{ Broken }

“That stupid of a prince said what?” Sumin yelled in anger as the guard told her she was not allowed to enter the castle, because of the tighter safety measure and Daehyun’s statement that they were no longer engaged weren’t helping at all.

“Tell him I can prove Himchan’s innocence, so he better gets his lazy over here or I’ll hunt him in his dreams.” The girl said. She was so mad at the silly prince right now. She was gone for only three days and Dae had dumped her as if she wasn’t worth anything. Had she trusted him too much? But who could she blame if not herself.

“Watch your language. Just because you used to be the prince’s fiancée doesn’t mean you can say such things about him. And everything that has to do with that case will have to wait until we find the Princess. Now go away or I’ll have to arrest you.” The guard said, causing Sumin’s hands to clench in frustration.

“No, YOU step aside and let me in or I’ll have to hurt you,” threatened Sumin with a dangerous low voice.

 “It’s your own fault then,” said the guard, grabbing for his sword.

To his surprise, the only thing he could see - before landed on the ground with his own sword being pointed at his own self - was how Sumin rolled her eyes and murmured ‘stupid man’.

Little did he know that the skinny and fragile-looking girl in front of him was the only daughter of the Supreme Commander of the royal army and had spent every summer at the border, training fencing. The girl gave him a death glance that sent a cold rush through his body. As Sumin made a step back and took a defensive stance, the guard noticed his reinforcement was there and breathed out in relief.

At the sight of the muscular men running at her, Sumin tightened her grip on the sword and fire was in her eyes. Yet, before the fight started, it was already interrupted.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You can never beat her, not in this life,” said a man, walking towards them slowly.

“General Bang,” exclaimed the men. “This woman wanted to enter the castle without permission and she attacked one of our men.”

“Yongguk, where the hell is Daehyun?” Sumin questioned impatiently.  

“He is in his chamber. Let me take you there,” answered Yongguk before leading the way, leaving the confusing guards behind.

“But General Bang,” they called.

“She is my friend and as I can see, you attacked her first, so don’t act like she is the guilty one here.” Yongguk calmly said, ignoring them.

As they walked through the hallway, Sumin asked shyly.

“You are not going to tell Daehyun about what you saw, are you?”

“Why? You don’t want him to be afraid of you?” Yongguk laughed.

“Haha, very funny” answered Sumin with sarcasm, shaking his head.

“You know Daehyun has always been the stronger one of us and I’m not sure what he’d think if he knows I’m not the fragile little girl who needs to be protected anymore?”

“Alright, I understand. But you have to show me how you did that trick with the sword,” replied Yongguk, only to get a death glance from Sumin.

“Are you threatening me, General Bang?” Sumin said through clenched teeth, causing Yongguk to freeze in fear.

“I… I mean… my dear… dear Sumin; can you please show me the trick?” smiled Yongguk awkwardly.

“It’s not a trick. It’s years and years of training and you can ask Zelo to show you that. You guys are friends, I heard.”

 “What? Zelo knows how to fight?” Yongguk asked loudly in shock, trying his best not to sound like he was yelling at Sumin.

“Oh please, do you think I spent every summer at the border alone. I mean Zelo is also my dad’s son.”

By that Yongguk widened his big eyes in shock.

“But… But last week, when I showed him how to… oh damn that was why he learned so fast. Oh god, I taught a master of fencing how to hold a sword.” The boy murmured to himself.

“Did you say something?” asked Sumin, narrowed his eyes.

“NO, did you say something?”

“You are so weird today. Anyway, we’re here. I want to talk to Daehyun in private. Is that alright?”

“Of course,” replied Yongguk. “Oh and Sumin?”

“Huh?”

“How good is Zelo at fencing?” Yongguk asked awkwardly.

Sumin only smiled, shaking her head at the hopeless boy.

“He had avoided me for years, so we hadn’t practiced together so often. But father said none of his men could beat Zelo.”

And with that she opened the door to Daehyun’s chamber, going in without noticing how Yongguk’s face turned pale.

 

“Where is he?” Sumin asked herself as she saw the empty bed.

Then, before