To say that Hye-ri was flabbergasted was an understatement.

It was a miracle she didn't die of shock when she heard Wang Won play the geomungo flawlessly and with almost the same elegance and grace as his half-brother Wang Tae.

Hye-ri was so sure that she would win, she had even thought up of the different ways in which she would torment Wang Won. She was looking forward to it a lot, her victory.

Unfortunately for her, it really couldn't be argued that Prince Won's fingers effortlessly plucked the stringed instrument and produced a perfect symphony and however stubbornly she may refuse, she knew deep down that he indeed was playing it like a professional with years of practice where in reality he had just mastered it in a week like he said he would.

However, Hye-ri didn't fancy admitting out loud that she had lost. It hurt her ego too much so the only thing she could do was scowl at him bitterly while he played the instrument with a smug smirk painted on his lips.

When he finished, he stood up and all who were present in the Princes' Pavilion to see Wang Won perform broke into applause and praised him for seemingly extraordinary his musical skills; much to Hye-ri's displeasure.

Even her traitorous brothers betrayed her by congratulating the prince and boosting his already over-inflated ego.

Prince Tae gave his younger brother an almost-grin of praise and a slight nod; which was a very high commendation itself, coming from the impassive, stone-faced prince.

Hye-ri could see that even Jang-mi looked impressed by the one boy who she considered her arch-nemesis.

'Traitors all of them!' she thought sullenly when she saw Wang Won give her a arrogant smirk with his eyebrows raised at her as if to gloat the fact that he had won the bet.

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If there was one thing that Prince Wang Won loved; it was to constantly irk Kim Hye-ri.

He had done it since they were kids. Sometimes he would tug her braids to just to annoy the girl; sometimes he would deliberately trip her over and so on.

He loved getting her all riled up as he was the only one who could ever do that. The angry blush which spread her creamy complexion made his day whenever they butted heads which was almost always.

They say that boys love to irritate the girls whom they fancy.

Although he would never admit it aloud, a part of him knew that it was true. But he couldn't really pinpoint and understand his mixed feelings towards the girl who was the perfect blend of a poised elegant noblewoman-to-be and a thoroughly pampered and spoilt yet innocent miss.

So, he did what he knew best- to tease and infuriate her just so he could see her chocolate brown orbs meet his dark brown ones passionately; even though the 'passion' in her eyes was not a lover's passionate gaze.

"I have won fair and square my lady." He drawled at her superciliously.

It was true that he had won their bet. But Hye-ri wasn't aware of the fact that Prince Won had been taking lessons secretly for a few years now and very few people knew about this.

The reason why he had started learning to play the geomungo was because she had displayed an interest about the stringed instrument in the first place. He didn't particularly have a musical inclination or even enjoy music like his elder brother Prince Tae but he did it all just so he could have one thing in common with Kim Hye-ri.

He saw how her eyes would brighten up when she watched someone play it and he made a promise to himself then and there that he would master the instrument. And he sure did.

"Yeah you did." Hye-ri mumbled the words reluctantly; with a petulant pout on her face which made Wang Won laugh out loud.

She thought that the laugh was a mocking way of him rubbing salt on her wounded pride but little did she know that it was due to the fact that he was genuinely joyful whenever he talked to her; even if they bickered. And he thought that her pout was cute.

"So..." a slow wicked smirk spread across his face as he leaned in towards her to whisper,

"Are you ready to uphold your end of the bargain Lady Hye-ri. Or should I say, my new personal servant?"

Hye-ri gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him which made him chuckle again,

"Or will you go back on your word? I won't hold it against you." He raised his eyebrows in a mock-innocent manner to taunt her.

One thing he knew about Hye-ri was that she prided herself on being someone who never backs out on her word, she was taught to never lie and always be honest like a true noble lady.

"Never." Hye-ri retorted and then her shoulders drooped in defeat,

"So, what do you want me to do, Your Highness?"

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Meanwhile, away from the Prince's Pavilion, there was something huge going on in the Imperial Palace.

Something which would soon alter the lives of many, including the two princes and their childhood friends; especially the Kim children.

When the news of the Royal edict reached Queen Myung-hee, the second wife and Royal Noble Consort of the King; a gleeful grin curled her red painted lips upwards.

She ordered that the palace maid who delivered the pleasant news to her; to be given a handsome reward; for Her Majesty was quite joyful to hear the edict.

All her past years of misery and sorrow and heartbreak, all the sacrifices which she had made- foregoing her personal happiness for her survival in the cold and unforgiving Palace; were finally paying off.

This was the day she had dreamed about since conceiving her dear son. The day for which she had worked hard; for which she had changed from being the foolish lovesick young teenager who was betrothed to a man who she had never met before; and yet she fell for him and yearned for his love when they got married.

But her love towards her husband, the King of Goryeo was one-sided and he already had a wife; the high and noble Primary Queen Jisoo, with whom she couldn't even dare compete with.

However, the fact that infuriated and fueled her rage and jealousy was not that; for her husband's first wife was an extremely kind and caring woman who didn't care much about the palace politics and was highly respected by everyone including her husband. Her husband didn't love his first wife in a romantic way, he just seemed to hold her in high esteem.

And thus, Queen Myung-hee didn't see Queen Jisoo as a rival for her husband's affections. She even treated the elder Queen cordially to earn her favor. So, in reality; Queen Myung-hee had more political power in the Inner Court than the Primary Queen, even much so after the crown prince's demise.

The fact though, which spurred Queen Myung-hee's jealousy was that her husband; in spite of having two beautiful queens from high ranking and honored noble families; chose to shower his love and affections on a mere Concubine from a low ranking government official's family whose name she hadn't even heard before coming to the palace.

The Queen was a vain person indeed and it hurt her pride too much to see herself lose to a lowly concubine who was gaining too much power day by day by simply being in the king's favor. Her husband had been smitten with her since always; it used to initially hurt the queen's heart when she heard that he spent most of his nights in the "wretched witch's" chambers.

In her eyes; Concubine Ok was someone who didn't even deserve to be the dirt on Her Majesty, Queen Myung-hee's shoes much less a concubine of the fourth rank.

However, 'that sly and cunning' Concubine was His Majesty's most favored one; mother of the valiant and undefeatable second prince Wang Tae while she was simply the mother of the immature third prince Wang Won.

This fact had instilled a bit of fear in the queen's heart for some time; for there had always been a chance that the King could choose to disregard and defy the royal rules and norms and crown the second prince as the Crown Prince after Prince Wang Eun's death almost a decade ago.

The only thing which had stopped His Majesty from doing so and crowning a new crown prince was the fact that Prince Tae's mother was a concubine and he was almost always away from the capital to command the royal armies to suppress the uprisings in remote districts.( whose numbers were rising lately due to public dissent for many nobles were lately indulging in corruption and malpractices in governing their respective districts.)

That; and because the second queen had many high-ranking court nobles on her side, who would oppose the appointment of Prince Tae because of her maternal family's high status and influence.

The Queen sighed a long drawn out sigh of contentment as she picked up the cup of her favorite tea which she had been drinking before she heard the news which had made her day; and leaned back and reclined on her comfortable sofa. Two of her court ladies stood next to her, a few respectable steps away of course while two young palace servants fanned her continuously; lest the Queen should feel hot on that humid summer afternoon.

"Your Majesty, congratulations on receiving such wonderful news on such a wonderful day." Senior Court Lady Ki congratulated her queen who just laughed out loud delightfully.

It had been quite a while since the Queen had laughed like this; the Senior Court Lady observed.

She had known Queen Myung-hee since the latter's maiden days, even before she had entered the palace, for the two had grown up together in the queen's father's estate before she was sent off to the palace to be a court lady.( When the young Lady Myung-hee married the King and became a Queen, she insisted that Senior Court Lady Ki be appointed in her palace.)

 Before the Queen had fallen for the King and her whole life had changed...

"It is a wonderful day indeed!" Her Majesty exclaimed as she addressed her favorite court lady. "Oh, whatever would I give to see the expression of that old witch who still dares to covet my position and talk back to me!" the Queen chuckled under her breath; the happiest she had ever been since she entered the Palace.

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A/N
Are you guys liking the story so far? What's your favorite historical kdrama dear reader? Mine is ...(4× drumroll) "The King Loves"
Xoxo,
Milli.