Reunion Under The Stars

"W-what!" Tari said eyes blew open. "J-Jooni t-this is completely inappropriate!" she scolded the poor man who looked at her not quite understanding what she is saying.

After a moment that seemed to take forever, Joon Wo's eyes followed Tari's previous action, and raised his hand to cover his mouth not believing what she was thinking of.

"T-that was n-not what I meant." He said trying to keep his voice firm, but he couldn't help but stutter in front of the strawberry faced princess. "I meant to help you find your way to your room." He faked a cough as Tari raised her hands to fan her face that was a bundle of heat.

"N-no need."

"But didn't you say you wanted to bath?" he said tilting his head in confusion at her sudden change of mind.

"I do but, I can do that later. The bath can wait." She looked up at his dark mysterious eyes. "I want to spend time with you more than a bath."

"If that is what you want then, it's what you will get, Princess." He looked down at her silver shining eyes with a warmth that he didn't know he could give.

He held out his hand to her and she took it without question or hesitation. "Let me take you to our favorite place."

She grinned happily allowing him to drag her behind him as she struggled to keep up with his long strides just like the old days. They were completely ignorant of the stares and gossips of the servants around them as they passed by holding hands or more like, they didn't care.

And there they were, in front of the worn-out palace wall that wasn't as tall as they thought when they were younger. Tari only climbed this wall once, but she could easily spot the footholds that she once used to help herself up.

"I will go first." Joon Wo said and before she could even reply he was already at the top. Nefertari wondered if his shoulders have always been this broad. His hair floating around him by the dusk's breeze as he let it down.

She could finally point out how long his hair was, it reached down to the bottom of his spine. He must've let it grow these past years, she said to herself in the back of her mind.

"Here," Joon Wo reached down to hold out his hand. She only needed to take one step up the wall before he grabbed her arm and pulled her up with ease and placed her on the roof's top, not noticing his hand that was in touch with the bare skin of her waist.

"T-thanks." She embarrassingly pulled away from his hold and sat down on the roof stretching her legs in front of her and Joon Wo copied her moves and they sat down, side by side, and looked up at the dusk that was gradually turning into night.

"Do you think it's coincident?" She asked staring up at the sky as its stars started to pop up.

"What is?" he turned to look at her.

"The sky is clear," she said. "the sky is clear just like how we were first here despite it being the rainy season. Do you think it's fate?" she turned her head fast to be caught into his gaze yet again.

"Fate…" he said looking at her and then at the sky. "I wouldn't call it fate. More like it was a cause because of something bigger. The thought that we are moved by something like fate doesn't fit well with me." He said chuckling at the end of his phrase.

"I want to make my fate." He turned to gape at her eyes that were glittering under the moonlight that fell perfectly on her orbs.

She was toke off guard, somehow those words sent chills down her spine. "Y-you've grown quite a bit, haven't you Jooni?" she chuckled shrugging the chill off her spine.

For the first time in a long time, he laughed out loud. The sound of his giggles was strange even to him. "You have got a point." He said in between his chuckles. "I did change in the past 10 years, strange how I feel that it hasn't affected you at all."

"I only said that you have grown up, not changed." She said. "You are still the same from back when we first made our promise of never changing. You are still the same pure-hearted boy."

Just at that moment as she finished her words the wind blew, blowing his raven-black hair in the air. Tari couldn't help but reach out to delicately grab a strand and feel how silky and soft it was against her fingers.

"Jooni," she said twisting his silky hair over her finger.

"Hmm,"

"N-never mind," she waved him off with a grin. She wanted to bring up the issue with his brothers, but she didn't want to get in between the three brothers but more importantly, she didn't want to ruin that comfortable feeling that Joon Wo was having.

She will for once, let him off the hook.

"Thank you for staying the same, Jooni."

~~~~

"Princess!" Canaria yelled as the door swung open. "Do you have any idea what time it is!"

"Canaria!" Nefertari yelped. "You are still awake!"

"Of course, I am!" She rushed over to her princess and pulled her inside to her bedroom. "I've barely been able to convince sir Azar of going to his room to get some rest. He kept saying that he needed to make sure you are okay."

"Shesh, he should take it easy." Nefertari scoffed as she sat down with a thud as Canaria started to her accessories off.

"Princess, he is only doing his job!" Canaria scolded her, "But, that doesn't mean that you can make his job harder."

Tari sighed. "I didn't mean to make it hard on anyone. It's been a very long time since…" she paused.

"Since what?" Canaria bent her head down to look at Nefertari who fell silent all of a sudden.

"Y-you know... since I saw Jooni…" she blushed. "I mean since I saw all of them!"

Canaria grinned at her princess's flushed cheeks. "I hope you don't get hurt, Princess." She mumbled softly with a smile thinking of just how much Nefertari grew up.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, princess."

~~~~

"What news do my little birds get for me?" King Farzad smirked.

"Only Aleah sent word this month, Your Majesty," Captain Bijan said standing on the left side of the throne that the king sat on.

"What about that young knight, Azar I believe his name was?"

"She said that he has departed with the crown princess to Goryeo," Bijan said.

"Goryeo?" he looked at him questioningly. "Isn't that where my grandson is headed?"

He nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"And his father, Javid?" he asked wondering.

Speaking of the devil!

The guards at the door opened the door giving room for you know who to enter. The one and only, Javid 1st Prince of Persia.

"Too bad," he said adjusting his cashmere long coat. "I'm still here father."

"Why are you here and not with your son?" he narrowed his eyes.

"Why else?" Javid scoffed, "I couldn't bear to stay away from my home sweet home."

"You will watch your language while addressing the King." Bijan hissed taking a step forward.

Javid raised his hand over his mouth faking a cough. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, if my ignorance made you feel insulted."

"Why are you here?"

"I had some business to take care off here, why else? Your Majesty." Javid said taking a few steps away from the door to stand in front of his father. "After all, the king is a little busy thinking of how to invade neighboring countries to think about his people's well-being."

"I've no time for your empty mockery child." The king spat out, his patience running out at his son.

He raised his hands in protest and smirk across his lips. "I just came to check on my beloved father is that so bad?"

"Alright then, I'll take my leave." He said after he felt that his father's patience did indeed expire.

He bowed and turned on his heals out of the throne room.

"That brat is getting bolder by the day." He sighed leaning back.

"Should I take action, Your Majesty?" Bijan asked

"And have the wrath of the Abbas family upon us? Not a chance." He sighed. "I don't know he came to have such powerful in-laws."

"Anyway," he continued. "back to our point, since Azar is with the crown princess in Goryeo, this gives us another opportunity." He smirked wickedly.

Finally, his plan is going to take place soon. Finally, Kemet is almost his, or so the old man thought. His ego was sky-high and he had confidence in his wickedness that only God knows where he got it from.