Playing With Fire

9

9

"It is time for lunch, your Majesty," Hayleigh calls through the large wooden door, fixing the metal plate within her hands. "May I come in?"

"Yes."

She enters the room, a smile plastered on her face that immediately dropped. Hayleigh glances at the tired King and the cheerful princess in confusion. Slowly, though, she walks over to the new desk that was placed in the office room.

"Ah, I am also here to deliver more letters. This has been separated into piles so that you can differ the importance of each document." She turns back towards the door. "Maids!"

Namjoon desperately looks to the servant in wonder. "Answer me this; What is the difference between me reading the document myself, and having another person read them to me?" He rubs his temples stressfully, closing his eyes for a moment.

Hayleigh sucks in a breath. "Well, there is no real difference, your Majesty. That is just the rule of the land, set by the Queen's father. The royal court has agreed to it, so that law must stand."

Namjoon sighs. "Then because of the law, my time spent here is long?" The king had hoped Hayleigh realized his hidden words within the sentence.

She looks to the princess, who seemed too cheerful for the situation, then nodded in understanding. "Yes, your Majesty. It is but a long event that must be taken care of. I will be taking my leave."

The servants vacate the room quickly, closing the large door behind them. Namjoon looks to the princess, then back to the document his signature was partly on. With a shake of his head, he reached out and dipped his brush in the black ink, finishing the last strokes in his name. Steadily, he raised his arm with the other hand, then gently took the brush from the paper.

"There. Now we can eat peacefully. I don't like eating while working," he says to the princess, reaching out for the teacups. Instantly, his hands were slapped away. In surprise, the king cuddled his hands closer to his chest and watched the princess pick up the cup.

"You can't pour this for yourself. Have you no manners?" She scolded, leaning on her knees to grab the kettle from the plate. Bea takes the cup and places it in front of him before pouring the hot tea.

"I'm sorry." Namjoon bowed his head to her before reaching for the tea cup, licking his dry lips. "I will remember that-"

Bea gasped. "No! Your highness must never bow to others! Did you not learn this when the servants taught you?" She clicks her tongue and scowls at the door. "Aish, they can't do anything."

"Wh-what?"

Turning her head, she looks directly in his eyes. "You must learn to be a proper king from a royal. There is no other way, it seems. I happen to be here already, it would be an honor to teach you."

He stared at her black hair instead of her face. "Well, I do think that is a bit far from what we are doing, yes? I will have someone come and teach me."

The princess smiled. "Oh! But why? I know all there is, your highness. Grant me permission and you will only see the best."

"It will be a bother to you."

"No. I don't have many things to do these days."

Kim finally brought the cup to his lips, taking a large gulp from its contents. He took his eyes away from Bea to look at the delicious food set for him. He thought that it was more extravagant than food he had at home, but that was because of the pricing.

After a moment, he gazed at her again. "Okay. Well, I have something I must do before we begin again."

Bea frowned. "You make a maiden wait?"

Maiden?

Kim opened his mouth to respond, but closed it. Instead, he stood to his feet and gave her a nod. Scurrying out of the room, he started to search for Hayleigh: his most reliable servant. When finding her upon the kitchen room, he gave a loud sigh of relief.

"Hayleigh! Yes, Hayleigh," he called out. She turned to look at him, widening her eyes and dropping to her knees. "Hay-"

"Please, your highness! Have mercy upon the souls of which who had sinned! Have mercy, I beg!"

Namjoon came to a halt, stopping his rapid movements towards her, and stared in confusion. One by one, like he shot gun fire as a threat, the servants surrounding the kitchen dropped to their knees and begged for forgiveness.

"Uh, H-Hayleigh?" He fumbled over his words as he watches them in shock. "What is going on? Why must you apologize?"

"We must plead for mercy, your highness! We have done wrong, but can create a better use!"

Now quite uncomfortable, Kim got to his own knees and grabbed the servant's arm and pulled her up. She crumbled back down to her knees and began to weep. With no choice left, he sat on the floor beside her, only making her cried louder.

"I do not understand!" He tells them as the overwhelming situation continued. "Please don't beg for forgiveness if you haven't done any wrong. Please rise."

No one moved.

Kim looked around the room with furrowed eyebrows. "I said to rise! Please!" Because it was a command, the servants rose. He nodded in satisfaction, getting to his own feet. "Good. Now explain to me what you did to drop to your knees."

Hayleigh did not look up from the ground as she replied. "We have given your Majesty food unworthy of his lips."

"What? What happened?" He stared at Hayleigh's shaking figure.

"You came directly to us in desire to throw us in the dungeon," she says quickly before collapsing to her knees. "Please-"

"No! Don't fall. I promise I am not here because of the food. I am here to see you, Hayleigh."

Hayleigh becomes silent. "What?"

"I was to talk to you about my family. Are they well?"

She lifted her head to eye the king before nodding slowly. "Yes, they are well. They wish to see you, though are thankful for the gifts."

"Gifts?" He asks. "I don't remember sending any."

The servants lowers her head again. "Yes."

"Who sent these gifts?"

"The queen has requested your family to be given gifts. Their protection was also added in, so they have moved from their home."

Kim sucks in a breath. "Moved? To where have they moved?"

"Closer, your highness. Their house is but a little ways away from the palace. They do wish to speak with you soon."

Namjoon becomes silent, allowing Bea to enter the kitchen with a distressed expression. "There! You have been here this whole while? Come, your highness, let's go back."

"But I wish to have lunch here," he says quietly.

"Nonsense, a king must eat in his room!" Bea cheers as she links arms with Kim and drags him away. It had only been a few hours locked into the room, but the king was already feeling dizzy from the smell of ink. How distressed these documents made his Queen, he now knew the struggle.

"Beatrice, when was the last time you talked to your sister?"

Though the question was simple, Namjoon felt the tension thicken in the air, and the room grow a dark aura. The king gulped.

"Never. I haven't spoken to her in years and I don't wish to again. She is not my sister."

Kim seemed surprised. "No? I thought you had the same mother. Ah, what was her name? An-"

"Hush! His highness must not speak of such a person. That wretched woman is gone now, so her name must not be said."