Chapter 1
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
For starters, Sana did know better.
All her life she hadn’t strayed into any paths that hadn’t been carefully crafted and well presented to her by her parents. Sana, try this; Sana, do that. Hobbies, her choice of tutors, clothes, sometimes even her friends–if her father deemed it necessary–were all carefully picked by her mother and father.
For the first ten years of her life, it had been a relief; never having to think for herself, waking up everyday to a plan that was already set in motion before she’d even had a chance to think. Ten year olds didn’t need freedom or space. She assumed people like her would never need either of those things, because she had never met many people who weren’t like her. How could she want something else when this was clearly so normal?
Maybe she would’ve continued to think that way, but fate had other plans for her on her eleventh birthday. It was a big deal for her family, considering she was their only child and slowly approaching her teen years, it was tradition to hold a feast to celebrate her and introduce her formally to the public eye. Or as public as the invitation list would allow it to be.
That was the day that Sana met another little girl; one who wasn’t a child of one of her maidservants or a cousin from far away she only saw on rare occasions. This little girl was from beyond the tall walls and iron gates of her home.
Sana had been dressed to perfection, hours spent on getting her ready for her big debut. She didn’t feel nervous; wasn’t sure she would know how to feel nervous, even if she had to. All her life she had been surrounded by people who called her perfect, who praised her for eating, breathing, walking in a straight line. For a child, that was enough to build her confidence higher than the walls of the palace. Sana believed she could do no wrong.
That night, the festivities only began after she had arrived; she remembered seeing a lot of grownups, people she had been introduced to who had Duke or Dutchess in front of their names; too many names to remember.
Her mother stopped her in front of a tall woman, who was standing so straight that Sana thought she was trying to look even taller.
“Sana, this is the Princess is was telling you about.” Her mother smiled. “She came from very far away to celebrate your birthday.”
The woman smiled down at her, but didn’t dare to break her posture in order to see Sana at eye level. “It’s good to finally meet you, Your Highness.” Her lips had spread into a smile.
Sana smiled back, pushing all the etiquette she was taught into her next words and actions. “Thank you for troubling yourself to celebrate with me, Princess.”
Her mother looked at her, pride swimming shallowly in her eyes before she covered it up altogether and led Sana away. By the time they made it to the front of the room, up the steps where the King was already seated on his throne, Sana felt as if she had met the entire world in less than an hour.
And as she sat down, a little behind her mother’s throne and in her own, for the first time, she looked at the sea of important people in her palace and thought: I must be on top of the entire world.
There was a feast, with the adults drinking wine and Sana’s small hands cupping a chalice of a sweet pomegranate juice at the table. Everyone was talking about things she had no interest in; she knew what it was all about because of her rigorous tutoring, but actually hearing all the conversations about those lessons made it feel like work to her. She was bored.
Usually, her birthdays were grand, yes, but with less people and more fun for her. There’d be ponies taking her around the palace at a quick pace; all the sweets she could sink her hands into; her maidservants would even allow her to dress them up however she liked; she could have clowns in front of her, juggling swords that were lit with fire; she could have an old man who was well travelled telling her stories of battles. Whatever she wanted.
From what she understood, at eleven, that night was her introduction to the politics of the world. Her gateway into responsibility. She detested it.
After her third glass of juice, she found her excuse to slip away without her parents reading too much into it.
She ushered her maid away, insisting she’d be right back. Really, Sana just needed time to herself; it was depressing her to see so many people not taking notice of her on her own birthday. Hadn’t her parents always said she was all that mattered? That she was The Princess of The Kingdom?
She worried her bottom lip, hitching her dress up slightly as she walked towards the pantry: she at least deserved her usual sweets.
She checked around the corner for the cooks, then when she saw no one, she walked into the room freely. The pantry was big and dimly lit by a kerosene lamp on one of the long tables, with shelves upon shelves of all sorts of things that Sana never had any need to learn about. She scanned each shelf, ignoring the bag of flour and sugar, her eyes were looking for the dark bar of chocolate she was sure was there.
Just as she was about to reach for the packaging, a sound from behind scared her, and she snatched her hand back to not be caught doing something bad.
When she turned, she saw a girl. Probably not much older than her and in a simple dress. The girl was panting, her body pressed against the wall and her palms glued to it as well. She didn’t notice Sana. Moments later, guards ran by the pantry, then they stopped and turned. Sana could see their shadows in the corridor. The fire from the lamp on the table between them flickered, then straightened again.
“Where did she go?” One of them yelled.
“Keep your voice down, do you want the King to know we let some little twerp outsmart us?” Another guard said, his voice lower but just as urgent. They both sounded angry. Sana shot the girl a worried look, but she still hadn’t been noticed. “How the hell did she manage to sneak into the palace? We can’t stop looking until we find her!”
Their shadows grew taller, then shorter as they retreated and disappeared down the passageway altogether. Sana watched the girl breathe a sigh of relief; her eyes still wide from adrenaline.
It occurred to Sana that she had stayed silent the entire time as well, instead of helping the guards locate the person that had apparently snuck into her home.
She stepped into the orange flow of light, away from the cupboards, and only then did the other girl look at her. She panicked again, with a loud gasp. Sana quickly put a finger over her own lips, silently willing the girl to not make a sound.
They both listened for the footfall of boots, but none came.
The girl was taller than her, with long dark brown hair that touched her waist, utterly straight. Sana frowned at the rip in the girl’s dress.
“Who are you?”
The girl looked at Sana from head to toe, eyes doing a double take at the crown on Sana’s head. She seemed at a loss for words; the next thing Sana knew, the girl was bowing to her deeply. Sana’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment, not used to having someone around her own age be so formal. Even her own cousins didn’t bow to her unless they were made to.
“Get up and answer my question,” there was no hint of annoyance in her tone, just a practiced neutrality that would one day soothe her Kingdom’s troubles and make her even more reliable to them.
The girl stood straight again, her dark eyes betraying something sardonic, even as she smiled.
“Who am I?” She had a pleasant voice. More pleasant than Sana was expecting. The tear in the dress and the touch of dirt on her cheeks made Sana think—well, it wasn’t fair what she thought. “Didn’t you hear those guards? I’m clearly an intruder.”
Sana eyed her for a few moments. She stepped closer tentatively, until she would be able to speak to the girl at a normal volume. The girl seemed afraid and pressed herself to the wall again. Sana froze.
All her life, she had been loved, doted on, praised and worshipped; she had never been feared. Not until then. She frowned at the girl briefly.
“I’m not going to call the guards back. I just want to know your name.” The girl didn’t look like she believed her. Sana tried a different approach. “My name is Sana. Minatozaki Sana.”
There was a huff of a laugh. “I know who you are, Your Highness. Everyone does, even if the public has never seen your face before…I can still put two and two together, and that crown on your head is a dead giveaway.”
Sana touched it subconsciously, her finger pressing against one of the cold jewels embedded into it. She schooled her features.
“You know who I am, so who are you?”
The taller girl pushed her hair behind her ears, checking the passageway again as if making sure there really wasn’t anyone coming back to get her. Sana tilted her head: why did she also hope that no more guards came?
“Nayeon.” The girl said curtly. She met Sana’s eyes stubbornly. “I’m not giving you my full name.”
The Princess smiled a little. “In case I send guards to your home?”
“I see you can put two and two together as well.”
Sana let her face fall back into a blank canvas. She kept her eyes on Nayeon, no longer noticing the brush of dirt on her cheeks or that way her hair looked a little dull. She turned her back on her and walked back over to the shelves.
“I was trying to reach some chocolate,” she said. “But I can’t seem to.” There was no sound from behind her. She looked over her shoulder. “Do you think you could help me?”
Not like she had much of a choice. Nayeon also seemed aware of that fact, because she cautiously made her way over to where Sana was, turning her head every now and then to the passageway.
“No one will come back here,” Sana said after the fourth turn of her head. “And if they do, they can’t hurt you.”
Nayeon looked at her skeptically. “Of course they can. I’m not supposed to be here.”
“Why not?” She pretended not to know the answer. “It’s my birthday today and my very good friend is here to celebrate with me, by helping me sneak some chocolate out of this pantry.” She pointed a finger up at the shelves. “I am the Princess of this palace; no one can hurt you if I tell them not to.”
Nayeon looked at her, clearly with a mix of disbelief and awe. Sana liked it more than the sardonic look.
The taller girl moved forward and looked up. “Which one is the one you’re after?” She looked confused, her brows furrowed and lips parted.
“The one that says ‘chocolate’.”
There was a small moment of silence, then Sana understood the problem.
“Oh,” she changed tactics quickly so the other girl wouldn’t have time to feel embarrassed. “That one,” she pointed. “The long bar. Take two down.”
The chocolate in the pantry was mostly for cooking purposes; it was dark and thick and she sometimes watched it get melted in a pan by the cook. Last year she watched it get used for her birthday cake.
Nayeon brought the two bars down, then handed them to her. Sana only took one, then she lowered herself to the floor, in her dress that had taken four months to complete and four hours to get into, and sat down. Nayeon watched her the entire time.
“Well? What are you waiting for? If you sit, that table will block us from the view of the passage.” She peeled back the thick wrapping of paper on her chocolate, then broke a piece off between her fingers. Eventually, Nayeon sat next to her. “Eat the chocolate. Have you ever had any?”
Nayeon shook her head.
“Try it. It’s sweet.”
Nayeon followed her lead, albeit hesitantly, except she bit the chocolate directly from the bar. Sana shook her head, but a surprised smile played on her lips when she saw that some of the chocolate had rubbed itself against Nayeon’s cheek: this is why we break it off.
She watched Nayeon’s eyes light up.
“It’s really sweet. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like this.” She bit off another piece happily, eating it quickly.
“Don’t eat it too quickly, you’ll get a stomach ache.” Sana warned gently. Nayeon heeded her warning and slowed down, but it looked like it took a great deal of restraint to do so. Sana smiled wider.
She could’ve asked Nayeon why she snuck into the palace, or how she managed to evade the palace’s esteemed guards, but instead, she sat and ate a whole chocolate bar with Nayeon.
She knew her parents would’ve been too focused on their wines and politics to come looking for her; they would just assume the Princess was with a maidservant anyway, out of trouble and otherwise enjoying her birthday.
The latter part had been true.
“I won’t send guards to your home, but where do you come from?” Sana couldn’t think of anywhere that wouldn’t have chocolate. Surely everyone had chocolate in their homes.
Nayeon licked her thumb until there was no chocolate left on it. She paused at Sana’s question. “I live far away from the palace. My home isn’t even in the first town.”
“Then where is it?” Sana wanted to know more about Nayeon. She couldn’t name a single other person who would’ve dared to look at her with anything less than respect–or one who wouldn’t have loved to have the chance to be around her. But Nayeon had to be slightly lured into even sitting down and eating chocolate with her.
“Far.” Was all Nayeon said.
“Far,” Sana repeated, softly. “Maybe one day you could show me.”
Nayeon laughed again, just as sarcastically as the first. “There’s not even the slightest chance that will happen, Your Highness.”
“Why not?” She was the Princess, after all. She could do anything she wanted to. It was her Kingdom, her parents said so.
Nayeon gave her a puzzled look that morphed into something like mild contempt.
“Our worlds would never collide. Tonight was a freak coincidence, one that I was stupid enough to provoke.” She stood up suddenly, dusting the back of her dress, as if there’d ever be a speck of dust in the palace. Sana held her tongue. “Thank you for not alerting the guards, but I’ve overstayed my welcome and pushed my luck to the fullest.”
Sana felt herself frown before she could control her expression.
“Don’t–” The sound of boots approaching made her pull Nayeon back down, the taller girl falling halfway into her lap as Sana held a hand over her mouth. “Sh.” She whispered.
“Any sign of her?”
“No, sir. She probably got scared enough to sneak back out.”
“For her sake, I hope she did. The Kingdom hasn’t had to punish a child in years—I want to keep it that way.”
“Yes, sir.”
Then they marched up.
Punish? Sana couldn’t believe it. Surely, they wouldn’t have hurt Nayeon. She was, as they said, just a child.
She released Nayeon slowly. The other girl looked frightened again, biting at her plump bottom lip and darting her eyes all around.
“You’re safe with me,” Sana assured her firmly. That time she meant it even more. Nayeon had given her a glimpse of sincerity. Up until then, she had taken everyone’s word for it, assumed they meant every smile they gave her; but Nayeon had made her question those things already. She found that she rather see Nayeon’s scepticism than hear another compliment from a maidservant again.
“Am I?” Nayeon stood quickly again. “I really have to go. You heard them.”
Sana grabbed her by the arm. “I can help you. I know how to get out of here without anyone noticing.” Sana lied, but she’d figure it out on the way. She was crafty. “Trust me.”
Nayeon didn’t look like she would ever do that, but she didn’t refuse the help.
That night, on her eleventh birthday, Sana snuck Nayeon around corners, down corridors, even into rooms briefly to avoid detection. No one noticed the Princess running around. She snuck Nayeon into her room and made her change into one of her dresses behind a folding screen.
“Is this necessary?” Nayeon grumbled from behind it. “I feel silly.”
Sana giggled. “Absolutely necessary! You have to blend in before we can get you out. If anyone asks who you are, say you’re the daughter of a Duke or something. They won’t question it; there are too many people here to question whose child is whose.”
Nayeon stepped out a moment later, looking uncomfortable in her new dress and looking down at it as if she felt out of place. Sana thought she looked pretty—though, she was pretty before, too. Sana stood from her heavily cushioned stool and motioned for Nayeon to sit on it. The older girl did it reluctantly.
“Don’t fuss; sit still and I’ll pin your hair up quickly.” She got to work on Nayeon’s hair. It was softer than she imagined, and she enjoyed the chance of getting to do something for someone else. Usually, it was her sitting in front of the mirror and getting poked and prodded at daily.
Nayeon watched her through the mirror.
“I didn’t think you’d know how to do someone else’s hair.”
Sana resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. “You watch something get done long enough and you’ll get an idea of how to do it eventually. I’d have to be an idiot to not know how to do something as simple as this.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Nayeon said sincerely. “You’re good at it.”
Sana hid her smile from Nayeon.
They walked back out. If they ran into a servant, Sana briefly gave a lie that explained who Nayeon was, only if asked, and then they walked away together, giggling to themselves.
By the time they got free from the inside of the palace, the night air brushed against Sana’s face unpleasantly and she worried about how Nayeon would get home so late.
She hadn’t thought of it before. The Princess threw a worried glance at Nayeon. The taller girl looked back at her, her smile of victory (after having ‘escaped’) fading.
“What’s wrong?”
They were under a brief cloak of darkness, in the pathway that would lead to another stretch of gravel.
“It’s only,” she started pensively, her finger pressed against the side of her head in thought. “How will you get home? You said it is far— is that safe? It’s dark and you’re a young girl.”
Nayeon was stunned for a moment, then she laughed. Sana quickly hushed her, but Nayeon just laughed some more.
“Are you out of your mind? Did the sugar make you lose some of your sense?” She turned her head every possible direction, looking for guards that might’ve overheard Nayeon. “Keep your voice down.”
“Princess,” Nayeon started. “You’re not nearly as scary as I thought you would be. Not as cold either.” She admittedly freely. Sana felt warmth fill her cheeks, as if to prove her point. She had never blushed from a compliment, and Nayeon’s words certainly weren’t flattery, but they had evoked a greater emotion nonetheless. “I’ll be fine. Thank you for worrying. Truly.”
Sana already felt like Nayeon was her first real friend. She might’ve been a Princess, but she found herself admiring Nayeon. Her bravery, her freedom, her honesty.
“I’ll arrange a carriage to take you home. Someone I trust with my life, and now yours. You won’t have to tell me where you live, just him. I promise you nothing will happen to you; you’ll arrive home safely.”
Nayeon turned the offer over in her head for a few moments. Her eyes drifted to the ground as she thought, then, just as Sana believed she would turn her down, she looked up and nodded her head.
“I believe you.” Nayeon smiled at her.
Sana smiled back.
She made a deal with the man that alighted the carriage; he was a little elderly, but he wasn’t ever stern with her. He took one glance at Nayeon, in her nice dress and done up hair, and smiled as if he knew none of it was the real her.
“You give me your word that you’ll return her to her home safely, don’t you?” Sana fretted, wringing her hands until she remembered who she was. So far, Nayeon had dragged emotions out of her that she had never let surface unless she was behind closed doors. She put her hands to her sides and kept them there.
The old man smiled at her and bowed. “You have my word, Your Highness.”
Sana held her hand out as Nayeon stepped up into the white and gold carriage. She kept holding it. Nayeon looked back and smiled down at her.
“Thank you for this,” she made sure the man was at the front of the carriage before she leaned down quickly. Sana’s eyes widened as a kiss was pressed to her cheek, and she reflexively held a hand over the spot where Nayeon’s lips touched. Her face grew hot again. “Happy birthday, Princess.” Nayeon whispered.
She closed the carriage door after that, and Sana watched as the horses were ushered to move away, towards the heavy gates. She watched until the carriage disappeared from her sight.
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
Sana thought about Nayeon for years after that. Every person she met, she silently compared to the daring girl who had broken into her palace. Every person she met, never intrigued her as much as Nayeon managed to.
She was eighteen. Her mother and father were urging her to start acknowledging eligible suitors. She obeyed them, of course, but all the dukes and neighbouring Princes were so damn boring!
Sana needed a break. An escape from the daily tutoring and gardening lessons and needlework lessons and meetings with boys who looked at her as if she were a piece of meat and a fast ticket to the throne. Her parents didn’t get it– her mother had never met her father until the day of their wedding. Of course, they loved each other now but they surely hadn’t then.
Sana didn’t want that.
She wanted the love she secretly read about in the palace’s library. The dashing Prince, his shining sword – maybe sans the fire breathing dragon…
The Princess walked to the stables, where a familiar old face was polishing a saddle. He stopped when he noticed her and bowed.
“Your Highness, what might I do for you?” She smiled at him, a conspiratorial smile that he had probably grown used to. “Princess, aren’t you afraid they’ll catch you sneaking out one day? What if someone notices you?”
“Someone taught me a long time ago that I shouldn’t be afraid to explore,” she waved him off gently. Her eyes turned to one of the horses. “What do you say? Will you keep one more secret for me today?”
The old man sighed, but he didn’t have much of a choice. His Princess was asking him to do something.
“I won’t say a word, Your Highness.” He threw the saddle over a nearby horse, a strong looking, tall brown mare. “Do you have your cloak?”
Sana pulled the cloak from behind her back and pulled it on, then put the hood over her head. She smiled.
“Don’t worry so much. I’ll be back before anyone knows it.” She got onto the horse, holding the reigns as it did its initial stir from the extra weight. “Handle the guards at the back gate for me, will you?”
He bowed again. “Don’t I always, Your Highness?”
Sana flew through the gates, the guards having bowed as she passed them, they didn’t lift their heads even an inch: if they saw nothing, they could report nothing to the King or Queen. She smiled at their loyalty as she made her way far from the palace.
Sana liked to visit the different villages splashed around the Kingdom. Up until a year ago, when she started to sneak away on horseback, she had only ever seen rough drawings of each village on a map. When she asked her father if it would be possible to go to one, he gave her a definite no, reasoning that she wasn’t ready yet.
Ready for what? Walking on ground that wasn’t strictly royal? Learning something that a tutor couldn’t teach? Something real she could only get through experience?
Nayeon had flashed into her mind last year; the first time she had decided to leave the palace. Nayeon had been so young, yet she had the courage to explore a world that wasn’t her own. Sana wanted to be like her in that sense: brave.
She rode her horse past the first village, her cloak shielding her face from anyone who cared to look. Not many people were aware of what their Princess looked like, since she was rarely ever allowed to leave the palace. Sana watched with keen, bright eyes as everyone went about their days; the vendors in the street with fruits or hot cakes, shouting their prices into the crowds; women with children attached to their arms, walking with grain back to their homes; men with large arms sliding swords across rocks. It was all amazing to her. So much life in every corner, as opposed to the dull monotony of the palace.
Suddenly, there was shouting from up ahead, with the crowd parting as people ran. Sana furrowed her brow as she watched three men chase after a girl, whose legs were taking her as fast as she could go. No one stepped in to help the girl, either, even though she was clearly on her own against the three men. Was this a normal occurrence? The Princess frowned.
It didn’t feel right just watching, Sana couldn’t take it, even though she knew it would be safer not to get involved and risk exposing her identity. Then again, not many people were aware of what their Princess looked like…
Sana hurried her horse, making it go faster. She raced past people in the street that had stopped to watch the chase, and eventually, the three men that were chasing. They turned their heads as she passed, all looking vexed with daggers in their hands, but she ignored it.
The girl’s long brown hair blew behind her wildly as she ran. Sana looked down as soon as her horse was next to her. They were going to be approaching a dead end soon, unless the girl didn’t mind venturing into a body of water.
“You, give me your hand,” she called, looking from the girl and then back to the water. “Hurry.” She offered her hand.
The girl looked up, but Sana was so busy making sure they had enough time, that she didn’t catch a glimpse of her face while her hand was taken. She used the momentum from the horse and hauled the girl up with some effort. Once she was safely on the horse behind her, Sana took a sharp turn, catching the looks of frustration on their pursuers’ faces as she lost them in a cloud of dust.
Her heart was beating wildly, and in the midst, the wind had blown her hood down, but she didn’t bother to put it back up. Gentle hands were around her stomach, holding on as Sana took them far enough away. They came to a stop by some tall trees, where she was sure no one else would happen by.
“Are you okay?” Sana barely had a chance to ask the question before the girl jumped down from the horse. Her dress, a pale blue colour, fanned out at the bottom in the process. She brushed her hands over the back of her dress to dust it, in a motion so familiar that Sana felt a pang in her chest. A hope.
“I am, though we really need to stop meeting when several men are chasing after me,” when the girl looked up and nodded long brown hair out of her face, Sana gaped at her. Nayeon smiled, pleased by the reaction. “So, you do remember me. I’m a little touched, Your Highness.”
Sana grinned and jumped down from her horse, knowing it was trained well enough not to drift off. She looked at Nayeon excitedly, all her etiquette leaving due to her pleased surprise.
“Nayeon!”
“Princess,” the girl smiled back at her with a small bow, but her face soon morphed into one of concern. “Why are you always somewhere you’re not supposed to be? Isn’t it dangerous for you to be out in the public with no protection?”
Sana bit at her lip. Nayeon had given her all the reminder she needed that she should be careful. Her joy had sidetracked her.
She pulled her hood back up over long chestnut coloured hair, looking around.
“Why are you always doing something you’re not supposed to?” Sana countered. “I think you need protection more than I do.”
Nayeon lifted a brow. “You have protection because it matters if something bad happens to you.”
“Still a sceptic then?” Sana leaned against the solid trunk of a tree. The sun would set soon and she had to go back before anyone noticed she was gone. Nayeon put a hand over her eyes to block the light, and stared at Sana. “I didn’t ask you why you snuck into the palace all those years ago, so I won’t ask you why you were being chased either. But for the record, I do want to know. It matters to me.”
Nayeon seemed to soften at the words. She eyed Sana’s horse, raising a hesitant hand to touch its face gently. It stayed still and Nayeon smiled.
“Pretty horse.”
Sana watched her pet it. “Have you ever ridden one?”
Nayeon gave her a dull look. Sana grinned.
“Would you like to?”
“Princess,” Nayeon started, tone stern and resigned. “I was being serious earlier: this is dangerous for you. And you shouldn’t go around saving damsels in distress. What if someone recognised you?”
Sana smiled coyly. “Someone did recognise me,” she tilted her head. “You.” She stepped away from the tree and clasped her hands behind her back. “Now, tell me your full name. I already know where you live.”
Nayeon laughed. “You do have a good memory, Your Highness.” She worried her bottom lip for a moment, then pulled her hand away from the horse and gave a bow. “Im Nayeon.”
Sana made a face, not quite sure why she disliked it when Nayeon bowed to her. “Straighten up, you’ll draw attention to us if someone sees you bowing to me.” She ignored the fact that there didn’t seem to be anyone around at all. Nayeon did too, but she looked amused nonetheless.
“So, you admit attention would be dangerous?”
“You don’t seem to care about danger.”
“We’re not the same, we can’t be compared.” Nayeon looked at the sky. “It’s getting late. You really should go home, Your Highness. I…I don’t want you to be out when it’s dark. You’re a young girl, after all.”
Sana grinned at the familiar words. She wanted to reach out and bring Nayeon into a hug, but it would be too inappropriate. Instead, she touched a hand to her own cheek where Nayeon had kissed it all those years ago.
“I didn’t think I would ever see you again.” She admitted softly.
Nayeon hummed. “Neither did I. After I got out of the carriage that night, everything felt like a dream. I hardly believed any of it happened.”
Sana didn’t hold back her smile. “I’ve thought of you. I’m glad you didn’t forget me.”
“How could anyone forget a Princess?” A touch of sarcasm was back in her voice, and it delighted Sana to no end. The wind blew their hair gently; Sana remembered brushing Nayeon’s hair and gently pinning it. Gentler than any of her servants pinned her own—and she was the Princess. Sana smiled to herself. Nayeon saw it and lifted a brow. “I’ve thought of you, too. Mostly when I was craving something sweet.”
Even though she knew what Nayeon meant, she almost blushed at what could’ve been implied.
“I can give you armfuls of chocolate.”
Nayeon looked surprised. Reluctant. “I can’t let you do that. You really shouldn’t come back here, Your Highness.”
“Then you’ll come to me?” Sana got back onto her horse. It was getting dangerously late, Nayeon was right, and time flew by faster whenever she looked at her. She didn’t understand it. “Say you will? Or I’ll pull a million damsels onto my horse until I run into you again.”
Nayeon’s eyes gleamed with uncertainty, but Sana saw the happiness there as well. It relieved her.
“How?” Was all she asked.
Sana pulled the reins on her horse as it trotted in place. She looked down at Nayeon, smiling wider than she had in years. “In two days, come to the palace.” Sana unhooked a necklace from around her neck, one that bore the palace’s crest. “Show this to one of the guards and they won’t doubt your word. Say you want to see me and I’ll come greet you myself.” Sana happily handed the necklace down to Nayeon, who held it in the palm of her hand as if it was magical. Sana laughed. “Promise me you’ll come?”
Nayeon looked up. “Only for the chocolate.”
Sana laughed again and made sure the hood of her cloak was in place and secure.
“Im Nayeon, we are going to be the best of friends,” she said confidently. “Whatever you want, you can have.”
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
Over the next two days, Sana went from exceedingly excited, to worryingly anxious. Why? She was so sure of getting her way with anything else, but why was she afraid Nayeon wouldn’t actually show up?
She waited half a day, pacing in the courtyard. Her maids looked at her as if she had lost herself; they had never seen their Princess frown so much. It was unheard of. They knew her to be devoid of any emotion that wasn’t calm and regal.
That day, as word came that someone was at the gate claiming to be expected by her, they saw their Princess run with a smile. Until she got a hold of herself and slowed to a walk, coughing awkwardly.
The maidservants exchanged glances, but none said a word.
Nayeon was at the gates, as promised, this time in a pure white dress that looked a little new. Sana felt touched that Nayeon might’ve went to the trouble of “looking the part” for her. She wondered if Nayeon had the dress she gave her still. Maybe she outgrew it and sold it.
When their eyes met, Nayeon seemed to relax, her shoulders dropping.
She bowed deeper than she ever had before. Sana remained neutral as she watched the top of Nayeon’s head come into view.
“Your Highness, thank you for seeing me.”
Weren’t they friends? Nayeon was speaking too formally. Sana didn’t like it, but she couldn’t say anything while they were surrounded by guards.
She smiled thinly. “Come with me.”
They walked for a while until they made it to the palace, maidservants trailing behind them a few paces. Every surface of the palace was shining, even more with the natural light pouring through the large windows. Sana had picked a day where her parents would both be too caught up in court proceedings to pay attention to her or her guest— they’d surely question the first ever guest that Sana had ventured to invite into their royal abode.
Nayeon didn’t look around at anything they passed. Sana was intrigued by her lack of interest; for someone who went to a great deal of trouble to break into the palace years ago, she sure didn’t care about it at all anymore. She spun on her heel, dress spinning with her, and almost collided into the brunette.
Nayeon took a step back. “What is it?”
“I just realised I didn’t put much thought into where exactly we should start.” She eyed the servants over Nayeon’s shoulder, who had stopped as well, waiting for instruction. Sana bit the inside of her cheek before addressing them in a calm tone. “All of you, you’re dismissed.”
One of the servants lifted her head from a bow and looked conflicted.
“But, Your Highness…” she sounded unsure about leaving the Princess with a stranger.
“All is well.” Sana nodded firmly. “Come find us with snacks and tea within two hours.”
After a moment of deep bows, the servants backed away obediently.
Nayeon’s expression was hard to decipher. “They just do whatever you say?”
“That’s how being a Princess works, didn’t you know?” She smiled slightly to let Nayeon know she wasn’t being too serious. “I didn’t want them shadowing us for the day. I want whatever we say to each other to be between us only.”
She hoped Nayeon understood; she’d never had a friendship she wanted to protect before, but she got the distinct feeling that this was one she’d need to.
Nayeon nodded her head once.
“Then can I finally look around and gawk like a peasant in a palace?” Nayeon smiled. “Without anyone thinking anything of it.”
Sana grinned at her and pointed a finger. “I knew it! You looked far too relaxed about being in a palace for your…well, second time. Come, I’ll show you everything that’s amazing about it.” She almost reached for Nayeon’s hand, but withdrew at the last moment in case the contact was unwelcome.
Nayeon seemed to understand her, because she took hold of Sana’s hand, her soft palm gliding over Sana’s until fingers clasped together. She gave Sana another smile, unlike any smile Sana had ever seen in her life, and the Princess thought: yes, this is a friendship I intend to protect.
Nayeon had spun around in awe of the high ceilings, the talented and costly paintings on the walls, the displays of expensive collectibles, even a simple fur rug made Nayeon gape.
Sana enjoyed it. She had never shown her home off before, she never cared to, but seeing Nayeon so intrigued by everything made her want to keep showing her more. Made her want to see Nayeon’s eyes light up again.
“This is a secret room,” Sana said in a staged whisper. She waved off the guards in the hall who were protecting it. They nodded, bowed and left. Sana knew they wouldn’t go too far. “Guess what’s in it.”
Nayeon raised her brows and pursed her lips. “Treasure?”
Sana was surprised. “How did you know?”
“I can still put two and two together, Princess,” Nayeon rolled her eyes. “A secret room; the guards having to be here…what else could it have been?”
Even her royal cousins had to ask what was behind the door when they first visited.
“You’re a smart girl, Im Nayeon.” She said sincerely. “Would you like to go inside and see what’s there?”
Nayeon shrugged her shoulders. “Not especially. It’s just treasure, right? Gold, jewellery, probably more expensive and rare portraits – what do I need to see it for?” Nayeon tilted her head. “Besides, won’t you get in trouble?”
Sana was already shocked enough from Nayeon not wanting to go inside the room. In there were riches no normal person would ever be able to possess– or get the chance to see . Nayeon’s refusal puzzled her.
“Why do you keep fretting over my safety?” Sana asked instead, a touch annoyed that Nayeon seemed to underestimate her position in her own home.
“I don’t want the guards to tell the King and Queen that their Princess led a strange girl to a room filled with their treasure. It will be trouble for both of us, potentially.”
Sana calmed herself and nodded. “You’re a lot more careful than I remember.” She said, recalling how Nayeon urged her to return to the palace before it got dark.
The brunette smiled a little. “Only when I’m with you.”
She was only a little taller than Sana, they had both grown up.
“How old are you?” Sana asked as they made their way to the back gardens; she grew bored of pointing out pieces of wealth and history in the palace, and could tell Nayeon had gotten a little overwhelmed by it too.
Nayeon smiled as they ignored the stepping stones and instead walked directly on the perfectly green grass.
“You don’t know?”
“How could I know? We never exchanged ages at my eleventh birthday. You wouldn’t even tell me your full name or where you were from.”
Nayeon laughed at her small display of upset. They sat together in the centre of the garden, where a white, circular iron table and four chairs were, shaded from the sun by a tall paper umbrella. Two servants appeared, carrying a polished silver tray.
“Tea and snacks, Your Highness.” They bowed and Sana gestured for them to put the trays down. She looked at Nayeon, who eyed the different snacks with big eyes.
“Are you hungry? Eat as much as you like, I can get more brought out.”
Nayeon looked a little shy as she reached for one of the cakes. A servant poured tea for both of them.
“Can we do anything else for you, Your Highness?”
Sana hid a smile behind her tea cup at how quickly Nayeon was eating. “Bring more cakes. And two pieces of chocolate.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Once they left, Sana crossed a leg over the other and enjoyed the very green and blue view of the garden and sky.
“It’s a great day.” She said, head drifting to the side to glance at the rose bushes further down. “You’ll come back to visit me, won’t you?”
Nayeon sipped her tea. “Who would say no?”
But Sana didn’t like that answer. She straightened her back and took a sip from her own cup. When she placed it back down on the table, she lifted her eyes and saw Nayeon looking around as well, appreciating the surroundings, with a pastry between her fingertips.
“You’re allowed to say no,” she said softly. “I don’t have anything else amazing to show you, actually, I used all my party tricks today.” She smiled slightly and looked down at the plate between them.
It was silent for a moment, only the sound of a few birds calling each other before they flew away.
“I’m not so used to amazing things that they’re what would keep me coming back, Princess.” Nayeon said. Sana looked up at her. “Didn’t you promise we’d be the best of friends? I’ll visit as often as I can—as often would be appropriate, that is—can’t you tell? I don’t care for the treasures I’ll never own; I’m here to see you.”
Something in Sana’s chest tightened, and she had to hold herself back from pushing against the area to soothe it. Though, was it a bad feeling? She was only sure she’d never felt it before.
Nayeon’s smile shone on her, brighter than any sun could, and her eyes lit up more now than when she was looking at expensive works of art.
They ate and laughed together, with the maids glancing at each other in confusion—their Princess hadn’t laughed this freely since she was a child. It was as if time had turned back.
It was dark by the time Nayeon left. She got into the same carriage she had seven years ago, holding Sana’s hand again, then turned back to look down at her.
Sana stared up, a smile still on her face. She didn’t look at the old man as she spoke.
“You’ll get her home safely? I have your word that you’ll do that?” She asked.
“Of course, Your Highness. I’ll protect her with my life.”
Nayeon smiled slowly. When the old man got up to the carriage and they were no longer in view, she bent to kiss Sana’s cheek gently. They were taller now; she didn’t have to bend as far.
“Twenty-one.” She finally answered.
Sana touched her palm to the spot right after, and Nayeon grinned before shutting the carriage door.
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
By twenty, it was absolutely imperative that Sana look into finding a suitable marriage. Her parents didn’t care, Duchess or Duke; Princess or Princess…they might even settle for a Knight, if they had to and if it was what their dear daughter greatly wished.
But Sana never worried over it like they did. Two years ago, she had been wishing for a handsome Prince to come racing into the palace on horseback– but she couldn’t recall the last time she even entertained that fantasy. If it was even still a fantasy of hers.
“Shall we prepare of list of eligibles in this Kingdom and other ones?” The Queen looked at her daughter with a troubled expression. Sana should’ve been married two years ago; she was stretching her luck by putting it off for so long. “There has to be someone who caught your eye at one of our gatherings?”
Sana shook her head and let her maidservants fuss with the train of her dress. She was suffering through another fitting for an upcoming banquet. It would bore her to tears, as usual, but it was her responsibility to be there, making connections and solidifying her presence at the Princess.
She had a feeling her parents would use that night to usher her in the direction of many “eligibles”.
“You’ll be the first to know, it’s just that no one has interested me.”
There was a knock on the door to her room. “Enter.” The Queen called.
A servant walked in, greeting them with a deep bow before he leaned over to say something to a nearby maidservant. The maidservant nodded her head and looked toward the Princess.
“Your Highness, Lady Im is here to see you.” She bowed.
Sana’s smile had spread across her face instantly. If Nayeon heard them call her 'Lady Im' she’d throw a fit! She grinned and lifted her skirts, intending to get down from the short stand she was on and forfeit the torture session of the fitting altogether.
Her mother watched her with a small smile. “Don’t move an inch, Sana.” She ordered gently. Sana deflated, shoulders dropping and smile fading. The Queen shook her head slightly, then looked at the servant who hadn’t lifted his head since entering. “Send for Nayeon and bring her here.”
He did as he was told and quickly left the room.
Sana was overjoyed. “I wonder what she’s doing here? We haven’t made any plans to meet today.”
The Queen should've admonished her daughter, and Nayeon as well, for not following the proper protocol of visiting the palace, but she had never seen Sana as happy as she had been in the last two years. Besides, she had completely given up on trying to train Nayeon in any way...no matter how much royalty she was surrounded by, Nayeon never changed. Maybe that was why she didn’t mind Sana being around her – she was authentic. More authentic than anything herself or the King could provide Sana with.
“Does she ever need an invitation to be here?” The Queen stood to go near Sana. “You two can have fun, but after your fitting.”
“Yes, mother.” Sana couldn’t contain her grin. The Queen watched her fondly. She could remember when she was even younger than Sana, with a best friend just like Nayeon, far away from the palace. But then she had married the King, and all the friends she thought she had, slowly vanished or wanted more from her than she could give.
More than authenticity, Nayeon was unperturbed by Sana’s riches. She never asked for a thing. Well, except too much chocolate. She narrowed her eyes at her daughter.
“Don’t let her eat too many sweets again.”
Sana laughed out, the sound bouncing on the walls. “I won’t! We both won’t. I’ll be mindful of my dress and not wanting to make any alterations, I promise you.”
The Queen stroked a hand over her daughter’s soft hair.
Moments later, the same servant announced Nayeon’s arrival. She walked in with a frown on her face, disapproving of her title as ‘Lady Im’. Her frown soon melted away as she set eyes on Sana.
“Nayeon!” Sana squealed, fighting to stay still so she didn’t receive a sharp pin to the waist.
The brunette stared at the Princess; her eyes shiny. The Queen had never been ignored like that until she met Nayeon, but she knew it wasn’t ever on purpose. Nayeon simply only seemed to ever see one person, and that was Sana. She coughed gently. It was enough for Nayeon to finally look at her, a little startled, then she bowed.
“Your Majesty,” Nayeon said. When she lifted her head, there was a grin on her face. The Queen rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“As happy as I’ll ever be.”
Nayeon came closer to them. “Didn’t you like the bouquet I sent you for your birthday?” Mischief swam in her eyes.
“How could I not? You used flowers from my own garden.” The Queen watched with a shake of her head as Nayeon and Sana laughed. “You two are nothing but trouble when you’re together.”
“Mother, you don’t really believe that.” Sana smiled brightly.
“You’re right. Your father and I have just earned an unexpected child in the last two years...”
Nayeon put a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
Later, after Sana was free from the poking and prodding and back in her original amber dress, she led Nayeon to the back garden. She raised a hand and sent away the servants, just as she usually did.
“This is a surprise,” Sana said as they sat on a bench. “To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your face today?”
Nayeon laughed and swung her legs so the bench rocked gently.
“Do I need a reason? Can’t I just miss my best friend?”
“Your words are touching, but I’m not a fool. What happened?”
Nayeon’s smile faltered and she breathed out. Her eyes trained themselves on the grass below them.
“Just pressure from my mother about marriage. I should be out of the home by now, you know. I’m twenty-three.”
The Princess nodded empathetically.
“My parents are pressuring me as well... They want me to find someone soon so I can produce a legitimate heir while they’re still alive.” Sana helped Nayeon to gently rock the bench. “I don’t see why I have to consider it so soon...I want to keep putting it off. I’m not interested in marriage.” She admitted.
Nayeon huffed a laugh. “Not everyone has the same luxuries you do, Sana. For instance, I’m sure anyone would marry you someday, if not only because you’re a Princess, then because you’re devastatingly beautiful as well.” Sana cheeks flushed, but Nayeon didn’t notice. “Me, on the other hand, I’ll be considered not suited for marriage, too old, soon enough. I’m my mother’s only child and when she’s too old to work, it’ll be only me supporting her.”
Sana frowned and stopped moving. She didn’t understand how Nayeon could think that. Nayeon was so beautiful that Sana was sure any man would bend themselves at the knee and beg for her hand. There was no way anyone could refuse her, man or woman.
“That’s nonsense; you’d still have me to help you.”
Nayeon narrowed her eyes at her and shook her head sharply. “I’ll never take your money. You know that.”
“All I know is that you’re my dearest friend and if you were ever in trouble, I wouldn’t hesitate to help you. I might not be able to find someone for you to marry – I think, but if you ever needed anything, you wouldn’t feel shame in asking me, would you?”
Nayeon met her eyes. She looked reluctant at first, but she eventually softened under Sana’s sincere gaze.
“I’ll do my best until then.” She said, sounding more like she was promising herself. She cleared the storm from her features and tilted her head at Sana instead. “And you, Your Highness, why aren’t you ready for marriage?”
Sana grunted and looked ahead at the garden. The same one she had helped Nayeon pluck flowers from to give to her mother. She smiled a little. “No one’s interesting enough. Actually, for a while,” she laughed before straightening. “Well, never mind.”
“What? Tell me,” Nayeon insisted, moving closer to her on the bench. The tips of their pinkies touched.
Sana bit at her lip. “It’s a little embarrassing now that we’re such good friends,” Sana said hesitantly. “But for the seven years of your absence, I compared everyone I met to you.”
Nayeon was silent for few moments, then she laughed in that way that made all the tension in Sana’s body melt away.
“I was unknowingly competing with hundreds of people? This isn’t fair.”
“Nayeon, you idiot...” Sana turned to look at her. She really never thought about it before – but why wasn’t Nayeon already married? Or within possession of a million suitors? Her light brown eyes, her plump red lips and soft skin...Sana had never met a more gorgeous woman, and she had shaken hands with Princesses from all over the world. “One could never compete where they don’t compare.”
Sana realised then that she was relieved Nayeon was not married.