"Oppa, some more." You call out alound and break into chuckles. The way he wipes up sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, you could tell he's regretting stepping into the pond. But he was the one who had volunteered willfully. The moment he turns around has you bursting into giggles. His cheeks, his forehead, his arms exposed by his folded sleeves are all smeared with soil. His legs revealed by his garments which were granted three folds before he stepped inside the pond are smudged with soil. He looked not much different from the kid who has retrieved after playing in the pond all day.
He flashes you his shy dimple smile and walks out of the pond taking big and slow steps, holding his robe along while trying not to drop anything. "This will be enough, I guess." With those words, he hands you bunch of lotus stems and pods he has succeeded in plucking out on the sake of soiling his entire clothes.
He has returned couple of days ago. You would usually go for a walk with him. He was man of intellect and wisdom. You've got to learn a lot from in him in the past days. And today, you had come out on a walk with him when suddenly your vision ended up falling on the lotus pond of the imperial orchard. You immediately decide to use it for preparing soup. You were about to jump in the pond yourself but he was rather quick to prevent you, taking the responsibility on himself.
"If not, you'll pluck more. Won't you? Namjoon oppa." You laugh a little, intently teasing him. He scratches his nape muttering a no, not again under his breathe.
With a gentle smile, playing on your lips, you reply"It's okay. I'll have someone else do it."
"That'd be great." He passes his signature smile, exhibiting his couple of dimples that adds to his surreal features.
"I'll move first." After exchanging a bow, you both advance on your separate ways. While he heads towards his room to get himself cleaned, you make your way towards the royal cookhouse.
You start washing the stems and seeds by yourself and watching you doing so, maidens quickly request, "Let us help you queen." Placing the washed stems aside on the island, you turn towards them and softly smile before ordering, "It's completely fine. I wish to prepare soup all by myself. You all may leave." With bows, they turn their backs towards you and silently file out of the room.
After adding all the required indegredients, the recipe is almost done. Now all you've to do is to stir it from time to time and check if the stems are cooked properly. It takes more time than you thought. Stirring a huge cauldron with a big heavy laddle don't make it any better. All this commotion makes your arms ache. You quietly pray it to get ready soon. You aren't accustomed of toil like this even since you've become queen. Even before that, your mother was the one who would prepare it every time while you just sat near her and examined her do so. She let you help her tad bit but performed the main task herself. And this has even turned you bit insecure about how it'd taste once finished.
Once it's finally done, you carefully pour a laddle full of it in a bowl and take a whiff. It smells luscious. Within few minutes, the aroma diffuses into the entire cookhouse. You slurp down a spoonful and observe its taste. Although it doesn't taste exactly same like your mother's, it's still worth the effort. Your lips stretch into a proud smile but soon is replaced by a frown as unexpectedly, bowl falls on the ground, staining your gown in the process as just when you were trying to place it back on the table nearby. The obnoxious commotion remains a success in gathering the attention of the maidens outside the cookhouse. Wasting no time, they hastily scurry.
"What happened queen? Are you okay?" One of them blurt out all in breathe. If King gets to know something has happened to the queen, he'd not hesitate even a tad bit to skin them alive. They are pretty well aware of it. Shaking your head in a gentle manner, you reply, "It's nothing." But nonetheless they scan you for any sort of injury they might find.
"Allow us to assist you queen. You've been all working. King will be mad at us if he gets to know about it." One of them pleads, looking down. Her words couldn't help but made you chuckle. This time you don't refuse and accept their assistance, ordering them to deliver soup to namjoon. Since taehyung is out for some official work, next you make your way towards the east wing once done with slipping into a new attire. Clutching the foodtray in her hands, a maiden trails behind you.
Once inside the chamber, she places the food tray on the nightstand and leaves. On her pristine reclining chair, the old lady is perched near the window, that floods the room with gentle breeze and sunlight. Her hands skillfully move, she's imerged in weaving but you can't figure out what exactly she's planning to make.
"Halmeoni." You softly chime, walking towards her. She's always sweet and warm.
"Ah YN dear." She rises up from her chair and places the stuff aside. Cupping the sides of your head, she presses a soft peck on your temple. "It's been long." And that's why you've concluded to hand her soup by yourself since taehyung won't leave you alone unless it's really unavoidable. Even today he seemed reluctant to leave the town.
Grabbing her wrinkled hands in yours, you grant them sight squeeze, apologising, "I'm sorry. I promise, I'll come more often." You widely smile at her, face beaming with so much happiness, more than ever before. She could straightly see it, glow of love. Infact, she has been once there too.
"I see queen you are gleaming a lot. Taehyung must been taking great care of you." She teasingly chuckles and you burst into giggles on his name, looking down sheepishly. Crimson red spreads on your cheeks briskly as you manage to nod while biting your lips.
"Now that your feelings are mutual. Don't hesitate and give me a grandchild soon." She pats the side of your head lovingly. Her words just multiples the deep dark hues on your peachy white cheeks. Taehyung has asked you a couple of time for the same but you weren't ready. He respected your decision saying that he'd wait impatiently unless you give all of yourself to him. You knew you liked and trusted him, he had given you every reason to but love? Love is a strong word. Besides, rushing things, that wasn't what you wanted so you chose to wait, wait to fall for him deeper and deeper unless you can't anymore before moving on to start a family with him.
"Bring my grandchild to me as soon as possible so I can see if it fits the socks I made."
"Halmeoni you made socks?" You exclaim. She has already started weaving clothes for the kid who isn't even in your womb.
"Wait let me show you." With these words, she walks back to her long trunk and returns with a pair of woolen socks. Light pink in color, they look beautiful especially with the woolen flower attached on the side of each of them.
"These are so pretty. I'm going to show it to him." You excitedly chime and that's when you remember you brought something for her earlier. The food tray who was long forgotten eventually receives some attention. After making her sit on the edge of bed, you grab a stool and sit across her with food tray in your hands.
"Now tell me how is it?" You ask once she gulps down a spoonful.
Receiving no response from her, you ask again, "Is it delicious?" But when she doesn't replies for further one whole minute, you begin to doubt the taste. Did it get too cold? What if it has something she's allergic to? But her further words vanishes all of your worry in thin air
"You are going to make this for me twice a week. And if you won't, I'll sue you." You cackle off at the choice of her words while she slurps down the delicious liquid with a serious face as if she'd really sue you if you chose to disobey her but soon breaks down in her sweetest smile.
"Of course halmeoni, If you want I'll make it everyday for you."
And like that you spend your noon with her, merrily listening to her lovestory. She was princess of a high clan but his husband wasn't any less. Slytherin prince he was, known for his mischievous behaviour. People didn't dare to go against him or it'd end up in ruins. Slytherins organised a huge festival and that was when they both got a glimpse of each other during the dance event. He asked her for the dance and after that things never remained the same.
"You know when I went back to our estate after that festival. I thought I'd never meet him but oh I was proved wrong soon enough."
"Ah really, what happened then?"
"On the second night after that event, he was there knocking on my window."
"Aish, so cute." You stare dreamily, your mind clouded by the images of taehyung and you, living the same love story. Even the thought of it gives you goosbumps and tingles all over your skin.
"That somehow became his routine. He'd come every night and we talked all night along. In the morning, I was all sleepy and tired. You know sometimes, he'd even bring his guitar and play for me. It was magical." She's so close to getting lost in the beautiful memories of her past while you get butterflies in the very pit of your stomach at the thought of taehyung playing guitar for you. It'll surely be esctatsy.
"Your love story was so sweet halmeoni." You softly chime, a beautiful spreading all over your face and on her too. But it wasn't only the case. Soon, you notice her cheeks getting deep red at your compliment.
"Aww is someone blushing?" Your mouth widnes in awe at such a rare yet adorable site of her.
"Now go, I want to rest." She slightly pushes you away, trying to conceal the red on her cheeks. She's still so in love with them. Even his demise couldn't lessen her love for him even by a bit. This turns your believe in the power of love stronger.
"Okay I'll leave."
So did you, after making sure to tuck her immaculately into the covers. She has already lost herself to slumber by the time you leave her chamber and pace towards your own, hoping for him to be there but sadly he hasn't returned yet. For a while you keep yourself engaged in reading the book taehyung gave you once, a lovestory titled "Prince of Busan". Short and sweet it was, you couldn't bring yourself to close it before meeting its happily ever after and end up finishing it in one go.
When his maculine arms reach out to wrap around your tiny waist, you were standing near the window. Your cheeks tinting in shades of red, a warm feeling floods your heart as his arms envelopes you in his warmth and virile cologne, his chin resting on your shoulder. And in that moment, you feel safe and protected.
Pressing his lips below your ear, he purrs, "I see you've been spending a lot of time with namjoon hyung. I feel jealous." Casually, you answer, "Don't be jealous because I only love you." Words slip out of your mouth on their own as if your mouth has a mind of its own. Before you can realise what you've said, he has you quickly turned around such that you are now facing him. Mouth agape, his eyes stay widened, endeavouring to pop out from eyesockets.
"Do you?" Is all he could muster up to speak. His mind is filled with too much bliss and daze to form a phrase. You don't confuse him anymore and clasp your arms at the back of his back before pulling him closer and intertwining your lips with his. His hand grovel off to grab the back of your head while his spare hand presses against your back. Your mind stays in a foggy state. Air is slowly pulled out from your lungs but you don't pay it any heed, so immersed in kissing the man in front of you, your man.
Taehyung, also doesn't bother about his unstable breathe. He has been awaiting this moment for since he has lost count for. Since, eventually, you've entrusted yourself entirely and completely to him, being on clud nine won't be an understatement for him. He smiles into the kiss, caressing your lips gently and smoothly, cupping your jawline before slowly letting go. You inhale in gasps. He isn't any different, panting to refill his lungs.
As your breathe finally stabilises, he's quick to press his thumb down your lower lip, tug it down and crash his mouth into yours. Thumb on your jawline, his fingers bury in your nape. Things start off to heat, his soft, moistened and warm tongue brushes past your lips before enforcing his way inside the space between them. Distracting you by loosening the grip of your waistband around your waist, he easily dominates your mouth.
Before things can pace off to a more intimate session, there is series of loud knocks on the door. You release your grip around each other. You fix your waistband while he moves off to open the door. Soon, you join him by his side. A panicked panting maiden comes in sight. She has ran a long way to here.
"King, Queen." She huffs out, gasping to catch her breathe.
"What? Just say it." Taehyung turns impatient. Servants wouldn't even dare to disturb him at such an ungodly hour unless it's inescapable.
"Grand queen." As she lets out these two words, taehyung exchanges glances with you. Now you are equally worried as him.
"What happened to her?" You both blurt out in unison.
"She, she's poisoned."
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2408 words [ biggest so far, Ig ]
June 8, 2021
3.73K
10:05 pm
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