Flashback

"...I wish I could... I wish I could know what is it that troubles you. I can't read your mind but I know. That sadness, those secrets that you keep."

"Why did I say those words? Arg!! I should have kept my mouth shut! So embarrassing!"

Gayoon had barely wiped away her tears when a soldier approached her in a hurry and quickly informed her that her father had ordered that the prisoners would be executed at the sunset. With great distress, she rushed into the room where her father was having a meeting with the Council.

"Father, Please, listen to them!"  She had begged him for some compassion and to listen the rebels' demands but he merely slapped her in front of those people.

“How dare you not address me as king, Gayoon? Since when have you became so disrespectful?”

 She had to endure his hateful speech and then this. With tears restrained in her eyes she realized that he wouldn't listen to her and apologizing, she just left the room and retreated to one of the gardens, hoping that no one would find her.

She couldn't believe that her own father would treat her in such a rude way. She reprimanded herself for believing that he cared about her when he preferred to treat her as a mere tool for political agreements, even trying to force her to marry that prince.

"I wish I could be free....leaving this place and never coming back..."

"Gayoon..." suddenly a familiar voice calls her out

She looks up, Hyuna is coming towards her and Gayoon is unable to look back, clenching her hands with frustration, sitting on one of the benches.

"Did you see it?"

Hyuna stays silent, merely wanting to comfort her. "Gayoon..."

"...I'm...nothing...just powerless and..."

"Don't say that! Hyuna kneels in front of her. "You are important for us...for so many people..."

"I'm only a woman...!

"No! You are the heir...the rightful heir!" Hyuna holds her hand. "Please...listen to me, you are the only one worthy of being the ruler..."

"Hyuna...what are you..."

Hyuna sits next to her, still holding her hand.

"In the streets, people are saying it... they are whispering your name. They say that you should step up and ask your father to renounce..."

Gayoon stands up, letting go of her. "That's nonsense Hyuna...my father would never, and even if he does..."

Hyuna follows her and stay behind her.

"Just...think of what I'm saying...but tell me... if you were given the chance...would you?"

Gayoon turns around to see her. Hyuna reaches to touch her face, she looks lost in thought for a moment. "Would you become a Queen?...or maybe do you just want a new life, far from this mess?"

"Sometimes...yes...I wish I could..." Gayoon looks back at her. Something is different from Hyuna today and she can't put it into words. Hyuna's fingertips are trailing down her face and it stops abruptly.

"Whatever your decision is, I'm here for you and I will support you with my life. Remember that"

Gayoon nods, letting Hyuna embrace her tightly as she always does when she's sad.

---

Days later...

There was a grim atmosphere among the troops and Jiyoon could tell it by the way they whispered and looked at each other. Junhyung had accomplished the King's order to execute the traitors but to some of them the traitors were right. People were suffering and those soldiers don’t have the courage to raise their voice to protest. She hadn't seen Gayoon in days and she only knew that she was staying in her room after an incident with her father. Probably she was depressed. Jiyoon wanted to see her, even if she had no idea of what to say. Especially after they kissed...

"Hello!" She heard a familiar voice calling at her, immediately she frowned at that person.

"Why do you have that face?!" Junhyung was wearing a simple uniform this time and he looked so glad to see her. Not far from him was Hyuna, apparently talking with a couple of subordinates.

"Commander..." She bowed "I'm honored..."

"I'm here to thank you for protecting the princess. Such bravery must not be overlooked."

"You are doing it in name of the King?" Jiyoon asked. "Since you seem to be his most loyal commander"

Junhyung's smile got wider, getting the real meaning of her comment. "I don't want you to be sad. I know you appreciate her...a lot"

Jiyoon was scared for Gayoon. Was he trying to kill her by his own methods? But Junhyung seemed to be interested in something else.

"Let's have a duel, like the old times..."

Jiyoon couldn't reject his invitation and followed him far from the training grounds. It made her think of her real training as assassin, when they entered deep inside the forests or crowded streets to accomplish small missions like steal or poison an enemy. Avoiding direct confrontation was Junhyung's speciality, Except for important targets and that's when he was so deadly.

After walking for a while, they arrived to a solitary field; the castle was far from them. Jiyoon realized that they were close to the place that Gayoon used to go with her.

"I've heard many good things about you" Junhyung finally spoke. "these guys respect you. I feel proud of you."

"really? You should be more annoyed since I haven't accomplished my task"

"the task was given originally by my father... Not me"

Jiyoon unleashed her sword. "aren't you his heir? What are you up to?"

"Freedom. But in order to do that we must secure this Kingdom"

Jiyoon couldn't believe him. Was he plotting against his own father?

Junhyung did the same as Jiyoon and stood on guard. After a moment of silence they started to fight. It was more like a dance with movements that they were expecting from the other until their swords clashed, pressing against each other. Then they backed away, resuming their sparring for a while.

"That was nice" Junhyung commented as they ended the session. Jiyoon felt anxious at his presence but she kept her composure.

"I remember that day when you left... A year ago? " he stared at her again and Jiyoon could only return his gaze.

Sometimes she had to work with another assassin if the mission was complicated. She particularly despised to do it, as she never trusts anyone. He was the first one to warn her. “Never trust another member of the black moon.” Everyone is eager to backstabbing. And she got the opportunity to do it at him. But she didn't.

Flashback

"Why did you save me?"  He asked her after they returned to their village. She was ready to leave to Heo Kingdom.

"You better forget it." 

"I can't..."

"Take that as an appreciation of what you taught me.  Just that. "

"You forgot what I told you..."  

Jiyoon doesn't reply to his words. Junhyung smiled and she could see that maybe not everyone were monsters in that place.

"Jiyoon, one day. I want you to be by my side."

Was that a love confession? She knows about his odd behaviour towards her and she's unsure of how to answer to him.

"You will be the leader so why are you...?" 

"You know what I mean."

"But Junhyung, I'm a killer. I can't have things like that..."

When Jiyoon came back to reality he was again in front of her. His eyes were showing so much emotion and it pained her. She hadn't rejected him that day; she hadn't felt anything when he kissed her back then and even more now. 

"That's why I'm doing this."

She feels his lips on her own for a moment but she feels detached from herself.

"Junhyung... "

He steps away, still with a smile that made her feel somehow sad.

" I know what you are thinking.. But have you thought about her destiny?  She's destined to be with someone else... "

She hates to even think of that, but he's right. 

" don't.... " She mutters with anger be he's still staring at her with the same painful expression.

" would you kill me for her? "

Junhyung could only feel a cold, sharp knife on his throat and he smiles. Jiyoon stands before him, determined to kill him.

" I like that attitude of yours. If there's something that I hate is weak people"

"And what about traitors like me?" she said with a serious tone

----

TBC....

Sorry for keep you waiting. Hope you enjoy this chapter.