It was a nice day again but the sun wasn't gleaming like it was yesterday, instead it kept being sheltered by the clouds drifting by. I opened the door and made my way down the steps and took Syndicate out of his pen.

 

"You liked Tippani, didn't you boy?" he just stood staring at me. "Well, I'm not surprised, she's beautiful in more ways than one. You get to see her again today as well," his ears pricked up upon hearing he'll be seeing the princess tomorrow. I pulled myself up onto his saddle and rode him to the gates. Just as they were coming into sight, I saw a figure waving and shouting something. I couldn't quite hear because of the distance but I knew who it was straight away.

 

"... Yeon ... TaeYeon, over here!" 

 

"Hehe, look who it is Syndi-" as soon as he saw the red haired girl, he went bolting towards her, forcing me to cling onto the reins as hard as I could. "Syndicate stop! Stop!" I was crying for him to stop but he shown no intentions of doing so.

 

"Woah TaeYeon ! What's happening?!" Tiffany was shouting over to me.

 

"Syndicate saw you and started to go!" I shouted back to her.

 

"Are you OK?!"

 

"No! I'm not! He won't sto-"

 

*Thud*

 

"Ugh ..." I landed to the floor and a pile of dust flew up.

 

"*Gasp*! TaeYeon!" Tiffany came running over to me and kneeled beside me, "Are you alright? Have you hurt yourself?" she over my left cheek with her hand.

 

"Onl-agh," I winced at the pain shooting up my back as I tried to stand up, "Only my back."

 

"Do you need any help getting up?"

 

"N-no, I should be fine, you don't need to help me."

 

"I know why you never want my help, it's because you think I shouldn't be helping you because you're the person that's supposed to look after me but I don't care. Let me help you up," she stood up and held her hands out for me to grab. From out of nowhere, Syndicate appeared behind Tiffany and gently pushed her with his snout so she fell on top of me.

 

"Oops!" Tiffany looked straight down.

 

"Oh ... hello you, haha ..." I huffed and stuttered as the definition of beauty was kneeling over me, "Why did you just fall like that?"

 

"Your naughty horse pushed me, I don't think he likes me ..." she turned around and frowned at Syndicate. When she turned around, I stuck my thumb up at Syndicate for putting me in this certain situation. As soon as she turned back around to face me, I pulled my hand back down.

 

"I think he does, that's why he went charging and he probably nuzzled his head into you that hard he knocked you over."

 

"Are you sure about that?"

 

"I'm positive about that, he's been my horse for a few years now, I know him."

 

"Well, I'm glad he does like me, just like his master I presume?"

 

"Of course," I think his master likes you more than himself though.

 

"Glad to hear it, TaeYeon."

 

"Anyway, what are we waiting for? Let's go in the lake like I promised yesterday."

 

"Oh yes! I'm sorry, let me get off you," she stood up herself and watched me get up.

 

"I think that commotion sounded like it was coming from over here," my whole body froze as I heard the voices of Yesung and Siwon approaching.

 

"TaeYeon, w-what's the matter?" Tiffany asked with worry all over her face.

 

"They're my seniors, quick, follow me!" I whispered loudly to her as I grabbed her hand and made a dash for the hay bales.

 

"Woah! TaeYeon!" she stumbled behind me but that only cost more time and in the end we weren't quick enough.

 

"Woah woah woah! What the hell is going off here?!" Siwon came forward with his arms folded, "Captain Kim! What on Earth do you think you're playing at?!"

 

"No, please, let me explain!" I responded immediately, "It's just ... I ..." I glanced over at Tiffany and saw her eyes depending on me to protect her, "I found her on the outskirts and I tried to pull her here so no-one could see her. I was going to scold her but then you two arrived, I apologise, General."

 

"Tae ..." I heard a whimper behind me but I didn't look back out of guilt,

 

"Excellent work, Captain," Siwon praised me for my imaginary task, "We'll take her back now, you've already done your part. Come on, Princess," Siwon and Yesung guided her back into town through the gates. Tiffany turned her head around to face me and sadness overruled her face, I couldn't look her in the eye as it would only upset me more. When the three of them were out of sight, I slumped down onto my knees and punched the floor.

 

'I'm such an idiot! Why did I put the blame on Tippani?! I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want to ever speak to me again now ... I've got to apologise to her sometime though," I stayed on the floor and swirled my finger in the soil granules, "There's only one option," I stopped twirling my finger and looked up.

 

 

Narrator's POV

 

 

Later that day ...

 

 

"She hates me, she hates me not, she hates me, she hates me not," Tiffany sat at the bottom of her bed picking petals off of a rose she got out of a bouquet on her bedside table. "So she hates me?" Tiffany announced whilst throwing the final petal on the floor, closely followed by the stem, covered in thorns, "I know you would've got into trouble if they knew what we were really doing, but you didn't make any effort to stick up for me," Tiffany lay backwards onto her bed and rolled over to face the window.

 

*Knock knock knock*!

 

"Daddy I told you to leave me alone! Can you not understand that?!"

 

"Tippani ... it's me ..."

 

"TaeYeon?!"

 

 

TaeYeon's POV

 

 

Tiffany opened the door immediately and flung her arms around my neck.

 

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you!" her voice muffled in the area between my neck and my shoulder, "How did you even get up here?!"

 

"Same way that you get out."

 

"But how? Daddy put extra guards around to make sure I don't get out again."

 

"I'll tell you."

 

Tiffany grabbed my hand, sat down on her bed and pulled me with her so I could share with her what I'd done. 

 

 

Flashback

 

 

"Right, so I'm outside the castle ... Now I just have to get in somehow," I stood my chin while gazing up at the castle. "Now if remember rightly, Tippani said that she overlooks the town from her bedroom window, so THAT must be her room," again I stood staring up at the castle but now pointing to the window I presumed was Tiffany's. "If Tippani can get out then I can get i-"

 

"Hey TaeYeon!" someone came behind me and smacked their hands on top of my shoulders.

 

"Ack! I'm not planning anything, I swear!" I turned around straight away to see who almost caught me in the act, "Oh ... hey Jess. Don't scare me like that OK?!"

 

"Sorry, I was just on my way home from work and I saw you so I thought I'd say hi."

 

"Oh, well, you've said it now."

 

"What's the rush, Taengoo?" Jessica frowned and placed her head on my shoulder.

 

"I'm sorry Jess, now isn't exactly the right time."

 

"Why? What's wrong?"

 

"I erm ... I've got business wiiiiiiiiiiith a guard here, yeah, that's right."

 

"Oh! Well, I better leave you then."

 

"Yeah, thanks Jess."

 

"Oh before I go! Fancy coming to the tavern tomorrow? It's like a summer party for everyone."

 

"Yeah, I guess I could do that."

 

"Can't wait!" Jessica leaped forward and hugged my arm.

 

"OK Jess, let go ... I need to go now ..."

 

"Oh! Sorry! I'll see you later then!" she skipped off and winked at me.

 

"Anyway, back to this, I don't think there's anyone else comi-"

 

"Hey, Captain!"

 

"Ah!" I twisted my body left and right to see who shouted me this time, "Oh, Yuri, you frightened me ..." not another one ...

 

"Oh, sorry Captain, anyway, I saw you and I came to say hello but then I saw a girl with you. Erm ... may I ask who she is?"

 

"Oh, of course. Wait, why? Has she done something?"

 

"Oh! No! No she hasn't! There's n-n-no reason! Just, my br-wait my-yeah, my brother saw her and he likes her so I was just wondering where I could find her for him."

 

"Oh, she works in the tavern."

 

"Oh right, thanks, I'll head over there now."

 

"She's just finished."

 

"Oh ... what about tomorrow?"

 

"I think she works everyday."

 

"Ah right, thanks again," she discreetly followed Jess back.

 

"Hmmm, I'm like that around Tippani, I get all flustered ... I don't think it's her brother that likes Jess ... Anyway! Back to business!" I turned around and looked down all the streets to make sure no-one could see me. Once there was no-one in sight, I took a few steps back and charged against the wall surrounding the castle. Before I got to close to the wall, I leaped up and grabbed the edge at the top, then began scrambling my feet up the wall. I sat on the top of the wall and lifted my legs over to the other side so I could drop down before anyone saw me. "Hmph," I slowly dismounted and landed on the grass.

 

"And what do you think you're doing?" I froze as a man's voice was heard. I looked around but luckily there was no-one there, but the voice continued, "How many times do I have to tell you not to go out?" oh, it was coming from Tiffany's bedroom.

 

"I don't think I should go just yet, not if the king's up there," I ran across the grass to the nearest castle building and practically stuck myself to the wall.

 

*Clunk clunk clunk*.

 

Armour of a patrolling guard could be heard, then he passed right in front of me and I covered my mouth to prevent any air from escaping and being audible. He looked left and right and continued forward. Since Tiffany escaped again, they must have made the security a lot more stronger to ensure that she doesn't leave again.

 

Once the guard had passed, I made a dash into the gardens. Three more guards were circling around four rose bushes, "Damn, how do I get past these?" I waited for them to turn so I was within their blind spot and ran over to rose bush that wasn't occupied.

 

"What was that rustle?"

 

"I don't know, I think it came from that bush," I watched through a space in the branches and saw him pointing towards the bush. 

 

"Urk!" again, I covered my mouth. Luckily to my advantage, a gust of wind come and blew the bush I was hiding behind, causing the guards to now think twice. When they rotated around, I ran again to the dining room where we had our meals a couple nights before. I remembered when I went to the bathroom that the stairs continued up, so that was probably my best bet to get to Tiffany.

 

The door was locked when I pulled on the handle, "Damn it!" I shook the door slightly but the door didn't move. "Wait, I just need a branch."

 

Beside the doors, there were a few groups of ivy whirling up the brickwork of the dining room. I pried my finger underneath a vine and ripped it clean off. I folded it in half and pushed it into the lock. "Now from what I've been taught, all I need to do is push this in and go up and twist left," I kneeled down to look into the lock and twisted it. Within seconds the door opened and I squeezed in before the door opened too wide, grabbing the attention of the guards.

 

When I entered, I closed the door behind me immediately and went past the table we'd dined on to reach the door that lead upstairs. Fortunately the door to the stairs was unlocked so I got in there with ease and made my way upstairs. The door to the toilets was on the right but this time I carried on all the way to the top of the spiral.

 

 

Present

 

 

"So that's how you got here?" Tiffany questioned. 

 

"Yeah, I would've climbed up but there's no footholds and it's got all rose bushes underneath so I couldn't even get there if I wanted to."

 

"You've done all this just to come and see me?" Tiffany gazed intently at me.

 

"Yes, I wanted to apologise to you."

 

"What for?"

 

"Putting all the blame on you, it was my fault as well."

 

"No Taeyeon, I understand, you could be dead right now for taking me out of the castle. Come here," Tiffany reached out and pulled me into her arms. Instead of just letting her hug me this time, I returned the hug and held her tight within my arms.

 

"I wish you could just be able to come out without any of this happening, it really isn't fair on you. You don't get any opportunities like we do."

 

"TaeYeon I l-"

 

"Tiffany, are you talking to somebody?" me and Tiffany froze and pulled away from each other's grasp to look at each other as we heard footsteps closing in on Tiffany's bedroom.

 

"Tippani, is that-"

 

"It's Daddy! You need to hide!" Tiffany pulled me up from the bed and started pushing me around the room.

 

"Where is there to hide in here!?" I turned my head over my shoulder to face Tiffany.

 

"Just get under my bed!" she held my neck and tried to force me down.

 

"I can't fit under there!" I resented and pushed myself back up.

 

"Can you see anywhere?"

 

"It's your room! You should know!"

 

"I can't think!"

 

"Well how can I know if you don't?! Hurry! He's coming!"

 

"Ermmm! I don't know, Tae!" Tiffany flapped her arms around in a panic.

 

"Wait, you were going to say something to me, tell me quick!"

 

"Now's not the time! I doubt it'd mean anything though."

 

"Please, Tippani. Tell me."

 

"Not yet anyway."

 

"Tiffany, I'm coming in, you better not have locked it," Tiffany's door handle started to turn.

 

I only had one last resort and it wasn't the greatest once I realised what I'd done.

 

"What are you doing?!" Tiffany shrieked.

 

 

Narrator's POV

 

 

TaeYeon leaped out of the window and was free falling into a multiple number of thorns, "Oh my gosh!" Tiffany ran straight to the window and watched her continue to tumble down to the bushes below.

 

"What do you mean what am I doing?" the king asked while Tiffany turned around from the window to greet her father inside.

 

*Rustle rustle thud*.

 

"Ahhhhh ..." TaeYeon lay squinting half deep in the shrubbery. She was attached to the thorns and looked across her body to see numerous rips and and slits in her clothes. She lifted her hands up to see how bad they were and there were huge gashes on each, all pouring the metallic red substance out.

 

"Erm I-I ... I want my privacy, that's why I asked what you were doing," Tiffany told her father who was now searching her room for the second voice.

 

"Who was the other voice? I couldn't decipher if it was a man or a woman but it definitely wasn't yours," he hissed while looking straight into her eyes, "I'm pleased that you didn't lock your door like I asked though."

 

"Daddy there wasn't anyone else, but I didn't lock it because I knew you'd be checking."

 

"Good girl, but how am I supposed to believe that there wasn't another voice when I clearly heard it for myself?"

 

"Because there's no-one here."

 

"That's because you've hidden them, I'm not stupid Tiffany.

 

"How can anyone hide in here? Fine. Look for yourself."

 

The king searched every possible nook and cranny of Tiffany's room but he had no luck. Not one person was in that room other than himself and his daughter.

 

"Hang on, did they go through the window?"

 

"Don't be stupid, Daddy. Of course not."

 

"Yeah, I am being stupid. A fall from that height into those rose bushes would kill someone immediately," he said to Tiffany.

 

"K ... killed?" Tiffany's voice trembled.

 

"Yep, that's why they probably wouldn't jump, they wouldn't want to kill themselves. You look worried."

 

"It's just ... I was ... er ... thinking for if I ever tripped."

 

"Hmm, fine but you'd have to trip very high. Tea will be in an hour, I'll get someone to fetch you when it's ready."

 

"Yes father," Tiffany bowed her head as her father exited the room. As soon as she knew he wasn't there, she leaned out of the window and shouted down to TaeYeon, "TaeYeon! Please say you're OK!"

 

"Ah ... yeah ... I ... I should be fine," Tiffany held her hands on her chest, let out a sigh of relief and smiled as she heard TaeYeon's voice reply, indicating she was alive.

 

"As long as you're fine, then I'm happy. Is there any chance you can come up here again?"

 

"I'll tr-ow!" TaeYeon yelped as a thorn delved deeper into her stomach as she attempted to move.

 

"TaeYeon are you alright?!"

 

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm coming ..."

 

"Please take your time though."

 

About twenty minutes later, Taeyeon knocked on Tiffany's door. Tiffany opened the door and TaeYeon limped in with blood dripping off of her hands. "Oh, TaeYeon," tears were forming on Tiffany's eyelids as she ran over and held TaeYeon's hands, "I didn't mean for this to happen to you."

 

"Hey, don't worry, it was my decision to do what I did, and besides, I'm here now," TaeYeon gave Tiffany a reassuring smile to try and hide the pain that she was in. 

 

"TaeYeon, I can't leave you in this state," Tiffany moved behind TaeYeon and gently pushed her forward to sit on her bed, "Stay there for two seconds, I'll fetch some water from the bathroom."

 

"Tippani, what are you doing?"

 

"Tending your wounds," after sharing what she was doing, Tiffany left her room with a bowl she got out of her drawers and came back momentarily with water. "Let me see how deep they are, TaeYeon."

 

"See how deep what are?"

 

"Your wounds," Tiffany held TaeYeon's hand and examined the deepness of the gashes on each hand. "Stay there," Tiffany went to her dresser and pulled out some bandages and a cloth.

 

"Why do you have them?" TaeYeon questioned. 

 

"I've had them for a long time now, when I was younger, my mother would tend to injured Iron Wardens and she'd show me what to do, I guess you could say she was a medic. If ever one of my teddies or dolls had a rip in, I'd look after them. I guess I've still kept some things."

 

"So you're going to sort my hands out?"

 

"If you'll let me."

 

"It's better than them getting infected, alright then," TaeYeon smiled at Tiffany, "Let's see your work, Nurse Tippani."

 

"Haha, of course, Patient TaeYeon. Would you like to lie down for me?" TaeYeon steadily lay backwards onto Tiffany's pillows and put her palms facing upwards for Tiffany to examine.

 

"Ahh ..." TaeYeon squinted her eyes as pain went through her stomach where her small cuts were.

 

"TaeYeon, are you alright?" Tiffany asked while holding TaeYeon's cheek.

 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit painful."

 

"Looks very sore," Tiffany said while turning TaeYeon's hand around, "Firstly I need to clean it out."

 

"Aww, that's going to sting, Tippani."

 

"It's OK, it won't last long," Tiffany placed the cloth in the water and wringed the majority of the water out. "TaeYeon, you're going to have to stop shaking."

 

"Sorry, it's just the anticipation of knowing that it's going to sting a bit."

 

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," Tiffany gently dabbed the opening to TaeYeon's injury.

 

"Tsssst!" TaeYeon stiffened her legs as the cloth sent pains shooting up her arm.

 

"Is it really that bad, TaeYeon?" Tiffany moved the cloth away and put it back in the water.

 

"Yeah, but I need you to finish it," TaeYeon held her hands out to Tiffany. Tiffany picked one hand up at a time and continuously wiped at the injuries, making sure every speck of dirt was out.

 

"I need you to let me bandage these up now," Tiffany unwound the bandages and wrapped them around TaeYeon's hands. When enough was wrapped around her hands, she ripped the bandage from the roll and fastened it.

 

"Tippani ..." TaeYeon sat up on the bed, looked at her bandaged hands and then looked at Tiffany, "This is fantastic."

 

"Well, I tried my best for you."

 

"Your mum taught you very well."

 

"Thank you, actually TaeYeon ..."

 

"Hmm?"

 

"I'd love to be a medic. I want to be a medic for the Iron Wardens."

 

"A medic?"

 

"Yeah, I'd be in the infirmary a lot. Seeing you get hurt today really upset me, I don't like seeing you in pain."

 

"Oh, don't worry about me, Tippani. I'll be fine. Besides, I think I should get going, I don't want your father intruding again because I really have no option on where to go," TaeYeon stood up and made her way over to the door.

 

"Can't you stay the night?" Tiffany stayed sat on the bed.

 

"As much as I'd love to, I can't, your dad will surely come up again," TaeYeon stopped and turned to Tiffany.

 

"TaeYeon, I'm so lonely though, I need company. Please."

 

"I'm really sorry, but no, I can't. If your father comes up, he'll go ballistic."

 

"Promise you'll stay one time though," TaeYeon looked at the floor and looked back at Tiffany.

 

"OK, I promise."

 

"Thank you," Tiffany walked up to TaeYeon and wrapped her arms her around TaeYeon's stomach, "I'll be looking forward to that day."

 

"It's a shame you can't get out at this moment in time, he's made the security stronger, hasn't he?"

 

"Yeah, I'll find a way to get out though. Wait, TaeYeon ..."

 

"What's the matter?"

 

"It's just ..." Tiffany let go of TaeYeon, "That means we won't see each other for a while."

 

"..." TaeYeon stood in silence, "I guess not .l."

 

"But ... I want to see you, TaeYeon."

 

"I know, and I want to see you too, but it's going to be tricky right now unless you can get out."

 

"Why can't you come like you did today?"

 

"Two reasons," TaeYeon stuck two fingers up at Tiffany, "One reason is that it's going to be hard for me to climb with these on my hands and secondly, the biggest reason is that all your dad has to do is come up here and find me. Therefore, it's best if I go now so he doesn't. The quicker I go the better, the longer I stay the riskier it gets for me, so on that note, I'll see you," TaeYeon was just about to turn the door handle when Tiffany ran behind her and clung onto her back.

 

"TaeYeon, don't leave me, please just stay five more minutes."

 

"Tiffany please! Listen to me! You're making it hard for both of us! Just let me go, alright?!"

 

"TaeYeon ..."

 

"I'm sorry Tippani," TaeYeon turned around and cradled Tiffany's head, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just ... I hate seeing you upset, and it's hurts me. Wanting me to stay hurts because I know that I can't and when I say that I can't ... it upsets you. So I'm going to leave now and I'll have to find some way to come and see you," TaeYeon didn't wait for a response and left the room, heading out the way she got in.

 

 

Tiffany's POV

 

 

She was gone, completely vanished from the premises of my room, leaving nothing but droplets of her blood. I kneeled on the floor, looked at the five consecutive splatters and cleaned them up with the cloth I bathed her with.

 

"So you get upset that you can't spend time with me?" I stood up and walked over to the window she had fell out of, "You're complicated, Kim TaeYeon, but I wouldn't change you for anything," I looked over the edge of the window and saw the huge indention of where TaeYeon had landed. "Well, there's nothing left for me to do for a while now, I've just got to wait for your return."

 

 

TaeYeon's POV

 

 

"Hngh ..." pain shot up my entire arm as I clambered over the wall to get back into town, "It cut deeper than I thought ..." I folded my arms all the way until I got to the end of town in case anyone saw both of my hands in bandages. I untied Syndicate and steadily heaved myself up onto his back, minding to not put too much pressure on my wounds. "Just get me home, Syndicate ..."

 

We eventually ended up back home and I went straight inside once I set Syndicate down for the night. Once I got in and closed the door, I sat on my bed and unwound the cloth from around my hands. Blood soaked the insides of the bandages and the palms of my hands were smeared with dry blood. Due to Tiffany's treatment, the bleeding had stopped and was less painful as beforehand. She was really good at it actually and to be honest, we could do with someone like that to become a medic for us. Her father would never allow it though, it'd be too risky for her. I ran the water from the sink and slowly eased my hands under the water, "Ah ..." the water caused a stinging sensation across the palms of my hands but it was to remove any excess blood from me. I turned the tap off and flicked through a drawer with my own bandages in, "I should replace these, can't have old ones on," I unrolled the cloth, twirled it over each hand and pulled them tight to keep them in place. "Haaa ..." I fell backwards onto my bed and closed my eyes for a few moments, before I knew it, I was asleep and out for the night.

 

 

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Another update, there'll probably be a couple of filler chapters after this so it can give me chance to develop a few more characters into the story. I'm always falling asleep by the time I upload these so I apologise again in case there's any grammar or typos in here. Finally, as always, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and I'll see you in the next update!