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Cheena
"Your imperial majesty, did you call for me?" A monk came and bowed.
The emperor, who was staring at the moon from the window of the imperial library, turned around to face the monk.
"Yes royal priest! I indeed called you. Please have a seat!" The emperor pointed at the wooden chair in front of the table. As soon as the priest settled down, the emperor began to speak.
"As you know, I have a keen eye for special things and people. When I see something or someone special, I can sense their aura." The emperor paused and the priest nodded.
"I sensed some special ability in the people who came from Silla but the concubine.....her aura was totally different. Like out of the world.....I've never sensed someone's aura like that before. So I've called you to tell me who she really is?"
The priest carefully listened to the emperor before nodding.
"As you wish, your imperial Majesty!" The priest closed his eyes and became lifeless in deep meditation. The Emperor took a seat across from the monk and waited patiently.
After what it seemed like ages, the monk finally gasped and opened his eyes.
"What happened? Is everything ok?" The emperor asked curiously.
The priest took a few deep breaths and answered, "H-her aura indeed seems to be from a different world. H-her aura is advanced than all the auras I've sensed till date." The priest looked at the emperor and explained with enthusiasm. The emperor furrowed his brows while thinking about something.
"And the most important thing, your imperial majesty. I can sense that she is special. If you treat her properly, she can bring great fortune to the empire else she has the ability to destroy this whole empire!" The priest said with serious look and the emperor's eyes widened.
"Hmmm...she is the one! The special one for whom I kept the throne and title of the 'empress' empty till date. But that damn witch!" The emperor banged on the table with frustration.
"Ugh....why didn't I find her before meeting that witch? Aish....nevermind....I'll get what I want. Allthe special things in this world are mine and ONLY MINE! I wanted someone as perfect as me to be the empress and now that I've got you, I'll make you the empress!" The emperor smirked.
Meanwhile in the harem,
Seyeon's POV
"Y-you look beautiful...heavenly, your grace!" Yakran said admiring my look in the mirror.
"Thank you, Yakran. Thanks for helping me getting ready!" I smiled at her.
"Hehe...you praise me for no reason, your grace-"
"Aish...when will you stop adressing me as 'your grace'?!"
"I'm sorry, your grace!" She bowed 90 degree and I face palmed myself.
"Oh? Your grace, we should head to the royal villa now!"
"No Yakran, you stay here. I'll go with Taiyo!"
"As you wish, your grace!" She bowed and I left my room and went out of the harem.
I found Prince Jeongguk and Prince Taeheong waiting just outside the harem. Jeongguk saw me and came forward. There was a hint of sadness and anxiety in his eyes as he stared at me.
"I hope everything goes smoothly." Prince Taeheong anxiously sighed.
"You are looking very pretty!" He complimented and I just nodded with a sigh.
"Its a shame that I had get ready like this for another man." I hugged Jeongguk tightly feeling safe, not wanting to leave his arms tonight.
He kissed on my head and said, "If I could, I would have slayed that man down into halves for laying his eyes on you." He clenched his fists. I could feel the anger in his voice.
"Its ok...I'll be safe..don't worry, guys! WE CAN DO IT! FIGHTING!!!!"
"G-guys? Taeheong made a confused look.
"Fi-ghting?" Jeongguk looked at Taeheong with the same confused expression.
"What did you just say?" They both asked in unison.
"Ahh....I said don't worry, your highnesses. I'm sure that we'll get through it!"
Jeongguk kissed on my forehead making me smile, "I'm sure you can make it work and as planned, if you face any trouble just signal me and I'll save you."
I nodded and we three headed towards the royal villa. On the way, we met prince Seongjin.
"What are you doing here, hyungnim?" Taeheong asked.
"Same question here!" Seongjin eyed the three of us and asked.
After we explained why we were there, he glared at the three of us again and said, "You three are the troublemaking trio. Ugh..my blood pressure is rising..aish...Oh God! What will happen?!"
"Over dramatic!" Jeongguk rolled his eyes.
"YAA WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU PUNK?-"
"Hyungnimmm, why are you here?" Taeheong came in between Jeongguk and Seongjin and asked.
"Oh? Me? The emperor called me to entertain him and his concubine tonight!" He paused and looked at me, "Which is you...he called me, the worldwide handsome prince, to entertain him and you!" He narrowed his eyes at me.
"Thank God! Atleast I won't be alone with that hoe in a room!" I smiled at him.
"OHHHHHH.....since I met you punks here, let me give you most important news!"
Seongjin explained us how he found out that Cheena is going attack Goguryeo.
"Hmm...that means the dowager queen leaked the information!" Jeongguk furrowed his brows.
"Yes! But not to worry, I've already warned Namjun via my letter!"
"Ugh it would've been so much better if we could just text each other!" I mumbled under my breath.
"What?" But Jeongguk heard me.
"You see in our time, whatever message we need to send, we just send it by pressing one button!" I explained.
"Woah...sounds interesting and helpful!" His eyes twinkled and I nodded with a smile.
"So what's the plan now?" Taeheong asked.
"One of us will have to spy on the dowager queen!" Seongjin insisted.
"Aish...why don't y'all have CCTV here!"
"Now what's that?" All three of them asked in unison.
"Umm..that's just an advanced way of spying on others. Nevermind, what were you saying?"
"I can spy on her tonight while you three are busy!" Taeheong proposed.
"Good idea!" Seongjin nodded.
"Seyeon, take care and be safe!" Jeongguk said holding me.
"Don't worry! I have the love potion!" I winked at him and made finger hearts.
"What are these?" He looked at my finger hearts and then at me.
"This is I love you!" I smiled at him.
"Ohhh...." He looked at my finger hearts carefully and imitated the action.
"I love you too!" He said showing me his adorable finger hearts and I giggled.
"Be careful with the love potion. Don't get caught while using it!" Taeheong warned me.
"Don't worry. I've my ways and once I make him fall in love with me we can-"
"MADAME...YOU CAN'T CATHCH ME...AHH-"
Somebody just bumped hard into my back AND THE POTION DROPPED AND SHATTERED INTO PIECES ON THE GROUND.
"Oh no-" Seongjin put a hand on his mouth and gasped.
"I'm so sorry. I should have seen where I was going!" The girl who bumped into me apologized.
"Ahhh you don't have to apologize princess Liang, we were standing in your way. Its our fault!" Taeheong bowed.
"Are you being serious, kid?" Seongjin mumbled under his breath.
I was at loss of words. it felt like my world just shattered.
"Are you ok?" Jeongguk asked holding my arm and I nodded. He sighed looking at the potion.
"Oh? Aren't you that bad person whom Taiyo warned me about? I really liked how strong you are but how could you leave your five wives and ten kids like that?" Liang pouted at Jeongguk.
"Pardon?" Jeongguk raised his brow.
"AHH....PRINCESS LIANG, YOU SHOULD GO BACK. YOUR MADAME WILL BE SO MAD AT YOU-"
"YOUR HIGHNESS!! WHERE ARE YOU?" A lady's voice was heard from a distance.
"Oh no!! I'll take my leave now...bye!" She ran off again.
"PRINCE TAEHEONG!!!" All three of us yelled at him in unison.
"What?"
"You think I have ten kids and five wives?" Jeongguk narrowed his eyes at him.
"And we never even did anything wrong. Why would you apologize to her?" Seongjin furrowed his brows.
"And what about my potion? How on earth am I supposed to work on our plan!" I rubbed my temples.
"Lets just go with the flow. Lets get inside!" Seonjin insisted and I nodded with a sigh.
"I'll go and take my position!" Jeongguk said.
"A-and I will go and spy on the dowager queen!" Taeheong said and left quickly.
I entered the royal villa with prince Seongjin and the maids guided us to the emperor's room.
"Concubine Shuang and musician Jie are here!" A servant announced.
"Let them in!" I heard the emperor from the other side of the room.
As we entered, I found the room embedded with jewels on the wall, a beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling and there were two thrones. On one of the the throne, the emperor was seated and the other one was empty. The emperor was talking to the head eunuch.
"Just search for the knight! Obviously he can't vanish! Investigate properly!" The emperor ordered.
"Ok your Majesty!" The head eunuch bowed.
Oh so they are searching for the knight?!
Both me and Seongjin exchanged a look!
Huh! You will never be able to find him!
As the head eunuch left, the emperor shifted his attention towards us. His eyes widen as soon as he saw me.
Me and Seongjin, we both bowed in front of the emperor. The emperor stood up and came near me....he offered his hand for me. I hesitated a bit and then bowed more as an attempt to reject him politely and also offering my apologies. He cleared his throat and withdrew his hand.
"Please follow me, my beautiful lady!"
I followed him. He guided me to the thrones and ushered me to sit down on one of them.
"Pardon my bad behaviour your imperial majesty, but isn't this the throne for the empress?" I bowed and asked.
"You indeed are smart!" He smirked. "Yes it is but now it is yours!" He looked at me and I raised my eyebrows.
"I mean for now, I order you to seat here!" He said.
"Thank you for your kindness, your majesty!" I sat down even though I had no idea what his intentions were.
"Play the most romantic tune!" He ordered prince Seongjin. The prince nodded and started to play a romantic tune. The emperor sat down on his throne and stared at me. I had my eyes glued on Seongjin but I could feel the Emperor's stare on me.
"You are so beautiful and so pretty! Even the moon will get jealous of you!"
Eww....what kind of cheesy line is that?!
I gave him a fake shy smile in response.
What should I do? Should I poison him? Or use my dagger? Or signal Jeongguk?!-
That's when I felt his arm around me. I flinched back and bowed at him, "Your imperial Majesty, I'm very sorry but I was just a mere slave who was trained to be the most efficient court lady by my good master. It was your kindness that you saw something in me and appointed me as your concubine but I just can not play the part!" I bit my lips.
I don't know after this, my head will be intact or not. Seongjin's tune had changed by now. His tune was calm and soothing...was it to calm down the emperor?
"You've got guts! Nobody dares to say 'no' to me." He said with an unreadable expression.
I put my hand on the dagger that was carefully hid under my sleeve.
"You know what? I can make you mine forcefully or make you fall for me with a love potion! But I will not do any of those. I will win you with the right way. And I promise that I will never touch you without your consent." He looked into my eyes and I gulped.
That was the last thing I expected him to say. This the worst thing that could happen.
Seongjin suddenly choked while playing the flute.
The emperor narrowed his eyes at him and said, "You are dismissed!"
Seongjin bowed and left after giving me a concerned look.
W-what is happening? This is scarier than what I had expected.
"Y-Your imperial majesty, you already have an empress!"
"But I don't have love!"
"You have so many concubines and consorts!"
"None can stand against you! And I can dismiss all the concubines and the consorts from their positions if you want me to!"
"Seriously?"
"You doubt me? HEAD EUNUCH!!"
"Yes your imperial majesty?" The head eunuch came and bowed.
"All the concubines and the consorts are deposed. Empty the harem!"
"W-what?"
"You heard me!"
"Y-yes your majesty!" The head eunuch bowed and left.
"Now do you trust me?!"
I was at loss of words and stared at him with astonishment. I don't think he is a hoe! He is just weird.......and scary...and unpredictable.
"I will give you all the time you need to accept me, my lady!"
"B-but I-I-I'm just a mere slave!"
"You were! And you don't know who you really are, do you?" He smiled.
W-what is he implying to? I could feel sweat on my forehead. Oh God! This is giving me so much anxiety!
"I was a fool that I appointed you as a concubine without your concern! Please forgive me, my lady!"
Right! Finally! Appoint me as a court lady now!
"I appoint you as the imperial noble consort."
"Thank you for your kindness-WAIT WHAT?" My eyes widened.
I-imperial n-noble consort? Emperor's second wife? Status just below the empress? KILL ME RIGHT NOW.
"Yes you heard that right! Are you happy now?" He asked with a hopeful smile.
I-don't give me that look. WHAT THE FUCK?! My head was spinning. Is this a nightmare? Someone wake me up!
"My lady? Are you ok? Why are you looking so pale? Why are you sweating so much?" He asked with a concerned look.
"YES I AM OK, YOUR MAJESTY! I THINK I NEED TO PROCESS WHAT YOU JUST SAID. CAN I HAVE A MOMENT PLEASE?" I stood up and half yelled.
"Sure! You're dismissed for today." Thankfully he agreed.
I bowed and quickly left the room. I ran away from there and went outside and sat down on the dewy grass.
"Aishh..I hate my life...what the fuck? Was he drunk? What was that?" I covered my face with my hands and cursed my fate.
"Seyeon-ah? What happened? DID HE....?" I heard Jeongguk's voice. He kept a hand on my shoulder. I quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him down. He looked confused, anxious and angry.
"D-DID THAT MAN DO-"
I grabbed his hanbok and pulled him close, "Lets get married, Jeongguk!"
"What?" He became more confused.
I placed my head on his chest and cried, "He appointed me as the imperial noble consort. I can't imagine marrying anyone except you. Please lets just get married and run away from here!"
He patted on my back to calm me down, "We can't marry without His Majesty, Namjun hyungnim's permission!"
"Screw that! We've prince Seongjin here. Take his permission. He is the eldest, even His Majesty will respect the prince's decision!" I frowned at him, "Besides, you proposed me to be your wife...now claim me else I'll become someone else's in front of your eyes and you'll go around asking for permission!" I turned away from him with my arms crossed.
"Your wish is my command, my lady!"
I turned around and saw him on one knee with his hand extended towards me.
"Let's do this!" He smiled. I smiled brightly at him and jumped into his arms.
Inside the empress' room,
Taeheong's POV
"I should search faster. She can come any moment! But I've already searched ninety percent of the room. I didn't get anything suspicious...ugh."
I headed towards the so-called secret drawers and started to search them. Suddenly I found an old document inside one of the drawers.
"What's this? It looks like a will-"
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE DISMISSED ALL HIS CONCUBINES AND MADE THAT PEASANT THE IMPERIAL NOBLE COSORT!" I heard mother's voice.
"Oh no!" I quickly started to close the drawers.
Outside the room,
3rd person POV
"UGH...SO FRUSTRATING-" The dowager queen was cut off by a noise from inside her room.
She quickly opened the door, "WHO IS HERE??" She scanned the place but no one was there. Then her eyes fell on the window.
"Oh might be the wind!" She went near the window and closed it.
....................................................
Next day
Silla
Jeemin's POV
I was ready to get 'married'. I sighed at my reflection on the mirror.
I grabbed the hand fan that Yunki hyungnim gifted me and touched it edges.
"Hmm..quite sharp!" I have put small blades on the edges of the fan. Just in case, I need it. I tucked the fan away in my sleeve and opened the door. All the court maids who were waiting outside bowed.
"Lets go!" I ordered and the followed me.
Outside the palace,
Yunki's POV
The revolt has already began. The people were throwing stones and fire torches at the palace gate. The palace gate was closed.
"STOP THIS MARRIAGE! THE KING CAN'T MARRY OTHER PEOPLE'S WIVES! WE WANT KING YUNKI BACK!"
"HOW DARE THAT PUNK KIDNAP OTHER PEOPLE'S DAUGHTERS AND WIVES. WE WANT HIM ASSASSINATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY!"
The angry people yelled. I looked up and saw the palace guards standing quietly. They were neither defensing nor attacking.
Good!
"HALT!" I shouted and everyone turned around to see me
"YOUR MAJESTY?"
"YOUR MAJESTY, YOU'VE RETURNED JUST LIKE THE MONK SAID..."
"PLEASE SAVE US!"
They all bowed in front of me and welcomed me.
"I need your help... I said"
"We'll do anything, your majesty!"
I nodded at them.
"YOU ALL....OPEN THE GATE RIGHT NOW!" I ordered the guards.
The guards looked tensed and taken aback at the sight of me.
"FAST!!!!" I said.
They quickly opened the gate.
"Enter you all! And I give you the permission to kill anyone who tries to attack you all! LETS GET BACK THE KINGDOM AND RESTORE JUSTICE!" I raised my sword up high.
"HAIL TO OUR REAL KING!" They cheered.
Inside the place,
Jeemin's POV
WHAT IS TAKING HIM SO LONG? WHEN WILL I GET FREEDOM FROM THESE CLOTHES? AFTER GETTING MARRIED TO THIS IDIOTIC MAN?
I tapped my foot impatiently on the ground while sitting across from Seongho.
"Your majesty, you shouldn't tap your feet like that!" The court lady whispered in my ears and I stopped tapping with a long sigh.
I saw Seongho lifting the cup of wine.
That's IT...I THINK I'LL GET MARRIED TO A MAN!
But suddenly a man rushed in and bowed.
"YOUR MAJESTY, I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING BUT THE DEPOSED KING MIN YU-AHHHH" The man cried out loud and fell on the ground. There was an arrow stuck on his back. All the women present there screamed and ran away. Everyone's gaze went to the direction from where the arrow came and THERE HE IS....YUNKI HYUNGNIM!
I stood up with excitement and so did Seongho but he wasn't excited, he was terrified.
"WHAT ARE THE GUARDS AND THE SOLDIERS DOING? WHO LET HIM IN? CATCH HIM!!!" Seongho yelled. No one came.
Yunki laughed and began to walk towards him.
"COMMANDER!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? CATCH HIM!!!!!"
The commander looked at the other direction.
"They are all mine, Seongho! I'm the king and you are just like a filthy insect sitting on my throne! It's time to crush that insect!" Yunki laughed.
"Is that so? Then I have my personal men too....MEN! CATCH HIM!"
"Half of your men who dared to stop me, are already dead and the rest-HYAAHHH!" He thrusted his sword into a man's stomach who dared to attack him. Blood spilled all over Yunki's face.
He wiped the blood away from his face and replied with a smirk, "Bring your rest of the men! Everyone will die today!"
"MEN!! ALL OF YOU ATTACK HIM AT ONCE!"
The men who were standing behind Seongho, came forward and drew their swords. There were about thirty men and Yunki hyung was alone. The men surrounded him.
"You were lucky the last time but this time, you'll die!"
I stepped forward to help him, "YUNKI-"
"Oh? So the rumour was true? You indeed love him? OYE YUNKI....DID YOU COME HERE TO SAVE HER??"He grabbed my arm tightly.
"YOU-"
I was again cut off by screams. I turned around to find a bunch of locals attacking Seongho's men with stones and sticks. As the men got engaged with fighting against the locals, Yunki hyung took this opportunity to come forward.
"D-DON'T COME NEAR, YOU MONSTER...STOPPPPP!!!!" Seongho yelled.
"Its not the time to stop. Today's the day when I return all your favour! For how you betrayed me. How you killed minister Kang and how you to sold the kingdom to Cheena and tortured the people." Yunki hyung said.
"Y-You think the war is over? You think you'll win?!...HAHAHAHAHAHA...." Seongho laughed out loud, grabbed my neck and started to choke me. "If you take one more step, she will lose her life!"
I coughed...I was unable to breath.
"LEAVE HIM!!!" Yunki yelled.
"Him?"
I grabbed the hand fan from my sleeve and attacked his neck.
"AHHHH-" He released me and I coughed gasping for breath.
Seongho put a hand on his neck and saw that it was bleeding.
"You ok, Jeemin?" Yunki grabbed my arm gently and I nodded.
"J-JEEMIN?"
"Glad that you realized at last!" I pulled out the self made wig from my head and threw it away.
"Finally! Freedom from these clothes." I removed the hanbok as well, underneath I was already wearing the male hanbok.
Seongho stared at me with disbelief.
"YOU-"
Before he could say anything else, Yunki hyungnim beheaded him and the blood splattered all over him and me too.
I wiped the blood out of my face with my hand and looked at it, "Your compromise didn't go to vain, minister Kang! You finally got justice and I hope you are doing good up there! Rest in peace!" Tears rolled down from my eyes as minister Kang's memory came back to my mind.
Seongho's men surrendered as soon as Seongho died.
"HAIL TO THE REAL KING!" All the commoners knelt down.
"LONG LIVE THE KING!!!" All the soldiers and the commander knelt down.
I looked at Yunki and he was smiling at his subjects.
The courtiers came and carried Yunki hyung on their shoulders. I followed them.
"Welcome, your Majesty!" They welcomed him and took him to the throne room. They let him down from their shoulders and Yunki went and sat on the throne with full glory. I took the crown and placed it on his head and went on one knee in front of him.
"Thank you to everyone! I'll repay all of you by becoming the best king that you all deserve!"
"HAIL TO THE KING!" All of them bowed and cheered.
"Congratulations, hyungnim!" I smiled at him.
"You made the greatest contributions and suffered the most, Jeemin! Thanks to you that I'm here today!" He pulled me up and hugged me.
I was almost in tears. This was the first time he hugged me.
"But...." He pulled away from the hug. "What are all these?" He took out the letter that I had sent him and pointed at the emojis.
"Ohhh these...." I made the same exact faces as the emojis to make him understand.
"Interesting, right?" I asked while giggling but he had a poker face on.
"YAA PARK JEEMIN! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG I'VE SPENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THESE MEANT??!!" He frowned like a cute cat and I laughed.
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Happy Yoongi Day💜