THIRTEEN PRINCES (SEVENTEEN fantasyfanfic) [EDITING]

TWENTY FOURTH

Hae Rin's POV:

After Chan left, the Goryeo Princes continued eating in silence.

As soon as they finished eating, and the court ladies cleared the plates, Heesung came, announcing the resume of their training.

I was relieved that he didn't notice that I cried, I observed that they truly care and love Princess Hae Seung and so I cannot let them hate Chan or any of the Princes because of what happened earlier. I can't imagine what will they do to them if ever they found out how the other Princes treated me, Jisoo comforted me before he left to train again.

I was about to sit down on the wooden chair, ready to watch the princes with their training when Jake suddenly showed up, scary Jay with him. "Princess! It's time for get training!", He pulled my hand lead me to the other part of the Palace, opposite on where the Princes are training, Jay is following us from behind, happily giggling.

"Jay and I will train you!". Jake said. And I concluded that Heesung, Niki and Sunghoon are in charge of training the Princes of Goryeo.

"Hold this sword like this!", Jay said and put the sword in my hands.

I immediately dropped the sword, terrified of it and was really surprised. "I-It sh-should be wooden sword first ri-right?", I stuttered as I asked him, Jake chuckling while watching us, as if he finds me amusing.

Observing my reaction, Jay noticed that I am scared of the real sword he put in my hand and so he frowned, "No, the blood running through your veins doesn't fear swords, so pick that up and we will start training", He plainly said, here we go again, a bipolar Jay, I picked up the sword and positioned my self to like what he said.

"Hold the hilt firmly but not too tightly, Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other for balance. Keep your knees slightly bent and your body relaxed. When you swing the sword use your entire body to generate power, not just your arms. Rotate your hips and shoulders to add force to your strikes".

"And then swing it just like this!", Jay did a swinging motion like he was slashing someone.

"Yaaaaaah!", I shouted and 'attack' Jake, doing like how Jay taught me. Yes, this might be the first time I'm holding a real sword and yet I am now sparring with Jake right away, he wouldn't kill me right?

After just a few lesson about how to grip the sword the proper stance and footwork, and how to draw the sword and swing it, I felt like my body was sore from all the training and so I give up, "I'm tired and hungry!". I said and slumped on the floor.

"It is too early to give up", Jay said, not liking how little my strength and perseverance.

"But, I'm tired!", I whined at him, trying to act cutely so I won't provoke to come out the scary side of him.

"PICK-UP-YOUR-SWORD!", he said in a gritted teeth, I gulped, failing miserably at my attempt to persuade him to rest with my cutesy. I stood up and Stand with my feet shoulder-width apart, one foot slightly in front of the other, holding my sword in front of me, ready to swing it and waiting in his command.

He's so scary I cannot make myself disobey his word.

I accepted my fate that I will be dropped dead tired when this training finishes when I saw Jungwon walking toward us with Sunoo beside him, I hide behind him and Sunoo's back, as if telling them that Jay is giving me a hard time.

Jungwon chuckled at me in amazement and look at Jay and playfully narrowed his eyes. "Look at what you did, you scared Hae Seung!", he said while laughing, Sunoo was giggling too.

"We do not want to scare her, but she should learn how to fight with sword, she should be better than the Princes! She's our cousin and soon to be the Queen anyway! how can she protect Silla if she is a weakling! Add the fact that we're the best swordsman of all of kingdoms!". Jake defended Jay.

There is one thing that registered to my mind from all of what Jake said, "Wait!" I held my hand to catch their attention, "What do you mean that I am going to be the Queen?", I asked looking at them with disbelief.

"Yes!", Jungwon cheered, enjoying my reaction.

"I am going to marry you?", My eyes grew bigger in shock, and Jungwon and the others turn to a fit of laughter like what I said is the funniest joke they heard in their lifetime.

"No, haha! You're funny!", Jungwon seems like he cannot stop himself from laughing was about to roll to the ground, Sunoo was holding his arm to prevent him from falling, he is also laughing. And I find it so unbelievable, that the King who was so firm and full of authority in front of Goryeo is now laughing without a care in the world.

Still want to get an answer, I continue asking Jungwon though I really wanted to hide right now from all that embarrassment, "Then how can I be the Queen?".

The most plausible reason to be the queen is to marry the king right?, how come I'll be a queen without marrying a king? Though I do not wanted that to happen.

"When we completed teaching you how to manage the place and our people, I will give you the throne", Jungwon said, like it was the best and right thing that he should do, no hidden envy or greed in his word.

"But why?", I innocently ask, I cannot imagine myself being the Queen and managing the Palace, oh, no! I am not even the real Princess Hae Seung to begin with.

"Because, this throne belongs to the King and Queen, which happen to be your Mother and Father, we aren't into this Throne. Just like you, our Mother and Father died in the war, we're almost annihilated. You, Heesung, Sunghoon, Jake, Jay, Sunoo, Niki and I are the only left in our bloodline. So we are only here taking responsibility to protect you and all the things that are precious to you and your parents". He said it while looking in my eyes, he pulled me in an embrace and I felt the tears flowing in my eyes.

He kisses my forehead as he bid his goodbye, "Resume the training now Princess, I have important things to do" He said as he and Sunoo left.

Grumbling I picked up my sword, "I thought I am free from this training!",

"Ahuh, lazy Princess!", Jake snorted.

"I am not!". I said and attack him, at first I am only gonna playfully swing my sword on him trying to caught him off guard but I do not know where I got this skills, Jake keeps on swinging his sword to me, while I can openly see his fast movement and able to block the swinging of his sword with mine, clanking the blades together, and then suddenly, I find myself above him pointing my sword at his throat while I am pinning him down, my other hand clutching on his collar.

Surprised by what I did, I am also bewildered why does it feel like I am born with a sword on my hand and knows how to fight with this piece of metal?

The applauding break me in my train of thoughts and stood up, muttering sorry to Jake while I help him get up.

"Very good! That's the princess I knew! A princess who always claim that she is the best sword fighter in the world!", Jay said, proudly clapping his hand while dramatically slowly shaking his head in approval.

Jake who isn't angry at what I did, "I envy you! You've gotten even greater in sword fighting! you almost killed me!", He said locked my head in his arm and playfully smacking my head lightly.

"You even defeated the best sword fighter in Silla! Good job!", Jay praises me.

While the two of them are happily celebrating, I cannot stop thinking about what happened to me back then? Why I know how to grip the sword and swing it almost masterfully? Or is it really just my instinct? But, I don't think so, I'm never been good at sword fighting let alone know how to properly swing the sword that Jay was pissed at how many times he had teaches me, but what's important is that I did right? That I didn't do anything that will brought them suspicion, since if what Jay said was true, Princess Hae Seung is good at sword fighting. Thank you instinct! You saved my life!

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