A/N - (This chapter is a continuation of the previous one and has a Wang Tae and Hye-ri moment at the request of one of my readers who I've dedicated the story to- hope you enjoy! Don't forget to comment your feedback and vote!)

Several minutes later, Prince Tae exited the alley with his informant and fellow soldier scurrying after him trying to keep up with the long-legged prince's strides,

"Your Highness, what that bastard said-"

"You can take your leave now." The prince simply dismissed him and walked away without a second glance.

As he passed by a few local vendors and roadside stalls and carts selling all sorts of goods, his eyes chanced upon two very familiar figures.

'What are they doing here?' Prince Tae frowned and squinted his eyes but he was sure he wasn't mistaken; he could recognize those two anywhere- it was his younger brother and Kim Hye-ri.

Both were dressed as commoners (well so was he but he was undercover) but what was surprising was that Hye-ri was dressed in men's clothes.

Hye-ri bore an annoyed expression, like she couldn't wait to get home as soon as possible but his brother looked lively and excited, his brown eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Prince Tae was confused to see them like this- he was sure that Eunuch Bang would've never let Prince Won be out in the open unprotected like this.

It was not as if his younger brother couldn't defend himself and was a bad fighter; he had been trained in martial arts, sword fighting and self-defense by the best instructors in Goryeo-it was because unlike Prince Tae, his brother had never fought before in real life. Prince Won, soon-to-be a Crown Prince was too important so he had to be guarded by the royal bodyguards at all times as his paranoid and obsessive mother Queen Myung-hee had deemed it so.

Prince Tae looked around and to his relief, he saw that his brother's bodyguards were disguised and looming around nearby.

He saw the duo stop in front of a small dumpling stall and decided to keep observing them from a distance. He convinced himself that it was because of his concern towards his brother but his heart begged to differ.

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"These are delicious!" Wang Won moaned in appreciation after polishing two whole plates of dumplings, on his way to the third.

"This is probably the first time I find myself agreeing with you." Hye-ri nodded in agreement, stuffing her face with the hot dumplings, not caring a dime that if Young-ja or her mother saw her like this they would be horrified to say the least.

After satiating their hunger, i.e. after both had finished their fourth plate, they began to leave but were stopped by stall's owner's precocious son,

"Hey! Don't leave before paying up!"

"Huh?" Prince Won blinked in utter confusion as if the idea of paying for their meal was foreign to him and Hye-ri whipped her head and glared at her companion,

"What's this? Did you not pay them for the meal?"

"I-I..." the prince scrambled for words while Hye-ri let out a disbelieving humorless laugh,

"Sir please pay up; it'll be four silver coins." The owner and mother of the young boy politely yet firmly said.

"I-I...I don't have any." The prince blurted out.

"Say what?" Hye-ri's eyes widened at him and even the stall owner looked astonished.

"Yah, he's a thief! Report them both mother!" the young boy glowered and pointed at them both and soon everyone in the marketplace were looking at them with varying degrees of disgust and anger.

"Oh, no no no, it's not like that you are all terribly mistaken!" the prince tried to explain himself.

"How could you drag me all the way here without even bringing any money?! You really are a fool!" Hye-ri shouted at the prince in exasperation.

"I-I...I forgot! It happens!" Prince Won replied defensively but Hye-ri gave him a dirty look which shut him up.

"Won-ah!" they both heard an all-too familiar voice and Hye-ri sighed with relief when they saw their savior's approaching figure.

It was Prince Wang Tae.

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"Your Highness, I can't put up with your brother's ridiculous antics anymore!" Hye-ri complained to Prince Tae, forgetting all about her feelings towards Prince Tae for a minute.

The three of them- Wang Won, Wang Tae and Hye-ri were on their way back to the Kim manor. After profusely apologizing to the dumpling vendor and compensating her, they had quickly made their exit from the crowed marketplace.

"Ridiculous antics? Don't you think you are exaggerating a bit?" Prince Won agued and Hye-ri huffed,

"A bit? Can you imagine what would've happened to us if His Highness didn't show up?"

"Why were you both here in the first place?" Prince Tae questioned.

"Don't ask Your Highness; it was all your brother's idea!"

"Now now, don't pin all the blame on me!"

"Well you deserve it-ahh!" Hye-ri was so busy arguing that she didn't notice a rock in the way and tripped.

"Be careful." Prince Tae caught her by her waist before she fell face down; he had fast reflexes.

The sudden close proximity to Prince Tae had her heart hammering inside her chest like a hummingbird's wings, and she was sure the telltale blush spread on her cheeks and neck would be a dead giveaway of her feelings. Her brown orbs locked with his midnight black ones, and while his wore an undecipherable expression, hers were like a window to her soul.

"Are you fine?" Prince Tae frowned and steadied her. Hye-ri opened her mouth to reply but no words escaped her lips for a few seconds.

"I-I...yes I am Your Highness." She hated how breathless she sounded while he seemed to be unaffected by their closeness.

Their faces were so, so close to each other, and if she moved even a teeny bit, her lips would collide with his skin...

"How stupid does one have to be to trip on a flat surface?" scoffed Prince Won derisively, his eyes narrowing at Hye-ri, breaking the spell.

Breaking away from Prince Tae's hold, Hye-ri glared at Prince Won who had interrupted their moment as usual with his idiotic musings,

'I could be hurt for all you know, yet you are mocking me right now? You are truly nothing like your chivalrous and gentlemanly brother!' Hye-ri thought irritably.

"I can practically hear what you are thinking right now my dear Hye-ri." Prince Wang Won broke her reverie and she arched her eyebrows to which he chuckled and replied,

"How can this arrogant prince mock me right now when I almost injured myself?" he did a poor imitation of a high-pitched female voice and an unbidden peal of laughter escaped Hye-ri's lips.

She wasn't going to deny it.

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To say that the three of them got an earful when they returned to the Kim manor would be a terrible understatement.

Yes, all three of them- even though Prince Tae hadn't really done anything, he too got cornered by Young-ja and Eunuch Bang both of who ganged up on them when they found out that Prince Won and Hye-ri had gone to the busy marketplace alone.

No matter how much the wayward Prince Won tried to explain that they weren't really alone; that two of his bodyguards were always close by and that he was well equipped to protect himself if a dire situation arose, Eunuch Bang wouldn't hear any of it.

Young-ja was shocked out of her wits when she saw what her young miss was wearing. After spluttering out a "What in the heavens name is this milady?!" she wouldn't stop scolding Hye-ri, not even giving the poor girl a chance to clear her name- it was the prince who had insisted that she wear those horrid clothes but Young-ja, like Eunuch Bang won't hear any excuses.

And poor Prince Wang Tae who had done nothing wrong but found and recused them from being reported to the Royal Police and brought them back safely was rooted to his spot beside his brother on one side and Hye-ri on the other- Eunuch Bang and Young-ja didn't necessarily scold him like they did to the troublesome youngsters but he couldn't find a decent moment to gracefully make his exit.

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Meanwhile the Grand General had decided his plan of action- he intended to marry off his niece to a suitable groom as she was soon to be seventeen, a suitable age for marriage and who better to marry her off to than the Crown Prince and the future king of Goryeo?

Now, when he proposed this to his younger brother, High Minister Kim was shocked to say the least as he hadn't seen this coming- he treasured his only daughter way too much so he was also a bit apprehensive to marry and send her off to the cold and unforgiving royal palace. He had seen what it had done to his dear sister; how the once regal queen spent her years mourning and in a perpetually depressed and saddened state.

After all, the imperial palace wasn't for the weak hearted.

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A/N

Ok, wow that was one hell of a chapter if I do say so myself- a turning point in our story! Our dear Hye-ri would soon be married off! Haha before you all kill me for introducing such a cliffhanger, I want your honest opinions regarding the pace of the story- and other suggestions/feedback

Love you all,

Milli