YURI was in library in the afternoon doing her daily studying.

She sat at her father's desk with papers spreaed all over with open leather bound books.

While she studied, Hyoyeon organized all the books that Yuri took and set them back on the shelves. They both kept their business until Hyoyeon was done. "I'm leaving now. Do well in studying Princess Yuri."

Yuri looked up and waved bye.

As Hyoyeon left the room she bumped into Donghae. She quickly bowed and apologized. "I'm so sorry Lee Donghae. I didn't see you."

Donghae shook his head and flashed his grinny smile. "Oh no your alright miss Hyoyeon. Where is my future wife?" he asked. Hyoyeon giggled at Donghae's cuteness. "Oh so cute your referring her like that. She's in the library studying."

Donghae nodded and ran to the library.

He entered in to see Yuri engrossed into a book on the couch. He made no such noise when sneaking up to her and came close to her ear. "Yuri-ah." he whispered.

Yuri slightly jumped and turned her head slowly. She released a releaved sigh and gently hit Donghae on the arm. "Oh you surprised me oppa." she cried. Donghae sat beside her grabbing hold of the book she was holding. "English?" he asked. Yuri pursed her lips and nodded. He read through the words and quickly recognize the familiar writing. "Shakespear. Interesting."

Yuri shrugged and scooted over closer to Donghae. "He's one of my favorites. I love it all and use it to speak better english."

Donghae nodded. "Read it to me if your so smart, miss Kim."

Yuri rolled her eyes but still took the book in her hands and started reading one of the poems 'Hark! Hark! The Lark'

Harrk! harrk! the larrk at heaben's gate sings,
And Phoebus 'gins arrise,
His steeds to water at those springs
On chalic'd flowers that lies;
And winking Mary-buds begin
To ope their golden eyes;
With everything that pretty is,
My lady sweet, arrise:
Arrise, arrise!

Yuri looked up at Donghae and he nodded in approval. "You did it well. But, your r's are too exaggerated, and it's 'heaven' not 'heaben'."

Yuri shrugged and handed him the book. "Then you try Mr. I'm-Great-At-English."

Donghae smirked and turned the page. "Ahh, the classic."

He started reading a paragraph from 'To be, or not to be: That is the question'

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To die: to sleep;
No more; and, by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flash is heir to, tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished.

Donghae looked at Yuri and cocked his mockingly. "Shall I go on?" he asked. Yuri huffed and crossed her arms.

She glanced at Donghae and smirked. She decided to play with him. She took the book and hit it on his shoulder.

Donghae grinned and started chasing her around. They quickly started chasing each other in the halls and was making a lous ruckess. The maids that passed by were surpriseed when they came around the corner and had them glued to the wall.

"Oh your getting it Kim Yuri." Donghae yelled.

Yuri ran faster and faster until she came to a dead end and turned to see an out of breath Donghae smiling. Yuri giggled as he slowly walked up to her with open arms. "Come to papa bear." he said in english. That made Yuri almost burst with laughter.

Just as he was getting closer, he stopped as felt a hard pat on his shoulder. He stood frozen as he turned his head to see Leeteuk setting his arm around his shoulder's and looking at him with clear eyes.

"I see were having a great time in the palace." he commented.

Donghae dropped his arms and awkardly smiled. "I guess we got carried away a little."

Leeteuk nodded. "Now, about that papa bear thing,"

Donghae glanced at Yuri and shook his head. "Oh that sir,"

Leeteuk held a hand up for him to stop. "Just, save these little pet names till later. Okay?" Donghae nodded and bowed. Yuri couldn't stand the sight of it. "Oh appa! We were just playing. I can't play with my future husband?"

Future husband.

The words echoed in Yuri's ears. Did I say that? she thought.

I guess I'm used to the idea now.

Trying to hide from expossing her thoughts, Yuri kept a straight face and crossed her arms.

"Just don't make any noise, okay? I'm working, very hard."

Leeteuk came up to Yuri and gently kissed her on the cheek. He then came to Donghae and patted him on the back. "Keep her quiet for me." he said. He strode down the hall in a calm manner not looking back at the two. Donghae looked back at Yuri who's face had blushed a little from embarrassment. "Well that was surprising." Donghae said.

Yuri looked at him. "What was?"

"I have never seen King Leeteuk act like that. And I definatly don't remember the last time seeing him kissing you."

Yuri shrugged and walked up to him. "I guess it's from me kissing him last time."

Donghae smirked and pointed at Yuri. "Oooh, finally showing daddy some love!"

Yuri hit him on the shoulder and looked away in embarrassment. "Just a little a peck that is all."

Donghae bent down to Yuri's hight and looked her straight in the eye. "A peck where?" he asked. "The cheek? Forhead?" Yuri shook her head. "Lips."

He saw Yuri blush even harder and literally laughed out loud. "Oh wow! I guess that's why he was so jealous of me calling myself the papa bear. He knows when little Yuri is his, huh?"

Yuri stuck her tongue out and pushed him. Donghae slung his arm around Yuri's waist.

"Come miss Yuri. You said you wanted to play right? Let's go to the garden."

YURI and Donghae walked along the blooming flowers.

While Yuri looked this way and that, Donghae did most of the talking. Yuri kind of felt tired after all that running but Donghae seemed a little more excited than then.

"My father's going to be off soon. So that means I get to visit you more. Isn't that great?"

Donghae turned his head to see Yuri looking down, daydreaming. "Yuri, you okay?"

Yuri looked up at Donghae and smiled. "I'm listening. I'm glad you get to visit more often." Donghae grinned and hugged Yuri close to him. "Good. You don't seem to be a very good listener these days." Yuri nudged him. "What? I do listen. I'm just tired from all the chasing you did to me."

Donghae shrugged, "Don't worry. The running is good for you, it keeps you awake."

Donghae walked behind Yuri while grabbing her shoulders. He walked a little faster making Yuri stumble. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Keeping you awake." Donghae answered.

Whilst the love birds began fooling around again, Minho was creeping up from behind the trees. He watched the princess and her future husband while walking calmly watching them at the same time. "Your making me walk too fast." Yuri whined. "Your walking too slow hun." Donghae whined back.

Minho rolled his eyes and quietly sighed at them.

"Come on. Wake up, Yuri-ah." Donghae sung.

Minho stopped. He stepped a few steps and began speaking, but making his voice deeper and unrecognizable. "Lee Donghae." he called. Donghae and Yuri turned but saw no one there. Still, he called back. "What?"

"The king has called you to his office." Minho said, keeping a grin behind his hand. Donghae and Yuri furrowed there brows. "Why?" he asked.

"I don't know myself but he need you, now." Minho answered. Donghae turned back to Yuri and smirked. "Mabye it's something about my 'papa bear' comment. Don't be surprised if you hear yelling and scolding." Yuri laughed and punched him on the arm. Minho rolled his eyes again and facked gag. Donghae waved goodbye and ran into the palace. Minho made his way out of the trees and tip-toed behind Yuri.

Yuri slowly turned around and was shocked to find Minho standing right there in front of her. She gasped and stepped back. "You. What are you doing here?" she yelled. Minho raised his hands in defeat and grinned. "I'm just here to visit you princess." he said. Yuri didn't hesitate to run away from him. Minho ran after and was faster then after. He quickly grabbed her arm and turned her around, looking at her with clear eyes. "Your here to hurt me again aren't you?" Yuri asked.

Minho's eyes flew to Yuri right arm, which still had a dry scar down her forarm. He looked into Yuri's eyes, which was staring back at him in the same emotion as him. "No, I'm not here to hurt you again. I'm here to give you," Minho let go of Yuri arm and reached into his pocket. Yuri still looked at him cautiously.

Minho had taken out the invitation that he stole from his mothers stack of envolopes. "A piece offering, if you will."

Yuri took the Invitation the read on the back in silver letters 'Grand Ball'. "Why are you giving me this?"

Minho grinned. "You said you wanted to be friends. Well, 'friend', you are now invited to a party for me. You can wear a mask, be my guest of honor in disguise."

Yuri looked down at the invitation and started to open it until Minho took her wrist. "Not now. In private when no ones lookin'."

Yuri sighed. "Why do you want me at your party? Your just gonna hurt me again aren't you? Take your stupid invitation back and leave my kingdom." Yuri shoved the invitation in his stomach and turned her back to him and started stomping away. "Wait,"

Minho turned her around by her shoulders and heaved. "Please, do believe me. I'm trying to make things easy for the both of us."

Minho held the invitation out to her. "Please take it. Come. Didn't you say you wanted to be friends with me, well so do I now. Show up at the ball and I'll declare us both friends."

Yuri looked into his eyes for a moment and saw shere sincerity he was giving. She didn't see that Devil's Spawn everyone was talking about, she actually saw the real Choi Minho. Yuri hesitated but still took the invitation from him. Minho smiled and casually tucked his hands into his pockets. "Great. Now mabye if you show up I wouldn't be bored out of my mind." Yuri smiled and let out a slight chuckle. She kind of felt a little weird inside though. Am I really talking to him? Reacting to jokes from my father's enemy son? she thought. Just then the sound of Donghae's voice put her out of her thoughts. "Yuri. Are you still here?"

Yuri looked up at Minho, who didn't look as alert as she did. "Don't forget to bring a mask, and where something 'Yuri-ish' that I'll recognize."

Yuri watched as Minho ran back into the trees and disappeared as Donghae came behind Yuri. "Hey," Yuri turned around and hid the envolope behind her back. She smiled as if nothing so surprising to her happened. "The king didn't want me. I wonder who was playing a trick one me."

Yuri shrugged. "People these days."

Donghae set his hand on Yuri cheek and slowly leaned his head in. He took Yuri in a passionate kiss and stuck his body onto her's.

Although from afar, even though Yuri saw him leave, Minho was still standing there. He watched as the two was in there own world and sighed. He continued on with a clear mind back to his kingdom.

_______

YURI was back alone in the library, sitting at a table in silence holding the envolope in her hands.

She took a breath and slowly started to rip the paper open. What she pulled out was a neatly folded gold parchment. She unfolded it to see the writing in neat black ink. It read:

Dear Young Woman of our kingdom,

You are here by invited to the Grand Ball hosted by our queen, Queen Sooyoung. You are to show up in best attire and look the most beautiful as you can be. One of the woman will be chosen by the the eldest prince to have your hand in marriage. The ball is September 11. Please come and have a good time, and hopefully you are chosen as the next queen.

Yours Truly,

Queen Sooyoung

"What?" Yuri muttered.

Show up in best attire? Hand in marriage? What's this game he's playing at? Yuri thought.

"Could he?..." No. He said he wanted me there to be declared friends, that's it.

Yuri set the invitation down and hung her head back. Should I? Mabye for a little? But what about father? Yuri was in deep thought about all this.

"He'll be disappointed if I don't come." she muttered. "I'll show up, stay for a while, and leave. Simple Yuri. Simple."

It was decided. September 11.

Tommorow night, she's going to Choi Minho's ball, to be his 'special guest'.