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The young girl looks behind her as she pushes herself up against the wall, trusting that the dark was hiding her body in the alleyway that she was hiding in. She peeks around the corner to see guards coming her way, forcing herself to hide once again as they pass by the entrance. She holds her breath, trying to be as quiet as possible as she hears yelling from the guards as more pass by. She waits as the voices fade off, letting out her breath as she exits the alleyway to cross the street to the pub she was supposed to meet her friend at. She waits by the door, trying to act like she was supposed to be there but stood out like a sore thumb on account that she was only 10 years old.

"Hybe!" A voice shouts from behind her.

She jumps and hits the person who snuck up behind her, rolling her eyes as she breaks out into a smile.

"You can't just do that! You almost made me have a heart attack." She says, leaning against the wall.

Before the boy could respond, an elderly woman came stumbling out of the pub entrance followed by younger men who tried to help her to her feet. Hybe rushed to the woman's side and was able to help the woman up, seeing that the elder was smiling down at her.

"Child, were you waiting by the door to help an old woman like me?" She asks, softly patting the girl's hair.

"Um, yes." She smiles.

"What a fine girl you are, helping the elderly. Why don't you go on home, a pub isn't a place for a child." The older woman says, pinching Hybe's cheek before stumbling away with the other men in her party.

Hybe smiles as she watches the woman walk away and turns to her friend, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"Hear that? I'm a fine girl." She chuckles.

"Ha, you're anything but, I didn't even know you were a girl." He laughs.

"Hey! That's not funny, I thought we were friends, Rae." She pouts.

Rae pokes her cheek before dragging her into the pub, running past all the sober adults to get to the stage only to push her up onto it.

"R-Rae! What are you doing? I thought it was tomorrow?" Hybe stutters, trying not to look at all of the drunk patrons staring at her.

"Nope." He pops the P with a smile.

"Are you going to sing to us tonight?" One of the bartenders asks.

"W-Well I-" Hybe starts.

"A legendary song from our very own Princess Hybe! Sing! Sing! Sing!" Rae chants, trying to get the attention of the people within the pub.

It didn't take long for the entire building to shout along with him, making Hybe blush in embarrassment but straightened her clothes out anyway, taking deep breaths as she prepared herself for her performance. She gives her friend a glare as the pub dies down, waiting for her to begin.

"O'er glacier waters, through the desert and mountain tops, there is a place that is mine. There is a place that is yours. It's where I will loyally serve my king and it's where I will bring honor to my family. It's my home, it's our home, we all love the way the sun shines, we all love the way we live."

Hybe's eyes close as she sings, not wanting to open them until her song was over.

"I am humbled by your grace, though I am nothing special, please allow me in your space. For I will bring you peace and prosperity, there's no need to fear with your princess here. I love my subjects, though I am young, I love the way the sun shines, I love the way we live."

As she speaks the last line, she hears complete silence and starts to worry that everyone had left. She opens her eyes to see that the pub was even more packed, with people still trying to come inside from all entrances. There was a pause as she looks around the room before everyone erupted with applause and she felt her chest swell up with pride, seeing that there were even some guards clapping along with the common people.

"Princess Hybe! Long live our princess!" Rae yells over the roar of cheers.

Hybe could feel herself smile and felt as tears came to her eyes. She truly loved her village and her kingdom and she is grateful to have so many people supporting her. Even at a young age, she was very smart and knew that these people would be depending on her when she becomes queen. She watches as the guards come closer with sad looks on their faces and she knew that it was time for her to go back home.

"I have to go now, see you all later!" She waves goodbye and carefully jumps off of the stage to confront the guards.

"Princess, your father has company and immediately requests your presence. We've been looking for you for quite a while now." One of the guards says as they leave the pub.

"Huh? Company? Why does he want me? Don't the adults talk with the adults?" She asks, tugging at the hem of her shirt.

"Well, yes but he is asking that you sing for him." The second guard says.

She suddenly stops walking and stiffens at his words, feeling her mouth go dry.

"He...he wants me to sing for him?" She asks.

"Yes." The first guard looks at the ground.

"A-Ah, let's go on then." She hesitates as she tries to act normal once again.

The guards walk her through the village, up the palace steps, and to her father's chambers all the while Hybe knew something was very very wrong. Her father never asked her to sing unless he was sick, which was rare but he always said that her voice gave him powers of healing that would make him immediately get better. She ponders her thoughts as the guards stop in front of the doors, knocking loudly to snap her out of her

thoughts.

"Enter." A weak voice says.

Hybe instantly knew the voice to be her father's and as soon as the door opened, she could see that his skin was deathly pale and he was having trouble breathing. She stood at the entrance of the door, dumbstruck at the sight of the once strong man who was the king and her father. All at once, the urge to run to him took over and she covered him with her body, her tears soaking into the bedsheets.

"My Hybe, shh. I'm still here. We have company, can you tell them hello?" The king whispers, softly placing a hand on his daughter's back.

Hybe slowly looks up at her father's face and slightly nods, wiping her face clean before turning to see a tall man with a smaller boy clinging to his leg.

"H-Hello." She bows slightly.

"Princess Hybe, it is nice to finally meet you. Your father talks a lot about you, I'm guessing that you love him very much." The larger man says.

"Y-Yes, sir." She whispers.

"Ah, I am King Hyreon and this is Prince Xie, we hail from the south. We have come to speak of an alliance when your father fell ill." Hyreon smiles softly at her.

She bows her head and looks back at her father, who was staring at the other king.

"My Hybe, will you sing for me?" Her father asks, slowly tearing his eyes away to look at her.

"What shall I sing?" She asks quietly.

"Anything." He smiles.

She bites her lip in thought and stands, moving to where her father could clearly see her as she gets ready to sing once again.

"When we come together, we come together in your name. When we cheer, we cheer in your name. When we live, we live in your name. You are our wise and noble king, who knows where your leadership will take us. There have been many battles, there have been many wars, there have been many battle scars but you will always be mine. No matter if you are king or farmer, you are my father and a father of me. I love you and I will carry you within my heart no matter where you or I go."

Hyreon stands in shock that such a beautiful voice could come from a child and Xie lets go of his father's leg, only to be mesmerized by the princess before him. He had heard singers before but this one had made his heart beat just a little bit faster than normal and he unconsciously took steps toward her as she sang, wanting to see her face, wanting to see every expression she made. He walked around the bed to see that her eyes were closed but that tears were streaming down her face. He looks at the bed to see that her father was also crying and looking his daughter up and down, which made Xie a bit uncomfortable as it looked like the older man was trying to memorize every inch of the small girl's figure. He inched back to his father, seeing that he too was staring at the girl's back as she continued to sing.

"Mother would be proud, my brother would grow to be strong and your daughter will grow to be beautiful and bring honor to our family. I know we will get there someday as long as you're with us. I may have lost half of my family but I still have you. Please know your kingdom still needs you, your daughter still needs you to be here for her. I love you and I will carry you within my heart no matter where you or I go."

Hybe stops singing and slowly opens her eyes to see her father smiling at her. He nodded his head, motioning for her to sit on the bed, which she acknowledges and sits down.

"My Hybe, I love you with all of my heart. If I go, please keep singing. I will always be with you if you do that. Do you understand?" He asks.

"No, I thought you were supposed to feel better. You told me my singing gives you healing powers. Why are you still sick?" Hybe asks, feeling as though she did something wrong.

"My Hybe, sometimes, healing powers aren't enough for some illnesses. Don't worry my love, you will see me again. Mr. Hyreon will take you to his palace, will you be a good girl? Will you keep singing for me? I promise that I will always listen to your voice even if I'm not there. Promise me that you'll keep singing." The king asks, getting weaker with every word.

"I-I promise papa. I will be good, I will sing for you." She says, seeing tears cloud her vision.

"Good girl Hybe, now please leave the room with Xie. It's time for me to go." Her father looks back up at Hyreon.

"T-Time for you to go? So you are leaving me? Why can't I stay, papa? Please let me stay with you. I love you, please don't leave me yet." Hybe frantically clutches at the bedsheets as she tries to hug her father.

Her father stays quiet as guards pry her away from him, Prince Xie silently following the guards.

"Papa! Don't go! Don't leave me yet! You broke mama's promise! You said you were gonna take care of me! Please! Let me stay with you!" She cries, trying to get out of the grip of the guards as they take her down the corridor to her own room.

"You will take care of her, right?" He asks.

"Of course, Jiron. It's not every day that I get to kill a king on his own terms." Hyreon smirks, the bloodlust could be seen in his eyes.

"She is a special girl, please allow her to be your daughter." King Jiron pleads.

"My daughter? I admit that she is special but I have no need for girls other than the ones in my harem. Sons bring honor to the southern kingdom. At best she will become a maid or better yet, a concubine for my Xie." Hyreon smirks.

Jiron feels his heart drop in his chest and he licks his lips, knowing that there was no way to ask for anything else or the blood king in front of him would kill her too.

"As you wish," Jiron says.

"Now, I've poisoned your tea, you wanna leave it at that, or shall I make it quicker?" Hyreon asks, rolling up his sleeves.

"Just kill-" He starts.

Before he could finish his sentence, 2 kunai knives found themselves lodged into his throat.

"Sorry, I forgot where I cared for your opinion," Hyreon says, clearing his throat before leaving the room.