The King's Love

Part 26

-Mistakes everywhere, not edited-

Kim who watched everything from far runs to Tee, obviously faster than Tae and then jump into the lake to save Tee. He is surprised with Tee's action, his friend is not this weak, what make Tee do this stupid thing.

"Tee! Tee!" Kim shakes Tee's body hard, Tee blinks a few times before leans his body to Kim.

Tae wants to touch and get Tee away from Kim but Tee hugs Kim, avoiding any touch from the king.

"I'm sorry sire, I will take Tee to her room" Kim is sterns, he is angry with Tae for causing Tee to do this, Tae clench his teeth but make no move to stop Kim and Tee from leaving the lake.

Kim helps Tee walks to the room, he will give a tough lesson for Tee for doing this.

"Kim, I'm not killing myself" Tee speaks after both of them in the room.

"Really?! I don't think so" Kim is angry and Tee understands it, he will be angry too if his friend do this.

"I can swim well if you remember. I'm not killing myself, just cooling down my head. It is a mess Kim. I can't stay in this palace but I can't run away from the king forever. I'm stuck!" Tee sighs, he regrets his lie every day, every sleep he had. That was the nightmares of his life.

Kim sits at Tee's side while wiping Tee's face with a clean towel. Kim hugs Tee to his body, ignoring how he is soaked because of Tee wet clothes.

"This is my fault too. I'm sorry I can't help you"

"It's not your fault. Should I tell the truth, maybe the suffering will end"

"Tee, it's like killing yourself" Kim disagree with Tee's decision. He wants Tee to live a happy life, not this miserable life.

"I don't know any more, I don't care too. I will tell the king tonight, no matter what happened will happen. If I died, bury my ashes beside my mother's grave"

"Tee, no! You can't. Maybe we can run away from here, or maybe we can live in forest. I will go with you Tee" Kim is sure that there is another way other than it.

Tee smiles after hearing that, he is lucky to has Kim as his best friend, but he will not drag anyone else in his problem anymore. He dragged enough.

"Kim, you have a lover here, your heart. I'm doing this for myself Kim, I want to tell the king the truth. No matter what happen, I will die happily"

"Stop talking about death! Yes, my heart and lover is here but you're my family..."

"Shh...I want to rest and change clothes. Please leave me alone to think. Thank you for everything Kim" Tee chase Kim away, Kim insists to stay but what Tee told him is right, Tee needs to think about his future action. He still disagree with Tee telling the truth to the king.

The night come, Tee wanders around the palace like it will be the last time he is here, he might be banished from this country and of course it is better than dying. Leaving everything he has here and build another life somewhere peaceful where no one knows him.

"Tee" the voice stops Tee from keep going, his legs stopped himself from walking away.

"What are you trying to do this evening?" Tee bows lightly to Tae, it is an order for him to give the answer.

"Calming myself"

"it is dangerous! It can kill you if you drown. No one knows how deep the lake is!" Tae sounds angry but Tee is calm, he prepares for the worst after all.

"may I talk to you, privately. Maybe in the room I'm staying" ask Tee politely, he can't even search Tae's face to see how Tae react with his request.

"Here is private enough. No one will come here" Tee is disappointed with the answer, seems like Tae doesn't even want to come close to him anymore.

"sure" answer Tee a bit late.

"continue" Tae turns to see the lake, waiting for Tee to open his mouth.

Tae waits a few moments but nothing heard from Tee making he turns his body to face Tee. Tee is not opening his mouth but his robes, slowly!

"What are you doing?!" ask Tae angry. Tee stops his doing for a moment before continue his actions.

"Tee!" the orders make Tee stops this time.

"what are you trying to do?!"

"Telling the truth" answer Tee easily.

Tae shows his stern face again, he is confused with what Tee is thinking.

"Why you need to take off your clothes?!"

"Because this body will show you the answer, the truth. You just need to see it"

"No! I'm not crazy. I'm leaving" Tae makes his step but Tee continue his actions, he is determined to tell the truth wether Tae wants to see it or not.

"It depends on you sire. I'm just showing you the truth"

Tee is only left with his inner clothes, the thin and white one, from this much people already can tell that Tee is not a woman but a man.

"Sire" calls Tee sadly. He is untying the last string on his clothes the last layer before everything is exposed clearly. He is shivering from cold night air but he ignores it.

Tae turns his head this time, rushing to Tee's body while taking off his outer robes. He wraps it on Tee's body and lift Tee like a bride. He rushes to his room, his own room that no one has enter before except his wife and son.

A few maids and guards are surprised when they saw their king is taking someone into his room. It's never happened before.

Tae puts Tee on the bed and lock his door, he stays facing to the door, breathing heavily.

Tee's sobs can be heard makes Tae turns around. Tee is wrapping himself with the robe and crying while hugging his knees.

"I'm a man, I'm sorry for deceiving you" Tee tells the truth this time, using his mouth, he can't even look at Tae.

Tae just stands there watching Tee, he already knows the truth but he can't tell that to Tee. He must play along.

"I saw just now. Why?" Tae act calms.

"because of my stupidity. I have no reason to protect myself, you can kill me if you want but I want a good death, not a humiliating one" Tee wipes his tears but his sobs still there. Tae stops himself from smiling.

"death will be an easy punishment for you"

"Huh?!" Tee snaps his head to Tae, what is worth than die? Will he be humiliated in front of public? He will kill himself before it happened. He can't meet his parent like that.

"I will consider your punishment if you tell me everything. Everything till today, the truth" Tae sits on the chair facing Tee.

Tee blinks a few times before he tell everything, everything that happened in his step family. A story he never share with anyone, except Kim.

Tae hears everything closely, he is glad Tee is telling him the truth until the end.

"so, the general knew, that's why he take you as his family"

"Yes! But it's not his fault, he is just too kind and I begged him. It's all my fault! No one else, nor Kim!"

Tee gets down on his knees in front of Tae, he needs to save everyone. This is his problem alone.

"Fine, I will spare everyone else but you will belong to me. No one can know about this, let Lady Tee be the past and man Tee continue his life. You must remember, You belong to me, until the death. Are you clear?" ask Tae sternly. Tee nods his head as fast as he can.