Somewhere in Shu.
A beautiful and intoxicating evening arrived to find a young beautiful girl on the lawn enjoying it's brightness; it is neither daylight nor moonlight, but the warm fragrant gloaming lies over the land; the flowers looked asleep, the birds are silent , the swans have found their nests, the stars are beginning to appear. The air was so balmy , so sweet, so full of rich odours , that it was impossible to rest indoors while it invited one out.
A young girl sat on an elevated seat of euphoria, her hairs dancing to the wind of happiness while her clothes drowned in the breeze of laughter. A young boy, slightly older than her watched the tornadoes of emotions erupting from her being and couldn't help but be infected.
"Are you that happy, Yoona?".
The young girl who seemed lost in her world roused at the teasing tone of her brother seemingly recalling she wasn't alone.
"Orabeoni, of course I'm happy. You are back to us safe and sound". At the mention of the word 'safe', his knuckles turned white with bulges as he recalled the story he met at home when he returned. He was gone one moment and in the next, his beloved sister was almost gone. The blame of not being with her in every moment she needed him the most almost drove him insane with guilt.
Yoona watched the ripples of emotions her brother was struggling with and tried to lessen his guilt.
"In addition, you were able to find me another ally. The verification of the Panja man identity means alot to me for I will make him one of my men in the near future without any fear of using a foreign spy"
The dark cloud on his face passed over revealing the brightness of peace and calm. He raised his hands to stroke her hair but stopped. Remembering that she will be someone untouchable in the near future got him to gather his acts together. Constancy could lead to disrespect to her if not contained now.
Yoona could tell from one look what his brother had in mind, she slightly frowned before lifting his hands to place on her head.
"Ruffle as much as you like , orabeoni, don't pretend to be respectful. It's not in your streak". This shocking and teasing tone of his little sister tugged at the corner of his heart. She is his sister before all other things, the thought that a time will come when he will no longer tease her saddened him a bit but he wasn't bothered.
"OK peanuts, I will ruffle as much as to satisfy me", he said, back to his devil mode as he made her hair into an ugly nests.
"Orabeoni! You devil! why is my hair ugly?", she whined as she felt the mess it has turned into.
"You said to do what I like", he defended .
"Really?... how about I do what I like too since we are playing?". She squinted her eyes at him as she drew closer with her fingers curved into a claw and with the sliding attitude of a little devil in a full teasing mode.
"No... No!", he shouted as he tried to escape from her when he saw that look but was too late as she lunged herself at him, a pleading laughter cackling from him.
"Please my dear sister, stop!". Yoona ignored him as he reached for his feet sole, tickling and teasing him. The fact that he clamped his ribs side shut with his arms didn't help one bit as she knows all his sensitive spots, unfortunately for him, Yoona seemed to be devoid of it.
After a while, they both laid down on the grass catching their breath, their faces were beet red from the exhausting laughter and the joy in their heart.
"Do you want to do something more fun?" She nodded, "... let's go out", the brother told his sister. A sudden hesitation overcame her and she she looked up to say no but was stopped with a gentle squeeze on her hands and the endearing look on his face telling her to trust him, he will protect her. The warmth from his palms sent a strong feeling of security to her her mind and calmed her heart.
He drew her up from the grass and picked out the grass sticking to her hair , then combed it into a neat stream of what it was before with his fingers.
"Let's go", he said, his hands enveloping hers making all other traces of hesitation and fear evaporate to the winds.
"What do want to eat?", he asked .
"Anything good", she replied.
"Let's head to the market then".
...
Crown prince palace.
The bamboo hat lying on his table was placed on his head completing his dressing. An ash tunic with a V-neck covered his torso topping the trouser of white colour he wore. His shoes were made of straw giving off the vibes of a commoner.
This evening is the examination day of his trainees and the final test of strength, dexterity, loyalty and wit. The top ten will be assigned a very difficult task and his identity will be revealed to them.
All along, his chief eunuch has been substituting that position for the sake of his security but it's time to let them know the real power behind them.
"Will you go with only five guards , my lord?".
The chief eunuch who couldn't help but worry over his master's safety pending the political crises evolving due to power imbalance of the parties voiced out his concern. The crown prince is as stubborn as the bull and will never listen to reason once his mind is made up.
"The less guards, the less attention on me", was his short reply.
"Four will be my palanquin bearers and will be discarded at the foot of the mountain, I'm going with just one", he explained making the chief eunuch almost cry out in despair.
The eunuch gave up on the matter. Taking the fur jacket from one of the palace maids, he draped it over him which was shrugged off with a logical reasoning.
"Which commoner drapes such expensive jacket? Are you trying to announce my presence?".
The eunuch pinched the space between his brows in a self-reproaching manner. "I forgot my lord is now a commoner to avoid detection".
The guards going with him waited like statues outside the door and only moved when the crown prince came out.
"Let's go!". He commanded them walked into a white palanquin meant and akin to monks.
They walked through the crowded market for camouflage. The noisy environment brought a sort of relief to him making him open the window slightly for some sightseeing.
"Stop!", he suddenly said when something caught his attention, something he never thought to see.