THE SECRET MEETING

Seunghyeonjeong was seated in the study of his father when Shin Ji rushed in to the room at that very moment.

"Young Master." Shin Ji said.

"What is it?" Seunghyeonjeong asked as he lowered the wooden scroll that was in his hand.

"There is someone from Gaesungseong palace that is here to see you." Shin Ji replied.

"Who is it?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I don't know but he says that it is something that is important." Shin Ji said.

"Sure then, you can let him come in." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Yes Young Master." Shin Ji said as he bowed his head and then withdrew from the study.

Seunghyeonjeong remained there seated while looking at another scroll for a short while when someone walked into the room.

"Young Master." A man that was fairly tall and handsome walked in.

"Who are you?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I am Gae Byung Ki." The man replied.

"You say you are from the Palace." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Yes." Byung Ki replied.

"How is it that I may help you?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I am here on behalf of the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun young Master." Byung Ki replied.

"The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun?" Seunghyeonjeong asked once again.

"Yes." Byung Ki confirmed.

He lowered the scroll that was in his hands on the table and there and then he looked at Byung Ki who was standing right in front of him.

"Tell me whatever it is that he wishes to tell me." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"His Royal Highness conveys his most sincere greetings and he is requesting that you meet with him in private." Byung Ki replied.

"Don't you think that you are asking for too much, not so long ago my father was framed for a crime that he didn't commit.

I can't ascent to a private meeting until I am guaranteed that the person you are telling me is behind you is the one that I know." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"You can come with a few people for your security but this is an audience that the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun requires to have with you." Byung Ki replied.

"I'll take it that you are telling me the truth, in form me when and where." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"The Grand Prince is waiting for you at an Inn that is not so far from here, he wishes that I take you there right now." Byung Ki replied.

"Very well then, let me just get myself ready." Seunghyeonjeong said as he stood up and then bowed at Byung Ki.

"Shin Ji will take care of you in the mean time, I need to prepare myself well enough for a meeting with the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Yes young Master." Byung Ki replied as he bowed.

"This way." Shin Ji said as he pointed ahead at the doorway and Byung Ki walked out.

He turned to his master and then gave him a glance.

Seunghyeonjeong nodded passing on a secret message as the two of them walked out.

After they had exited the doors were closed.

"Gae Byung Ki." Seunghyeonjeong thought about the name.

"I need to be prepared just in case it is not the Grand Prince that they are taking me to." Seunghyeonjeong said to himself.

After that, he walked out of the room.

Seunghyeonjeong and Shin Ji were led out of the Han Manor by Byung Ki to the end of the city.

There stood an isolated inn with quite a few people that one couldn't really help but feel quite terrified.

"Are you sure that this is safe?" Shin Ji asked Seunghyeonjeong.

"Don't worry." Seunghyeonjeong replied as they veiled their heads and they walked into the inn.

It was nearly empty except for the Inn keeper and about two more employees.

"Isn't it quite strange why the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun of the Kingdom of Geosan would choose such an isolated place to meet with his future Grand Princess?" Seunghyeonjeong asked Byung Ki.

"I am only working on orders young Master." Byung Ki replied.

Eventually, The three ascended a group of stairs up to the second floor where they found a compartment that was ready and wide open with the Grand Prince inside.

He was wearing a cheap blue and white attire and along with it was a light blue and white beaded hat.

The sooner that Seunghyeonjeong set foot inside the Grand Prince spoke up.

"Please come in alone." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

Seunghyeonjeong turned and looked at Shin Ji who was dying to walk into the room.

He only shook his head and Shin Ji understood that they were asking him to withdraw and remain outside.

Once Seunghyeonjeong was inside, Byung Ki closed the door and remained their with Shin Ji standing beside it.

Seunghyeonjeong moved closer to the Grand Prince.

"Your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said as he bowed his head and then offered his respect.

The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun stood up and did the same.

"Please have a seat." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun signalled while pointing at the stool that was stationed on the opposite side of the table.

Seunghyeonjeong lowered himself and sat down without hesitation.

"I am humbled but may I inquire why the Grand Prince is here with me and requires a private audience." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I'll get straight to the point then." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"Please enlighten me your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I called you here to tell you that I already have someone else and marrying you isn't one of my interests." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

Seunghyeonjeong smiled.

"Yes your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Yes?" The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"Is that it?" He added.

"I am sorry your Highness but did you expect a far too different reaction?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I heard the only reason that you consented to marrying me when my father asked was to save your father Minister Han from prison." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"You must be mistaken your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"How am I mistaken, please tell me in detail?" The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun requested.

"Your Highness, I decided and consented to marry you because at that point in time I wanted to." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"But I do not want to marry you." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"I do not care whether you marry tens or hundreds, thousands or millions of women your Highness because I respect your father and I am a citizen of this our heavenly Kingdom of Geosan.

If I disregard the desires of your father the King, I have gone against my forefathers and my ancestors as well, I will have been a traitor in my Kingdom as well.

We both do understand the price that an enemy if the state and a traitor in this country pays once discovered." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"I can't find it in my heart to accept you." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"I have no problem with that, growing up I was taught marriage is about tolerance, I believe that with time we'll adjust to one another and you'd have to learn getting used to me your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun laughed.

"Adjust, getting used?" He said in a mocking tone.

"There is nothing more for us to adjust or get used to." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun added.

"Then why would his Highness approach me, what has been done can't be undone moreso by anyone other than the King himself." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You can talk to my father to call off this betrothal." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

Seunghyeonjeong laughed at once.

"What is funny, have I not been clear?" The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"Your Highness, I do not mean to be rude but don't you think that you are a little bit shortsighted." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You speak up with resilience and at the same time resistance in your voice." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"Why would I do what you are asking for?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"Because I am certain we do not share any feelings and you have no love towards me." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"And who said that I have no feelings for you your Highness?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

He looked stern in his speech and he was unwavered, with confidence in his eyes it burnt brighter than anything that the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun had ever seen.

For some reason, those eyes were starting to seem more familiar to him.

He kept quiet.

"Your Highness, you may not want this marriage but I want it, you may not have feelings for me but I have feelings for you.

There have been Kings and Princes in this country who have had a number of successful marriages, I can't recall the last time I had the King slept with Her Majesty the Queen in the same bed." Seunghyeonjeong added.

"Do you mean to mock my mother?" The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"Not mocking her at all and we can both come to an agreement that everyone sees it was in deed a match that was made in heaven." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I heard that the third son of Minister Han is wise and yet you are only sixteen years old, nevertheless what more do you know about love?" The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"Do you know what love is your Highness?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"It seems that our perspectives on love are both quite different that I wouldn't mind of you told me what love to you as a sixteen years old is." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said as he relaxed.

"Your Highness, to me love is sacrifice, love is taking away, love is possession and I am certain that his Highness has also heard that the third son of Minister Han is always stubborn and gets what he wants." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You must have heard that the son of the King also gets what he wants." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"Aside from me, my desires cater for everyone else and they are for the welfare of my family and my country, I don't wish to criticize you but who do your desires cater for the most?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I wanted us to come to a bargain." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"For the son of the ruling King nearly three years older than me, I expected that of all people, you in the world would know that love is not a bargain unless this is your perspective on it.

And it turns out that yours isn't any better than mine but worse." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"For heaven's sake there is already someone that I love, if only you could accept that fact." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"And give up on you? you are someone that I love your Highness, someone that I have loved from the very first time that I saw you.

It does not really matter if you share these feelings with me or not, on the contrary, just being married to you and sharing your burdens, being close enough for me is more than I could ever ask for.

If it means that I must marry you to protect you then I do not care." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I find it rather difficult for me to give you my Heart and what is there for you to protect me against?." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"Time will tell, if you only knew the minds of men like I do, by being the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun of this country, you are in a much difficult position than anyone else in the world.

Men will loath you including your children and your children's children and like past Princes and King's have fallen, without me you will fall." Seunghyeonjeong replied

"It doesn't really matter and I do not really care your Highness, forgive me for your resentment but the best that I can ask of you is a chance to be your legal wife.

If not for your sake then let it be for the sake of the country and for the sake of your father's wish." Seunghyeonjeong added.

"You are no different from other people, trying to force yourself onto someone else that doesn't love you and giving me these stupid excuses." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"With utmost respect your Highness, someone who is truthful and faithful is someone who abides by his word." Seunghyeonjeong said..

"Amongst all people in this world, I am also someone who abides by mine." Seunghyeonjeong added.

At once, Seunghyeonjeong stood up and then bowed his head.

"There is nothing your Highness, nothing in this world that I am going to let stop me from proceeding with marrying you and as far as I know, there is nothing stopping you from having a concubine." Seunghyeonjeong said as he turned and walked out leaving the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun seated inside alone.

In a fit of rage,he smacked the table that was stationed right in front of him.

"You claim that you can bear with everything, let us now watch and wait, we'll see how you bear with this." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said to himself.

At once he stood up and left the Inn.

Seunghyeonjeong had walked out with Shin Ji and he could clearly remember the way that had brought him.

His focus at the moment however wasn't the road that he was treading but rather the words that the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun had said to him.

"How could he of all people be so cold?" He asked himself as he walked about nearly faster than he'd ever walked in his life.

"Young Master." Someone stopped him and he looked ahead to see a strange and beautiful young man standing in front of him and then bowing his head.

He wore a very beautiful hanbok and judging by the luxurious ornaments he had on his body it was evident that he must have been from a noble family.

"Greetings." Seunghyeonjeong said he also bowed his head.

"You must be The proposed consort of the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun and I was wondering if you'd fancy a cup of coffee with me." The Young Man said.

"I would buy if you wouldn't mind, tell me your name first of all." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Let's go inside first, I can not just talk to you while we are out here standing, it is unprincipled and unprofessional if I do that and judging by the look on your face you must be tired." The young man replied.

"All right then, please lead the way." Seunghyeonjeong said as the young man led him inside to a nearby tea house.

They ascended a group of stairs and further walked into a room that was well prepared.

"I wish for us to have a chat in private." The young man said.

Shin Ji and Eun Mi who were trailing behind their masters both ceased and turned around walking out of the room and closing the doors.

The young man proceeded to the table in front of them and sat down as Seunghyeonjeong walked to the opposite side where he sat down as well.

"If this does it, I was inquiring, I am not so familiar with you so who could you be?" Seunghyeonjeong asked the young man.

The young man smiled.

"I am Jang Heungseon, the son of Minister Jang and I am also the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun's lover." Heungseon said coldly studying the gaze in Seunghyeonjeong's eyes which looked intimidated and unwavered yet deep down inside Seunghyeonjeong was surprised.