Starfall. |Lee Know

Six.

"I sincerely apologize for what I caused, Your Majesty." Dabin bowed formally for the hundredth time.

Ahead of her, was the Former Queen, her mother, who still acted as a queen although there was an official queen, who was her son's wife of over twenty years. Dabin's mother was nothing but sharpness. Her features were sharp and a little scary. Who gets that pointed chin? And her hair, the very black infamous hair, was cut sharply short and lifted up, slicked and set in its place perfectly as if she was a wax statue. Her very lavish crown decorated her head as her makeup still decorated her face. Her formal off-white dress still cladding her body. She was at the ball but in a different venue for the elders.

"You are a disgrace!" The Former Queen spat. "How could you do something like that?"

"I apologize for my inconsideration and lack of knowledge of the situation and the dress code. However," Dabin lifted her head to look at her mother. "I apologized to King Christopher and made sure he understood the situation so well and that it has nothing to do with our Kingdom or any repellent action."

"Do you think you will be spared just because King Christopher was so considerate or understanding? Don't you know what that would cost us? How our image was affected and how other kingdoms are going to gossip about us?" She uttered through her gritted teeth. She paused to sigh. "And what was your brother doing with not guiding you?"

Dabin jolted. "Changbin didn't know! I-..." She stuttered. "I was wearing an overall gown when we left the palace! He didn't see my dress until we arrived at the Royal Ballroom of the Bang Kingdom." She lied. If she was going to be blamed, it would be better to take it all. In the end, she was the ugly duckling, and her dear brother didn't need to be grouped up with her and labeled as a jinx too.

"So you were so intent on deceiving!" She slammed her hand over the desk she was sitting behind.

Dabin flinched and looked down. There was no way out of this. If her mother decided to blame her for something, she would blame her. She was a lost case anyway.

"You are banned from stepping out of this palace till King Hyunbin's coronation anniversary." She deadpanned.

That event was in three months. Her mother decided to put her in detention for three months. But she was considerate enough to confine her to the Royal Palace and not just her very far wing. She did once before and prohibited her from leaving her wing for two weeks.

"And who is that?" The high-pitched mocking familiar sound echoed, making Dabin roll her eyes. As if she needed more gasoline for the fire. "Our very precious princess who had the honor to dance with King Christopher." She scoffed.

The Former Queen's eyes widened. "She danced with the King?" She gasped.

"He went over to her and asked her for a dance." The high-pitched voice uttered with a strained tone, showing such anger and envy in it.

Dabin looked at the female who didn't attend the event but being the social butterfly she is, surely someone gossiped to her about what happened. That female was Dabin's second oldest sister, Princess Rubin. Dabin almost scoffed while looking at her.

Princess Rubin lived her life as she wished and no one had a say in it. She had a very unique dressing style, orange dyed hair, some tattoos, and even there was an extra piercing in her left ear. That wasn't acceptable according to the Royal Rules, but she was very good at covering up in public events and putting on the polite princess personality.

But right now, she was in her sassy mode with very short shorts, a tank top, messy bun hair, and heavy smudged makeup that she didn't clean up. Dabin guessed she was out there on one of her wild adventures with her weirdo group of friends who didn't know she was a princess.

It was an enigma to Dabin how Rubin was allowed to live a life like that while Dabin was being punished for three months for just wearing a different color dress.

"How did you seduce a hell of a hot man with your very plain looks?" Rubin questioned, looking at Dabin up and down, assessing her.

"Watch your language, Rubin!" Her mother warned. Dabin let out a huff knowing if she was the one to utter those words, she would've been disowned and expelled to a remote land after taking her title and royal position from her. But Rubin would just be verbally warned.

"Look at her, Mother! I really don't understand how she made him ask her for a dance." Rubin's eyes were on fire. "I myself never had that opportunity although I attended every single event of The Bang Kingdom since I and Christopher met in the classic dance class for the first time, not even once during those classes he asked me to be his partner! And then she meets him for the first time, and he takes her straight to the dance floor."

Dabin knew her sister was jealous. It's not like she had feelings for Christopher. She had feelings for every single handsome man with power and a good physique. And Christopher was fitting in her criteria and he had a plus for being her age and knowing him since they were kids. But it seemed like Christopher never cared for her existence.

"No worries, sister." Dabin talked. "It was a friendly dance. He was just being courteous to me."

The Queen's face darkened again. She was disappointed as she hoped that at least Dabin would be useful if she seduced King Christopher and became the Queen of The Bang Kingdom. But no. In her eyes, Dabin was a useless loser.

"I don't want to see your annoying face!" The Former Queen huffed. "Go back to your chambers and be ready for the consequences of your irrational actions."

Dabin didn't utter a word and bowed down, ignoring the smirk on her sister's face and exiting the office of the Former Queen to go back to her faraway wing.

Her wing and chambers were in an isolated part of the palace that the others would never cross unless they were heading there. And no one heads there except for Changbin. It was a very quiet area where she could be herself without judgment or interruption from her not-so-kind family. 

Entering her wing, Dabin went straight to her bedroom, kicked the door open then closed behind her, and then straight to the bed to drop herself facedown and scream into the mattress. She was hell frustrated.

Rolling on her back, she looked up at the very simple chandelier that contrasted the sparkling one from the ball. And immediately, her mind replayed how that mysterious prince moved so gracefully, being more blinding than the sparkling chandelier.

Who was that Lee Minho?

Why did he look so inviting yet so distant?

And why did he look at her that way when she was leaving?