life may not be fair but it sure is beautiful

Mask of a pawn

Jungeun was feeling at peace. That was how she felt most of the time these past three years really. The princess was the best company she could ask for.

She respected her, valued her and the most importantly saw her as a friend. She was not all high and mighty; she was actually pretty down to earth. Something made Jungeun think that she was starving for affection and companionship. So she gave all she could to the princess.

They were sitting on the cushions the servant laid out for them by the lake. The princess insisted on this field trip since the palace was crowded due to one of her sisters getting married. There was no need for the youngest princess, so it seemed.

"Jungie, what are you thinking so deeply about? You're going to drill a hole in your head." Said Jiwoo smiling. She held a vine in her hand, occasionally eating grapes off of it. "This place is so beautiful, right Jungie-ah? If we didn't have to, I wouldn't ever go back there."

Sunrays were falling on her silk hanbok so poetically that Jungeun could swear that she was a painting.

"It is, noona, it truly is." She said with a sigh. "Sadly we can not stay for that long. They will know that you are gone if we don't return by sunset."

Jiwoo playfully threw her a grape. "Yah! Don't spoil my heaven! I know that already. I'm trying to get much as I can from this place."

"I'm sorry, noona," Jungeun said bowing her head. A comfortable silence once again formed between them. Jungeun returned to watching the view. Her hair was less royalty-like at that moment. There was only one accessory on it and it was a simple crown with a sun symbol engraved on it. Her light-pink/white hanbok was slightly wrinkled from horseback riding. She still looked like the definition of grace and beauty. Her face was free of her political mask when they were the only ones around. A smile that Jungeun would die for was permanent on her face at times like these.

"As much as I appreciate your stare, my servant might misunderstand you Jungie-ah. She might think that you are having dishonorable thoughts about your princess." Jiwoo said with a grin, looking at the horizon as she spoke. "We wouldn't want that, would we?"

Jungeun coughed a little as the tea she suddenly drank too fast burned her throat. "No, your grace, that would be inappropriate. I would never."

Jiwoo looked at her, amused before she summoned her servant. "Yerim, would you look for those wild berries we saw last time? I have a sudden craving for them."

Yerim looked at them with suspicion before she bowed and carried out the given order.

"Noona, why are you like this? You know she will add fire to the rumors as soon as we return. I do not wish to taint your name like that." Jungeun ranted restlessly. These past years, even if they were peaceful, were filled with rumors. A lot of servants thought that there was something going on between the two, after all the princess sought after the guard company above everyone else's.

"All they can do is gossip, Jungie. All I'm doing is shaking a bone in my hand in front of the dogs. Nothing more." Jiwoo said with a frown. "You have to keep people who are jealous at bay with false information so that they can never reach the truths. It's all a part of the political games within the palace. We're just pawns of it. Sad, really."

Jungeun felt like there was a lot of distance between them at times like these. She would never be where Jiwoo was standing. She would never know the brutal games of politics. A game Jiwoo participated in since she took her first breath. A game so ugly and unpleasant that it needs the entire countries taxes to wrap it all up in silk and flower essence. A game that leads the princess' life ruthlessly.

"I offer you my sincerity, noona. You don't have to be a pawn or a mask with me. You can just be your smile, your tears, and your sense of wonder. You don't have to cover yourself, your mind up. You can be at peace." Jungeun said with a genuine smile.

Blushing furiously, Jiwoo turned her face towards the lake. "Look who's talking about feeding the rumors? Who taught you to talk like that Jungie? You could fool some poor girls with that kind of a talk."

"There is not a person who deserves to hear the words I speak to you, noona. No one is worthy enough." Jungeun said with a smug look. She loved seeing the princess flustered.

"Get me a cup of water, will you Jungie? Your sly tongue has tired me."

Chuckling as she stood up, Jungeun went by the horses to grab the water skin. Going through the bag for some cups, she heard a faint noise, coming from the forest. It could be Yerim returning with a handful of berries but it never hurts to be careful.

Jungeun put the things she grabbed back and reached for her sword's handle. As soon as she did that seven men in all black emerged from the forest, 4 of them circling Jungeun, three of them running towards the princess.

"Run!" Jungeun yelled towards the princess as she sheeted her sword. These were low-lives, bandits, looking for gold probably. They presumably saw the princess sitting there with only one guard and thought this would be an easy win.

They thought wrong, Jungeun said to herself attacking those who were near her. With a few slashes of her sword, three of them were down. As the last one charged at her, the princess was running towards the forest, her dress getting in her way. Jungeun kicked the man in front of him in the chest with all her power to gain time. The man stumbled backward as Jungeun threw one of the knives she hid in her clothing to the man following Jiwoo. It hit him in the head and knocked him down. The man attacking her had gathered his stance and charged at her again. This time Jungeun had a plan. She dodged the man and ran behind him using her small frame to her advantage. Then it was not a challenge to knock him out with a hit on the head. She wasted no time running towards the princess. The other two caught her by her wrists a few minutes earlier. There was still a distance between Jungeun and those scumbags. One of them stood up to fight with her as the other used his filthy hands to hold the princess. Jiwoo was screaming and struggling with all her power but it didn't matter. The man was too strong. He grinned down at her while he teasingly got closer and smelled her scent. That's it, thought Jungeun, you will die.

The first man came up to her and swung his sword, in the meantime the filth that touched the princess was throwing her on his shoulder and running towards the forest. Jungeun was only seeing red.

She slashed the first man with a swing of her sword, blood spilling everywhere. Without a second thought, she ran towards the way the filth took the princess. She thanked god they didn't gag the princess, as she followed her screams.

"I'm coming noona, don't worry!" she yelled as she ran.

Finally, she saw the man's back. Jungeun grabbed her second knife and aimed. It hit the back of his head, right next to Jiwoo's face. The man groaned in pain as he kneeled down, life leaving him. Jungeun ran to catch the princess before she fell.

"Jungie!" she cried, hiccupping along the way. "I was so scared! Thank you."

Jungeun let the princess hug her and cry onto her clothes. "I am sorry noona, I should have defeated them sooner."

The princess continued to hug her and cry with thankful words. Jungeun looked at the man in the pool of blood in front of them. "You don't ever need to thank me noona. Your life is the meaning of mine. I will protect you with everything I have."

Jiwoo sobbed harder onto her.