"Oh? Did I startle you?" Thankfully he put me down and then crouched down beside me. He was wearing a silky white robe that was loosely tied around his small waist.
I must get out of here...
I was about to scratch him when he opened his mouth again.
"Sorry to scare you, little one." He smiled...his eyes looked soft. This was the first time I was seeing him from so close. He had sharp features, high cheek bones, small pouty lips, jade eyes and his long brown messy hair was tied up in a bun. His looks are totally different than his actions. If I didn't know about him, I would've thought that he was a good person. The Sian I was seeing in front of him was not the one I have heard about.
"Are you escaping your master?" He looked up at the harem's window. He must be thinking that I am one of his concubine's pet, "I want to escape them too!" He giggled.
Is he drunk?
I went near him and sniffed.
I smell alcohol....he definitely is drunk.
"Or are you here for fresh air just like me?" He looked back at me, "Can't sleep?" He asked.
Is this his drunken behaviour?
He stared at the stars, his eyes looked somewhat gloomy as he sighed. He looked lonely and pathetic for someone who is a tyrant. He looks so pathetic that I don't even want to kill him.
"My king?! Where are you- oh my god what are you doing here?!" I saw a man running towards him. I remember him from earlier....he was the one who helped me in the court, maybe unknowingly though...he is the king's advisor...the infamous Sir Eunsang.
Wow what a luck....I just got to see this infamous duo for the first time on the same day.
Unlike Sian, Eunsang was in a black silk robe, he was pale, had waist length long hair with innocent soft features and a delicate figure. He quickly grabbed Sian's arm and pulled him up, "Oh no you drank again?!"
Sian giggled looking at him, "Just a bit!"
Eunsang sighed and asked, "Do you think you can walk, my king?"
Sian looked at him and ushered him to come closer, "I can fly too!" Sian whisper yelled in his ear and giggled.
He can fly?
His advisor put Sian's arm around him and held him closely by his waist, "Let's go back to the bedroom!"
"Eun~~~ I need water~~~" Sian pouted looking at him.
They look......close....too close!
.
.
.
3rd person POV
Eunsang took Sian back to his bedroom.
"You sit here!" Eunsang helped Sian to sit down on the bed, "My king! Why did you drink in the middle of the night? I remember that we both fell asleep. When did you wake up and got drunk?" Eunsang frowned.
"Thirsty~~"
"You do weird things once you get drunk! What if you-"
"WATERRRR~~~"
"Ok ok!!!" Eunsang sighed and handed Sian a glass of water.
"I can't with you anymore!" Eunsang walked towards the door and after making sure that they weren't being followed, he closed the door. As he turned around, he saw water dripping from Sian's hair as he was staring at the glass.
"DID YOU JUST POUR THAT ON YOUR HEAD?"
"I felt hot~~~" He smiled.
Eunsang face palmed himself and grabbed a random piece of cloth from the table to dry Sian's hair but to his surprise, Sian grabbed him by his waist and pulled him closer.
"W-what are you doing?" Eunsang's eyes widened.
Sian smiled and pulled him closer for a kiss but Eunsang stopped him by putting his finger on his lips, "No kisses for you...you're drunk!" He gently dried his hair while Sian kept pouting at him like a baby.
"Why are you staring at me like that-"
Sian cut him off with a kiss, "I am the king and I don't take no for an answer!"
Eunsang blushed, "You...."
"I what?" Sian smirked.
"Nothing! You need to sleep now."
Sian shook his head.
Eunsang got up on Sian's lap and pushed him on the bed, "If you refuse, I'll have to pin you down!"
Sian watched his every movement with a playful smile.
Eunsang grabbed the blanket and pulled it over them before lying on Sian's chest, "Now you won't be able to go anywhere!" Eunsang smirked in victory, "Good night, my king!" He kissed on his chest. Sian smiled and ruffled his hair in response, accepting his defeat.
................................
"Oh God! I was so worried for you...you are so late!" Iseul complained as Soyoung came out after wearing her dress.
"Sorry! I was doing something important!" She said fixing the hem of her dress.
Iseul rolled her eyes and continued, "Someone else is more worried than me!"
Soyoung finally looked at her, "Who?"
Iseul pointed towards the window. Soyoung pulled the curtains and saw Jimin pacing around the entrance.
"He is waiting for you since I don't even remember when!"
"Wow that's new....he is the last person I thought would be worried about me."
.
.
.
"Its so late....." Jimin stared at the entrance of the mansion anxiously when someone tapped on his shoulder.
"I'm busy...not now!" Jimin dismissed the person without looking around but the persom tapped on his shoulder again.
"Ugh....what do you....want......YOU?! WHEN DID YOU-"
"Who are you waiting for?" Soyoung asked teasingly.
"Waiting? HUH! I wasn't waiting....I-I was just taking a walk...AHEM!"
"Hmm....sounds fake but ok!"
Jimin narrowed his eyes at her, "Where from did you enter?"
Soyoung pointed at the walls, "I jumped in from the wall!"
Jimin cleared his throat, "You are late!"
"And? Were you worried?" She looked into his eyes.
"Maybe?" He smirked.
"Wow! Lord Jimin worried about me....that's really interesting!" She teased.
He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer as her eyes went wide, "Don't make me wait from next time onwards." He said staring into her eyes.
"Or else what?" She asked looking at him.
"Let's just say that I might cross the line!" He released her and smirked before walking away.
Soyoung put her hand on her chest, "What the heck?!"
..........................................
Next day,
Namjun knocked on Soyoung's door.
Soyoung opened the door and was greeted by Namjun's dimpled smile.
"Good morning, Namjun!" Soyoung smiled, "I suppose its your day with me?"
Namjun nodded, "I was going to go for a walk! Would you like to join me?" He asked.
"Sure!" Soyoung agreed as Namjun guided her out of the mansion.
"Do you always go for a walk in the morning?" Soyoung asked.
"Yes!" Replied Namjun, walking in front of her, looking calm and elegant in his blue outfit, "I usually have my breakfast after returning from the walk." He added.
"Ahh I see!
Namjun turned around and looked at her, "Am I walking too fast?"
"Huh? Oh no no! I'm walking slowly because of my dress!"
"Its ok! I'll slow down too!" Namjun said while walking by her side. She smiled in response.
They walked in silence for awhile till Soyoung decided to break the silence, "You....don't seem to be the type to talk much!"
"Mmm!" He hummed in response, "We've reached!" He pointed ahead.
It was a lake surrounded by cherry blossom trees.
"Woahhhh!!!" Soyoung lifted up her skirt and ran towards the lake.
Namjun followed her with a satisfied smile.
"Its so pretty!" Soyoung couldn't get enough of the view, "I haven't seen anything like this ever before."
"Really?" Namjun asked.
"Yes! I haven't seen much of the outside world." Soyoung said, "Thank you for bringing me here!"
"This is my comfort place and you're the first person I have brought here." He said looking at her.
"I feel honoured." She smiled.
That's when the oarsman called them, "Young man! Would you and young lady like a boat ride?"
Namjun looked at Soyoung and held his hand out, "Would you?"
Soyoung nodded with a smile and took his hand.
He got on the boat first and then helped Soyoung on to the boat as well. As soon as they settled in, the oarsman started to row the boat with a smile and the wind carried the cherry blossom flowers into the boat.
"Its.....ethereal!" Soyoung was impressed at the sight.
"Do you love it?" Namjun asked as Soyoung nodded.
"You know.....I didn't expect to get this much from any of you." She paused to look at him, "To be completely honest, I considered you all as my enemies too." She looked down, "But you all have made my life beautiful....I....I can't thank you all enough for it."
Namjun smiled and then replied, "Even we did consider you as our enemy but here we are now." Namjun looked into her eyes, "And after having you with us, things have changed for us as well....and things have changed for the better."
They both smiled at each other as the rest of the boat ride was silent but it wasn't awkward. They enjoyed the view silently in each other's company.
As the reached the shore, both of them got out of the boat and Namjun proceeded to pay the oarsman but he refused.
"I just wanted to give you both a ride in my boat. Young master, you're so handsome and your wife is so beautiful that it looks like you are heavenly beings." The oarsman bowed, "It was my honour that you both stepped into my boat."
"I..umm....you're flattering us. J-just keep it!" Namjun gave him a silver coin and then turned around to face Soyoung but she was already gone.
"Huh? Soyoung??? LADY SOYOUNG?!" He looked around and then spotted her in front of a shop. She was looking at children's toys.
"What are you doing?" Namjun went near her and asked.
"Huh? Oh! I....just remembered my father. He used to buy me those when I was a child." She pointed at the wood carved small horses.
"Even we used to play with those." Namjun looked at the toys, recalling his childhood, "Listen, if you are missing your father- WHERE DID SHE GO AGAIN?!"
He spotted her in a nearby rice cake shop.
"Young lady, are you here alone?" The shopkeeper asked.
Soyoung grabbed four rice cakes and the shook her head no, "I am here with my 4th husband."
"Oh my!" The man gasped, "Fourth? Oh no you poor woman.....here take some more." He gave her two more rice cakes.
"Eh? What do you mean?!" Soyoung was confused.
"I feel bad for you. You lost three of your husbands already...aigooo!"
"NO NO....THAT'S NOT-"
"Ahem!" Namjun cut her off, "Let me pay for these rice cakes."
"You must be her husband! Take good care of yourself, young master."
NAmjun quickly gave him the money, grabbed Soyoung and dragged her with himself.
"Do not go anywhere without me."
Soyoung took a bite from a rice cake, "MMMM~~~ Delicious!"
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Here.....you look hungry!" Soyoung gave him 3 rice cakes.
Namjun sighed and took the rice cakes as Soyoung linked her arm with his. Namjun looked at their linked arms and then asked, "What are you doing?"
"You asked me not to go anywhere without you so...."
Namjun smiled slightly, "Shall we go back home now?"
She nodded as he leaded the way back home. After walking in silence for awhile with their arms linked with each other while eating the rice cakes, Namjun suddenly stopped in front of an abandoned hut.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Soyoung asked.
"I haven't been here for long!" Namjun looked at the hut with gloomy eyes.
"What is this place?"
"This was......my first love's house."
Soyoung looked at him with surprise, "First love?!"
Namjun nodded, "Mmm! Her name was Shin Minah...5 years ago, due to poverty her father sold her off to the palace harem. She couldn't bear that and took her life." Namjun sighed, "If only I was here to help her."
"Where were you?"
"In the battlefield."
Soyoung stroked his back gently, "I am sure that wherever she is, your first love is proud of who you've become today."
Namjun looked at her, "You think so?"
She nodded with a smile, "You're so kind yet strong....anyone would be proud of you."
Namjun finally smiled.
"Are you ok?" She asked.
He nodded and continued to lead the way back home. Soyoung followed him quietly.
"Were you......used to bring go to that lake with your first love?" She asked.
He shook his head no, "Remember I said that you were the first person whom I took there?!"
Soyoung nodded but was still left with more questions which she was hesitating to ask but as if he could read her mind, he himself answered her questions.
"I used to love her but it has been 5 years and all I can do now is keep her in my memories and move on. We both were young and naive back then....she didn't wait for me and I used to blindly follow my father back then." He paused and then continued, "Even if she was alive today, we weren't meant to be together and I have seen people say this that first loves don't usually work out." He smiled looking at her.
Soyoung smiled back as he understood that he has moved on from that tragic incident.
After awhile as they both reached home, Jin welcomed them. Jin was looking like a prince as he was dressed up in expensive clothes.
"It's your first day as the head of the clan, hyung. Congratulations." Namjun bowed and Jin nodded with a smile.
"Soyoung, from this day onwards, you are the mistress of this household." Jin gave her a whip, "This is the discipline whip of our clan and the mistress of the household can use it on anyone to discipline them."
Soyoung took the whip and nodded, "I'll take good care of the household."
"I am sure you will." Jin smiled and then looked at Namjun, "Let's go to the palace now. The others have already left for the palace."
Both the men left after saying goodbye to Soyoung.
.....................................
At the royal court,
"Lord Cha, the defense minister, has resigned and in his place, his eldest son and 1st knight of this kingdom, Cha Jin, will take his position." Eunsang finished reading the declaration as Jin stepped forward and bowed.
"Congratulations, Lord Jin!" Sian congratulated him as he bowed.
"But out of nowhere why would he resign?" The minister of treasure raised a question.
"It's not easy to manage the vast royal army at old age that is why why he retired and gave the position to me." Jin explained.
"Your Majesty, this sounds a bit suspicious. Why don't we call lord Cha and ask him in person?" The minister proposed.
Sian, who looked un-interested, replied, "I have more interesting things to do after attending this boring morning court so NO! Besides I don't think that there's a problem."
The minister cleared his throat as Jin smirked.
"Alright now! Next.....bring in the criminal!" Eunsang clapped two times as some guards brought in Lord Seo.
Seeing him in that condition, the knights were shocked as the others in the room gasped.
"As you all know that lord Seo is a criminal. He defied the laws of his kingdom by hiding his daughter and secretly educating her. Then he and his daughter conspired against the knights and did them dirty. Not only that, he escaped somewhere after marrying her off but thankfully we have caught the criminal and today we must decide his fate." Eunsang declared.
Yunki was about to say something but Jin stopped him and shook his head no.
"Does the criminal have to say anything in his defense?" Sian asked with a smirk.
"Yes!" Lord Seo looked at Sian, "I am disowning my daughter. From this moment onwards, I don't have a daughter...I am childless."
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