Posts by j u n e

Normal expectations would've granted a bitter expression from such a bold response, however Yuna was not one who was so predictable. Oddly enough, her lips twisted into a smile, a laughter coming from her mouth. "Oh, please." There was an acidity to her tone. "Your eyes may be blind to it now, but soon you will realize that death succumbs to me." Her eyes never left the brunette as she spoke. "Should I ask for you to sever your limbs, you will sever your limbs. Should I ask you to die for me, you will die." Refusing to do otherwise would make her lowly of a servant. At the root of it, they were nothing more than pawns. If she wished to, she could treat them maliciously, as if they were dirt. They should've considered themselves lucky with her amount of compassion. Off the top of her head, she could already name many, many other royal families that were far more cruel and demanding than her. Had it been any other royal stuck with her, Jasmine would've already been executed by now.

"Should a cat lose its tail, does it give up balancing? No, it learns to adapt." It didn't matter what injuries or faults a bodyguard had. At the end of the day, they were supposed to do their job of protecting, no matter how much pain they were suffering. Pull through, keep the head up high — nothing less than that. "And in the case that I die, regardless of how overworked you may be, who do you think would be blamed?" As a flower maiden out of bloom, her death would only be at the hands of a less than reliable bodyguard, their one duty utterly failed. "You would forever be dubbed as the one who let a flower maiden fall." A title like that was equivalent — no, it was worse than scum. She would remain until her last breath being taunted by society. "Frankly, my life isn't the only one on the line."

Once more, an unnerving chuckle escaped from her lips. "Should I choose to take death's hand, Kyoumei will not fall to shambles. The end of my fate is not something my advisers, nor myself ignored. They understand how to continue from there, is all I can say. I will be but a distant memory, but the kingdom will run strong regardless of a maiden." This time, she sighed in a melodramatic way. "It is only up to you to decide whether or not to accept your duty. After all, I don't have much say in what happens after I breathe my last breath, do I?" Her violet eyes bore into those of the bodyguard's. It was only after the princess smiled that she finally looked away, turning to pick up the leather bound notebook and the pen from off the table.

No longer did she feel the need to say another word to this mindless girl. Perhaps if she said something entertaining, she might humour the guard, for it wasn't as if their relationship could worsen anymore from here. If there was rock bottom, surely they hit it, but the maiden had no desire to rise to the top. With the notebook and the pen clutched between her slender fingers, Yuna turned to face away from the younger girl and headed to the opposite side of the room, where the other bed was. Without saying another word, she sat down on the soft mattress, laying the notebook down against her lap. Silence filled into the room, save for the sound of her flipping through the pages of the book. She stopped when she came to the first page and gently placed the pen against the paper, beginning to write something inside.

Although she was in fact listening to all the words that fell from the bodyguard's mouth, it didn't seem so with her pen still shifting across the paper. Even after she finished speaking, Yuna did not look up from it until about a minute after, when she shut the book with the press of her fingers. She placed it down beside her, with the pen resting on top of the notebook's cover. Her hands moved to rest on top of the matress, and she started leaning her weight back against them. For a few seconds, she closed her violet eyes, taking in and releasing a single gentle of breath of air. Once they were reopened, she no longer held the same irritated look in her eyes. Now, it was much more like the calm after a storm. As she parted her lips to speak, her voice, even her mannerisms toned down considerably.

"At this point, I consider myself well acquainted with death. But what would you know?" She attempted to return back to her professional tone, even if the topic of conversation was anything but that. "It's true to believe that I'm unaware of your origin. But, don't you think it's quite hypocritical to assume you would understand my circumstances?" What people believed about her often happened to be based on stereotype, or it was simply what she allowed to represent to the public. What actually went on her life was restricted to only her family and her advisers' knowledge. Though, Yuna would admit, her personal life was not something she wished to share, especially not with someone she met only a couple of hours ago. "I wouldn't consider it 'prissy maiden bullshit' either. I am just being human."

Was it wrong for her to ask for respect? Perhaps up until now, she hadn't treated Jasmine so awfully. "I promise you, I don't usually act like this with people. I'm no saint in this situation, but you are very quick to victimize yourself." Her "prissy" behaviour wasn't something shinining so bright for no reason, but it seemed like Jasmine was forgetting that. "If someone tells you that they dislike something, do you continue doing it?" Not unless they were immature. She warned Jasmine more than once to watch her mouth without actually ordering some sort of punishment, even now. The first time, she had been fairly nice with her warning, too. Yuna really was starting to let her get away with too much. "I enjoy speaking to people. But you? You were going out of your way to make me crack. Of course I would not want to converse with that. But what's it to you? I am just a heartless, classist maiden, hm?"

For a brief moment, Yuna paused to lift her feet up from off the floor. She laid her head back against the matress so she was staring up at the ceiling, the notebook still resting by her side on the bed. "I'm perceived as a bitch for having a perfectly normal reaction. Think what you will of me, I don't care. I just hope you realize by now that you are no more innocent than I am." If refraining from speaking to Jasmine was the only possible way to enjoy what she could on this trip of hers, then she could easily do it. It was much easier to stay silent than to keep formulating back-and-forth responses like this. Hell, she was sure she enjoyed that one minute she spent with the elderly merchant more than she did the whole walk with the bodyguard — and that was Jasmine at her best. Literally anyone, anything — a goddamn rock could make a more welcoming companion than her. But it wasn't as if that should matter, right? She wasn't here for friendships — this was all simply her duty as a maiden.

As the bodyguard spoke, her gaze never left where they rested on the ceiling. It was flawless, but uninteresting, and red. She blinked to her own thoughts, her expression unchanging, although she was taking what Jasmine was saying into account. "This is just who I am." In her mind, the words rang a little bit sour, but it only made sense. If she wasn't a bitch, then why else would she immediately resort to acting like one? From what she recalled, Yuna hadn't done anything to provoke the girl, at least not from the start. If the guard was bitter about things spoken about an hour ago up until now, that was a little bit more understandable. In fact, the princess would perfectly understand that. Honesty was something Yuna respected, however she was uncertain of what to make of Jasmine's. So she was always going to act a little bit similar to this, huh?

"Honestly, I couldn't care less about whatever personality you're repressing." Working as a servant didn't necessarily mean she was asking someone to throw their personality away. She preferred people who didn't have an attitude reminiscent to a damn statue. It was a matter of respect, which was something Jasmine crossed. Yuna didn't care how energetic, playful, emotionless, someone was, as long as they respected her. Even the coldest people she knew were capable of some basic decency. "There is a big difference between fucking around and fucking around with me." The maiden wanted nothing to do with Jasmine's antics, but she wasn't going to try to stop her from saying a simple joke. Speaking of which... "You say you like joking, yet earlier those sounded like insults."

Another argument was not something Yuna wished to create. Simply, it was an explanation for her prior reactions of anger. A soft, almosted defeated sigh escaped from her lips. Well, at this point she didn't really have much a choice but to agree with her, did she? Otherwise, she would forever have bad blood with her own protector. "Do not expect me to drop formalities. That is simply who I am." It wasn't as though Yuna forced herself to act proper. It was simply something she did out of natural habit by now. Her mannerisms were not something so easy to drop when it had been reinforced years upon years of her childhood. Speaking so casually amongst her family usually granted a slap to the wrist or the back of the head, even despite her privileges as a flower maiden. It wasn't as though she felt a reason to drop her way of speech, anyway. It was not supposed to be some sort of sign of hostility, and hopefully wouldn't be taken as such.

But was that really the only reason she wanted to stick to her formal tone? No, it wasn't, but Yuna didn't like having those memories resurface. She didn't want the bodyguard getting too close to her or too comfortable. Starting off on the wrong foot already created a good bit of distance between them, but now that they were actually starting to come to a mature and sensible agreement? Yuna needed to start being a little bit watchful with her decisions and what she chose to say. It might be a difficult, but she needed to maintain that distance. She couldn't afford to let her break through any barriers she attempted to build. She couldn't let Jasmine find out about anything. Offering kindness was still possible while being reserved, so it seemed like that was the path the maiden would have to pursue.

The princess turned against the mattress, taking the notebook with her. Her back was facing the bodyguard, so her face was not visible from her line of sight. Her hand gently rested on the top of the notebook's cover, as if it was in a protective sort of way. "Have it your way, but I no longer wish to speak of this. Good night." It was blunt, but Yuna felt no need to avoid the point. Before she slept, she needed some peace and quiet to herself to think. So, similar to before, she silently stared at the wall, her mind elsewhere.

Purposeful insults? It was the first time Yuna ever heard of something like that before. She wasn't sure if that made Jasmine's case more convincing or worse, but regardless, she already ended the conversation quickly. There was no reason to revive it, especially if anything the princess incorrectly questioned could anger her. She had no energy left in her to verbally fight Jasmine at this time, especially after simmering down and getting somewhat civil. Although she could hear the sounds of the bodyguard's footsteps as she stepped to the switch, she didn't look up from the wall. Even when the light was flicked off, her violet eyes remained opened, and she blinked in the darkness. At the opposite side of the room, Yuna could hear shuffling, and much more than the average person would do if they were getting situated in bed. The sounds were starting to make her curious, but she decided not to look. If anything, she probably wouldn't be able to see, anyway. Soon, the noises subsided, and Yuna was left with just her thoughts. She wasn't quite certain of long it took for her to fall asleep.

---

All around her, she saw gray. The room was meant to be windowless, soundless, like a secret dungeon. The damp and cold air wrapped around her like a heavy blanket. The only light illuminating the room came from the lanterns hanging from the ceiling and walls. In its orange glow, the maiden could see the outline of stone bricks surrounding the walls. The mixture gave her an unsettling, yet almost familiar feeling at the pit of her stomach. The sound of footsteps coming from the darkness made Yuna tilt her head. There, stood a singular masculine figure. His hands were adorned with gloves and between her fingers was what appeared to be a metallic syringe. "Princess Hyeon." His voice was rough yet smooth, although not the least bit relaxing. His finger tapped against the syringe, coated so its contents were unknown to her. "This is the last time, we promise." She felt her arm being grabbed by a strong grasp. Her eyes followed the syringe as he slowly raised it up, only to forcefully stab the needle into her skin.

A sharp pain caused Yuna to force her eyes open. She was met with not the sight of a grimy and gray room, but the same boring and red ceiling from before. She could assume it was early morning from the dim lighting filtering into the room. She lifted a hand and placed it over her upper arm, running the tips of her fingers along the skin. Nothing. The pain was coming from... her chest? She parted her lips, her breathing quiet and somewhat shallow. It hurt, having to inhale or exhale too deeply. It was like a blade slowly piercing into her, with breathing only quickening the process. A dull buzzing sound started to resonate in the depths of her head, a heat beginning to rise to her temples. Well, this was already a wonderful start to her morning. Yuna dug her hands around the covers until she felt leather underneath the pads of her fingers. She pulled out the notebook, and soon, the pen along with it. She flipped to a new page, scribbling the date before writing a single word beneath: six. She let out a sigh, only to completely regret it afterwards and wince. God, that hurt.

Well, there were more crucial matters to attend to than to wait for the pain to subside. This was only the beginning of what would be yet another long day. Slowly, she lifted her back up from the cushion, her brows beginning to furrow. Push the feeling away. Just like you've always done before. Yuna tilted her head, checking to see if the bodyguard at the opposite side of the room was correct.

Her eyes somewhat unsurprisingly met with the sight of the bodyguard, who sat at the edge of the bed, pulling black gloves over her hands to conceal the skin beneath. For a few moments, Yuna watched the action in silence, as if she was entranced — or in thought, was a more likely conclusion. Her long lashes quickly fluttered as she blinked, snapping back to the reality of the humble scenery around her. "Good morning." Her voice was quiet and gentle, a reflection of the mood of the settling daylight. "How long have you been awake?" Hopefully, not for too long. Considering it was already fairly early, it would've been more appropriate for the guard to get some more rest. The same could've been said about herself, though in her current state, sleep was the last thing that crossed Yuna's mind.

She raised one of her hands up to brush her fingers through her long hair. Without a mirror, she was unsure if it appeared messed up in others' sight. All she could do was hope otherwise as she combed through the small tangles, until it was perfectly sleek once more. Yuna turned her legs to place her heels against the floor and stood up. Immediately, it felt like gravity was working against her. It was as if everything was heavier, most especially her head, which still burned at the temples. She lifted her arms up to cross them, pressing her wrist against her chest slightly. Even that little bit of pressure brought a stinging pain, like sharp pins piercing into flesh. All of her senses were telling her to sit down, but her intentions weren't as logical. Pull through. It wasn't as if the maiden hadn't held her head up and smiled through worse before. This was just another day among many.

Eventually, the princess stepped towards the window, where her arms uncrossed to grab hold of the edge of the curtain. She pulled it slightly, just enough so she was capable of peering outside. Her gaze flicked down to the streets, where she spotted early birds already walking down the streets, stopping at small stands merchants already set up, or entering one of the several shops opposite to the inn. In thought, Yuna hummed a single note to herself. Should they start heading out already to travel the furthest they could? Or would taking it steady be the optimal choice? The princess shook her head slightly to herself and turned around to look back at the bodyguard. She could wait a little bit more before deciding. It wasn't as if they were anywhere close to short on time.

"I am going to go get some water." Yuna lived a very pampered lifestyle, and thus, she couldn't recall the last time she spoke such a simple statement. Normally, maids and other servants were the first to see her upon waking, already with water, tea, or whatever else ready for the royal. Like any of the others, the princess could've ordered Jasmine to get a cup for her, but the maiden had some pride. Even if she had a valid excuse this time, considering the pain she was experiencing, getting someone to do such a basic task almost felt a little bit embarrassing to her. So, instead, Yuna walked to the door, her expression remaining calm to prevent Jasmine from figuring her current condition. She placed a palm against it and slid it open, stepping out into the hallway.

It was certainly an unusual experience, having to traverse though the corridors of the inn. Where did a place like this keep their water? Only someone within a familiar position would understand her current cluelessness. This place was so mundane, surely everyone aside from royalty and nobles would know the answer to the question. Here, Yuna didn't have maids at her disposal to order, to fulfill every single wish and demand. Aside from the bodyguard, she was on her own, so she supposed she would have to learn a thing or two about these new areas... Even if said things were something even a young child would possess knowledge of.

To her liking, nobody else was walking through the hallways, given the time of day. The only activity Yuna could hear was from the sound of her own footsteps, and while she had learned to tread on lighter feet before, she felt no reason to mute the noise. After all, who was capable of identifying a princess from the sound of footsteps alone? A talent like that honestly sounded a little bit frightening. But more importantly, what the hell was even running through her mind? She had a task she needed to get to. Soon enough, she stopped walking when she came to the front of the inn. The same man from earlier that night stood behind the counter, smiling when he caught sight of the princess approaching. How long had he been standing there? Surely, he'd be able to go home and get some rest soon. "I hope you had a good rest, Maiden. Is there anything I can help you with?

Good wasn't exactly the correct way to put it, but she guessed it was an alright descriptor. It wasn't like she had a nightmare and awoke in a cold sweat, or something similar to that. "Yes, actually... Where would I go get some water?" she spoke, almost a little bit hesitantly. Was that a stupid question to ask? It sure felt like one, but at least the innkeeper hadn't mentioned anything about it. There was a certain look that changed in his eyes, however. Maybe it was supposed to be relief? It was only a feeling that Yuna had, though. He was probably glad to find she wasn't here to complain about the service or quality of the building, which once again, didn't fit her usual standards, but wasn't bad either. He nodded his head, hastily explaining that he needed a moment of time. He disappeared through a door behind the counter, coming back with a bottle in his hands, which he placed on top of the wood.

Her hand extended out and she touched the bottle, feeling its surprisingly icy temperature. "Thank you very much." Without saying anything else, she clasped her fingers around the bottle and started heading back down the hallway to her room. It didn't take her much time to find it once more, and she placed her free hand on the door, sliding it open. "Kirishima?"

[ rip, another boring post, but it will start picking up again in a bit !! ]

When the door slid open, Yuna was met with the sight of Jasmine brushing her hands across her own clothes, more specifically the gloves and pants she adorned. Instead of answering her verbally, the princess raised up the cold bottle of water slightly, although it was more than likely that the bodyguard would've noticed it. "Well, for starters..." While still holding onto the bottle, she crossed her arms. She let out a small sigh, and luckily this time, it didn't hurt enough to make her visibly wince. How was she supposed to word this the way she wanted? "It is not necessary for you to be such a creep." Okay, that sounded a little unusual without clarification. After years of having people watch her, whether it was with normal, malicious, or protective intent, it was almost as if she could feel other people's gaze on her... It was similar to some sort of sixth sense, though it was more intuition than it was anything else.

As Yuna hadn't specifically spotted the girl, she wasn't positive if the bodyguard had been watching her moves. If she wasn't, then the princess would accept that she was making herself look stupid. After all, it was only what she deserved if she had, in fact, jumped to conclusions. "Is there any harm in standing at my side? It's as if you're waiting for me to get ambushed." While her words might've rubbed off more as accusations, there was an edge to her tone that almost made her seem a bit... humoured? Luckily, there hadn't been anyone to commence something as horrible as that, so for the time being, it was the least of Yuna's concerns. The only individual she actually conversed and interacted with was the innkeeper at front. He seemed like a sweet man, or at least in the face of royalty, so she deemed no reason to be suspicious of his actions.

The maiden slightly shook her head before walking over to her bed. She sat down near the edge, her hands moving to the top of the bottle. She opened it and raised it up to her lips, taking sips of the cold water. Once she was finished, she screwed the lid back on, placing the bottle down on the floor beside her foot. Then, she cast her gaze back onto Jasmine. "... Regardless, there is something else on my mind." Slowly, the corners of her lips began to tug into a smile. She needed to seize her opportunities while she was capable. Who knew how long it would take for her court at the palace to start sending her work to complete. Yuna couldn't be taking the freedom she had for granted. After all, she recalled a specific someone telling her that not having fun was simply a waste of life — or something along the lines of that.

"Today, I would enjoy exploring." Some considered the life of a royal to be one filled with delicacies, which wasn't an incorrect assumption to make. Simplicities were what Yuna's life lacked. Her status prevented her from encountering several things the average person could. Pity was not at all what she was asking for. She only wanted the chance to experience a simple lifestyle. Never could she wear certain clothes or speak in a certain tone, for she was supposed to be proper. Some places were never to be visited, some objects forever untouched, for they were deemed dirty for royalty like her. With paperwork and meetings restricting her daily life, she surprisingly rarely had time to herself, unlike what most thought. Hell, it was the first time she ever stepped in an inn, which wasn't even supposed to be the most exciting place... But for someone like her, it was new. It was refreshing, not having to be a bird trapped in a cage.

There was a disapproving tone to the brunette's voice as she spoke, one that Yuna had easily caught onto. It wasn't as though she would let the bodyguard's opinions dictate her decisions, but she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed at the lackluster response. Still, the maiden kept the smile resting on her features from faltering. "I do not believe I stuttered, did I?" There was no way she was going to let her chances slide. Now that there was nobody stopping her from doing as she wished, why would she continue acting all mighty and righteous? It wasn't truly as if she was too good for poorly made clothing and sub-par food. Her status only made it appear that way. She lifted her hand up slightly and began twirling a silky lock of silvery hair around her index finger as she listened to the younger girl speak.

"You make it sound as if I have never stepped outside before." What was she, some sort of princess locked away in a tower? To be fair, she usually only showed her face to the public during festivals or other occasions where her presence was necessary, but... that still counted as something. Little experience was still some experience. She was aware that beyond her palace, some of life's fruit were not as decent for the picking, but Yuna liked to think that she wasn't so judgmental about it. Imperfections were a normal quality to have, and although it was always nice to be offered something befitting to her tastes, she wasn't one to get upset if the opposite occurred. Perhaps she was born and raised in a pampered lifestyle, but she wasn't finicky to that extent. After all, if she was only accepting of the highest quality of living, then she would've dragged a personal chef or seamstress or someone else along the lines of that with her, wouldn't she?

Her finger dropped down from her hair and rested over her lap, her violet eyes moving to look back at Jasmine. "My. Here I was, assuming you wouldn't be so boring." At the moment, what better things did they have to do to occupy their time? Nothing, really, unless Jasmine fancied sitting around inside an inn and doing nothing instead of taking some sort of action. The flower maiden was a patient person herself — she could easily dedicate an hour or two just for wandering in her imagination — but it wasn't something that she was in the mood for at the moment. Earlier, watching unknowing citizens roam the streets so contently left her with an oddly curious, but eager feeling. Yuna wished she could be similar to them, and enjoy life's simple pleasures. Was it so wrong for her to want to be a little bit ordinary for once?

Before she spoke next, the princess let out a chuckle. "I suppose it doesn't quite matter though. After all, my word is final, no?" Jasmine, for whatever reason, could do all she wanted to convince her otherwise. Why the bodyguard seemed reluctant to do something as simple as stepping outside was something Yuna was unaware of, but she wouldn't question it. Maybe her reaction was because of the attention it would attract? No matter. If word of her travels had already spread by now, then the majority of the public would respect her wishes to not be bothered. In a little town like this, where danger didn't seem so evident, the princess didn't want to be so concerned about her own well-being. Especially if it would hinder her own happiness. "I will grant you five minutes to prepare before we leave."

For someone who seemed reluctant to go just a minute ago, Jasmine was very quick to rise onto her feet from the bed. Was she trying to maintain some dignity instead of wallowing in her feelings? She was very quick to accept the fact that the princess practically had control over the aspects of her life. Half of Yuna was expecting some sort of sarcastic quip as a response, but she was a little bit relieved to find otherwise. Dragging around someone who was completely stubborn and unwilling would've taken a toll on her rather chipper mood. "Oh?" The maiden pressed her heels against the wooden floor and stood up herself. "That's quite convenient. I don't enjoy wasting time." She started walking over to the door, but hadn't actually moved a hand to slide it open or exit the room. Her gaze remained forward, but her smile began to widen just slightly at her own thoughts. Things were already going far better than yesterday.

The flower maiden wasn't entirely positive what she classified as exploring. However, it was interesting to see the bodyguard's mind immediately conclude to shopping. Wouldn't something a little more adrenaline-pumping come to mind to the average person when adventure was mentioned? Not that it was anything that offended the silver haired woman. After all, Yuna wouldn't lie and say that she disliked shopping. During times her family allowed her to travel beyond the palace, more specifically during festival seasons, she loved seeing what the merchants had to display. With the type of money she had, she could easily buy anything that caught her eye, so she wouldn't consider that anything new. The princess was trying to look for an experience a little more refreshing to her tastes. Something that was truly rare for her to be seen doing — which, quite honestly, could've been several things considering her upbringing.

The thought of the bodyguard holding a surplus of bags was something that made Yuna gently laugh. "I make no promises on that." Chances were, she most likely wasn't going to overwhelm Jasmine by carrying a bunch of bags. A shopping spree sounded like something that could wait a little bit later. Perhaps when they got further into an area that might've been a little bit more... exotic? Something like that. The further she went away from the palace, the more Yuna would be able to see foreign cultures of the land. Not only would she be able to use her opportunity to have a little bit of fun, but she could also attempt to expand her knowledge a little bit. She raised one of her palms and placed it against the door before glancing back at the brunette over her shoulder.

"Now then, we might as well leave. Please do remember what I told you the night before." A huff of air escaped from her lips. Stay nearby. If someone approaches without ill intent, do not drive them away. With the slight shake of her head, Yuna opened the door and stepped out.

//yikes sorry this is kinda short, i'm hella distracted

When something happens? Once again, it was as if the bodyguard was not-so-patiently awaiting the moment she would be ambushed by wrongdoers. "If, you mean." Yuna wanted to have a little more faith in her people, at least more than Jasmine seemed to have. As of now, nothing drastic actually went wrong, save for their heated arguments the day prior. Their chatter wasn't something Yuna had forgotten about. Rather, she wanted to be mature and let the past slide instead of becoming vindictive. There was no telling that something unpleasant would occur this morning, although the princess supposed she could logically same for the opposite situation as well. Regardless, it didn't matter, did it? Out of the population of Kyoumei, there was a vast majority of people who cherished the maiden in comparison to those few who wished her dead. In the rare case that assassins appeared while they were still situated inland, Jasmine was capable of protecting her.

Her notebook remained on top of her bed — she would need to remember to come back and get it later. "Take the water as you exit." It was a simple request, one that Jasmine hopefully wouldn't have the nerve to complain about. The princess was in a better mood than yesterday, quite obviously, but she could easily snap back to being commanding and haughty within moments. Out of her own habit, Yuna folded her arms behind her back, her posture perfectly straight. Even without the presence of people aside from Jasmine, she maintained a proper stance as she walked. There was a regal quality to even something as simple as her gait, which made it appear as if she was stepping across the elegant red carpets of a throne room rather than the reality of the inn's corridors. It only took another minute or so to arrive at the front of the building, where she was met with the innkeeper for a third time. "Your hospitality thus far is greatly appreciated." She saw a sheepish blush rise to the man's cheeks as he muttered a little "thank you" in response, which brought a smile to the princess's lips.

Now then, they had some exploring to get to. Yuna walked through the entrance and stepped outside, where she was greeted by the sunlight. Already, the daylight had gotten considerably harsher in the time that passed after rising from the bed. She had to squint her violet eyes slightly until they became accustomed to the atmosphere. Once they were, she started to walk down the streets of the small town, glancing up at the stores and the small merchant stands they walked by. Civilians stood near the edges, some continuing their day as normal. Those who noticed her often tended to stand in shocked silence, or some began whispering amongst themselves. "Isn't that the Princess?" was a common utterance spoken beneath their breath. Occasionally, Yuna would glance at the commoners, both intentionally and unintentionally, which evoked a flinch or a hasty but respectful bow. Either way, the maiden smiled at each of them, truthfully pleased that these citizens were respecting her personal space.

Perhaps Jasmine was more aware of her intentions than Yuna was herself, for the first thing to catch her eye was another independent merchant stand. Well, she guessed she was shopping. This time, a slightly older woman stood behind the counter. At the top were small racks that displayed a variety of jeweled necklaces and earrings, however it was a different accessory that grasped her attention. She approached the merchant, who had a calm expression upon her face. "Good morning, Princess Hyeon. Is there something here you like?" At first, Yuna said nothing in response. Simply, she reached down, picking up a flower hairpin from the stand. Magnolias, unsurprisingly. The petals were a light colour, a white base before settling into a soft pink gradient. In the sunlight, the hairpin's jewels glinted magnificently.

Yuna lowered the accessory from the light, glancing up at the merchant. "This is quite pretty." It looked similar to the jewelry she usually adorned back in the palace or when she was supposed to make a public appearance. Her advisers had mentioned that it wouldn't be wise to carry her usual expensive, gold, traditional jewelry on her travels. They were an easy target for something a bandit might want in their possession, but something simple like this would do. She lifted up the hairpin, sliding it into her thick locks of silvery hair. Figuring that there was no mirror, she turned around to face the bodyguard. "What is your opinion?"

Hearing her response caused a blank expression to appear on the princess's face. Her tone made it difficult to tell if she was being honest or saying so for the sake of professionalism. Then again, it was difficult to find people who would be honest to her about certain opinions in general. People were always quick to praise her beauty, personality — practically everything she touched or the air she breathed, as if doing otherwise would be an insult. And who dared to insult a maiden? In all kingdoms, on land or even at sea, they were the most esteemed beings. Currently, it wasn't as though Yuna could quite ask for clarification. After all, she was the one who had shut Jasmine up and commanded that she be mostly professional, unless she wanted to face severe consequences. So, the maiden didn't have much of a choice but to take her word for it. She turned back to the merchant, her hand reaching down to the pouch around her waist. "This will be all, thank you." Once again, she pulled out a few more gold coins than necessary and put them down at the table.

With a quick turn against her heels, Yuna continued down the streets of the town. This time, she didn't glance at the little shops nearly as much as she had done before. Instead, she stopped when she came to a wooden board situated near the center of the path. Etched onto the top was the simple word "requests" in fancy lettering. A variety of papers were pinned neatly on the board, and her eyes quickly scanned over the words on one of them. "To anyone who may be reading this, I greatly request your help! I am getting frail and cannot venture on my own. I need Dusk Coneflower from the Dahlia Woodland for medicinal purposes. Payments may be discussed after." At the bottom of the paper included more details, such as the writer's name and what Yuna assumed to be their address. Quietly, the princess hummed a single note to herself, her head beginning to tilt slightly.

Dusk Coneflower? That was something that she was familiar with. When made into a paste, it had properties that made it quite good at relieving aches and minor pains. When brewed into a tea, it lessened the feeling of headaches and fatigue. It was something that maybe the maiden needed to stock up on herself. "I have decided where I would like to go now." Of all places for a princess, a forest probably wasn't at all expected for a first destination. But, the longer that Yuna thought about it, she realized she hadn't exactly been to one herself. Moonlight Garden, the land where the very first magnolias supposedly bloomed, existed of course. However, it wasn't anything close to the wilderness. There was maybe only one time she entered a forest nearby the palace grounds, though her memories were vague as she was probably only five or six years of age. Plus, her memories consisted more of her being abandoned there by her troublesome older siblings rather than the woods itself.

She tilted her head away from the wooden board, her eyes landing on a group of individuals who stood a distance away, but were still eyeing her down. To most, it probably would've been a bit unnerving, but it was nothing that Yuna wasn't used to. She couldn't really blame them anyway, could she? Princesses were not ones who stopped to look at request boards — they were tasks usually set for peasants who would desperately do anything for a bit of money or trade. What would royalty gain from something like that? The maiden began continuing down the path through the small town, following the signs until they were led to an area outside of it, judging from the lack of buildings around. Yuna came to a stop, tilting her head up slightly. "This must be it."

In front of her, the path continued into a forest. Tall trees were at its side, towering above her height. Some of the smaller ones had flowers growing off their branches, creating an assortment of vivid colors. The sun shined brightly onto the grass below. Though a forest usually might've gained a reputation for being desolate and creepy, there was something about it that seemed a bit... welcoming. It surely sparked the princess's curiosity, only making her want to go inside more.

It was a little bit unusual, but also rather relieving to hear no complaints coming from Jasmine, as she was expecting. Did that mean that the bodyguard was alright with her casually walking through the forest? It was very unlike a princess or royalty in general to do something like that, but considering she wasn't in the eyes of the public, Yuna didn't care quite so much about maintaining her image. No matter. It wasn't like anything she said could change what Yuna planned on doing. After all, the difference in their class granted her lots of power over not just her own life, but the brunette's as well. She wasn't planning on spending her entire day inside of a place like that, anyway. At the very most, their time would only last at an hour.

She had no intention of waiting for Jasmine to say something, so the princess stayed wordless herself as she stepped into the forest. She took in a breath of air, which smelled fresh, if not a little bit like tinder. The sunlight shined brightly through the cracks between the tree leaves, lighting up the dirt path ahead of her. The only sounds Yuna could hear were the treading of her own feet and Jasmine's accompanied with the gentle melody of birds singing above. Occasionally, she would hear a rustling in the bushes or in the grass, but it was nothing that made the princess scared or uncomfortable. Squirrels, probably.Twigs and leaves crunched underfoot. She had to raise up one of her legs to step over an overgrown root jutting from the ground, but tilted her head to look up after. It felt different from the forests of Moonlight Garden... very green, unlike the mix of vibrant colors she was used to seeing.

A small smile rested on the maiden's face, although it probably wouldn't be visible to Jasmine, who was standing behind her. "When you were in training, did they ever teach you anything about natural remedies?" Of course, as someone who never went through the training to become a guard herself, Yuna was completely clueless about what their education or experience entailed. Was it just based around mastering various weaponry? Or did they get basic knowledge in a variety of things? "It's very fascinating. Nobody would expect little plants to be able to do a lot of things that they're capable of." They could be made into pastes, teas, balms... many things that could be used for a variety of uses. "Though it's not entirely confirmed, there are signs that flowers' medicinal properties are quite effective on maidens... even more so than other medications."

It wasn't something that sounded peculiar. The cycles throughout a maidens life did resemble their namesake, with their peak being bloom and the suffering of wilting that came after ⁠— like a representation of life. "Ah! Here it is." Underneath a particularly sunny spot of the forest were a few flowers sprouting from the ground. The cone of the flower was raised up high in the air, its colours were a midnight blue, very slightly speckled with a matching shade of purple. The maiden lowered herself to the ground, reaching a hand out to gently feel the petals beneath her fingertips.

[ my muse skrrted, i'm so sorry ]