Splashing of water and giggles were the only sound that can be heard in this peaceful place they call Irafas, if it wasn’t for the cracking voice of an old bald man shouting on a wooden boat filled with flipping and flopping sorts of fish in the middle of the lake. “Your Highness, if you insist, please get out of the water. You’ve caught plenty today. And besides, the water is really freezing.” He dipped his hand into the water then shivered a little. “Sheesh! You might catch a cold. Your highness, please, let’s go.”

A king carp and two silver finned fishes suddenly flew straight into the boat together with the other catch.

“That king carp’s a big catch huh?” he shook his head to dry up his hair.

“Your Highness!”

The younger guy tapped the right side of his head with his wrist. “Ugh! Worst case scenario is having your ear filled with water. Jeez!”

“Your Highness, it’s time for you to go back to your palace. The breeze is getting colder.”

He, whom the old man calls ‘his highness’, stopped tapping his head hence stared at his servant for quite some time. “Are you actually ordering me Chief Kenko?” he raised an eyebrow.

“N-no… of course not, Your Excellency…” he lowered his head as he speak. “I was only worried about your health sir.”

“I must say, thanks for the concern though. But I’m already a grown up. I just turned twenty-three yesterday, remember? You don’t have to look after me like a baby anymore, chief. I’ll be fine.”

“But sir—”

“One more big catch… then off we go. Alright?”

The chief sighed, accepting his defeat from the younger lad.

A while later, a bell connected on their boat’s fishing rod rang which barely means that the bait was being taken.

“Chief, steer! I’ll take care below.” He took a deep breath and swam towards their bait.

Chief Kenko steered the rod with all his might but it was too strong and heavy to the point that the rod had been broken. “Oh—this is a tough one.” he grabbed on the string and pulled it. “Agh! He’ll like this for sure.”

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the lake, the boy helped Kenko by pushing the net with their catch up the waters. Then as soon as he reached their boat, the chief took the net and placed it with the other fishes.

“Bloody hell…” mumbled the chief.

“Too overwhelmed chief? Hah. Well, you should be.” he held at the edge of the boat and then pulled himself up. “It’s the real big thing! That is what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!”

“Sir.” Kenko hissed turning the net around. “It’s no fish.”

He gave his servant a gaze of disbelief.

Chief Kenko tore the net immediately. “It is a human, Your Highness.”

He went over to where Kenko is. Right then and there, he stared at what they caught. His eyes widened. His lips parted. “Ferry the boat on the shore.”

“Right away Your Highness.” He bowed his head and followed his master’s order.

“Do you think it’s still alive?” his eyes stuck on the unconscious being.

“I’m not quite sure sir.”

The younger and stronger man carried the being on the shore and gently laid it on the dry sand. He was looking at it, full of curiosity. He shoved away the hair strands covering its face with his hand. “It’s… it’s a lady.” On bended knees, he leaned closer to the woman.

“Your Highness, let someone else do that. I’ll call—”

“No. I can handle it.” he leaned over again, placed his right hand on her chin, and parted her lips. His left thumb and index finger gently pinched her nose. Then he blew air from his mouth by the minute it touched hers.

“Your Highness, your warrior has arrived.” the chief announced behind the huge ancient wooden doors.

“Let him in.”

The doors opened.

Then came in a man with bright red hair, dressed in leather black armor and dark dusty boots. He has two 12-inch blades hanged on both sides of his hips.

His face was blank. No expression can be read from his pokerfaced. And his eyes… it’s like they were made to kill; too sharp to gaze at.

“You called for me Your Majesty?” he bowed.

“Quit the formalities Namjoon.” He closed the book he was reading and then looked at the warrior.

The supposedly pokerfaced Namjoon had turn into a joker-face. His eyes which used to be sharp couldn’t even cut a nerve for it had become a crescent moon.

“You should’ve ride with it fool.”

“That—” he pointed at him. “—is what I am used at.”

It was pitch black.

It was cold.

Floating in the midst of… what is this?

Water?

Series of bubbles climbed up in front of her eyes as she opened . Aye paddled her legs also her arms. Yet she still felt she was drowning despite of her struggle.

She soon ran out of energy.

Her lungs been filled with water.

She can no longer breathe. Nor feel anything.

Aye kept on falling to nowhere; beyond infinity.

When a glimpse of light suddenly shined above and gradually ate the entire darkness.

Then an image started to form, an image of an unknown person looking straight back at her.

“She’s awake…” his voice echoed in her ears.

She scarcely opened her eyes. But as soon as she snapped out from her visions, a fine warrior had been awakened.

With the strength she regained and the reflexes she possessed, Aye grabbed on the man’s wrists in a speed of light, tying them altogether using the white cloth that covers her body then wrapped it around his neck, choking him.

Namjoon, on the otherhand, pulled out his blades and was about to attack, if not with the hostage’s plea to be still. “What the hell Jin! She intends to kill you! That woman has my emperor captive!” he blurted.

“Ah-ah-I… I can— ma-nage this…”

The grip on his neck became tighter he almost choked up.

“Stop the chitchat!”

“Easy… easy.” The red head dropped his weapons, raising his hands in the air. “Okay. What is it that you want? We’ll give anything you wanted. But please, spare my emperor.”

She loosened the cloth a little. Good enough for the captive to breathe.

He coughed heavily and gasped for air. At one moment, his pale lips came back to its natural color. Also, his breathing became normal again.

“Tell me, what is this place— where am I? How did I get here? Who are you people?” she asked in a raising voice.

“You’re in Koto.” Namjoon said. “Ruled by Emperor Seokjin… that’s him.” he gestured his head directing Jin. “And I’m Namjoon, a Koto scholar, also, a warrior. My emperor found you at Irafas Lake, unconscious. So he took you here in his palace.”

“I happened to—” he coughed, pulling himself to sit up.

“Jin—” mumbled Namjoon.

He took a deep breath. “I happened to catch you in my fishing net… by accident.” He paused.

Since Jin was born and trained to be an emperor, such formality is a must, especially if it’s a woman he speaks with.

Aye hasn’t released the tie on his neck completely, so he just faced her. His head lowered, saying, “I, Seokjin, Emperor of Koto, seeks for thy forgiveness for my inhumane doing the first meeting of ours. Mi lady… forgive me.”

After a minute of silence, she finally released him.