.twenty eight.
Days later, Minji was almost a regular at the breakfast table with Jung and the other princes. The king didn't mind her there, and even welcomed her with open arms, her and her sister as well. Minji had tried to invite Soon Deok, but knowing that the tenth prince would be there made her nervous because she liked him so much, and she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of him. Her fifteen year old sister jokingly pointed out that embarrassing herself in front of the dopey tenth prince would be considered an accomplishment. Still, Soon Deok wasn't confident enough to sit at the same table with the boy she was in love with. Especially considering he wasn't in love with her.
While they had their meal, the king casually brought up Eun's upcoming birthday, and what it should mean to him. "You'll be turning eighteen in a matter of days, Eun-ah."
To which the tenth prince crinkled up his nose in displeasure. Without his father even saying anything yet, the little prince already knew what that conversation would be about. The deadline was approaching, and his father had been more persistent as the date got closer. He had started pestering him about it starting from a year prior, when he had just turned seventeen. Soon he would be beginning to pester Baek-ah and Han about it too, and eventually Jung. But he didn't have to worry about the youngest brother anymore. The king was glad that Jung had already found someone who would marry him.
When Eun said nothing, his expression clearly readable and showing his true feelings, the king continued with enthusiasm. It was a stark contrast to the burden Eun was starting to feel, just thinking about it. "Have you thought about any possible candidates? Anyone you have your eye on?"
He didn't want to get married. But if he was going to be forced to do so, he only had one person in mind. That person was Hae Soo, but he wasn't too sure if it would even be allowed. For one, she was a palace court lady, and also she had purposefully scarred her body in order to avoid marriage to the king. Eun wasn't sure if the same rule applied to the princes. He also didn't want to anger his father by marrying the same woman he was supposed to marry.
In a whiny voice, Eun asked, "But why do I have to get married? Why can't I just stay like this? I'm happy this way. I just want to play."
Single, with no responsibilities. That was the life he wanted.
Maybe later in his life he would welcome having a wife. But right then it wasn't on his list of priorities. He did want to have children, and Yo had told him he needed a wife for that. Eun just didn't know how a woman played a role in having children. He didn't really understand the basics of life.
"Wives really are dead weight." Won commented with a sigh, to which Yo agreed with a grin and a nod of his head.
The king tried to reason with him, one of the few times he spoke to him as a father and not as the king of their country. It was clear in the way his tone softened significantly. "You have to understand, Eun-ah. Eighteen is the age for marriage in our kingdom."
Wang Eun looked to his fourth brother Wang So who was sitting at the table as well, pointing out something he thought would get him out of having to get married to some woman he didn't love. "My brother So isn't married and he's already twenty." He didn't think it fair that the king was finding him a wife, while completely ignoring the fact that So was unmarried. He seemed utterly unconcerned by it.
"Who could possibly love a monster?" Yo asked, once more trying to mess with his brother.
So ignored him and explained calmly to his younger brother, a sigh escaping his lips. "No one would have me, even if I am a prince, because of my face."
