I stumbled back as the hand pulled the the rest of the stranger onto the windowsill. But as soon as my eyes locked with his, my body froze. The man was covered with blood, even his sword coloured with a fresh coat of crimson coloured blood.

Jae!? I blinked few times to make sure I'm not seeing things.

I couldn't think of anything but just stare at him. Finally, I opened my mouth to let out a scream, but he jumped towards me, clasping his hand over my mouth. I fell down at the impact and ended up with him pinning me to the ground. 

"Please, don't scream. I just need to explain." He said as I tried to break free.

Somehow, his expression and the desperation in his words pleaded me to give him a one last chance. I stayed silent as he told me to, even when his hand uncovered my mouth. Just then, I could hear the guards outside call me.

"Princess, what was that noise!?" I heard the panicked voices.

If I scream, Jae would be caught. I only should scream and this traitor and war Lord will be behind bars. I thought as I opened my mouth.

"I'm fine. You both shall have a break. I need some privacy." I said, as the guards thanked me and their footsteps disappeared.

I couldn't believe my own words. I was hiding a sworn enemy. In my chambers! But, his desperation did make me want to give him a chance. Jae was still on top of me, half of his weight resting on me.

"Thank you." He said.

I didn't reply but kept staring at him. I didn't want to let my guard down and end up dead. After all, he once tried to kill me and Hoon.

"I am forever..... In your..." Jae was running out of breath as he continued to support himself up with his hands.

"..debt...." he said and collapsed right next to me.

What the!? I quickly sat up and felt his pulse. It's getting weak. I thought as I pushed him a bit, so he was now laying on his back. His chest was covered with crimson blood, flowing out of his open wounds. He's stabbed! I thought as I quickly pressed my hands on his wounds without thinking twice.

"Jae?" I called him as his eyes fluttered open.

He didn't reply but closed them again.

"Just let me die." He said.

I looked at him as he pushed my hands away from the wound. This man is definitely crazy. I thought as I ran to my cupboard and fetched all the cloths I had with me.

He was passed out by the time I was back, so I pulled out his knife to cut his shirt. I locked the chamber doors for more safety and started to cut his shirt when his hand suddenly caught my wrist.

"I told you to let me die!" He said angrily.

"How pathetic of you to die just like that! Shut up and don't move or I'll pluck out both your eyes out with this knife!!" I said sternly, waving the knife.

Miraculously he listened and closed his eyes. I cut through his shirt and started to clean his wounds one by one. There were many, so I had no idea where to start. I was just about to dress his wounds up, when I noticed the snake burn mark on his shoulder. It was the same one as mine. Suddenly, my mind flashed back to my memories.

"All done. Be careful next time Ryong." I said, dressing up his wounds.

"Hmm..." he hummed as he turned around and hugged me.

I hugged back, and buried my head in his shoulders.

"I'll stop once I end up with a safe world for you." He said, hugging me tighter.

I smiled and hugged him, my fingers trailing over the mark on his shoulder.

A snake burn mark.

I blinked a few times when I got back to reality. I glanced at Jae, and noticed that he stirring.

"You are Ryong!!" I said out loud as everything clicked into place.

His eyes fluttered open and looked at me.

"That name, I haven't heard I  years. I see, you got your memories..." he stated.

I was still shocked by what I just discovered. Just then, someone knocked on the door, making me turn around quickly.

"Let them in. I'm ready to die." Jae said, giving me a smile.

"But I'm not ready to give you up." I said before getting up and walking towards the door. 

"Guards have spotted a possible assassin near these chambers. We are here to check for safety. General Hoon's orders." The general said.

"There is none in my chambers." I replied.

"But princess, the orders were given to-" the general said, poking his head over my shoulder.

"As a princess and an unmarried woman, I hold my secrets which I do not wish to share or show to a man." I said, sliding the door close behind me.

"So I would appreciate if you could step away." I said, giving the generals my best icy glare.

The generals hesitated, but agreed at last. I sighed in relief as I stepped back in, closing the door behind me.

"Not bad." Jae commented as I stepped in.

"Shut up." I snapped.

Few minutes passed as we sat silently, when another knock interrupted us.

"Princess, it's me General Hoon." I walked up to the door and opened it.

Before he could tell anything, I checked both sides of the corridor and pulled him in.

"Wha-" he asked, but stopped when his eyes landed on Jae.

"Hoon, calm down." I said as he looked at me confused.

Jae stood up with a huge effort.

"Get away from her." Hoon thundered at Jae.

"You tired to kill us. Any mercy I had left for you went down the drain that day!" He spat out angrily.

"InHo did it. I would never..." Jae started.

"Are you telling me to believe you!?" Hoon asked.

"Just believe what you want. I'm telling the truth." Jae started to get angry as well.

"His father ruined you, Hoon. You know It. He ruined you." Jae continued, walking you Hoon.

I've heard about Hoon's and Jae's past before. They used to train under the watch of InHo's father, king Fijistu. Hoon told me that he used to whip and beat up all that were considered 'weak', and Hoon was one of them. Jae was training there as well, and One day Hoon escaped the camp to never even set foot there.

"You would never understand the pain that I went through because of him!" Hoon snapped back.

"Me? not knowing the pain? How do you think you escaped and I didn't?" Jae asked, his voice cracking in the middle.

Hoon fell silent as Jae covered his face with his hand. His legs wobbled and finally gave up as he fell onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Jae, I didn't know that you helped me out of that hell." Hoon said.

"Every pain I've endured, was for you. You were my friend back then..." Jae answered.

Hoon rushed over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder  but Jae shook it away. 

"Just let me die." He said, his voice cracking in the middle.

"I owe you my life, so don't be stupid and stay strong until I pay you back." Hoon said and placed one of Jae's hands over his shoulders and pulled him up.

"I'll help." I said, putting the other over my shoulders.

"Thank you." Hoon said as I nodded.

Whatever they had in the past, it brought them back together. I thought as Hoon checked both sides of the corridor before dashing across the hall with Jae. Hoon had sent every solider guard the palace gates, so mostly the palace was deserted. We reached the stables without anyone noticing and mounted a horse who was tied to a carriage. Hoon took the horse while Jae and I climbed into the carriage.

"Weapons for the battlefield." Hoon lied and passed through the gates, leading us to a nearby village.

He told me to stay with the village physician while he went and informed Ogum about this. The physician was treating Jae, so I sat there right next to him and kept him company. Ogum, Hoon, and I waited until Jae woke up, since the unfamiliar surroundings would confuse him.

"Hey..." I peeked in to see him open his eyes.

Ogum and Hoon peeked in as well.

"...are you okay?" I asked him, and he nodded.

An awkward silence followed and we all looked away from each other.

"I believe I owe you an explanation..." Jae spoke up and I nodded.

The other two left, giving us some privacy.

"There was a girl, the most beautiful girl in our village. I fell for her. And when the time was right, I asked her to marry me." Jae suddenly said as I turned to look at him.

He gave me a small wink and smiled. Wow... I've never seen him smile like that. It's like he's a whole new person. He was looking at his plam, avoiding my eyes.

"What did she say?" I asked.

"She said yes. She told me that all she wanted was love and happiness. If I could fulfill those, she gave permission to marry her." Jae replied, smiling.

"But I couldn't give her any of those. I broke her heart and left her for another woman." He said.

"Then what happened?" I asked curiously.

"I was greedy for power in the past. I got to know that she was a daughter of the king, a princess. So I threatened her to marry me." Jae said.

"She has already moved on. She had a new lover..." he paused.

"So you tried to hurt him to get her." I finished his sentence.

"I couldn't keep my mind off her. Not only because she was a symbol of power, but because I actually loved her." He said, buring his head in his hands.

"I followed her everywhere I could, to keep a close eye. But one day..." he trailed off.

"She entered the palace, but never returned back." Jae finished his story.

"What happened?" I asked, getting curious.

"An attack happened that night. The palace burned down." Jae said.

I nodded as I tried to retrieve the memories I haven't been able to.

"Do you really not know what happened?" Jae asked me.

I shook my head and he continued.

"Your mother was banished by the other queen." Jae said as I looked up at him.

"The first queen didn't have children. Your mother, the second queen had twins." Jae continued. 

"When you two were born, the first queen stole one, but your mother was escaped with the other." I looked at him astonished.

"The king raised the first queen's child, not knowing the truth. The royal couple name her 'Ran', But later, the banished queen informed him about the other child. The king invited the child over to dinner, but unfortunately that was the day the attack happened." Jae said.

This was all confusing me, so I sat there looking at him.

"Which means... that my sister died?" I asked him.

"Actually no. It means that you aren't Ran. You were the child who escaped with the Queen. And you were the one who has been replacing Ran for all these years." Jae said, simplifying everything for me.

"How do you know all this?" I finally managed to ask.

"You were the one who told me." He replied.

So I was a decoy my whole life!? I thought.

"I-I need some fresh air...." I said leaving the room in a hurry.

I stepped our ans passed Ogum amd Hoon amd went away from them. I sat on the bench outside and held my head with both of my hands.

"Please remember. Remember the day of the fire. What happened?" I asked myself as the memories came to me bit by bit.

*****

"You must be our visitor tonight." I heard a voice call out for me.

"I was told that I'm meeting my sister." I explained as a girl stepped out towards me.

She looked awfully lot like me, her brown hair and brown eyes staring back at me. It looked as if I was staring back at myself from the mirror.

"We really look alike." She giggled as I agreed.

"You must be my sister then. I'm glad to finally meet you." She said as I nodded.

"Me too. I am very excited!" I said cheerfully.

"Father is waiting for you in the main hall." She told me.

"You go ahead. I'll join in a bit." She said as I smiled.

"I'm Ran." She said, giving me a hug.

"I'm Hiroshi" I answered, hugging her back.

*****

"What?" I asked myself as I came back to reality.

Did I just introduce myself as........ 'Hiroshi'? I thought.