The temptation to stand and stare at her was hitting hard, but I wasn't here to stand and gaze at her, I was here for the king.

 

"I believe that this is everyone," the king announced whilst looking over us all, "I would firstly like to declare that you are the best in your area, that is why I have ordered for you hand picked Iron Wardens to attend today's meeting. You are trustworthy and eminent amongst the Iron Wardens and are worthy of being entrusted with this duty."

 

I could see the princess staring straight down at me but I was resisting to look back, if I captured eyesight with her again, I would've completely blanked everything else out. "As you can see here," the king directed his hand towards the princess, "This absolutely beautiful young woman that is my daughter has been leaving the castle grounds without permission."

 

That'll have been yesterday. Did she say anything to her father about me? If she did, could I get into trouble? No, I can't, I didn't know it was her. That'll explain why I didn't recognise her as no-one is permitted to see her.

 

The king continued, "You six are the most reliable, so I decided to have you assist me. I know that if any of you six spot her, you won't abduct her. If you ever notice her outside, I would like you to immediately report back. We will also be doing alerts so you know that she has escaped. This situation cannot be taken lightly, she needs to stay within the castle as she will be at risk, especially with being on bad terms with the Dark Spears."

 

Wait, is she crying? I could see her chin starting to tremble. She's crying.

 

"I believe that that is everything I needed to get across, I know it was short and I apologise, but it's critical. Good day to you all," I turned around and was just about to leave when the king added something else, "You there, girl, come here."

 

My body halted as surprise ruled over. The others stared at me in amazement as I looked around for another female.

 

"Tae, what does he want you for?" Ryeowook commented anxiously.

 

"I don't know, I'm pretty scared," I furrowed my eyebrows, knowing that it must be something related to yesterday.

 

"I'm sure you'll be fine," he patted my back, "You'll have to tell me how it went because it's completely out of my power now..

 

After everyone had left, the king's voiced echoed again.

 

"You, yes you girl, come here I said," I inverted and relocated to the beginning of the steps that lead to the throne, "No, come up the steps, next to me."

 

Just don't look at her Tae, it's fine, just don't look.

 

I trudged up the stairs with my head facing the floor. 

 

"Look at me," his voice loudened.

 

My head rose to his words and looked right into his eyes, completely bypassing the girl beside him. 

 

"You saw her yesterday didn't you?"

 

"Yes sir."

 

"Thank you, I know you saved her from a group of thugs, and I wanted to award you with our thanks," he smiled at me.

 

"It's fine, honestly. It's my duty."

 

"I know, but it's reassurance for me that I have someone responsible looking out for my daughter. I believe she would like to say thank you to you."

 

Out of nowhere, the princess opened her arms up and swung them around my neck, embracing me into a hug.

 

My arms froze and stayed bent either side of her while she squeezed her arms around my neck. Her fingers playing with the hair on the back of my neck.

 

"Thank you," her whispered words echoed through my head.

 

"Alright Tiffany, I think that's enough now, we don't want her suffocating now do we?" the king instructed. Tiffany let go and backed away, "That girl's important to us."

 

Tiffany. What a beautiful name. 

 

"She has a name, Daddy. She's called TaeYeon, if you were paying any attention."

 

"Don't you talk to me like that, Young Lady."

 

"But, Daddy ..."

 

"Shush!"

 

"You never listen to me!"

 

She turned her back on us and stormed back into the main building. He's so stern towards her.

 

"She'll come around eventually, she gets like this a lot, I don't even know why either," he confessed to me, "Anyway, thank you for helping her yesterday, I don't know what would've happened if anything had happened to her. She's my youngest child as you know, she's all I have now that her older siblings have moved out and her mother passed," he confided to me, tears started to form on his eyelids.

 

"I understand, I think I should get going though," breaking the silence. I didn't want to make him think about his personal memories. 

 

"Ah, yes. I don't want to keep you any longer while you could be at work. You are dismissed."

 

Without saying another word, I went down the steps and opened the door, collecting my helmet on the way out.

 

"Let's have you out now," the guards shunted me outside and back down the entrance towards the gate, "Thank you for your time," with one final, vigorous push, I was out of the gate and stood on my own.

 

Before heading towards the fort to assure Ryeowook of what was said, I turned back to take one more glimpse of the castle.

 

I pinched between my eyes and lost myself deep in thought. I'm probably going to see Tiffany a lot more than I bargained for now. I feel so sorry for her, she seems so alone all there by herself, no company. I can relate to her, but I've gained friends now. That's probably why she's been leaving the grounds, trying to find someone. Well, unfortunately, there's nothing I can do other than take her back to her father, even if it will pain me to do so.

 

Eventually, after minutes of walking, I turned up at the door of the fort.

 

*Knock knock.*

 

The shutter slid open.

 

"Password?"

 

"Not again Leeteuk ..." 

 

"Aha, you know I like winding you up."

 

"Well not today."

 

"Geez, Tae, you're always in a bad mood ..."

 

"I wonder why when I have to put up with idiots like you?" I barged the door open causing Leeteuk to stumble back and waltzed in.

 

"Oh Tae!" Ryeowook came running over, "How did it go?"

 

"I'd rather tell you in private, not that it's bad or anything," I waved my hands at him.

 

"Oh, right. We'll go into the armoury, no-one's in there."

 

Once we were in the armoury section, I started explaining.

 

"... So basically, the girl I helped yesterday was her."

 

"So that's why you were a little timid earlier."

 

"Yeah, they wanted to say thanks at the end for helping straight away. I felt really uncomfortable though."

 

"Why's that?"

 

I rested my chin in the palm of my hand.

 

"I don't even know," I sighed.

 

"Are you sure you're alright Tae? You haven't been yourself these past couple of days."

 

"Yeah, I'm fine, just leave me to it."

 

"Hmm," his voice grew reluctant. "If you insist."

 

"I'm going to go, I want a wash and something to eat, I haven't eaten in two days."

 

"You need something to eat, Tae!"

 

"I know, I know, I've been so busy."

 

"I'll go get you something."

 

"No, I'll go and buy something myself, I want to get home."

 

"Fine, but I'll be watching you through the window."

 

"Do as you like."

 

With no more being said, I walked through the rest of the fort, not looking at anyone. I felt different than I did this morning. I think it's the fact of knowing that I'll never be able to have Tiffany, especially knowing that she's royalty. Best to try and forget and imagine her as being an event in my duty, even though it'll be extremely difficult.

 

"I may as well go and see someone I know, Jessica seems the best bet. Someone who actually shows any sign of caring for me," the tavern was more of an adverse decision but I decided to go along with it anyway.

 

Th stench of alcohol becoming more prominent as I stumbled over towards the doors. It was a bad idea going inside with my armour on, but then again, it was in the day unlike last night. Jessica clocked me as soon as I walked in and followed me to a seat.

 

"Hey Tae, what can I help you with today, my strong Iron Warden?" she sat beside me and clamped onto my arm.

 

"Ugh," I rubbed my forehead, "I really need something to eat."

 

"Oh! You never had anything yesterday, have you still not had anything?!"

 

"No, I've been busy today."

 

"I'll go get you something straight away, don't worry about paying, I'll sort that out," she winked at me as she departed.

 

My head was lay on the table and my arms sprawled out as wide as they could go. My body not moving an inch. "Tae?" Jessica's voice trembled.

 

"Oh, don't worry," I lifted my head up, "I'm fine." She held a huge palate with meats and salad of all kinds on. My eyes started glittering at the sight of food, something I hadn't encountered for over two days.

 

"You had me worried there! I thought you'd passed out! I thought you might have needed the biggest meal."

 

"You thought right," as I reached out to snatch the delicacy out of Jessica's hands.

 

"Hold it right there," Jessica giggled at me and moved the food out of my reach.

 

"What?" I sat up and stuck my bottom lip out at her.

 

"N'awwww, Tae, you so cute," she smiled, "But where's your manners?"

 

"Jeeeeess, don't be like that please," I whimpered.

 

"That's enough for me," sheplaced it right in front of me and within minutes, the entire dish was demolished with no crumbs left behind.

 

"Wow, you was hungry, Tae," Jessica approached and started clearing various cutlery off of the table.

 

"Well would you be if you hadn't eaten in a while?"

 

"Yeah, I probably would be. You should stay for a few minutes, you might be a bit too full to move."

 

"No, I need to get home, I want to be on my own for a while," I started to lift myself out of the chair.

 

"Aww, Tae, what's wrong?" she pouted and cuddled me.

 

"It's nothing, honestly," I tried to dismiss her.

 

"No it's not. I don't want anything troubling, Taengoo," she tightened her hold.

 

"Taengoo?"

 

"Yeah! I tried to think of a cute pet name to use for you," her eyes lit up with delight.

 

Well, I must admit, it is pretty cute to use.

 

"Well, it is pretty cute haha," I returned the hug.

 

"Eek! Taengoo hugged me!" Jessica shrieked.

 

"Shhhh Jess, it's not a big deal. No need to freak out?" I looked at her skeptically.

 

"Oh, *cough*, yeah, you're right," she reluctantly let go and straightened herself up in a fashion. 

 

"You're always really energetic Jess, I admire you for that."

 

 

Jessica's POV

 

 

Of course there's a need to freak out, I'm obsessed with you, Tae. I've known you for like two days but I know you're someone special. I mean, you didn't even know me and you came running over to me to help me. I'm making hints to you, but you just think I'm being friendly, I need to do more.

 

The fact you said you admire me too, it makes me feel like the happiest girl in the world, just please say it more often.

 

 

TaeYeon's POV

 

 

"I should be going now, I need to do something."

 

"Hmm, alright, meet me tomorrow, Tae, I've got something in mind that might cheer you up."

 

"Really?" I sidled over to her.

 

"Yeah, haha. It's to say thank you as well, two in one."

 

"Alright, any time after three, OK?"

 

"Six?"

 

"That's fine."

 

"I'll see you tomorrow Tae!" she stood at the entrance to the tavern and waved me off.

 

"See you tomorrow," I waved back.

 

Syndicate was watching me walk down the street. "Hey, boy. We'll go home for the night now, we don't need to come out again," I hoisted myself onto his back and pulled on his reigns.

 

Not long after, we were at my hut and I slid off of Syndicate. "You go in there," I gestured towards his pen. He trotted inside and I shut the gate behind him before patting his head and locking the pen.

 

As any other typical day, I went up the steps, went inside and deposited my armour off of me. Moments after freshening myself up and nestling down for the night, I found myself relaxing on the welcoming bed. I crossed my arms behind my head and used them as a pillow. Staring directly at the ceiling, I pictured her face over and over, smiling at me.

 

"Hnnngh," I groaned as I rolled onto my stomach and nuzzled my head into the sheets on my bed, "Please escape my head, stop interrupting my everyday thoughts, you're making me feel different than my usual self."

 

I rolled back onto my back, "*Sigh*" I couldn't stop tossing and turning while thinking about her. I wanted to see her once more, just so I can tell her that I know how she feels. "It's only four, but I'm so tired." I rubbed my eyelids and rolled onto my side. I lifted the covers up and tucked myself under for the remainder of the day. My eyelids began to flutter before eventually closing, pulling me into a deep sleep. 

 

 

Tiffany's POV

 

 

"*Sniff* ... *sniff sniff*."

 

"Tiffany, come out of there, this is getting ridiculous," Daddy frantically shaking at the handle on the locked door.

 

"Leave me alone!" I screamed at him, whilst tears were streaming down my face. 

 

"You can't keep leaving the grounds! It's too dangerous out there for you!"

 

"I don't care! I have no-one to talk to! You try being my age and not being able to interact with anyone!"

 

"You won't ever understand will you?" his words grew quieter as he promenaded down the spiralled, stone steps.

 

"No, Daddy," I got off of my bed and sat on the stool in front of the mahogany dressing table, "You don't understand," I pulled open the draw to the right and brought out the pink hairbrush and freshened my hair up. I gazed into the mirror and rubbed across my eyes, removing any last remains of tears. I leaned my elbow on the surface, rested my head in my hand and tilted my head, "I want to meet you again, Taeyeon. We could be friends, something I've never truly had."

 

I stood up and made my way over to the open window and took in the sight of overlooking the town. "So many people are down there and I'm stuck up here, not being able to experience anything that they can. It really isn't fair, Daddy. I'm so lonely," tears began to form on the bottom of my eyelids once again.

 

I sauntered over to my bed again and lay down between the countless amounts of pillows, "I wonder what you're doing right now, TaeYeon? Socialising? Who knows, it has to be better than what I'm doing, surely?" the thoughts of having a friend were flashing before me and a smile began to grow on my face, "We could do all sorts, we could go for walks, we could go shopping, go for some food together, it'd be so much fun. It's just a shame that I can never do it, I can still imagine it, I suppose."

 

Just thinking about what having a friend would be like made me smile, but also it made me suffer slightly, especially knowing that I wouldn't be able to have that. Why am I thinking about TaeYeon as my friend though? Why not one of those other Iron Wardens? Is it because she helped me so I know she'd always stand by me? But wouldn't they do the same? So many questions I could ask what I might never have answered. I'm just going to stop now, I'll make myself ill. 

 

I closed my eyes and snuggled my head into the luxurious comfort of pillows, in high hopes of dreaming about frolicking around with TaeYeon.

 

 

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Long time right? Sorry about that! I've been so busy, especially to think that I had time off too, but now I have two weeks off for Easter. I didn't really enjoy writing this chapter, I don't know why either, so I apologise if it's not very good and seems rushed, but I should be getting into writing this fanfiction again pretty soon. The story does actually start off in the next chapter, it took six chapters and a foreword but it's starting for real, haha. Enjoy for the time being!