"Argh!" cried Jiwoo as she swung her sword towards Jungeun with significant effort. Jungeun, feeling a bit annoyed that day, yawned as she dodged her attack.
"I thought we were having improvements, noona. Shame really."
"Are you forgetting that I am still your princess, Kim Junghyun-sshi?" asked Jiwoo as she wiped her sweat off her forehead.
Jungeun snorted mockingly, trying to wire her up. "Well, you are my princess who happens to know how to yield a sword, poorly."
They were standing in a hidden part of the forest that Jungeun discovered during one of her patrol sessions.
Jungeun was looking for herbs for the palace's physician but she got too far from her usual route. She had found this place while she was trying to get back. The area was secluded by huge rocks, disguised as a cave. It was the perfect place to train a princess in secret.
These last two years had been almost hectic with the sneaking out to train and such. The princess, despite being inactive throughout her life, was pretty good with her sword.
"And you are my guard who is apparently going to be a shorty for the rest of his life. You're even shorter than me!" said Jiwoo pettily, attacking her again with both her sword and her words.
"Maybe I'll hit puberty later than the others!" Jungeun argued back, seeming pissed. "Also, this doesn't change the fact that I'm better at fighting than all of those horrendous boys."
"Well, you're a boy too," Jiwoo stated, trying to catch her breath after her attack got blocked again.
"But, I am not horrendous, I am actually quite handsome." said Jungeun referring to herself with a grin.
"So humble, so gracious."
Jungeun sighed knowing the princess' relentless teasing won't end anytime soon. So, she stopped her movements, gesturing Jiwoo to do the same too. "Noona, let's head back. We've been here for a few hours already. Also, you have another lesson."
It always takes a while to convince Jiwoo to stop sparring but Jungeun manages every time. And this one wasn't any different.
"Oh, please, you're just saying this because I was about to defeat you! I mean you look exhausted to me. Maybe I should show mercy and stop this before you collapse with humiliation." Jiwoo said dropping her sword as she struggled to breathe. "Now, give me my fancy clothes and go guard the entrance."
-
The ride back home was pleasant as always with Princess talking her ear off with her infinite rant on the uselessness of her lessons with the governess. Jungeun, nearly memorizing every argument she talked about only had to say that she was right whenever she said her name and nod a few times. Even if she adored the princess, sometimes the only thing she longed for was peace and quiet.
The moment she got off her horse she saw her father standing a few meters away from them looking like he just ate a lemon. She escorted the princess back to her room where the instructor Lee Jangmi was waiting with a stern face. She hurried back to her father, leaving the princess pouting for her attention.
"Welcome, father. What is it that you wanted?" asked Jungeun, bowing deeply.
"Walk with me, son."
Jungeun followed her father as he ordered, panic slowly building up inside her. What could her father want from her? What would make him come to the palace during these hours? It sure wasn't chit-chat.
"Junghyun, are you aware that your father is the greatest general of this country? Are you aware of the power our house has?" her father asked.
"I am, father." She answered, keeping her voice thick.
"So, you must have guessed that there will be people who will try to take advantage of that in some ways. Like marriage."
Jungeun felt like a bucket full of ice-cold water was poured down her head. "M-marriage? But I am only 15! Father, we cannot have that. You know why your son can't look for a girl to marry."
Her father turned to her suddenly with anger shown on his face. "Don't you think I know that Junghyun? Don't you think that I live this shame every day?" he said in a low, threatening voice. "Listen to me without interrupting, boy."
"As I was saying, I got an offer of marriage from Jung Sungman, the man in charge of the royal treasure. He wanted to marry his daughter, Jinsoul I believe her name was, to you. He is a very power-hungry, ambitious man with unreliable allies. I want to refuse him but it's not that simple. He will try to see this happen till the end but if you refuse and say that you will not marry this girl for you have a duty to do and she would be a distraction, we can get this over with. Understood?"
Struggling to process everything, Jungeun set her anxiety aside with difficulty as she nodded. "Now, he will send his daughter here for a week to stay in our home. His excuse for this is that she never saw the capital and needs guidance here. But she will probably try to seduce you with orders from her father."
"How old is this girl, Jung Jinsoul?" Jungeun asked trying to gather her calmness as well as information.
"I believe she is in her 15th winter." Her father replied even though he wasn't sure himself. "As I said, reject the girl nicely and we will walk our ways."
With that her father turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Jungeun with a panic attack pounding in her chest.
-
"Why are you so jittery, Jungie-ah? Calm down, will you? I'm trying, okay?" Exclaimed Jiwoo fumingly. Her sweat was running all the way down her back and neck, her breath was racing her movements and her eyes burning with adrenaline as well as anger and frustration.
"I am sorry, noona. I just feel on edge these days. I will be less... violent." Apologized Jungeun looking down at her feet in shame. Tomorrow the Jung girl would come and she would be expected to guide her through the city. Maybe the girl would flirt with her on her father's orders or maybe she would be just as uninterested as Jungeun. She genuinely hoped for the second.
"By the way noona, we will not be training tomorrow, your governess scolded me the other day. She is saying that whenever we come from our trips you are way too tired to be learning the delicate behavior of a graceful woman or something like that." Said Jungeun, snickering at the quote.
"Laugh all you want, horrendous boy, but one day you will be head over heels for a woman and I will smirk at you that day." Said Jiwoo, once again pulling her sword from its sheath.
"I will accept your mockery if that day ever comes. Now, position 6 and attack!" said Jungeun, launching forward.
-
"Welcome to the capital, Jung Jinsoul-sshi. I see that it has already amazed you with its size." Said Jungeun helping get off of her horse. She was smiling at the girl who seemed to be captivated by the view. "Do you have anywhere in your mind or are you leaving the tour to me?" she asked forming an eye-contact.
"I-I am grateful, Kim Junghyun-sshi. I will follow your route, thank you very much." She said, blushing.
Jungeun, noticing the girls stutter, smiled for her to relax. "Then we should get going, Jinsoul-sshi, we have a lot to see."
They walked together, with a respectable distance between them, through the market place downtown. Whee In proved to be a very curious young girl who stopped at every merchant's table to inspect the products. She seemed to be enjoying herself, which made Jungeun a bit happier, she had to admit. Even if she would reject this girl, she still seemed cute, maybe like a sister.
Hopping from one shop to another, she bought a few gifts here and there, chatted genuinely with the salesperson. She was lovely, filled with positive energy and happiness.
"Junghyun-sshi, how does this suit me?" she asked Jungeun, referring to her head. She had worn the rose hairpin from the counter and was blinking rapidly at her with her unbelievably long lashes.
"It looks like it has found the place it belongs, Jinsoul-sshi." She said smiling. "How much for this, ahjusshi?"
The man slightly bowed and spoke. "It is my gift to the princess' guard. Long may you serve our country, young man."
Jungeun felt proud as she saw the 15-year-old-girl look at her with admiration written all over her face. "As much as I'm honored by your loyalty I swore an oath to protect our citizens' benefits. Here you go ahjusshi, have a good day." She said leaving a pouch of money and bowing.
"You really are the princess' guard, Junghyun-sshi? How many guards does she have?" asked JInsoul as soon as they stepped away from the merchant's shop.
"She has ten guards, formally but she usually only requests me. We grew up together and we became friends over time." She said, her tongue stinging at the word friend. She shook her head unnoticeably to dismiss the improper thought. She would never be something more than a guard and a friend to the princess and that was final.
"That is very impressive, it must be such an honor."
Their conversation trailed off and Jungeun realized that she liked talking to this girl. She was nice to talk to and a very good listener also. She was funny in a way. Her carefree attitude that came later during the day reminded Jungeun that this girl who was offered to her was still an innocent girl. Even the thought of it made her shudder.
As they got out of the biggest temple in the city, they saw the sun was about to set.
"Junghyun-sshi, can I ask you two favors?" Jinsoul asked in a sweet voice, looking at Jungeun.
"Sure, Jinsoul-sshi."
"First can I call you oppa? I feel like we know and like each other enough to be a bit more casual." She asked, blushing furiously. "If I am stepping out of line, please tell me."
"No, you can call me whatever you like, Jinsoul," Jungeun answered. "What is your second wish?"
Jinsoul played with her fingers as she looked to the ground. "Oppa, can you show me around the palace, if it's possible?"
Jungeun, even though she was worried that it would be a problem, nodded her head yes, like she was bewitched by this cute girl. How much fun would she have if she had a sister like her?
The excitement on her face was worth everything. She was visibly vibrating with joy. "Then lead the way, oppa!"
-
"And this is the princess' garden, Garden of Heavenly Flowers. This is where I spend most of my time, reading and having tea with the princess." Jungeun said gesturing to the garden in front of them. "Now I will show you the training grounds before we leave but I cannot lead you to the throne room, I'm afraid. I can't even enter it so casually."
"This much is more than enough, thank you, oppa." Said Jinsoul, slightly bending to smell a flower.
"Nothing is troublesome when I'm with such pleasant company, your majesty." Joked Jungeun, bowing absurdly deep. That seemed to make Jinsoul laugh her heart out. "Oppa, you're so funny!" she said between giggles.
"Yes, he tends to be a jokester." Said an icy-cold voice from a few steps ahead. Then Jungeun turned around to see the Princess, standing by her favorite tree and looking at them with a straight face. Her signature facial impression was targeted at the two, the porcelain princess. That meant trouble. "Jolly ol' Junghyun-oppa, right?"
Jungeun knew she wouldn't get out of this that easily.