"The King has wished for no visitors’ madam!" Two guards were finding it very difficult to hold back a surprisingly strong woman who demanded to see the King of Tarantallegra.

"Oh please, the King will be happy when he sees this face." The woman rolls her eyes when she's about had it with the guards standing in her way. With amazing speed she karate kicks the guard on the left square in the jaw, knocking him out instantly, and just in time dodged the second guard's blade as he swung at her ferociously. She dodges each and every attack with ease and finally when she’s done playing games she grabs the tip of the blade in the midst of the guards attack and plants are harsh kick to the stomach, leaving him to writhe on the ground in pain. She chugs the blade aside as she feels something wet flowing down her hand. She notices she’s cut and brings the wound to her pink lips and begins to gently it. In a matter of seconds, the wound was degenerating.

"All that was unnecessary," she huffed, throwing her hair out of her face as she continued on her journey to find the King.

She soon finds him in his music room. He was listening to one of his butlers play Moonlight Sonata on the piano, but her abrupt arrival caused the butler (and the King) to stop playing and look to see the rude intruder.

"Tiffany…?" The angry expression turns to shock and then he masks it with a small smile. "My – look at how much you’ve grown. How's your mother?"

"Oh spare me the crap, your highness," she hisses. Her long fiery red hair bounces as she sassily places her hands on her slim waist and approaches the King. "As if you give a damn how she's doing."

"I see that disgusting attitude is still the same." The King's smile never leaves his face as he speaks such harsh words. It sickens Tiffany.

If it wasn't obvious already, the Hwang’s and the Kim’s had history. The Hwang’s were just a family that the Kim's kindly supported financially, until it was found out that Tiffany's father had been thieving the whole time. It turned out their family wasn't poor, although they weren’t exactly rich either; and they lied to gain more wealth from the royal family. Mr. Hwang abused Mr. Kim's trust for his own selfish needs and that wasn’t acceptable.

It was tradition for the whole family to suffer a harsh punishment (in this case, death) because of one member’s mistake. The community had all decided for the family to have their heads snapped off but in their case it didn't happen at all because of Mr. Kim's son. Eleven year old, Kim Kibum, stood up to his father for the first time stating that what he was about to do was wrong. 

"It's not right, your highness." He had uttered just as the execution was about to take place. "I beg you to at least spare the wife and daughter. They didn't do anything wrong." He even got on his knees. 

Not only was it quite the sight for the King and Queen and the community, but it also was for thirteen year old Tiffany Hwang. Why was he, the son of the cold hearted king, standing up for she and his mother - a good for nothing family in the eyes of the whole entire community? 

The royal couple was hesitant at their sons request but they complied nonetheless, just because it was his first protest and they were proud that he took a stand for what he believed in. That whole ordeal changed up the tradition entirely and the Kim’s changed the rule of a whole family being punished because of one’s mistake.

With their husband and father gone and the loss of respect from their fellow neighbors and friends, the Hwang’s fled the village and were never seen again.

“You should be grateful, you know,” the King smirks. "My son is the reason you and that wench are still breathing."

“You didn’t have to let us live you know,” Tiffany snaps, his words angering her. "Your word overrules his any time."

"Why would I? He's my son. He stood up that day for the supposed innocent for the first time. I had to commend him for it.”

Tiffany scoffs. This man is still the same.

Mr. Kim chuckles. “You still think I am an evil individual, eh? I mean – like you said, my word overrules his anytime. So instead of holding grudges, how about you tell me how thankful you are.” He smirks, making Tiffany’s blood boil in anger. She says nothing, causing the King to shrug. “No matter, what brings you back to my wonderful village anyway, Miss Hwang?” He and eyebrow at her.

"Where is your family, your highness?" Tiffany questions, leaving his question unanswered. "It's unlike you and the Queen to be separated."

“I don’t think my family’s whereabouts is any of your business, little one." The King stands from his chair and gives his butler a signal to leave. The King saunters towards the younger woman when he leaves, closing the space between them. "Now answer my question," he whispers, taking strands of Tiffany's healthy red hair into his hand. "What brings you here?"

Tiffany hates the man before her so much. He thinks he’s so friendly? So what if he spares the human’s lowly lives? He doesn’t think twice about eliminating a vampire – one of his own kinds - once they’ve done him wrong. Everyone believes his fake façade and it makes Tiffany so sick to the point that she wants to vomit. Her pride doesn’t let her falter. She looks intently into his golden eyes, remembering how Kibum had the same exact ones, as she speaks:

"I came looking for your son."

“Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Hwang, but unfortunately my son isn’t in the city so please – kindly leave.” The King gestures towards the door.

Stubbornly, she crosses her arms. “Where is he?”

“Like I said, I don’t think my family’s whereabouts is any of your business.” The King was getting impatient so he grabs the young girl by the hair with harsh force, earning a yelp of pain from her, and drags her out of the door whilst calling for assistance to have her escorted out. “I better not see your face back here again anytime soon.” The King shouts as the red-haired girl is literally thrown out of the mansion.

Tiffany smacks her lips as she stands, dusting herself off.

“Well, that was just magnificent…” she huffs throwing her hair out of her eyes. “No matter, it shouldn’t be hard to track Tarantallegra’s prince down...” She stares off into the distance, her eyes filled with seriousness. "Don't worry, Prince Kibum, we'll be reunited soon."

posted: 8413