6

So-yi/Nia's POV

" So-yi" a voice called out to me as I was making way towards the Prince's chambers to speak on problems we've caused him. The prince had requested for the maidens to gather before him at random, which was expected of him to make, by me at least.

I slowly stopped then looked about to meet eyes with the same guard that had to awaken me one morning. He shyly coughed, then lifted a finger like he had something of importance to say.

He looked at me then bowed, " I want to apologize for invading and seeing you without your veil, it wasn't a matter of purpose, I was only doing my job. " he explained. I looked at him, then remembered what he was referring to.

He came at that moment and deep into sleep I hadn't thought to place on my veil, the heavy breathing at night made it much too hot, to keep on.

I couldn't help but smile but also feel awkward at his mannerism. " Please don't bow at me,  it should be the other way around." I spoke out as I shook my hands.

He chuckled and continued to watch me become awkward. He had a mesmerizing smile, his gesture of manliness that confirmed his position of courage, to be a protector to the prince.

" should I take your staring as a compliment to my attractiveness?" He bluntly asked. Taken aback by his words I simply blinked. He smiled and continued to walk towards me as I stepped back.

" Wha— wha—." I started confusing my words with my thoughts. He stopped smiling and returned my look of distraught.

" you didn't think I'd be so forward in public, could you? In private maybe but not till you'd be so kind as to give me an evening of dinner? In the town?" He asked forcing a state of seduction.

I was about to respond but he blankly stared, he began to blink his eyes at the silence, suddenly broke into a small list of awkward chuckles; " please please forgive me, I took the advice of approach, from a friend, to be frank I have no idea how to go about simply placing out there that I can be a source of help to you in any way possible, I understand how lonely it may be, I'm a bastard child of the advisor to the king. I'm a really awkward person so at this moment I'm just saying whatever I can think of to break the silence."

I stared then also began to chuckle at his personality, his face redden as he tried holding in his embarrassment.

After the introduction of awkwardness settled we both regained composer, then he pointed towards the prince's chambers.

"since we are both headed that way should we begin?" He asked. I nodded my head as we both began walking in silence.

Before he entered the kitchen he stopped then looked at me. Quickly he avoided my eyes then began to speak. " Can we pretend I hadn't just embarrassed myself before you?" He asked quietly.

I snickered and responded: " No, you should've stuck with the act. I'll just pretend you didn't embarrass yourself after you stopped." I responded in a tease. He gave his dazzling smile then nodded his head as he opened the door for me to enter.

" Let's better manage our time officer yung, We were waiting for you two." The prince said the moment we entered.

" It's understood dating within palace workers is forbidden isn't it? " he asked as he stared into a booklet he read, as he leaned onto the table behind him.

I was silent and avoided the smiling eyes of the handsome guard.

" Yes, sir " he spoke for us both.

Officer yung walked towards the other guards as I went over towards the three other maids.

" You are all probably wondering why it was that I called for you to come here. Well, the attention was brought that recent cooking has been delicious. The queen wants a meal prepared for her the same way you guys have been doing for me." The prince started.

" You're greatness, should we use the fresh preparations from last night?" Of the maidens asked.

" and who prepared those?" The prince asked as he lifted a brow.

" We did." The three women answered. The prince nodded his head and sarcastically began to speak.

" Well we can keep those for me but because it's by request of the queen we should start fresh. As for you miss So-yi because of your lack of participation in this preparation I personally request that you sit out of this.

" any objections?" The prince asked sarcastically. The three maids stood as distraught as I was.

" Perfect, no objections, then I believe it's time for you all to begin on your way." The prince began as he pointed his hands out towards the cutting board.

" you should be along your way. Go on now hurry up." The prince said shooing the maidens away towards the kitchen.

They looked about amongst themselves and began to strain for ideas as they muffled sounds.

" So-yi go wait out we will handle your punishment on a further day in terms on misconduct. " he ended.

I raised a brow confused at the point of being brought in only to be asked to leave.

Officer Yung gave a nod in my direction as the prince kept gesturing with his hands that I'd be shoo'd away.

The moment I was out the door, I was quickly accompanied by a curious Mi-ra as she raced over in excitement, from across the palace as if she was aware of the exact moment I'd be out.

In her washing clothes, she pulled on to me as I left the room looking back still rather perplexed at the event that just took place.

" Stop looking, and pay attention, The Queen isn't in the greatest of moods today, so I can't be on this side of the palace for too long. I used my restroom excuse for the fifth time today in hopes you'd be out. But mother Ai wanted me to let you know that you should go visit your sister this weekend something along the lines of if you don't she'd be confiscating things from you. "

I twitched my upper lip and rolled my eyes unamused. " it's not as if I have anything that it's worth crying over if she takes it. " I responded as I slid to sit on the steps.

" at any cost, she'd skin me alive if I don't go..." I mumbled to myself. " Do you think that I can say the prince refused to let me have a day off?" I excitedly asked Mi-ra.

" At any rate your mother would most likely find a way to convince the king to overrule his judgment, I have a theory your mother and the king are somehow related because he's always consistently falling in her favor, which is why she and the queen are so hesitant to be in the same room." Mi-ra responded in a rush.

She looked at the sky then looked at me. " Either way I did my job, I have to return before they start getting angry at me for taking so long. " with those words she took onto her route and raced away.

I placed my arm onto my chin as I stared into the sky in a maze of thought.  My eldest sister Alba was by far one of the most complex minded people to love.

She rescued me when I was a child, yet for a long period of time, our relationship also strained due to how much danger she believed my relationship and connection to our family would place her in.

By luck, she found a lover, though it was proven easy for her considering how gorgeous she was. She wasn't like the others just as I was yet her skin and hair allowed her pass.

She didn't have the single-eyelidded trait but she was by far fair skinned enough to participate in things I didn't, she also got tanner than many others did very easily. In the same way, she was as protective of me as she was distant.

At times I received a feeling of being a burden from her, because of this I preferred the physical distance so I could avoid the mental one.

She must've had her baby, with the scholar that Mrs.wook set her up with, the one I once had the biggest infatuation for only to have him explain to me it was my sister he wanted.

Reasons like this and more events of unfulfilled matchups all make up my lack of interest in the concept of love, the world was much too physically addicted to finding someone worth emotionally opening up to.

A reason I acted as I did so hesitant from her was for this reason and more like it. It was too awkward, to see him considering my sister was once aware but for status and record the one that was occasionally protective of me gave me reason to...

Well, it was the past. Like Mi-ra explained my mother would only harass me longer than she already did in order to have me help her even for a day to help my sister with her new born.

" As if her other four children aren't able to, for a scholars wife she has children as if she's queen." I mumbled while I was getting ready to stand up.

" You always have something to complain about." I suddenly heard coming from beside me, I looked down as I cursed my luck, ready to walk away as if I hadn't heard anything.

" You're really going to try to avoid looking at me." I heard him say now a bit more aggravated than before.

" I — I uh got nothing. " I said as I stood up and slowly bowed. " I'm sorry I just stood near by, in case you'd need me to come in again, crown prince." I said still looking to the ground and cursing every being in me, for having to ask him to favor of leave.

" your lack of consideration towards my position over you, you truly act as if there isn't a gap at times with the way you speak to me.

I looked to one side slyly, then looked to the other as I thought of how annoying he sounded at times, his cries for status recognition as did all royals that ever walked on this earth like him, truly made him sound like an infant.

" Regardless the maidens have something they'd like to share please make your way in before more of my time is wasted than it's already been. " he instructed snapping at me to hurry into the kitchen. I nodded my head and walked into the room.