The next morning bid the Two Moons farewell for the sun to take their place in the sky. Unlike the darkness at night, the new day shrug off any friction there is in the air. Except the atmosphere is different with no ruler in charge for Insomnia.

Handong yawned as she step out of her chambers. A roughly few hours of sleep are not in her favor and her droopy eyes does not help her to fully wake up, even after a morning bath or a short nap after breakfast. It still surprised her for encountering her youngest sister at the dead of night. After helping her picking the book up, they vowed to say nothing about anything that happen and rushed into their rooms.

Her plan to sneak into her father and mother's chambers failed, and she could not help but to harbor anger for Gahyeon. Still, she could not bear to let the younger sister get caught. Handong did thought of the possibility if she would succeed to execute her plan if she ignored the sound from the study, which scared her a little. She sighed, her own curiosity does kill her plan.

She couldn't sleep well. Sometimes she would jump into sudden consciousness after a short slumber or toss around on her bed. She was not in a right peace of mind knowing that the King and Queen is no longer here.

The drapes of her pink-colored dress slide across the recently cleaned floor. She pushed herself to drag her feet to the garden. All she need is a distraction from all those loud thoughts. She yearns for silence and nothing more.

Handong was about to go down the stairs to the outer courtyard when she saw a girl in a white dress in the throne room. She quickly hid behind the curtains of the balcony. The sneaky princess raised an eyebrow, curiosity gets the best of her once again that she forgot she was sleepy in the first place.

Yoohyeon stared at the throne for as long as she could. The sun glowered at the sight of her shadowing her elegant features. Her icy cold eyes were blank, not even the light from the sun could reflect it. The unseen spirits the castle would think she was malevolent.

No one can tell what was in her mind. It could be fantasizing the impossible of sitting on the throne, or any other unknown intentions one could never read no matter how close her sisters or the people in the castle are.

"Things wouldn't be complicated if you hadn't selected all of us as the candidates of the crown, Father", her voice echoed in her deepest thoughts. The corner of her lip formed a disgusted smirk before its muscles rest.

"Foolish man", she muttered. Although she's alone, her voice is loud enough to break the silence.

"I'll pretend I never heard that", Minji's voice was firm. She stride across the throne room with her ash grey gown, such grace as the Queen's. Yoohyeon was peeved at the resemblance of her oldest sister with their Mother. She averted her gaze back to the throne, she slightly regretted not bringing her earplugs with her from the vanity.

"Had Father listened to what you said, he would exile you", Minji said as she reached her sister's side. Yoohyeon's ear twitched, a little ache in her chest. She had thought of a comeback, something the living should not speak ill of about the dead, but she bit her tongue from doing so.

When her sister responded nothing but ignorance, Minji let out a tired sigh. She contemplated at the throne as well, the red and gold decorations are like the color of yesterday's flames which consumed the King into ashes. With their Mother gone, they rarely see the smile he had whenever the royal pair walk around the garden, or having a romantic dinner together, or dancing in the ballroom the day of their daughters' birthday celebrations. For months until his death, he locked himself up in his studies. Although he was fulfilling his duty as King, he had neglected his daughters. At one point, the princesses began to worry if their father has succumbed into deep grief. No matter what they do and their attempts to communicate, the timing was never right.

In the end, it all come to naught.

The aching memory vanished as Yoohyeon finally spoke. "The meeting with the nobles is today, isn't it?"

Minji rolled her eyes. "They will blabber how one of us must marry to a prince from another kingdom, or use their sons to claim the throne."

"I hate them . . ." Yoohyeon expressed her feelings with a hint of annoyance. "We just lost our father. Why the rush?"

Minji shook her head. "Whatever it is, we must not give in," Minji said and turned to face Yoohyeon, which she did the same. "In these kinds of times, we must stay strong as sisters."

Yoohyeon raised an eyebrow. She almost asked back, "What about other times?" But she stopped herself as she closed her lips. Being vulnerable to Minji is the last thing she would do, one will never know what could she be scheming.

The eldest sister took her hands in hers and rubbed her knuckles with her thumb. With a warm look, Minji smiled. "We'll go through this together. It's time to show these men who's in charge."

Although their feelings about the nobles are mutual, for Yoohyeon, her personal view on Minji is the contrast. She saw her as a competitor, a sibling rivalry that could not be avoided.

And Minji perceived her the same.

Yoohyeon returned the smile sweetly, a facade of an easily-trusting sister she wear to fool. "Let's."

From afar, Handong eavesdropped every word and gestures. Her wariness grew as she witness a hint of malice in the surroundings. Although the conversation seems sincere, her observant self could read the genuine lack of trust Minji and Yoohyeon has for each other.

Handong walked down the stairs to the garden. She tried to calm herself from the storm that seems to be imminent once the thunder roared. She lift her head up to the gloomy sky, she wondered how long has she listened that the grey clouds protected the eyes of the sun from the corruption wafted around the castle.

"What will become of us if the war of the throne began?"