The first light of dawn crept across the palace courtyard, pale and tentative. Bella stretched, arms reaching skyward, body coiling and releasing in practiced arcs.
The morning air smelled of dew, polished stone, and the faint tang of metal from the nearby armory.
She woke with a heaviness in her chest she hadn't felt in days. Not pain, longing. A quiet homesickness that crept in when her guard slipped. She missed a place where survival wasn't performance, where she didn't have to calculate every breath, every movement, every word. A place she didn't need to fight to belong.
For a brief moment, she stared into nothing, suspended between past and present.
Maybe warming up her body could help, as she moved through a series of exercises, each kick and pivot precise, measured, her body remembering the rhythms of survival.
She took her practice outside.
The palace guards stationed around the training field didn't move, didn't blink. Their eyes followed her every motion, whispers sliding between them like cautious wind.
"Did you see that movement?" one murmured. "That's how she killed the demon tigers."
"Tigers?" another scoffed quietly. "Two of them? Sounds exaggerated."
"No," a third replied, voice hushed. "It's true. The news spread through the kingdom."
The skeptic frowned, watching Bella's blade flash in the sunlight. "Still… she's foreign. No noble house. That kind of strength unsettles people."
A laugh slipped from Bella as she completed a spin, the sunlight catching the edge of her sword.
A soft thump in the distance drew her gaze.
She turned instantly, blade raised, stopping a breath from a boy's chest.
The boy moved forward, small, hesitant, fourteen at most, noble posture disguised by fear.
"You almost got skewered," Bella said coolly. "Do you always approach an opponent without announcing yourself?"
The boy swallowed. "I… I'm learning to be stealthy," he said, voice barely audible, tremulous with nerves. "To be… a royal guard someday."
"And you came all this close without making a sound?" Bella asked, lowering her blade.
He bowed, knees stiff, gaze fixed on the ground. "I… I wanted to learn from you. If… if it's not too bold, maybe you teach me how to fight like you? How to…" His eyes flicked nervously to her, "…survive."
Bella's lips twitched into a smile. "Survive, huh? You mean… kill tigers and crush men twice your size?"
"Yes," he whispered. "Exactly that."
She laughed, sharp and bright, and he looked up, frozen, wide-eyed. The sun glinted in her eyes, her stance commanding, every motion balanced like a storm held in place. His heart thudded uncontrollably, fascination and awe tangled with something he didn't quite name, an infatuation born in an instant.
"Alright," she said. "But if I teach you combat, you teach me stealth. Your ability might prove useful in certain situations."
"You want to learn that too?" He asked her surprised she'd want to learn anything from someone as low in strength as him.
Bella nodded.
She gestured to the center of the field. "Show me your stance. Balance first."
He nodded eagerly, sweat forming on his brow, hands shaking.
By the time she had started walking him through movements, correcting his posture, adjusting grips, the sound of hooves echoed across the courtyard.
Ji-ho stepped onto the field, shadow stretching long behind him. "What are you doing?" he asked, voice edged with plain irritation.
Bella dodged a practiced swing, bowing formally. "Your Highness," she said, a teasing tilt to her lips.
Ji-ho's eyes flicked to the boy, then back to her, narrowing playfully. "You're not meant to be teaching anyone else but me."
She laughed, spinning away, letting the wind tug her hair. "Are you jealous that I'm training with a child?"
"Jealousy? I don't care who you train with. I just don't want you training with anyone else but me." He frowned, voice low, possessive in a way that made the boy shrink slightly behind Bella.
The boy shrank back.
"Fine," Bella said, ignoring the boy's wide-eyed stare, "if you insist, Your Highness. Shall we then?"
A long training session followed, the rhythm of their blades and feet carving a ballet across the courtyard. Bella moved fluidly despite the twinge in her side from old injuries. Ji-ho matched her step for step, his frustration mounting as he realized he couldn't best her, not yet.
Ji-ho noticed.
"Your wound," he finally interrupted, eyes sharp. "Call the royal physician!"
She waved him off. "No. I'm fine." As she sits down to catch her breath.
"I insist," he said, stepping close. "You're more injured than you admit. I saw the royal physician yesterday. They need to see you immediately, before this worsens."
" Like I said, I am fine. I don't need to see anyone the wound were healed by itself. I've disinfected it with some herbs."
"Why do you always reject me? Why do you always reject the help I offer you? It's like you're against people helping you. Do I bother you when I offer you my help?"
"I-I don't do that on purpose."
" don't let me call the Royal physician to attend your wound. Please."
Even with her protest, guards were summoned. The physician examined the shallow cut, infected, but treatable. Herbs, balms, and careful wrapping later, Bella was tended to while the Crown Prince lingered, arms crossed, silent vigilance etched into his posture.
Later, as they rested, conversation drifted.
"The princess election," Bella said carefully.
Ji-ho stiffened. "Do not speak of it."
"You can't avoid it forever."
He exhaled sharply. "It continues."
"It's obvious who should win."
He stopped. "Why can't it be you?"
She froze.
"You're powerful," he continued. "And that's exactly why they'd fear you, foreign, unbound to noble blood, unpredictable. You would change everything."
Bella froze, heart hammering. Thoughts scrambled for a response, daring words that might be bold, dangerous. Her gaze flicked to Poong Yeon, standing off to the side, who quickly averted his eyes, muttering silently: Do not involve me in this.
She laughed softly, uneasily. "You're dangerous when you speak like that."
As evening fell, a trusted guard was dispatched to the rebels.
Bella hadn't known the message carried the King's seal.
As night fell, the King's summons reached Bella, instructing her to come to the royal chamber. The palace lights flickered to life along the corridors, a soft, golden glow illuminating every stone and silk.
The day had begun with blades, awe, and playful rivalry. It would end with secrets, schemes, and the quiet, persistent heartbeat of something new, something dangerous, between her and Ji-ho.
The corridor leading to the royal chamber was quiet, except for the faint whisper of silk against polished stone. Guards bowed as she passed, eyes lowered, murmuring only to one another, yet still tracking her every step. Even in a palace filled with formality, her presence drew notice, strength and reputation preceding her like a shadow.
Bella stepped into the chamber. The room was spacious, dominated by polished wood and golden accents, banners hanging with the kingdom's sigils. The King stood near a wide desk, papers scattered, but his attention immediately shifted as she entered.
"Your Majesty," Bella said, bowing deeply.
The King straightened, approaching her. "Bella," he said warmly, his gaze steady. "Come closer."
She obeyed, stepping lightly. He studied her carefully, hands resting behind his back. "You have done well. The Crown Prince returns safe and strong, thanks to you."
Bella inclined her head. "It is my duty, Your Majesty. Nothing
"And yet," he said gently, "those who shine too brightly in court invite shadows."
Her spine stiffened.
From the far side of the room, Ji-ho's voice cut in, quiet but sharp. "And yet, you excel at everything you do."
She turned to him, meeting his gaze. His expression was calm, almost detached, yet his eyes betrayed a flicker of something warmer, something dangerous.
"I suppose…" she began, then paused, unsure. Words were never as easy with him around. "…I suppose it's easier when you have someone precious to protect."
He stepped closer, stopping mere inches away. The air between them tightened, charged with tension. "And yet, you're here," he murmured. "In the palace. Among walls, people, politics… and still, you shine."
Bella's heart stuttered. She swallowed, trying to steady her racing pulse. "I only follow what must be done."
Ji-ho's lips curved ever so slightly. "Perhaps," he said, softer now, "but even what must be done can be remarkable when it's you."
Before she could respond, the doors opened again, and a royal aide entered, bowing. "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's message to the rebels has been dispatched. They will prepare immediately."
Bella turn instantly, eyes wide with shock.
She was surprised to learn that the Crown Prince would involve his father in taking than the Prime Minister.
Ji-ho's eyes darkened at the new, tension rippling in his shoulders. "Good. The Prime Minister will not know what strikes him next."
The King nodded gravely. "Keep your allies close, son. And Bella, I trust you will continue to guide him?"
Bella inclined her head. "I will, Your Majesty. Every step of the way."
Ji-ho's gaze softened, just enough for her to see the faint vulnerability beneath the weight of his crown. "And I," he said, voice low, "will follow your lead… at all times, I hope, even when I am meant to lead."
A pause lingered, a charged silence that neither dared break. Bella felt it—an intimacy born of shared battles, laughter, fear, and trust. Her fingers twitched as though drawn to him, but decorum held her at bay.
The King cleared his throat. "Enough sentiment," he said firmly, though his eyes twinkled at the sight of the two. "Plans must continue. We are far from safe, even with the Crown Prince returned. The Prime Minister's ambition grows larger, patient, and poisonous. We must prepare, gather evidence, and ensure the succession remains intact."
Bella's eyes flicked to Ji-ho. "We will," she said confidently.
He nodded, the faintest smile brushing his lips. "And we will see this through, together."
The King stepped aside, motioning toward the palace windows. Outside, the morning light spilled across the gardens, golden and promising. Warriors trained in the courtyards, banners swayed gently, and the city beyond hummed with life.
Bella took a slow breath, letting the energy of the palace sink into her. This was her world now, her purpose intertwined with a prince, a kingdom, and the shadows of intrigue yet to unfold.
Ji-ho's hand brushed the edge of hers as he moved past. She felt it, a fleeting connection, enough to set her heart racing, enough to remind her that even in a palace of steel and silk, emotions could strike sharper than any blade.
And as the doors closed behind them, the whispers of conspiracies, alliances, and untold dangers filled the chamber, promising that the battles ahead: political, martial, and of the heart, were only just beginning.