9

Crown Prince's POV

" Sir, your father calls for you." I heard a voice from outside my door all out.

I opened up one eye, while I felt myself shift towards my side, as I slowly tried to get up.

" all right." I gave in response as I took a moment to look over my shoulder towards the open sky, through the window beside me.

" rather father than mother" I breathed out loud as I quickly got my things along and was ready to begin on my way towards his room.

As I walked with my hands behind my back distracted to the attractions from the wall, as they slowly died down into a simplistic mood of display I acknowledged I was near reach of my father.

Upon entrance, I heard the sound from father whom called out. " come in." As if he knew my arrival before I did.

" You've come faster than usual, has your mood gotten the best of you?" I heard my sister ask.

I looked about the room in realization that we were all here, my sister, the eldest prince and I.

Only on occasion did my father do such a thing as to being us all into the same room together.

My father placed his warrior's hand onto his face as he caresses his short formation of a beard. His eyes looked at each of us for a moment watching us, reading is slowly.

Often he did this when we were children as a way to catch us in our lies, even though at points it was evident he believed Kyung above all else. It was a factor of his bias way of judgement among us children that he seemed to slowly disregard as he aged.

He sighed then placed his arm covered in aged scars from battle back onto the arm handle of the throne he sat in. 

He sat silent until it grew uncomfortable, which knowing my father that may have been exactly what he wanted, he wanted us to be insecure in our setting enough to allow him advantage of our thoughts.

To break the silence as he always did the first prince spoke: " father I believe we are all curious as to our reasoning to being here." He stated.

The king sighed and looked at the princess.

" Darling what do you think?" He spoke in riddle.

" think of what?" The princess responded.

" of giving the title of Crown prince back to the eldest prince."

" Father!" My Eldest brother & sister almost screeched.

" Ah, I'll take a unison of disagreement, you'd think with how often you all argued, you'd be prepared to take down another's height. Very well, my son you're gifted with love." My father mysteriously said.

I knew father and strangely with my knowledge of him it was evident that he never said anything uselessly there was a reason he mentioned the eldest king, in suspension my first thought was to ask:

" Why hadn't he ever gotten to title of crown prince father?"

My father smirked almost, then refrained from response, instantly he simply made movement of his fingers, that followed his shoulder. " I guess he never wanted it." My father replied.

" It was never a position fit for me, I wasn't as decisive in effort to make plans as you were, father waited for a second son to give such a position to.

I simply nodded my head. My sister looked about as confused as I was. She was always the best in terms of common sense at times when she seemed as distraught as I was I felt less guilt of lacking certain knowledgeable things.

" Well, I called you all here for a simple task, the banquet is coming close, I hope to be entertained this year by more than dancers and stories." My father stated.

After some more soft conversation we each bowed before being dismissed. We walked out in unison but the visual disturbance of my mother, caused us to break apart, rather my sister and Kyung prepared to leave with a simple bow.

My mother scanned her eyes over him is disgust a factor of her character I always remembered seeing, in some ways it rubbed off onto me. I was very quick to hate my eldest brother at a young age. As well as fear that one day I'd do something so gravely horrid as he did that my mother would also hate me so freely, no matter what it must have been I feel sorry towards my brother.

My sister was strong enough to challenge against it in action of sympathy towards my brother. Something my mother prepared me well never to do.

My mother walked me towards my chambers as she spoke on the matter of my marriage towards Yi-ae. Still caught up in my thoughts of my father's random choice of question I only nodded and agreed to her spoken words enough to give her a smile then finally be left alone.

" I'll go let her know you two would be attending the banquet together in two evenings." She waved.

I placed my hands up then placed it back down, but before I could retract my words, the aged woman fed off of the energy of her beloved son agreeing to her schemes that she rushed away.

I walked into my palace territory, and headed towards my study room, my emotions were uncomfortable, in absence of clear thought.

" Would you like some tea?" A voice called out from over me. I slowly looked up to see one of the maidens. Because of the random nature of her kindness, I raised a brow.

" So-yi, requested I bring it to you." She added.

This request of their consistent honesty caused them to speak out about everything I'd ask and things I didn't.

" Why hadn't she brought it herself?" I asked sipping the blackened hibiscus tea. The flavor was unique, yet it complimented my taste buds. Usually the heat caused a sensation of warmth which at times may cause heat to arise in me, yet, the tea was faint in taste in such a way that even the heat didn't overcome the sensation of cooling and calming my mind.

" Officer Yung called for her." She answered. I blinked a few times a bit offended that she didn't come to tell me she'd be out.

" Very well, can you call for princess Yi-ae, I'm bored and my toy isn't here to tease." I said referring to how amusing it seemed to be messing with the mind of a person like So-yi.

As quickly as I thought it happened, yi-ae raced over in excitement.

Her hair still a bit soaked, hinting to me that she must've just came from the bathing house.

" you called?" She said softly.

" you often answer." I responded as I walked towards her.

" I'm a bit unamused at the moment, my head needs to be cleared so I requested for you to do the job. This is nothing past you getting what you want out of me and I, you. Understand?" I asked her as I caressed my finger tips along her jawline. She began getting nervous, for a person as headstrong as she usually was I felt a sensation to have her be so nervous.

So personal to her face, it was clear she had her beauty... but it wasn't her beauty I needed at the moment.

I allowed her to kiss me as she desired as she placed her weight onto her toes to reach my height.

Her lips were soft, soft enough to delight in, her actions could be demeaned forceful, it came to my senses that there was a battle that wasn't going to be won when she directed me, though shorter than I towards the bed. She peered over me, staring into my eyes with a strong grip onto my shoulder she asked:

" Will you have me?"

Her question suddenly killed the mood I was already forcing myself to participate in.

" As I just remembered, mother asked if you'd like to go to the banquet together, why don't we go looking for some things in the village it's a favor to them to see us up close." I said.

She hesitated but she structured herself off of me, then raced towards the door with my hands tied into hers grip.

While we walked hand in hand, my palms dry of attraction to the happiness she felt as she looked about, I endured the ride into the villages.

The air of the village smelled of food, and discomfort, the people waved as some walked away at the sight of the carriage we rode in. " They must be from the palace." Was the murmurs I happened to hear.

Did we really not care enough or interacted enough with the village that the townsmen didn't even know our faces? Was all I could think to myself.

At last, due to her insisting, we rode into the village from afar there was a sight of someone, and Officer Yung. A scene that I grew more attracted to than the person right beside me.

" So-yi?" I asked as I saw the young woman placing hair pins into Officer yung's hair. They shared a smile and a moment of chuckles, before he took one and placed it into her tightly coiled hair and surprisingly even under the sunlight, her skin glowed as that night before when I first saw her without a veil.

" how'd he convince her to go out without it?" I mumbled to myself.

" what are you looking at?" Yi-ae asked me.

" ah nothing" I responded. She nodded her head, as she pulled me. " then follow along."

Occasionally I lost them like when Yi-ae distracted me with her " which looks better." Requests in terms of jewels.

Eventually, she bought some things, before we returned to the palace with her satisfied.

Being that my sensation wasn't satisfied earlier that day it only got worst walking about in the heat of the day.

I walked into the fields and stared into the distance, as the sunset grew to please me, I grew distracted again at the sight of Officer Yung walking in and being welcome by a young maiden, the one that So-Yi always seemed to be accompanied with.

He had her on his back sound asleep, my notice of her with him was a funny thing to happen in a crowd of so many people. " she is dark in tint ." I mumbled to myself. Neither disregardful or undermining just taking notice.

It made sense to the thought that they must've been dating being that often recently she began to avoid me.

" good for them." Was all I could say.

It must've been nice to not worry of status, though she's overstepping her bounds with him, he was still a bastard, a result of infidelity his mistakes weren't as dangerous in the result as if it was I.

" lucky common-men." I said out loud before walking up the stairs back into my room.

As the evening the banquet came I gathered the entertainers to their positions to wait.

Commonly we called for the maidens to prepare the food as they usually did but strangely soon after preparations were concluded there was no sight of so-yi.

" it's become a problem, she can't place her romance over the bettering of this kingdom." I mumbled while I walked things about to finish getting set up, rather walked with workers to assign where things were to be set.

When all were done, we all came together, the eldest prince, my sister and I.

" have you each selected an additional entertainer? "My brother asked us. Shaking our heads in acknowledgment he simply smiled and patted my shoulder in replace of a hug.

" For this reason I'm the eldest, I've placed together a performance I'm sure we'd all enjoy." He said his words then disappeared to his seat.

The sun sunk into the abyss and the lanterns were then lit, the announcement was made, and the magic was to begin.