“Just don’t venture too far! It will be incredibly difficult to explain to the guards why you two aren't here!” Gi-Reu shouted, his voice carrying over the rolling hills.

  In the distance, Crown Prince Yi-Joon and Lady Shin spurred their horses forward, their silhouettes growing smaller as they rode toward a secluded grove. Escort Choi, sitting tall in his saddle and scanning the horizon with practiced vigilance, looked at the two fiancées. “Should I follow them at a discreet distance, Your Highness?” he asked, his hand resting instinctively on the hilt of his sword.

  “Let them be, Escort Choi,” Mi-Reu suggested with a soft sigh, watching the wind catch Lady Shin’s riding veil. “Brother Yi-Joon knows these lands better than anyone as the leader of the Royal Scouting Crew. Besides, Lady Shin rarely gets the opportunity to ride a horse or freely express herself back in Joseon. We should let her enjoy the liberty Haebang offers while she’s here.”

  “My, how thoughtful of you, Your Highness,” Escort Choi replied, a mockingly impressed smile playing on his lips. “You have matured quite a lot. I vividly remember the day the betrothal was first announced; you clung to the Crown Prince’s robes for an entire day, tearfully declaring that you wouldn’t let a 'stranger' steal your beloved brother away.”

  Gi-Reu burst into a fit of chuckles next to them. The memory was burned into his mind, it was one of the few incidents he frequently weaponized to embarrass his sister whenever she acted too dignified for her own good.

  “Of course, she should enjoy Haebang as much as possible,” Mi-Reu continued, ignoring Gi-Reu’s laughter. However, her expression shifted, her grin turning decidedly devilish. “She needs to feel completely comfortable and at home before she officially marries Brother Yi-Joon. Because once she becomes my sister-in-law...”

  A chilling, low-pitched laughter escaped her throat, a sound so out of place for a young princess that it sent a visible shiver down the spines of both Gi-Reu and Escort Choi.

  As she urged her horse forward, the two men exchanged a weary, apprehensive look.

  “It will certainly get a lot more... entertaining... once Lady Shin joins the family,” Gi-Reu muttered, though he looked slightly pale. He spurred his horse to trail behind her, leaving Escort Choi alone for a moment.

  “I truly don’t know if I should be looking forward to her becoming the Crown Princess or not,” the guard muttered to himself, already dreading the sheer increase in his workload once the twins had a new accomplice or victim for their palace pranks.

  “Do you remember that story I wrote to you in my last letter?” Lady Shin asked softly, her horse trotting at a gentle, rhythmic pace alongside his. “The one about the rabbits?”

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  “About the white ones from the summer garden? I remember,” Crown Prince Yi-Joon replied, his expression softening into a sober, comforting smile. He reached out slightly, as if to bridge the gap between their saddles. “It was not your fault that they were claimed by death, Soo-In. You mustn't carry that weight.”

  “I know... and yet, I cannot help but feel a lingering dread,” Lady Shin replied, her voice dropping into a somber tone that contrasted with her usual vibrant energy. “If I was unable to protect and nurture a few fragile creatures against my brothers’ cruel schemes, how will I ever be strong enough to protect our future children?”

  “That is an absurd concern for you to harbor,” Prince Yi-Joon replied, his gaze locking onto hers with unyielding affection. “Because in that matter, you will never be alone. I will be by your side for every step, every breath, and every challenge.”

  Lady Shin felt a warm flush creep up her neck, her lips curving into a shy smile as they rode together through the dappled shade of the forest.

  “Besides,” Prince Yi-Joon continued, a playful glint returning to his eyes, “weren't you against the idea of raising them personally from the very beginning? That simply proves you possessed sound judgment from the start.” He leaned closer, his horse's flank brushing against hers, and reached out to gently pat her hair, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. “If your brothers hadn't forced the responsibility upon you, if they had listened to your suggestion of letting an expert handler care for them, those rabbits would be thriving today.”

  “You always seem to know exactly what to say,” Lady Shin replied, the blush still evident on her cheeks. She let out a small sigh. “I only hope that I will not become a burden to you once I move to the Haebang court.”

  “My, I wonder what I am to you then?” Prince Yi-Joon countered, his expression turning mockingly serious. “Because of our betrothal, your own siblings and the rival nobles in Joseon constantly scheme against you, trying to tarnish your reputation just so they can take your place. If anyone is a burden, surely it is the man who brought such political targets to your back.”

  “Oh, don’t be absurd!” Lady Shin’s voice rose, her spirited, tomboyish nature finally breaking through her elegant veneer. She balled her hand into a light fist and began playfully hitting his shoulder. Prince Yi-Joon chuckled, swaying slightly with each light strike. “We mutually agreed to love one another! We chose this marriage! How could you ever be a burden to me!”

  “So you say,” Prince Yi-Joon replied, laughing as he caught her hand in mid-air, bringing their horses to a synchronized halt. He held her fingers firmly but gently. “But by that same logic, how could you ever be a burden to me? Doesn’t your reasoning contradict itself, Soo-In?”

  Lady Shin’s mouth fell open, her protest dying in her throat. She pouted, her eyes narrowing in mock annoyance. “AH! You always have to have the last word, don’t you!”

  Their shared laughter broke the silence of the grove, a moment of pure, untainted joy between two people bound by duty but held together by love.

  “Muh... Muh...”

  The sound of jagged, desperate sobbing drifted through the trees, instantly shattering the romantic atmosphere. Both of them tensed, their hands going to their reins.

  “W-what is that?” Lady Shin whispered, her eyes darting around the thick undergrowth, trying to locate the source of the distressing noise.

  Crown Prince Yi-Joon’s face hardened, his princely mask returning as he looked toward the valley below. “It’s coming from the village nearby,” he said, his voice dropping into a serious, commanding tone. “And it doesn't sound like a simple disagreement.”