"Ah ah ah, bright!" I quickly faced away from it and felt the warmth on my back, "Well, at least it's a nice day," trying to find the good side to it.

 

Just like last night, I went over to my wardrobe, but this time, I picked out my burgundy tunic with the king's crest on, a bra, some more clean underwear and my tight black trousers.

 

I grabbed a towel and a hairbrush at the side of my bed and my toothbrush, "Do I have enough time for a quick wash? I think I do!" I threw my clothes and towel over my shoulder, had my brushes in one hand and picked up my brown leather boots at the doorstep with the other and then made my way outside down the steps.

 

When I stepped outside, the essence of woodland roamed around, the birds were singing, blue butterflies with black patterns on were flying together and the sunlight glistened on the top of the lake. It was like something out of a fairytale.

 

I sat down on the bottom step and put my boots on. I got up and starting walking down the dusty path towards the lake.

 

"Brrrrrr," a damp nose pressed against my shoulder.

 

"Oh, hey boy, were you alright last night? It was raining pretty hard," I twirled my finger underneath his chin. When I did that, he nuzzled his beautiful black snout into my neck, "Hey, that tickles, mister, haha."

 

I got to pick him, all the recruits were given a selection of horses and I chose the jet black beauty. He was gorgeous, so were the others but he had so much more appeal to him out of them all. I was so glad I got first pick too, I know a lot of others had their eyes on him but I was the lucky one.

 

"Tsk!"

 

"Oh my God, Syndicate! That's vile!" horse snot all down my neck, "I am so glad I decided to have a wash now!"

 

When I started to walk off, the sound of hooves grew louder. Big brown eyes staring at me when I turned back around, "Ohhhh, come on then. But, on one condition!" my finger raised up to him, "When I say it's time to go, we go."

 

I opened the clasp to the pen and held his reins, "You can carry these too," I threw my clothes, brushes and towel on top of his saddle and walked him down the path to the lake, "Now, you better do as you're told, Syndicate." 

 

I ed my shirt and slipped out of my underwear. Syndicate was snorting behind me, "Think yourself lucky! You're the only man who'll see me like this ..." his head looking down and his tongue now lapping the water up from the lake.

 

I went over to the waterfall so I could get some running water onto me. I stepped under it and the water spread all over my body. I was enjoying myself too much just savouring the cleanliness. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes while I ran my hands through my hair.

 

After I'd washed my hair, I began to wash my body in the lake, getting rid of any last bit of dirt I didn't get off last night. When I'd finished, I picked my supplies up off of Syndicate.

 

"Brrrrr."

 

"Nooooooo way Syndicate, no fuss when I'm , sorry pal. Even you're clothed in your blue coat," he was now giving me his sympathetic look but it wasn't going to work, "Try all you want, but it's not working this time pal. Sorry!"

 

I went and sat on a rock that was partially in the lake. The strength of the sunlight wouldn't take long to get my hair dry.

 

I stood up and started rubbing myself dry with the towel and then squeezed the water out of my hair. Keeping the towel wrapped around my shoulders, I put my underwear and my bra on and began to brush my teeth.

 

When my hair eventually dried, I took the towel off and put the remainder of my clothes on and put my boots back on.

 

I tilted my head to the side and started brushing my hair while I was walking over to Syndicate. "Come on then big guy, let's get back."

 

"Tch," his nose now pointing away from me into the air.

 

"You little ..." my eyes now giving him daggers and my cheeks puffing out slightly. Now I had the oncoming feat to get him back into his pen, "Syndicate, come on now, I thought we had an agreement."

 

"Tch."

 

"Wait, I'm talking to a horse ... a horse ..."

 

"Tch.""

 

"This is because I wouldn't give you a isn't it?"

 

 Complete silence from the horse.

 

"Ugh, every time, you think I'd learn by now, never make a promise with a horse ... babo ..."

 

I left him where he was and made my way back up to my hut and placed everything I'd taken with me on my bed, "Right, I should have some somewhere in here," I said while pulling out various drawers, "Awwww, I've only got one left." I stuck my bottom lip out and furrowed my eyebrows. I sighed in despair, "Need to buy more, that costs money, then I get broke, lovely ..."

 

I stepped outside and ran behind the nearest tree, trying to avoid his line of sight. I tiptoed over to the next and carried on doing so until I was about ten metres or so away from him.

 

Syndicate stopped everything he was doing. His snout lifted up into the air and his nostrils began to twitch.

 

"*Sniff sniff, sniff*."

 

"Eeeeee, he's falling for it," I whispered to myself in excitement.

 

He now started to turn around and was looking between all the trees. Slowly, I crept out from the tree I was hiding behind and taunted him, "Ohhhh, Syndicate, what's this?" the bright red apple shining in the light, "Ohhhh, look, nice and juicy, your favourite!"

 

Syndicate was now faintly trotting over towards me, "You want it? Do you really want it?" I teased while waving it around.

 

"Ummmm, it looks so nice doesn't it boy?" I opened my mouth and was just about to take a bite when this huge weight came charging at me.

 

"No Syndicate! Bad horse! Bad horse!" without any hesitation, I ran off screaming while my own horse was intending of murdering me over an apple. "Syndicate, no! Bad Syndicate! Bad Syndicaaaaaate!" screaming even louder as I got closer to my hut being chased by a savage beast.

 

With my excellent quick thinking I threw the apple into his pen and bolted the gate open. So predictable, he went running after it and started chomping down onto it. "I swear down you do this to me on purpose ..."

 

I shut the gate behind him only to realise that I needed him to get into town.

 

"Uuuuuugggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh, that was unneeded ..." I slapped my forehead again, "Oh, that reminds me, my cut!"

 

I went back into my hut for the last time and held up the mirror to my face. "What?! A scar?! I only did it yesterday and it wasn't even that deep! Hmph, that's the last time I use that remedy ..."

 

What a great start to the morning ...

 

I gave Syndicate time to eat 'my' apple and let him out again. Before I left, I ran inside and grabbed my money pouch. When I went back outside I stared at him."It's a good job I love you ..." he nuzzled his head into my neck again and I gave him a quick peck on his neck. Before he could sneeze I moved away and went to the side of him. I lifted myself onto his back and grabbed hold of his reins. "Come on then boy, let's go into town, you don't have to rush though, you can go at walking pace if you want to," I patted his back.

 

It wasn't long until I was approaching the huge wooden gates that were the entrance to the main town. The castle, home of the royal family, always looking over the town at the far end. I jumped off Syndicate and tied him up to the nearest fence with the hay and water tanks. "I won't be long, well, I shouldn't be long."

 

I walked through between many different stalls with merchants selling their goods.

 

"Care to have a look, Madame?"

 

"Erm, no, I'm good thanks," dismissing them with my hand, "Right, keep going straightforward until I get to the third street and then turn right."

 

When I was promenading down the streets of Mansfield, women were hanging outside their windows wearing aprons, cleaning their floor rugs, "I'm so glad I don't live that life, having to do the same thing everyday. I feel sorry for them actually."

 

When I got to the third street, Ryeowook was already walking down with his notepad.

 

"Oh! TaeYeon, you're earlier than I thought. How'd you get that scar?"

 

"Yeah, sorry, thought I'd come and have a look around town for a bit. I did it yesterday, nothing too big."

 

"Oh, that's fine. I may as well give you your assignment now, it's not too big again but it's important. What we need you to do is go and get some ghost orchids from the forest near your place because the infirmary are having a shortage on them and people are desperate for them. We do need them pretty soon, so the earlier the better. Are you alright with that?"

 

"Yeah, I don't see how that could be a pro-"

 

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

 

My head snapped behind me and Ryeowook stared straight past me.

 

"What was that, Captain?!"

 

"I have no idea but it can't be good."

 

Before he could say anymore, I bolted off in the direction of the distressed screams. "Wait, TaeYeon! I haven't finished!" he reached out to me with his hand.

 

"That can wait, Captain!" I shouted over my shoulder.

 

The pleads were getting louder as I ran further into the back alley streets.

 

"Someone, please, just help me!" it was a woman's voice crying out.

 

Three men were surrounding a robed woman with her hood up, sat on the floor.

 

"Hey, don't worry lady, we won't hurt you, much," he laughed to himself.

 

"Please," she was sobbing, "I can give you anything you want, just don't hurt me," tears clearly dropping onto the stone cobbles in the ground and a tremble in her voice.

 

One of them crouched down and wrapped his hand around . I couldn't quite see her face but it was obvious she was crying.

 

"We won't hurt you, we just want a bit of fun with you," he started chuckling to himself again and so did his goons.

 

"Yeah, a lot of fun," his disrespectful and revolting words triggered my anger.

 

Without thinking, I pushed all my force into my legs and sprinted towards the one who dared to put his hands on her.

 

"Raaaaaaaa!" I dived straight at his legs and tackled him to the floor, smashing his head into the garbage bins, knocking him out instantly.

 

I got up and patted the dust off of me and faced the other two.

 

"Oh , she's serving the king, look at her tunic."

 

"Better kill her, then she can't report back to anyone."

 

The girl on the floor gasped as they both glared at me and each pulled out a pocket knife from under their garments.

 

My eyes widened and my mouth steadily opened.

 

"Hey now, aha, what do you er, why'd you get them out?" I stuttered at them while scratching the back of my head.

 

"I think it's best to deal with you this second, but make it as slow and as painful as possible," they started approaching me with the blades pointing at me, the caped girl looking even more distraught than before.

 

"Come on, it's two against one here, that's surely not fair now is it?"

 

"Oh it's more than fair sweetheart."

 

"*Sigh*, if you insist then," one of them lunged at me but I grabbed the side of their arm and twisted them around.

 

"Ah, you little , get off me!" with all my might, I swung him to the side of me causing him to fall over and drop his knife. He went back to reach for it but before he could, I trod on his arm.

 

"I don't think so," I kicked him in the side of his head, stunning him for a few minutes.

 

I looked at the other guy, "Are you sure you even want to attempt that?"

 

"N-n-n-no, ma'am."

 

"Hm," I crossed my arms, "Didn't think you did. Now, take these two out of here and I might consider not saying anything."

 

"Y-y-yes, ma'am,' he picked one up with one arm and the other one with his other arm.

 

"Now go."

 

I went over to the girl and crouched down to her level. She looked straight into my eyes and I swear my heart stopped. She was gorgeous, every feature on her face was pure perfection. Her red hair was slightly dangling out of her hood. "Oh my..." I couldn't help myself.

 

She threw her head down, shot up and ran away. "Hey, wait! Don't go! Come back! I need to make sure you're alright!" I held my hand out to her but she was gone. "Who was that? It was like, her eyes, were ... smiling?"

 

"Oh, TaeYeon, you're here!"

 

"Oh, Ryeowook, sorry about that, I couldn't leave it unnoticed."

 

"TaeYeon are you alright? You seem pretty shook up."

 

"Erm, yeah, I'm ... fine."

 

"Are you sure? You don't look it. What happened down here anyway?"

 

"Three guys assaulted a girl down here, I stopped it and they went."

 

"Where's the girl?"

 

"She fled before I could say anything. I'm going to go fetch the orchids, see you."

 

Before he could respond I walked away in a trance. Who was she? I've never seen her before yet I can't stop picturing her face. I don't know what this feeling was, I've never had it before, ever. I don't know whether I like it or not. I don't know ... 

 

I carried on walking to the gates with one of my arms wrapped around my chest and my hand on the other arm under my chin. I was in deep thought this entire time, just imagining her face staring at me, ugh, it was giving me a tingling sensation when I thought about her. "Oh yeah! Apples, got to go get some more of them."

 

Luckily, there was a grocery stall just before the gates so I didn't have to traipse all the way back into the main town.

 

"Hello, you're rather a pretty girl aren't you? How can I help?"

 

"Erm, thanks, I guess ... five apples please."

 

"Anything for you."

 

I rolled my eyes at the desperate salesman and went for my money pouch.

 

"How much are they?"

 

"Four gold pieces, but for you, two gold pieces."

 

Ha, well, I wasn't complaining for this.

 

"Oh, well thank you."

 

"Anytime sweetie," he reached for my hand but I withdrew it and walked off as fast as I could.

 

When I went near Syndicate his head was tossing and turning at the sight of the apples.

 

"Alright, calm down, you can have one," I slit the bag open and reached in for an apple but Syndicate dived his head straight into the bag, "No! Syndicate! Don't them all! Babo, babo, babo!" each time, smacking him on his head.

 

As per usual, he came out the triumphant one, all five of them now resting in his stomach. I untied him from the fence, got back onto his back and rode all the way back to my hut.

 

When I got to the lake, I jumped off Syndicate and let him have a drink, "You stay here and I'll be about ten minutes, I need to go and find something."

 

When I passed my hut, there was something lying in front of my door, "What's that?" I went over to suspect what was at my door.

 

There were eight bunches of ghost orchids and a note. The note read in calligraphed handwriting: 

 

 

Little Tot,

 

I overheard RyeoWook  giving you your assignment and then I saw you fight them guys. You looked a little bewildered when you finished, as though something had shaken you up. Don't know what it was that did, but I thought I'd give you one less thing to do. I got all I could find in the ten minutes I had spare, hope this is enough for you and the infirmary! 

 

                                                                  Love Yesung

                                                                             x

 

 

I couldn't help but smile at his consideration. Him and Siwon are probably the only men who I find to be different from the rest. Awww, Yesung's so sweet. "Well that was quicker than I thought it was going to be, that's fine by me though," I put the note in my pocket and went back down the steps.

 

Syndicate eyed the bunches as I held them all in my arms and attempted to get on him, "No, you really can't have these boy. Sorry."

 

Yet again, we were back at the wooden gates and I was tying him back up at the fence, "Last time today boy, I promise."

 

I had my hands full with eight bunches and I made my way over to the fort to deposit the flowers. I passed over the small bridge with the stream running underneath it. The fort was directly next to the stream, I liked that, the fact we had a nice view next to our little section in the town.

 

I neared the mahogany door and used the door knock. The sliding block opened and eyes looked at me, they were unmistakably Leeteuk's eyes.

 

"Password?"

 

"Are you joking me? It's TaeYeon ..."

 

"I know it is, I'm just messing."

 

"Yeah, now let me in ..."

 

He opened the door and I sauntered in with the bunches.

 

"Ah! TaeYeon! You got so many!" Ryeowook rushed over and said with happiness in his voice.

 

"Haa, I know, these are all I could find though," Yesung smiled and saluted at me from the corner of the fort.

 

"That's plenty! We'll get them over to the infirmary as quick as possible. Thanks a lot, Tae."

 

"No problem."

 

"Oh, Tae! Before you go, we've got a meeting up at the castle quarters tomorrow, it's a selected few and you've been picked, you'll need to go in your armour too."

 

"What's it for?"

 

"I don't know just yet, no-one does."

 

"Who else has been picked?"

 

"Me, yourself, Siwon, Yesung, Sungmin and Kyuhyun," that was fine, at least I'd be in the company of my preferred companions.

 

"Oh, Ryeowook ..."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Yesterday, I kiiiind of lost my helmet," I squinted my eyes and tucked my face into my neck.

 

"Don't worry, we'll get you one, besides, they're only for protection when you go on errands out of town, plus, we'll probably take them off when the king confers with us, don't really want our faces hiding, it'll make us look shifty."

 

Yesung piped up from his corner.

 

"Actually, we have a spare one that could fit TaeYeon in storage, let her have it," Yesung went into the corridor and appeared minutes later with a helmet. "It's a little dusty but that shouldn't be a problem," he blew the specks off. "Here."

 

I took it out of his hands and held it under one arm.

 

"I best be off, I'll see you all tomorrow all being well," I waved goodbye at them.

 

"Yep, later," they all waved back at me in sync.

 

I looked at the grocery stall out of the corner of my eye.

 

"No, don't give in TaeYeon, you are not a giver upper!"

 

Syndicate looked tired bless him. "Alright boy, you don't have to carry me, just walk next to me." I untied him for the last time today and held his rein letting him him walk alongside me in the red shimmer of the sunset.

 

When we got back, I opened his pen and lead him in, "Night, I'll see you tomorrow."

 

I went in my hut and placed the helmet on my bed and looked at it. "I'm torn on what to do now ..." I raised one side of my mouth slightly, "Do I go into the town bar for the first time at night to look for this girl, or do I stay home and stay alcohol free for the King, ohhhhhh, I don't know," I sat on my bed, "Will the king know if I've had a drink?"

 

I stood up and was now pacing up and down my hut in deep thought. "How can he know if I have one drink? He can't, can he? I mean, yeah, if I get drunk ... but I won't. God damn it, what if I look rough in the morning?! Aaarrrrggghh!"

 

I slammed face first into my bed and got back up. "Why?! Why am I so into this girl?! I don't even know her! But ... those smiling eyes ..." I stopped dead in my tracks.

 

In a flash, I grabbed my black buccaneer coat hanging off it's hook, put my arm in the sleeve and ran outside into the black of the night, not giving a second thought about tomorrow.

 

 

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Still a bit slow and I apologise, but honestly, bear with me! It's getting there reeeeaaaal soon!