Episode 11

Jae young entered in the room and saw jang mi sleeping on her bed, he let out a deep sigh and then walked over to her bed

Sitting beside, he shifted his gaze on her face, at her sleeping body. She was wearing a white gown with open hairs and he couldn't stop himself from thinking, Beautiful. It could be the wine or his unknown feelings, Jang mi looked more beautiful then everyday to him.

He touched her thick long hair and softly lifted them off her shoulder, exposing the nape of her neck.His heart was filled with all those feelings, giving him a hard time to understand what it actually was. Anxiousness, uneasiness, deep inside fear of losing her.

Looking at her for a few minutes, his heart fluttered and a heavy sigh left his lips.

Then he carefully lifted sleeping her in his arms and carried her up those two stairs to his bed. Placing her on his bed, he again gazed down at her for a few moments.

The Next Morning,

Jang mi stirred and her eyes fluttered by the bright light behind the curtains hitting her face.Her eyes were feeling lazy, her eyelids heavy. She woke up late because she slept late last night.

Licking her lower lip, she just was about to lift her arms up to stretch when she noticed a muscular arm wrapped around her waist. Her brows went up slowly as she slowly drifted her gaze to her right and saw Jae young sleeping next to her. She got flustered seeing him there on her bed then she realised it wasn't her but his bed.

W-what? She thought, feeling puzzled what was happening. She wanted to move away but he had gripped tighter.

She sighed, gazing at him. Like always she could get lost looking at his beautiful face, moreover his sleeping face when he couldn't know she was looking at him. It made her want to keep exploring the details of his face.

A smile appeared on her face, seeing him sleeping peacefully like an adorable,sweet person who doesn't she'd any blood on everyday basis.

Coming out of her dreamland, she bit her lower lip nervously and carefully tried to remove his arm off her waist. Feeling her thin fingers on his arm, his eyes fluttered. She lifted her hands in the air and stopped touching him. But his eyes opened and he found her looking at him. Their gazes met. She blinked a few times with her brows lifted higher.

Then he pulled her more closer to him as her heart started to begin to beat rapidly, lying so close to him. She gripped on her dress from her chest tightly due to nervousness.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

She shook her head in a "yes". Her eyes popping out and heart beating like it would explode. His scent so familiar and addictive, his touch so warm and sensual.

"W-what am I doing here…on your bed?" she asked, gulping the air.

"I brought you here." He replied.

"Why?" Maybe she didn't want to know why, but she was so nervous around him like always so she had to talk about something, anything.

He himself didn't know why he did that, could possibly be because he thought he would lose her and so he wanted her closer to him for the time being.

"I don't know" he said, releasing her free, getting up and sitting on the bed.

She didn't say anything to that and kept lying there. She had in mind, she would ask him why he left like that last night but he made her forget everything and gave her that beautiful morning to remember.

******************

"Next week, there's a banquet that will be held in the royal palace. I think, it is to celebrate the princess's upcoming marriage with the prince of Xue." Jihoon said to Jae young who was sitting in his chamber, cleaning his sword. He hummed at that, his reflective gaze shifted to the sword.

Then suddenly, Jihoon sat down on his knees,lowering his head deep down in front of Jae young, grabbing his attention.

"I know, I gave you a hard time last night. I'm so embarrassed and apologetic for what I did. My lord, punish me, I deserve to be punished." He said in one breath which made Jae young gaze up at him.

Letting out a lazy sigh, Jae young took one of the swords in his hand, he then stood up from his seat and walked over to Jihoon.

He pressed the edge of the sword in the carpet in front of Jihoon's eyes. Jihoon didn't even flinch as if he was ready for any kind of punishment.

'Stand up " Jae young commanded.

With that Jihoon immediately stood up, his gaze still shifted to the ground.

"Last night, I heard you saying in your sleep that if I'd kill you too or not?" Jae young said. "Do you really think, I'll do that, under any circumstances?"

It made Jihoon flinch.

"I guess, it's true that the fears you don't know you have, are there in your subconscious mind. You can never say that from your mouth but while you're drunk, that's when they come out, sometimes."

"Even if you kill me, my master, I'll still not keep any grudges against you. I was your friend but I still didn't step forward to protect you when people were planning to kill you." Jihoon said gazing up Jae young.

"Despite everything, when I lost my father, my only family,you were the one who gave me shoulder to lean on. You did what a friend would do but back then I couldn't do the same for you. You gave me another chance to serve you."

Placing his hand on Jihoon's shoulder, Jae young replied,

"It wasn't in your hands to save me. I was never upset with you for that, in fact, I was glad you stayed out of that otherwise they would've targeted you too like they targeted my mother's family and friends."

Jihoon's eyes got teary. He was relieved to hear that Jae young never felt betrayed by him. He sniffed, blinking his eyes a few times while holding back his tears.

" i-I'm sorry, My Lord." He stuttered.

Jae young stared at that. He would never hurt people who genuinely care for him and according to him, Jihoon was one of those.

**************

That afternoon, it was the day for the royal banquet held in the palace. The king has called all the princes to his chamber. The 1st Prince (Ji wook), The 2nd prince (Jae young), The 3rd prince (Min hyuk) and the 4th prince (Min jae).

The 1st prince was the eldest prince of the Emperor whom he had with his concubine during his province leading days. Although he is acknowledged by the Emperor but he is never given much of an importance and had been sent far away as a governor to rule his own province. He has been married and well settled in his life with his province.

A year younger than Minhyuk was Min Jae. He was the youngest and the second son of the Emperor's 2nd wife, the present Queen. He had bristly eyebrows and doe eyes with a baby face but to look closely he had sharp features that will turn very attractive with age. He clearly looked the youngest. He was in his late teens. He was wearing a red rimmed black coat standing unbothered.

All of them bowed in front of the Emperor and greeted him, standing opposite to him.

"Today, I'm going to announce the crown prince of Joseon Empire."

"I pronounce the 3rd prince, Kim Min hyuk as the crown prince and his respective wife Choi Min ah as the crown princess." He announced.

The new announcement left the other two a bit surprised but Jae young was shocked.

Minhyuk walked over and stood beside the king, bowing with a proud smirk spread across his face. He was just looking at Jae young who was standing there, glaring at him in disbelief.

Min Jae, The 4th prince seemed like he wanted to ask something but couldn't speak against the emperor's order so he stayed quite.

"Minhyuk suggested that I should marry his younger sister and my only daughter, Soo ah to the prince of Xue." He said, placing his hand on Minhyuk's shoulder." That way, the conflict between both of the countries would end and it really worked. They accepted it." A wide smile flashed in the king's face.

"I, now, have no doubts and believe that he is ready to become the crown prince." He said, patting him on the shoulder.

So, he is the one who suggested the marriage and this is what the banquet is held for? Jae young thought. Why did father even bother to call him here? To humiliate him by pronouncing Minhyuk the crown prince? He could've done it without me. Jae young was burning in anger but trying his best to not show this on his face

It came very much unexpected towards him. Now he had less time to work on his plan but he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Later, a ceremony was held where 3rd Prince, Minhyuk and his wife, Mina's new title was being celebrated. Everyone was present in there and they cheered for both of them. Mina got what she wanted. Minhyuk too, finally got another step closer to the throne.

*****************

"Let me go!! I want to attend the banquet too!!! The princess and the only daughter of the Emperor, Soo ah said to the guard who was standing on her door, not letting her go outside.

Her thin, pretty hands trying to push the guard away. She looked very young, not more than 21. Her eyes were honey brown similar to Minhyuk's and her long, straight, wavy hair matching the colour of her eyes.

"Sorry princess, You're not allowed to go to the banquet." The guard was standing firm with his whole body covering the door.

"I'm always not allowed to go anywhere" She sighed,showing her disappointment.

"Because, you always sneak out of the palace and cause trouble."

"What!? How dare you talk to a member of the royal family like that? I am going to tell my father what you just said."

"The Emperor was the one who ordered me. I'm only a slave of order." The guard said, his voice still firm. Hearing that Soo ah groaned in annoyance while throwing her hands in the air.

"Argh! Father!" She muttered under her breath.

Then she gazed back to the guard and said, " I want to meet my 2nd brother's wife. I haven't met her since they got married. I want to go and meet her."

"Umm.. I still can't let you go." The guard shrugged.

"WHAT!!???' Soo ah gritted her teeth in anger. She raised her voice.

"Because the Emperor has given the order to not let you go outside." He answered, lowering his head.

With an exasperated sigh, she said

"Then go to my father and ask him about this. I'm sure he won't stop me from meeting my sister in law."

"As you say, princess." He bowed. "I'll leave the door locked." He said walking out of the door.

Soo ah rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Father, you're being too unfair to me this time." She sighed.