(En route to Hyunhui Mansion, Songak)

~Hyeong's POV~

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" asked the 14th Prince as he walked me back home.

"It could've been way worse, but it's definitely a lot better with Your Highness by my side," I said in relief. Deep breaths were needed.

"I'm glad I made it better. I'm always going to be by your side, Hyeong-ah. We're going to be husband and wife soon. Of course we'll be with each other and support each other," he said sincerely.

"It is truly a blessing that I will have a husband as supportive and understanding as you, my Prince," I sighed.

"If you truly feel that way, why do you seem upset?" He asked, sounding so concerned.

"I just...I'm not sure if I'm ready to go into this marriage, you know?" I said, gesticulating as if that would help me express myself better when I didn't even know what it was that I wanted to express. I had made up my mind to speak to him about marrying him when I was more interested in pursuing or continuing an unofficial more-than-friends relationship with another, but that didn't mean I knew exactly what to say or how to phrase it. I felt like an illiterate, uncivilized wildling now. It was difficult finding the words because this was such a delicate topic and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Not to mention that even though I had the expectation that I would be married off soon, this was still too soon for me.

"Hyeong-ah, I know that you didn't ask to be married and it was just arranged for you by the King and your parents once you're old enough. I know you've talked about this matter before, but maybe this is still too sudden for you. If you feel that way, I can understand. The good thing is, we'll still be waiting a few months till I turn 16. Perhaps we can use this time to get used to one another," he suggested. The more sympathetic he was, the harder it was for me to get my feelings out.

"That sounds reassuring, but there are still some concerns that I need to voice out to Your Highness. I just don't know how," I admitted helplessly.

"In that case, how about I go first? I have something to say to you too," he revealed.

I nodded, simply because I didn't know what else I could say or do.

We stopped in our tracks. Although he faced me, I did catch him glancing down at my hands as if he was hesitating and wondering if he should hold my hand like he did just now when his mother the Queen was interviewing me. He ended up not reaching for my hands, and I soon found out why.

"Hyeong-ah, I'm not sure if what I'm about to say will be of any comfort to you, but since we are expected to marry in a few months' time, we may as well get used to confiding in each other, and go through everything together, both the good and the bad. That's how I'd want my marriage to be like, so I'm going to start by being honest with you about how I feel about you," he began. He was eloquent and articulated his thoughts almost effortlessly, yet it didn't feel as if his speech was planned. Just how did he do it? How come I couldn't do it?

"You know that Geolsang and I have been playmates since we were kids. But it wasn't until recently that he became interested in martial arts and asked me to teach and train him. It was because of him that you and I got to see each other more often. And gradually...I stopped seeing you as a playmate's elder sister, when I realized I wanted to see you and talk to you even if it weren't for Geolsang. I don't think I can really pinpoint a moment and say that that was exactly when I had fallen for you. It was more like a collage of moments, like when Geolsang and I were wrestling in the courtyard and you personally wiped the sweat off my face using your handkerchief, or when you'd deliberately prepare fruit juice for me when you know I'd be coming over, or even when I'm not coming over you'd still send custard tarts to my residence for me because you know that's my favorite. You probably did all these things without thinking much of it, just that I needed it, and I wouldn't be surprised if you do this with more people than just me, but it was these little things you did for me that touched my heart. Now you have a special place in my heart. You were willing to take care of me, and this makes me want to protect you, not only physically, but also to guard your pure and kind heart. You are someone that I want to look after, so when you picked me as your betrothed, honestly it's the best thing that has ever happened to me," he confessed.

There was no way I was as lovely or as saintly as he had made me out to be. I felt so remorseful for making him feel this way about me when I wasn't ready to return his affections to the same extent. I was never ready to fall for anyone or to be on the receiving end of anybody's affections.

Nonplussed, I stared at him blankly and waited for him to continue. "I know that you've only ever seen me as a friend, probably just your younger brother's playmate, but that's fine with me. Even if you want to live as friends after we get married, I would agree to it. I want you to be assured that it doesn't matter to me that you don't feel the same way about me. I didn't fall for you just so I could make you fall for me in return. They say that when you love someone, you put that person's happiness before your own. And that's most certainly how I feel about you."

As much as I had tried to repress my tears, they had fallen a second time today. I hated myself for being so weak, for crying so easily. I just couldn't believe that Prince Jung could be so selfless. More importantly I didn't deserve his selfless love. I couldn't accept his affections. Even though I could give him my hand in marriage, I still felt like I owed him my heart, but I couldn't give him my heart because he was not the one that I thought about day and night and get excited about when anticipating an upcoming meeting. I would be indebted to the 14th Prince as long as he had love for me. This agony must be punishment for not being able to love him as he loved me.

"How could that be?" I protested. I was choking up and I was so annoyed by how whiny my voice sounded. "How could you not seek reciprocation? I don't understand it. And what if the person you love ends up falling for somebody else? What would you do then?"

He smiled warmly, which made more tears fall from my eyes. I wished I could blur my vision completely so I didn't have to see his face because I just couldn't face him right now.

"If my love falls for another, I don't think I can be anything but happy for her, because she's found someone who can make her happier than I can. You'd only fall in love because being with that person makes you happier than you are on your own or with anybody else. If you want to be with that person instead of with me, it's only because you're thinking for your own happiness. You're not under the obligation to think for mine," he said calmly and tenderly, reaching out to stroke my hair that the wind had blew onto my face, his knuckles inadvertently brushing past my tears.

"But I...I don't want to make you unhappy," I said adamantly. "As your future wife, I will not want to bring you even an iota of unhappiness."

"The only way you can make me unhappy is if you are not happy. I will do everything in my power to make you smile," he explained. "Even if it means sending you into the arms of another."

I cried even harder at that, and spluttered. "How can you even bear to do that?" I asked incredulously. "I just don't get it."

"I can do anything as long as it's what makes you happy. All you have to do is let me love you. I thought I'd only be allowed to do that from afar, because I never thought that you could be mine, even if it's just in marriage. Now I can give you all my love as your future husband. It would mean I get to see you every day and nothing can make me happier. That's why I ask for nothing more, and nothing in return."

I just wanted to curl up in fetal position and cry. Here he was, professing his love for me and extolling me as if I were flawless. I was not! I couldn't even begin to comprehend the depth of his love for me. All I was doing was listening to him selectively, because in my heart, selfishly, so very, very selfishly, I just wanted to hear him say that it would be alright with him if I were to have a liaison with Prince Yo. Selfish. Selfish was what I was. And shame on me for that.

I felt so sorry for Jung, for being so blinded by my 'good', my few acts of generosity and kindness that he couldn't see my bad, that at my core I only cared about myself. I only wanted his tacit approval of my prospective infidelity to absolve myself of some degree of remorse. His love for me, on the other hand, was the purest thing in the world, and I was the last person to be worthy of that. I regretted choosing him as my husband. He deserved better than a wife like me.

I almost gasped when I suddenly realized that what I was doing right now was no better than Geolha's behavior that I had called out on, when he was still married to Nangyung. He was in love with another, and his apathy toward his wife had left her heartbroken. Actually, I was worse. I was catching feelings for the 3rd Prince and getting attached, and I was exploiting the 14th Prince unrequited, selfless love to get him to allow me to have an extramarital affair. What kind of a person was I?

"I'm sorry if I've overwhelmed you. You probably didn't expect to hear the thoughts that I've been keeping to myself for some time," he sighed.

"No, please don't apologize," I begged. I didn't need to feel worse, and more importantly, he had never done anything wrong.

"Clearly, a lot is on your mind right now. Why don't you sleep on it? You can organize your thoughts first and then talk to me tomorrow. Whenever you need me, you know where to find me, and I'll be there for you," he suggested, and put an arm around me. "Come on, let's get you home."

(Okrin Palace, Songak)

~Jung's POV~

The next morning, I hurried over not to Hyunhui Mansion but to my 9th brother's residence because I had promised him that I'd visit. In any case, last night had been stressful, so I thought my nephews could cheer me up.

"I never thought you'd need cheering up, Jung-ah," said Won as he sat down with me. "Aren't you supposed to be rejoicing that Hyeong-ie decided that she wanted to be betrothed to you? I know you like her."

"I do like her. But do you think it's a problem that she doesn't like me back?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"Like? Or love?" He raised his eyebrows. "My wives don't necessarily love me, but they tolerate me. Hyeong-ie will too. She chose you. It means she's determined to make it work, one way or another. I know my best friend. She wants a romance like in children's tales. She wants the man of her dreams to come along to sweep her off her feet and lead her up the stairwell...you know, silly stuff like that."

I wondered if I could be that man for her, or if she didn't like me back because she couldn't see in me what she wanted.

When I merely looked down and didn't say anything, my 9th brother continued. "Jung-ah, I don't see why you're worried. She's from a good family. It'll be a good marriage. Other factors don't really matter that much. I can tell you, after the first night, they're all the same, really."

I frowned now. "I don't intend to take another wife though."

"Oh, really?" He folded his arms challengingly. "Our 3rd brother said the same thing after marrying his first wife Lady Park. Within the year, he's married Lady Jo already," he pointed out grimly.

"Well, there are many things about Yo that I like, but I am not him. I don't think he loves Lady Park, but I love Hyeong-ie," I stated firmly.

"If that's true, then good, but...I don't know, Jung. You're too young. You don't know your feelings, and you aren't ready for marriage. Nor is she," said Won gravely.

"What should I do then?" I enquired. I did feel kind of lost. And Won was right; Hyeong did admit to not feeling ready about getting married, last night.

"You don't need to do anything. You're happy about this engagement, right? Just leave it at that," he shrugged.

"But it's not all about my own happiness. I want her to be happy too," I replied.

"Then...let her do what she wants. I'm happiest when I get to do whatever I want, and my wives are fine with it. Don't you see how trapped some people feel within their marriages, Jung?" He asked, with a light sigh. "The only remedy is freedom. You could give Hyeong-ie that, as long as it's in your power to do so."

"Won-ah, I know that you're closest to her. You've been best friends with her since forever. Do you think I'll ever stand a chance at being the one and only man to make her happy?" I inquired. "It doesn't have to be right now. It could be in the future. I'm going to be hers for the rest of my life anyway."

He sat back and took a good look at me. "You've a good heart, Jung. You'll make any woman happy."

(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)

~Geolha's POV~

Yesterday, a maid had come to Hyunhui Mansion to let Hyeong know about a meeting with Queen Yu. This morning, a maid from Yeondeok Palace had come to me to inform me of a meeting too. It turned out Queen Hwangbo wanted to have an audience with me. Naturally they were interested in meeting me as, if nothing would go my way, I could well be her son-in-law in due course. I went to Yeondeok Palace then and found that the 8th Prince Wook would be joining us as well, but the Princess herself was with His Majesty the King at the moment and would be back later.

"Good morning, Your Highness," I said to the 8th Prince. I heard only good things about him so I wasn't displeased about having to talk to him. Hopefully I would find it easier to get along with him than with his sister.

"Good morning, Lord Geolha. I wanted to meet you personally and make my acquaintance with you before I have to leave Songak. As you might've heard, my wife Lady Hae Myunghee is ill. We decided that it would be better for her health if we move to Hwangju in the countryside. My father the King's Majesty has permitted our departure from Court for this purpose, and my absence from the exorcism ceremony is pardoned. Her cousin, Lady Hae Soo, will be coming with us, but my royal sister will remain here at Court," Prince Wook explained.

"I see. In any case, I am pleased to meet you, Your Highness, and I wish you and your family good health," I replied politely.

As we chatted, I found out that Prince Wook liked poetry. Instantly I liked him a lot better. He even mentioned me as one of his favorite poets! Well, he didn't know it was me, but he mentioned Yoon Tae and I was so flattered. I could actually be friends with him, but instead I was only here to court his sister that I hated. What a pity.

His mother the Queen was also a respectable and gracious woman. Although we still shared a formal relationship and it would always be that way, I just instinctively felt that she wasn't domineering or temperamental like her daughter was.

Honestly, with such a congenial mother and such a gentle-mannered brother, where did Princess Yeonhwa's fiery personality come from?

It was exactly when we wrapped up our meeting and I was about to take my leave that Her Highness had returned. The Queen then entrusted her royal daughter to me and went back to Myungbok Palace, while Prince Wook left the room too to attend his wife, leaving me and Princess Yeonhwa alone in the vestibule.

I stood to bow at her while she merely eyed me condescendingly, as usual. I hadn't expected anything less haughty from her. Disappointed but not surprised. After all, this was the very person who deemed me a fool for putting love first and for not having the same priorities as she did.

"I see the King has sent a fool to court me," she said sardonically. "Luckily, this fool has status and wealth."

"This fool has good looks too, I might add, if it pleases Your Highness to be so shallow," I shot back daringly, but made sure my tone sounded more neutral than thorny.

She raised her eyebrows at me, and seemed more entertained by my comment than skeptical of it.

"Good looks?" She plastered a smile on her face, covering the vestige of a giggle. "You are tolerable, Lord Geolha, but not handsome enough to tempt me," she remarked dismissively. "I am in no humour at present to give consequence to fools, with or without good looks. You had better return to the Ministry of Arts and Humanities, for you are wasting your time with someone as shallow as me," she added. My barb must have struck a chord, then?

She turned on her heel again. She just wasn't in the mood for my presence today, then. I took my chance to leave her residence and hurried home. My goodness. I couldn't stand her attitude. I needed to find a way to terminate this courtship as soon as possible.

A/n:

Jung finally told Hyeong about his feelings for her! What do you think of that, fellow readers? Do you agree with our 14th Prince's mentality? :o

Don't forget that Yo's offer still stands and Hyeong can still go to him if she wants to be with him. She now faces a tough choice. Who would you choose to be with if you were her? Tell me in the reviews below! ^.^