The Noble: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #4

Chapter 23: Denied

Soo Yeon went in search of her father. To face head on the consequences of her actions. Of her refusal to marry an excellent man.

She found her father in his office. He glanced up at her expectantly. "Well, my dear? Is the deed done?"

"Indeed, it is," she murmured sadly.

His eyes brimming with happiness, he leapt from his seat. "You will not regret your choice, my dear. Lee Beom Sook is the very best of men. I am sure that he will make you supremely happy. Once you have forgotten Ban Ryu."

"I will never forget Ban Ryu, Appa," she insisted. "And I will never marry Lee Beom Sook."

His eyes flashed sudden fire at her. "What's this? You didn't accept the good man?"

She shook her head. "I could not do that to that good man."

"What? Explain yourself!" he burst out.

"I would never have grown to love Lee Beom Sook. He would have been chained to a woman whom he knew loved another."

"And just how would he have known that unless you had told him?"

"But, of course, I told him! You would have me deceive a good man?"

He groaned in frustration. "You have refused the best match I could make you!" he thundered. "How could you do this to me?"

"To you? Appa, wasn't I the one who was to be married to him? Weren't you doing this to me?"

Furious, he simply stared at her. After a moment, he countered with, "I thought we had an agreement. You were to marry Lee Beom Sook, and I was to foster Park Ban Ryu. What will become of your champion now?"

"I don't know, Appa. What will become of my champion?"

"You had a chance to help him. And you chose to fail him." He turned his back on her.

"Have you no heart?" she cried out in despair. "Were you never in love, Appa? With a girl you could not have?" Her wide, chocolate eyes pleaded with him.

Then after a silent moment, she sighed. "Of course, you were not!" she answered herself. "You have always loved Eomma. You have no idea what it feels like to be denied your heart's desire!"

Her voice broke on a sob, and she ran for her room. Bawling.

But she quickly realized that she would do Ban Ryu no good there. So she headed for his room. At least, she could nurse him back to health. Before she said goodbye to him forever.

––

Lord Kim Seub returned home late one night to find his wife reading in Ban Ryu's room. The boy was asleep, and so was Soo Yeon. She was still camped out on the yo bed in the corner of the room. Her father glanced irately down at her before turning his gaze on his wife.

"Why is she still sleeping in here? Surely, the man is recovered enough for her to stop this ceaseless vigilance!"

His wife didn't answer him. Upon further examination, he realized that her face looked decidedly pinched. He drew closer to her and whispered, "Bit Na, what's the matter?"

"I think she's already dropped some weight. She's always been tiny, Seub! She can't afford to lose much more!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked softly, but with exasperation.

Her eyes traveled across the room to land on their daughter. "Soo Yeon refuses to eat. She hasn't eaten since she turned down Lee Beom Sook."

"What?" he thundered.