The week after Jinyoung’s return passed by in a blur, but no less easily for either half of the royal couple than the previous few weeks. Their time together was noticeably less than before, and the queen seemed to have given up on maintaining any pretenses of being a loving couple. Unavoidable meals together were silent and tense, and Soyoung usually left after only eating half of her food, leaving Jinyoung alone in the large dining hall. Rumors began to spread among the staff that the couple was headed for a divorce, and letters began appearing on Soyoung’s table offering the companionship of noble men around her age, usually the sons of high ranking nobility. Despite the brewing discord, Soyoung kept herself busy, and ordered Jinyoung to be in charge of the welcome banquet in order to keep him occupied as well. Before they knew it, the day for Princess Brisa’s visit arrived. 

 

Soyoung and Jinyoung were both roused from their sleep early in the morning to get ready, both dressed in formal wear before heading to the main drawing room to greet their guest. Tension settled over the hallway as the couple approached each other, and Soyoung gazed up at her husband silently before holding her hand out to him. Jinyoung stared down at her open palm blankly for a few seconds before sighing and reaching out to take it in his. Regardless of how they felt about each other at the moment, appearances in front of foreign guests was a mandatory requirement. 

 

“Her Majesty the Queen and His Highness the Prince Consort!” Their presence was announced loudly throughout the room, and everyone immediately turned and bowed in their direction. Waving a hand to tell them to rise, Soyoung stepped over to the tall woman standing in the center of the room and lifted her to her feet.

 

“Welcome again, Princess Brisa.” She greeted, “I am surprised the king was willing to send you all the way here twice.” The princess smiled calmly.

 

“It is a matter of utmost importance to our country’s reputation and the relationship between our countries.” She answered, “It is only proper that I make the trip.” Her gaze flickered slightly over to Jinyoung.

 

“Prince Consort, you seem to be doing well.” She commented, holding out her hand. Jinyoung reached out and kissed the back of her hand, as was custom in Allegria.

 

“It appears Your Highness has also been doing well.” He answered politely. Princess Brisa smiled in satisfaction.

 

“I hope you prepared the welcome banquet well.” She commented, “Based on your performance last time, I’m sure you know my preferences well.” Jinyoung frowned slightly in confusion, not sure what her comment meant. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Soyoung cleared and took another step forward, one hand casually sweeping Jinyoung a step back as she did so.

 

“Princess, you must be tired from your trip. Your rooms have already been prepared.” She commented, “I will have a servant show you the way.” Princess Brisa’s gaze flickered back to Soyoung as she intervened, a slightly amused look crossing her face. 

 

“Is that so?” She commented, “But before that, I have a request to make, Your Majesty. May I borrow a part of the royal prisons for tonight?” Soyoung raised an eyebrow at the request.

 

“And what is it that you’d need that for?” She asked. Princess Brisa clapped her hands, and Soyoung and Jinyoung watched as a man, gagged and bound, was dragged forward by some of Princess Brisa’s men and forced to his knees in front of them.

 

“This is…?” Soyoung asked, looking at Princess Brisa uncertainly. 

 

“One of the nobles who dared to run the black market that sold some of your citizens.” Princess Brisa answered cheerily, “Your Majesty asked for a proper response from Comodo, didn’t you? Then, this is our response. In fact, I’ve brought all the heads of those noble families with me to obtain their punishment. The rest are being kept outside.” Soyoung laughed dryly.

 

“Then, why do you characterize your request as borrowing space in my prison?” She asked. Princess Brisa smiled calmly.

 

“As you will see, Your Majesty, someone as despicable as these people deserve a punishment much worse than life in prison or simple execution.” She answered, “I will show you that tomorrow. This is Comodo’s response to your request.” Soyoung gazed suspiciously at Princess Brisa for a long moment, then waved a soldier to her side. She spoke to the young man in soft hushed tones for a few seconds before the man bowed and hurried out the door.

 

“It will be arranged.” Soyoung answered simply, “I do look forward to the answer Comodo has prepared for me.” Princess Brisa smiled.

 

“I am sure Your Majesty will be pleased.” She answered simply.

 

The welcome banquet went off without a hitch, and as usual, Soyoung was kept busy by the nobility clamoring for her attention. Jinyoung noticed that this time though, the young queen seemed to be avoiding the alcohol offered to her, and instead opted for different sparkling juices.

 

Is she anticipating something tomorrow?

 

“Prince.” Jinyoung’s attention was drawn to Princess Brisa standing in front of him, her hand outstretched.

 

“Shall we have a dance as well?” She offered, nodding towards the various pairs swirling to the elegant music filling the large ballroom. Jinyoung hesitated; he wasn’t particularly close with the princess, but it would be rude to refuse her invitation. His gaze flickered over to Soyoung briefly, and their eyes met for a split second before she looked away again. Sighing, Jinyoung reached out and took the princess’ hand.

 

“It would be my honor.” He answered, giving her hand a polite kiss. Princess Brisa hummed in approval as they moved along to the musical beats, her gaze fixated on Jinyoung.

 

“Is there something on my face, Your Highness?” Jinyoung asked, feeling a little awkward at her unabashed staring. Princess Brisa chuckled. 

 

“I was simply wondering where the queen found such a handsome husband.” She commented, “I hear you were very helpful to Her Majesty in the efforts to recover the missing women as well. I am surprised that a woman who has spent most of her life fighting wars has such a good eye for men.” Jinyoung laughed awkwardly. 

 

“I will take that as a compliment.” He answered. Princess Brisa smiled again, and Jinyoung’s breath caught as she leaned in closer to him.

 

“You and the queen are not on good terms, right?” She commented, “How about coming to my side instead? I’m sure my brother wouldn’t mind if I added another man to my harem.” Jinyoung’s eyes widened at her suggestion, and he swallowed hard as he fought back the urge to step back immediately from the princess. 

 

“Your Highness is very frank.” He commented. 

 

“So how about it?” Princess Brisa replied, not one to be deterred, “Wouldn’t you rather be mine?” Jinyoung swallowed hard and forced a smile to his face. Just then, the music came to a stop, and Jinyoung stepped back with a polite half bow.

 

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I am quite content with my position now.” He answered. Despite his rejection, Princess Brisa looked unfazed. 

 

“How unfortunate.” She commented calmly. Jinyoung bowed one more time and turned to leave, and was halfway back to his seat when he heard a voice call out to him.

 

“Your Highness.” Jinyoung turned to see one of Soyoung’s servants approach him, who quickly bobbed in a bow before speaking.

 

“Her Majesty requests your presence by her side.” She said. Jinyoung looked over at where Soyoung had been conversing with the nobility and saw that her gaze was fixated on him calmly. Sighing, Jinyoung walked over to the large group, which naturally parted to make room for the young prince. 

 

“Your Majesty, you called?” He asked, taking her hand and kissing the back of it politely. Soyoung smiled faintly at the motion, and to Jinyoung’s surprise, she laced her fingers through his so that they were holding hands.

 

“The lords of the court have been wondering about how you managed to figure out where the women had been sold.” She said, “Why don’t you tell them about it?” Jinyoung blinked in surprise at her request, but Soyoung only gave him a look that told him to do as she asked. Jinyoung smiled awkwardly, then turned to the many pairs of eyes watching him.

 

“It was pure luck, really.” He began, “You see…” Jinyoung launched into his tale of how he had guessed where the missing girls had been sold. As he spoke, his attention gradually drifted away from Soyoung save for the hand clasping his. 

 

In fact, he grew so distracted by the conversation, that he didn’t even notice as Soyoung’s gaze drifted over the crowd over to Princess Brisa, her eyes narrowing dangerously as the two women’s eyes met. 

____________________________________________________________________________

The next day, Soyoung

 

The next day, after the morning meal, the royals and nobility gathered in the large amphitheater located just outside the palace as Princess Brisa requested. A soft uneasy murmur could be heard across the large expanse, and Soyoung couldn’t blame them. After all, no one, including her, knew what the princess intended to do. At the same time, she didn’t have a reason to refuse. All they could do now was sit and wait for the spectacle to start. As the theater seats filled, Princess Brisa appeared near the entry to the large grassy field that served as the dueling area for knights and nobles whenever Soyoung held annual sparring matches. Soyoung’s eyes narrowed slightly as she focused on what the princess was tugging behind her like a wild animal.

 

Are those…men?

 

Sure enough, Princess Brisa had, at some point, tied up several grown men and was now dragging them behind her as she entered the grassy field.

 

“Just what is she…” Hyojun hissed under his breath from his seat to Soyoung’s left. Soyoung swallowed hard, starting to imagine the worst. Princess Brisa came to a stop in the middle of the field and faced Soyoung, a smug look on her face. 

 

“Your Majesty!” She shouted, her voice echoing around the dome shaped theater, “These are the criminals who have violated the peace between our countries and sold your people! Today, they will pay for their crimes by fighting to their death in front of you. This, is Comodo’s answer to you.” Soyoung’s eyes widened at the announcement. She had long heard of Comodo’s practice of holding frequent tournaments where men, oftentimes slaves or criminals, were made to fight for their lives or a chance at a promotion in front of crowds of cheering nobles and royalty. Soyoung had no interest in promoting such a practice in her country, and she had always drawn a firm line to limiting dueling to the events between the country’s knights. 

 

And now, the horrid practice was right in front of her.

 

Although Princess Brisa had come under peaceful pretenses, this presentation put Soyoung in a tough spot, and there was no way the other princess didn’t know it. If Soyoung rejected the idea, it not only would cause some to call her weak, but it would look rude towards a foreign dignitary and their practices. On the other hand, if Soyoung looked too much in favor of the idea, she had no doubt that there would be some that would want to encourage it further. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before speaking.

 

“Since it is the Princess’ good wishes, then I will accept this gift.” She said smoothly, “You may begin.” Soyoung caught Jinyoung turning to look at her in surprise at her response, but she kept her face calm and didn’t return his questioning gaze. Even Princess Brisa seemed surprised for a brief second, but smiled faintly and bowed politely before waving to a few of her own men standing nearby. The battle for their lives began, and it was just as bloody and violent as Soyoung had imagined it would be. The fallen nobles were prodded into throwing everything into the fight in front of them with barely a piece of armor on either of them. If at any moment they hesitated, then the men Princess Brisa had brought with her would whip them into continuing. Each battle would continue until one of the men lay dead on the ground, and the temporary victor would be immediately forced into the following fight. 

 

After a few rounds though, Princess Brisa moved the fight to a step that Soyoung would have never even considered taking. Without even asking Soyoung, the princess made another motion at her men, and to Soyoung’s horror, she watched as the men pushed forward two large steel cages holding a lion each. 

 

“What fun is it if we only watch men fighting each other!” Princess Brisa declared loudly, “These beasts have been trained to attack these prisoners, and starved on the way here from Comodo. When man is pitted against beast, who will win?”  The first round, as expected, was short. The current victor, already tired from the previous rounds against men, was finished off within minutes by the lions, and Soyoung threw her hand up in front of Jinyoung’s eyes as the beast came down for the final blow and horrified gasps filled the arena. With one swift motion, she pulled off the ribbon holding up her hair and wrapped it around his eyes.

 

“Don’t get me wrong.” She murmured as she leaned in closer to her husband to tie the ribbon, “I just don’t need a husband terrified into hysteria before even a year has passed.” Jinyoung didn’t move, but his soft voice managed to eke out a reply.

 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” 

 

Instead of responding, Soyoung sat back down in her seat and watched the battles continue. It seemed that Princess Brisa had captured just about every noble involved with the black market incident, along with several members of their families. And as expected, humans, especially prisoners that had been starved and shipped across the ocean for days, amounted to nothing against beasts that had been trained specifically to attack them. 

 

“Your Majesty.” Hyojun whispered as yet another former nobleman was finished off, but Soyoung shook her head, already anticipating what he wanted to say. It wasn’t time to step in yet; if she didn’t have to care for political relations, she wouldn’t have allowed it to even start, but the Princess’ pretenses continued to put her in a difficult position. 

 

At last, Soyoung saw her chance.

 

As the most recent prisoner’s body was dragged off the arena, startled gasps filled the air as the next competitor was brought in. Soyoung’s eyes narrowed, her hands clenching tighter around her chair in anger at what she saw. 

 

A child.

 

Soyoung could barely believe her eyes, but the next prisoner was, without a doubt, a child, likely ten years old at most. The tiny thing was barely clothed in the most basic outfit, and trembled in both fear and cold as he was brought out into the arena. He froze in shock at the sight of the lion, and attempted to back out the way he had come, but was sharply whipped back into place. The sword ed into his hands was far too large for him, and his entire body shook with effort to even lift it above the ground. 

 

“She must have lost her mind.” Eunseong hissed, “How could a child beat a lion?” 

 

“They’ve all lost their minds.” Soyoung answered simply, “And they intend to drag me down at the same time.” She silently held her hand out to one of the guards standing behind her, who equally silently handed her a bow and arrow. The lion charged at the child, who attempted to run away and only succeeded in falling flat on his face within a few seconds. Soyoung notched her arrow at the same time as the beast thundered towards the final blow over the cowering boy, and just as the lion leapt into the air, Soyoung’s arrow flew through the air and landed neatly in its neck. The beast toppled sideways away from the child, crashed onto the ground, and twitched for a few seconds before going still. Before the second lion could move, another arrow flew through the air and hit it squarely in the head, sending it falling just like its counterpart. Princess Brisa looked up at Soyoung as the queen lowered her arrow, looking half amused and half taken off guard.

 

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?” She asked, “Why are you interrupting the punishment of the men who have wronged your people?” Soyoung handed the bow and arrow to the guard before stepping closer to the edge of her private box, a calm smile on her face.

 

“I’ve thought about it.” She answered smoothly, barely batting an eyelash, “It’s quite boring to simply watch men fight to their deaths. This is a matter between our countries, so we should settle it between those who have a say in the matter.” The princess looked at her for a long moment before laughing.

 

“Your Majesty, do you intend to propose a battle between the two of us?” She guessed. Soyoung smiled calmly. 

 

“That is precisely what I intend to do.” She answered. 

 

“Sister!” Eunseong gave a sharp tug on her arm, and Soyoung looked down to see a worried look in Eunseong’s eyes. The Grand Prince shook his head, his gaze full of warning. Soyoung smiled faintly and patted Eunseong’s hand.

 

“It’ll be fine.” She said softly, “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” Eunseong opened his mouth to protest, but Soyoung had already turned her attention back to Princess Brisa.

 

“So Princess,” She commented, “Are you willing to spar with me?” Her tone was light and her words made it almost sound like a practice session between two warriors, but everyone in the arena knew that more was on the line than a simple sparring session. Princess Brisa scoffed, looking amused.

 

“And what happens if I win?” She asked. 

 

“Then we will pretend none of this ever happened.” Soyoung answered calmly, “Our countries will continue coexisting in peace. But if I win…” A small smile crossed her face.

 

“You will need to hand over all of the wealth that you confiscated from these nobles when you arrested them.” She stated, “Along with your country’s trading rights in the northern channel, because that is the path that was used to transport the women abducted from my land.” Startled whispers filled the air at Soyoung’s high demand, and even Princess Brisa’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Soyoung wasn’t surprised by their reaction; given the amount of people involved, she had no doubt that the amount of assets seized would be unfathomable. On top of that, the northern channel had been shared between Comodo and Allegria for centuries; giving Allegria full trading rights meant Comodo’s economy would take a severe hit. It was a large ask, but with the princess’ attitude during her entire trip here so far, Soyoung knew it was necessary. 

 

After all, she wasn’t someone to be easily reckoned with. 

 

After a long moment of silence, Princess Brisa laughed. 

 

“Very well!” She declared loudly, “If that is what Your Majesty wishes, then so be it! But if Your Majesty is going to request such a high price, then my side of the stakes will also be increased!” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“Oh?” She answered, “What would you like if you win?” Princess Brisa smirked, her gaze shifting to Soyoung’s side.

 

“Him.” She answered, one slender finger pointing to the person sitting at Soyoung’s side, “Give the Prince Consort to me.” A hush fell over the arena again at the Princess’ bold request, shocked expressions taking over the watching crowd, and for a moment, Soyoung was stunned. If Soyoung’s request had been a tall order, then Princess Brisa’s request was borderline insulting. It wasn’t entirely unheard of for a king to gift women to another country’s king as a symbol of unity between the two countries, regardless of whether the receiving king had asked. But to ask for the man who shared the sovereign queen’s bed and held the title of her official husband was the same as asking a king to give another king his queen as a gift. No one, regardless of their power, would dare to ask for such a thing, especially in front of a ruler of considerable authority. Princess Brisa spoke again as Soyoung hesitated.

 

“Your Majesty, you are the ruler of this entire country.” She stated, “If you so much as raised a finger, you could have any man you wanted. Are you really going to be so stingy over one little prince of a vassal state?” Soyoung could feel the weight of a thousand pairs of eyes on her as the question hung unanswered in the air. The simple question, just like just about everything else Princess Brisa had done since she arrived in Allegria, was designed to make things difficult for her, and she wasn’t naive enough to think that the princess was doing it just out of mere interest in Jinyoung. A small smile crossed Soyoung’s face as she settled on her answer. 

 

“Of course not.” She answered, “It is settled then. If you win, you may have the prince.” A collective gasp went up from the nobles, and even Princess Brisa seemed taken aback by her response. 

 

“Your Majesty!” Jinyoung’s voice hissed from her side, and Soyoung looked down to see a half startled, half horrified look in Jinyoung’s eyes. Soyoung cast a look over at Princess Brisa, then leaned down and brushed her lips against Jinyoung’s slightly parted mouth. The young prince jerked in surprise, taken off guard by her sudden move.

 

“Don’t think too much about it.” Soyoung murmured softly, “Because I don’t intend to lose.” Before Jinyoung could respond, Soyoung picked up her sword in one fluid motion and headed down to the arena. 

 

“I must admit that I am surprised.” Princess Brisa commented as Soyoung stopped in front of her, “I never imagined the queen herself would be willing to fight me.” Soyoung smirked as she crossed her arms. 

 

“There’s no reason for me to avoid it.” She answered simply, “After all, I don’t intend to lose.”

 

“Your confidence is impressive.” Princess Brisa continued, “It will make it all the more satisfying when I enjoy your gifts to me!” Without another word, the princess launched at Soyoung without warning, and the loud clang of steel hitting against steel rang into the air as the sharp edge of her sword hit against Soyoung’s scabbard. A faint smile crossed Soyoung’s lips as she regained her balance. 

 

This will be interesting.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

Jinyoung could barely believe what he was witnessing. Just a moment earlier, he had been trembling in his seat as men fought for their lives against each other and then against wild animals trained to take their lives. The next second, the queen had volunteered to step in and fight herself, effectively putting an end to what seemed like was going to be a day of endless bloodshed. Nothing made sense though, from the increasing wagers that the queen put on the table, all the way to…

 

Jinyoung’s cheeks blushed as he touched his lips lightly.

 

Surely, she doesn’t really intend to hand me over to Princess Brisa, does she?

 

Jinyoung swallowed hard as he turned his attention back to the battle at hand. At first glance, it looked like the two women were equally matched, but on second look, it was anything but. Princess Brisa’s movements were sharp and fierce, characterized by sharp sweeping motions that were meant to take the opponent off guard and sweep them off their feet. It was clear that she had been trained for several years, and a less experienced opponent would have been knocked off their feet ten times over within minutes. Regardless of how she lunged at Soyoung though, the queen’s nimble movements and slender frame allowed her to step out of the way easily and follow up with a sharp twist or flip that allowed her to land a blow on the princess before her opponent even knew what was going on. What really caught Jinyoung’s eye though, was the silver and green scabbard that shone in Soyoung’s hand under the sunlight. 

 

She’s not drawing her sword.

 

In fact, it didn’t look like she didn’t need to. No matter what the princess did, Soyoung’s sheathed sword was enough to drive her back whenever the queen wanted to. The focused, sharp gaze on the young queen’s face was different from what Jinyoung had seen that day on the ship. On that day, she had been a warrior and leader at the same time, her eyes taking in everything at once while staying out of the way of the enemy’s grasp. Today, she was a hunter with only one goal in mind. Hyojun chuckled as Soyoung spun in tandem with Princess Brisa, her hands smoothly matching the princess’ attacks to keep her at bay.

 

“Princess Brisa may be one of the best warriors in Comodo, but she has no idea what she so readily agreed to.” He commented, “Isn’t that right, Prince Eunseong?” The Grand Prince didn’t answer, and when Jinyoung looked over, he saw Eunseong’s soft features were furrowed with anxiety. 

 

Why does he look so worried?

 

“Draw your sword, you coward!” Princess Brisa’s loud shout drew Jinyoung’s attention back to the center of the arena, and he saw the two women standing across from each other, the fight at a temporary standstill. Soyoung looked as calm as she always had, her sword gripped firmly in her hand. If Jinyoung hadn’t been watching, and if not for the light sheen of sweat glimmering on her cheeks, he wouldn’t have thought she was in the middle of a fight. Princess Brisa, on the other hand, looked absolutely furious, her chest heaving as she glared at Soyoung. His gaze switching between the two women, Jinyoung slowly began to realize what the queen was doing.

 

She’s taking her time to wear her opponent down both emotionally and physically.

 

If Soyoung wanted to, she could likely have finished off the princess by now. A warrior’s pride though, was in their fighting ability and the weapon in their hand. If Soyoung could win…no, if she could easily gain the upper hand without even drawing her sword and without a single piece of armor on her body, it would be a heavy blow to the reputation of the highly regarded Princess Brisa.

 

“Her Majesty plays a painful game for someone as arrogant as the princess of Comodo.” Hyojun commented with a low chuckle, “She should have seen it coming when she started overstepping her boundaries.” Spotting Jinyoung’s confused look, Hyojun chuckled again.

 

“Didn’t Your Highness notice?” He asked, “Over half of the things the princess did ever since she arrived was designed to put Her Majesty in a difficult position or to cast her in a bad light. Don’t underestimate the problems that words can cause.” Jinyoung’s lips parted slightly in surprise. He had been taken aback by some of Princess Brisa’s actions, but he certainly hadn’t thought that much into it. 

 

So this is the frontline of the game of politics.

 

Despite the insult thrown at her, the small smile on Soyoung’s face was calm, and Jinyoung watched as her red painted lips turned slightly upwards into a smirk that reminded Jinyoung of a confident cat. 

 

“I’m afraid you won’t survive to return home if I drew my sword.” Soyoung said at last, “After all, swords and knives don’t have eyes.” Princess Brisa laughed incredulously, the sound echoing across the arena. 

 

“Let’s just see you try!” She shouted, and lunged forward for Soyoung again. This time, Soyoung moved forward to meet the attack directly, her lithe frame a blur to Jinyoung’s eyes. She neatly dodged the princess’ first blow by ducking downwards, and with a flick of her hand, she sent Princess Brisa tumbling backwards. Her body moving forward with the momentum, Soyoung’s hand moved downwards and neatly slapped the sword out of the princess’ hand before her other hand grasped around Princess Brisa’s throat. The crowd gasped as Soyoung slammed the Princess down into the ground, her knees simultaneously pinning her opponent’s legs down to keep her from getting back up. At that moment, the victor was clear.

 

Soyoung had decisively won.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

In all her years on the battlefield, Soyoung barely recalled a fight as satisfying as the one she had just won. She had earned her fair share of victories over the years, but while most of those had been done out of necessity and earned little more than exhaustion and superficial glory, having Princess Brisa at her feet at that moment felt particularly gratifying. 

 

Was it when she walked into my territory so confidently like a cat that had caught her prey?

 

Or was it when she had boldly asked Jinyoung for a dance and then leaned in far too close?

 

Or was it when she dared to suggest a practice that Allegria had shunned for years in front of the sovereign queen herself?

 

Soyoung wasn’t sure when it started, but going into this fight, she had known she needed to wipe the smirk off the other princess’ face, and decisively so. 

 

In the end, there was no better way to do that than to embarrass her in front of not only her own people, but all the visitors from Comodo as well. In fact, Soyoung’s opponent had made it much simpler for Soyoung to achieve what she wanted. Princess Brisa was by no means bad at fighting, but her desire to win along with Soyoung’s tactic at wearing her out made it much easier to see through and find weaknesses to her movements. And like many warriors in Comodo, she relied on movements focused on heavy strength and large movements, giving Soyoung’s style based on agility at a much larger advantage.

 

Princess Brisa coughed and wheezed as Soyoung’s hand didn’t let up from its grip on , her own hand coming to slap at Soyoung’s wrist.

 

“I forfeit.” She wheezed, “I forfeit!” Soyoung finally allowed her grip to loosen on the other royal, but she remained where she was sitting, effectively keeping the princess pinned to the ground. After gazing at the princess for a long moment, Soyoung leaned down and spoke softly in Princess Brisa’s ear, low enough so that only she could hear.

 

“Let this be a lesson to you, Princess.” She said coolly, “Do not lust after what isn’t yours.” Soyoung rose to her feet after giving her warning, and watched as Princess Brisa struggled to get up. The crowd of spectators cheered loudly as Soyoung’s victory became clear.

 

“I never imagined the queen would care so much for one man, enough to attack a princess from a visiting country because of him.” Princess Brisa wheezed as she massaged her neck while glaring at Soyoung. After a few moments, she held out her hand towards Soyoung. 

 

“My sword.” She stated, motioning towards the sword still in Soyoung’s right hand. Soyoung lifted the sword almost lazily, her eyes moving slowly down its sleek surface.

 

“This is quite the sharp sword.” She commented, lightly tossing it in her hand as she strode closer to Princess Brisa without making any moves to hand the weapon back to the princess, “I bet it can cut through many things, right?” Princess Brisa watched her cautiously, and the Comodo men were immediately on guard as Soyoung drew closer to their princess, their stiffening stance indicating they were ready to attack at any time. 

 

“Indeed.” Princess Brisa answered, “It has seen many battles with me.” Soyoung smirked lightly at the answer, and before anyone could move, she flicked the hilt into her palm and slashed the sword upwards, drawing a startled cry from the watching nobles. After a heavy second of silence, the sound of something cracking echoed into the air, followed by a loud shuffle and thud as Princess Brisa’s armor fell off her body, the pieces breaking apart all at once along the neat line that Soyoung had slashed across the protective gear. With a snap, the hairband holding Princess Brisa’s hair up also broke apart, causing the long dark brown locks to fall down freely over the long robe that remained covering the princess’ body. Soyoung laughed dryly and tossed the princess’ sword back at her, allowing it to fall to the ground with a loud clunk.

 

“Indeed, it is a good sword.” She commented, “It can even cut through armor.”

 

For a long moment, a hush fell over the crowd. Then, the sound of low laughter could be heard rising from the Allegria noblemens as the crowd took in the princess’ state of embarrassment. Princess Brisa’s face turned bright red as she realized what Soyoung had just done.

 

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?” She demanded as one of her own soldiers rushed to give her a long cape, “My brother will hear about the embarrassment I have suffered when I came with good intentions!” Soyoung scoffed.

 

“Good intentions?” She answered, “Princess, even if your king was standing in front of me right now, I would have done the same thing. You came under the pretenses of making amends for what your nobles have done but instead did quite the opposite. If I let you do as you wish without saying a single word of protest, what would my people, no, what would the people of this entire continent think or say of me?” Princess Brisa spluttered in front of Soyoung’s words, and Soyoung smirked as she leveled her glare at the other royal. 

 

“And besides, you were the one who suggested that we settle this through physical fights.” She reminded, “I was simply following your original idea. Even if your brother asks, he has nothing to complain about.”  In the end, Soyoung knew he wouldn’t. If Soyoung had let Princess Brisa go home without laying a hand on her, the entire continent would know that the princess had gained the upperhand in Soyoung’s own palace within the week. On the other hand though, King Diedrich wasn’t a fool; only an idiot would speak loudly about how a princess had been crushed at her own game. 

 

Princess Brisa spluttered for another few long moments before turning on her heel.

 

“I will not forget this embarrassment, Your Majesty!” She snarled before storming towards the arena door. 

 

“Prime Minister.” Soyoung’s voice echoed loudly through the arena before the princess could leave, “Make sure the princess signs a written statement to what she promised to give us.” She gazed up at Hyojun, who only chuckled and waved his hand at a man behind him, who bowed and scurried off. Soyoung’s gaze shifted over to Jinyoung; the young prince had a complicated expression on his face, as if he couldn’t decide how he wanted to feel. Soyoung sighed as their eyes met, and she dipped her head slightly. In the end, she had kept the promise she had made to him. 

 

Soyoung tossed her sword lightly back into her right hand, and was about to head for the exit when the sound of something long and thin cutting through the air caught her attention. The young queen barely had time to throw herself to the side before something sharp cut across her cheek, pain lashing across her face as if someone had whipped her. Stumbling a bit from the force of the blow, Soyoung took a few steps to regain her balance before her eyes focused on the item that had become embedded in the grassy arena ground a few feet away, its deep blue feathered tip glimmering in the sunlight.

 

An arrow.

 

To be exact, an arrow from Comodo. 

 

Before Soyoung could think any further, the sound returned to her ears again, and she quickly leapt and somersaulted away from the space she had been standing in before the same space was hit with two more arrows. 

 

“Assassins!” A soldier shouted at last, seeming to catch onto what was going on, “Protect Her Majesty!” At the sound of the soldier’s cry, the arena erupted into chaos as people began rushing to flee in panic. Within seconds, the originally composed crowd turned into a chaotic mess of screaming and shouting. 

 

“No!” Soyoung ordered as soldiers ran towards her, “ everyone out! You only need to leave me with a crossbow.” The soldiers hesitated, but Soyoung was firm.

 

“This is a royal order!” She shouted, “I’ll be fine, just go!” The soldiers hesitated for one more moment before bowing and rushing off to do as Soyoung had ordered after handing Soyoung a crossbow. Soyoung’s gaze flickered upwards towards the private seating area and noticed that it was empty.

 

Good, he should be on his way out.

 

Soyoung’s gaze turned back to the matter at hand, her eyes scanning every side of the arena as she searched for the hidden opponent. At last, a flash of silver caught her eye from the scaffolding on the far edge of the arena, and she smiled.

 

There.

 

Barely taking a second to think, Soyoung raised the crossbow up and aimed, the arrow loaded inside flying forward at the same time something came hurtling towards her. Leaping neatly out of the way, Soyoung heard a loud shout, followed by the sound of something falling as her attack made contact. Two seconds later, something came from behind, giving the queen barely enough time to move aside as another arrow narrowly brushed her arm.

 

There’s more than one.

 

Soyoung lifted her crossbow and shot again, then cursed as the figure she spotted disappeared in a flash. Then, she heard the unexpected sound of the arena door opening, and she spun around in surprise to see Jinyoung standing near the entryway, looking just as confused as Soyoung felt. Their eyes met, and Jinyoung opened his mouth to speak.

 

“I…the soldier…” He spluttered, words coming out of his mouth but not making a sentence as he pointed in confusion at the door behind him. Soyoung cursed under her breath again as she hurried over to her husband, her hand reaching for the door immediately. The knob barely moved as she attempted to turn it, the telltale sound of light clicks coming from the mechanism telling her that as expected, it was locked. Soyoung sighed deeply, irritation mixed with anxiety rising in her chest. On her own, she would likely be able to get rid of the assassins before long, but with Jinyoung here, that was different. On top of that, her husband was a sitting duck as long as he stood by the door with that lost expression on his face. At the same time though, Soyoung couldn’t just stand by the door and guard him.

 

“Come here.” She yanked him firmly by the wrist to her side before marching further back out in the arena, Jinyoung pressed to her side.

 

“Don’t take a single step from my side unless I tell you to, do you understand?” She ordered. Jinyoung was startled by her sudden movement, but for once, he didn’t ask any questions and simply nodded. One hand gripping Jinyoung’s wrist firmly, Soyoung’s gaze scoured the edges of the arena for her attacker. 

 

“The arrow over there is from Comodo.” Jinyoung commented, “I saw it in older records when I was in the library.” 

 

“Stolen, likely.” Soyoung commented, “Only a fool would leave such a glaring clue.” 

 

“Who would it be then?” Jinyoung asked. Soyoung scoffed.

 

“Who knows.” Soyoung replied, “I have more than enough enemies to go around.” 

 

“Could it be-” Jinyoung yelped in surprise as Soyoung gave him a hard shove away from her before jumping backwards, a silver arrow flying past in the empty space that was left. Without wasting a second, Soyoung lifted the crossbow in her hand and shot at the dark figure hidden in the spectator seats, sending another man sprawling to the ground. Her body still tense, Soyoung let her gaze travel around for another few minutes before deciding it was safe enough to relax just a little bit and turn her attention back to Jinyoung.

 

“Are you alright?” She asked, crouching down to look at the young prince. Jinyoung blew on his palm and waved his hand lightly.

 

“I’m fine.” He commented, wincing slightly. Soyoung took his hand and lightly ran a finger over the red scrape on the edge of his hand, drawing a light gasp from Jinyoung.

 

“Ask Eunseong to look at it later.” She commented, letting go and brushing dirt off her knees, “What were you going to say earlier?” Jinyoung hesitated for a moment, an awkward sigh escaping his lips.

 

“I was going to say…could the attacker be the same person who attacked my brother?” He answered, slowly pulling himself to his feet. Soyoung raised an eyebrow at his question, noting the slight change in his rhetoric.

 

“Oh?” She commented dryly, “It seems that trip to Assai was useful after all.” Jinyoung sighed, the awkwardness on his face deepening.

 

“Your Majesty, I-” Soyoung shook her head as he began to speak again, taking his wrist in her hand again.

 

“Forget it, let’s get out of here first. The door is locked but there’s a way out through the competitor barracks. We can go there.” She stated firmly. The fact that Jinyoung had been shoved into the arena on his own when everyone else was supposed to be evacuating didn’t sit right with the queen, and while she had let herself relax a little bit, unease still churned in her stomach, and Soyoung knew it wouldn’t go away until they were out of the arena entirely. 

 

“I know you are angry, but won’t you at least listen to me?” Jinyoung asked as Soyoung pulled him along. Soyoung sighed, her gaze resolutely forward.

 

“We are not in the time or place to do so, Prince.” She answered coolly, “I will listen to what you have to say later, so-” A flash of light caught her eye as they neared the metal structures that would lead to the competitor barracks, and with a start, Soyoung realized what she was seeing reflected in the shining silver surface. Without thinking, she tightened her grip briefly on Jinyoung before giving him a firm shove away from her, sending the prince stumbling back from where he had been standing moments earlier. A second later, something slammed directly into her chest at full speed, throwing her off her feet and her back slamming against the edge of the entrance to the competitor barracks. Her breath completely knocked out of her lungs, Soyoung slowly slumped to the ground as the strength drained from her limbs, a chill starting to take over her limbs. Her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to breathe, Soyoung’s eyes moved slowly downwards. The deep blue feathers of a Comodo arrow sparkled dangerously in the sunlight in front of her, the edges of the feathers still fluttering lightly from its journey.

 

As for the other end, it was buried deep in her chest.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Jinyoung

 

I must be imagining things.

 

Yes, that must be it.

 

This can’t be happening.

 

Jinyoung’s body trembled as he blinked a few times in an attempt to clear his vision, but the sight in front of him didn’t change in the slightest. His heart hammered loudly in his chest, and he felt his body moving on its own accord while his mind went completely blank, his legs half falling half stumbling over to the fallen queen. As he neared the queen though, Soyoung’s hand reached out, holding him at bay. Before Jinyoung could say anything, Soyoung’s gaze had already moved elsewhere, her eyes moving carefully around the arena as her other hand reached for the crossbow that had fallen a little further away. Although her hand shook as she raised the crossbow, her gaze was steady as she focused on something a little distance away. With an audible click, the arrow in the crossbow flew forward, and as Jinyoung’s head jerked in the same direction to follow its direction, he saw a dark figure stumble in the spectator stands as the arrow hit its target. The crossbow fell back to the ground with a thump as Soyoung lost her grip and her body slumped back against the structure she had been knocked against. Jinyoung’s body trembled as he made his way over to the queen. 

 

“Your Majesty…”

 

His hands trembled as he reached out towards the arrow protruding from Soyoung’s chest, but he didn’t dare to lay a finger on it. 

 

“This…this can’t…what…what should I…” Words stumbled haphazardly from his mouth as he struggled to form a coherent sentence, a complicated mix of emotions surging through his chest. A horrid wet cough came from Soyoung, and his chest tightened painfully as red sticky blood rushed from her lips, dyeing the front of her dress red.

 

“Your Majesty!” A trembling hand touched his cheek, and with a start, Jinyoung realized tears were running down his face.

 

“What are you crying for?” Soyoung asked, laughing dryly despite the situation they were in, “Shouldn’t you be rejoicing instead? The wife you disliked so much is about to die right in front of you.” Jinyoung shook his head, the trembling in his body growing stronger.

 

“Why…why are you always like this?” He asked, his voice tight in his throat, “I’d rather you just let me hate you, why are you always doing these things for me?” Soyoung laughed breathlessly, her slender fingers brushing over his cheek.

 

“Because you are the husband I chose.” She answered, “And I will never let anyone harm the person I chose.” Their eyes met, and in that moment, Jinyoung recognized the look in the queen’s eyes. Despite the pain clouding her expression, the look in her eyes was firm and insistent, just like the day he had seen the little maid Soeun step up for the maid by her side even though that meant going against someone superior to her and the odds would certainly be against her. And now that Jinyoung thought about it, the grip on his hand while she had been searching for the enemy had been firm and protective, radiating a message that she’d never let anything happen to the person she was holding. Jaebeom’s words from merely a few days ago echoed in Jinyoung’s mind.

 

She’s not all that different, is she?

 

No hyung, perhaps she isn’t.

 

A soft sigh escaped the queen’s lips as she gazed up at him, her gaze softening slightly as a look of wonder took over her eyes, mixed with a rush of other emotions. Jinyoung’s lips parted slightly in surprise as he recognized the expression on the queen’s face. He had seen that look many times in the months before he had married the little maid who had stolen his heart. It was a look of warmth and gentleness, a rare moment of unbridled emotion that displayed the user’s thoughts. 

 

“You are so kind, little prince.” Soyoung mused, “So gentle, so warm. From the beginning, perhaps that is what attracted me to you.” Jinyoung felt his cheeks flush unbidden at her words, his heart skipping a beat, although he didn’t know if it was from the situation they were in or something else. He cleared his throat awkwardly in an attempt to clear the awkward tension in his chest.

 

“Y-your Majesty must be going delirious.” He muttered, “L-let me take the arrow out from your first.” His trembling hand moved back towards the arrow, but Soyoung grabbed his wrist. 

 

“I will bleed out sooner if you do that, little prince.” She warned, “Or did you decide to take me up on that offer to take my life?” Jinyoung’s cheeks grew hotter and he quickly drew his hand away.

 

“I wouldn’t do that.” He said quickly, “Does Your Majesty think of me as a person who repays merit with evil deeds?” Soyoung chuckled breathlessly at his response.

 

“That’s true.” She whispered, her voice growing quieter, “You have always been someone who values affection and loyalty the most. Even if I gave you the chance to take my life, you wouldn’t do it.” Her voice grew fainter as the sentence finished, and Jinyoung’s heart skipped a beat as Soyoung’s eyes began to close.

 

“Don’t sleep!” He exclaimed in a panic, his hands shaking as he grabbed her shoulder, “Your Majesty, please don’t sleep! Your Majesty!” His eyes cast around frantically as he searched for something he could do. The queen had mentioned there was a way out from the competitor barracks, but they were still outside the entrance. Even if Jinyoung wanted to, he knew he didn’t have the strength to carry Soyoung all the way there, especially when he didn’t know the way. But still, he couldn’t just leave her there. Just then, he heard something that made his heart soar. 

 

“Sister! Brother-in-law!” Jinyoung’s head jerked towards the spectator stands, and he saw the familiar figure of Eunseong standing there along with a group of soldiers. Relief flooded through Jinyoung’s veins as he waved a hand frantically.

 

“Over here!” He shouted. Eunseong hurried down from the stands at the sound of Jinyoung’s voice, and before long, the door that had been locked was forced open under the force of the soldiers with him. Eunseong in his breath as he took in the state Soyoung was in, but despite the anxiety in his eyes, the Grand Prince was calm and focused, his gaze the only thing that moved as he assessed the damage done to the queen. In that moment, Jinyoung couldn’t help but marvel at how similar the prince and the queen were. Eunseong wasn’t physically strong, and he didn’t have the military experience Soyoung had, but when it came to medical matters, especially his sister, he was just as focused and methodical as Soyoung was on the battlefield. With the two of them together, it was no wonder the country and the military forces were in good shape.

 

Eunseong managed to arrange for a way for  Soyoung to be brought back to the palace, and before long, Jinyoung found himself hovering nervously near the bed in the queen’s room, his gaze focused on Soyoung’s face. The young queen’s cheeks were turning pale from blood loss, her chest moving weakly as she seemed to struggle to breathe. Eunseong had an oddly hesitant look on his face, white teeth gnawing on his bottom lip as he seemed to struggle to decide what to do.

 

“Eunseong?” Jinyoung asked hesitantly, “What are you waiting for?” Eunseong sighed deeply.

 

“In order to treat the wound, I’ll have to remove the arrow.” He answered after a long pause, “But…the arrow went in deep, I’m afraid my sister’s body won’t be able to take it whether I take it out quickly or slowly.” Jinyoung frowned in confusion.

 

“Surely this isn’t the first time Her Majesty has been shot with an arrow before.” He said, “What makes things different this time?” Eunseong sighed deeply, and closed his eyes briefly before answering. 

 

“Because she’s three months pregnant.” He answered at last. Jinyoung felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

 

“What did you say?”