“What do you see now?”

“What I have said a minute ago still applies,” Daehyun muttered from where he stood while Jongup peered through the hallway window along with me. The three of us have not moved from our spots ever since the other Knights were sent out to provide help for the civilians and to contain the fire from the explosions. Daehyun had his back placed up against the wall, clearly not interested in watching what was occurring in town miles away.

“Yongguk, Himchan, and the other Knights should be okay, right?” I turned to my side and looked towards Daehyun for confirmation. Hoping my worries would be comforted. 

“Yes,” he says in exasperation. “Your father told them not to engage with the threats unless necessary and according to this beast here–," Daehyun eyed Jongup. “The Werewolves from earlier were seen running from the scene.” 

“Jongup,” I called out to him and he looked up at me before nodding his head to verify Daehyun’s words.

I knelt down to his level. “…How are the civilians? Can you see how they are?” 

“We have good eyesight but it’s still impossible to see inside the town from here,” Daehyun retorted from behind me. “And besides, who the hell cares what happens to them?” he quietly mumbled.

I turned around from where I was and shot him a look. “Daehyun, I understand where those words are coming from–,"

“Please not another therapy lesson,” he interjected tiredly.

I sighed. Maybe this was why my father decided to leave these two back with me. Both are so conditioned to have a dislike towards humans. I straightened up and looked out the window once more. My father had already set the region on high alert and surely, this unfortunate attack wouldn’t happen in other areas.

“The royals at the summit were wrong.” I become lost in my thoughts. They successfully stopped the small petty lawbreakers, but they couldn’t stop something at this scale. 

“Let’s see how long they can stay arrogant,” Daehyun responds. 

***

“How long do you plan on staying up?”

After tiredly staring out the windows, we decided to retreat back to my room a few hours ago and I have yet to give into my sleepiness. Though, it is a different story in regards to my two lovely Knights.

Daehyun had found himself draped across my long lounger, his eyes barely open and Jongup could be seen in his sitting position on the floor, his head nodding back and forth- the motion was the only thing keeping him from entirely falling asleep.

The landline in my bedroom cuts through the still air and I move across my bed to grab the phone off the receiver. “Hello?”

“Goodness! Haewon? I have been trying to get into contact with the castle for a while now.”

“Auntie Hwa, how are you?” 

“I should be asking you that. Your town was the only one attacked.”

“We’re still waiting on the Knights but everyone at the castle is fine. It’s too early to assume anything regarding the town.” Though, I hope with Hero’s skills, injured individuals would be treated efficiently. 

A long sigh breathed in relief could be heard. “I’m so glad. All the other regions were told to be on high alert also but so far, it has been quiet.”

“Please be safe, Auntie Hwa.”

“You too, Haewon. Let me know if you need anything.”

Once exchanging our goodbyes, I placed the phone back on the receiver and allowed my body to fall carelessly on my bed. Even if I tried my best to, all my eyes wanted to do was close and I allowed it to.

“Are they back?” I questioned.

“Not yet,” Daehyun responds tiredly. “The flames are put out though.” He forced himself up and pulled the curtains aside.

I sighed. Then it’ll be a matter of minutes before the Knights return.

“I hope there were no casualties,” I muttered while my eyes closed once more.

“There might be.” Daehyun doesn’t allow my optimistic thoughts to last.

“Hero is a talented aid,” I retorted. 

But before I could hear a response from him, I easily gave into sleep.

***

When I came to, I immediately shot up into a sitting position and found myself staring directly at Yongguk, his body bent over my own. It took a moment before he straightened up to increase the distance between the both of us.

“I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized. “I was attempting to tuck you into bed.”

I looked down to find my body barely on the mattress but that’s not the focus right now. “You’re back.” I looked up and met his eyes. Little scratches covered his face but other than that, it seemed he was fine. “Is everyone okay?”

“No one was hurt, Princess,” Yongguk updated me to my relief. “No casualties in the town, there were a few severe and minor injuries and Hero tended to them.”

“I should tell Daehyun that I was right,” I answered amusingly before looking around the room and while I found myself visibly relaxing at the good news.

“They’re back in their own rooms,” Yongguk answers my question before I can ask it.

“What time is it?” How long did I fall asleep for? The two didn’t even bother waking me up at all.

“It’s only five in the morning, Princess.”

I sighed upon hearing the time. 

“You’ve only slept for an hour. You need to rest after the long night,” he continued.

I chuckled hearing him. “You should be the one resting, all I did was sit around.” I focused back once remembering. “Are you all having a meeting in my father’s office?”

“Yes, we are to head there now.” 

I jumped up from bed, believing my body was working fine despite the sleepless night. “I would also like to join.”

“Perhaps you should rest,” he advises.

“Nonsense. I feel fine–," Before I could walk past him, he slid directly in front of me. The sudden movement caused me to move backwards and feeling the bed behind my knees, I fell back as my bottom made contact with the soft cushion. 

“Please lie down, Princess,” Yongguk requested blankly.

“You can’t keep me here,” I challenged back while sitting on the edge of my bed.

Silently, he reached down, lifted my legs, and placed them on the mattress before placing both hands on my shoulders to push me down. Finding myself lying on my pillow, I stared up at him in surprise.

“Please listen for once, Princess.” 

“Yongguk–," My efforts to sit up are thwarted for a second time as he placed his warm palm gently on my forehead, forcing me to stay put. Following his small action, he pulled the comforter over me.

“Sleep,” he uttered once more quietly and inches from my face. “I will update you first thing in a few hours after you have rested.”

“This is ridiculous, Yongguk.” And quite unfair.

“It is more ridiculous that you are trying to go on with your day with just an hour of sleep, Princess.”

“You do it all the time.” 

“And that is why I want to be sure you don’t have to experience it,” Yongguk merely responds as a comforting smile appears upon his features. “Now, if you don’t want to sleep for your sake, please do it for mine.” 

After a moment of silence, a sigh left my lips. “You’ll be here first thing in the morning?”

“First thing in the morning and not a minute later.”

***

As soon as I woke up, I found myself simply sitting cross-legged on my bed with my eyes set firmly on my bedroom door. I wonder when Yongguk would get here. It was only now did I realize I wasn’t particularly specific about when we were going to meet. 

Soon, a knock draws my attention. “Come in.”

“Princess, did you sleep?”

“Yes, I did,” I stated as I watched Yongguk make his way into my room. He settled into the chair beside my bed. “Now, update me.”

Not wasting another moment, he begins, “When we came into town, most of the area was already swallowed up by the explosions and fires, but the Werewolves were already gone.”

“Go on.”

“In town, there is a warehouse that serves as the main storage for medic tools, pharmaceutical supplies, and other professional health equipment– it was wiped clean.”

“Why would they–," I paused once the reality sunk in.

“We can assume the attack was a diversion. It wasn’t just a simple uprising but rather, planned and more complex than we originally figured.”

“How did you come to that conclusion?” 

“Your new Knight.”

“Himchan?” What does he have to do with it?

“Though he states it is his own theory and that he no other proof to assure their motive– he knew what they were planning right away but because we needed to focus on containing the fire and providing help, there was nothing else we could do,” Yongguk reasoned. “You should be happy to know that the other Knights and the King now recognizes his intelligence.”

Through all of this, there manages to be something good. 

“The King plans to notify the other kingdoms and regions as well.”