by Zola Tau
" I think she'll be fine " he smiled. " What do you mean? Princess Ada asked as she questioned the crown prince, he pointed to the ground where the king knelt and said nothing.
Still confused princess Ada just stood beside the crown prince.
" I don't deserve to be bowed at by you any longer, Nari " the King started to say. Taking in the feeling the moment he gave he saw no one around him other than he, and his daughter while he spoke the needed words to her
.
Princess Ki unaware of what was taking place, tried to pull her father up but he refused. Nari stood in dismay just as everyone around her was.
"Father, she's just a servant, leave her be. If this is to embarrass me I won't ever approach her again, just stop making a fool of yourself, in the midst of all these people." Princess Ki said once more trying to help her father, but once again the king refused.
"I don't deserve to be bowed down to, by a daughter like you, and for that I am sorry." He said as his head hung low as he spoke to Nari. Nari slowly fell onto her knees as she covered her mouth in shock by what was taking place.
A memory of a similar moment raced across her mind, In her memory, a man came into the village years ago when she was young. The man out of nowhere came to her defense, as he was protecting her from being lectured by a young man's father.
That day all that was said was: "The king is so kind he even makes the orphanages feel whole." Today was different, as tears ran down her face she kneeled slowly and came face to face to the king and shook as she reached out to touch him. Nari smiled with the duet of the tears that also ran down her face, caressing the face of the king in disbelief.
Without warning she stopped, breaking out of the moment and looked around as everyone seemed to be as surprised to hear what was said as she was.
"Daughter?!?" Princess Ki shirked in anger with how mad it seemed her father had become... "You've had no wife since the late queen; you've vowed to never have a child since the loss of..."
Princess Ki froze and looked down at Nari as she made effort to gasp, but even the air clogged in her throat, she raced away with anxiety as the wash maidens raced after her.
Nari reluctant at first eventually embraced her father as he firmly accepted her hug. She didn't know at first, whether to be shy or overjoyed, but the peace she felt when she heard those words deteriorated all emotions of anger, and that was promised.
The king sighed and relaxed as if weight was lifted off his shoulders. "I can't tell you how beautiful it is to call you mine out loud." He said as Nari patted him on the back.
"You don't know how whole it feels to hear being called your daughter out loud." Nari responded as she backed up to look at her father's face as her tears were accompanied with a laugh of relief.
Princess Ada looked to the Crown Prince, as they followed the crowd of palace staff towards where Nari and the king knelt. Everyone looked about at one another questioning the matter of events and how sudden and random it all seemed to be.
.
The eldest prince walked over to Nari and the king and Ji-Hye followed.
"That's why she's so pretty, I heard the late queen was a beautiful woman." Ji-Hye said with a grinning smile.
The eldest prince nodded his head in agreement "It is truth, the rest of our mothers envied her, why do you think they all left when they could and left us with father. They didn't like being unintended to because the king spent most of his time with her and only her after the Crown Prince was born." he said as he helped his father off the ground.
The king turned to him in amusement and said' "Your mothers left because they hated this palace, and you children continually angered them, so they returned to their hometown." the king replied with a deep scoff.
The eldest prince wrinkled his nose and ignored his father " You were the one who married them at a point." the Crown Prince said as he strolled into the conversation with Princess Ada besides him.
The king lifted his hand and shoved his son aside playfully. "I wouldn't be speaking if I were you, you made an embarrassment of yourself first losing to me in a cart race, and then embarrassing your fiancé in front of the workers.
"You should've seen him, he looked like a fool." The king said as he turned to his eldest son pointing at the crown prince as he chuckled.
The eldest prince scoffed and laughed, and soon they all participated in a laugher at the Crown Prince's expense.
"Now that you've gained a daughter, you're throwing away your son, I see." The crown prince teased.
The king turned to his eldest son as he said; " He speaks so witty because he knows what he did was embarrassing, he will say anything to get the light off his faults."
"You're no better father, embarrassing your daughter and announcing it to all of Korea as if she is a newborn, you could've been a bit less dramatic about it, it was like a tale was being performed. Must you, be so dramatic? " the crown prince said.
The King hit his son's side as he stood up with the help from Nari, then his sons went to him as he mocked the Prince and said; "You've become too friendly and judgmental of your father, I should have them thread your lips shut." The King said as he was led to the palace with help of the Crown Prince and the eldest prince.
The two women stayed back to take care of Nari as they picked up Princess Ki's clothes and folded them, placing them back on the doorstep.
"Tell me it was a dream." Nari mumbled to herself as she smiled "That way if it was I could lay back down and recreate it." she replied dramatically as she grinned.
Princess Ada and Ji-Hye looked to one another with smiles on their faces, because of how happy Nari seemed. "We're happy for you." Princess Ada said. "now I think it is best we go catch up with the men, no one has eaten yet this morning and already it feels like evening because of all that's occurred." Ji-Hye instructed, and so they followed the men toward the palace.
The route to the palace was overwhelming much like a day spent in the drinking halls. There was gossip all about coming from the mouths over staff. "Did you hear, the late queen's secret child is Nari?" Workers whispered as Princess Ada and the rest strolled by.
"News travels fast around here." princess Ada said in observation as she embraced Nari and Ji-Hye.
"It was always an uncomfortable sensation to deny, even to myself that I was the king's daughter, especially when it is understood that all these years I could have been living a better life. Nari looked about as the prior event took captive of her memory, then she continued. "Even more uneasy to comprehend, to simply say yes that I am his daughter now that it's being said out loud... It is a sensation on able to be described by words alone." Nari said looking to Princess Ada and Ji-Hye with a beam on her face.
"Wait" Ada said as she stopped walking. "Does this mean that I have to prepare my own baths and make my own food?" Ada asked, as she lifted her brow and looked back and forth between Ji-Hye and Nari.
Princess Nari and Ji-hye looked to one another, shook their heads in amusement, and left Ada as they walked away.
"Honey!" Princess Ada yelled from afar, standing where she was left.
The eldest prince turned to his younger brother and said: "It looks like you've been summoned." He laughed.
The crown prince rolled his eyes, at his Brother's immature choice of words and walked to his fiancé and she wrapped his hands around him.
"That sister of yours is quite rude leaving me to walk all alone." She said as she watched Nari turned around and stick out her tongue like a child as she held onto Ji-Hye
The crown prince chucked and held princess Ada close, "I can no longer participate in these arguments unless I was already here to see the fight." The crown prince said later on when they reached the throne room raising his hands in defense.
Princess Ada playfully pushed him aside for his statement and began to walk away, causing her Prince to follow her like she knew he would.
When they arrived a meal was prepared and already set on the table awaiting the
arrival of the king.
"I assume word does do around fast." the king said as he adjusted himself into his seat, his kids gathered around in a circle and he called to a guard.
"Have the rest of my children come and dine with me, they've gained a sister not lost a father, I am sure they have heard a word of this already." He ordered.
The guard bowed and returned moments after, only to let it be own that: "Princess Ki, refuses to come, the eldest princess says she'll be on way and Areum, your highness isn't on the palace grounds." The guard reported.
"Very well, I should set limits on Areum; there isn't a day she is within Palace walls." The king replied, he shook his head for a moment and looked about before he could start to say his speech, a voice called out from the entrance way "Just a minute, father we are here."
The eldest princess entered the throne room with her husband, with a grin on her face, holding onto her husband she chuckled "You haven't started without me, have you? " She asked as she sat.
The king grinned; even he in a very unexplainable way grew uncomfortable with hearing sweet words. Love in the palace had been absent for so long that now as it rested before him he wasn't sure how to react. "I have to say, today is a joyous day, but I wish to keep the love to a limit I am a king, after all, I rather we eat now and love later, everyone in agreement—"
"Eat!" Nari said ending her father's sentence growing impatient.
In that moment everyone was silent as they turned around and looked at her before they broke out into laughter watching Nari grow timid and avoid the eyes as they looked at her. In agreement with her, some began to eat.
As joyous as it was the atmosphere was, it was obvious that still, everyone was equally awkward to what took place, the feeling was yet to settle, and for some, as they ate though they smiled and were happy to the addition in the family. It was not yet a feeling concrete to knowledge, because of everyone using to Nari as a servant rather than in bold terms by law, she was a princess. Even so, they dined in their uncertainty of the future and allowed for time to take care of that problem all on its own.
Everyone dined in the hall, as Princess Ki found it best to do something else worth her time.
Princess Ki walked about in a rhythmic motion, as she turned to her twin brother as she said; "There's no way they will give the crown prince and his bride a seat on the thrown and not you, it just isn't right! They don't include you in anything anymore, it must hurt... doesn't it brother..." She screamed then slowly her voice turned sympathetic towards her brother. "They are forgetting about you as if you didn't fight for them and won victory for this palace! They never acknowledge you for anything you do." She yelled.
Princess Ki looked to her twin brother as he was dressed in mysterious attire, his awarding face looking to the sky, not answering to her anger. Gyeong was good in this way, he was always the calmer one between them both and Ki adored that about him, he grew with her. It was always He that was the one and only person in the palace that new her, more than she knew herself and because of that everyone else treated him as if he was not there. According to Princess Ki, it was for the simple fact that he was on her side and not theirs.
While Princess Ki was thinking to herself, Ayo crept in behind her. The confused Knight looked about observing the princess as she spoke to the field.
"Princess Ki" he, finally bowed in respect, Princess Ki quickly turned around with a soft smile on her face. She grabbed Ayo's hands out of random and said: "I need to introduce you to someone."
Ayo looked around and examined behind Princess Ki. The distraught princess looked around her to see her brother that was once there was no longer standing behind her. "He always trails off once I need to introduce him, someone, it seems." She said more to herself than Ayo. She held out on finger towards the distraught Knight "Just one moment let me see if I can find him." Princess Ki called out.
Ayo looked at her and said " But princess who were you speaking to earlier? I saw you speaking but there was no one there." Ayo said pointing behind her. Princess Ki looked about and shook her head and looked to Ayo " You have it all wrong, it seems he probably left before you came, so you couldn't have seen him. " she smiled and looked about childishly " It's become more and more amazing that I am the only one in the kingdom with a twin." Princess Ki smiled.
Ayo looked to her and asked: "Is that who you say should be on the throne rather than the crown prince?" He asked.
Princess Ki nodded her head as a smile crept over her face, she continued her speech " I feel like it's my priority to lead him to the throne, It is what I should at least do after all I but him through but father ignores him like he sometimes ignore me, that's why it's my goal to make sure that he ends up on throne with my help then father will see." Princess Ki said with a clap of her hands in confirmation.
Ayo listened and looked at the young princess unable to respond he just nodded his head.
"Where are the others?" He asked. Princess Ki became silent, she picked up a flower and breaking off its petals one by one before she reacted to the question she was asked.
" It seems I've gained a sister, that maiden that followed close behind Princess Ada, like a slave, seems she's the sister of the crown prince. " She scoffed as she threw the stem on the ground. Ayo looked about at Princess Ki and smiled as he was trying to warm up the conversation "And you're not happy?" He asked.
" If it wasn't for my father, I would have no relations with her, I was skeptical at first but it would be an embarrassment to say that she isn't the late queen's daughter, she looks exactly as her mother did, it may have been the late queen's own way of marking her daughter, in a way I only wish my-" Princess Ki stopped herself from finishing her thoughts and braced on a smile. She looked up at Ayo, as she changed the route of the conversation away from what she was originally going to say.
"The real embarrassment lies in the actions of my father, kneeling before the servants and exclaiming the revelation of his child as if she was some hidden jewel." Princess Ki looked to Ayo and said became uncomfortably silent before she reached out her hand and touched his shoulder. "Do you think I'm beautiful, Knight Ayo? You're a noble man, have you seen someone more beautiful than I from where you came?" Princess Ki softly tilted her head awaiting his reply.
Surprised by her question the knight answered honestly and said: "You are beautiful, Princess."
Princess Ki smiled childishly. She ran her thin fingers through her night hair, pressing her thin lips together in gratitude as she held a grasp on the knight. "I'm glad there is someone that at least thinks so." she curled up onto the Knight.
Tempted at first to shake her away, he didn't rather Ayo relaxed his tense arm and walked Princess Ki back to her room.
As the princess went inside to lay down in her room, Ayo walked about thinking to himself. He was interrupted by the sound of ruffling in the woods by surprise. He braced himself and was ready to attack whatever it was dancing around in the woods. Instead of a hideous creature like he expected instead came a young woman with short hair. The leaves attached themselves to her hanbok sleeve and some rested in her hair.
"Hello, may I help you?" Knight Ayo asked. Princess Areum shook her head "I'm fine though I'm thankful for your offer, though I don't remember asking for it. Thank you all the same."
The knight backed away to allow Princess Areum to pass by.
"I'm..." he started to introduce himself but princess Areum finished his sentence as she said:
"Knight Ayo I'm sure we met somewhere or I heard about you before, now if you could excuse me I will be on my way." Ayo grabbed onto her hand and said: "Wait a minute, I have something to ask." The offended princess glared at the hand that touched her and pulled it back, as she did to anyone who touched her without permission.
"I'm sorry." he apologized as his voice shook from being so taken back by her bark.
Princess Areum nodded and accepted his apology then proceeded to ask: "So what's the issue?"
Knight Ayo
followed her as she walked away, assumed that he would do so. "You're one of the princesses..." he started, Areum nodded her head. "What could you tell me about the twin of Princess Ki?" He asked.
Princess Areum froze for only a slight second before her face relaxed and looked over at the knight. "Follow me." She whispered Ayo nodded his head doing so.
Areum lead knight Ayo to a structure of rocks, the area where they came was separated from the rest of the palace, yet in its simplicity was charming to the eyes.
The rocks were all stacked upon one another and many more rock structures were set side by side forming a huge circle, altogether there were 14.
"These structures were made by mothers for their children; all the royal children have one.
"There are much more siblings of ours, it's just through time they've gone and spread to create a stronger mass of name for my father. All the daughters are here in the palace, it's his sons that have gone and spread power." Princess Areum seemed to have ranted, adding the unnecessary detail she stopped and looked at one of the rock structures. "These are the daughters" she added pointing to a set of three, Princess Ki's, unfortunately, was made by the late Queen instead of her birth mother. " Areum added
"Now, this one, in particular..." She said pointing to a structure that was barely as tall as the rest.
"This one was made for Gyeong, the twin brother to Princess Ki. "
"So he is real." Knight Ayo said with a soft laugh "Was" Princess Areum corrected.
"Ki's twin brother passed on when they were both young, a week after his birth he was fragile and wasn't as strong as Princess Ki, in terms of health but it seems that the princess still sees her brother, and in a way has grown up with him. None of us have a twin; rather we are just close in age. Therefore it's hard to understand how it is that she felt, but when she found out the news that her brother had died when she was young she went through a soft phase of acceptance, but when the next day she woke up she was found in her room speaking to herself. She claimed her twin was right before her but no one else saw him. The physician says it was the will of the heavens that her weak brother passed but it seems that Princess Ki has the ghost of her brother attached to her. For that reason, it said that with time to just guide her to revelation but seems the attachment to her brother has grown strong." Princess Areum began to walk away from the structure after kissing her fingers and leaving the kiss in the structure."