Heart of Ice

Hug

When Haein finished dressing her, Yewon immediately went for the door. She opened to reveal Wonwoo standing there looking haggard from his trip.

He smiled when he saw her, gazing at her with this longing look in his eyes.

"Your highness," he said simply as he looked at her. "May I come in?"

Yewon nodded eagerly, beckoning him inside her room. Haein left them alone and closed the door, smiling at Yewon with encouragement.

"I missed you," Wonwoo told her. He stared at her, "I missed you so much."

"I'm so glad you're back," Yewon told him. "So much has changed..."

"I know, I know," Wonwoo told her. "I know he threatened to divorce you. I rode back as soon as I received the letter informing me of Seungcheol's decision. I was so afraid that I would have been too late to stop it, but I'm happy that I didn't have to. I'm so happy you're still here." He took one step closer to her and reached out for her hand.

"I'm happy I'm still here too," Yewon told him. "And I'm happy you're here. It's different here without you."

Wonwoo hesitantly brought his lips to her forehead, supporting the back of her head with his hand. He then wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight embrace.

He smelled of sweat, dirt and horse dung, but she didn't care. Being in his arms made her feel secure, more secure than she had ever felt in that castle. She also put her arms around him and nestled into his shoulders, and they remained like that for a long moment.

"I'm sorry I stink," he apologized, gently breaking away from the hug. "I just missed you so much and couldn't wait to change and bathe to find you."

"How was your trip?" she asked him.

"Stressful. I worried about you a lot. And I couldn't get any work done. And I left as soon as I learned about Seungcheol's divorce plan. I'm so sorry about all the stress you had to endure, and I'm sorry that I was not there to help you."

"Are you going to go back?" Yewon asked him.

"I have to," he revealed sadly. "I have a lot of work left to do. But I hope when I leave again, nothing bad will happen. I'll rest here for a few days though."

Yewon nodded in understanding. "I'll just make the most of those few days then."

"I'll just go take a bath and sleep first," Wonwoo said with a chuckle. "Then all of my time is yours."

"Go then. You smell horrible," she told him, and he laughed.

-

Seungcheol was there at breakfast for the first time since Jeonghan passed. Yewon was happy to see him there. With Wonwoo back, and Seungcheol eating meals with them again, it felt like things were going back to the way they were before Jeonghan was murdered.

"Is Wonwoo back?" Seungcheol asked her absent-mindedly after a quick glance in her direction.

"He is. Did you see him?" Yewon asked.

"No," Seungcheol replied. "I just guessed."

Yewon narrowed her eyes in his direction, but he began to eat before she could inquire further.

A few minutes into the meal, Yulhee suddenly chimed: "Princess Yewon, why is your dress so dirty?"

Yewon looked down at her white dress and realized that it was soiled with dust and dirt, probably from Wonwoo's tight embrace. She had not even realized it until then, and she felt embarrassed all of the sudden. Considering the cultural importance of cleanliness in Solen, this was shameful.