On my way back from the Councel House, Lady Marie hurried up the stone path toward me with a worried look on her face.

"Lady Maria! What's wrong? Why are you panicking?"

"Your Majesty," Lady Marie said bowing low and breathing lightly, "His Highness Lee Joon has sent a letter to the palace, asking for your accompaniment to acelebration in his palace within the week. He said it was urgent, so I came immediately."

I put my hand on her shoulder and the faithful older woman blushed and shyed away from me.

"Oh. It's okay. Thank you for telling me, but it looks like I'm going to have to say "no" in a way he will understand."

"Yes, Your Majesty. He is waiting on the video call system in the theater room," Lady Marie said to me, a bit relaxed now.

I smiled and lead the way.

In the theater room, I stood, in my heavy gown, bare feet, and all my glory, in front of the floor-to-ceiling monitor baring King Lee Joon's smug mug.

"Her Majesty the Queen, Your Highness," Lady Marie said, bowed and left me alone in the room.

"Queen Nallina. You look beautiful. What's the occasion?"

"Court date," I replied coldly as I took my crown off and set it on the desk against the wall, shook my hair out and took my bracelets off.

A maid, took the crown and the jewelry away and another approached me with a hair clip. I put my hair up in a messy bun and slouched in a theater chair, sighing loudly.

"Now, what can I avoid from you?"

King Joon smirked, "You don't act like a Queen. You're not stiff enough."

I rolled my eyes at the monitor which displayed this super cocky young King in his tailored white suit and his emerald green and his stark attractive features.

I hated him.

"It's just not my style to be inflexible," I say and shrug.

He laughed at me and I ignored it and instead go in for the proverbial "nut shot", "Tell you what, lordy Lord Lee Joon. Why don't we skip the chit chat and get right to the point. Which is; why are you cutting off my trade routes with China and Taiwan? Under International Law, I could consider this an act of war, but I'm not big on expending lives- on either side, soley because you have the hots for me and I won't let you get some."

His smile doesn't fade but his stare hardens. I hit a nerve.

"Perhaps it's for statistical geography reasons. Maybe I'm considering expanding my Empire beyond the Yulne Sea."

I stood up, "That didn't answer my question. How are my ships stopping you from your geography research?" I shake my head, "You gotta do better than that, dude. And what's this about an invitation to a celebration in your country?"

He sits up in his chair, I'm assuming he's at his desk, somewhere.

"Oh yeah. I want to formally invite you to the Celebration of the Sun. Fireworks and food and my country's best musicians."

I crossed my arms and popped my toes on the carpet, "What's the Celebration of the Sun, when is it? Who else is invited?

"Much like America's Independance Day celebration. This Wednesday. And the entire contry celebrates, but the palace will be a limited guest list, you understand."

I bit my lip, "I don't know about America's celebrating habits. Can I bring a date?" I said spontaniously, then Jae came to mind. Actually, quite a few eligable Kings and Princes came to mind.

"You can bring a female date. I've already invited King Ji Yong, King Taecyeon, Prince Woo Young and Court Prince Chun."

I sighed, "Well, I'm bringing Jae too, or I'm not going."

"Jae?"

"Prince Jae of the Royal Family over Gyurio. He's got more class than a high school and he's pretty too," I say, hoping this jerk will assume we're an item and leave me alone.

It didn't work.

"That was a really crappy way to describe Royalty, Nallina. But sure," he shrugs and leans close to the screen and grins, " Bring young Prince Jae, too."

I roll my eyes and snort, "Okay. Cool. I'll consider it, still and let you know... Bye."

I nod to a maid and she bows and then signs off of the monitor for me.

"I need to get out of this dress!" I shout to no one in particular, and a man-servant flinches next to the door, startled by my shout.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We'll arrange it," he says and a maid bows to me and leaves the room to go find Lady Marie.

I followed the maid out, a little annoyed at King Lee Joon, but still relatively calm.