The Royal Palace didn't get many visitors. Erin realised this after being in her room for two minutes and realising she had been locked inside. Everyone knew the first step in having a visitor was making them feel comfortable and Erin would instantly admit comfortable was the last thing she was feeling.

Four bare ivory walls enclosed her with a large window and another locked spruce door leading to a balcony.

A white bed, wardrobe and door to the room's bathroom were its only contents, leaving Erin no other choice than to lie on the bed, gazing up at the high ceiling.

"It's been a while," she muttered to herself, allowing it to echo. "Since I've felt this anxious."

Vulnerablility. She loathed it. Guardians have to be strong. Guardians have to be brave. Guardians have to be the ray of hope. But what does she do when she's feeling weak or cowardly or when she can't see the light at the end of the tunnel? Nathan is in no position to fight so she has to take up his sword, she had to be the role model now.

Admitting her feelings was something Erin preferred not to do. That was part of the reason only few knew about her past, the reason she struggled to tell Minho she liked him.

A Guardian should have no weakness.

But she did. She had many and for ten years, she learnt to mask that fact. She mastered the art of appearing fearless only for that whole image to tumble to the floor in a month.

A tap on the window brought her out of her daze, reminding her that the Palace is not the place to let your fears overcome you.

She turned to it. The night sky seemed darker in Seoul, gloomier. And Erin couldn't help remembering what Minho had said about preferring Busan to it.

Another tap sounded, bringing her to realise the door leading to the balcony was open and standing by it was Minho, frowning.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. When he shot her a quizzical look, she elaborated, "for being rude to your father."

"Oh that? He deserved it."

"But what I said to your father... About killing him. I promised you I wouldn't."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he approached her. He joined her on her bed, pulling her into his embrace.

"But the circumstances are different now. When you promised that, you had no idea Nathan's life was on the line. Now you do. Nathan is the only person you have left and I remember that first night we left Busan, you cried for him. I realised that night just how much he meant to town. If I lose my father, I only lose my father. But if you lose your brother, you lose your whole family. So if Nath does die, letting go of my father is a risk I'm willing to take."

She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, a smile playing on her lips, "really? Thank you."

"Anything for you," he kissed the top of her head, stroking her hair softly afterwards.

She melted into his touch, head pressed against his chest and she listened to his fast but soothing heartbeat. He was dressed in his royal attire, she noted and acknowledged how silky and smooth the material was.

"How did you even open the door?" she asked. "It was locked."

"I'm the Prince," he reminded her with a laugh. "If I ask the Royal servants for anything, they'll get it."

He waved around the key proudly, before planting it back in his palm.

"Then why didn't you get the key for the main door and not the balcony one?"

"My father has the other key... He really wants to kill you, you know? He does not like you at all."

"Well, great to know my feelings for him are not one sided."

"My sister also doesn't like you."

"Really? What give you that impression?" she asked sarcastically. "In other words, the whole royal family -- except you, of course -- hates me."

"I think the Queen likes you."

"Yeah well I know Avery. She was like my best friend... And she had a huge crush on my brother."

"Avery?" he raised an eyebrow. "I thought her name was Jisoo."

Erin laughed, "she always said that if she was to be born again, she'd want her name to be Jisoo. I guess she told you that to hide her identity."

"Hide her identity?"

"She was a Guardian."

He pulled away from her, eye wide as they stared at her, "wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, she joined around the same time as Chan, Hyunjin and Nathan. They were all in a team with another girl named Chaeyoung, I think. I guess Avery was captured by your father during the Palace battle and pretended to know nothing about the Guardians so he took her as his wife."

"Chaeyoung?" he asked. "As in pale skin, black hair, short but large, strong aura?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I've never met her but from the way she was described to me, I believe so. Why? You know her?"

"Yes. She's the prisoner who used to always be in trouble for her mischief. Yet my father never killed her because she was very persuasive. Instead, he made her part of the Royal Army. Two years ago, she ran away. Rumour has it she joined the bandits."

"She sounds so cool..."

"She was."

He pulled her back into his side, leaning his cheek against the top of her head.

"I actually wanted to see you before. We need to talk," she mumbled against his chest.

"What is it?"

She exhaled loudly, "let's say the Guardians actually do win this thing and your father dies, what will we do? I am a Guardian and you'll be King."

"I'm not leaving you," he blurted.

"But-"

"Things are going to change after this. If I become King, we won't need to be divided. The Royals and Guardians could join together so the country is whole again. And if that doesn't happen, I'm not going to lead this country alone. I'll go back to Busan with you. No matter what happens, I want to be with you."

"Your father wouldn't approve of this," she chuckled.

"There are a lot of thing I do that my father wouldn't approve of."

"And you take pride in that?" a voice a came form the main door, making them pull apart instantly.

At the now open door, the King snarled at the view of them with an amused Hyeonki standing behind him.

"Why didn't you ever tell me the truth?" Minho glowered at him. "You told me that you were helping, that you saving people only for me to find out you were doing the opposite."

"I was saving people," the King clenched*** his jaw.

"By destroying a whole town and burning down another? By abducting innocent children?"

"I was doing it for you-"

"No," he shook his head. "You were doing it for yourself. For the power."

His father's eyes narrowed, pulling out his sword, "maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't. All I ever did, Minho, was treat you with love and favour. And you turn against me? You will never take my throne. I won't allow it."

He got closer, raising his sword. Erin's fingers circled the handle of her dagger, ready to attack but before she could, Hyeonki pulled the King back, eyes wide upon realising the situation.

In the background, the sound of a bell sliced the air and Erin finally let the dagger free from its hiding spot.

Hyeonki continued pulled the confused King back, "Don't, my Lord," he eyed Erin. "It's a trap."