Author's POV

"Die beast! Take that! And that! And that!" Jiyong swung a jewel encrusted sword at the large oak tree that he was determined to defeat.

"You wanna try Dara? It's really fun!" he laughed and pushed the large golden crown, that was practically engulfing his little head, out of the way.

"My mommy said swords are for boys only because my fingers will hurt and I can't be a lady"

"Really?" Jiyong's eyes widened, "I sawll a girl at the stables, and her name is Chaerin, and she doesn't has parents, and she has a wooden sword! I guess she can't be a lady."

"Maybe she can if she hides her sword under her bed and she doesn't tell nobody about it" Dara reasoned.

"That could work" he nodded, the crown falling over his eyes. "I'll tell her when I see her" he said, repositioning his headgear so that he could see.
"Let's play a game!"

"What kind of game?" Dara asked getting up from the grass.

"You said you I could be your prince right?" he asked and she nodded excitedly.

"Ok so now we just have to find a dragon"

"A dragon?"

"Yeah" he smiled, "So I can slay it and save you!" he swung his sword.

"And we can live together forever happily ever after! Just like in the book my daddy read me!" she beamed as he nodded.

"Come on" he grabbed he little hand in his own, "Let's go look for the beast!"

"But Ji" she pulled back a little, "Our daddies said we can't go passed this tree."

"It's ok" he grinned, "I'll protect you"

They only went a few steps forward before hearing commotion coming from the castle behind them.

"What are they doing?" Dara asked as they watched guards and maids running frantically back and forth across the courtyard on the other side of the garden.

"Check the balconies! Lock the gates!" They heard someone yelled from the roof.

"I don't know" Jiyong shrugged, "It looks like hide and seek to me"

"Let's go play with them Ji!" Dara jumped in excitement.

"We can't" He shook his head and she pouted.

"Why not?"

"Because my daddy's guard said so. My mommy and daddy were playing in their room one day and I wanted to play too but he said that only grownups can play together in the bedroom."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know" Jiyong shrugged, "The guard said it's magical"

"Magical?" Dara asked wonderingly

"Mmhmm" he nodded

"I wanna be magical too!" she pulled at his hand, "Let's go play in my room!"

"The guard said that ONLY grownups can have magical playtime, and we're not grownups yet" he pulled back and she complied with a long drawn out sigh.

"When we're real grownups we can play in your room ok?" he nudged her and she grinned.

"You promise?" she held up her hand waiting for his response.

"I promise" he smiled wrapping his his small pinky around her even smaller one.

"Now let's go find that dragon!" he exclaimed and charged forward.

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Author's POV

"All gates and passageways have been secured your Majesty" the guard bowed and  moved back into position.

"We have finished searching the West wing and preparing to move onto the East," General Lee dictated.

"Should we take an extra precaution and move all the children into a centralized location?" Sir Kwon suggested.

"Yes let's do that" the King nodded and turned to address the guards in front of him.

"Please send someone to gather all of the children and watch over them in the West wing library, the rest of you keep up the good work"

"Yes your Majesty" they bowed and dispersed.

"Speaking of children, where is Sandara?" he asked, "I haven't seen...or heard, her at all today"

"She was last seen playing in the garden with Jiyong" one of his handmaids answered.

"Let us go fetch our children then Sir Kwon" he sighed tiredly but smiled softly to lighten the mood.

"General Lee, Commander Oh" he called, "Please join us, we can discuss important matters as we walk."

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Author's POV

"I'm scared Ji" Dara whispered, practically clinging to his arm.

"Don't be a weenie, we haven't even gone that far" he chuckled, "Look, there's the tree we were just at a while ago"

Dara looked back and relaxed a little when she realized the castle courtyard was still in sight.

"Come out come out wherever you are" Jiyong taunted as he poked and prodded at the bushes around him.

"Ji, I don't think a dragon would fi---"

A branch snapped behind them and the two children froze.

"W-what was that?" Dara clung tightly to Jiyong's arm.

"It's p-probably just a---"

There was rustling coming from the bushes in front of them causing them to jerk back.

"Ji I'm r-really scared, l-let's go back" 

Jiyong kept the sword pointed towards the bush and tried to appear calm and brave for Dara's sake.

Suddenly, a large furry animal with gleaming claws shot out from behind the bushes and tackled them to the ground with so much force that the children didn't have the breath to scream.

"Jiyong!" Dara was the first to cry out.

Jiyong escaped the animals claws and quickly jumped to his feet.

He grabbed Dara's arm and tried with all his might to pull her from underneath the animal, but the beast held her tightly by the leg.

"Help me! Please help me" she screamed as tears of pain streamed down her cheeks.

Jiyong looked around frantically for help but he knew almost certainly that none would arrive.

"Jiyong!" Dara screamed helplessly and snapped Jiyong back to reality.

In a rush of adrenaline, he picked up the fallen sword and collided it with the beast's head.

The animal pulled back and whimpered but was quick to attack the boy.

Jiyong dodged the big paw coming towards his face and dove the sword into the the beast's arm.

He pulled out the sword and the animal cried in pain as it staggered back into the forest.

Jiyong quickly ran towards Dara, who was laying on the ground whimpering and shaking violently.

"Dara! Dara! Are you ok?" he shook her gently until she opened her eyes.

"J-Ji?" 

"Yes, it's me"

"My leg.....it hurts..." she said in an almost inaudible whisper.

Jiyong looked down at her foot and his eyes widened at the sight of her blood covered leg. There was only one noticeable gash but the wound was deep and it was bleeding profusely.

"I-I'll go get help!" he jumped to his feet frantically but was stopped when her little hand caught his arm.

"Don't leave me" she cried softly.

"But I have to---"

"I don't want to be alone" the pained look in her eyes made his knees tremble as he fell to the ground behind her.

"I'm sorry Dara, I'm so sorry" he cried as he gather her small body and hugged her closely to him.

"Princess! Princess!"

"Sandara! Jiyong!"

Jiyong lifted his head as he heard voices coming towards them.

He looked down at the girl in his arms and wiped away the wet hair stuck to her forehead.

"Everything is gonna be ok Dara, you're gonna be ok."

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