Day 2:

Ira is rapidly healing and has already snuck out of her room despite Ciara and Lay's protests. I've taken Kris with me to go shopping for a ring. Shopping sounds like the wrong word, though. It sounds too casual for the tension we have had lately. With Ira's father still missing, we can't be too cautious.

"What about this one? I think Ira would like something simple yet elegant." Kris pointed to a ring in a shop window that gleamed in the sun.

"I think so too. We should look at it." I nodded, going into the store.

"Militia?" The shop owner looked alarmed, almost scared that we were here.

"Don't worry. You're not in any trouble. I'm just buying a ring." I smiled, putting my open palms out reassuringly. 

"A ring?" They looked skeptical.

"Luhan here is marrying our queen." Kris explained, slapping me on the back as hard as he could.

"Oh, well, congratulations. Did you have anything specific in mind?" He looked a little more at ease and stepped out from behind the counter. 

"There was a ring in the window." I turned to point.

"Ah, I know which one you speak of. Many people come in, entranced by the ring." He nodded knowingly and almost smugly as if he expected me to walk out without that ring.

"How come no one has bought it, then?" Kris asked the questions that was about to fall from my lips as the shopkeeper took the ring from the display.

"The ring chooses its owner," he said mysteriously.

"What's so special about this ring?" Kris looked doubtful, but I was extremely curious.

"It's made of white gold and encrusted in diamonds. See the shape? It's an infinity symbol. Legend has it that the first queen of EXO had this ring crafted for her wedding to her king. She made it in this shape to signify being together forever with the one she loved. Except he didn't love her and left her at the altar for another woman. Now the ring is said to be cursed. If the love between the two it binds is not eternal, both will suffer futures apart." The owner waggled his eyebrows like a madman as he told the story and turned to put the ring back.

"I'll take it," I said firmly.

"Will you?" He challenged.

"I will. The love between Ira and I is too strong for trivial things." I nodded with determination and held my hand out. "How much?"

"The price is free for taking such a risk. Take it as a wedding gift." He smiled eerily, handing me the small velvet box and leading us on our way.

The two of us walked back to the palace for a time in silence. Kris staring up at the sky and I watching the sun reflect off the ring.

"Am I the only one who found that shopkeeper unnecessarily creepy?" Kris asked suddenly.

"No, I thought he was odd too." I shook my head.

"A little too odd. I've never heard that legend of the first queen. I feel like it was just a story to get you to buy a different ring." Kris shook his head, kicking a pebble.

"Hey, did we do something wrong?" I asked, looking around.

"No, why" Kris turned to me with his brow furrowed.

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"No..." He trailed off.

"Exactly. It's a beautiful day out, so why is everyone inside? And why did the owner of that shop get so nervous when we came in? It's like the people are afraid of us. But that's not right. These people are our friends and our family." I shook my head.

Glancing over to the side of the road. We both saw as a set of shutters snapped shut when we turned our heads. Something wasn't right. The people were afraid of us when they never had been before. Even in the less fortunate villages, we were usually greeted with smiles and open doors.

"People are at unrest because of Ira's father. He's been missing for a month now and we all know that there were issues between the two." Kris shook his head. He sounded as if he were trying to convince me rather than explain this oddity.

"We need to make a plan. I feel like he's going to try to get what he wants through force. Tomorrow we should have a meeting for the Militia and Ira so we can discuss what actions to take," I said, mouth set to a frown.

I could only hope that that would be enough. With so many lives on the line and Ira's power, we couldn't take any risks. From the arguments leading up to his disappearance, I could only guess that Ira's father wasn't running away. He was taking time to make a plan. He was going to strike and try to take all that he could away from us.

Not if I can help it.