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Two Days Later........

The arrival of spring season was a auspicious time for the village. The village was booming with its agricultural production. After the heavy winter, things seemed to get better for everyone. Everyday, his highness and you would go for a stroll in the evening. The villagers slowly started to recognize the both of you as a part of them. They respected Prince Jimin with so much adoration. The village kids always made him sit under a tree and narrate them some moral value stories of the brave men. In the mean time, you would sit and talk about anything with Eunha. Day by day she seemed interested to discuss about Prince Jimin with you than anything else. She do be asking about his family, childhood, reason to settle here and so on. As a good girl you lied about everything from name to his life. You got a wind about her interest in his highness and you didn't want to burst the bubble she was trying to live in.

Today was like no other day until, "Y/n." She called you while you were plucking some beautiful flowers from the near by bushes. You looked up to her and like a shy little girl, with her hands behind the body and lightly swinging her body she asked, "Do you think Ryung sunbae and I would make a good match for each other?" your eyes furrow with a small smile. You turned to her, "I am not sure about that." You shook your head. "Why?" She seemed a little shook by your answer. Your eyes looked at the sunset wondering how to answer that question. The silence continued for a while and Eunha stood next to you. "Understanding and communicating to each other is what I think will make a couple good match for each other." You looked back at her, "If you think you can do that with lord Ryung then nothing can stop the two of you from living together." A smile drew on your lips. She understood that she should take more time to understand his highness rather than drawing conclusions quickly on her butterfly feelings. "I mean Ryung sunbae is from a noble family just like me. So I am sure it wouldn't be problem for his family. After all my father is the minister to emperor which can help him secure a position in the emperor's council. Don't you think so?" She asked for assurance.

"Hmmm. If he is really wants a position in the council then I do think it will be a great match for the two families too." You agreed. "But then after our marriage where will you go?" She asked. You smiled widely, "Either I will be allowed to go back to my family or I shall continue to work for his parents." She looked with a pout. "But I want you with us. You can be my lady in waiting." She wanted you to persuade her idea. A laugh escaped your lips. "I am not sure about that." "No, I really mean it. I would love to have you as my lady in waiting. We don't know what his family is like and how they prefer to do things. If you would be there I will surely be able to do gather myself up in times of need. After all I will be away from my family and I will have no one to give me the courage to get accepted in the new family." You simply smiled. "Lord's family is very sweet and caring. I am very sure you will be well adjusted in the family without my help. Your eyes expressed a emotion of missing your family. "But I would really want to meet my family and stay with them." However you also had the thought to get back and live your life with Master Jihoon once Prince Jimin had settled.

"Of course you will." an affirming male voice interrupted the two of you. Your eyes shift to the direction of its source. It was Prince Jimin. "Your highness." Both of you wondered if he had heard the conversation. Eunha took this chance to change the subject, "Ryung sunbae." she called him to give her the focus. "Is the lesson over?" She asked politely yet hurried. Prince Jimin turned to her, "Yes. Just now." He smiled at her. Eunha had a very blushful expression saying that she couldn't contain her excitement. You wanted to chuckle but then her expression reminded you about someone who you have been trying to forget and were almost successful but not anymore. Prince Jimin saw your smiling at Eunha. He wondered what you were smiling so much for. "Y/n, lets head home." Prince Jimin called your attention. "Eunha-shi we will walk you to your house." His highness asked Eunha to join as well. "Thank you Ryung sunabe." She bowed her head to him. On the way to her home, all Eunha could do was ask his highness about things and discuss with him where as you were appeared lifeless outside and deep inside you were very busy reminiscing the time master Jihoon spent with you. Slowly you started to fall behind the other two. His highness sensed you not keeping up with the pace so he called out for you. You didn't hear him.

He walked back to you and took your arm in his and got back. Although Eunha didn't expect that gesture from him but she liked his thought to get his servant back with the pace. Her feelings for him grew even more. Her mind was assuring her heart that he is the best man apt for her. On reaching Eunha's house, she excused herself for bringing in a quick fire stick to make your way back easier in the dark. "Y/n." Prince Jimin shook your arm. You snap out of your phase. "Where are you? You don't seem to respond at all?" He questioned you. Just then you see Eunha jogging out of her compound to hand you the fire stick. You took it and smiled. She smiled back at you and bowed to Prince Jimin before continuing your journey. "See you tomorrow." She wished the two of you. Prince Jimin and you soon resumed your walk back. The walk was silent until his highness decided to break it, "You seemed to be spaced out today." You turn to him asking politely, "Your highness?" He continued to look straight. "Did something happen between the two of you?" He asked with a concerned tone yet he kept his eyes on the road. "No, your highness." You replied back.

The sky was slowly turning dark, "I heard what the two of you spoke." A chill ran down your spine and your leg tripped on a small rock. "Aaah." A small cry escaped your lips. Before you could fall, you felt a grip on your arm. "Careful." He warned as he helped you stand up. "It is almost night, careful with your steps." He said as you tried to fix your self. "Give me the light." His hand took the fire stick from your left hand, "Here hold my hand."  while his other hand reached out and intertwined his fingers with yours, gripping tightly. "Your highness, I am alright now. It is not required to hold my hand now." You gently ask him to leave your hand. Yet his highness decided to only ignore your small plea. The walk was silent again. His highness didn't know how to respond further on the conversation he heard the ladies had. He was never in the position to fall in love with someone except for his admiration and adoration for Yubin. Marriage was a topic that was never set up in his mind. Marriage? The thought of marriage never occurred to my mind before. Also who can marry a sick man? No girl will be ready to marry a weak and ill man....................... It is a very scandalous event from my knowledge. I mean so far that I have read from the books even in my very own dynasty. The king has so many consorts and concubines, then the sons get on each other's back for the thrown and murder. These many kids and ladies are really a head ache for any man. But then again those men saw women as trophies and collection material what more could they view women as.

The two of you were silent for a while. "I wonder how Eunha would react if she ever hears what I had done to you." His highness chuckled. "Pardon me, your highness?" You asked him not understanding. "Well, I did hurt you a lot in the beginning. Though later I stopped being so cruel to you." Those memories are not something to forget but I really did forget about those harsh punishments. "Indeed, Your Highness, I humbly serve at your command. Yet there are some lords who show a gentler demeanor to their wives than they do to us servants." You stated. "Your Highness, surely you have observed the gracious manner in which His Majesty attends to the her majesty. No one has ever seen his majesty ever raise their voice on her majesty. They respect each other." His highness gave it a thought and indeed you were correct. As far his memory goes he had never heard his father ever raise his voice on his mother.

Just when the two of you were close to reach the end of the village exit, one of the villagers; who was a hunter, called out for you. You turned to attend the call and saw him catching up to the two of you. His highness brought the light from his side to the front to see who it was. "Y/n." He smiled and you smiled back. He was a middle aged man, tall and tanned skin, wearing ragged clothes.

Long back during the winter, the hunter's wife was severely ill and needed medicinal herbs from the traveler physician. The medicinal herb was grown in the other side of the kingdom and was cultivated by the special physicians. Coming from a lower caste, often the traveler physicians denied the treatment for the lower caste. But somehow this physician agreed to treat his wife but conditioned that he wouldn't give the herbs without a payment. The hunter did his best to ask around for coins but to no avail. Eventually he rushed to your house, where he begged his highness for some money who heartily gave it to the hunter. Fortunately the hunter was able to save his wife.

"Yanbu shi, what happened?" He raised his hand to hand you a dead duck. "This is for you, my lord." He smiled again. His highness as well as you could see that he was very happy for some reason. "Is there any occasion?" His highness asked politely. "I am finally going to be a father." He cheered. "Congratulations!" You cheered along. "If lord Ryung had not given me the money to buy the herbs for my ill wife, I wouldn't have been fated to become a father." The hunter went on his knees and bowed down till his forehead touched the ground where his savior stood. His highness earned a respectful bow from that man. A warm feeling of happiness and proud crept your heart. Your gaze peeked at his highness and saw his face having a warm smile. "I hope that you have a healthy child." His highness wished him. "Thank you my lord." he bowed again. "Then we shall be heading back." His highness announced his departure.

"My lord," The hunter called his highness again. "There was a carriage heading to your house." he said. "carriage?" You asked. "Yes, a carriage ran from here to your direction just moments before the sunset." He said. His highness looked confused. "Did you send any notice?" He looked at you. "No your highness." you replied immediately. His eye brows crunched. "Thank you for the notice." His highness smiled and began to walk. You waved and got back with his highness. His steps were hurried. "Your highness, please do not walk briskly in the dark." You cry out to him. But to no avail, he seemed to rush to see who had come to visit him. Not able to keep up with him through walking, you decided to run and catch up while holding the duck in one hand and the other pulling up the skirt to run. "Your highness!" You caught up to him. "Y/n, we need to reach there quickly." He stated. You could only wonder what drove him this fast to meet the carrier. "Your highness, I am having trouble to keep up with your swift movements." You cry out again.

 As the house drew closer, the two of you saw a carriage. Three men standing near the carriage. They see the two of you approaching. Prince Jimin stopped in front of them. "Your highness" They bowed to him. "We have a message from the royal palace waiting for you." They gesture to head inside the compound.

On reaching the house, Hansoo came running to his highness. "My lord, a messenger came in search for you. He said he was from the palace." Hansoo announced as his highness stepped in the house. "Where is he?" Prince Jimin asked him hurriedly. "Are you a royal family member, my lord?" He asked only to be ignored by his highness. You definitely heard what the lad had said and start to scold Hansoo. "Hansoo, I have told you not to involve with the matters that are not for you." Hansoo was pulled to a side by you and you began to lecture him for his behaviour. "Is this for us?" Hansoo diverted the lecture when he saw the duck in your hand. Your lips twitch to show that you are still mad at him and hand over the duck to him. "Go, pluck out all the feathers and wash it." He smiled widely only for you to pull his cheeks.

His highness slid the door to his room, and there stood a person. The messenger bowed to his highness. It was one of the eunuch that served his majesty. "Your highness, I was commanded by his majesty to bring you this letter and have you present in the palace at the latest." He informed his highness before pulling the message scroll from his sleeve pocket. He handed the message to his highness. Prince Jimin instantly opened the scroll. A small chuckle left his lips and tears slowly drew in his eyes, "Finally." He said before calling out for you. "Y/n." You rush to him and see him wiping his eyes. You look at him and the eunuch, puzzled. "Yubin's murderer is going to be put for trial. His majesty is asking for my attendance." Your eyes opened wide. You were shocked and amused at the same time. "We are leaving now." His highness announced. 

"Your highness, it can be dangerous to travel in the dark." You voice out your concern and look at the eunuch to help you. "Y/n, father has asked me to reach at the latest." He looked back at the eunuch. "Your highness, it is best if we begin our journey in the morning. It may not be the right decision to set out in the dark." Eunuch stood with your idea. "Then I shall head to prepare the dinner." You bow to his highness and head back to the kitchen. 

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Sorry for the delay I wanted to update for Christmas but i wasn't available so here I am with the new year present.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!!!!

With Love,

Anny.