"We may not have birthed you but you will be our daughter, one way or another. Start with a scholarship and end as the Queen, any path you take is your choice to make."
In a modern-day monarchy, Ari is every bit a struggling student as any other. T...
"The successor to your throne?" Ari echoed hearing something crazier than anything she'd ever expected. Was this old man out of his mind? Or was the attendant right and she'd accidentally added something malicious to the innocent soup? Ari laughed softly, "You're kidding, right?"
"I'm not." The King spoke innocently, chewing on the meat in the soup, "I don't believe any of my sons are good enough to reign. The country needs someone smart like you."
Ari thought of the two people he was talking about, "You mean Prince Seungcheol and Prince Chan? But they're described as the perfect successors to your majesty."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The King shrugged, "The reality is not in the tabloids, Ari-yang (Young Ari). My sons don't care about the throne."
"Why am I part of this though?" Ari asked, confused, "It's your duty to set them straight. I'd be an even worse candidate than these two."
"Well, it's only in speech for now. Your succession, Ari." The King spoke, wiping his face, "Your father and I disagreed on a great many things but he was still one of the founders to re-instating monarchy in this modern world. You're as much a royal as my sons are."
The King gestured to his attendants and a file was dropped at Ari's table. Opening it calmly, Ari looked at her father's face, happy, young and hugging the current King. Flipping pages, she saw notes on the framing constituents of the country's law. Ari gasped, "My father... My father wrote this?"
The King nodded, "That's right, Ari. Before marrying your mother, your father was the candidate to becoming King. When the monarchy was re-instated, my wife and I were pushed to act like this file never existed but the truth is different. Your father hid it all his life."
"This..." Ari could not believe it. How could anyone? Her father was a candidate to becoming King? Then why were they living like this, in a town no one knew, silent and away from Seoul? Did her father know things would turn out like this when he sent her to Seoul to study? "Why?"
The King sighed, "I have talked it over with my staff, ministers and people. I want to introduce you as a successor candidate." He held guilt in his eyes, "As a ruler, I must make amends for the past, present and the possible future. I want to support you." The King then spoke words that would stick with her for life,
"We may not have birthed you but you will be our daughter, one way or another. Start with a scholarship and end as the Queen, any path you take is your choice to make."
::
Crown Prince Seungcheol could not believe his eyes as he read through the tabloid with his morning coffee. Draped in the silk gown, he came to realise that before sunrise, his father had indeed been up to naught. Seungcheol had to admit, however, he would've preferred his father's early morning activities to be caught outside with some love interest instead of recruiting a crown princess at a restaurant in the middle of nowhere.
"SI—MBAL," (shoe instead of Sibal meaning a curse word), He quickly changed his words peeking an eye at the servants stationed near his chamber. "Just what was he thinking?"
One of the attendants came forward, "You should prepare for work, your highness. It's getting late."
Seungcheol sighed, letting his head drop back, his hair falling onto his face. He disliked the constant surveillance on him, one of the reasons why he'd be more often found in Jeonghan's room at night than his.
The attendant was worried he hadn't been heard, "Your highness, the time—"
"I know, I know." Seungcheol spoke, getting up from the chair, keeping the phone down. "I'm late for work. I know. I'll get going." He loosened the belt on his robe as he walked to the bathroom, "Ready my white shirt with a grey cordroy and leave. The last thing I need is another screaming maid when I walk out."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
::
"So, what is your choice?" The King asked, placing the proposal onto the table. She had little option and her current situation was not favourable. If she was smart, she would take this deal.
Ari thought about it, looking at the gold lining on the fold of the file. It was advantageous indeed. She'd live a life of luxury if she accepted but something kept bothering her over and over. "I will consider it," She spoke slowly, "And get back to you."
She watched the unnerved attendant and the lights flashing from outside the glass door, "You mentioned disagreeing with my father once. It was strong enough to pull you two apart." She cleared the plate she had served the King food in, gathering utensils as she stood up, "Unfortunately, I'm not foolish enough to take a deal my father walked away from only days after his funeral."
The King sat in his spot, stunned. He had taken the situation too lightly, spoken too easily. He watched the young child stand with his plates in hand as he nodded.
"I believe you will be leaving now?" She asked, "I still have a business to run, your majesty."
