Destiny

Chapter 11

It didn't take long for Jennie to be disturbed by a knock on the wooden doorframe. A familiar shadow reflected on it.

"You may enter." She spoke without lifting her head from the page she was skimming through. Jisoo stepped inside and slid the door closed for privacy.

"You wanted to see me."

"I did. Take your seat here." She gestured to the floor and Jisoo immediately kneeled in front of the princess.

"You will be dismissed as my guard soon." The younger woman scanned her face for the usual cocky smirk but it remained stoic to the point Jennie was slightly uncomfortable.

"I will."

"Do you have anything to inform me?" An uncomfortable silence took over. Jennie waited for a flirty line. Maybe some hearty words that made her swoon slightly. But none of that came.

"Lisa will take great care of you."

"Is...is that all?" She was surprised to receive such a formal tone from the General.

Jisoo was at war with her mind. Her brief meeting with the Emperor and General Kim made her realize she had much more important matters to deal with as a General.

"I promise to make sure the Emperor arrives back safely."

"Do you have nothing else to tell me?" Jennie didn't know what words she was waiting for but it wasn't this.

"I will take my leave, your Majesty." Jisoo bowed and left her before she could even complain.

Have we not become closer? Why are you treating me like a stranger?

Jennie felt an unfamiliar pinch in her chest. It was the first time it hurt this much. There was no hostility in Jisoo's rather formal tone but it still hurt.

Was it all an act?

----------

"Your brain has returned?!" Lisa felt up Jisoo's head to check. The General smacked her hands away.

"All I said was I plan to stop bothering the princess and start taking my role as a General more seriously."

"Yes, and this means we might all live!" Lisa squealed in delight. "The Emperor will keep us alive."

Jisoo rolled her eyes and continued watching their swords be sharpened. Her heart was still unrest. The way Jennie looked at her yesterday was painful to say the least.

She spent almost a week training to keep her mind off of it and ended up waking up too late to bring her to the valley as requested. Apparently the princess had asked to leave with a Royal guard instead of her for those days.

"I think she might be upset with me."

"And why would that be?"

"I'm unsure. I expected she was only surprised by my sudden formality but the way she frowned before I left and the fact she had asked for me to not accompany her says otherwise."

Lisa racked her brain for an explanation.

"Maybe she is tired of your face."

"Impossible. Look at these charming and heavenly sculpted features." Jisoo held her hand under her chin.

"You are allowed to love yourself. But please do it in moderate amounts. I'm sure you have upset my stomach now." Lisa paid the blacksmith and walked off with her sword.

Jisoo waited for her own and sprinted behind her.

"General Kim had mentioned that travel to Baekje might take days and travelling back will also take an equally long amount of days.