Time is, as you say, cruel, but I'm more concerned about our actions.

Jungkook refused to let her be alone until she was back in her room. "How could you do this to me? Must you become the wall between me and my lover," she said with a pout.

With an exasperated sigh, he said, "Not for the first time, let me make it clear to you, Inhee, he is not your lover! You only met him about a few days ago."

"Love cannot be measured by time, Dear cousin. I understand your illiteracy in this subject, as you don't possess enough experience. Let me make you a suggestion. How about you learn from our love? It will be one for the books," Inhee said while she scrubbed her nails.

He scoffed. "It will surely be one for the books if you fall in love with King Namjoon."

Inhee loudly gasped, as if even the idea could get her in chains for the rest of her life.

She hit his arm. "How could you not think before speaking at all? You've got a lot to learn from Prince Taehyung," she then squinted her eyes comically, "It is my order that you keep your distance from Prince Jimin. Can't have his influence on you. It's already tough to deal with that blonde cactus."

Jungkook chuckled. "You have given Prince Jimin more names than you have ever taken Prince Taehyung's name."

She rolled her eyes. Of course, she liked to label the things that irked her. "My lover's name needn't be taken. He lives in my heart all the time."

Now it was Jungkook's turn to roll his eyes.

After Jungkook left, Inhee sat by the window, hoping to read a book as all the sleep she had in her was already invested this afternoon.

Just when she was about to start her book, she heard a rattling noise in the bushes. She was quick on her feet, hand already on top of the dagger fastened around her thigh, inside her gown.

Then came a knock on the window, followed by another.

She was stunned in her place when she recognized the face cutely grinning outside of her window.

He mouthed, "Open the window." She shook her face in amazement and couldn't stop herself from mirroring his joy.

"Prince Taehyung!" She whispered-shouted once he was inside the room.

His giddy grin only grew wider. "Happy to see me?"

She chuckled. "Of course, I am, but this is a palace! You can't sneak into a princess's room. What about the palace guards?"

"What is the point of having good combat skills if they can't help you sneak into a princess's room?" He bit his bottom lip, shrugging his shoulders.

"If only you had come a little earlier, then you would've had to use your combat skills against Prince Jungkook," she laughed, gesturing for him to sit on her bed.

"I'd let him win just to feed his ego and while he admires his victory I would admire you," he added a wink to that.

"Wh-why are you here?" She blushed.

"So your cousin can come and go whenever he wants to, and I have to have a specific reason to visit?" He raised his eyebrow and clutched his hand across his heart, dramatically.

"No- I, I, um," she mentally cringed at her stammering, "it's just that I thought you have something important to discuss."

"Well, that- I do!" he made himself home, picking up the grapes next to her bed and resting his head on her pillow, "we must get to know each other, isn't that right?"

Of course, he wouldn't want to marry someone he barely knew, unlike her. "You can inquire with me about whatever you wish to know."

"Why did you agree to the proposal when you were so displeased with it?" He wasted no more time in getting to the questions.

"For the same reason as you," she shrugged, "for the best of our people."

"How are you so sure that I agreed to this because of that reason?" The smirk gradually setting on his lips made her nervous.

"I-I assumed that because – it wouldn't make sense otherwise."

"Would it not make sense if say I saw the most beautiful girl in my life and my heart was captivated?" his gaze fixed on her.

This time, to prevent the stammering, she took a deep breath in. "I'm flattered, Prince Taehyung. My reason must have disappointed you, but I have to admit that I was quite fascinated by your charms as well. I did agree for the people, but it turned out for my benefit."

There was a genuine smile on his face. "Believe me, I'm benefiting more from this."

Behind him, in the dark of the night, she saw a glint of hope. She could see her future with him.

Perhaps, it was too early for that, but the way he owned her without any hesitation she felt belonged. Belonged to someone not out of their mercy but their love.

It wasn't an act of kindness he was showing her as the late king did by accepting her at his doorstep, but pure interest and attraction.

She knew how much her brother adored her, but she could never shake off the feeling of being in debt to someone for her whole life.

But now she had someone, someone who wanted to be hers just as he made her his.

"I know we decided under difficult circumstances, but I wish to keep this genuine. I don't want to marry you just for the kingdom's sake. I like you Prince Taehyung although I don't know much about you, but I wish to learn more and get to know you better," Inhee said what she had held in for a long time.

"I'm glad to know that we are on the same page. I like you too, princess. There is a certain allure to you, which I doubt only my eyes can notice, but it attracts me. You are interesting, doing the most unexpected things at times unlike the other noble ladies I have met," he said, folding his hands above his waist. It seemed to be his habit, she noticed.

"Was that a compliment?" she pondered, taking a seat on the far edge of the bed, "while I appreciate you came here for me, I must warn you about seeking into my room like this."

"How about this then, we sneak out together?" he suggested, quickly sitting up, "the beauty of the White Palace's garden should be admired, it is not fair otherwise."

She hummed in thought. "Only if you agree to fencing with me."

_______

She was in awe of the twinkling stars embroidering the night sky. The palace was asleep except for the guards. She removed her shoes, feeling the cold grass underneath her feet which Taehyung quickly mirrored.

"In other circumstances, I would dread lifting my sword against you, but since we are only playing I want to see how far I can push you," he smirked, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt.

"Well, I have always been good with the sword and defeated my cousin many times. The recent discovery about my identity explains why I was able to do that, but I still don't know if I possess any special power." 

"You have to draw it out. It comes from within. Here, I will teach you, "he passed her the other sword.

She fixed her stance, aligning her sword in his direction. The first few blows were light, he was checking the waters. When she took a few steps forward, returning the hits in a continuous motion, he was taken aback. Then he lowered his stance, adding more force to his attack.

she giggled when the strength of his hits vibrated the sword in her hand. They were breathing hard, but both were very focused.

"How did you draw out your powers?" she asked, missing the opportunity to counterattack.

He laughed at her, gaining a point. "Focus."

"Being curious is more distracting than talking."

"Your never-ending curiosity amazes me," he confessed, holding his sword in defense, "I was quite young. My brother was trying to teach me and Jimin, but only Jimin was successful. On that day, I was sad and disappointed in myself, so I sat alone on the roof of the stable. It was windy that day, and something in the air felt like it was calling me, so I allowed that little force to swallow me. That's how I learned of my power."

"Maybe I should try it when I'm sad and alone?" she asked.

"Oh, well, should I make you?" he asked, his famous dark smirk back on his lips, "sad and alone."

"You are dangerous," she acknowledged with a giggle, witnessing his expression.

"Not to you." That smirk was replaced by a soft smile. "I promise."

She returned the smile, swinging light on her feet, dodging his attack.

Their duel went on for some time, leaving them both breathless and in a fit of laughter. Although she failed to learn about her powers, she got to learn a lot about the person she was going to share her future with. After the fencing, they both sat by the Lilies discussing their childhood.

"I always feel the obligation above my head to do the wise thing to earn the right to live in the palace. This cannot be my home unless I do what is necessary to deserve it."

"You already do a lot," he said with sincerity, "even your king seems to depend more on you than Prince Jungkook."

"Brother Seokjin is the kindest human I know. He never let me feel like I don't belong here, but I can't be compared to Jungkook. He takes an active part in the army, he is allowed to travel to the coasts and help the people, and now he is helping in the preparation for the war. There is only so much I can do as an adopted princess and as a woman."

"That did not stop you from joining us on the recent quest. And that was all before, Inhee, now you know you are a royal. There is no limit to your abilities."

"My identity," she stopped, searching for words, "I think it does me more harm than any good. I'm your enemy. I'm my brother's enemy. The princess of the Crimson Kingdom, the most merciless land among the four, am I to take pride in that?"

Taehyung laughed, ducking his head behind his elbow. He was sitting, leaning against the wall.

"How is that amusing to you?" she asked, raising her brows in shock.

"The deal we made of peace doesn't stand anymore. I was to marry the princess of the White Kingdom, but you are not that," he explained between his laughter, "I would like to know what my brother has to say about this."

"If you put it that way, you are right. You can call it off now," Inhee mumbled, feeling a distant sadness pouring over her, "If you want to."

He reached for her hand on top of the grass. "I told you. I did not agree to this because of that deal. I don't care what my brother wants. I want you."

"Even if I come from the bloodline of heartless monsters who killed people for their pleasure and tortured the four lands?"

"Even that." Their hands interlocked. "I'm no angel either. I do the dirtiest work by my king's order. Doesn't that make me a heartless monster as well? "

"You do that for your brother. He is your family, sharing his burdens is your responsibility." She gave a sad smile. "I don't have a real one. Family, I mean.  I could have, but I figured out my bother died even before we could meet."

"Family are not the people you are bonded to by blood, it is the people who care for you and love you," he said, caressing his thumb on her hand, "You have King Seokjin and Prince Jungkook."

She smiled. "That is true. I love them more than myself."

"Perhaps, one day we could become the same for each other."

There it was, a spark of hope flickering in the deep dark sky. A glimpse of the future she could foresee through the eyes of a dreamer. 

Fortunately, he was giving her the space to decide whether to accept her true identity or abandon it. Strangely, she did the same thing by giving very little thought to where she came from because her eyes were set on where she was going to go.

However, now she knows her bloodline and her uncle, who owned her crown, who's standing in the place she should've been, but is that his fault when her very own mother left her at the mercy of their enemy?

Two days passed by in the same harmony, the birds chipping in the morning while she ate her breakfast and Taehyung's voice in the night. They would sit by the window, telling each other the stories of their childhood. Inhee enjoyed learning about him as much as telling him about herself.