The Crown Prince's Protector

CHAPTER SEVENTY

"Abeonim!" Il Woo said.
"Abeonim..." Tae Pyung said.

"What do you mean, General Son?" King Tae Shin asked and he was so shocked. General Son stand up and face them. "I will take my daughter tonight... Please allow me, Your Majesty" He said. Tae Pyung started to get anxious. "I will let you, if you want The Crown Princess to stay in your place tonight and for the next day with the Crown Prince-" The King said but he couldn't finish his sentence when General Son suddenly speak. "Aniyo! I will take my daughter and she will leave this place. Please dethroned her as the Crown Princess."  General Son said. The Royals and Il Woo got shocked. "Tae Jin.."The King said as he got shocked.  "abeonim... Don't do this..." Tae Pyung said. General Son look at him. "My daughter suffered a lot eversince she step in the palace. She doesn't deserve this life. I want her to live a normal and happy life. You couldn't protect her, Your Royal Highness." General Son said with his tears continue to fall. The King understand what he felt because he's also a father. "Tae Jin... Please let's talk... Calm down and let's talk about it." The King said. "General Son please, don't do this. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess love each other. And how about their baby?" Queen Han Soo said.

"Abeonim... Please calm down!" Il Woo said. "I'm willing to risk my life for you and for Silla, Your Majesty. But I couldn't afford to loose my daughter and to see her suffering because of the life that she can avoid it if I'll stand to my decision to take the punishment instead of listing her name to the selection process." General Son said. Tae Pyung saw the anger and disappointment on his father in law's eyes. "Abeonim, I'm sorry if I couldn't protect her the way that you protecting her. Blame me if you want but please don't take her away from me... She's my life and I couldn't live without her, please..." Tae Pyung said.

"Abeonim! Don't do this..." Eon Jin said in her weak voice. All of them are got startled when they heard her. "Eon Jin..." Tae Pyung said. He immediately went to her. "Just rest, you need more rest.." Tae Pyung said. Eon Jin let out a small smile and she look at her father. "Abeonim..." She said and smile at him. General Son immediately hug her and cry out loud. She feel a warm water dropping on her shoulder. "Don't take me away from him. I... I couldn't live without him." She said. General Son look at her as he caress her face. "Stop blaming yourself that day... You already knew that this is my decision and you knew my reason, right? I love my husband more than my own life, Abeonim..." She said. "Eon Jin.." General Son said. "This is my fate now and you must accept it. Tae Pyung always did his best to protect me and our baby so please don't be mad at him. No one want this to happened." She said.

When the two left alone in the room, Tae Pyung still holding her hands tightly and he still think what General Son has said earlier. "Don't think too much, Tae Pyung... My father, he just got so worried and afraid but he didn't mean what he said earlier." Eon Jin said. Tae Pyung let out a small smile. "Abeonim is right, I couldn't protect you even I'm the Crown Prince. You're life becomes miserable because of me. I'm sorry Eon Jin you can't live a freely and peacful life beside me." He said and tears started to fill his eyes. Eon Jin put her one hand on his face. "Yah! Who told you that I'm miserable? You're my peace and my safe place, Tae Pyung. Im so happy and contented when I'm with you..." She said. Eon Jin kiss him on his lips. "It's my decision to join the selection process that day because of my love for my father. And it's also my decision to continue it because... Because of my love for you. I want to be with you and to stay with you... because I love you, Tae Pyung." She said and her tears began to fall from her eyes. Tae Pyung hug her tightly, "I love you too... I'm so afraid when Abeonim decided to take you away from me... I'm so scared , Eon Jin..." He said. "That will never happen... Trust me... I will never leave you.." She said with a smile on her face.

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General Son and the King is having a talk at the King's quarter. "Tae Jin... Be at yourself just like the old times." The King said. "Call me in my name and talk freely." He added and pour some alcohol to General Son's glass. "But your Majesty..." General Son said. "That's my command... I miss having conversation with my best friend. Ever since I became a King, no one dare to call me in my name." The King said and let out a deep sigh. "That's why I understand what you have feel that your daughter is living here." The King said in his sad voice. General Son didn't speak but he drink the alcohol on his glass.

"Tae Jin... You're right, this place is lonely..." The King said. "Back then, I want me and the Queen to live just like the normal couple but I know it would never happen." He added and drink his alcohol before he speak again. General Son is silently listening to him. "But when I became a King, I try to change some of the rules here in the palace for my Queen. To give her a normal and peaceful life. I insist to have concubines and I know you knew how hard is that. To against all the ministers and people who set they're thinking that having concubines and many children  is good for the future of Silla and to royal family as well." The King continued. General Son let out a small smile. "Back then, I also against your decision because I thought it's impossible but you're madly inlove with Queen Han Soo so I supported you that day." General Son said. The King let out a small laugh. General Son look at him. "I'm sorry for my rudeness earlier. I thought, I will lost my daughter... She's my treasure, you know that, Tae Shin." General Son said. The King let out a small smile. "Princess Eon Jin is just like a a flower and sunshine that brings color to this place. She's also a treasure for us too, not because she's conceiving the royal heir but she makes us smile everytime our life here is getting tougher." The King said. "Please, allow my son the Crown Prince to stay with her side. Just like me, he's trying his best to give the life what your daughter deserve. Allow them to stay together and build their family. I know, my son do everything he can to protect and cherish your daughter. Please have trust in him." The King said. General Son look at his best friend with his teary eyes. "Tae Jin... The Crown Prince needs a Crown Princess who has a heart and compassion for everyone and that is your daughter. The day will come that I will die and leave them that's why I also need you to support them and guide them." The King said. "Yah! Yah! Don't say that... You have nine lives just like a cat..." General Son said. The King smile faded. General Son pour an alcohol on their glass. Honestly, he's not ready to that kind of conversation. If something happen to the King, he didn't know if he can handle it; In General Son's mind.