Pearl was up and ready within twenty minutes, hurriedly running down the hallway with Wooyoung not too far behind.

'I can't believe he didn't even tell me he was coming back.' She muttered to herself, pausing in front of a mirror to check her dress one last time.

'Oh, for Pete's sake, Princess! You look fine!' Wooyoung groaned, taking Pearl's hand and drawing her away.

Pearl could do nothing but grin sheepishly, giddy from the thought of meeting him for the first time in forever. Ember, her fiance, was quite the guy. He was one of the generals of the royal army, a very busy man with a lot of influence. They had met when they were two, their mothers had decided it would be good for both of them to have someone to play with within their own age group. She reminisced the memories of them just as kids playing together in the royal gardens when he quietly put a flower crown on her head. It had quite a variety of flowers: little daisies, roses, and her favourite flowers- violets. She remembered riding horses with him, taking little strolls around the city disguised as mere guards. She remembered the time when her father found out about it, sitting both of them down and giving them an earful of scolding enough to last the whole year. She laughed at the memories as she ran towards the great hall, it remaining the only place left unchecked.

'Hold your horses there princess!' In came a shout from one of the corridors. As she turned to see who dared stop her during such an important quest, her face lightened up even more if that was possible. 'Mingi!' she ran towards the boy, engulfing him in a warm hug. 'What's up with everyone showing up and not even bothering to tell me?' The princess took her cousin's hand, returning to her original path.

'It was Ember's idea' Mingi laughed at the disbelief in Pearl's eyes. 'You know how much he likes to pull your leg.'

'And you help him with it.' She huffed out a breath of annoyance. 'Are you my cousin or his?'

'I see our princess is the same as ever.' Mingi snickered, shaking his head. 'let's go now? I'm sure he is as eager to meet you as you are.' He wiggled his eyebrows, nudging and poking his cousin teasingly.

The giant doors opened up to an even greater hall, bustling with people whose attention went immediately towards the princess standing at the entrance. The trio walked in, greeting the visitors and stopping by to meet the Royal families from friendly nations. However, Pearl was only focused on one and only one task. Her eyes scanned down the entire hall, dejected when she was unable to spot the familiar face she was longing to see.

'Looking for someone, Princess?' Pearl jumped, nearly stepping on another guest's foot at the sudden voice from her back.

'Ember!' She shook her head, wrapping her arms around the broad man's shoulders. 'It's been so long.'

'It's been long indeed,' The man broke the hug, taking her hand and pressing his lips against her knuckles making her turn seven shades of red. 'I mean, look at you! All dressed up and greeting everyone. The princess I knew would've fled the castle the first chance she got.' He scanned her from head to toe.

'I would've if it weren't for you!' she playfully slapped his arm when he just threw his head back in a soundless laugh. 'How come you didn't even think of telling me beforehand?'

'I'm sorry, love. I just wanted to surprise you. Forgive me?' Ember put one hand on her cheek, planting a kiss on her forehead which made Pearl's heart flutter a little and made her divert her eyes to the ground. 'You're lucky that you're handsome.'

The night went on as usual with drinks being passed around loosening up everyone's composed facade and Pearl, though unwillingly, meeting the courtiers from her father's court, laughing along to their unfunny jokes for the sake of being polite while cursing at them in her mind at the same time. She threw a quick glance at her fiance who seemed to be in a conversation with some guards on the further side of the hall. His face looked sharp as usual as he instructed the guards, discreetly pointing in some directions and people.

'You're distracted, princess.' Mingi whispered into Pearl's ear excusing the both of them from the conversation to the emptier side of the hall. 'Thought you could use a break.'

'I needed it, thank you.' She grabbed one of the glasses full of champagne gulping down a hefty amount at once. 'Woah, slow down there! We don't want you tripping over the air so soon into the ball.'

'Oh come on, it isn't like you won't be lying beside me because of your clumsy butt.'

'Fair.' Mingi shrugged, picking up a drink for himself and taking a seat beside the princess who was silently observing people walk around, socialise and boast about the newest manor they got or the most recent land they nabbed from the poor or whatever these people do.

'Say, Mingi,' Pearl started 'If you weren't a royal. Suppose you weren't born into a royal family with all these restrictions. If you were born to just another ordinary family, what would you be doing?' Mingi glanced at his cousin, confused at the odd question that came out of the blue. Pearl, however, didn't show any hint of mischief. Her face was perfectly unreadable.

'All of a sudden?' Mingi asked, chuckling to himself when Pearl just shrugged and looked at him expectantly. 'I suppose a little flower shop in a small town would be great.' he finally answered. Pearl could only grin and tell him it suited him well before taking another sip of the champagne.

'What about you?'

'Me?' Pearl thought over her answer a little. 'I'd want to organise a rebel.'

'King's daughter dreaming of organising rebels?' Mingi giggled at the irony. Pearl smiled along with her finding the idea a little silly herself.

'Oh come on! Sometimes the King's daughter wants to act out too!'

'I think you act out enough as it is. There's no need for you to turn into a rebel.' Mingi pointed outside towards the gardens where Pearl somehow managed to let an entire coop of chickens lose the other day.

'Don't act as if you're any better! Remember the time when you spilt mayonnaise all over Wooyoung's pants and people thought-'

A loud bang interrupted the princess followed by a shrill scream and people running around in panic. Guards surrounded the royal family in a protective circle, Wooyoung shielding the two cousins along with a few other soldiers.

'Intruders.' he muttered, dragging the two away to hide behind one of the pillars as he worked out a way to move out. The princess could only look around confused, trying to find her family in the stampede, her eyes watering and breaths shortening by the second.

'Pearl!' She felt herself getting dragged into an embrace and the familiar scent of orange and Lavender hitting her nose. Ember. 'They've captured His Highness and the queen.' He explained the situation before dragging them to the other side of the hall, opening a secret passage only known to the royal family and their trusted guards. 'This one leads a few kilometres outside the city walls. Take some guards and exit right away.'

'What about you?' Pearl grabbed his hands in hers, teary-eyed and worried.

'I'll be back after I get them out.' He cupped her cheeks in his hand, pointing towards the direction the royals were dragged away. 'I'll be back.' He kissed Pearl's forehead before running off to the doors, drawing his sword out and gesturing for a few more soldiers to follow him.

Ahaha get ready for ze anGst.

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