The Raven's Mortal Bride

10. The Welcome Dinner 2

She was presently ignoring the voice that reminded her that she herself had been suspicious of the flower beverage.

Choi Yoon looked around, as if he just realized that they were still awake. "Sleep!" He commanded, and as usual, they all slumped in sleep.

"I came to save you and you're defending the person that tried to kill you?" He was pointing at the Queen Dowager, who held herself regally, even in her sleep.

"Why would Queen Dowager want to kill me?! She came to my house to ask me to be Queen!"

"Are you raising your voice?! Should I just throw you off the tower?! Huh?!!" The dark aura returned briefly, and Sae Yeon swallowed.

But she still glared at him. "Such a petty person! Showing off against a weak lady!" She muttered under her breath.

"What did you say?!" He obviously heard her.

"Nothing!" She shook her head.

He sighed and flung the white jar across the chamber, then felt a sliver of satisfaction when it shattered and Sae Yeon flinched.

"So you know what fear is?" He grabbed her hand and stood up, then yanked her to her feet. "We're leaving."

"Ya! Let go of me!" She pummeled him with her free hand, but it didn't do much good.

She felt like she was hitting a rock, and he felt like a feather was hitting him.

He dragged her to the sliding doors and out into the corridors.

The sleeping guards and a few other Palace maidens lined the edges of the corridor, and he dragged her past them and out of the Queen Dowager's Palace (Palace within the main palace).

But then he halted suddenly.

Sae Yeon wasn't prepared for his sudden stop, so she crashed into him.

"Ya! If you're going to drag someone, don't just stop suddenl-!" Sae Yeon fell silent as well.

There were more than fifty armed palace guards right in front of the Queen Dowager's Palace, and their swords and spears glinted in the moonlight.

In their midst was the King.

The King's worried expression changed to anger, as his gaze fell on Choi Yoon who held Sae Yeon's hand.

He drew a sword.

"My Queen! Are you alright?" He asked Kim Sae Yeon, who hadn't noticed him at first.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." Sae Yeon had hastily sunk into a graceful bow, but Choi Yoon refused to let go of her hand so she couldn't bow completely.

"Let go of that hand right now!" The King ordered Choi Yoon, and Sae Yeon bit her lower lip nervously.

Choi Yoon's eyes flashed with deadly anger, and Sae Yeon felt a mild shock flow down her arm.

"Do you even know what you're asking?" Choi Yoon's voice was calm, but somehow that made Sae Yeon more uncomfortable.

"You filthy humans. Selfish from generation to generation. You covet things you cannot even protect!

"If I hadn't come when I did, that old bat in there would have poisoned your so called Queen. Worse, she would have blamed your first concubine, and you wouldn't have been 'Able. To. Do. Anything'." He wickedly separated each word for effect.

A quick sequence of disbelief, anger, misery, guilt and frustration crossed the King's face.

It was clear that he believed what Choi Yoon had said, and he didn't even seem surprised.