This is an Emergency

Step, step.

Footsteps echoed softly through the royal garden, where moonlight spilled like silver silk across stone paths and frozen blossoms. Commander Jade stood alone, hands behind his back, his eyes reflecting the quiet shimmer of the royal pond.

At the sound, he turned.

There—walking with grace and quiet purpose—was Queen Genie, her attendants trailing respectfully behind her. The moment his gaze met hers, his heart gave a quiet, trembling leap.

'Your Majesty…'

She was radiant in the moonlight, her cloak fluttering faintly in the breeze, her presence filling the stillness of the night like a song.

As she approached, Jade stepped forward, bowing low.

"Your Majesty, you've returned."

Genie smiled—a small, trembling smile, one that reached her eyes. Even the sight of him standing there, so composed and loyal, made her heart beat faster, as though it recognized something her mind still hesitated to speak.

"Have you been waiting here this whole time?" she asked gently.

"Not long, Your Majesty," he replied, though the truth was he had lost track of time the moment he sensed her presence in the air.

Genie turned briefly toward her attendants. 

"I'll take a walk with the Minister. Please head inside—it's cold tonight."

The attendants exchanged knowing glances, their smiles subtle but warm. With a quiet bow, they withdrew.

Genie turned back to Jade, her expression softening.

"May we?" she asked, her voice lighter now, almost playful.

Jade's lips curved into a rare, gentle smile.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Together, they began to walk—just the two of them, for the first time in what felt like forever.

The silence between them wasn't awkward; it was tender, tentative. Only the soft hush of winter wind, the distant rustle of trees, and their footsteps on the frost-kissed path filled the air. Moonlight poured over the garden like a blessing.

And then, Jade stopped.

"Your Majesty," he said, his voice quiet but firm.

Genie turned to face him, the cold forgotten, her heart pounding with both fear and hope.

Jade met her eyes, steady and searching.

"How did Your Majesty know I wasn't the one who did it?" His voice was low, almost a whisper—an edge of vulnerability threading through his usual calm.

Genie's breath caught. Suddenly, she realized he knew everything—the shadow of the secret hanging silently between them.

"Because I trust you," she said firmly.

Her words were unwavering, clear as a vow. They struck something deep within him—his heart pounded, a surge of emotions rising fierce and inexplicable. Hope, relief, and something like joy flickered in his chest.

But then, beneath it all, sorrow crept in. A heavy, silent guilt settled over him. 

'How could she trust me so completely? What would happen when she learned the truth—when she saw who I truly was beneath the armor and duty?'

Yet, beneath his fears, a burning question pushed forward, demanding courage.

'Is Her Majesty really feeling the same as me?'

They stood in silence, eyes lifted to the vast night sky, where stars shone cold and distant. The world seemed to hold its breath.

Finally, Jade found his voice. 

"Your Majesty… what do I mean to you…?"

His words hung between them like fragile glass.

Genie's own heart began to race, the weight of his question igniting every nerve. She turned slowly, her gaze tracing the strong lines of his profile, bathed in moonlight.

'To me, you are…'

Her lips parted, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

"To me, you are…"

Just as the confession began to take flight—

Suddenly, footsteps pounded toward them—urgent, desperate.

Danjin, breathless and wide-eyed, came to a halt before them, chest heaving.

"Your Majesty! Minister Jade! It's an emergency—Ash has invaded!"

The words shattered the fragile moment.

Queen Genie and Jade's eyes widened in unison, the tension between them thickening like a storm cloud rolling in from the south.

"How far have they advanced in their attack?" Jade asked, his voice low but urgent.

Danjin, the deputy commander, stepped forward with a grim expression. 

"A dispatch just arrived, Your Majesty. Several villages along the southwestern border are under siege. They're being raided by forces from the Ash Kingdom."

Queen Genie drew in a sharp breath, her fingers curling around the carved edge of her throne. Jade turned toward her, catching her distressed expression. With a calm but firm gaze, he nodded as if to steady her.

"Your Majesty, please don't be alarmed. I recently visited the southwestern frontier. I reorganized the armory and conducted intensive military drills precisely in anticipation of a surprise assault from the Ash Kingdom. The special forces of the capital are ready. I will depart immediately and lead them to the border."

Relief and worry wove together in Genie's eyes. 

"Yes, Jade. Please… do everything you can." She turned to Danjin. "Danjin, support Jade with everything you have. And both of you… return safely."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Danjin replied, bowing sharply.

Without another word, Jade and Danjin turned on their heels and swept through the palace corridors, their footsteps echoing off the cold marble floors as they exited the royal hall.

Sensing the tension in the air, Queen Genie's attendants rushed to her side.

"Chief Han," she called, her voice clipped with urgency. "Summon the ministers—immediately!"

"At once, Your Majesty," Chief Han said, already moving to obey.

By the time the first light of dawn touched the palace walls, the Grand Assembly Hall was alight with hurried footsteps and the rustle of silk robes. Royal officials from every department had gathered under the vaulted ceiling, whispering anxiously as they awaited the Queen's address.

Queen Genie rose from her throne, her expression resolute. 

"This is a state of emergency."

The chamber fell into complete silence.

"The Ash Kingdom has begun a full-scale assault on the outskirts of our Hana Kingdom. Rural villages along the southwestern border have already been raided. Minister Jade has departed for the frontlines with our elite forces."

She paused, sweeping her gaze over every official in the room.

"From this moment forward, we are at war. I call upon every department—military, logistics, intelligence, and diplomacy—to work together as one. We must protect our kingdom and overcome this crisis together."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The Assembly Hall echoed with the thunder of voices as the officials rose in unison, their loyalty resounding like a battle cry.

A senior official stepped forward with urgency. 

"Your Majesty, according to the latest messengers, there are numerous civilian casualties reported in the southwestern border villages."

Queen Genie's eyes sharpened, but her voice remained composed as she addressed the hall. "The Medical Bureau must dispatch physicians and emergency medical supplies to the border without delay."

She turned to another official. 

"The Ministry of Land, please determine the range and trajectory of the Ash Kingdom's offensive. Identify vulnerable regions and set up defensive positions at once."

Another nod followed. 

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"And the Administrative Bureau," she continued firmly, "must reorganize the capital's civil management systems to adapt to wartime conditions. Activate the emergency chains of command and reinforce all guard posts."

Her commands flowed swiftly—each one deliberate, precise, and grounded in the emergency protocols she had committed to memory since her coronation. Though the room was filled with tension, Genie stood at the eye of the storm—resolute, composed, and unwavering.

For a brief moment, the officials looked to one another. Many had grown used to decades of tranquility under King Gen's reign. The sudden plunge into war had left them shaken. But as they watched their young queen rise to the occasion with unflinching resolve, something shifted within them. One by one, they moved into action, her calm authority restoring order and purpose to the chamber.

From his place beside the throne, Minister Han Son—an elder statesman who had served through three reigns—stepped forward with practiced grace. 

"Your Majesty, we should convene both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture to assess the potential for diplomatic engagement with the Ash Kingdom. Even in times of war, we must explore the possibility of negotiation."

Moonsen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nodded in agreement. 

"Yes, Your Majesty. While the military defends our borders, diplomacy must move swiftly. We may yet find leverage through cultural ties or emissary channels."

Queen Genie met their gazes, appreciating their wisdom. 

"Thank you, ministers. You're right. This is not only a battle of swords, but of minds and words." She straightened, her voice ringing with fresh command. "All personnel from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture—assemble in my office at once. We begin discussions on all possible diplomatic avenues, effective immediately."

As the officials bowed and hurried to their tasks, the dawn outside broke fully—casting a pale golden light across the stone floor of the assembly hall. Hana Kingdom had awakened to war. But its Queen had already begun to fight.

The thunder of hooves rumbled across the scorched plain as Jade surged ahead, sword drawn, the insignia of the Hana Kingdom blazing on his cloak. Dust and wind whipped against his face as the capital's elite special forces galloped behind him, their formation tight, their resolve ironclad.

Ahead, the frontlines blazed with chaos—flashes of steel, war cries, and the clash of Hana's border forces locked in desperate combat against the Ash Kingdom's invading troops.