"And this here..." Ara began, holding her finger high in the air, "is Hercules."

Jun couldn't help but smile at her - the absolute adoration she held for the stars was clear in her expression.

"Beautiful." he commented, his head snapping up to the sky the moment Ara looked at him. "All of it is. It must have taken you a very long time to study all of this... the alignments, the brightness."

"Indeed." Ara agreed, looking up again, frowning slightly as she noticed an increasing dimness in a certain area.

"Is something wrong?" Jun asked.

"The King..." she trailed, reaching into her robe and pulling out the pendant that hung around her neck. Jun's eyes landed on the shimmering, translucent, pearlescent teardrop shaped stone. There was no way... surely...? His heart hammered in his chest and he took a step back, giving Ara room to do what she had to.

Grasping the stone in her hand, she wrapped three fingers around it, her index finger resting on the tip of her nose, her thumb resting under her chin. She closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating before muttering: "Show me."

Her hand suddenly flew upwards in the direction of the star, palm outstretched, the stone suspended in mid-air. Jun jumped back as multiple circular glyphs appeared, each one zooming closer and closer until the star that was lightyears away appeared before her in perfect clarity through the window of the final glyph. It had been a while since he had witnessed someone using Farsight. Walking closer towards the window, her eyes narrowed as she studied the planet. No, everything was still okay... for the moment. Her fingers curled into a fist and the window disappeared.

"Is everything okay, Miss Ara?" Jun asked, stepping close to her again.

"Yes." she said carefully. "It's fine."

"That's a relief... for a moment I thought something terrible had happened to our King."

"Not at all." she shook her head. "Shall we?"

"Let's."

The pair began a slow meander back down Mount Oma, their conversation flowing back and forth with ease. The sun was just about to peek above the horizon, the sky having turned from deep blue to a pale periwinkle wash tinted with yellow. Ara had taken the opportunity to vent to an outside party, her frustrations with Queen Yifa, her thoughts about General Lang, the pressure of being the decision maker, the comforter, the judge, jury and executioner for the Royal Family and how she only had space to breathe and think while she was on the mountain.

"It sounds like you spend every minute taking care of others and have no time for yourself. It's not really relaxing to come here either, is it? Not when there's pressure on you for the universe to give you guidance?"

"Exactly. That's exactly how it is."

"So you should marry me, then. You'll never have to lift another finger so long as you live." Jun commented lightly, pride swelling in his chest as he watched Ara fall about in laughter, how her delicate nose scrunched up and her smile went all the way up to her eyes. That sound was something he'd grown very fond of over their meetings on Mount Oma. His pride swelled even further as he noticed a pretty blush blooming over her soft cheeks and his heart leapt at how shy she had become, hiding behind her long black hair that she was wearing only partially up with plenty of pretty pins and decorations dotted around.

Ara didn't quite understand it herself. She was no virgin, she had plenty of experience with many different types of men and yet she had never felt this shy, this girlish in front of a man. For some reason she wanted to show Jun only her best, prettiest and softest sides. Perhaps it was because he was so chivalrous, so polite and that was a breath of fresh air for her. The other men she had encountered were very upfront in their intentions and expectations and rarely would they take 'No.' for an answer. If she found them attractive enough, she usually didn't mind, but never had she been treated so carefully and with such... respect. Perhaps it was because she was used to dealing with cold city boys and being from far on the other side of Mount Oma, Jun wasn't about that.

"Wouldn't that be something." she giggled at last, twirling on her heel to face him, walking backwards down the gravelly path.

"You met with General Lang today?" Jun asked and if Ara wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of distaste in his voice.

"I did." she confirmed, though her demeanour changed to something less jovial. "It was very... I dare say he is the type of man to challenge a tiger to a fight and come out the victor. He does not handle loss gracefully, or so I've heard."

Suddenly, Jun's hand flew out, wrapping itself around her forearm, the other hovering around her shoulders bringing both of them to an abrupt halt. Their gazes locked and a shiver ran though Ara for a split second as she regarded him. The golden bird that wrapped itself around her ear reflected the sun onto the smooth skin of his prominent cheekbones, illuminating his handsome features and she noticed his strong brows were furrowed ever so slightly. After a few silent seconds, her fingers wrapped around his forearm in return, the fabric of his white and blue robes soft under her touch.

"Miss Ara, forgive me if I'm overstepping," he began cautiously, his voice sounding deeper the closer it was to her, "but please do not let anyone pressure you into doing something you don't wish to do, no matter who it is. You deserve to be respected."

Ara was stunned.

For a moment she felt he was being rather condescending, as though she didn't know that herself. And yet she felt a lump rising in her throat, a heat flushing across her face as she found herself unable to look at him. What was wrong with her? It wasn't that she was some fragile flower who needed protecting, rather, it was the first time anyone had ever said such things to her and it had caught her off guard. How many times did she give in to what the men around her wanted just so that she wouldn't have to deal with their temper tantrums? How many times did she try to disagree with the Queen's suggestions for her personal life, only to be ignored and forced into attending some kind of event so she could meet suitors? And no one, not the Doctor, not even Lady Camilla whose light purple robes she had borrowed for her meeting with Jun had ever felt anger for her, or supported her when she expressed her annoyance with herself for giving in almost every time. In fact, she realised in her personal relationships, she had all but given up trying.

Fear immediately ran through Jun as Ara's free hand came up to wipe away moisture in her eyes.

"Did I offend you? I'm so sorry, Miss Ara, please forgive me. It wasn't my intention to upset you."

"It's not that." she smiled, warmed by his alarm. "It's just... no one has ever said those words to me before. I know it myself, but this is the first time someone else has said it."

A high-pitched humming noise startled them both and Ara jumped back, landing solidly in the arm Jun had placed around her shoulders, though he had dared not touch. Their attention was taken as they both tried to locate the source of the noise, their eyes darting all over the place, both of them trying not to think about how intimate it felt to hold and be held, unwilling to acknowledge it or to let go and step away. The noise came back again, though this time the culprit made itself clear - a bronze mechanical hummingbird came to a stop by Ara's shoulder. It belonged to her driver - he was sending for her.

This early on a Sunday morning?

"My driver is sending for me. I must go." she whispered and Jun immediately manouvred them around the rock she was about to trip over when he grabbed her arm and let go.

"Absolutely. Please go safely, Miss Ara."

It was a blur of forestry, gravel and chilly morning dew that seemed to meld together as Ara ran down the remaining path and across the base where her driver, Wan, was waiting for her with the carriage door already open.

"What's the matter?" she asked as she drew nearer.

"The map changed." he explained, helping her up the steep step, shutting the door and hopping onto the front seat. "The palace changed colour, it became a bright white colour, then turned golden and then it went back to black. I've never seen such a change before, so I called you to come back."

"Neither have I. You were right to call me." Ara nodded. "We ought to go faster. Hold on, Wan."

Pulling the pendant out once more, Ara gripped it between her index finger and thumb and concentrated. The words 'Haste' left her lips and with the flick of her wrist, she flipped the pendant upside down, inviting a golden glyph to appear over the roof of the carriage. Immediately, the surrounding nature - birds, rabbits, wild deer, falling leaves and buzzing bees slowed almost to a complete stop as they continued to gallop through the forest floor, the path leading to the palace well worn after years of use by her predecessors.

Wan encouraged the horses to go faster as they ran, Ara holding on for dear life inside the safey of the carriage. She thought back to twenty minutes prior when she had been held in Jun's arm; safe, small and shy. It was ridiculous how he made her feel. She wouldn't dare talk to him the way she would to others with cutting, witty remarks. But then, she had no reason to be on the defensive, to prove that she was a woman who could take care of herself when she was in front of him. She didn't have to prove that she wasn't to be messed with because he never made her feel like that's what he was out to do. She felt foolish for becoming emotional over what he said, because she absolutely was not a pushover but it didn't mean she didn't get worn down and recently it had been taking a toll on her more than ever.

She was a person, too, she wasn't always consistent with how she acted or felt.

As the palace walls came into view in the distance, she sat up straighter, her game face on. As far as she could tell, there was no fire, no emergency, nothing out of the ordinary from here. She twisted her wrist and snapped her fingers as they entered the last stretch of road leading to the back end of the palace, not too far from the main buildings. Time sped up once more as the guards stood aside.

The massive wooden gates creaked open to reveal a picture of chaos.

Servants running around carrying all sorts of things - flowers, food, vases, people yelling here and there, wailing in the distance. Ara looked to Wan as they disembarked just off the main central courtyard. He shrugged, and she yelped as she was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder and spun around.

"Where have you been?" Min yelled, his eyes puffy and red, hair dishivelled and unkempt.

"I just got back..."

"Wearing that?" he hissed, looking down at the pretty, overtly feminine robes she never ever wore.

"Your Highness, what happened?" she sighed, ignoring his glaring.

"Father is dead!" he spat, wiping his sleeve over his mouth and eyes as Ara stared at him in shock. "You need to- you need to- take care of this! Do something, Ara!"

Ara simply nodded, too stunned to think, and so she made her way back towards the main building and into her bedroom, avoiding anyone who even looked like they might want something from her. A breath escaped her as she closed her door, resting her head against the wood for a minute before she pushed back and took off the pretty light purple robes and changed once more into her all black ensemble, removing her hair pins, tying her hair up into its usual ponytail, changing out her jewelry and touching up her makeup before making her way back over to the door. Her fingers curled around the handle and she paused for a moment, mustering up her strength and swinging the door open, entering the madness with her head held high.