Yun-ho had the bad habit of ditching her guards in her airheaded shopping walks.

She would put the guard's attention on this new fancy object, and then she would chase a butterfly and vanish right away. She rarely notices herself doing it, but it throws the guards into a panic.

No matter how vigilant the guards were, Yun-ho's airheadedness exceeded it.

And that brought us to the situation right now.

Yun-ho stared blankly. She was deep in the alleys of an industrial area. She could hear the market, but the road towards there was a maze.

"This is troubling..."

-

She's dressed extravagantly and she's missing her guards. Lord Geun-tae has warned her many, many times about how this looks.

But people in the Earth tribe were usually really nice to her. Maybe she'll be fine.

"Hey, missy, what're you doing alone here?"

She turned around. There was a man she didn't recognize, large and scarred and exuding the same energy as Lord Geun-tae, except five times more rough and three times more pedophilic with his smiles.

She smiled at him.

"Oh... I'm sorry, I'm a little lost," she said. "Could you perhaps lead me back to the main road?"

"Yes, of course," the man-- let's call him Mister Brute-- grinned, insinuating anything but good intentions, "right this way." And he walked further into the back streets.

Yun-ho vaguely knew that she would be in so much trouble if she followed him, but if she made any sudden movements now, the man would grab her and if there's a stain, her guards would get angry and go on a manhunt.

She'd rather not deal with that.

She'd get too many guards again and she wouldn't be able to shop in peace.

She took one step forward-- and to her surprise, a figure leapt down from the roof, landing just another step before her.

"What-?!"

Yun-ho found herself impressed. Mister Brute swirled around, alarmed. His hostile body language meant that he was feeling anger against an unnecessary interference.

Her strange little Knight stood just a little taller than herself.

His hair was a deep brown in the light, and his clothes were torn in parts. A civilian boy, perhaps from the more slum-like parts of the town.

He was slender, but his arms had a weight in them. Like Chul-rang-- not overwhelming with strength, but firm and toned.

Mister Knight had a hand out before Yun-ho, stopping her advance.

She couldn't see his face from where she was, but she recognized the body language-- she's being protected right now, and what she had to do was smile and enjoy being a damsel in distress.

"Scarface, she's mine. Back off," Mister Brute snarled, all fake kindness wiped from his previous demeanor.

Mister Knight raised his other hand, and swiped sharply to the side, twirling in odd and stern gestures.

Oh, Yun-ho recognized them from when Noo-ri spoke to the palace boys. That's sign language. Mister Knight must be like Noo-ri, then.

He signed quickly, so quickly Yun-ho could barely catch anything-- not that she could understand, anyways. But it's fascinating how quickly he does it.

According to her maids, Noo-ri always slowed it down for the less accustomed palace boys to understand him. So that's how fast it's actually done? Cool.

A second later, Mister Brute snaps.

"It's none of your fucking business what I do! You're new here, don't push your luck!" he was suddenly aggressive now, stepping forward confrontationally.

Mister Knight responds by slamming his foot down, doing a magnificent spin, and then landing one sharp kick across Mister Brute's face.

Yun-ho sparkled in awe.

Mister Knight finishes his attack by turning around and taking Yun-ho by the wrists. For a second, the lady takes in the boy's face.

His eyes were green, that's the first thing she noticed. The left eye is a little blue underneath, but both were beautiful shades.

Then she sees the large, gruesome scar across his cheek, as if a bear had gouged out his face and barely failed.

She doesn't feel disgusted.

Lord Geun-tae had a number of wounds like those on his torso, and he always calls them marks of pride, trophies of war, and a sign of selfless bravery.

(Though, Chul admits, he's tooting his own horn for half of that.)

Yun-ho found herself running, Mister Knight taking her away and across the labyrinthine alleys and into uncharted territory. And though she still didn't know where she's headed toward-- somehow, she felt safe being led around by him.

She smiled, because somehow, she's having fun.

-

Yun-ho was entranced.

The boy leapt around with all the grace of a cat. He was a boy, yet he was so elegant, aso delicate-- compared to her usual view with Lord Geun-tae, this was a sight to behold.

His hand was rough and calloused, but they only made her want to kiss them.

Most boys in the Earth Tribe had hands like these from tough training sessions, and Yun-ho could never think of a better way to cheer them up. It always made Lord Geun-tae angry though.

(No, no, her type of man was definitely Lord Geun-tae, but seeing Mister Knight, she wanted to tug him around the palace and be his bestest ever friend. He was so delicate, unlike usual rough Earth boys.)

(...in hindsight, maybe he's not from the Earth Tribe?)

"Hey..." she spoke up, and the boy jolted, freezing shock still and quickly releasing the lady's hand.

He took two steps back, then bowed, like he was apologizing for daring to touch her.

Yun-ho chuckled at that. "Thank you for saving me," she said, smiling sweetly. "I am Yun-ho. May I know your name?"

She started with an introduction. She's not too sure how to do this... but she's heard that outside the palace, it's fine for people to be a little rude, right?

Oh, but she's a Lady of the Palace. Is this considered unbecoming behaviour?

Predictably, Mister Knight shook his head, refusing. He did not gesture anything for her to interpret, so he either figured she couldn't understand... or he knew she was from the palace, so he didn't sign in fear of appearing rude.

This is the problem with being the General's woman, she can't go out incognito.

Yun-ho sighed. Then she brimmed into a smile again, resigning to her noble little fate. "If it would not trouble you, Mister Knight, would you lead me back to my guards?"

Mister Knight flushed a little at the new nickname, but he bowed like a butler and nodded.

Almost impressively, Yun-ho found herself back in the market. Her guards were in a panic, yelling at each other over the street and swirling their head so quickly around she was worried they'd pop a few veins.

Then one of them spotted her, and they started crying in relief.

She giggled at them. Oh, they were so cute!

She turned back around to thank Mister Knight-- but Mister Knight had already vanished from the moment her guards found her.

He left nothing behind, and Yun-ho felt a little sad.

(But it's fine.)

The mysterious Mister Knight will show up again one day, and until then, she'll be her little downtown adventure secret.

Doesn't that sound exciting?

-

She got a lecture from Lord Geun-tae after that, but she knows he's weak to her tears so it ends very quickly.

-

The next day, Noo-ri and the rest of the Wind Boys finally leave to return to Fuuga.

Yun-ho made sure to give them a parcel of tea leaves in their tribe-ly exchange of goods, plus a certain souvenir from her little outdoor excursion. She went out to get this, after all-- she couldn't let Noo-ri leave without it.

It's a little protection charm, and when she filled it with tea leaves, they smelled like home and the forest and something a little more.

Noo-ri promised to treasure it.

It's when she saw them off, and Noo-ri turned around to wave goodbye-- that the maid smiled just a little, and the cloth mask on her face lifted in the wind.

Yun-ho's eyes widened at the familiar scar underneath-- but she smiled, not at all disappointed by her new revelation.

In fact, she glimmered with boundless admiration.

(She can't wait to meet Mister Knight again.)