"Welcome my Princes and Princess! Have a seat!" The owner was very thrilled as he wipes the chair and table with a clean cloth for us. "Dong! Serve the best teas and desserts for our gracious guest!" He ordered his clerk.
"Please." The 9th Prince gestured for his retainer to pull out the chair for me to sit and I thanked him.
"Oh Princess Yeon Hwa!" The 9th Prince exclaims happily and she walks in with a smile.
Oh right...I totally forgotten about the princess.
Prince Wang Yo's was surprised as well and he smiled happily at Yeon Hwa. One which I've never seen for the past few months in Goryeo. One which a man only shows when he sees a girl he's...
"Interested in." I whispered as a weird feeling started welling up in my chest.
I quickly shut my mouth and tried to stay calm at the new findings of this history I'm tangled in as Princess Yeonhwa greeted gracefully. "Greetings to the both of you. My apologies for not taking care of Princess Hara and for causing all of you distress."
"Join us Yeon Hwa ah." Wang Yo sounded very gentle and happy.
Princess Yeon Hwa stopped for a moment as she examines my face before speaking, "I think I would give it a pass seeing I have something to do."
Something to do? But I thought she said she had the entire day for me. And what's with that look?
As if he could read my mind, Prince Wang Yo voiced out my thoughts. "I thought you were granted the whole day to accompany Princess Hara to town by Queen Hwang Bo?"
I turned in awe to look at Prince Wang Yo as I wondered to myself how'd he knew what I wanted to say.
"Right, my Lady?" He smiled lovingly and I thought he had cramps on his face.
What's up with that fake smile? Did he have his medicine today? Or did he realised this is a good chance to apologise for the behaviour he did to me yesterday?
"R-right." I nodded dumbly at Princess Yeon Hwa. Honestly, I think if she was here with me, I wouldn't be that awkward with these two princes.
"Since Princess Hara wouldn't mind me being here, I shall stay for a while longer before heading back." She said thankfully and settled down for the seat opposite Prince Wang Yo.
Not long after, there were aromatic teas and delicious cakes on our table. I could not stop munching at honey cookie which was known as Yak Gwa. Princess Yeon Hwa chuckled at me as she teases lightly, "It seemed that Princess Hara has found a liking to this snack."
"I didn't know the snacks in Goryeo Dynasty are so yummy!" I said aloud and they all chuckled.
"If you like, I can ask for permission again to come here and eat." Princess Yeon Hwa said.
"Here, you could have mine." Prince Wang Yo kindly places his serving on to my plate and I swallowed my cookie as I look at him suspiciously.
He really is weird today...
"I could call in the chef to make delicious Yak Gwa for you in the palace if you want." He continued with a grin.
Not knowing how to respond, I look towards Princess Yeon Hwa and she was looking down with an uncomfortable and disturbing face.
Why is Princess Yeon Hwa acting so weird? Could it be she and Wang Yo have something between them that I don't know? Maybe they both really have feelings for one another? If so...aren't I interrupting by being here?
"Yo, I suddenly feel so hot in here. Is this the doing of the love of a newlywed?" 9th Prince commented with a side stare as he fans himself.
"Perhaps it's time for you to get a wife as well." The 3rd Prince suggested teasingly as he drinks from his cup.
"Do you have anyone to introduce to me?" The 9th Prince was excited.
Wang Yo look towards Princess Yeon Hwa mischievously and they stared at one another for a few seconds before he chuckles in his cup.
"What does that mean?" The 9th Prince was confused and dumb at their exchange as I sat there thinking what an evil man Wang Yo was. He wants the 9th Prince and Princess Yeon Hwa to get married?! Was he crazy?
Princess Yeon Hwa blinked several times and reaches out for her cup and dunk it quickly. As if she couldn't stand for any longer, she announces that she has to head back as she was not feeling well.
"Oh, I want to go with you too!" I suggested.
"I think Princess Hara going back with Prince Wang Yo would be a better choice. Both of you are married anyway." She left hastily, leaving an awkward atmosphere.
Once again, the 3rd Prince was laughing as he stood up. "What an interesting day today! I had enough fun, let's go." He commanded as he walked out of the lounge.
"Do visit us more often!" The owner bowed down happily after receiving his money as he sends us out of the teahouse.
I just got settled in the palanquin when Prince Wang Yo had already galloped his horse back to the palace. When we arrived at the entrance of the castle, there was quite a commotion there.
"Please let me see the King!" I heard shouting of a man from my palanquin.
What's going on out there?
My palanquin came to a stop as I heard the horses in front stop as well.
"Prince Wang Yo!" The man who was shouting suddenly cried out for the 3rd Prince. He scurries hurriedly towards Prince Wang Yo as he cries, "Please let me see the King!"
Eager to see the drama of history, I opened up the window of the palanquin but my servant immediately warned me, "Princess Hara, it's best if you do not witness this." She tries to close my window but I stopped her and she backed off.
An old man was kneeling in front of the 3rd Prince's horse as an old woman was at the back crying for him. It seems like déjà vu as I try to search where I've seen this before. Could it be in a drama? I know there were lots of scenes similar to this...I have a bad feeling about it.
"And what important business do you have with the King?"
"I would like to have a chance to return back to work for him!" The old man explained.
Prince Wang Yo shouted at the poor man upon his request. "Who do you think you are? How dare you ask the King to grant you to work for him?!"
"Please forgive me!" The old man cries as he started banging his head on the rough floor as he kneels down desperately for forgiveness.
"P-please...grant my husband a wish..." At the sight of the old woman starting to kneel as well, I recognise them as past Princess Yumi's parents.
Now I know why this seemed familiar as the dream I had last night flashes in my mind. They would die!
The old man's forehead was bleeding as the blood drips on to the ground. I saw Prince Wang Yo reaching for his bow at his back and my heart throbbed.
No!
"Don't do it!" I shouted from my palanquin but an arrow was flying to the old man's head and more blood oozes out.
The old man eyes were widely open as his head got thrown back and he looks up at the sky blankly. He uses his last of his strength as his tears trickles from his eyes.
"My husband!" The old woman screams at the top of her lungs as the body of the man fell backwards in slowly motion. He slams on to the ground in an awkward position, not moving.
Prince Wang Yo carried on to reach for his back with another arrow as he aims at the old woman as well. She screams for Yumi's name as the arrow shoots her in the brain and there was instant silence.
I felt my bile rising in my throat and I vomited out from the window.
"Princess Hara!" My servant was shocked to death as she tries to cover my mouth with a handkerchief.
The horse's hooves started trooping away in to the palace as the misfortune of the family ended right there and then.
Author's note:
Hello! I am sorry for the late updates as I'm busy with work and school. Thank you all for your support and love for this fan fiction story. I am really thankful for all of your comments and ideas to guide me through this story. I understand many would love to see more romantic scenes of Hara and Wang Yo however, I am writing this romance based on the personality of Wang Yo which most of the fans probably would have known.
BUT! There may be more romantic scenes which everybody are hoping for for the upcoming chapters. I don't have a plan on how many chapters this story may be as I am writing as the story would go.
Once again, thank you for your patience, love and support.