.seventy two.
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"I do apologize because you have gotten your hopes up for nothing. You will not bear his majesty another child."
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With Mu on the throne, there was a relative peace among the brothers. But there was unrest in the court. They still felt that he was unfit to sit on the throne, especially with his worsening heath condition as well as paranoia. The court wanted someone strong to sit in the king's seat, and their options in mind now were Wang Wook, and Wang So. So was not keen to the idea of taking the place that rightfully belonged to his older brother. Wook, on the other hand, didn't think it such a bad idea.
Still, the family was closer now and Eun got visits more often from the siblings that he was close to--So, Baek-ah, Yeon Hwa, and very rarely Mu. Minji had also heard from reliable sources that Hajin was back in the palace. She had also been elevated to the highest court lady honor. Her job was now that of the one Court Lady Oh used to have. Minji was happy for her friend and made it a point to visit her whenever she and Eun went to the palace to see the other princes or whenever there were important events taking place.
Minji's health also improved significantly, but Jinki was still sickly and was not allowed to leave the house. For that reason, she rarely left the house and rarely left his side as well. She was still a bit weak. But as a year went by into Mu's reign, she was finally eighteen years old, finally an adult, not that it mattered much in those days since she had already gotten married and given birth to three children. It wasn't much of a milestone, but her family and husband wanted to celebrate it big. The twins were three years old and more able to speak coherent sentences. Jinki was almost two and Minji worried for him. Eun was already twenty one and had been training with Han for a whole year.
Han constantly joked to Minji that if she knew just how good her husband looked, she wouldn't let him out of the bed room. But Minji could definitely feel the difference. Though she liked him as he was before--a sweet little boy who loved her--she was happy about his reasons for making this change. He had mentioned to her that he wanted to be the one to protect her and the children from any harm should it present itself. But Minji could certainly feel it when she touched him, when she was underneath him. They were both truly adults now, and with that came the evident changes in their bodies. Even his voice had changed a little bit was a little bit deeper.
It was the day of her eighteenth birthday party and her family as well as Eun's had been invited. Her parents greeted her with a hug, and as she pulled away, her father mentioned to her with a hint of sadness, "Finally eighteen, my little one. My youngest daughter, the light of my eyes. I wish this had been the day when you would have gotten married."
She smiled him a bit sadly, knowing that if he had been right, she would have lived for the last four years with her parents and not with Eun. She would have missed out on marrying him and he would have ended up with someone else. Perhaps, if things had gone as they all wanted, she would have married Jung. But then she wouldn't have her wonderful husband and their three beautiful kids. Despite Jinki being sickly and her blaming herself for it, she knew she wouldn't trade him, Soo, or Bi for anything else in the world. She no longer even cared if she went back to the present anymore. In fact, she really didn't want to because she didn't want to leave her new life, her husband, and their children behind.
"Appa don't think about it like that." She said to him with her sad smile remaining. The thought about not having her family by her side was one she shuddered to think about. "Think about how I'm very happy with my husband, he loves me like no one else could. And think about your grand children. Had I gotten married until now, you wouldn't have them, and they love you so much."
