Seon Jo

"Her Royal Highness the Queen!” Eunuch Park stationed outside announced,

"Let her in" I permitted non challantly and watched as she entered looking heavy with royal heir before I returned back to my work because seeing her now is not really helping,

"Your Majesty.” she slightly bowed.

"You shouldn't be here, you should be resting in your condition.” impatience dragged by bugs were crawling on my pride.

"How can I rest when my husband isn't. Your Majesty, I noticed that the weight of the recent happenings is weighing you down and you barely eat like you used to, so I went to the kitchen and prepared your favorite myself, well not all by myself but with our daughter's help" she said nodding to the maid behind her.

I stopped my work and looked at the dishes before me with a dead appetite though they all looked appetizing. I was about to reject them but when my daughter was let into the room, my daughter Bora smiled as she saw me and she ran to me,

"Father.” She said with pure love to me with joy as I carried her in my arms.

"I heard you made something for me." smile crept into my face as I saw her dimples that verified that she took after me.

"Yes, mother said you were working hard for our nation, so I cooked for you a surprise meal.” She beamed pulling me by the hand to the table set before us, sat me down and served me herself.

I looked at my daughter, the only true happiness I had, gratefully I ate as my mind wandered off thinking about Hye Jin, if she was been fed or have eaten at all.

I did not know that my face had begun to reflect my thoughts until my Queen slides slices of fruit my way to get my attention.

I looked up to see her nod towards our daughter who wore a sulking expression as a result of my worried face. Immediately guilt embraced me and I composed myself and began to eat from every plate on the table happily while watching her face become bright, and soon enough she smiled.

After the dinner, she stayed and played with me which was a good distraction from my thoughts and worn out mind. As it got late, she was led out by a maiden, but not without promising to cook for me the following day.

I picked up the pace after the person I have been tailing did.

I have been following her since she left the palace and was sure she has not noticed, well I'm a general for a very good reason.

I watched her stop at a butcher's shop as she greeted the man before bringing out a box covered with purple linen and handed it over to the man who thanked her after putting it away.

That shade of purple is used only by the Royal Family, her Highness Queen InMok in particular, so whatever is given to that man was sent by the Queen herself. What business would the Queen have with this man?

Having done that, she received some piece of meat from him in which she used to place inside her hamper.

As she was leaving, the butcher continued his business of the day and I trailed behind as she walked into the market from the butcher to a fishmonger, a peddler and to a fruit seller.

Nothing suspicious, yet I didn't stop even when I began to get heated by the scorching sun.

My hope began to drain until she entered an apothecary and I watched hopefully as she stopped at the door to look behind her twice before smiling as she entered.

Therefore, as not to gather any suspicion, I took some minutes before entering this apothecary.

When I entered, I saw a young boy by the counter and approached him,

"Welcome to our shop, mister, what is it you need?" He smiled at me and waving me closer.

I cleared my throat before asking, "Young boy, what do you sell here?"

"Medicine, herbs of all types and for all type of ailments and...” he seemed excited for a reason I know not of.

"I want to see your master, go tell him I have a business proposal that would bring a huge sum of money, where is he?" I said as I rested my elbow on the counter.

"My master is not available right now but, you can set up appointment if you like.”

"My proposal can't wait, if I don't see him now I'll take it somewhere else.” I pretended to leave but the young boy rushed after me to stop me.

"Wait... Mister, if you can wait for a little while he'll be done with his meeting with a very important customer, he'll be with you shortly," he pleaded,

"OK, then I'll look around to pass time." I hesitated then agreed,

"Thank you sir, anything you need just lemme know.” he smiled at me and returned back to his work,

"Hmm.” I answered non-challantly as I walked to the shelf,

'Nothing is out of the ordinary in these shelves' I reasoned.

After looking around for the third time, I was about to go for another round when the young maid walked out with her basket and the shop owner behind her, a elderly man in his mid sixties.

I observed them for the distance and waited for her to move.

She said good-bye to the owner and walked out but as she passed me walking towards the door, I noticed the way the basket was carried this time was different and I could tell the hamper was empty or something heavy has been removed.

I walked silently passed the counter so that the young boy couldn't hear or see me walking out, which was successfully done.

I followed her until she walked into a crowd and disappeared.

"First, I heard there were spies in the palace, then later it was conspiracy, now it is the missing royal guest?" I thought on my way back,

I was investigating the attempt on the Royal Guest's life on the road from the market, which the King ordered me to.

However, before I could gather my proof, I heard she was missing. I was feeling a lot right now and happiness wasn't one of them.

Whenever I looked away, something bad always happened. The first time was at the restaurant where I met her with her handmaid Choi Dong Yi, the little kid she always carried around and her guard Young Pil.

I wanted to follow her but I didn't want to piss her off more than she obviously already was and I made a poor decision of letting her walk off and right before my eyes, she was almost assassinated.

Now, it was kidnapping. When I was busy tracing and tracking down the assassins sent to her, I was summoned to the palace to be told she was missing.

Since the beginning of my findings, every clue and evidences I got pointed to only one person which showed that the Royals did not fear the heavens any more If they could try killing one of its own.

The His Majesty who should be protecting such treasure was not even trying to doing so.

"How could he put her right in the middle of wolves with only one guard? I gave him a suggestion that she should be kept with the priestesses at the temple because that was the only way she would be safer but no, he allowed his emotions to get in the way like he was the only one whose heart beats for her.

This is what happens when a King never listens to genuine advice!!" anger ran along the blood in my veins.

"If only he had listened, if only he... “ I stopped as I sighted her again this time walking towards the forest and I followed her.

I looked and noticed again that the basket has been refilled because this time, she carried it on her head supporting it with her hand while the other held her dress.

She kept walking for some time before she stopped at a particular point, dropped the basket and turned back to the way she came.

I became confused so I decided to wait to see whom the package belonged to.

"The Queen kept visiting recently with the princess using her as an exclusive excuse but it seemed like today wasn't one of those day where Seon Jo needed the supposed charity.

"Don't you think my grandmother is already satisfied with your recent activities? Or does the whole nation need the acting too?" He said while sitting and writing afar off with his expression of 'uninterest' so obvious.

"I am only doing my duty as your wife, your Majesty,” she replied with a smile and a calm voice that partially hid the irritation.

"What will you stand to gain in doing all this? Because as far as I'm concerned, my heart isn't one of them." He asked not taking his eye off his writing.

"At least, things will be made easier if it was even possible." Her anger now visible on her face,

"But I knew that from that day you set your eyes on me, I will never have your attention talk less of your heart.” every word was said slowly to hide pain and anger.

"You know, so why are you here? Shouldn't you be with your grandmother in law and her noble whisperers?” though sarcasm was far from these words, she laughed hard so hard that her throat ached.

"Why didn't you reject me when you saw me, if you knew that you would never love me? " she looked at him angrily,

"Do you know how many names and pictures came before you? If I had rejected you, what difference would it make? They would keep on bringing names and pictures until I pick one.” saying those words brought guilt into his heart with regrets that he knew was too late to undo.

"Yes, at least I wouldn't be suffering to get my husband's attention and love while a rejected from heaven receives it on a platter of gold.

Can I ask you a question, your Majesty?“ She faced him fully and when he noticed the silence, he looked up and permitted her to,

"If you must..." uninterested and trying to avoid her gaze,

"Did you ever think of loving me? Or no, did you ever love me at any point of our marriage?" She forwarded but he picked up his brush and continued to paint, right there and then she got the answer.

"It's late already and the final preparation for grandmother's birthday and with New year celebration is tomorrow, I want you to oversee and make sure it is to her liking and taste since, you know her more than I do." he said dodging the posed question.

"I have only one thing to ask of your Majesty. Please do not pass this feeling towards me to my children, they do not deserve it.” and with these words and a long bow she exited his quarters.

Her words stung him and he could taste the emotion behind these words that they were bitter so potentially bitter that he felt huge fear for Hye Jin.

He couldn't explain why but he did feel very high uneasiness but all he could do is ask the heavens to protect its own.

Immediately she stepped out, tears and anger with suppressed pain of neglect stampedes out putting her on edge and with the darkness of the night as a veil to hide her sorrows, she let them pour out like the rain.

Feeling nothing but anger towards the King and the woman who took her place in his heart, she determined to make sure that love never saw the light of another day.

"Call for the Minister right away!” she almost screamed at the guard stationed at her quarters as she gave the order,

"Yes your Highness.” he bowed and walked into the night,

She got inside and sat, angrily biting her lips with rage.

"If I can't have your heart and am your wife, my children will have it and if they don't then either there is no heart to own or... there is no one to own it. " she thought as she walked to her comfort spot to sit while waiting for the Minister to arrive.

"Your highness, Minister Go request entrance...“ the maid outside her door announced.

Relieve at his fast response, she ordered her to let him in and as he entered, "Your Highness, you sent for me." he bowed and sat in front of her.

"Father, How's did she do?" In Mok asked out of neither care nor curiosity, which she failed to hide.

"Good, she has proven trustworthy and reliable, Your Highness” he answered with assurance

"And our pretty stranger? " she dragged her words and stressed on the 'pretty'.

"No grim side effect for now, we're just waiting on your word, just say the word and she's back to where she came from..." He bowed smiling to her.

"Father, hope they didn't draw attention? In addition, they must know nothing should lead to me. ” she warned with a stern tone.

"Yes, Your Highness they did it clean and smoothly except for you and the queen Dowager, nobody knows in the palace.“ The minister assured.

"Good, I want her there longer, how many days was the previous agreement?” she leaned closer to whisper.

"100 days, you’re Highness.” he whispered back.

"100? Father, extend it, make it 200.” She ordered with a struggle of pain and hatred.

"Your Highness, with the speed of investigation, she is bound to be found in a few days time and it won't take long before a loop hole is found, I suggest this should just be a warning.”Minister Go advised.

"What does the Queen Dowager thinks? Father." She looked away into the night angry at the fact that her pain wouldn't be understood.

"The Queen Dowager trusts you to handle this with caution and wisdom. You should be calm and collected, do not let your emotions get to you. Just focus on getting his Majesty's attention.” he advised.

"I am trying Father, I have tried cooking, sweet talking and making drunk him just to get his attention, I even tried seducing him but... he wouldn't just look at me.”

“Have you tried using your condition to get His Majesty to come to your chambers or better still, his chambers?”

“His Majesty doesn't even want to see me, Father how can I be running after my husband, my own husband when I am carrying his child. Am I not the mother of the crown princess?”

“I'll talk with the Queen Dowager to talk to him... ”

“No, Father, don't bother it won't help anyway.... ”

“You should try harder, maybe he would change..”

“Father, my husband doesn't love me, he never did. Do you think I like saying it, just thinking about it is driving me crazy so much that I wish I could just bite my tongue and die and it’s all because of that rejected daughter of heaven. ”

“Your highness, don't say such thing.. ”

“Don't bother Father, I have already accepted it that he's going to leave me for another woman, since I can't have him, you can.”

“What do you mean? The King can have has many concubines as he wishes.. ”

“Father, How does Minister sound with elder brother's name?”

“What are you saying? ”

“Didn't you say the it is your dream to see your son by your side in the royal court? What if I do that for you? ”

“That is good, but... ”

“but in return, I want that strange wench to be gone for good, please, help me keep my place in the palace, Father. ”

“hmmm, I'll see want I can do. You must rest the royal prince. We'll talk tomorrow...”

“yes, Father. Be careful on your way back. ”

"Good night your Highness " he stood and bowed.

After the Minister left, she thought aloud,

"100 days is not enough, I want her completely gone, I want him to suffer the pain of needing someone yet knowing he will never have her." she raged.

"Her Royal Highness, Queen Dowager." Her maid announced as everyone outside went on their knees in acknowledgment.