MARRIAGE LETTER

She picks up her mirror and hits it on the wall in annoyance and with a lot of tears in her eyes.

"Your majesty, please do not be like this." Lady Sung Pleads.

"DId you see what they did to me?" The queen asks quietly. "They insulted me to the extreme edge. Forgetting the fact that I am a queen, the mother of the nation, wife of the king and mother of the future king." She yells.

"Your majesty." Lady Sung calls sobbing too.

"This is just too much for me to handle, why does she happen to get the best of all these things?" The queen asks again breaking down in tears.

"Your majesty, please wipe off your tears. You shouldn't be crying."

"What does she have that I don't have?"The queen asks and wipes off her tears. "My family are better than hers, I have more support in the politics than she does. But why does she keep getting the best of things. The queen dowager doesn't even like her, so why is she always getting the best?" She ask and weeps again.

"Your majesty, please stop crying." Lady Sung pleads again.

"I will never forgive them for this particular insult and humiliation, I promise. I will make her cry over everything she possesses." The queen vows.

"Your majesty, prince Gwang Jae is here." Someone from outside announces.

"Your majesty, I do not think the prince will like to see you in this condition." Lady Sung whispers.

The queen quickly wipes off her tears and clears her throat. "Let him in!" She orders.

Immediately, Lady Sung stands and bows to the prince.

Prince Gwang Jae walks in and bows. "Mother, your majesty."

"Have a seat." The queen says with a smile. Her mood appears to brighten on sight of her son.

The prince sits and looks at his mom observing somethings. "Why are your eyes red? Did you cry?"

"No!" The queen denies quickly. "I applied some powder, so it mistakenly got in contact with my eyes."

"Please be more careful about it next time." Gwang Jae says with a smile and looks at his mom's robe. "Mom, your robe looks so beautiful. Is it a new one? I don't think I have ever seen this on you before."

"Yes." The queen nods. "It's a new one." She pauses and looks at Lady Sung. "You can leave us."

"Yes, your majesty." Lady Sung replies and walks out.

"Is there anything you will like to tell me?" Gwang Jae asks.

"I am sure you have heard the news." The queen whispers.

"Yes." The prince nods sadly.

"We have to get you someone very strong and capable of helping you get the crown prince's title." The queen whispers.

"Yes." The prince nods. "So who do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking of the prime minister's daughter, I heard that she is as beautiful as an apricot. She is also from a very strong family."

"Alright." He nods. "If she is okay by you, it is okay by me too."

"Good boy." The queen smiles. "Just do all I ask you, and I promise you will soon start staying in the crown prince's chambers."

"Yes mother". Gwang Jae bows. "I hope father comes to a decision soon. The crown prince's selection is getting too late."

"I hope so too." She sighs. "But we have to keep praying that whenever he decides to choose, he should choose you over that bastard.

"He has no choice mother, he is surely going to crown me."

The queen looks at her son, wondering why he speaks with so much confidence. "Why are you so confident?"

"My father cares a lot about the royal lineage and family and his people too." The prince smiles. "If he crowns the concubine's son, it might cause an uproar and leave a stain on the royal family. You know the kind of person he is, he wouldn't want to give any room for that at all."

"Yes." The queen smiles. "He cares too much for the people than his own personal interests, thus he wouldn't put himself first. But we still have to be on a look out, we never can say anything can happen at anytime."

"Mom, don't worry. I will make sure I become the next king." Gwang Jae promises.

"Your majesty, it is I, Lady Sung."

"Come in." The queen orders.

"Yes." She enters the room and bows. "Suk-bin is here."

"Suk-bin?" The queen asks to be sure she heard right.

"Yes." Lady Sung nods for confirmation.

"Why is her here?" Gwang Jae asks no one in particular.

"That witch." The queen curses. "Let her in."

"Yes, your majesty." Lady Sung walks out.

After some seconds, Suk-bin enters the room with a letter and bows. "Your majesty."

Prince Gwang Jae stands and bows to his father's mistress in a very terrible mood. "Long time no see, Suk-bin your majesty." He whispers trying his best to hide his feelings.

"Yes, your highness." Suk-bin replies with a smile.

"Have your seat." The queen orders.

Suk-bin settles and hands over the letter with her to the queen. "Have it, your majesty."

The queen looks at the letter disgustingly. "What is this?"

"Check it yourself, your majesty." Suk-bin says with a smile.

The queen smirks and collects the letter in a very harsh manner. She opens the letter and it happens to be from the king, written by the king himself. She calms herself well to read the content. After she reads little of the content, she looks at Suk-bin in a very annoyed way, then continues again until she is done. "What is this?" She says and folds the letter back into its envelope. "You came all the way to this place to show me this?" She asks again.

"It is only essential that I do so, your majesty." Suk-bin replies with a smirk look too.

"If that's all you have to say, you can go." The queen whispers.

"Yes." Suk-bin stands, bows and walks out of the room.

"What was the letter about mom?" Gwang Jae asks.

"It's a marriage letter written and sealed by the king himself, which is to be sent to the Ming emperor."