, hardly believing what he was hearing. The queen walked increasingly closer until the pirate pressed the sword closer to Jinyoung’s neck again, close enough that he could feel something wet running down his neck.

 

“Don’t come any closer!” The pirate demanded, “Or else I will kill him!” 

 

“Alright, I’d like to see you try.” Soyoung answered, her footsteps never wavering, “I bet you wouldn’t dare to. Because only cowards would bother with hostages.” Jinyoung could feel the pirate’s hand trembling as Soyoung’s words hit.

 

Why is she egging him on?

 

“Ah, I see how things are.” Soyoung continued, nonchalantly spreading her hands, “Your leader doesn’t even favor you, does he? That’s why you got left until the end and then had nothing to do but scour the lower decks for anything useful, right?” A smirk turned up the corner of her lip.

 

“So you’re both useless and a coward.” She sneered. The sword shook even harder as Soyoung insulted the pirate’s dignity, so much that Jinyoung was convinced the pirate was either going to kill him or drop the sword if Soyoung said anything else.

 

“How dare you say that about me!” The man screamed, his sword rising into the air. Jinyoung shut his eyes and prepared himself for the worse, but two seconds later, he heard the sound of something flying through the air, followed by a dull thud. The pirate holding him stumbled forward, and a hand suddenly grasped Jinyoung’s wrist, dragging him away from his captor. Jinyoung’s eyes widened as he suddenly found himself inches away from Soyoung, her hand tightly wrapped around his wrist. Not one to be deterred, the pirate swung his sword at them both in the few seconds it took the queen to regain her momentum from lunging forward, and Soyoung quickly pulled Jinyoung against her before throwing them both onto the wooden floor, allowing them to roll away from the attack. A soft grunt sounded near Jinyoung’s ear as they finally came to a stop as Soyoung’s back hit against something hard, followed by the pounding sound of footsteps as soldiers rushed to surround their master.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

 

The worried shouts of the soldiers filled the air, but cut off a few seconds later as Soyoung’s arm left its protective grasp around Jinyoung’s back. 

 

“I’m fine, don’t make a fuss.” She answered as she sat up, “Are you injured, Jinyoung?” Jinyoung flinched slightly as pain shot up his neck as he sat up, one hand reaching up to touch his neck gingerly. He hissed slightly as he felt pain again, and felt his throat go dry as his hand came away dyed red. Soyoung’s eyes narrowed dangerously as she tilted his head slightly to get a better look at the cut on his neck. 

 

“Where is that pirate?” She asked, her voice dangerously low.

 

“Held for your judgment over there, Your Majesty.” One soldier replied, and the sea of soldiers parted accordingly to reveal Jinyoung’s previous captor being held down by several soldiers in the same spot he had been left. Soyoung rose to her feet, her steps slow and deliberate as she made her way over to the captured man. 

 

“Let’s see.” She mused as she looked closely at the man, “Which hand was it that dared to leave a cut on my husband’s skin?” 

 

“The right hand, Your Majesty.” One soldier provided helpfully, drawing an amused smirk from Soyoung.

 

“Ah, so it was the right hand, was it?” She answered. Jinyoung watched as she held out a hand, and another soldier dutifully handed her a sword without another word. 

 

“Jinyoung.” Soyoung said, “Close your eyes.” Jinyoung looked up at the soldiers near him in confusion, but they surrounded him without another word as he didn’t move, one of them moving to place his hands over Jinyoung’s eyes. Before Jinyoung could realize what was going on, he heard the swish of Soyoung’s sword moving through the air, followed by an anguished cry from the pirate that had held him captive. The air was frighteningly quiet for another second, followed by Soyoung’s voice.

 

“Let this be a lesson to everyone here today.” She announced coldly, “Whoever dares to lay a hand on what is mine will pay the consequences.” Jinyoung felt a shiver run down his back at the queen’s words, and he could only wonder what the pirate’s fate had been. 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The soldier shouted in unison. The group around Jinyoung didn’t dissipate until a few minutes later, and by the time they did, the spot where the pirate had been held was empty as if nothing had ever happened. Jinyoung looked up at the soldiers remaining around him.

 

“What happened to that pirate?” He asked curiously, but the men simply shook their heads.

 

“It is better if you don’t know, Your Highness.” They all said simply. Jinyoung couldn’t get an answer from them no matter how he tried, and eventually he realized he could only add it to the list of the many things he would never be told and turned his thoughts to a different matter instead.

 

Relative peace had taken over the ship again as the battle came to an end, and the young prince was left to wander about on his own. Jinyoung’s gaze flickered around the ship as he tried to process what had just happened. It had all happened in such a rush that he had barely had a moment to think. He spotted a cloaked figure standing near one end of the ship, dark midnight hair flowing freely in the wind under the brown cloth. 

 

“Your Majesty.” The queen’s dark eyes moved slightly away from the steady stream of pirates being moved to custody as Jinyoung walked over to her, a slight acknowledgement of his presence. Jinyoung swallowed hard.

 

“Thank you for saving me.” He said softly, bowing politely. A soft scoff came from Soyoung’s lips, the anxiety over his well being from earlier long gone.

 

“What’s this?” She scoffed, “So my husband does know how to be thankful.” Jinyoung swallowed hard at her harsh tone. 

 

“I am not a barbarian, Your Majesty.” He answered, “I know how to be grateful for someone’s favor.” The queen didn’t answer, and instead straightened up and began walking away.

 

“Wait!” In his haste, Jinyoung reached out and grabbed the queen’s shoulder to stop her, yanking her to a stop. Her body stiffened slightly as he grabbed her, and the queen seemed to take a moment to compose herself before she turned around to face him.

 

“What is it?” She asked coldly. Jinyoung bit his lip. 

 

“Why did you agitate the pirate?” He asked, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you? Weren’t you afraid he was going to kill me?” A slight smirk turned up the corner of Soyoung’s lips, and Jinyoung gulped as she walked towards him, barely pausing in her step until his back bumped against the edge of the ship. Soyoung’s arms came down on either side of him, locking him into place as the hood fell off her head and midnight black hair rushed free, filling Jinyoung’s nose with the smell of sweat and sea. Jinyoung’s cheeks flushed pink at their proximity, but there was no getting away.

 

“First, let me correct something.” Soyoung said firmly, “Fear is not something that exists in my book. Second, if he wanted to kill you, he would have done so already. Agitating him was for purposes of weakening him rather than spurring him on. And third, before you ask, I didn’t say you were my husband because if I had, the situation might have changed because he would have something to gain from injuring, or perhaps even killing, my husband rather than a lover I had decided to bring with me. And before you ask more, I’d suggest you look in that direction.” A slender finger pointed up towards the top of the ship mast, and Jinyoung’s gaze followed obediently.

 

His gaze fell on a watchtower near the top of the ship, and spotted a young soldier carrying a bow and arrow perched on top. When Jinyoung looked over to the other end of the ship, he spotted another similarly situated young man. At last, he began to understand what had happened. From the beginning, Soyoung had arranged for archers to remain hidden in areas where the enemy wouldn’t be able to see them, and when the time came, they would be able to attack the enemy from behind before anyone even realized what was happening. If Jinyoung’s thoughts were right, the arrow that had started the chain of events that allowed the queen to free him had come from one of those men. 

 

In other words, the situation had been within the boundaries of her control from the beginning. All that mattered was getting the right timing to shoot the arrow. No wonder she hadn’t stopped moving even when the pirate grew increasingly agitated.

 

Jinyoung sighed and shook his head. 

 

Incredible.

 

“Understand?” Soyoung stated simply, and Jinyoung nodded.

 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” He said quietly. The queen sighed, and without another word, she pivoted on her heel and walked over to where a group of soldiers were gathered, merging seamlessly into their midst. Jinyoung sighed as he sank to the floor, feeling exhausted. 

 

Just what kind of world have I gotten myself into?

 

The ship headed back to the port after the captured pirates had been properly situated, dragging the pirate ship along with them. Jinyoung was escorted back to the palace, where the servants rushed to clean him up and treat the cut on his neck, clucking at the mess he had turned into after being out with the queen. As Jinyoung closed his eyes and let the servants bathe him, his mind turned back to the scenes he had just witnessed on the ship. Once again, Soyoung had acted without telling him first, but this time, it was obvious that she had done it for his benefit; in fact, once he was captured, there had been no time to explain anything to him. At the same time, before he was captured, Jinyoung had noticed one particular thing about Soyoung and her soldiers. All of her men moved in perfect coordination with each other, always moving at the perfect time as if it had all been planned ahead of time. At the same time, whenever a command was made and plans changed, all it took was one flick of a hand, one whistle, or one movement of the eyes from the cloaked figure at the center of all the movement, and the soldiers knew what to do. 

 

Could it really be…that really is the way the queen has always operated? Including that time when those nobles almost ruined the banquet?

 

I think…I owe her an apology.

 

After all, he still didn’t particularly like the queen, but this was a separate matter from the attack on his country. Jinyoung wanted nothing more than to fall into bed after the bath was over, but when he stepped out from the bathroom, he realized that Soyoung was nowhere to be seen. 

 

“Where is the queen?” He asked curiously. It had been at least an hour since the group returned from the expedition; where could she have gone? 

 

“Her Majesty has several things to take care of after every expedition.” One of the servants answered helpfully, “And with the number of criminals this time, it will likely take longer. At this time, she is likely at the infirmary looking after the wounded soldiers.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“The queen herself looks after the wounded?” He asked curiously. The servants nodded.

 

“She never leaves the infirmary until the final soldier has been treated and stabilized.” They answered. Jinyoung frowned in confusion. Despite his exhaustion, his curiosity had been piqued, and he threw a cloak around his shoulders and added a layer of clothes before heading to the infirmary to see for himself what was going on. 

 

The infirmary was a scene of chaos, a complete contrast from the hallways Jinyoung had just walked through to get to the large spacious room. Nurses and doctors ran about as they rushed to treat the most heavily injured first, while others that were less injured sat waiting their turn. Jinyoung looked curiously around the room for the queen before his gaze settled on familiar dark midnight locks that made her stand out from a mile away. The young queen was crouched next to a young soldier sitting on a chair placed to the side and out of the way of the doctors and nurses. Her fingers moved deftly as she pulled a white bandage around the man’s leg, clucking her tongue as he whimpered in pain. Jinyoung could barely believe his eyes. 

 

The queen of Allegria, the head of the most powerful family on the continent, was taking it upon herself to treat a soldier’s wounds?

 

“This is nothing.” She chided firmly, “Don’t cry like a child.” The young man gulped down his tears and nodded,

 

“I apologize for bothering you, Your Majesty.” He whimpered. Soyoung smiled faintly and patted his knee before rising to her feet. 

 

“If you’d like to thank me, then get better in your fighting skills once your wound heals.” She answered, “Don’t get injured on the battlefield next time.” 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The young man hopped up to salute her before almost falling over again in pain. Soyoung laughed again and pulled him back down into his seat. 

 

“Save that for later.” She chided, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder. The soldier nodded again before his eyes widened as he spotted Jinyoung. 

 

“Y-Your Highness the Prince Consort!” He exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of the people around him. A slight hush descended around the room as soldiers gaped at the prince’s sudden appearance. Soyoung turned at the sound of the young man’s shout, and she raised an eyebrow as she spotted Jinyoung standing there. 

 

“What are you staring for?” She demanded, turning her gaze to the doctors who had frozen nearby, her gently chiding tone returning to a firm leader within seconds, “Has everyone been treated already?” The medical workers immediately rushed to continue their work, and Soyoung made her way over to Jinyoung.

 

“What brings you here?” She asked, “I thought I told the servants to clean you up and let you rest. This place isn’t suitable for you.” 

 

“Ah, I…” Jinyoung fumbled for words to say. He had come here with a plan in mind, but now that he was here, he didn’t know what to say anymore. 

 

“Do you always treat the soldiers yourself?” He said at last, changing the topic slightly. Soyoung looked around and nodded as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

 

“Naturally.” She answered, “It’s a habit I built up over the years. They are my men who put their lives on the line for me every day so it’s only natural I take care of them. Often on the battlefield, you can’t think so much about status and position.” Jinyoung nodded, still amazed by the sight he was seeing. Silence descended between them again as the conversation broke off, penetrated only by the hubbub of the infirmary around them.

 

“Then…are you done here?” He asked awkwardly as he searched for words to say, “It wouldn’t look good if I left alone, now would it?” Soyoung scoffed softly, a slightly amused smile crossing her lips.

 

“Husband, are you offering to walk me back?” She asked dryly. Jinyoung hesitated for a second before holding out his hand. He didn’t particularly want to her back, but deep inside he knew some things had to be done, even if just for show. Soyoung’s gaze flickered slightly to his hand before tucking her hands under her cloak instead. 

 

“Let’s go.” She said, and started walking without another look back at Jinyoung. Irritation stung at Jinyoung’s chest as he watched her retreating back. 

 

Just when I was trying my best to play the role of a proper husband!

 

Soyoung paused by the door before turning her head slightly, her hands still tucked under her cloak.

 

“Aren’t you coming?” She asked pointedly, “Husband?” Jinyoung sighed and hurried after her.

 

“Your Majesty.” He said hesitantly as he walked slightly behind the queen, “I have something I’d like to say to you.” 

 

“It can wait.” Soyoung answered curtly, her footsteps seeming to move faster as she spoke, “I’m busy today.”

 

“You are busy every day!” Jinyoung protested, “It will not take much time.” The queen ignored his request, and Jinyoung sighed as he rushed to keep up with her. 

 

“Aren’t you hot?” He asked, attempting to keep her attention, “Let me help you take it off.” Jinyoung reached out for the fluttering cloak around Soyoung’s shoulders, but she stepped neatly out of his reach.

 

“It’s enough that you’re escorting me back.” She answered shortly, her footsteps never missing a beat. Jinyoung swallowed down rising irritation at the queen’s curt response. 

 

Just when I’m trying to be nice!

 

Soyoung and Jinyoung reached the doors to their rooms before long, and Soyoung paused as the doors were opened in front of them.

 

“You should sleep in the guest room tonight.” She said, “I have important matters to deal with, and I don’t want to be bothered.” Jinyoung stared at her in surprise, taken aback by her sudden change in attitude, but before he could say a word, the queen swept inside and the doors were shut in his face. Jinyoung stared blankly at the white marble doors for a long moment, stunned as he laughed in disbelief. 

 

And she was the one who always insisted that we keep up the image of a perfect royal couple!

 

Jinyoung pivoted on his heel and stormed down the hall away from the room angrily, his teeth gritted angrily. 

 

Just when I was going to apologize, this is how she treats me? Does she really think she can act as she wishes just because she is the queen? 

 

Then, Jinyoung’s footsteps slowed as he thought for a long moment. Every time the queen did something seemingly out of the ordinary or something that didn’t make sense, there was always a particular reason behind it. Could it be that this time, too…? Jinyoung hesitated for a long moment in the hallway as his emotions fought with each other. 

 

I’m not worried about her.

I…I just needed to properly apologize, that’s all! After all, she saved my life today! After all, Father always taught us to repay merit with kindness. The least I could do is apologize properly.

 

His resolve set, Jinyoung went back down the way he had come and stopped directly in front of the door.

 

“Your Highness, Her Majesty said no one was to be let in-” Jinyoung raised a hand as one of the servants tried to stop him.

 

“I will bear any consequences.” He said, “I’m just returning to my own room, that’s all. Open the door.” The servants exchanged nervous glances, but after some hesitation, finally opened the doors and let Jinyoung in. The main room was empty, with little sign of the young queen except for the cloak that had been thrown to the floor near the door to the next room. Jinyoung frowned.

 

“Your Majesty?” He called, “Are you here?” He wandered around the room curiously, but the queen was nowhere in sight. Then, as Jinyoung stepped past the fallen cloak, he paused as the scent of iron filled his nose. Frowning, he turned to the crumpled piece of cloth on the ground and picked it up gingerly. His eyes widened as he saw the dark red stain on the inner side of the cloak, the color already starting to turn a rusty red from how long it had been on the cloth. Jinyoung gulped, his throat going dry. He wasn’t a warrior, but even he could tell what the stain was.

 

Blood.

 

The trail of light armor tossed haphazardly across the floor led the way across the royal quarters to the large bathroom at the corner of the inner quarters, and Jinyoung hesitated for a moment before knocking. 

 

“Your Majesty?” He heard a rustle of movement from inside, but received no response. The room was silent for another few seconds before he heard the sound of glass shatter across the hard floor, followed by a muffled yelp. His eyes widening slightly, Jinyoung knocked on the door again.

 

“Your Majesty?” He called, “Is everything alright?” He heard another rustle of movement before a muffled voice answered.

 

“I’m fine.” The queen’s voice was tight, as if she was trying to hold something back, and unless Jinyoung was imagining it, she sounded even more curt than she had before. The pettier side of him told him to just leave if she wasn’t going to appreciate his intentions anyway, but reason told him to stay. 

 

“I’m coming in.” He announced, and pushed open the door before Soyoung could say another word. The scent of bath soap still lingered in the air from Jinyoung’s bath, and remaining pent up steam hit the young prince in the face as he opened the door. As the mist faded from his vision, Jinyoung picked up the iron scent of blood again, and his eyes fell on a figure half sprawled near the white marble sink. 

 

“Your Majesty?” He said hesitantly, his breath catching in his throat as a sharp pair of dark brown eyes turned to glare at him.

 

“Get out!” Jinyoung felt his throat grow dry as he laid eyes on the queen properly for the first time since stepping into the room. The queen had shed all of the armor and the outer robe she had been wearing before, leaving her in a simple white shirt and pants. Her long black hair had been let down from its ponytail, leaving the damp strands to fall around her shoulders. At that moment, Jinyoung was reminded of a cornered wildcat, injured with nowhere to go as someone tried to advance on her.

 

What caught Jinyoung’s attention though, was not what she was wearing, but the long red mark that stretched across her shoulder blades, dying the pure white cloth of her clothes a mix of brilliant red and dark brown. 

 

“What…” Jinyoung froze at the sight of the ghastly wound for a few moments before he suddenly remembered the moment when the queen had saved him from the pirate and the counterattack that had happened before Soyoung had thrown them both to the floor to avoid it. 

 

“It’s from saving me, isn’t it?” He guessed, “That wound on your back.” Soyoung sighed in exasperation.

 

“Didn’t you hear me?” She demanded, her voice firm despite the pale color overtaking her lips, “I told you to get out!” Jinyoung swallowed hard and shook his head stubbornly before going to kneel next to her.

 

“Not if you got this wound from saving me.” He answered, running his eyes carefully over the cut, “I’m not someone who repays kindness with ignorance.” 

 

“I don’t need your pity!” The queen growled, but Jinyoung ignored her, his gaze shifting to the shattered cup next to her. 

 

“You should get away from that first.” He noted, pulling Soyoung carefully away from the broken shards, “And it’s not pity. It’s what someone is supposed to do. I don’t know what type of people you’ve been injured around, but I’m not someone who’s going to simply walk away from an injured person, much less someone who got hurt because of me.” A startled look crossed Soyoung’s face for a brief moment, her sharp eyes softening ever so slightly. Sensing that she was giving in, Jinyoung tugged experimentally on her shift, eliciting a muffled groan from the young queen. 

 

“I can’t believe you let it bleed for so long.” He chided despite himself, “The cloth is stuck to your back!” A weary laugh came from the young queen.

 

“I’ve faced worse.” She answered simply, “Little prince, do you know anything about medicine?” Jinyoung swallowed hard and shook his head.

 

“I took care of lost and injured wild animals as a child, but my father and brothers never let me anywhere near injured humans.” He answered. Soyoung scoffed lightly. 

 

“Then listen carefully.” She said, “If you intend to repay me, then the first step is getting the cloth off my back. Then, there’s a medical kit in the cabinet on the right. It should have alcohol and bandages inside.” Jinyoung felt his cheeks flush hot.

 

“You mean…I have to take off your clothes?” He gulped. Soyoung laughed dryly.

 

“Have you forgotten we are husband and wife?” She answered, “We did have a proper wedding night. What is there to be shy about?” Jinyoung swallowed hard.

 

“Please don’t bring up that night again.” He answered, anger welling up in his chest, “I went from the happiest day of my entire life to facing the destruction of my country and realizing I’d married an enemy.” Soyoung sighed deeply, and Jinyoung gasped as she suddenly grabbed a broken shard of glass and placed it in his hand before moving his hand to her neck.

 

“What are you doing?” He demanded as he fought against her grip in vain. Soyoung’s eyes were clear and firm despite the pain she was in.

 

“Park Jinyoung, I’ve said it multiple times, and I’ll say it again, whether you believe it or not.” She said, “I was not the one who gave the order to kill. In fact, I gave an order to spare as many lives as possible, besides the active rebels under your brother’s command. I’ll admit, it was my mistake to overlook the person who went against my command, but I’ve already taken steps to make up for it. Why are you so stubborn?” 

 

“Have you lost your mind?” Jinyoung demanded, “Let go!” Soyoung’s grip on his wrist held firm despite his protests. 

 

“I’ll give you one chance now, Park Jinyoung.” She said firmly, “You have a perfect chance right now. If you truly think I ordered the attack on your country, then you can kill me right now and get revenge for all your people who died or suffered under an Allegria sword. I spent over half my life on the battlefield, I am not afraid of death!” Jinyoung’s hand trembled as he gazed into Soyoung’s steady and fiery gaze, his emotions warring within him. One cut, that was all that was needed to restore his freedom and rid the world of the ruler who had attacked his country. 

 

And yet, he knew he couldn’t do it. 

 

One cut seemed simple, but all it would accomplish in reality was give him the crime of killing the royal queen. Not only that, but all of Assai would fall with him. And on top of it all, somewhere deep in his heart, despite the lies and the secrets, Jinyoung was beginning to realize that Soyoung Adamir was different from what he had originally imagined. Her life wasn’t his to take. Slowly, his fingers released the glass shard in his hand, the red tinged shard falling to the ground with a metallic cling against the cold marble. 

 

“Let me find the medical kit.” He mumbled quietly, rising to his feet and hurrying to the cabinet she had pointed out earlier. Jinyoung’s hands continued to tremble as he opened the white cabinet and rummaged around for the medical kit. 

 

I hope I didn’t make the wrong choice.