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STRETCHING HER SHOULDER Hinako craned her neck to the side, letting out a sigh of relief, "Ugh that was tiring," The brunette mumbled as she made her way down the hallways of the castle, Rukio by her side.
"You were doing pretty well so far," Rukio complimented her as Hinako chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah well I have father to thank for that, He used to slack off quite a bit so all his paperwork fell on me."
A few weeks ago Soo-Won had received a tip about Nadai, a drug that was being circulated throughout the water tribe. Apparently from the reports it was causing a riot in the tribe with its deadly hold and so Lord Soo-Won and General Joo-Doh along with a few soldiers had departed to check it out.
Since Lord Soo-Won was out of the capital the next figure of authority was directly Hinako, now usually a woman being in charge was looked down upon but that was another thing Soo-Won wanted to change so after he heard how Hinako had some experience with paperwork she was put in charge.
Startled, Hinako looked up to see Adviser Kye-Sook making his way towards the main gate of the castle in a hurry, "Is something wrong adviser?" Rukio questioned the older male, "The king has arrived," He replied courteously before marching past them.
Hinako blinked her brown eyes before her pale lips stretched into a grin as she darted behind Kye-Sook to greet his majesty.
Just as Adviser Kye-Sook said through the gates King Soo-Won appeared riding his horse with General Joo-Doh and two of his soldiers in tow, "Your Highness!" Hinako exclaimed delightedly as Kye-Sook greeted them, "Welcome back King Soo-Won."
"Hinako, Adviser Kye-Sook." Soo-Won greeted them back as he got off the horse, though before anyone else could speak, Adviser Kye-Sook spoke up, "You said you were going to survey the water tribe...But what a Hurried return."
Hinako slightly cringed at his tone, Adviser Kye-Sook truly sounded like one of those over-protective mothers at this moment, In fact Adviser Kye-Sook had spent the last few days throwing a tantrum, sometimes Hinako forget that he was just a few years older than her.
"I'd prefer if you didn't do any more undercover work..." The adviser trailed off, noticing the state of General Joo-Doh and the Soldier's.
"General Joo-Doh you're injured!" Hinako was surprised as the two other soldiers seemed to have met the same fate as him, it was like they were injured fighting a beast.
"I'll get the salve and some bandages to treat your wounds," Hinako mumbled as she rushed off towards her room picking out the salve and some bandages while asking Rukio to prepare some hot water to cleanse the wound.
Returning back, Hinako stopped abruptly at the tense atmosphere that seemed to have been built around Lord Soo-Won and General Joo-Doh.
Now Hinako wasn't trying to eavesdrop but she couldn't help but pick out on their exchange, "Next time I'll cut him down." Soo-Won said firmly his tone so sharp that it sent chills down her spine.
General Joo-Doh simply looked away as Lord Soo-Won made his way towards the castle, stopping as he noticed Hinako standing there, "Umm...I.." Hinako fumbled trying to justify herself when Soo-Won simply flashed her a smile before making his way inside, ordering for a Five tribe council meeting.
Just what in the world happened in the Water tribe?
✤✤✤
The stars twinkled brightly in the dark sky as Soo-Won leaned against the pillar of one of the balconies. When he had been younger, much younger, he had once along with Yona and Hak tried to find a shooting star after he heard someone say that if you wish upon a shooting star, your wish will be granted.
The trio of childhood friends spent an entire night out in the courtyard grazing at the sky hoping to catch a glimpse of a shooting star until finally they fell asleep outside, catching a cold the next day.
"You wouldn't believe what the maids in the kitchen are gossiping about!" The blonde king looked up to see Hinako sneaking into the balcony before sitting down next to him, "Apparently King Soo-Won's wife is cruel enough not to give him food after he spent weeks outside!"
Said King raised an eyebrow confused as Hinako continued to speak in a hushed voice as if she was scared someone would hear them, "Pardon?" The brunette straightened herself before looking at him pointedly, "That's what they all will say if you just refuse to eat food!"
Bowing down his head in realisation Soo-Won chuckled slightly before he grazed up at the sky as both of them sat in silence.
"What did you think of Princess Yona and General Hak?" Soo-Won questioned suddenly his expression serious, Hinako looked at him surprised before think about it.
"I cannot say that I knew them personally but with what I had heard from my father about General Hak... Well father had thrown a tantrum after he lost to a 13 year old boy, in fact he decided to train me harder in hopes that one day I would beat him." Hinako trailed off, chuckling.
Soo-Won looked at her curiously, "Did you? Beat him in a dual I mean?" Hinako sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "Well that's a story for another time... Princess Yona on the other hand, I met her only a handful of times but our first meet stood out to me the most."
This time Soo-Won turned towards her, so it was only him who hadn't met or known about Hinako, "It was around the time when King Il had recently become the Emperor, he had summoned the Generals for a council and so my father had me accompanying him."
Pulling her knees towards her chest, Hinako rested her head on her folded hands, "My first impression of princess Yona wasn't great, I was just wandering around the castle when I stumbled upon a window in the courtyard when I heard her voice."
"I think she was dressing up or something but I could hear her boasting to the Handmaidens about how pretty she considered herself to be and how her red hair was ruining her entire beauty, naturally my first impression of her was that she was spoiled," Soo-Won wasn't surprised, Yona had always been given whatever she wanted, it was natural for her to grow spoiled and feel like she was on top of the world, ignoring everything that happened outside the walls.
"But then later that day when I first saw her in person, I understood," Hinako's tone softened, "There in front of me stood a little girl with gorgeous red hair and the most deepest blue eyes I had ever seen...and yet it wasn't the beauty of her eyes or hair that drew me in, it was sadness that her eyes held."
"It suddenly made so much more sense as to why she grew ignorant to the outside world and why she grew up spoiled, Unlike me who had a father to train and spend time with and an entire earth clan dotting on me, Princess Yona's father was just too busy to actually spend time with her and so naturally adapted to the patten where she herself fulfilled the needs she yearned for."
Soo-Won's green orbs widened as he looked at Hinako, people always assumed that Yona was spoiled, he himself did...Soo-won was just so consumed in his thirst for revenge and plan to bring back this nation's glory that he neglected the simple fact that Yona and Hak were also a part of this nation and they deserved to know the truth.
And yet here Hinako sat, her knees pulled up to chest, her face resting on them as the moonlight reflected on her. A sad smile on her lips as she uttered the words, "Princess Yona was just lonely."
Soo-Won couldn't change what he had done, and maybe if given that chance he wouldn't, he himself had chosen this path and now he had to walk it...But he couldn't help but think that in another life, if everything hadn't gone down the way it had, Maybe Yona would have found a friend in Hinako....
For the first time in his life, Soo-Won watched as a shooting star fell from the sky.
