the lacuna games | lee minho

ten

IT is absolutely normal and perfectly understandable to have her heart almost breaking the layers of her skin because of how fast it's racing, hands soaked from nervous sweat and Hanmi winces at the number of times her eyes would spring back open. Two days from now, the Great Lacuna Games will begin – two weeks went by so quickly.

The time is nearing midnight again and it's been the same for the last four times Hanmi looked over at the clock. Even if the beginning of the race is still a little short of 48 hours away, the Crown Princess couldn't help but feel like the ground was about to collapse under her.

She didn't feel this way exactly at the start of the day when she and Minho kept to themselves in the back yard to do last minute checks of everything they needed and were allowed to bring on the competition. It wasn't much; a compass, simple weaponry, basic survival tools, tents, a couple of pouches of gold and a bag for personal necessities. Then, that's when all the other eighteen competitors arrived one by one and Hanmi found herself slapped by reality.

Hanmi knows they're all in the Guest Wing somewhere right now and they're most likely sweating their arses off like she is. The night isn't hot, in fact, the night air is bone-seeping chilly but she still feels incredibly stuffy when she finally throws the covers off her bed, slipping her feet into her slippers and sleepily slide her feet along to exit her chambers.

As expected, the hall outside is dark, dimly lit by torches stuck on the wall. It flickers, the flames dancing with the wind. Well, it is a nice change compared to the atmosphere in her room. So, Hanmi pulls out the torch next to her door from its stand and makes her way along the corridor. Somewhere.

Surprisingly, some of the castle residents are still up this late into the night. Hanmi greets them briefly as she trudges to the library – two servants carrying a stack of chairs, Governor Luna and Mr Rodney, a gardener retiring home after work... the Princess smiles at them tiredly.

It is only when Hanmi pushes herself into a small corner far back in the library that she finally feels her eyelids droop heavily, after staying awake hours past midnight and spending time reading boring geography books. Her thumping heart slows at the distraction and the early morning wind lulls her to slumber.

Waking up isn't as pleasant as the air weaving around the library, though.

When Hanmi comes to her consciousness, her neck is sore – so sore – from having her head hang too low as she slept on the couch. She realises it wasn't a very nice position to sleep in, considering she had to be in top condition for tomorrow. Especially for tomorrow. Tomorrow. What had been two days from now yesterday is now tomorrow today.

"It wasn't a very nice sleep, was it?"

Hanmi, who is in the middle of massaging her neck, pauses and snaps her head at the source of the sound.

"Well, I cannot say when we start the Games it would get any more luxurious than this... however, you should be careful," Minho continues.

The Prince sits on another couch across from her, lazily flipping pages of a book. From the shade of the sunrise splashing its colours through the windows, Hanmi could tell it is still relatively early (so much for getting proper rest) and even then, Minho is already dressed like he is about to give a fifty-minute long speech out in the sun.

"Where are you headed so dreadfully early in the morning?"

If her governess had seen her speak as she yawns, the consequence would be walking up and down the hall with a stack of seven books on her head. It is a rare occasion that she does, but it has been a long while since she had one and it is only her and the Prince in the room. Hanmi stretches her limbs, so far that her foot knocks the book out of his hands and the two members of royalty watch it tumble to the floor.