by Zola Tau
"If you a man won't listen to another man, why should I?" Ada asked as she settled her hand in his captive. Ada gripped tightly onto the glass she hid in her sleeve and where his arm gripped her, she stabbed him with her left hand. Emotionless she pulled the glass out and before another word could be said by the advisor she stabbed him in the stomach, the advisor shook as it became harder for him to breath.
"If you really love your nation, you would die for it, you filth." she said, her voice tired she didn't even flinch as she saw that he bled. He reached out his hand and grabbed onto the end of her hanbok gripping tighter and tighter as Ada walked away closer towards the guards.
"I am a tired woman, I am envious of those that are sane in this moment because in this very moment I do not fear but to operate on you all as well, the more tired I grow the madder I will be." Ada spoke effortlessly as she walked closer, almost as if by her words she was saying something normal. "I care not if I have to kill each and every one of you." She said speaking to the guards.
"Rather you can stand and watch your leader bleed his grave. Whether or not I am a queen of this nation, I have a nation of my own, and if you inflict harm my way, I promise to you your families will suffer for your wrong doing." She said.
The guard on the right backed away as the other stood tall and walked towards Princess Ada forgetting to hold onto the crown prince.
"I will not serve under your rule." The guard yelled as he made effort to throw himself towards Ada, whose leg was now being held by the royal advisor as he covered the areas which he bled from.
Before the guard could touch Ada the crown prince gripped onto his sword, that resided by his side, which as he pulled out. Because of the sudden turn, the guard made to get the sword from the crown prince, he only contributed a cut to be created on his side.
"Or anyone else's rule." Ada said referring to his prior comment, as she moved to the side, to be out of his way when he tumbled beside her. The guard made effort to stand but he only added to him own pain as the cut to stretch.
A pounding came in from the door, as the crown prince directed the guard that feared his life to open the door. He bowed and did so. When the door was opened Ji-Hye rushed in with the eldest prince. They were followed in by some guards, and the eldest princess and her husband. Ji-Hye rushed to Princess Ki's aid.
The eldest princess walked towards Ada who didn't blink, rather she was in a daze, unsure of all that was happening, it took all in her to stab the advisor, who laid there turning pale, as his hands still shriveled at her feet, and the bloody glass still in her hand she stood, her hand began to tremble and she softly began to shake. "Get this out of her hand now!" the eldest princess shrieked speaking to the eldest prince as she held onto Ada's hand.
The eldest prince took it from her hand and the eldest princess hugged Ada close. Ada didn't return the embrace rather she was growing tired, she hadn't eaten and she was growing empty both physically and emotionally in the events of all that was happening.
The husband of the eldest princess rushed to the king's side, helped him to his room, and same was done for Princess Ki. As Princess Ki was being taken away Ada reached out her hand. "Is she okay? Is she okay?" She called out like a mother would.
"She will be, you worry about our child and yourself Ada." The crown prince instructed as he took hold of Ada and held her close. She smelled of blood and exhaustion, her tight curls all tangled about, she broke into tears and laid her head on his shoulder
"I was so tired." she whispered holding in tears. "I know, I know, I'm sorry I couldn't help you, in time." He kept apologizing. He paused and looked down at Ada.
"Thank you for not listening to me." he said softly with a smile as he stroked her cheeks and looked into her eyes. "I could kiss you even right now for what you did, you saved mine and your own, you truly will be a great queen." he said as he placed his touched his forehead onto hers. After the words were said he leaned in and gave her a long kiss, held her face to his, before guiding her head back onto his shoulder. He held her like a bride and they proceeded to walk out.
As they walked out a sea of villagers stood out front standing and waiting. "They came to speak to the king when they were told that Princess Ada went missing, I am assuming they wanted to participate in the search. Seems our fine friend informed people on what happened." Nari called out with a smile, pointing to the village woman and her father as she rushed towards Ada and the prince.
Ada was being held as a bride in the arms her prince and was slow to wake. "In her place, I thank you all." The crown prince said to those that stood about.
"Is she okay?" An old man asked as he came out of the crown. The eldest prince walked towards him, after recognizing that he was the father of the village woman. "She should be." The eldest prince said as he tightly gripped onto the old man's frail hands.
"I explained as best as I could and they rushed here to see for themselves." He said referring to the people as they packed about. "And thank you for that, you should greatly be rewarded for helping, same to your daughter and grandson." The crown prince said.
He nodded his head as the old man bowed, and then he walked towards the palace.
The royal physicians rushed to the Crown Prince and carried Ada. She was no longer opening her eyes. "She must have gone unconscious again." they said to everyone. "I'm sure all will be well, crown prince." They bowed and took Ada away.
Guards were instructed to tend to the royal advisor and his accomplice in the dungeon.
"Make sure they are even slightly alive just enough to watch Ada get crowned queen, after that it's to the birds what happens to them." He expressed in anger, and he walked away after the rest.
[제 20장]
“… but like a rose bud blooms
Pain heals ”
In a month's time, Ada healed but she was lectured to being watched at all times for the simple efforts of making sure she stayed out of trouble. "They follow me everywhere, but the bathroom and our bedroom, even the bedroom when I'm just trying to sleep they are always asking me if I'm okay, it's getting annoying." She whined as she lay back in the bed with her fiancé.
"Everyone is just trying to keep you out of trouble. " The Crown Prince chuckled.
"I am not a trouble maker." she said in defense as the crown prince pulled her down to his side, trying to tickle her and force her to smile. "Yeah, yeah." he replied as he gave up and wrapped his hands around her waist.
" I have to say I am still unsure why you let those men keep their lives after what they did to you, and after finding out that he poisoned your father, isn't that a mockery to your father's death?" He asked as he made effort to place his fingers through his fiancé's curls, yet it only got stuck.
" I've warned you about that." princess Ada whelped as she looked up at the face of her fiancé smiling down at her, as she was referring to the consistent warnings she has given about not getting his fingers stuck in her hair.
"Going back to the mention of my father, I don't think so... I think my father would rather me let them live and witness my success then for them to die, never to be embarrassed again when they see their plans have gone foul. "
While the two lovers were speaking the door was opened and in rushed Nari and Ki
" I refuse, refuse, to plan anything with her, the whole time as we try to work, when father comes in, he bathes her in gratitude as I get a pat on the back. " Princess Ki she scolded.
"Being lazy and dreaming of ways that you can dress is not planning a wedding Ki!" Nari shouted. Princess Ada stared at the two as they went on bickering. Nari telling Princess Ki that she required more help than what she was already getting, and Ki mentioned that it wasn't till recently Nari even found a father, so she had no room to mention issues.
They poked at each other, for a good while till; they finally stopped and waited for the input from their brother and Ada. Ada raised her hands in defense, shook her head and pointed to the crown prince "all you." She mouthed.
<
br /> "We need new guards." The crown prince said as he adjusted himself, he got to his sisters and kindly pushed them out the room.
"At least they are kind of getting along..." Ada sighed, with a laugh, gently rubbed her growing belly, as she tilted and smiled at the gleaming ring she wore. After the situation took place of her kidnapping, a small wedding was held to secure her legitimacy; even so, a palace wedding had yet to occur.
Ada shook her head and whined. "We are never doing this again." she added as she stood up and walked towards the prince.
"You say that all the time." He teased. He walked closer to Ada and caressed her face.
He slowly leaned in and gave a soft kiss, which Princess Ada quickly deepened till they both fell back on the bed.
"Do you think it's really...think it's a boy? She asked Prince, after a quick stop to breathe.
The crown prince lifted his brows and looked at Ada if it's a boy you want, you know we can try, again and again, and and..." He leaned back into the kiss, as they motioned further onto the bed, then another knock came at the door.
"This is very aggravating." the crown prince mumbled as he, hovered over a laughing Ada before he got off the bed, and went to open the door.
The king was helped in by the eldest prince on his left, and Ji-Hye on his right.
"It seems that I will be able to live to see my grandchild." He softly said as he was led to sit down after a chair was brought out.
The crown prince nodded his head and walked towards his father as he helped adjust him in the chair. Unlike Princess Ada, The experience was not easy on the king, who had the flaw of being in his already fragile state of health.
"The official wedding should be soon, while you can still fit in what you should." The King said. Ada nodded her head. She looked at the old king that had now become a father figure to her. As she thought on all that had happened to her, from his hair of wisdom that was painted white to his frail body, Ada smiled lost in thought till she was distracted by letters in his hand.
In his hand, he had papers that the eldest prince held, took hold of, and was instructed to take Ji-Hye along and to go burn it in the open field.
"What was that?" The crown prince asked pointing after his brother. The king looked at him and nodded his head and looked to the ground, then looked back up, taking his time to answer what his son had asked.
"In that list are letters of instructions, that I a young small minded king made long ago or rather requirements. I was going to wait and burn it at the wedding but I thought to get it out of the way before then, on that paper letters of obligations and requirements of a queen, there are attributes in there that Ada strongly upholds, and is needed for a queen just as there are things that she doesn't uphold, a queen of Korea was once instructed to not have a mark or cuts, and at all times must display complete perfection in the physical, on Ada we see those marks but with her skin we see as it darkens and disappears. Whether it stays there forever or not, we know that it was received in the process of promoting an act of greatness. She isn't born Korean, as required in that letter but carries all things needed to carry Korea's best interest in her heart. "
He smiled and looked over at Princess Ada "Your father does not know the gift he's given us. For this reason, I burn the letter in peace. I wish you guys love and guidance in case I later can't, and so that it may nowhere be written, that there are any reasons to question the legibility of our queen." he said.
With that Ada lowered her head and received the blessing that he gave in words, and later the king was helped and removed from the room.
Time passed and it was announced that the prince was married to the foreign princess from Africa. A dark skinned woman of maze-like curls, that found herself in trouble for the sake of her people, a woman that redefined the meaning of family some said. Others said she was the night sky reincarnated as a goddess would to help the lost people of the nation because the night sky saw more than humans. The human sight only had the ability to know of things seen in the day, wherever their sight allowed them. Others still disregarded the legitimacy of an African queen and responded that it was simply a phase the prince was enduring because he was seduced by her, whether kindness or mockery, the prince and princess Ada still married.
One evening as Ada was walking around she teased her guard as he kept having to follow slowly behind her because her growing belly was now making it harder for her to trail about as she once could. "It's not as fun babysitting all the time now is it?" She asked the guard. The guard shook his head and laughed, for he could tell Ada was still not enjoying the fact that she was followed about wherever she went without the prince. The newly crowned king at the time was returning from a trip with the eldest prince and Ayo.
Before they could reach the palace Ada held out her hand and grabbed onto the guard speaking of stomach pains. "All due respect princess I will not be falling for that again." the guard said referring to the prior insistences when Ada faked stomach pains. In past situations before the guard noticed she was already sneaking away headed elsewhere.
"I've never been more serious " Ada whispered as she crouched down towards the ground, the guard wrapped her hand around his neck as he ducked down to her level. He helped her into the palace and called onto the physicians for help. He ran about unsure how to react, Mother Sang-hee ran to the guard.
"Lay her down." Mother Sanghee instructed as she rushed in from the kitchen with the physicians and Princess Ki by her side. Once Ada was brought into the room the doors were closed and everyone left except Mother Sanghee and the physician.
Being that the crown prince was out for most of the day with his eldest brother and Ayo, as they were returning they were welcomed with the news that the future queen was to give birth.
The crown prince raced off his horse and charged towards the palace as Ji-Hye ran to the eldest prince and wrapped him in a hug, and shared in a kiss.
"You guys are becoming worst that Princess Ada and the crown prince" Princess Ki scorned, and Nari nodded her head in agreement. Ayo trailed behind everyone that was fighting to keep up with the crown prince, who was frankly quite, unsure of where to go.
Everyone led him back inside where guards stood outside, and everyone was silent, as the minutes grew into hours the crown prince grew nervous, fearing that his wife was in the sad predicament his mother was once in.
His nervousness was overcalled when he heard wailing, and soon as the wailing stopped, another wailing was heard. A cry that was weaker in the bass than that of the first, but louder.
"goodness" Mother sanghee could be heard saying in the room. "Is everything okay?" The crown prince called out. Then there was silence. The process was that the children be cleansed. After that was taken cared of they were presented with a baby boy wrapped in white cloth.
As everyone awed and rained the child in adoration, the door opened again to reveal another baby, wrapped in white cloth, still crying.
The minute he was in the arms if his father he silenced and closed his eyes. Mother Sanghee came out of the room and closed the door behind her. "I say we let the mother of two rest." She softly said.
"Is everything okay?" Princess asked. Mother Sanghee nodded her head and smiled "congratulations." She mouthed to the crown prince and with that, the king was called and the children were presented to him.
Ki stared at the children, as her eyes started to water slowly; she looked away and closed her eyes. Nari rubbed her sister's back. As the crown prince walked over, He outstretched her hands and placed one of the baby boys in her arms, which Ki stared at and flooded into tears.
"What a beautiful child " she cooed. The baby boy outstretched his arms, unaware of all that was happening he smiled as his eyes remained closed.
"The king went about the room playing with the children's small hands." I wonder who they will take after." The eldest princess asked. The rest of the evening was focused around mention of names to be given. It was decided that the choice then be made when
Ada finally was more mobile.
Which she did in a two day time, after bathing and starting to finally lay down in her room, the crown prince was the first to rush in and visit his wife as she lied down. He grabbed onto her hand and clenched his grasp, holding tightly onto her hands. "It seems they both take after you , they are so loud." he teased.
Ada turned her face sour and rolled her eyes, as she hid a soft smile. "They are just as beautiful as you are too." he smiled as he was caressing her face. He placed a kiss on her forehead, then her cheek. Before he could touch her lips Ada placed out her finger and shook her head. "Oh no, you don't." She said "We will be waiting a while till we start on creating another." she said patting her stomach. The crown prince chuckled as he raced his hand around her and guided her upper body to rest her head on his lap.
"Should we call for your stepsisters? I'm sure they are wondering how their sister is doing, a woman of two nations." he said. Ada turned around and crawled on top of him as she stared into his eyes laying on him like a bed." And you say I'm the trouble starter." She said smiling as they both refused to break eye contact.
"They are at it again! It's been two days!!" Princess Ki yelled as she opened the door and closed it again running out. "We may have found a way to keep her out." The crown prince chuckled and shook his head as he went out and open the door. He looked at the two guards and said: "She can be cunning, is that why you guys never stop her from opening the door?" He asked with a laugh.
The guards nodded their heads and bowed. In time the thought of revenge took care of itself when word made round that a shy princess of a land of gold and honey, was now also the leader of a rising nation. The twin boys she gave life to were also a sense of pride, for in that way being that it was the male child that carried name; the queen had two sons who rightly had choice to claim two lands. While others usually fought for one so much so it created disorder, primarily because the envy of power could kill.