Hak sauntered down the mountain path. To his left was the sea and to his right was a solid, natural wall of rock. As he walked towards the pirate ship, he noticed a little figure running his way. He smiled without knowing it.

"Hak!" she cried, tugging at his arm. "Where have you been? Jae-ha said you left a while ago."

"I've been admiring the moon," he explained. Yona made a face.

"If you're done, let's go back. There's a long day ahead of us."

"Right," he said, lowering his eyes. "Tomorrow, you…"

Yona bowed her head before nodding slowly. Her shoulders seemed so weak at that moment, and her limbs oh so frail.

"It's hard to believe that it's really happening," she said quietly. "I hope…"

She doesn't want it either. Hak's heart clenched painfully. Then why should she? Nothing should dare harm her. Then why?

He grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the rock towering behind her, his eyes searching her face for any hint of regret. Just the slightest bit and I'll take you away, so please…!

Alas, there was no trace of any such emotion. Yona's bright eyes were wide with neither fear nor remorse, but confusion. How could she not understand even now! Her situation, his feelings, their unspoken promise to live on…

"What can I do," he finally asked, "to stop you?"

"Hak, I..."

Her voice did not falter. That clueless gaze hurt more than an accusatory glare could ever. Hak frowned.

"This is terribly dangerous. Going straight to a corrupt overlord with a fifteen-year-old boy is crazy, you know?"

As though she was talking with an unreasonable child, Yona sighed, "But you see..."

"Why must a princess like you do such reckless things?" Hak asked with a hint of desperation in his tone. "You could easily lose your life. Sometimes, I wish... I wish I could tie you down to keep you safe."

He dropped his head on Yona's shoulder and let out a long, shaky sigh. What was he saying? Why couldn't he let it go... Hearing his sorrowful tone, Yona couldn't help slowly reaching out to hug him, but after a moment, she paused, realising the situation she was in.

"Hak, move aside," she protested, blushing. "Really, I—Hak! Hey!"

"To tie you up... and keep you safe," he continued, ignoring the girl's struggle. "Now wouldn't that be nice?"

Something snapped in Yona's brain. She took a deep breath and ruthlessly shoved him away. Hak staggered back and looked at the princess in shock.

"Nice? How would that be nice?" she cried. Words couldn't explain the fury she felt in that moment. How could he? "That's what father did! He kept me safe from the world behind those high palace walls. What good was that?"

Hak lifted his head in surprise. The woman before his eyes was not the little girl who had relied on him without second thought, nor was she the princess without a throne or family who had knelt in the mud, awaiting execution—no, there weren't even traces of them. This woman was strong, ambitious and full of life. Her beauty made his heart beat faster.

"Hak, I've changed," Yona went on, her eyes staring deeply into his own. "I no longer am the ignorant princess I was. I'd rather die than be her! I make my own decisions, and I reap what I have sown. Please respect me enough to accept my choices!"

Hearing Sen's words from Yona's mouth made Hak uncomfortable. The princess took his moment of hesitation as an opportunity to run off, leaving Hak to stare blankly at the place she had been standing a moment ago.

"King Il, your daughter is fighting," he said as he looked up at the stars. What the late King thought of the matter, the stars wouldn't tell. They twinkled the same as before, but Hak felt he had gotten his reply.

"I can still stop her, can't I?"

The very thought made him laugh helplessly and shake his head. "No, no I couldn't... although this is against your will, watching her struggle for power really... I shouldn't interfere, not when she's gone so far. As for her..."

He sighed and glanced in the direction Sen had left. It was too late to take back his threat, but he still held onto a lingering hope that she actually was too much of a coward to go, that she was watching the entire time from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to jump out and say, "I told you so". Hak waited for a long time for it to happen. He waited and waited patiently, but the moment never came.

...

Sen was not as far from him as he thought. After their conversation, she had slipped onto the ship and hurried to her hammock, making as little sound as possible. It was dark, very dark. In the light of the three oil lamps, no one could see Sen who made an effort to stay in the shadows. She gathered up her box of treasures and coat in her arms and headed for the door. Heavy footsteps creaked on the stairs and Jae-ha entered the room. Sen flattened herself against a wall and tried to breathe more quietly.

"Hey, Jae-ha!" someone called. "You finally came? I thought you'd spend the night with your lady love!"

If the lady love could, she would, Sen thought irritably. Curse you, Hak!

"You lot are way too quick when jumping to conclusions," Jae-ha sighed. "It'll be so much better once I leave."

"You'll be taking the trash with you, won't you?" Ik-hun muttered, making a face. At his question, many turned and looked at Jae-ha expenctantly.

"Come on, there's no way," Jae-ha laughed. "We're not that close and she would never agree."

"Here I thought this was the love of the century," Li-hua sniffed, glancing at him sideways. "But throwing her away sure seems easy."

"Oh, where have the marriage bells gone?" someone began, and a few others joined in the singing.

"Oh, where have the marriage bells gone, my dear?

Where's the wedding dress that lay here, my dear?

Your smile, your eyes, your laughs and your cries,

Where are they? I left them right here, my dear!"

Jae-ha rolled his eyes. Although Sen could not see it, she was sure he did. She almost laughed but caught herself. This was not the time to be found out. Her eyes quickly scanned the room. Everyone was busy pestering Jae-ha, and he himself sat with his back to the door. Sen took the opportunity and snuck out. The stairs were creaky so she took great caution as she stepped. She successfully managed halfway when from downstairs, she heard some insolent creature ask, "No, but for real, you didn't know she was with Ba-luo when you did her, right? What was she like?"

Sen stumbled and fell with a crash. The noise sounded three times as loud in her ears. For a split second, she lay sprawled on the stairs before panicking. She picked up the box and the coat and ran for dear life, not caring about the loud crunching of the boards under her feet. As the pirates weren't deaf, they heard her. Jae-ha peered out the door but saw no one. He shrugged.

"Probably Ki-ja," he muttered. "Yona, perhaps?"

With that, he went back.

...

Sen arrived at Ki Yaeon panting and out of breath. Ke-sel invited her in and, frightened by the wild look in her eyes, he gave her a jug of water. She drank it immediately.

"Light a candle," she ordered. "Bring me paper, ink, clay and a pen! Prepare a bath!"

Without asking questions, Ke-sel did as told. Sen took a letter from the box and looking at it every now and then, wrote a letter of her own. She copied the seal on clay, dipped it in red ink and pressed it at the bottom of the paper. Although it was the perfect replica of the one she had designed it from, she glanced at her work with annoyance. Making it had taken too long. Ke-sel's head appeared in the doorway.

"The bath is ready," he reported. Sen stood up and asked as she hurried past him, "The dress I left here last time, do you still have it?"

"Of course."

"And that bottle of—?"

"I have many."

"Great." Sen heaved a sigh of relief. "Please put one next to my dress, I'll be needing it."

After being shown to her room, she undressed quickly and jumped into the bath. Time being short, she scrubbed her skin and hair with furious speed before hopping out of the water. Covering herself with a white robe, she sat herself before a cheap bronze mirror and gazed at her reflection with determination.

Her hands seemed to have grown wings as they flew about, grabbing this, applying that, adjusting yet something else. Her wrists felt sore by the end of it, but it was worth it for the reflection staring back at her. Dark red lips that brought out the colour of her healthy skin, long, dark lashes, expertly sculpted eyebrows—Sen nodded approvingly as she put a pair of silver earrings in her ears. She hardly looked like her usual self. The robe of her choice was dark blue which appeared to be ordinary, yet on closer inspection, the delicate embroidery and good material would become apparent. Sen adjusted the neckline to make her collarbones of which she was proud visible, although her breasts and shoulders she covered fully. Her sash was a dark red, and as she tied it around her waist, she hid a small stone bottle and the letter she had copied in it.

She glanced outside. A faint yellow hue had appeared on the horizon, but the stars still shone as brightly as before. Relieved, she went downstairs. Ke-sep whistled appreciatively.

"A pity such a pearl will be tossed to a swine," he said. The corners of Sen's lips turned up into a smirk.

"A swine can love pearls and pearls can love a swine," she replied airily. "Or perhaps the pearl being tossed can hide in the mud until the swine is gone. It may very well be that the pearl brings the swine who waters down wine for a living to his knees and makes him serve her hand and foot. We live in a world of endless possibilities, Ke-sel. Open your mind and broaden your horizons."

"The swine feels sorry for his kin," Ke-sel said irritably. "Go stick your face in a hornet's nest, Miss Pearl. I've heard it's good for your skin."

"I've always loved you for your honest and compassionate heart," Sen mused. "Your words never fail to brighten my day."

"You're still here? I thought you had a swine in brocade waiting for you."

"But how can I bear to leave you?" she sighed as she stepped to the door and bowed lowly. "Thank you for everything, you who rival the Sun in its brightness. May I bathe in the warm rays of your kindness again!"

Ke-sel threw a dishrag at her.

"Get going, Chi'shin's rat," he growled. As the door closed, Sen could still hear him mutter, "Lowly scum, freeloader!"

She smiled to herself as she slowly made her way to the road she believed Yona and Yun would take to get to Awa. Sure enough, after a short wait, she met them there. Yona was overjoyed and Yun wary and angry.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't come?" he asked.

"Gi-gan forbade me," she said calmly. "But I just wouldn't feel good if you two would go without me. You really need my help."

"I'm so glad you came!" Yona laughed. "Let's go!"

"Yeah, let's," Yun agreed. He felt something was off and was not reassured by Sen's presence.