Night Prince

Stay

Ding! BANG!

Even before the sun rose above the horizon, Joo Myeok was already hacking away at the heated metal. The various sounds of scraping metal and iron against iron echoed in the armoury he was working in, and the man was sweating his brows off to produce the best weapons for the coming war.

Brandishing the newest blade that he had made, Joo Myeok smiled at the clean, crisp sound that the sword made as he slashed it across the stuffy air.

Within the vicinity of the armoury, a young lad had just returned to the stables with the royal horses in tow. The gentle tail swishes in the stables were accompanied by the quiet snorting in the air as Eun Dong hummed while brushing down the manes of the beautiful stallions. The horse whisperer worked in peace, preparing the royal horses for the long week ahead.

If one were to walk a few more steps towards the south wing, they would see the royal army training hard on the training grounds, having just finished their morning run with their captain. Captain Pyo might have lost in his recent duels, but there was no denying that the army was growing stronger under his watchful eye.

With the impending war looming over their heads, even Mr Shampoo Hair was hell-bent on pushing the army's limits such that they would excel against the rebels.

And in the palace, the royal advisor was going back and forth the empty corridors with a pile of paper in his hands. Kwang Beom himself was busy confirming the strategies with the officials and attaining the king's seal for their latest measures to protect the citizens.

Ever since the king announced the war, everyone has been working around the clock in preparation for the fight. From weapons to horses to strategies to their fighters, nothing was being left to chance – not after what happened the first time.

The preparations were not the only things that had changed. Even the air took on a darker hue, weighed by the fear that punctuated the air heavily, stripping the people of their natural ability to breathe freely. It wasn't just because they were fearful, it was also because they dread another round of suffering, be it emotionally, physically or mentally.

For those who were old enough, the trauma from the first attack still laid fresh in their minds, haunting them even at twilight. For those who were too young to remember, they suffered the aftermath of losing their loved ones too.

Until the war was over, none of them could breathe.

For now, they could only hope that they would be prepared enough this time.

Down at the town, Yoon Seri was doing her part amidst the preparations as well. That morning, she was helping the townsfolk move to the various safe houses that had been furbished after the first attack. As part of the king's announcement, the vulnerable community were told to stay clear of the grounds.

So, for the past few days, Seri had been spending her days out in town.

"Be careful." Seri urged one of the seniors kindly when one of them almost tripped over a rock.

Offering to help with her bag, Seri accompanied the old lady all the way to the East Safehouse and helped her settle in.

Before she could turn to leave, the old lady had grabbed her hand and placed a bag of sweets in her palm.

"Thank you, precious girl." The old lady thanked her.

Smiling at the old lady, Seri bowed and left with the bag of sweets, heading straight for the palace where she had an appointment with a certain princess.

As she expected, Seo Dan was on the training grounds too, fighting off five men when she arrived. The former commander moved effortlessly through the masses of pure muscles, swiftly finishing them off in a series of aerial kicks and punches. For a few minutes, Seri stood at the sidelines, observing Seo Dan's movements carefully up until the fight ended.