“No! I will not be going!” Frustration was at an all-time high as I turned away from my father. He reached out to grab my wrist pulling me forcefully back to him.

“You ungrateful little !” my father growled.

*SMACK*

My eyes clenched on to my eyelids with from the head on collision; my father’s hand met the side of my face – a slap out of pure anger. I tried to hold back the tears that were beginning to form, but I failed… I failed miserably. Tears drew wet paths down the side of my cheeks; I’m sure black tears from my eye makeup.

“YOU will be attending the ball tonight and YOU will be meeting the daughter of the SM kingdom. “my father sighed, “Marriage is necessary for the alliance between our two kingdoms, you are the key.” He sighed once again, “Go upstairs and be ready by eighteen hundred hours sharp and DON’T pull any Himchan. This will be happening, don’t embarrass me.”

With that, my father left.

I didn’t waste any time running up the steep stone stairs to my bedroom slamming the large wooden doors behind me. I jumped with no regrets into the pink sheets of my queen sized bed, pulling them around me encircling myself in a cocoon. I pulled deeper and deeper, tighter and tighter into my sheets wanting to forget my issues. I hoped the linens would wring out my issues, like a soaked dish cloth being twisted.

The problems of being the prince of the TS kingdom weighed heavily on my shoulders.

“God. Please just kill me.” I cried.

“Please don’t say that Himchan”

I looked up to meet the endearing eyes of my sister, Hana, the princess of the TS Empire. Her beauty matched our family’s name of being the most stunning in the land, she was caring, loving… but she also was a pain in the - something else that must have run in the family. I loved her nonetheless.

Hana pulled me into her arms and began to rock to and fro, “Himchan, I wouldn’t be able to live if you died.”

“Sister, I-I can’t handle our father anymore… I-I can’t handle being prince. I just want to be free. You know I can’t live happily marrying - marrying a wom-”

Hana chuckled softly, “I know Himchan. When your brother is several times prettier than you, you realize something isn’t exactly normal. Not wrong mind you, just not regular.”

I hugged my sister tighter my tears finally drying.

She continued but in a whisper, “Don’t worry I’ll find you the right man, you won’t have to marry some spoiled princess from the SM kingdom.

“Sister!” I giggled pushing her slightly, but then a thought came to me, “B-but father would never let me marry who I wanted. Plus, someone from our family has to marry into the SM family. Father will have it no other way!”

“Shh” Hana giggled, “Stop gettin’ so worked up. Plus… I heard the prince of SM is quite the hunk. I wouldn’t mind ‘sacrificing’ myself for the good of the family.”

I scoffed, “”.

“Yah!”

We both chuckled while quickly my bed transformed into a comical war zone; pillows and cushions being thrown left and right, our laughs could be heard across the castle.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Hana and I stopped immediately mid throwing pillows as our heads whipped to face the door then to face each other. In a panic, we both straightened ourselves up and fixed our hair before I shouted, “Come in!”

The doors opened:

“It’s nice to know someone is still having fun in this castle”

It was my mother, the queen. My mother was much better than my father. She was a goddess, as gorgeous as she was intelligent and compassionate.

“Mother!” Hana and I ran to the queen taking her in our embrace.

She chuckled a warm lovely melody, “You thought I was your father, am I right?”

We both looked straight into her eyes, letting our looks be her answer resulting in a small effortless sigh on her behalf.

“Children, I know he is difficult, but he only wants what’s best for our family name. He-”

“But is what’s best for ‘Our family name’ what is best for Himchan?” Hana questioned.

“Hana!” I scolded.

My mother gave a weak smile, “No, Hana. You are right. It is not best for you sweetie” She caressed my cheek lightly, and I found myself falling into her touch. “I’ve seen the way you lust after the common world… and the castle bodyguards” She laughed.

“Mother!” I whined.

“I have tried to reason with him, but for now there is nothing we can do. Which is why Himchan, I ask of you to play along with his plans for marriage-”

“I do not agree. Can I not marry in his place instead?!” Hana wailed.

“Though it is possible, it is not our place to offer our daughter, but to offer our son. It shows a higher measure of respect to SM, in who we need to impress.”

“but-”

“No buts Hana” My mother said sternly and then turned to me, “Himchan, let me handle this, we will find you the right path soon enough, but please, for now, do as your father says.”

I nodded.

“You are such a good child, I could have never asked for more… However, there is another topic I must address.” The queen rose her pointer finger, “Your father decided to commission a rather infamous mercenary to be your bodyguard. Wrongly guided, your father’s intention was not to keep you safe as would have hired a common bodyguard. He hired a mercenary specifically to keep you afraid, to ensure you shant run away. I warn you my son, DO NOT meddle with this mercenary. He has made quite the name for himself.”

“Wh-who is he?”

She sighed, “Bbang Yongguk”.

I stayed silent. Bbang Yongguk… he was infamously known. He had no heart; concluding the contract while disregarding any consequences, as long as the price was right. A mercenary was just a fancier way to define a murderer, and that’s exactly what he was, a cold blooded murderer.

“N-no” my sister and I mimicked.

“Sadly, I speak the truth” My mother ran her slender fingers through my hair, “but do not fret my boy; He is not paid to kill you. He knows that is not his job. He is here to scare you, to ensure you do not run away from tonight’s ball. So once again, I ask of you: meet the princess of SM Kingdom tonight. I know you do not want to, I know it’s not where your interests fall, but do it to play along. I will figure it out, do not worry”

“Araso” I bowed to my mother as she turned to Hana.

“And you my beautiful yet troublesome daughter, Don’t you dare think about meddling in affairs that do not need to be meddled in!”

“Of course not mother” Hana bowed as well.

“Good, now the both of you get ready. We have a reputation to keep and a ball to attend. Himchan, your ‘bodyguard’ will be arriving within the hour. I suggest you get ready quickly.”

And with an effortless turn, my mother strolled out of my bedroom, her long purple dress trailing behind her; graceful as ever.

“Alright, let’s get ready”

***

I kept my outfit simple, a slim red tailed suit accessorized with gold accents. I was often told red went well with my skin tone, and black hair color. I winged out my eyeliner, while I reapplied my favorite strawberry scented perfume. Lastly, I styled my hair as I heard another knock on the door.

“…” I whispered. I was not ready to be followed by a callous butcher while meeting my soon to be wife.

I made my way to the door; my hands shaking as they reached for the door knob.

“Ah… your majesty, you look wonderful as always!” the butler said with a smile, “I have brought to you your bodyguard for the night, Mr. Bbang Yongguk”

Deep breaths…

Timidly, I took a peak around the butlers shoulder; a large man adorn with black metal armor, a massive broadsword attached to his back. I looked into his eyes; black with misty grey shadows casted underneath. His skin had several scars, more than likely war wounds showing his longevity within battle. His scars led to his hair; messy purple and black locks that contrasted his tan skin. This man… scared me.

I bowed deeply, “Greetings… m-master Bbang Y-Yongguk”.

He scoffed and spoke… a voice that would forever haunt my dreams; deep, raw and coarse.

“I thought I was babysittin’ the prince not the princess”

“E-excuse me?” I said taken back by his rude comment.

“You’re awfully pretty to be a boy” he mocked.

Bbang Yongguk was not only terrifying but an .