𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇. enhypen

two

"Aren't you supposed to be having breakfast with our guests?" The King asks as he recollects the events planned out for his daughter's day today. "Why are you here?" Her Father questions further, his voice low in inquiry.

Her Father's prodding gaze makes Jihye squirm a teensy bit.

"Well..." Jihye trails off, scrunching her nose with her mouth still open. "I said I wasn't feeling well and excused myself before leaving."

The King nods for her to continue, his last question still left unanswered.

"I wanted to speak with you over something dire." Said Jihye, seesawing between sternness and passivity.

"And what might that be?" He seeks.

Jihye tried to tramp down the panic rising inside her, swallowing the lump in her throat before speaking. "I want you to call off your deal with the other Kingdoms."

The King blinks and forces himself to register her words. "Call it off?" His voice bounces off the walls, a sudden shift in the room causes Jihye to sweat in panic.

"Jihye-" He says in disbelief. "Where is this coming from? You had no complaints when I first informed you of this." The King looked as if he might continue, but then only sighs.

The Princess regains her composure and takes it as an opportunity to explain herself. "I had assumed you would have waited a couple of years before actually going through with it!" She begins to pace in place in front of him. "I am not ready to think of finding a partner, more so marriage at that!"

"And why would you believe you aren't ready?" He asks, looking reproachfully at the Princess.

"I'm only eighteen!" She urged the obvious fact.

"I was your age when I married your mother." He says in a matter of feigned calmness.

"But you weren't forced into your marriage!" Jihye fired back, nearly gripping her hair in frustration.

She knew how she sounded- fussy, querulous, like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum in public. Jihye didn't want to resort to begging, but she also couldn't stand another minute of playing pretend. Besides, her Father wasn't a callous man, or he would have thrown her out of the throne room by now.

Jihye watched as the King sighs and rubs his forehead, most likely due to the stress of being the East Kingdom's Monarch piling up like bricks, and now multiplied with his daughter's complaints.

"I realize that this whole ordeal isn't of your liking. However-" Her Father began to explain and Jihye already knew what he was going to say next. "I cannot simply tell our guests to head back home after their long journey to our Kingdom."

Jihye's shoulders slump.

"All I ask is that you try," He said kindly, working to clearly express his commiserations. "If you truly can't find it within your heart to marry by the end of their stay then I will call off any and all arrangements of your betrothal." He says, his words a testament to his empathetic side.

At that, Jihye's face perked up. Although it wasn't the outcome she had in mind, she could certainly undertake her Father's proffer.

He gives her a stern stare to emphasize his next declaration. "But I expect to see your cooperation starting tomorrow."

"Alright, Father." Jihye agrees, flashing a beholden grin.

"I'll let one of the servants know that your activities for today are canceled." The King makes his way back over to his glorious throne, his body relaxed as soon as he sat with one of his legs crossed over the other. "You deserve a day to yourself before the next few months."