by Zola Tau
The crown prince holding onto Ada asked: "Why don't you look out for your well being for now?"
The crown prince asked for food to be prepared for Ada and when it was prepared rather than get a food tester to make sure there was no poison the crown prince did it himself before setting it in front of Ada.
"You shouldn't do that," Ada said with a bit of distaste in her voice. "I'll stop when you stop risking your life left and right," he replied as he raised his eyebrow, making him sound stricter on his words.
A guilty Ada grinned shyly as she looked away, the crown prince held onto her hand and looked into her eyes as he said " I want to live long, and love you even longer, please I beg of you, until I know what's going on with Princess Ki just let it be, just let anything be, come to me to handle it." The crown prince said. Ada nodded her head, in agreement.
The day slowly started to pass and the night was near, and still, there was no word of the king waking, or how he was doing. As the crown prince excused himself and made aware that he was going to visit his eldest brother Ada pretended to sleep.
When he was gone Ada left her room and went into the king's chambers with a tray of food that she prepared and sat by his bedside on the ground through the most of the night.
Unsure of when she fell into the grasp of sleep she rested by his bedside on the cold, and hard ground as the food she brought for him turned cold. The cooling wind circled the room cause Princess to even shiver in her sleep.
In the midst of the night, the king woke up to see that his daughters weren't at his bedside but rather the one he was ready to turn away. He took a blanket and placed it over the sleeping princess, and he mumbled " Maybe if my sons stay close to you, they will grow as kind as you are." he sighed as if an apology.
He looked at the tray of food and began to eat. After he was well and fed he was alarmed by visitors, he looked up to see the eldest son and the crown prince. The crown prince walked over to Ada and softly shook her awake and kneeled in front of her. "I thought I told you to stay safe. "The crown prince said to a sleepy Ada as he shook his head in disapproval.
"How could I be harmed by the father of my fiancé?" she said drowsily with a cute sleepy chuckle as the crown prince placed her on his back with the help of the eldest brother.
"I couldn't watch over my father when he was sick, is it so wrong that I wanted to watch over yours?" She mumbled trying to wake up. "I'm sure he means well, don't be angry at him," she said patting her fiancé's back and soon she fell back into the slumber she was awakened from.
The crown prince and the eldest brother looked at the king. "Here she is defending you again, in her sleep." The eldest brother said. "The one you're fighting so hard against is the only one that values you, as a father," he said. The crown prince avoided eye contact with his father as he said to his eldest brother "let's just go " And away they walked leaving the king in his guilt.
Ji-Hye and Nari met up with the princes as they brought in Ada. The four had been looking about frantically for Ada before it was one of the house servants that said that she asked them to prepare food and she took it to the king personally.
Upon getting into her room, Nari and Ji-he helped Ada onto the bed and laid her down.
"I guess being with a child, really makes a woman tired if she's not asleep she's eating, or getting herself into unnecessary situations." The crown prince scoffed with a laugh. Ji-Hye and the eldest prince were silent as he looked and one another then gazed at the crown prince.
Nari blankly looked at the crown prince who was still unaware of the mistake he just made. Until the eldest brother and Ji-Hye together asked for clarification as they seemed to shout: "With what?"
Embarrassed the crown prince tried playing it off but pretending as if he didn't hear what was asked.
"How long has she been with child?" Ji-Hye asked. The crown prince turned the two around and directed them towards the door. "I think the lack of sleep has gotten me just as tired I'm all about speaking unneeded words."
"You couldn't wait till married could you?" Ji-Hye asked as she laughed. Everyone turned towards Ji-Hye surprised at her question. "She's not as shy as she displayed earlier is she," Nari whispered to the eldest Prince.
"Stop trying to place embarrassment on me " she replied as her face grew a bit red.
The eldest prince hugged her and gave her a kiss on top of her head. "She's full of surprises," he said as he held onto her tightly.
Nari and the crown prince rolled their eyes and looked away. "If I didn't know better I would assume you guys were siblings; you act so similarly." The eldest prince said with a laugh.
"How absurd!" Nari said as she forced a soft laugh, but for some reason, the crown prince didn't laugh along with her, he just looked to the ground the as he wrinkled his brows he stared at her before looking back at Ji-Hye and the eldest prince.
"I ask that you don't share anything with anyone about Ada's condition I don't want her looked down upon nor do I want anyone growing evil towards her because of the revelation of that information, we all know how it works to be a person of the palace, power is a wicked thing. We as being, though thinking creatures at times we at like creatures, rather than think like beings all in the name of power. " The crown prince finally said.
"I just love babies "Ji-Hye giggled at random. The eldest prince looked at her and smiled and nodded towards his brother.
"It's a promise I will make sure to keep " and so they walked out as Nari followed behind them. "Nari, could you hold on for just a moment?" The crown prince called out before the servant girl rushed out into the night after them.
Nari turned around to face the crown prince. "Is everything okay, crown prince?" Nari asked avoiding his eyes.
"Were you able to hear a word of the person I asked you to look for?" The crown prince asked walking closer to Nari.
Nari uttered words, but the crown prince didn't hear, He was busy in a trance as he examined her face and soon he found himself reaching out to touch her face. "Your highness what are y—"
The crown prince quickly pulled his hands back as it softly shook. It took a few moments till the crown prince returned to the reality before him, and he was able to see his hand reaching out to get a hold of Nari.
"You have to forgive me; the words that were said earlier have been guiding my actions." The crown prince said with a sigh looking down at his hand that was still softly trembling.
Nari watched the crown prince's eyes turned glassy, as he tried avoiding her gaze. He looked about the room and started to speak " When I was young my mother always told me I was descended to be something great but isn't it a cruel humor that she isn't here to tell me what it is I am so great at doing?" He said as he walked over to the front steps and sat on the steps in front of the door, Nari stood there looking at him unsure how to respond.
"What was your mother like?" She asked as she kneeled beside the crown prince looking at him.
The crown prince turned to her, and a smile softly crept on his face "She was one of the most beautiful women I've ever known; to me, she had no flaws." The crown prince said as he chuckled.
"How could one have no flaws" Nari scoffed though she only grew more intrigued.
The crown prince nodded his head started to speak. "I guess you may be right if she did have a flaw her biggest flaw would be that she easily hid her hurt all in an effort of making others smile. She could hurt, and still act as if everything was going well, even Princess Ada at times does it. Which that being brought to attention, may explain my admiration for her, I have known no other woman as intriguing and caring as my mother till I met Ada." he ended, he looked at his folded hands and stayed silent for a while, allowing the heaviness of the atmosphere to settle before he continued.
" One thing she really wanted that she was never able to have, was a daughter. As much as she loved me, she wanted a daughter so that she may be able to teach to be stronger than she was, and never let a man take her for granted, for my sake she
endured the king's infidelity. " the crown prince scoffed.
"What did she look like?" Nari asked as she became more intrigued in the crown prince's narration.
"A lot like you, She had raven hair, and beautiful eyes, her presence was a reward to those that felt her near, she had they beauty that only tales wrote of." The crown prince said turning around looking at Nari and then slowly Nari both grew silent.
" You'd have to excuse me, that was why earlier I reached out my hands towards you, maybe it was the darkness of the night, but for a slight moment I assumed it was my mother before me. " the crown prince scoffed taking notice to Nari's silent and shook his head.
" I must be going mad, I see her everywhere I go, if my mother were still living my father wouldn't be as weak as he is. " the crown prince started to rant. "With my mother's death he felt guilty and still does, and that has affected his interaction with all his children. "
Nari nodded. "I guess it's just how the world is isn't it?" She added.
"Be thankful that you at least had some of your life shared with her, it appears that she was a great woman, but I can't be all too selfish mother Sang-hee raised me well." she finished.
The crown prince nodded and slowly as his eyes started tearing up; he looked away and wiped his face. "You must excuse this state I'm in, I can't say I ever truly was able to cry for my mother when she passed. I don't think I understood the concept but now that I'm in search for my only sibling all the memories she and I have shared haunt me, at moments and leave me restless. " he gave a pitiful chuckle.
"What would happen if you found this sibling?" Nari asked.
" Maybe I would finally be able to rest and become the best man I could be, I am blessed and drowned in love from Princess Ada, and I am sure in time even if I am not able to find my sibling. I will be able to come to term with it, that my mother passed; but that will be a guilt that won't leave me and will haunt me a majority of my life on this earth, but with a sibling I guess I would help raise him or her to my mother's terms. " he sighed and stood up.
"You've seen me at my most vulnerable states; don't let me make it a habit of myself." The crown prince said as he messed up Nari's hair. Nari flinched and smiled as her hair got misplaced.
"What are you—" she started to say with a laugh.
"You're worthy enough for my future queen to see you as a younger sister, I may just call you sister as well." he smiled I should go rest I'm sure tomorrow's light will show soon, I should at least rest a bit."
"Your Highness, I'm..." Nari started. The crown prince turned around and looked at Nari.
"What is it, Nari?" He asked. Nari bowed and said "I'm thankful to be looked to as someone of such importance towards you, thank you."
"If you're truly thankful I ask that you watch princess Ada for me tomorrow so that I may go look for something in the village market, you know how quickly she is to escape, with the want to save all the world from its sorrows."
Nari nodded and with that she left so that, she too may go get some rest wondering what it was the prince was going to go look for.
When the early morning took charge the following morning; the crown prince slipped out of bed, leaving a kiss on a soundly sleeping Ada.
He got ready for a wash and then left on a cart towards the gate away, he charged towards the mystical place he once showed Princess Ada, a place he, himself and his mother took as a place of refuge.
When he finally arrived, the lonesome wind brushed against his cheeks, welcoming a returning visitor. Alone he paced around seeing ghosts of himself in his youth being chased by his mother, being caught and thrown in the air. He imagined what it would've been like to have a young sister or brother there in that moment, even better if the king was close by and actually join him and his mother on their adventures.
"If only you were here to see the woman I am going to marry, mother you would be so proud, but I have no doubt that it was you who chose her for me."
The sight of his younger days would've been beautiful if it was actually done with an effort of portraying a loving family If it wasn't for his mother he would have never experienced any of the love he deserved. His father often wished to successfully manage a great family yet had time, rather he never made time.
The Crown Prince walked about towards the little home, Ada attended to when he first brought her and ducked inside to look about.
The day he brought Princess Ada here, he himself hadn't seen the inside of the cabin since his youth.
As he looked about the cabin, he was lost in the randomly given light that was visible through the cracks throughout the roof. The prince walked about wiping off the dust and spider webs that found themselves in the books, and portraits drawn of he, and his mother.
As he ruffled through things set about on the tables, his attention was drawn to a red book that hung off the side of the table, walking closer to it and examining it, he came to realized that it was not a book but rather a journal, by the clue, given of the personalized initials on the cover.
He picked it up and blew a small breath of air on it to displace of the dust that found its way on it, as if it was a home.
he stood intrigued as he was opening up the journal, in the midst of that time, memories of the past came to him; a memory, in particular, was of his mother dressed in a rose hanbok with her hair braided back, he sat on her lap as he watched her write poems in a red journal and recited it back to him. He lifted the journal up to his nose and took a sniff of it, even in the downfall of the dust and time that came along with it, his mother's sweet scent of rose oil was left in the pages.
He lifted page by page and scanned through, reading old poetry along with journal entries and rejuvenating the memories attached to them.
It all came to a halt when he was stopped by the sight of a ripped page, he flipped it back and forth and still unable to clearly read or see what was once written. Shaking the journal as if one in search for treasure to the Crown Prince's surprise a note fell, in a bit surprise he set the journal down on the table and knelt to the ground to pick up the note that fell, on it was written to be given to: " Madame Sang-hee" he opened it up as he asked himself "Isn't that the name of the woman that raised Nari? " as he replayed the conversation he shared with Nari and he continued to read the letter as it said
" Mother,
If I should die as the physician has said, because of my inability to carry a child
Tell the king that I give him permission to find another and wed, even though he wouldn’t need it. Give him my love and allow him knowledge of my understanding towards him, The child, as for the child; name her Nari and like the lilies, I hope. She may bloom to become a woman of righteousness and good will.
Care for her as you cared for me, my days in palace, working as my servant. You were a mother that has sacrificed just to make sure that I may live a good life. But I fear that I have failed you, I want so much to be given the chance to raise and nurture a daughter and sacrifice as much for her as you did for me. Raise her for me, for life in the palace is not what I want for her, for the first few years of her life. Love her as I would, no… love her like you have loved me; but don't allow her knowledge of me, if anything I don't want her to hurt when she finds that her mother was too weak to live, to hold her. I'm sure it would be hard, but it would be harder for a child to be raised by her Grandmother, and know it, than if she didn't.
The king's officials may come for you, and accuse you of Treason, and for that reason I want you to escape. Keep watch over Jin-Hawn when you can, he's a man of promises I ask that you allow him to become a man as he must. My love for you surpasses this hardship, so at least if anything of me, remember that at least of your daughter.
The prince clenched onto the paper, confused he reread it and reread it again but truthfully no amount of times he read it satisfied his thirst of question; he thought back and replayed all his memories with Nari, her smile, her witty nature, all clearly reflecting a nature of his mother. How cou
ld his father allow his daughter to rest as a palace servant? He asked himself.
He stood up to race back to the palace with the fact of anger painted in his being. He ran as if a man of war out the door. In the process he ran into another. He looked about and came face to face with the king.
"What are you doing here?" He asked not even bothering to help his father off the ground, after observing the struggled he was in though, he went over and helped him up.
"At times like this, in the early day I like to come over here and remember your mother." he said walking away from his son towards the little home, after being helped.
The crown prince held onto his arm "That's not your rightful place; this is mine and hers you never came here with us so why are you trying to now?"
With a sigh the king pulled away from his son, "Because I came here with her at times when I was free enough to. Being a king isn't about jewels and celebration I am drowned in choices to be made." The king said walking away.
The crown prince stared at the king as he walked away. "How do you someone that was unfaithful to her try, to come here and think you can face, even material touched by her?!?"
He yelled after the king.
"I was never unfaithful to your mother." the king sighed, he stopped and looked at his son
"I MAY HAVE BEEN YOUNG BUT I WAS NEVER BLIND!" The crown prince yelled in anger like the child he remembered being.
The king looked towards him and started to speak.
" Those women you saw go into my chambers weren't partners, they were workers that I soon dismissed after finding out of your mother's condition I no longer wanted anyone that was close to her around me, it was a mistake I made and that I still to this day pay for. Your mother was unable to carry a second child, why I can't say I know for sure, the doctors said many different things but one thing that kept being said was that it was because she was not of royal blood that caused her unable to carry a second child, somehow because she wasn't royal it was a punishment from the heavens that she was unable to live with her second child, I know that's not true but that's how it was assumed to be." The king started, as he looked to his son.
