Blue Knight | DAERIN

Chapter 5

"Danielle Unnie!"

Haerin could almost laugh at Danielle's expression when the Princess saw Hyein. She looked shocked but that quickly melted into joy, and she was quick to open her arms and wrap Hyein in a tight hug.

"Hyenie!" She exclaimed happily, inspecting the girl like a mother. "How have you been? You look so good! You're so beautiful, oh my goodness. Have you been eating well?-"

Hyein burst into tears, and Haerin almost reached out to comfort her but Danielle was quicker.

"Hyein?"

"I missed you so much," The youngest said through sobs. "I love you."

Danielle's eyes pricked with tears. "Aw, Hyein..." She kissed the girls forehead - Haerin briefly envied Hyein - and smiled. "You've grown up so much. You're so pretty now."

"Like you." Hyein said easily. "You look like a Princess now."

Danielle scoffed in faux offense. "Did I not look like one before?"

"You just looked like Danielle. Now you look like Princess Danielle." Hyein sighed. "Now we're all back together."

Minji had come to stand next to Haerin, and being the ever so helpful person she was, pushed Haerin forward until she knocked into Hyein and both Haerin and Danielle grabbed the youngest for support.

"Aw, like a family!" Hanni gushed. "Danielle has told me all about the two of you."

Danielle briefly met Haerin's eyes and then she was pulling away, blushing like mad. "Silence Hanni."

Hanni shook her head cheekily. "Nope! I've never seen you blush this much. It's funny."

"I like your dress, Princess." Hyein smoothed her gown.

Danielle smiled at her. "I'll have one made for you."

Hyein's eyes widened. "What? No. Really? Can it be purple?"

"Hyein likes purple a lot." Minji explained. "She was really pushing for it to be our symbolic color."

"Well, it would have a nice meaning!" Hyein argued. "Purple is a mix of blue and red, just like Haerin and Danielle!"

"Wha?-" Haerin sputtered. The color of Danielle's face was enough of a response.

"Princess Danielle and General Haerin used to date, you know." Hyein told Hanni, her arms still wrapped around the princess. "It was really fun because they took me on picnics."

"I love that Hyein approves of the relationship only because she got food." Minji snorted.

Hyein glared playfully at her. "Royal food! And no, that's not the only reason. Danielle's like a nagging mother, but I love her very much."

Hanni giggled. "And what's Haerin?"

"The fun mother, but also the one who gets me out of trouble."

Hanni and Hyein were clearly hitting it off, and Minji, despite sending a few knowing looks at her friend every now and then, was adding to the conversation. Hyein launched into a story about how Minji had once saved them from a pack of wolves - a story that was very intriguing to Hanni who practically gawked every time Minji moved.

Haerin stood at Minji's side, and Danielle stood alone. Haerin replayed the previous statements in her head, mulling them over.

"Haerin and Danielle used to date." Haerin chewed her lip. She wished it wasn't past tense, but it was foolish for her to think that things could just immediately go back to the way they were. In Haerin's mind, the palace was exactly the way it was 4 years ago, but Danielle had been here the whole time and things had changed. Danielle had changed. Maybe the feelings she once had were a thing of the past.

Haerin had been overstepping with what she said about Danielle's beauty. She wasn't flirting, she wasn't trying to be charming, she was just being honest. Danielle didn't have to be a Princess to be the most beautiful girl Haerin had ever seen. God, she'd probably been looking for too long now, but Danielle's dress was hit by the light just right and Haerin could admire the gentle silhouette of her body. Her shoulders were wide, and the neckline caused Haerin to blush.

Danielle shot her a look, and Haerin stopped her staring.

"Haerin?" Hyein was looking at her expectantly.

"Huh?"

"You don't remember?"

"Sorry...remember what?"

"I was telling Hanni about how you slew the Edentian King." Hyein explained. "I think it was so romantic."

"Didn't she like, behead the guy?" Hanni asked, her nose crinkled in disgust.

"No, that was a rumor. She stabbed him. And it was pretty romantic." Minji nudged her. "Right Haerin?"

"In what way?" Haerin grumbled, her question was rhetorical.

"If someone went off and killed a King for me, I'd marry them right away." Hanni gave Danielle a weird look. "I'd stop being such a wimp about my feelings."

Danielle glared at her.

"Yeah!" Hyein agreed, oblivious to the tension. "Everyone is acting so weird, shouldn't you be happy?" Hyein turned to Haerin. "First you wouldn't shut up about Princess Danielle and now you aren't talking at all."

Danielle took a deep breath. "Excuse me." She muttered, pushing past Hanni and heading back to the party.

Hanni shrugged and turned back to the rest of them, but Haerin didn't want to stay either. She wished their friends could just not mention it. It made everything so weird.

"I'm um, going to turn in early." Haerin said quietly to Minji. "Send my well wishes to the King."

"Oh come on, you can't leave now- wait." Minji's voice softened and her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"I'll tell you later." Haerin promised. "I swear. Just right now..." She shook her head. "I don't want to have to see her."

"Okay" Minji nodded. "I got you."

Haerin nodded politely to the King, who was watching her with a curious expression, and silently made her way out of the great hall, ignoring every look sent her way. Only when she was safely behind the doors of her chamber did she allow the polite smile to drop from her face.

"Fuck this" She muttered, letting herself flop onto the bed and fall into a dreamless sleep.