.fifty three.

-

  "I was just wondering if that baby really is yours, or is it Jung's?"   

-

Eun's hand balled up into a fist and he was tempted to reply with sharp words how he didn't want them anywhere near him, his wife, or his child. But he knew Minji would disapprove, as she had asked him to behave at the party. He also knew that with the way they all seemed to dislike the general's daughter now, they would probably blame her for his changed attitude. But he had only changed because he saw the way they mistreated her and he wanted them to stop. He hated seeing his wife mistreated. It was why he hadn't visited the palace since he got married to her.

It took him a minute before he spoke, but when he did, he first sucked in a deep breath. "We were going to announce it at the party." He lowered his head and his eyes, keeping his voice steady, but Minji could feel that he was brooding. He was fighting so hard not to reply with some remark that the king would definitely dislike. His eyes darkened in annoyance and even resentment. His father had never worried about him before. His most loved son had always been Mu, and from there he hardly paid attention to the others. Eun just wanted him to go back to that--to ignoring him like he had done his whole life. Why was he suddenly so interested in Eun and his married life? He forced a smile onto his lips as he lifted his head to look at the king. "You beat us to the announcement, your majesty." He lied as convincingly as he could.

The king smiled warmly at him, yet a part of him knew it was all lies. He knew about the two making the announcement to their other family, and no one from the palace was invited. But he wouldn't press it any further. "Well, congratulations my dear son. To you and your wife." 

Minji was disgusted by the amount of hypocrisy and lies at the palace. Eun had lied to protect them, that much she knew, because she felt the same. But the King definitely didn't feel happy for them. The hypocrisies continued as Yo spoke up, raising his glass of alcohol.

"I think this calls for a toast." The third prince said with the fakest smile. "To our beloved little brother Eun, and his lovely wife. I just wish Han and Soon Deok could be here too, to congratulate you as well." Minji was surprised that he said Han and Soon Deok hadn't attended. Han was on good terms with most of his brothers, although he didn't talk to Yo or Won for the most part. She assumed that if they hadn't gone to the party, it was in solidarity to her and Eun. Perhaps he thought the two would not be attending either. 

The others agreed and everyone raised their glasses. Eun did so reluctantly, rolling his eyes at the fact that they all pretended like they were a big and happy family. 

Just as the first prince was going to take his drink, he stopped short and announced that he would rather have tea instead. Everyone paused in their celebration and had one of the maids bring the crown prince tea. When they did, it was Hajin who brought it out to him. And just as she had filled his cup, So stood up, and went to his brother's side. "I would also like to make a toast to my brother." And he took the cup from him.

Everyone watched in surprise as he brought the cup to his lips and dropped it, the cup shattering into a thousand pieces. Hajin quickly reassured him that she would clean it up and served him another cup.

So drank as everyone had their own drinks in honor of the young couple and the crown prince. So had decided to drink three cups in his honor and quickly excused himself, leaving the room. Yeon Hwa's eyes widened in surprise that he had done such a thing and asked for some tea in order to drink to Eun and Minji's honor. But when she did, she didn't drink the tea and instead bit the insides of her cheeks to produce blood. She pretended to feel faint and her brother Wook rushed to her side.

"What's wrong?" Minji asked Eun as she heard everyone in a panic.

"Someone has to go check on So..." Yeon Hwa said weakly as Wook lifted her up into his arms and quickly carried her away into the palace. His mother, Queen Hwangbo, and the King followed after him. The next person to get up and leave the table was Baek-ah, who had gone in the direction that So headed off to after drinking the poisoned tea.

"Yeon Hwa's feeling ill." Eun informed her, and pushing his chair back quickly, he begged her. He sounded like he had been really torn between staying with her and going to help his brothers. "Wait for me here. I'm going with Baek-ah to find So. I promise I will come find you as soon as I can."

Minji nodded her head, and reassured him. "Go. I'll be fine here."

Soon it was only Won, Yo, Queen Yoo, Jung, and Minji still sitting at the table. In a very nonchalant way, the queen got up from her chair and sighed. "Well, I suppose the party is over. I shall retire to my room." She then beckoned her two sons to follow her. Jung glanced over at Minji, wanting so badly to stay and talk to her. But he followed his mother out of the room. The last to leave was Won, and then Minji was sitting there by herself.

Minutes passed and Eun didn't return. But she knew it was because he was helping his brother So. Minji tensed when she heard foreign footsteps because she knew they weren't Eun's. The person didn't speak until they stopped at the table, standing right beside where she was sitting. She was startled by a loud bang on the table and she jumped, feeling the blood drain out of her face. 

"Jung-ah...?" Minji gulped out a question in fear. But she also knew it probably wasn't him.

An amused laugh erupted from the person and she knew immediately who it was. "You wish it were Jung, don't you?"

Minji didn't reply and only waited for her husband.

"I do wonder." Yo started, refusing to get the hint that she didn't want to talk to him. "Is that baby you're carrying really Eun's? Or did you sleep with Jung and then pin the baby on Eun?"

When she didn't reply again, he quickly became irritated with her and slammed a hand on the table once more, startling her and making her jump in her chair. "Not only are you fucking blind, but are you deaf as well? Don't you know you have to reply to a prince when he asks you a question?"

But Minji was unresponsive. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend he wasn't there. But it was difficult to do so when he was practically yelling in her ear and slamming a fist down on the table each time he didn't get a verbal response from her. Minji really wanted to get up and leave the room, but she promised Eun she would be there and she didn't want him to worry if she wasn't there when he came back. She only hoped that he wouldn't be much longer because she knew Yo was capable of anything. He had shown it once before.

"It seems like you're only good for one thing only--to lay on your back while a man takes you." He hissed. Then his hand gripped her upper arm harshly and made her wince in pain.

By now, hot tears were streaming down her face. When she finally said something, it was a question for him. "Why do you hate me? I have done nothing to you." She said, her throat feeling closed up as she tried to keep her voice steady.

He replied to her without any remorse, his words full of venom. "I hate you because from the moment you and that girl arrived at the palace, everything has gone wrong for me." She knew that by that girl, he had been talking about Hajin. It had already been almost well over a year and a half since they had arrived in Goryeo. "Because of you I have had to work harder to be where I want to be."

She got back on her feet, still trying to wrench her arm out of his grip. "I did nothing to you." She repeated. "You're hurting me."

"This is nothing compared to how badly I would like to hurt you." He told her, eyes full of hate.

"You're insane." Minji said.

Suddenly, she pulled back on her arm and he loosened his grip, sending her stumbling and falling onto her back. "Sometimes I wonder what Eun and Jung see in a dumb little girl like you." He spoke, taking a few steps towards her, towering over her small frame as she tried to back away crawling. "But then again, you aren't completely hideous to look at. It must be enough to make them fight in the way that they do. Indeed, you really must be good in bed to them."

He then crouched down and gripped her arm again, easily pulling her back onto her feet like she was a rag doll. But she was small and he was taller and stronger than her. She also didn't know martial arts like the real Hak Soon did. She knew that she could run, but she didn't know the palace well, and she was already at a heavy disadvantage because she couldn't see.

Minji then thought of the next best option. She could call for help. Taking in a deep breath, she started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Eun! Please help me! Please--" Before she could continue with her cries, he pulled her small body into his and placed a hand over her mouth to block the sound. Now all that could be heard were muffled whimpers. 

"He can't help you this time." Yo hissed at her, keeping a hand over her mouth.

Just as he turned her around to face him, Minji felt someone tug at Yo's shoulder. It was enough for him to let go of her and this time she tried to take off running. But she bumped into the person who had come to her rescue. They grabbed her shoulders to steady her and she was filled with relief when a familiar voice filled her ears. "Jagi, don't worry. I'm here for you. I'm sorry for leaving you alone." He whispered, quickly giving her a peck on the lips before turning towards his brother with a glare. "What did you think you were doing to my wife?" He asked, having witnessed only part of what happened.

Minji tugged on the back of his gown as his back was to her, begging him, "Let's just go, Eun. I don't want you to have any problems with your brothers." But it was already far too late for that. Yo didn't like her. But also the two already had a few altercations because he was insistent on bothering her.

Yo informed him with amusement just what he had been talking about with Minji. "I was just wondering if that baby really is yours, or is it Jung's?" 

As soon as the words left his lips, Eun's hand balled up into a fist and he threw a punch at his brother. He had taken him by surprise and got him straight in the mouth, busting his lower lip and blood game trickling down. Yo brought a hand to his lips and saw the blood, immediately anger rising within him. 

But before he could retaliate, Eun shot him a warning, full of bravery. "Don't you dare soil my wife's honor like that. That baby is ours. We made him, and we plan to make more, as much as you and everyone in this palace would probably dislike that."

"You should feel lucky that I feel pity for you." Yo gave him a warning of his own, spitting onto the ground his crimson blood which had pooled in his mouth. He then used the back of his hand to wipe the residue of blood off his mouth, but the taste was still there as a bitter reminder that his younger brother had thrown a punch at him. "But next time I won't be so forgiving. I will not forget what you have done to me." As he said this, Minji couldn't help but think of her dream in which Yo wanted her and Eun did. Was this part of what triggered him? The fact that Eun had come to her rescue?

"I will do it again if you ever lay your hands on my wife." Eun assured him. 

Yo glared at the two of them and stormed off, leaving them alone.

-

i am so fucking dramatic.

but here i have another chapter for you all. i hope you're enjoying the story.

so we had eun behaving pretty well throughout the entirety of the party. but then he took a swing at yo afterwards. that counts as behaving during the party though, right? bc technically this happened after the party.

but anyway, discussion time: should i make jung fall in love with someone else? or should he continue having feelings for minji? should i have eun and minji have their desired four children, or should i just give them one and be done with it? do you think this scene will have become part of the reason why yo really dislikes eun and minji and would want them dead?

-clary