Goryeo's Princess || Exo Chanyeol

Chapter 34

Eun Rim's POV

My father would always say that I looked like my mother and always insisted that I be brave like her,but I wish I could be as brave as I wanted to be right now, seeing my father lie on his death bed.
His lips had turned blue and so did his finger tips.His hands were shaking as he held my hand, sitting by his bed.
I tried hard not to cry but as images if him in healthier state came back,I couldn't hold back.
"Father. Why are you leaving us?" I cried.
I felt Chanyeol Pat my back, comfortingly.
Father smiled weakly.
"A human must come and must go as the almighty wishes. No human being can do anything about it my dear"he said.
I rubbed my thumb around his hand in soft circles,like he used to do when I cried as a child, fighting with my brother.
"And I'm not leaving you alone,you have your brothers, your sister Yoona and Chanyeol,of course. He loves you,I can see it. I can almost see myself in him sometimes, like how madly I was in love with your mother. "He continued. He gestured Chanyeol to come near him.
Chanyeol knelt down beside him.
"I shall promise you, your majesty,that I will always be here for your daughter"he said.
My father nodded, tired."Thank you so much, Chanyeol. Do not abandon her,ever, my dear"

We got up from his side and stood at his feet as his two Queens bid him goodbye. He kissed them both on the head as his hand fell by his side and his breathing slowed down and then finally stopped.
Joo hyuk closed father's eyes and I fell into Chanyeol's arms, sobbing.
My father was gone. He was never coming back.He would never be able to see me marry or play with my children,he would never be able to see Joo hyuk be the king,he would never be there.
Chanyeol patted my back and soon I was taken to my room as the maids rushed into the king's room.
He put me on the bed and he kenlt in front of me.
"I'll leave you alone for sometime and help your brothers with the funeral. You're brave,Eun Rim,I know but today,you can let go for sometime. Let the grief fade away on its own. "He kissed my forehead and left.
I fell on the bed and cried and cried until I passed out from fatigue,with my hands clutching pillow to my chest.

********

"Eun Rim,wake up, darling"I felt a pair of lips kissing my head, trying to wake me up.
Lazily,I woke up as I felt my vision clear up a bit. It was night time now and I was pretty sure Chanyeol and my brothers had already buried my father's body.
"We buried him." He spoke softly, pushing a piece of my hair behind my ear. His touch was soft and careful,as if he was scared I might break even by his touch.
I held his hand and slipped my fingers between his, touching our foreheads.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Not now,but eventually I will be"I replied as he pulled me into his arms.
Ifelt him sigh into my hair and hugging me tightly.
"How long did I sleep?" I asked.
"About four hours,I think, assuming you passed out right after coming back from your father's....room"He said, carefully framing the sentence.
I saw flashing images of my father in my head but I pushed them away, before I break down once again.

"I wish we could stay like this for long but your brothers and the queens are waiting for you. They're going to read his will"He said , breaking the hug.
I nodded.

We reached the main hall of the king's palace and I see the empty throne , reminding me that my father was no longer here.

"There you are"Joo Hyuk said as he got up from his seat and escorted me to my seat. Chanyeol stood beside me. Even though h wasn't touching me in anyway,it was as if his presence was enough to calm me down. He made me stable.

"She's acting as if she's the only one who lost someone"I heard Queen Jiwoo say to the other Queen,Queen Lin,from a few seats away from me.I felt my heart clench.
"Yes. Truly. And now she's also in love with a knight! That's horrible. They are our servants and how can a servant and a royal blooded person be involved with each other?" Queen Lin replied.
"It's not like she's pure blooded though. Her mother was just like her,a filthy, low person." Queen Jiwoo said.
I balled my hands into fists as my teeth dug into my lower lip.
I had lost my father,my only parent today and here these two were saying such things about me? I always knew they were cold hearted but right now,I wish they chose to be a littl more sensitive

"I read through father will and there's not much that he wished to happen after his death. "Joo hyuk started."he only had three wishes."

"The first one was that he didn't want to have a whole week of mourning,like the other king's did instead he wanted everyone to get to work the day after his death. He even discarded the idea of a funeral."Kyungsoo continued.

"The second one was that he wants Eun Rim's mother,the late court lady's portrait to be placed beside his portrait in the Royal ancestry hall."Joo hyuk said.
Queen Jiwoo snorted.
"That cannot happen! Only a Queen's portrait cane be placed beside the king's which means either me or Queen Lin's portrait must be placed in the ancestry hall!" She protested.

"Yes. Why would he want a lowly servant's picture up there instead of ours?" Queen Lin added.

The crown prince sighed and I could only imagine what he was thinking.
A part of me was happy that the king finally let people know that my mother was his one true love but another part of me was mad at him for not giving her the same recognition among his Queens when he was alive.

"The king's wishes will be fulfilled regardless of what others may feel about it"Kyungsoo replied, silencing the two women.

"The third and last wish of our late king was that he wants" Joo hyuk glanced over at me" Princess Eun rim and royal knight of Silla, Chanyeol to get married right after my coronation ceremony"

My heart skipped a beat and my mouth ran dry. I stared at my brother and then at Chanyeol.
His mouth hung open as his eyes widened and his hand started shaking.

"No exceptions will be made in anyway and all his wishes will be fulfilled. "Kyungsoo said.
"You all shall go back to your quarters and rest as you have a coronation to attend tomorrow morning and a wedding in the evening. "Joo hyuk said , looking at me.

I sighed as i stood up and left the hall. Everything was happening way faster than I wanted to. I loved Chanyeol,yes but marriage? Is this the right time for that? My father had just died and Silla was having a war. I wished someone could tell me what to do.

"Hey, Chanyeol" I got hold of his arm as he passed by me. His expression was a mixture of rage and sadness and I knew he was not in the right mind to talk with me.
"About what Joo hyuk said-" he cut me off.
"I need sometime, okay? It's too fast for me to process. I'll see you later"he said . He bit his lip and fumbled with his fingers, gestures which I hadn't seen him do before. He stared at me for a few seconds and left towards his assigned room.
At that moment,I realized that maybe father's last wish will not be fulfilled because Chanyeol,the man I loved, didn't want to marry me.
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Oh okay...that escalated quickly lmao.
Hope you guys are enjoying the building up of the plot recently!

Love y'all

P.s: I have exams and I still updated. You guys are lucky to have me *hair flips*