The superintendent of the archery came toward Kyungsoo and King Jongin, carrying arrows in both his hands put together; they were two feet, four cun in length. Behind him were two men; one was a guard holding a bronze pot one foot tall, the other one seemed to be a music player.
"Pitch pot?" Kyungsoo asked in both surprise and disbelief. Playing a throwing game was not what in his mind when King Jongin said that he needed to improve his skill in archery.
King Jongin hummed in agreement, oozing in satisfaction.
"You summoned me to the archery park; I thought you are going to teach me to shoot arrows."
"I am." King Jongin tapped Kyungsoo lightly on the back. "I am merely simplifying things for you."
Kyungsoo looked at King Jongin, his eyebrow raised slightly. "If I didn't know better I would say that you just want to play. You should have told me earlier so I wouldn't have to wear this." Kyungsoo gestured at his attire. He was wearing outfit worn for practice, and his hair was tied, with a headband on his forehead to keep his strand of hair out of the way. He looked at King Jongin, who had changed his royal crimson court outfit into a simple robe gathered by a sash. The heat of embarrassment warmed his cheeks.
"I have my own teaching method," King Jongin said wisely, watching the superintendent of the archery measuring the distance of the pot from the mats, before ordering the guard to put the bronze pot on the ground. The base of the ornate canister had been filled with small beans to prevent it from tipping over when struck.
"I see you do," Kyungsoo agreed, looking at the pot, and then at the arrows that now was in the guard's arms.
"Do not question my way."
"I do not."
The guard lowered his head and stifled a chuckle.
King Jongin cleared his throat. "Let me earnestly beg you to try them," he formally said, signalling that the game was about to begin. He raised a hand and the royal guard gave him the arrows.
"I venture respectfully to obey you." Kyungsoo bowed twice, and also received twelve arrows. He walked a few steps to go to his mat for pitching.
Kyungsoo and King Jongin sat on their mats. They alternately threw arrows at the pot, to the accompaniment of zither music.
Kyungsoo tossed an arrow, which penetrated the mouth of the canister with a small thud sound. He thought he had done quite a good job; he only had a few misses, and sometimes, his arrows managed to fall into the ears of the pot.
Another throw from King Jongin made the superintendent of the archery who was counting the points raise his right hand. "One hundred and twenty points. His Majesty won."
Kyungsoo gave the remaining arrows he had to the guard on his side. "It was a good game," he lightly said.
"It ended too soon. I should have let you throw some more arrows before allowing myself to win." King Jongin laughed.
"What are you talking about? I got sixty points; that was an outstanding achievement, considering that I'm very new to the game. Tomorrow, I will get ninety, and the day after tomorrow I might even win," Kyungsoo confidently said. He got up from the ground and walked over to where the music player was sitting. "Give me your instrument, and you can take my place. I need to hold myself, for I'm afraid I will not need tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to win if I keep sharpening my outstanding pitch pot skill. I do not want to rush it. I shall give His Majesty two more victorious days."
King Jongin called the guard to ask more arrows. "You really don't like the game, do you?" He hummed.
"Regrettably so," Kyungsoo calmly answered.
The man who had been playing the zither board got up, yet hesitated to come forward. He glanced at King Jongin with a fearful look frozen onto his face, and the king laughed. "Do as Royal Consort Do say."
King Jongin had been playing only for a short while when a guard came and gave a report. "Your Majesty, the Left Minister and his fifth daughter wish to see Your Majesty."
Kyungsoo felt his delight vanished like a light going out.
King Jongin put down the arrow in his hand. "Send them in," he ordered. With a motion of his hand, the music player sitting next to him took all of the arrows and left.
Kyungsoo lifted his hands from the string instrument, and was about to ask the permission to leave when King Jongin said, "You can stay, Kyungsoo. This won't take long."
Left Minister Kim came following the royal guard, who stopped a few feet from King Jongin. King Jongin was sitting, and therefore it would be immensely impolite for anyone to stand less than five feet from their king.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," he said. "Your Honourable," he greeted Kyungsoo with a short bow, which was returned by Kyungsoo with a more humble attitude.
The left minister's daughter gracefully followed. "Sohyun greets Your Majesty. With blessings of Heaven upon Your Majesty, may Your Majesty long reign upon us."
Kyungsoo noticed that she took a quick subtle glance at King Jongin, her eyes were curious, perhaps searching any interest in the man who might hold her fate in his hands. She shifted her eyes toward Kyungsoo. "Please accept my greetings, Your Honourable. May blessings and peace be with you."
Kyungsoo politely returned the greeting.
The minister gave an encouraging pat on his daughter's shoulder. "The last time, my daughter's poor luck made her unable to meet Your Majesty," he began. "Today appears to be a blessed day for her," he said, and then he lightly continued,
"I am deeply thankful that Your Majesty has let my daughter to stay in the palace for a while so she can learn everything needed to be a respected lady. I believe Your Majesty's kindness and wisdom would shape a bright future for her." Left Minister Kim shook his head with a heavy sigh. He motioned her daughter to stand closer to him. "Sixteen years of age, yet barely has learned anything. I hope someday she can become a daughter our family can be proud of."
Kyungsoo looked at the young lady, and found that she had a pleasant appearance. The left minister's daughter had large eyes, a round small face, and thin, delicate limbs, which seemingly never experienced a touch of the sun. She was a lovely, graceful young lady.
"Heaven bless me with a beautiful and dutiful daughter; it is me who has failed as a father."
The Left Minister's daughter hung her head like a dying flower.
"It was hard for us to let her go, but we cannot be selfish. She is not a child anymore."
The minister bowed, and his voice taking on a lighter tone, "I am hoping that Your Majesty will allow Sohyun to play a song or two for Your Majesty, so that she can properly express her deep gratitude of the kindness Your Majesty has shown us." Upon receiving King Jongin's approval, Left Minister Kim shifted his attention to Kyungsoo. "May it please Your Honourable, we would be deeply thankful if Your Honourable would also be there. Sohyun still needs a lot of guidance."
Kyungsoo managed a smile. "It would be an honour," he replied.
The left minister fondly smiled at his daughter. "Your Majesty cannot see them now, as apparently she found the royal palace ground very fascinating, but her eyes are round and and clear, just like Consort Do's." He gave Kyungsoo a nod to include the royal consort in the conversation. "Her small heart shaped smile can make the whole day looks brighter. My precious Sohyun is as beautiful as Royal Consort Do, don't you agree, Your Majesty?"
King Jongin waved one hand, the disturbed look on his face was apparent. "I am the most wrong person to answer, as there will be only one answer you will get, if you ask a man in love such question."
Kyungsoo felt a warm sensation creeping up his heart. He prevented himself from seeing King Jongin, as he was afraid he would not be able to compose himself. When it comes to King Jongin, he could barely control his feelings.
Kyungsoo gave King Jongin a small bow, and out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the minister's daughter. He looked past the minister toward the young lady. She seemed tense; she dug her nails into her palm hard, but Kyungsoo still could see her hands trembling. She looked genuinely embarrassed; Kyungsoo began to feel sorry for the young lady. This situation must have been very inconvenient for her.
"The answer will be the same if you ask a caring father," Kyungsoo said softly.
The left minister's daughter raised her head to look at Kyungsoo, and Kyungsoo's kind eyes greeted her with sincere warmth.
"I am the only one fair enough to say something about that here, as I see with my eyes and my mind without my heart clouding my judgment; and I am certain that Miss Kim is far more beautiful than me, although I believe that Miss Kim's generous heart can easily beat her outer appearance." He solemnly bowed toward Left Minister Kim. "Miss Kim is Left Minister Kim's precious daughter, after all."
Left Minister Kim seemed surprise. He quickly gathered himself to express his gratitude. Having nothing else to talk about, he excused himself and motioned his daughter to follow him.
Kyungsoo started to pluck and strum the strings, and notes began to bloom.
King Jongin closed his eyes to enjoy the music, letting the ethereal sound resonated through him. "You are nothing like that girl," he murmured.
A small smile slowly spread across Kyungsoo's face. "Am I?"
A soothing melody of someone playing a song on the zither was faintly filling up the air. The Left Minister's daughter slowed down her walk and looked behind her shoulder, holding her breath because her breathing sound would only become a distraction for her to hear the music fully.
She saw King Jongin sat watching Royal Consort Do; his eyes were fixed upon the beautiful man. The air was serene between them, beautiful as a painting. She took a glance at King Jongin, and let her eyes stayed longer on Royal Consort Do. Her heart throbbed. She wondered if there was a place for her in the palace. King Jongin was an opened book, but Royal Consort Do was not.
***
Sohyun bowed at King Jongin. On the cushion at the centre of the room, she sat. A zither board had been placed for her. She lifted her hands and put her fingers on the strings, and then she started playing the instrument.
At first her face was drawn up in concentration, but once she was assured that her fingers would not make any mistake that could put her to shame, her expression softened. She opened her lips and began to sing.
This moment feels like I was born as a child who knew nothing
The young lady's voice was not perfect, average at the most, but she sang every line as if she meant every single word, as if she was singing for her lover.
Kyungsoo tried not to think about the meaning behind the song, about the implication of her presence in his life. It would be better if he didn't think about anything at all, because then the dull ache in his heart would become an sharp pain, tightly squeezing his heart, crushing it relentlessly until it got broken.
Kyungsoo breathed carefully around his sore heart. He should find a way to reduce the discomfort.
Sohyun seemed to have forgotten that everyone was watching her. She closed her eyes, her lips raised into a faint smile.
I closed my eyes again in case it would be a dream
I feel like I have been taken by the soft wind to your world
Like the beginning when stepping into Heaven
In her singing, she expressed her wish to be on her lover's side, someone she had described as an eye-blinding entity that was brighter than the sun.
Left Minister Kim sucked in a shallow breath, but his face did not change with surprise. He took a short glance at King Jongin, then at Royal Consort Do; King Jongin had kept his features impassive, without passion, or emotion, while Royal Consort Do's face was soft and tender. If the song made any of them uneasy, he wouldn't have known. After the music came to a finish, he immediately commented, "My daughter must have felt really blessed to be given an opportunity of living in the palace." He waited, King Jongin said nothing. He shifted his attention to Kyungsoo. "She meant no harm."
Kyungsoo spoke without any effort, softly said, "I admire her honesty." The corners of his lips were slightly raised. "Rather than Heaven, to me living in the palace is like living in the sun."
Kyungsoo was calm, too calm. So far he had not given any sign that the presence of Minister Kim's daughter had disturbed his peace of mind. King Jongin met Kyungsoo's gaze steadily, reading his face. Kyungsoo's eyes were on him, but they seemed absent, as though they were seeing through him. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash sadness leaped in Kyungsoo's eyes. He must have been imagining things, because in the blink of an eye, Kyungsoo's calmness and serenity came back to him.
Kyungsoo gave King Jongin a smile and demurely lowered his eyes.