Fugitive Arc:
An Enchanting Birthday
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After a very long week, a most special day had arrived with a light drizzle.
Within the colorful garden of the palace, Mira was humming as she looked over the many types of flowers that grew from the bushes, picking only the ones that were shades of either white, pink or yellow and placing them inside a basket she held in her grasp. The young woman also relished in the weather of the day; a combination of a nice breeze and small drops of water that kept her cool under the sunlight.
Mira didn't know why she felt so euphoric, so much so that she felt like she was about to burst from happiness and had her chuckling to herself as she took a whiff of a flower. She knew it was a very important day, but she couldn't understand why it felt like it meant a lot more than it should. Yes, she adored the princess, but her very blood raged on this day every year, as if it was telling her that it should mean a lot more to her than just a servant wanting to keep her master happy. It was so odd, how Mira's life somehow seemed to revolve around Princess Yona, but she found no problem with that. It felt like she had more of a purpose than accomplishing her dream as an herbalist by serving the princess and being able to bring a radiant smile on the girl's lips–no matter how big or small–for it was an ever-present need of hers to watch over the young princess, making sure that she was safe and content.
Once she was satisfied with the number of flowers nestled inside her basket, Mira took a deep breath that she exhaled and left the garden and quickly made her way to Princess Yona's room, making sure not to bump into anyone for at least one day of her life. She was all smiles as she passed by guards and servants, everyone also being in a cheerful mood as they looked forward to the festivities that would soon take place. It didn't take long for her to reach her destination, and so she barged into the princess' room without much warning.
"I'm back!" Mira announced, walking closer to where the princess stood in front of a mirror. "I'm sorry if I took too long to come back. I needed to make sure that I picked the right ones."
Yona stopped admiring herself in the mirror and turned on her heel to smile at Mira. "No worries, Mira. You're doing more than enough today," she said as she lifted a fist to start listing off things by raising a finger. "You slept over last night, told me stories, made me sweets for breakfast and are helping me get ready for my party."
"I was happy to do all of that, it was no chore for me," said Mira, her green eyes brightening with determination. "I've made it my mission to make this day even more special than it already is for you."
"You're so good to me," Yona giggled, but then her cheeks turned pink when she remembered what she wanted to talk to Mira about, having stalled for fear of her attendant's reaction, but it was killing her inside not being able to say anything about it. "So…I think I made progress with Soo-won," she blurted out.
Mira's hand that was inside the basket stilled from separating the flowers by color, her face blank for a moment before she mustered up a smile for the princess, forcing it to stay in place. "Did you now?" She turned to Yona with a mischievous glance. "I thought you were engaged to Hak."
Yona whined. "Let's forget that ever happened."
"Sorry, but that won't happen any time soon," said Mira, grinning.
"Listen to me!" Yona groaned as she threw her hands in the air before dropping them back down to her sides. "Didn't you hear what I said? Soo-won might actually like me!"
"How do you know?" asked Mira, disliking the topic. For as much as she loved the princess, she honestly shared the king's opinion when it came to Yona's affections toward her cousin, albeit for different reasons. While Mira didn't know King Il's enmity regarding his daughter's infatuations for Soo-won, she personally didn't like what it would mean for Hak if Soo-won reciprocated the princess' feelings.
"We talked after that shadow chased me," Yona explained as her face softened when she remembered the feelings Soo-won evoked from within her. She played with a strand of her crimson hair that she washed and scented for the day. "I think my dream will finally come true," she almost squealed with her eyes shut in delight.
Wanting to change the subject, Mira teased, "I wonder how your betrothed will take the news."
Yona chuckled awkwardly with a sweat drop before peeking into the basket's contents that Mira held in her grasp. "So, did you get them?"
Mira nodded with a hum as she gestured to a chair that was close to the mirror. "I will make you the most beautiful girl in the room, not that you aren't already."
The young princess giggled in her excitement as she took a chair she placed in front of the mirror before sitting down on it, whereas Mira calmly stood behind her as she placed the basket on a nearby table that was filled with many accessories and makeup. The older girl then carded her fingers through Yona's burning tresses to untangle any knots that might be in her wild and wavy hair. Once she was satisfied, she patted the hair down before taking a section of hair from the left side of the princess' temple and loosely twisting it toward the back of the head. She repeated the same thing on the other side so that both sections of hair would meet at the back, which she secured in place with a pin and hoped that it was strong enough to keep the princess' hair in place. The rest of Yona's hair cascaded down her back.
Reaching into the basket she brought with her, Mira began to take flowers and arranged them into the joined sections of twisted hair, being very meticulous about where she placed each flower into the princess' hair. After she was finally done with arranging the flowers to her liking, she picked a hair piece and went to secure it on top of the princess' head, blocking Yona's view of her reflection in the mirror by standing in front of her to make sure every hair was in place.
"There we are." Mira smiled as she stepped away from the princess after brushing her fingers along the girl's bangs. She smiled and stepped back, her breath taken away by the girl's beauty, the tips of her fingers pressing against each other in front of her mouth. "You look so beautiful."
Yona smiled and stood up just as Mira stepped aside to allow the princess to approach the mirror. The beautiful dress she wore fitted her perfectly, going well with a robe she wore over her dress that had flower designs on it. The flowers in the princess' hair complimented her eyes, hair and clothes so much that it only made her even more beautiful with such subtle beauty.
"What do you think?" Mira asked, her fingers fiddling with one another in front of her.
"It's not what I imagined," mumbled Yona, causing Mira to worry and ponder as to how she could have done something wrong. "It's even better!" Yona squealed as she twirled around, grabbing the older girl's hands while chuckling.
Mira released a huge sigh of relief, smiling at the princess. "I'm so glad I could help put a smile on your face." She ran her fingers along Yona's fringe before placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, bringing their foreheads together as their eyes remained locked on each other's. "I know I've said it a lot today, but happy sixteenth birthday, Princess," she whispered, sharing a smile with the young girl.
Yona giggled. "You make this day even more special."
"Well," Mira began as she stepped back with a warmed heart, "you need to get going. The celebration cannot start without you, you're the one person who can't be absent to their own party." She then grabbed the princess' shoulders from behind to guide her toward the room's entrance. "You should go to the king." Yona pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest, telling Mira that all was still not well between the king and his daughter. "Are you still not speaking to your father?"
The princess scoffed. "Why should I?"
"He's your father," Mira said as she stood beside the princess with an arm around the girl's shoulders. "You must understand that while you're his precious daughter whom he loves above all else, he is also a king who must look after his people. I know it must be hard for you but try to speak to him." She raised a finger from the hand that wasn't around Yona's shoulders. "Also, try to listen, and maybe then you will both come to an agreement."
Yona hummed, mulling over Mira's words. "I don't know," she murmured, still unconvinced.
Mira sighed, her eyes softening. "You also have to think about everything that he's given you." It pained her to use such tactics against the princess, but the girl needed to start comprehending situations from the perspectives of others. "This one time, he is painfully aware that he can't give you something you want, but he doesn't do so to make you miserable."
"That's true," exhaled the princess, greatly disliking the idea. Her mind could still not fathom why her father would not even consider Soo-won to be his successor when the young lord was also a kind man whom she cared for with such passion.
"Try," Mira urged as she stepped out of the chambers with the princess, recognizing the pout on the princess' lips. She knew the girl didn't like what she said, but she would still try to make her be more understanding of others, for she knew that the princess had a good heart. "Go on," she urged Yona forward.
"What about you?" Yona's brows furrowed as she looked at Mira, worried that the older female might not come to her party. It was very important to the princess that her dear friend was there to celebrate her birthday with her, since she considered the older girl as a member of her family. "Are you not coming to the party?"
Mira grinned. "I still have to do a few things, so go on ahead." When Yona did not move and wore a skeptical look, she chuckled in response. "I promise I'll be there."
"Good," Yona said with a smile and nod of her head before heading off to meet her father and start the festivities.
Mira waited until Yona was out of her sight before she went on her way toward her own room and start getting ready. All week, she had tried to come up with a present for the princess, even thought about singing, but she quickly scrapped such a notion from her mind. It was a struggle, but she finally managed to come up with a present she deemed perfect for the occasion. She couldn't sing for the princess, so she would have to perform something else for the girl to enjoy, something she knew that would also bring a smile to the crimson-haired princess' youthful face. While she was happy to have been able to find a suitable gift for the princess, she was also a bit nervous, just like any other time before she did something like what she had planned. Still, what she focused on was making the princess happy, which helped calm her nerves, if only a little.
Once she reached her own room, Mira quickly went to her wardrobe, her eyes scanning every article of clothing until they found what she was looking for. She picked up the outfit she was going to wear and went to change, since the king promised that he would keep everyone entertained to allow her time to prepare for the party.
Mira ran over to the full-length mirror in her room, her eyes sharpening with determination while she smiled as she held her clothes in front of her. "All right!"
.
"I thank everyone present for coming to celebrate a most remarkable day," King Il announced to everyone from where he stood on a slightly raised floor inside the great hall that allowed him to overlook the crowd of people who were enjoying the food and entertainment he provided for his guests in honor of his daughter. "We have all gathered to celebrate the life of my precious daughter, Princess Yona," he said, his voice almost breaking as he gestured with a hand to where his daughter stood to the side with Hak and Min-Soo at her sides, eliciting a round of applause from the audience.
The hall was beautifully decorated with the light of the sun lightening up the room from the large windows that were behind the king. The people were dressed in their finest robes with every intention of taking advantage of the occasion to be inside the castle, enjoying its comforts and grandeur.
"Now, I would like to present a gift to my daughter," said King Il as he stepped off to the side of the platform, allowing a hooded figure to take his spot. A few well-dressed people settled behind the figure, each one holding a different instrument.
Yona frowned as she stared at the lone person. Hak and Min-Soo were also perplexed, since none of them had any idea as to what was about to happen.
"Rejoice on this glorious day!" the hooded figure announced with her arms outstretched at her sides, smiling brightly.
Hak sighed after recognizing who the voice belonged to. "Mira."
Min-Soo smiled, also recognizing the person who spoke. "Oh, Lady Mira."
Mira turned to Yona and revealed her face from under the cloak's hood, throwing a wink at the surprised princess. "This is a day for celebration," she addressed the crowd. "As such, I hope you all enjoy, especially Princess Yona." She grabbed the cloak and took it off in a twirl, throwing it aside to reveal herself, eliciting a wave of amazed sounds.
Yona gasped as he eyes sparkled when she took in Mira's appearance.
Mira wore an attire that consisted of a white kimono-like top, its sleeves being long and loose; yellow embroidery represented intricate designs on the collar and hems of the sleeves. The lower garment she donned was a crimson skirt that stopped just at her ankles and hugged her curves nicely. Around her waist, a yellow sash was secured. She also wore a pair of dark flat shoes. The long strands of her hair were tied in a low bun with her signature lilac scarf. And her earrings were the only other accessory she wore.
Also, there was something about her that she rarely used–makeup. Her face was smooth, her cheeks were blushed, and her eyelids were painted with a light shade of red that matched her red lips.
"She looks so beautiful!" Yona gasped, completely entranced by Mira.
"I can tell," Hak hummed, noticing the men in the room who were composed, but their eyes told him they were drooling over Mira, which sent an annoyed vibe throughout his body.
Then, the musicians began to play a jovial melody, which was what had Mira summoning two fans from within her dress, opening them to display the image of a crimson dragon holding a purple orb in its claws on both. Soon, everyone was completely mesmerized by Mira's fluid movements that were completely in sync with the gleeful music being provided, no one being able to tear their gaze away from the young woman. The fans and flowy skirt made her appear like she was floating in the air. The music was so mesmerizing that it almost had Mira opening her mouth to sing along with it, but she merely kept it closed with a soft smile that she accompanied with half-lidded eyes.
"You just can't take your eyes off her," Min-Soo praised from where he stood beside Hak, unable to look away from Mira's elegant movements. "No wonder people call her Mira the Enchantress whenever she performs. It's as if she puts everyone under a spell."
Soon enough, the music ceased just as Mira gave one last twirl before falling on her knees with her head bowed and her hands at her sides, the fans touching the floor. It wasn't long before the great hall was consumed by the loud applause the people gave to Mira's performance, having enjoyed the entertainment. Mira accepted the positive reaction by bowing at the waist after standing up, the musicians doing the same behind her.
"Such a wonderful performance!" the king cheered as he clapped while he came to stand next to Mira, eliciting more cheers from the crowd. He went over to the smiling woman and touched her shoulder. "It was a magnificent performance. Thank you, Mira."
Mira bowed her head. "It was my pleasure, Your Majesty." While King Il addressed the people, she had already thanked the musicians before walking over to where Princess Yona stood with Hak and Min-Soo behind her. "Happy birthday, Pri–"
"That was amazing!" Yona had cut off Mira by throwing her body at the latter and tightly embraced the latter, causing the older girl to grunt but smile down at the young girl. The princess pulled away, but she kept her hands on the other's elbows while her eyes shined with happiness. "You were so wonderful. After your singing, your dancing is nothing but flawless," she ranted, feeling giddy about the spectacle. "I wish I could dance like you."
"You already dance quite beautifully, Princess," Mira remarked, recalling the dancing lessons she gave to the princess every now and then.
Hak snorted. "I doubt you should call what you do dancing." He yelped when pain shot up his leg from his foot, looking down to find that Mira had jabbed her heel on top of his right foot. "That's not very ladylike," he managed to say through clenched teeth while keeping his glare locked on Mira's soft gaze, keeping his voice low to not attract attention.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mira countered. "It was only a misstep on my part. You just happen to be in my way."
Unbeknownst to the bickering Mira and Hak, Yona had left them to stand at the stage, since she had to greet the people who wanted to wish her a happy birthday, not at all interested in the argument between her bodyguard and lady-in-waiting. Then again, she wasn't really paying any attention to the people who were giving her their well wishes while she twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers while smiling, her eyes too busy roaming around the room in search of a certain someone.
"Dear me, already sixteen," King Il sobbed from beside Min-Soo as he watched over Yona being greeted by nobles. "My little girl is all grown up!"
"Happy birthday, Your Highness," a few guests congratulated the young princess.
Princess Yona bowed her head gratitude. "Thanks," she said absentmindedly, since she finally noticed that Mira's work on her hair was coming undone, but the flowers managed to remain in her hair. Her cheeks puffed up in her annoyance. "Great," she mumbled. After a few more greetings and praises, the princess went over to her teary-eyed father. "Father, my hair keeps coming down. It's awful!" she huffed, stomping a foot.
"Hopeless," King Il sighed, speaking more to himself than to his daughter. He really hoped that Yona would mature soon. "She's only thinking about her hair."
The princess gasped when she noticed the person whom she had been looking for out of the corner of her eye, a wide smile growing on her lips. "Soo-won!" she called. She stopped a passing servant for a moment to have them confirm that she still looked good before running over to the young lord.
"Yona!" The king tried to stop the princess, but he was completely ignored. He sighed in defeat, knowing that he wouldn't be getting through to his daughter, especially with how stubborn she could be when she felt passionate about something.
Noticing his king's brooding mood, Min-Soo approached him with a drink he presented on a platter to lift his master's spirits. "Would you like a drink, Your Majesty?"
"Thank you, Min-Soo," King Il sighed with a smile that did not reach his eyes, but he still accepted the kind offer to relax him. The last thing he wanted was to have another argument with his daughter on her birthday. He looked to Yona's closest attendants. "Would either of you fetch her, please?" he asked of them. "I would like to try and speak with her."
Both Mira and Hak nodded, having watched Yona leave the room with Soo-won after they ended their playful bickering.
Outside of the hall, Yona was happy to spend some time with Soo-won on her birthday, glad that he no longer saw her as the child he would sleep next to without any romantic feelings. "W-What is it?" she asked him as she stood in front of him. It made her feel especially joyful to have him call her out to speak to her in private.
"Hold out your hand," Soo-won instructed and watched as the princess did as he asked without hesitation. He grabbed the top of her hand that was facing down and then placed his present on her palm. "I got you this hairpin."
"A hairpin?" questioned Yona, her eyes going over the fine work that was done on the accessory.
"Sorry for only giving it to you now," Soo-won apologized as he broke physical contact with Yona, something she didn't like. "I thought it would look lovely on you."
Yona stared at the hairpin that she brought closer to her face, looking quite dejected, which had Soo-won raising a concerned eyebrow. "With my hair?" she groaned, wishing she could scowl at her hair and make it look better. "My hair's red and frizzy and always out of control. Not even Mira can do anything about it, and she's always been good with handling hair." Her eyes fell closed in defeat. "This won't look good on me."
Soo-won hummed, unable to understand why the princess would dislike her hair so. "Well, I think your hair's wonderful. Look," he began as he took a section of her hair and ran his fingers through it. "It's such a beautiful red, just like the blush of dawn."
And just with such a few and simple words, the princess felt different about her hair, no longer despising it like she did before. Holding the hairpin close to her mouth, she couldn't stop thinking about how much she loved everything about her hair, and it was all because Soo-won told her he loved her hair.
Suddenly, without either Soo-won or Yona noticing, Hak stood between them with a blank stare, causing the royals to jump in surprise at the sudden appearance of their childhood friend.
"Hak?!" Yona gasped, finding his behavior odd and creepy, since she had to wonder how long he'd been watching them without saying a word.
Mira laughed as she approached the three of them. "Such a fright." She looked to Hak. "I knew that face of yours was too serious. You need to smile every now and then. If you don't, you'll grow old alone."
"You should learn to keep your mouth shut," Hak shot back at a smirking Mira.
"Look what Soo-won got me!" Yona whispered close to Mira's ear with the hairpin in her hand, but her lowered voice didn't betray the excitement she felt at that moment.
Mira smiled as she looked at the item, admiring the careful detail that must've been hard work to create. "It's quite beautiful." She wasn't one to wear accessories as extravagant as the hairpin, but she rather liked it.
Hak's eyes shifted to the princess, crossing his arms over his chest. "His Majesty is searching for you, Your Highness," he notified her.
"R-Really?" Yona huffed before giving her back to everyone. "Ugh, I bet he's drunk!" she said before running off, escaping whatever scolding Mira would have delivered on her for disrespecting her father. She might be a lady-in-waiting, but the princess saw her closest servant and friend as a terrifying older sister who could be strict every now and then.
"Well, I figured this was how things were," Hak commented as he turned his attention to Soo-won.
Both Mira and Soo-won stared at Hak with dumbfounded looks. "Huh?" they both said simultaneously.
"I'm sure you can persuade His Majesty, Lord Soo-won. Good luck," Hak encouraged, causing a light blush to appear on the young lord's cheeks.
Right then, Mira could only think what a fool the dark-haired man was, and the thoughts seemed to have reached Hak, since he turned to her with a narrowed gaze that appeared to have heard what she was thinking.
"It's not what you think, Hak," Soo-won told his childhood friend before smiling. "And can you not be so formal? Just call me 'Soo-won', like you used to."
"I know my place," rebuffed Hak before a yelp escaped him after the smack Mira gave to the back of his head. "What was that for?"
Mira scowled at Hak, crossing her arms over her chest. "Soo-won is a dear friend of yours, so stop treating him like a stranger."
Soo-won's eyes brightened. "Big Sister is too kind!"
Mira chuckled at Soo-won's reaction, still finding him to be the same adorable little boy who always looked up to her with such big eyes.
"Anyway, my Lord," Hak began, rubbing the back of his head while looking at his surroundings. "I wanted to ask you a question about something that has me worried."
Soo-won hummed inquiringly, wondering what had Hak look so on edge.
"I can't pin it down, but something doesn't seem right. Do you feel it, too?" asked Hak, glancing back at Soo-won. "It's like something's snuck into the palace."
"You know, Yona mentioned something similar to Mira and I," said Soo-won, looking away with a hand to his chin, the gesture causing Mira to frown.
"What?!" Hak gasped, turning to Mira for more information. "Why didn't you mention anything before?"
Mira opened her mouth, but she couldn't think of anything to justify her forgetfulness. "Um," she chuckled nervously. She was too preoccupied with the princess' birthday and thinking about the weird things happening to tell Hak what Yona had experienced. "I was–"
"You're a horrible liar, so don't even try," Hak deadpanned.
Mira's shoulders slumped in defeat, her head falling forward.
"It might be wise to keep a close eye on everyone who comes and goes today," Soo-won said, getting back to the important topic.
"Very well." Hak nodded. "I'm counting on you to look after Her Highness, Lord Soo-won."
"I told you, it's not what you think," said Soo-won. "And aren't you her guard?"
Hak ignored Soo-won and then left him with Mira.
"I would like to take this time to say how amazing you were today, Big Sister," Soo-won complimented with a kind smile, causing Mira to become bashful as she smiled nervously.
"Really?" chuckled Mira. "I don't think it was anything out of this world. I'm no better than any other dancer who has also performed in the castle."
Soo-won shook his head. "I find that your movements are much more graceful than anything I have ever seen. It looked like you were hovering in the air, moving like the wind with such beauty."
Mira chuckled into a hand. "If only they heard you back in Fuuga."
"Lady Mira," a new voice greeted.
Mira and Soo-won turned to find a young woman approaching them with a kind smile on her pink lips. She possessed long, maroon hair that she kept in a low bun on the back of her head, the hair's color being a perfect contrast against her blue-grey eyes. Her fringe was slightly parted on her left temple and swept to the right, almost falling over her right eye. And her long bangs on the left side framed her round face.
The blue-eyed woman wore a formal dress meant for the event that had long, wide sleeves, which also accentuated her slender figure quite nicely. The green and beige colors of her attire complimented each other, which also went well with the color of her hair and eyes. She also wore no accessories and little makeup, but her beautiful features were enough to draw the eye without the use of shimmering jewelry. And she also wore dark, flat shoes that were hidden under her skirt.
"Kira?" Mira asked, her eyes wide in surprise while her lips smiled when she recognized the familiar face. "Oh, my!" She chuckled as she went over to the other woman of the same age as herself and embraced her, overcome with such joy. "I can't believe it's you. It's been too long!"
Soo-won smiled at the two women reuniting after years of not seeing each other, excusing himself silently to allow them some privacy.
"I know, but I have to say that it is odd seeing you dressed like that. A dancer's attire from back home is so different from the ones here in the capital," Kira said as her eyes scrutinized Mira's outfit with an eyebrow raised in amusement. "You look like a noble in those clothes."
Mira smirked. "I agree, but the same could be said about you. I think this is the first time I see you dressed as a proper lady who belongs in court."
Kira's cheeks reddened in embarrassment before her eyes narrowed. "I had no choice in the matter!" She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from Mira with a pout on her lips. "I can't exactly come to a party such as this one in my regular clothing, I'd stick out too much."
"I missed teasing you like this," Mira chuckled with a hand over her mouth, but then she felt the air between them become tense at the recollection of what happened between them the last time she saw Kira.
"I don't know how you do it," Kira sighed, causing Mira to tilt her head in confusion. "Being here for the last few years, serving under the princess. It's something I can't really imagine doing myself. I always thought you'd succeed your mother." Her eyes became serious. "It's what you were born to do. You weren't raised to serve a child."
Mira exhaled. "I believe this topic of conversation was the reason we didn't part on the best of terms when we last saw each other before you left to continue training."
Kira took a deep breath and calmed herself, not wanting to start the same argument that weighed heavily on her mind. "I apologize. This is not how I wanted us to reunite after not seeing each other for so long. It's just that I have so much respect for you and your family, and I believe that you would be a wonderful leader." She then smiled softly before bowing her head. "Forgive me for my brashness, Lady Mira."
"Oh, do stop that nonsense," said Mira as she grasped Kira's shoulders in a gentle hold, chuckling. "We're both members of the same family, so I don't ever want us to be so formal with one another." Her eyes softened as they found Kira's. "I know how you feel, and I am sorry for disappointing you, but I truly believe that my place is at the princess' side. I don't know why, but I do not feel like I should part with her."
Kira frowned, unable to understand why Mira felt like that. In her opinion, Princess Yona was a spoiled girl who knew nothing of her kingdom, and yet she had such integral people like Mira and Hak tending to her as mere servants when they could be much more than that. There was no way Kira could accept Mira being nothing more than a lady of the court, knowing that she had much more potential that she was wasting away by working in the castle, which she also thought was disrespecting their late mentor.
"Kira?" Mira asked, noticing Kira's far-off gaze with concern. "Are you all right?"
"Yes!" Kira blinked after having her thoughts be interrupted. "My mind was elsewhere. I can't help but remember when we were children and trained together. It was such a fun time."
"It was," Mira said while nodding in agreement. Her eyes then lost some of its shine. "Still, it was a long time ago. We should look to the future and help keep safe the peace of our beloved kingdom."
"Yes." Kira nodded with a hardened gaze, humming. "Our kingdom must be kept safe at all costs."
Mira raised an eyebrow at those words, but she only shrugged her shoulders before looping an arm around one of Kira's arms. "Let's forget about all of that for a moment. I want to hear all about what you've been up to these last few years."
.
Sighing heavily, Mira was relieved to have shed the layers of the dress she had to wear for the dance she gave earlier in the day, since it weighed heavily on her shoulders. It didn't help that she accompanied Kira all over the castle in such an outfit to show the other woman around, which tired her out. Though she was glad to wear the formal dress she usually wore everyday while living at the castle, she yearned for the soft and comfortable clothes from her home.
Mira couldn't help but get lost in her thoughts as she stared at her reflection in the mirror that was in a corner of her room. She couldn't stop thinking about Soo-won and how he acted earlier in the day, right before she left with Hak. The gesture he made by looking away and holding his chin was a tell she recognized from years of spending time with him, and he only did that whenever he was nervous about something or felt discomfort about lying. She shook her head, refusing to believe the very same words she said to Hak about Soo-won having to do with anything that was happening inside the castle. She picked up her scarf and used it to wrap up her wavy hair into a low and messy bun. She then turned off all the candles in her room before leaving, closing the door behind her and resting her back against the entrance. She watched the rain falling for a moment before frowning at the darkened sky, approaching the balustrade to stare at the rain and hear the thunder that had her flinching with every heavy sound a great distance away.
Suddenly, she was overcome with a heavy feeling of dread. It was so strong, it felt like her chest was being sucked into a dark void, which caused her to grab the front of her dress with both of her hands to try and concentrate on steadying her racing heart. Then, as soon as the panic began, it was gone, along with the rain after having completely ceased. And then came the deafening silence.
"Mira," Hak's voice called, alerting her to his approaching presence, but she only looked up at the cloudless sky with narrowed eyes. "Are you all right?"
"I don't know," she whispered, turning to face him as her arms fell to her sides. "Where's the Princess?"
Hak adjusted his signature weapon to rest most of its weight on his right shoulder. "Safe with Lord Soo-won."
She hummed, unsure as to why she felt so uneasy hearing that.
"Want to come with me?" he asked, recognizing she was worried about something and wanted to take her mind off it. "I'm almost done with my patrol." Opting to take her mind off things, she nodded with a smile and followed him as he led the way to the courtyard, both noticing something odd about it. "It's unusually quiet," mumbled Hak.
"It is, especially after such a big celebration," Mira said from beside him, looking around the area to find that the guards were scarce. "Did you know that Kira is here?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, watching him from the corner of her eyes.
Hak froze, an unpleasant shiver pulsing throughout his body. "Is she?"
Mira hummed, "Yes."
"General Hak! Lady Mira!"
The voice startled both Mira and Hak, but they smiled when they saw Min-Soo approaching them with a wide grin and a bottle in his hands.
"Min-Soo," Mira greeted.
"Done with the patrol?" Min-Soo asked as he presented the bottle he had brought, having sneaked it out of the party. "Here, I brought you a drink."
Hak's face brightened up as he stared at the bottle. "Thoughtful as always, aren't you, Min-Soo?"
The three of them went over to a staircase for Hak to sit down with his glaive beside him, paying no mind to the wet ground, whereas Mira and Min-Soo remained on their feet to avoid soaking their clothes.
"Say, shouldn't you both be with Princess Yona?" Min-Soo questioned as he handed the bottle filled with liquor to Hak, the latter taking a small sip directly from the bottle.
Hak shrugged his shoulders while closing his eyes, slightly smiling. "Nah, that would be tactless of me. Lord Soo-won is with her," he explained, taking another swig of the alcohol.
Mira pouted at that.
"Oh!" Min-Soo smiled widely. "Does he finally know how she feels about him?"
"Hard to say, but it's probably just a matter of time," said Hak, leaning back against the stairs.
Mira chose to remain quiet, keeping what Yona revealed to her about the encounter the princess had with Soo-won to herself. She was then distracted by a guard walking by, finding the looks he gave to where she was with Hak and Min-Soo to be quite strange. It looked as if the soldier was checking up on them, but she also saw how he nodded to the guard who stood beside at a post nearby.
"You and Lady Mira know them both awfully well, don't you?" asked Min-Soo, already knowing the answer.
"Well, I've been watching them for a long time," Hak said, his bottom lip still touching the rim of the bottle, the surface cool to his skin. He sighed as he placed the bottom of the bottle on his right knee. "I hope they'll, well, you know," he paused before looking up at the sky. "I want them to be happy together." He expected Mira to mock him or something, but he turned to find her watching two guards walking away. "Mira?"
"Min-Soo," said Mira, giving her back to the young man and the general.
"Yes, Lady Mira?" said Min-Soo, raising an eyebrow at her.
"Can you please check on the king and the Princess for me?" she requested of him.
Min-Soo was confused, but he bowed his head and left to do as she asked, knowing that something was going on by the tone of her voice.
"What is it?" Hak asked as he stared at the guards Mira was focused on, having left behind the bottle of liquor on the staircase. He now had his weapon hoisted on his right shoulder, his left hand placed on his hip.
"I'm about to find out what it is that has the guards leaving their posts. I can only assume that this is happening all over the castle," Mira said before she followed the guards, light on her steps to not be noticed by them with Hak tailing behind her. "I only hope that the king is well-guarded," she mumbled. It was so strange how there weren't many guards where there were supposed to be, and it sent a bad feeling down her spine, like there was something important going on that she knew nothing about. Due to the lack of guards not doing their rounds correctly but seeming to have a purpose, Mira could only conclude that someone was behind it all.
Finally, Mira saw the guards she followed meet with another in a secluded corner of the castle, using a tree to find some shelter from prying eyes, not that it worked. She hid behind a corner with Hak beside her, keeping her ears focused on what the soldiers were discussing before doing anything.
"So, everyone is still in the dark?" asked one of the guards to his fellow men as they all stood forming a circle to see each other's faces.
"Yes," answered another with a nod of his head. "Guests, civil servants; they're all drunk from the party and fast asleep."
Mira turned to Hak and motioned for him to lower his head so that she could whisper into his ear.
"I see," sighed the first guard who spoke, crossing his arms over his chest.
The guard who had remained silent spoke up and pointed out, "Our one concern is General Hak."
"Who's your concern, you say?" Mira chose that moment to make her presence known to the startled guards as she approached them with a small smile and her hands situated on her hips. "And why only Hak?" Her eyes located the weapons the guards possessed; a glaive smaller than Hak's and two swords. "Do I not also carry some concern for whatever it is that you're hiding and will reveal to me?"
The first guard who spoke scoffed as he drew his sword, appearing to be the oldest of the three soldiers. "Of course, the Enchantress herself. You no longer carry your other title, since it's been years since you've touched a weapon, not that a woman can do much with them."
"Sir," another soldier warned, worried about how Mira would react.
Mira huffed, slightly offended by the remark. "And here I thought my reputation preceded me, but I am not interested in fighting you. I prefer to hear about what you're all hiding," she paused, her eyes darkening, "in detail."
"We take no orders from you," said one of the guards who held a sword.
"Oh, so you're taking orders from someone," Mira hummed, suddenly thinking about Kye-Sook. "Which means that it's not you guys being lazy. There's someone with an agenda." She hummed. "Is it a coup?" At the shocked looks from the guards, she grinned. "I think my guess was correct. I offer you a choice; you can either spill whatever it is you're hiding or get hit by lightning."
All the guards charged at her, intent on silencing her.
Mira sighed while shrugging her shoulders. "Lightning it is."
Suddenly, Hak appeared in front of Mira with a grunt, his glaive ready to strike.
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