.fourteen.
As soon as they walked into the house, leaving the princes outside with their father, their mother saw them and heaved a sigh of relief. She had been pacing around the living room with one of the servants and rushed over to the two girls, pulling them into her arms. "With all the commotion at the palace I thought something happened to you girls." She said with worry, kissing one and then the other on the cheek desperately. Her hands ran up and down their arms as though she were checking for any bumps or bruises. Their father had soon followed into the house behind them, after having a word with his soldiers about calling off the search for his daughters. "Why would you sneak out on a night like this? When there are criminals on the loose." Their mother wondered, wanting to know what had possessed them to do something like that.
The Park sisters were normally good girls and would never even think of sneaking out of their house. They knew it would worry their parents.
Their father chuckled, everything coming together when he saw the two princes escorting his daughters back home. He had to admit that he liked what he saw. He had always thought that only a prince would be good enough for his precious daughters. "They were in good hands, darling." He assured his wife. When she shot him a look of confusion, he explained, "They went out with the youngest princes of Goryeo--Wang Jung and Baek Ah."
Now knowing that they were never in any real danger, her face flooded with relief.
General Park went to Minji's side and nudged her teasingly. "Prince Jung and you are close again. I might have to talk to King Taejo about a marriage between one of my daughters and one of his sons." Looking to the other of the two girls, he said, "Looks like you're going to have to settle for the thirteenth prince since the fourteenth has an eye on your sister." He had given Soon Deok the choice between the two youngest princes, but since one of them already had a preference for Hak Soon, the remaining one would have to do for his other daughter.
"I'm not interested in marrying either of them." Soon Deok protested. She had already mentioned it several times, but her father wouldn't listen. The prince that she was in love with was Wang Eun.
"And I'm too young to get married." Minji added an argument of her own, crinkling up her nose as she refused. Though her father grinned when she didn't dismiss the offer, but rather said that she was too young to be married off. He saw it as a good sign. Perhaps, he thought, she wouldn't mind if she were to marry the fourteenth prince of Goryeo. She just didn't want to marry him right away. And he was even more pleased that the prince was very keen on his daughter as well. Even if his daughter didn't want to, he was going to talk to the king. Maybe they could arrange for their youngest children to marry after turning eighteen.
General Park sent his daughters off to bed for the night and got up early the next morning to head for the palace. Minji and Soon Deok had gotten up early as well. Soon Deok was doing her morning martial arts training, while Minji watched her. Then she would head to the palace to visit Jung. She wanted him to teach her how to fight, something she would need if she was to continue living in Goryeo as Park Hak Soon.
The king had made time to meet with his most trusted general, even though he had been informed that it wasn't exactly a formal visit. They were in the throne room of the palace when General Park walked in. He followed the long aisle to the front of the room and knelt before the king. "Your majesty." He greeted with respect.
"Ji Mong told me this wasn't a formal visit." The king said. When the general nodded his head, the king asked him, "What can I do for you, old friend?"
"Your majesty, I've noticed the way our youngest have been getting very close with each other lately." The general explained.
"My Jung and your Hak Soon?" He asked. He knew that his children and the general's children had grown up around each other and some of them were friends. When General Park gave a nod of his head, the King continued. "Yes, I remember they were especially fond of each other as kids." Last he had heard, Park Hak Soon had been sent away to the country side to help her aunt and uncle for two years. Recently there was word of her return, but she had lost her memory when she tried to stop someone who was watching the princes bathing.
