"Commander Hoon?" I asked, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Hush now. We don't want the whole palace to know...." he said, looking around cautiously.

I gave him his mask and he placed it on his face, hiding his identity.

"Tell me this is a joke." I said, shaking my head.

"I wish we could, but it's too late now." I flinched as I heard a voice behind me.

I turned around to see the marshal approach us. The mouth dropped open as I begged all this to be a dream in my head.

"You two have tons to explain." I said, narrowing my eyes as I pointed my finger towards the two men.

"Certainly, right this way princess." The king/commander said, leading us to the cottage we first met.

••••

A

fter hours of explaining and answering my questions, the two men were able to tell me about everything.

"So, you are commander Hoon by day, and the king by night?" I asked, summarising the whole story.

"Well actually, yes. I basically live two lives." The king said smiling.

"What if you had to choose one?" I asked out of curiosity.

"The throne is mine, so I will choose to be king. If that happens.... then we plan to fake the death of commander Hoon." He replied casually.

My head was spinning with all this confusing and complicated information.

"It sure sounds bizarre, but trust us princess. We've been doing this for the past 20 years." I looked up as I heard the marshal's voice.

"This is really confusing....." I said sighing.

The king chuckled at my remark.

"Ogum, take her to her chambers. I'm sure there's a lot to process." He ordered.

"I hope to see you around, princess." He said as I stood up.

I looked back at his masked face, which didn't scare me anyomre. I smiled and nodded.

"Me too, your majesty." I said.

••••

The marshal and I walked down the hall, no words exchanged. I could tell that the marshal had something which troubled him, but I decided not to bug him.

"Thank you for escorting me back.... again. I'm sorry for the troubles I've caused." I said awkwardly.

The marshal smiled, but did not reply. I wanted to ask him about what's on his mind, but I let it slip away.

"Have a good night, marshal." I said as I slid the chamber door open.

"Have a good night, princess Ran." He greeted back dryly, before stuffing his hand into his pocket.

My eyes followed his hand as I spotted his love letter still tucked in his pocket safely.

I stepped in and closed the door behind me as I wondered why I went to the gardens in the first place. I kept on thinking when I suddenly remembered.

"The anonymous letter!" I told to myself as I wondered where I kept it.

Hang on..... I received it on the day I slept in the marshal's room after the incident. That means...... he has my letter! I thought as the wheels turned in my head.

The anonymous sender told me to keep my burn mark and the letter a secret and who else knew about it would have to pay for it with their lives! I thought as I opened the door and ran outside.

"Marsh-" I started as opened the door, but I knocked against something.

I looked up to see general Yang staring at me. General Yeol was right behind him, and her disgusted gaze fell on me.

"Woah princess! Be careful..." general Yang held me, but I pushed him away.

"Thank you General Yang. I'm sorry but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Perhaps you've seen the marshal?" I asked in a hurry.

The two generals looked at each other confused. I was too impatient and that didn't seem to answer quick enough, so I decided to find him on my own.

I pushed the two generals away and made my way down the corridor.

After the two generals dissapeared from my view I turned around to bump into another person.

What the... why do I keep on bumping into things....?? I thought, frustrated.

The person's arms held mine and I looked up to find the marshal staring at me.

"Marshal! I was looking for you..." I said, but froze in the middle.

"Are you looking for your letter, princess?" He asked me directly.

I froze as soon as I heard him. I wanted to explain, but I didn't know where to start. His expression looked hurt and angry and he grabbed my wrist rather tightly and pulled me into a desserted corner of the palace, drowning both of us in the shadows. His grip was tight, and I could say that he was angry.

"I-I'm sorry marshal. I know I should have informed you but...." I mumbled when he let go of my wrist.

His angry expression still remained, but he stepped closer to me. I continued to apologise and backed away from him, until my back hit the wall.

"Are you okay, princess?" I looked up to see the marshal stare at me.

"What?" I asked, surprised by his question.

"Are you okay, princess?" He repeated his question in a calm tone.

I thought he was furious, but his expression was calm and caring. I nodded as my reply as relife washed over me, seeing his relaxed face. Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them back and tried to stay strong.

"Why didn't you tell me, princess?" He asked.

"The note said that he'll do the same for the people who knew the secret." I told as he chuckled.

"Well, I wasn't appointed to keep you safe for no reason, princess. I can handle him." he said winking.

I smiled at his words and looked away.

"Well, I believe this is yours, princess." He said handing me my letter after fetching it from his pocket.

As he pulled it out, few more things fell out from his pocket. He picked them up and glanced down at them as a small smile dressed his face. I looked down at his hands, curious to see why he was so happy. The marshal looked at me and tilted his hand so I could get a better look. It was a bunch of paintings, and the first one had beautiful woman was painted on it.

"Who's is this, marshal?" I asked.

The marshal smiled wider as he looked at me. I couldn't help but feel a warm feeling run over my heart as i saw his face.

He likes to talk about whoever that is on that picture... he puts a smile on my face everytime I feel down, so it's my turn to return the favour. I thought as waited for his answer.

"That's my mother, princess." he answered as he took the picture from my hand.

"She raised me on her own. She was the only one I had to call family." He said, holding up the picture as if it was the most precious thing.

As the marshal lifted up the picture, I spotted another picture resting on his palm.

"And who's that? Your sister?" I asked as I held the other painting in my hand.

It was a beautiful girl, her dark brown eyes gleaming happily. Her black hair was in a neat bun, tied up nearly. She looked a bit like me since her eyes and hair colour matched mine. I placed the picture on the marshal's waiting palm.

"She's beautiful....." I said and heard him chuckle.

"Isn't she a beauty? That's..... Hiroshi." he said as I looked at him, astonished.

The marshal's love letter popped into my mind.

Is this her? The marshal's lover? Wow.... she really is beautiful....  I thought as I looked at it again.

The pin on her head caught my eye. It was the pin which the marshal gave to me, and my hand touched it involuntarily.

"She used to be the only thing I cared after my mother died." He said, sighing deeply.

"A lover?" I asked as if I didn't know.

"Was. I guess I wasn't good enough for her...." he said, looking away.

"Where is she now?" I asked but he shook his head.

"She left me for a wealthier man. I haven't met her since then." He said as a wave of sadness rushed over me.

"Marshal... I'm sorry to hear that." I said, looking at his face.

He laughed awkwardly and looked away.

"Why did you give me this then?" I asked him as I unclipped the hairpin, which was  the same on the painting.

"It had been my good luck charm for all these years. I protected the king and the many I loved in the battlefields, and I believe it was because of that pin." He said, looking at me.

"But, Why me?" I asked again, curiously.

He hesitated for a bit, but I urged him to tell me.

"Because princess, you remind me of Hiroshi. And anyone who reminds me of her, I protect. That was my promise I made when she left." he said, as I looked at him, speechless.

I couldn't believe his words.

His lover left him with just a note and a hairpin, but he swore to protect anyone, anyone who reminded him of his lover. I thought.

He maybe the most bloodthirsty and cruel marshal in the Slaughter King's army, but deep down I knew that he was...... different.

"The way she win the hearts of the people around her, The way she stood up for injustice, The way she fights for love, Her looks... Everything about her reminds me of you, princess Ran." He told me, his honey coloured eyes meeting mine.

"Marshal.... I should leave." I didn't like where this was leading to, so I decided to leave.

"Don't. Don't leave" his words made me stop dead in my tracks.

The words stabbed my heart like a dagger, and it made me wonder about his sorrow. I didn't turn around but shook my head and ran away. It hurt my heart to leave him alone like that, but I couldn't because I was the princess. My duty was to stand beside of the King and support him.

Marshal's footsteps followed me through the corridor and I ran towards towards the garden. I was about to jump on to the grass from the last wooden step when a loud thud caught my attention.

I turned around to see Marshal Ogum on the floor.

What happened??

I quickly turned around and dashed across the wooden steps towards him. I shook him but he was unconscious. I looked around for anyone to help me, but failed. I checked his pulse and noticed that it was rather fast. Just when I was about to run for help, I spotted general Yeol few yards away.

"General Yeol!" I shouted and she turned around, startled.

I waved at her furiously and she came running.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I don't know. He just.... collapsed. I think he's poisoned." I said as we both put him over our shoulders and took him to the physician, Yeongsoel.

••••

Sure enough, he was poisoned. General Yeol excused herself after taking him to the physician, saying that she was on an errand for the king. I sat outside the room and waited for him although Yeongsoel kept on saying that I should go and rest. Few hours passed and the physician stepped out of the room at dawn.

"He's stable now, princess...." Yeongsoel said, as I quickly stepped in after thanking him.

Marshal was lying down on the floor, his sword and his weapon belt sitting next to him proudly. I walked over to him but his eyes were still closed.

"What might be the reason for the poisoning?" I asked the physician.

"Its unclear princess. I believe it's some kind of a food poisoning." He said, shaking his head.

"I'll give you both some privacy." He said as he stepped out the room, leaving me in utter silence.

I looked at the marshal's face. He didn't open his eyes, but I knew he was recovering. His breathing was still irregular, so I decided to call Yeongsoel.

I was about to reach for the door when his voice stopped me dead in my tracks. It was more of a whisper, barely heard, but it echoed in my ears in the loudest volume as possible.

"Hiroshi..." he whispered.

I turned around to hear him mumble. I stepped towards him slowly.

"M-marshal?" I called out, not expecting an answer from the unconscious man.

"I'm sorry..." he mumbled again, and I held myself from crying my eyes out.

He was apologising for a thing he didn't do, and it was breaking my heart into millions of pieces.

"I'll call Yeongseol... " I talked to myself.

Just as I was about to get up, his honey coloured eyes fluttered open, blinked few times and focused on me. I sat there frozen, unable to think what to do.

"Marshal?" I called him as his eyes continued to look at me.

"....You came back. I thought you left me....." He said as he clasped my hand with both of his.

Marshal's voice left me unable to find words. His actions and behaviour made me have feelings for him, but I couldn't because I was the princess. People say that the royalty is the free birds, but I believed them to be the caged birds.

"I didn't. And I would never..." I answered as he got up with my help.

"My own mother left me at a young age. The lover I suffered whole my life for left me alone for a wealthier man.... I don't think I can handle loosing anyone anymore. Especially you...." He said, his hand placing on my cheek.

He waited for my reaction but I didn't move a muscle. Our eyes met and he pulled me closer.

"I thought I would never find myself saying this but.... you make me believe I got a chance, princess." he said.

His other hand wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer. Our foreheads touched together and I heard his breathing. His free hand cupped my cheek and waited for reaction. I wanted to push him away, but my body and mind reached the other way. I looked into his eyes and closed mine shut when his gentle lips touched mine.