I walked through the doors after the physician excused himself from my room. Ah! I lost my chance to find the truth. I thought as I walked with the general. We arrived at the main hall and I walked in after thanking the general who escorted me. I felt the disgusted gaze of General Yeol land on me as I walked in.

"Have a seat, princess Ran." Hoon offered me a seat, as I walked over to him.

"Well well...." I snapped my head towards the door, where an unfamiliar figure stood.

"Welcome. Now have a seat." I looked at Hoon, who spoke very casually.

They must be close. Otherwise Hoon would never talk to anyone so informally. I thought as I looked at the stranger curiously.

"if it isn't princess Ran." I looked at the figure who was in front if me.

I got up and stood close to Hoon, unable to answer to his statement.

"Princess Ran, my trustworthy friend, king InHo." My blood froze as he introduced the stranger.

"I am seeing you after many years. It's a miracle, isn't it princess Ran?" Both men laughed, as I gathered up my words.

"Y-yes. King InHo, pleasure to meet you." I stammered.

"I heard the marriage wasn't confirmed yet. It should be about time now, Hoon." InHo said, eyeing us.

"Yes. We'll hold a ceremony for it later." He lied confidently.

After taking our seats, we talked casually. The meeting was dismissed after few hours and we walked out.

"Princess Ran. Could I have a word with you?" I stood frozen as InHo stopped me.

After much argument going through my brain, I nodded and he escorted me to the garden.

"How have you been princess?" He asked me casually.

"I've been very well. Thank you for asking." I answered.

He studied me for a moment with the corner of his eyes as we sat on the bench, side by side. I noticed that he was studying me to find something from me, so I remained calm and acted as if I didn't notice. Don't give him any information. I'm suppose to just answer and leave myself out of trouble.

"I just wanted to know whether you were okay... After the accident at the palace." He said suddenly.

I sat there looking at him. His words sent me back in time. I couldn't remember properly, but the memory haunted my brain. It was several years ago when only Father and I were in the palace. We were having dinner when a sudden attack happened. The roof burned above us and I remember it falling on us. I've lost all my memories of my childhood and mother but thankfully father helped me by telling about mother. Until this day all I could imagine about mother was from what father told me.

I noticed the faint smile on his lips. You! Are you mocking me? I wondered angrily.

His expression made me angry but I calmed myself and laughed.

"That was years ago. I'm well now." I replied.

"I was about to ask you whether you got your memories back, princess. I'll be glad if you could tell me that." I looked at his cunning eyes with a disgusted expression.

"I'm sorry your majesty. I don't feel comfortable thinking about that memories again. Please excuse me..." I said as I got up left, plainly.

I kept the fact that I've lost my memories a secret. If he knew about it, I was afraid that he'll try to take advantage of me. The faint smile faded away from his face as I gave my answer. I excused myself and walked away, before he could ask me anymore questions. I was walking back to my room but my mind kept on wondering off to the marshal. I've received no information on him. Why? Where is he? Is he badly hurt? I wondered as I turned around and dashed towards the king's quarters.

The thoughts of the fire and last time I saw the marshal replayed in my head so many times. The king was in a meeting, so I walked to the nearby bench and waited for him. It's almost been a day, but marshal hasn't showed up at the palace. Hoon said that his generals were searching for him, but the generals came empty handed. Just thinking about his death made my eyes teary and soon I was crying alone, sitting on a garden bench.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault." I said as I cried.

After few minutes of crying, I wiped away my tears and walked into the palace. Hoon meeting wasn't over yet, but I couldn't go in there looking like this. I walked away from the meeting hall when sudden foot steps came behind me. I turned around in confusion when it called my name.

"Princess Ran!!" I turned around to see general Yeol running towards me.

"What's the matter Yeol? Has something happened?" I asked alarmed.

"Ogum...." She trailed off, panting.

I heard my heart skip not one, but several beats. If was beating in an whole other rhythm when I grabbed Yeol by the shoulders and shook her. She looked alarmed but I didn't care.

"What about him? Tell me Yeol. If you don't, I swear to god I'll die right here." I said.

"My apologies princess. He's...... right there..... In the main palace...." She managed to say through the panting.

I was so happy that tears ran down my eyes as I smiled as wide as I could. Relief washed over me as I looked at Yeol. She looked gappy and relived too. Before I could ask anymore questions, she grabbed me by the wrist.

"Come on, he's waiting for you princess." She said as she pulled me.

Her actions shocked me, but I was glad that she had a kind side of her. I squeezed her hand back and ran with her through the corridors.

"I hope we can restart our previous relationship, right Yeol?" I asked her when we stopped for a bit.

"Certainly. I'll be glad princess." She replied and we walked rest of the way.

Marshal was in the physician's quarters, and Yeol dropped me off there and walked away. I hesitated at first but knocked on the door later.

"Yeongsoel, it's me, Princess Ran" I said.

"Come in princess." I heard Yeongsoel's voice.

I opened the door with trembling hands. Yeongsoel was on the other end of the room and I could see the marshal next to him. I no longer remembered that I was a princess when I ran through the room, with my dress lifted up to my ankles. I jumped into marshal's open arms and wrapped my hands around his neck, crying into his shoulder.

"I'm give you both some privacy." Yeongsoel said walking to the door.

"Where have you been!?" I asked him as I let go of him.

"I'm sorry for the delay princess. But are you okay?" He looked really worried, so I nodded my head.

"I'm okay. Thank you for your concern" I said.

He guided me to the table at the end of the room, and we filled up each other's heads with what happened.

"So, it really was Jae." Marshal said, his brows knitting together.

"Yes. As far as I suspect, king InHo is in this too." I said, then explained that he was right here at the palace.

After few minutes we walked out together. He was escorting me to the king's meeting room when we met InHo.

"Marshal Ogum! W-what a surprise!" He stammered.

"Why are you stammering?" Marshal asked rather playfully.

I guessed that they must be tight friends or he would punish the marshal right there for offending him.

"It's just that, I heard you were missing. But miracles do happen." He said and then excused himself from us.

"Marshal?" A sudden voice came from behind us as we turned around.

Hoon was standing behind us, his usual mask covering his face. He looked partly relived but partly sad. Hoon walked over to the marshal and gave him a friendly smack in the back.

"You got me worried. I'm glad you arrived safely." He said as Ogum laughed in response.

"I'm glad to be here." He said.

Seeing them together made me happy so I let them talk and walked to my room. I was about to reach my room when a strong pair of arms grabbed my shoulders.

"What is it?" I asked.

I knew it was the marshal. His familiar scent hit my nose and his familiar touch hugged my shoulers. I didn't know how, but I just knew it was him.

"Thank you for waiting for me. Hoon told me that you got worried a lot." His voice was sincere.

"I will always. And of course I did get worried!" I said as I turned to face him.

His mesmerising eyes looked at mine and I could see the innocence in them. One of his hands left my shoulder and rested under my chin. He lifted my face up gently and came closer. I closed my eyes and felt his gentle lips on mine. Ogum was extremely kind to me, so I couldn't help but have feelings for him.

"Thank you for saying that princess." He said and left me in the middle of the deserted hallway.

Snap out of it Ran! What is wrong with you!? I thought as I walked to my room.

The night passed by quickly and I slept in peace since I was glad that the marshal returned safely.

*********

Next morning, I got up rather early and was about to step out when I met the marshal outside the door.

"Princess, we've got a problem. His majesty wants you at his chambers Now." He said and I followed him quickly.

I walked into the king's chambers to find Hoon looking worried.

"Good morning, your majesty." I greeted him but he handed me a note without even looking me in the eye.

I read it, and my body froze with fear.

"What is this?" I stammered.

"Jae wants war. The prize is you." He said plainly.

"Why?" I questioned him.

"How the hell am I suppose to know?!! He says that he has met you before, so I should be asking that from you!!" He barked at me.

"Look, I don't know either. There's been a concussion with my memories, so I can't remember." I said, my anger rising bit by bit.

"Then try to remember!! Your brother dropped you off here and since that day on, there has been trouble at my palace!" He shouted.

I couldn't believe he was talking to me like that. All this time I did everything I could to help, but now that Jae declared war, it's my fault.

"Hoon stop. That's not the way to solve t-" Marshal Ogum started, but Hoon snapped at him.

"You stay out if it! Remember your place." He said angrily.

"Are you going to fight? I'm not being selfish, but as far as they know, the king cannot just hand out their bride." I said.

I knew I sounded selfish, but that's not what I meant. It was his idea about the marriage anyway, so I had nothing to do with it.

"How about we try something tricky? Like double crossing them." I suggested, earning a nod from the marshal.

"You don't need to help me rule my kingdom. I'm capable of doing it. I did the whole marriage thing just to mock InHo." Hoon said coldly.

"InHo used to like you, so I thought me marring you would make him angry. It did. I was just playing around. It's nothing more than just a joke." He said.

What? Is he saying that he played with my feelings just so he could have fun?! I was so angry and hurt that I walked up to him and grabbed him by the collar.

"I don't know why I thought that you were different from my brother. But I know one thing for sure. You are nothing more but just a plain coward who would give up the whole world to keep himself safe. Just like my brother." I spat out and pushed him away, before leaving the room while wiping my tears away.