Aiden had expected another order to meet his mother once he got back into the palace knowing that his absence last night is noted for whether he’s got another schedule to attend to or not. The mere fact that he did not come straight to the palace to report on what happened to his visit with the King in the North is enough to face another round of discussion about responsibility with his mom. Spencer, no doubt, had already informed them what he had instructed him to inform them but he’s definite his mom does not think it was enough. Nothing’s ever enough of a reason with his mom. So it surprised him that his father was the one who had ordered him to go to his chambers the moment he had stepped inside the palace’s hall.

He strode to the King’s room, glad that his father was actually well enough to order for his presence but dreading the cause of his sudden command.  

His father smiled when Aiden bowed his greeting. Whatever sickness that had made him stayed in bed for almost three weeks is evident from the way he looked slumping as he rested his back against the suede headboard, the thick layers of blankets covering his lower body. He dismissed the servants and motioned for Aiden to come closer to him.

“How are you, Father?” Aiden asked as he stood by his bed. He wasn’t really uncomfortable but it was awkward. He couldn’t remember when he had actually talked to his father other than to exchange pleasantries or to report on something.  He had always doted on Andrew, always focused on him. When his brother left, it made his father bitter. He probably never meant to ignore him but it was hard when your favorite son left.

“I feel like I’ve lived way too long in this room,” his father answered. “Get me outside.”

Aiden had helped his father get on a wheelchair and Aiden bit back the shock that seems to be on the verge of appearing on his face. His father had lost a lot of weight. His skin is sagging and his legs seemed unable to hold his body as he grunted when Aiden had practically lifted him off the bed and onto the wheelchair. He didn’t call on any of the servants for help and let them see his father like this. The King. Weak. Sick. He is certain his father wouldn’t want anyone to see him like that. He took the King’s big coat and placed it over him like a blanket then gently pushed the wheelchair towards the hall and onto the vast balcony overlooking the palace’s garden.

There was silence as the king stared out to the wide expanse of his kingdom, a look of wistfulness on his face. Aiden just stood there and looked at the same place his father was looking at hoping he could see it the same way as his father is looking at it.

“How was your visit to King Simon?” His father asked.

“It went well,” Aiden answered.

The King nodded. “It’s a shame I didn’t know you were there.” The King smiled. “If I did, I never would’ve invited the King over.”

Aiden looked at his father, brows creasing, not sure what his father was talking about.

The King laughed. “I woke up and all I thought is the shallow peace that we had in the North.” His laughter faded as his face turned serious. “You know what I had been dreaming of all the time I laid in the bed? Our country in ruins because of the wars. Bloodshed, too many children suffering… too many people dying. And I stand there, unable to do anything. When I woke up… the first thing I did is to have the King invited over. And when they told me you were already there, I couldn’t retract the invitation.” The king laughed again. “I can never stand Simon that much. It’ll be a nightmare with his presence but I’ve got to keep up whatever peace we can have.”

Aiden didn’t supply any comments and just listened attentively.

“Your brother…,” The king started again after a moment of another passing silence. “He left us in a bind. And I understand Simon’s fury over the humiliation we have caused his daughter. I would never want my daughter to be cast aside like that, if I had one. We owe the North reparation.” The king looked up at him. “You understand, don’t you?”

Aiden nodded slowly, understanding exactly what his father is saying. The King studied his face thoughtfully before sighing, returning his gaze on the wide area. There was a moment of silence before his father spoke again. “I have never told you before but I’m proud of you Aiden. No matter what happens, I will always be proud of you.”

Aiden looked down at his father’s placid expression as he gazed out of the balcony.

“I don’t think I have much time left,” the King said pensively.

“Father….” Aiden frowned not wanting to hear his father speak like that. He might look weak now but he will get stronger. He knows it.

The King smiled when he looked up at him. “Where did you go to last night? Your mother looks really upset that you didn’t come home.” Aiden knew his father was just changing the subject, not wanting to broach on what he had meant when he said he doesn’t have much time left but he accommodated him.

“I was… tending a sick orphan….” That much was true anyway. Except that he didn’t really stayed to tend to her. More of because he just wanted to. And he finally knew the reason why when he had kissed her at sunrise.

“So what Spencer had informed your mother,” the king said. “Still made her even more upset.”

“Everything upsets her nowadays,” Aiden said which made the King guffawed loudly. Aiden’s lips lifted at the corner, glad that his father didn’t lost his ability to find humor in everything. Exactly like Andrew. While Aiden believes, he took after his mother. Always looking at everything in black and white.

“Well, I hope you can see how you will be twenty years from now,” the king joked. “So try to ease up a little. I have watched you walking around so rigidly with that crease on your forehead like it was stamped there. Didn’t anyone ever told you to—what’s that word? “ The king frowned trying to find the word he was looking for then slapped the handle on his wheelchair. “Chill out, I believe is the word amongst the youngsters. Chill out.”

Aiden let out a little chuckle at the irony. “Yes. I believe I had been told that.”

The King looked like he was about to say some more as he opened his mouth but after a moment of indecision, he closed his mouth and returned his attention in looking out over the balcony. Aiden put his hands inside his pockets and did the same, silence not really bothering both of them, both entrapped in their own thoughts.

And from across the balcony, the queen watched them from the window above with her arms crossed over her chest, her brows creased, in a tight line. She didn’t turn when one of the Intendants she had instructed for an errand came and bowed to her.

“Your Majesty.” He held out a brown folder over to the Queen. The Queen glanced at it before taking it, dreading what she would see. She opened it and her forehead wrinkled as she took out the photographs and looked at it one by one, her jaw tightening.

“It is as you have feared, Your Majesty,” the intendant said sullenly.

The Queen put the photographs inside the enevelope after going through it and gave it back to the Intendant. “Burn it. Make sure no one will see it.”

The Intendant bowed his assent.

“I want you to go there and invite them to the Grand Feast,” the Queen instructed, the photograph burning in her mind. “Tell them the Palace wants their services. Make sure the girl goes with them too.” She gazed at her son from the window. “I want her to know her place.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He bowed again and the Queen nodded her dismissal of him. She crossed her arms over her chest again breathing in. There is nothing that should come between her son and the throne. Now that the first son has gone off to marry a peasant leaving the Kingdom to Aiden, she would do everything to make sure her son becomes the king. Being the 2nd wife has always left a sour taste in . And the fact that the King only married her for duty, only coming to her so she could sire him a child, and treating him like a stranger when Aiden was born, made her even more determined to do everything so her son wouldn’t feel the resentment of being the second. Yes, she knows the King preferred Andrew more than Aiden because Andrew was the son of the woman he had loved and Aiden was conceived for nothing more than an obligation. So when she found out Andrew was seeing a farmer’s daughter, she had even encouraged him to follow his heart. To subtly tell him to leave the palace. Leave the Crown.

Her husband is dying. The doctor had told her that much. She couldn’t feel sorrow. Not when her son is finally at the place she had worked for.  His son would rule the Kingdom. He will be the King. And she would make sure nothing will stand in his way. She turned away from the window to contact King Simon and finalize their agreement, her expression determined. There is much to do before the Grand Feast. But first, she would have to take care of one infinitesimal parasite that can ruin all this. She walked straight to the White Drawing Room, blotting out the blurry photograph of her son kissing that unknown orphan at a sunroof.

Minzy was eyeing Sandy as she washed the dishes energetically while whistling a tune. Her mother is in charge of the cash register today and she was supervising the orders. There weren’t many people having lunch that day so she had time to just loiter in the kitchen. And Sandy’s behaviour is catching her eye alright. She was sick yesterday. She went to her house to check on her and she saw her pale complexion when she opened the door. So her bubbly attitude is suspicious. As to the why, she was really curious. She went to stand near the sink and narrowed her eyes at her. Sandy stopped whistling and furrowed her brows in question at her.

“What?” Sandy asked with a perplexed expression on Minzy’s scrutinizing gaze.

“You’re looking so happy today,” Minzy observed.

Sandy let out a laugh. “Since when have you seen me unhappy?”

Minzy raised her eyebrows at her and moved closer to her. “What happened with the Prince?” She asked in a low tone. “And don’t you dare deny it! He asked me where you live.”

Sandy washed the suds of soap in her hands and wiped it dry with a towel, grinning broadly. “He just came to visit the sick.”

“Oh please,”Minzy said. “A Royal Prince don’t just go to a house of a sick person.” She walked closer to her. “How long did he stay?” Her face was eager of juicy news from her friend. “Did he took care of you? What did you do while he was there? And who was that hot guy who was always with him?”

Sandy laughed. “That guy is his assistant slash bodyguard. Spencer. And yes.. He’s… very hot.” She turned to get the stack of clean plates over to the plate holder. She turned her head to Minzy. “But the Prince is hotter.”

Minzy stared at Sandy with open. “Oh my god!” She refrained herself from squealing and she hurried to skip next to Sandy who’s already arranging the plates. “You like him!”

“C’mon, Minzy,” Sandy wryly said. “He’s the Prince. Who in her right mind wouldn’t like him?”

Minzy felt glad at that. She consider Sandy as one of her best friends. She couldn’t remember much about how they become friends but they instantly hit it off when her mother brought her in the restaurant to work as a dishwasher. And that was almost 8 years ago. Sandy always had that smile on her face despite the hardships that she had gone through. Always had that easy laugh that can make everyone laugh with her too. Always emanating positivity. But she couldn’t remember seeing her with this glow in her face.

“You’re not going to tell me what happened, are you?” Minzy said with a face.

“Mainly because nothing happened that I was supposed to share,” Sandy said cryptically with that weird smile on her face.

Minzy just rolled her eyes and Sandy laughed. “Well… I’m glad I get to see you like this,” Minzy said fixing Sandy a forlorn smile.

Sandy just frowned at her. “What’s with that look?” She shook her head and just chuckled.

“It’s just so unfair that I will never meet someone as hot as the Prince that will actually spend a minute to talk to me,” Minzy moaned. “Maybe I should, I dunno, faint in the middle of the road to see if some guy would actually come to rescue me or something. But that would be asking for too much. I mean, honestly, there’s not one hot guy in this whole neighborhood. Nada! And I don’t have enough money to actually faint in the road of Soo Man City. And the risk of fainting in the middle of the road in Seoul would probably equal an untimely death for me.”

Sandy was laughing at the scenarios Minzy was describing of finding her Mr. y Hot guy. Their conversation stopped when the cook motioned for them to peer on window of the kitchen’s door. They strode over to it and saw several guys in suits enter the restaurant. The one in the mddle who seems to be the leader bowed his head at her mother and her mother did the same looking as surprised as the number of people having dinner inside the restaurant is. They all leaned in to listen.

“Good afternoon Miss Gong,” the man had greeted.

“Good afternoon,” Minzy’s mother said nervously. “Wh—what can I do for you?”

The man extended an envelope towards her mother and she took it hesitantly. “The palace is requesting for your services on Saturday for the attendance of the King in the North. Your restaurant has been… well recommended.”

Her mother’s mouth fell open as she looked at the envelope, her eyes going wide.

“You will be properly compensated, of course,” the man continued. “It will be a grand feast so I would suggest you bring enough staff to produce the services the palace is expecting of you.” The man placed a small rectangular paper on the table. “Here is the card of the person whom you can contact if you have any questions. We also need the exact number of people you will be bringing with you by tomorrow.”

Sandy’s eyes were as large as Minzy’s and Minzy covered with her hand as she stifled a squeal. Sandy out her finger in trying to shush her but Minzy couldn’t contain it anymore. She dragged Sandy away from hearing distance and practically shook her.

“Oh my god!! The Prince did this! The prince!!” Minzy said silently squealing.

“Stop it,” Sandy said but with the grin on her face, Minzy’s sure she doesn’t really mean for her to stop squealing like a school girl.

“I can’t believe this!” Minzy continued. “It’s like… it’s like those fairy tale movies where a prince falls inlove with a commoner! I mean, oh my god!!”

Sandy just looked at her with an incredulous expression on her face. “Since when is the Prince orchestrating for the Gong restaurant to cater for the North Korean King be constituted as love?” She shook her head. “You have been tangled way too deep in your romantic imaginations.”

“Don’t ruin it for me,” Minzy said then waggled her eyesbrows at her. “And I’m very definite that despite all that nonchalant bravado you’re trying to give me, you can’t wait until you’re all alone so you could squeal a lot louder than me.”

Sandy stared at her through narrowed eyes then a grin gradually broke her face. “Yeah,” she finally admitted and she let out a little squeal as they both took each other’s hands and jumped up and down. They abruptly stopped when the kitchen door swung open and Minzy’s mother stood there with a determined expression on her face. She clapped her hands twice to get everyone’s attention.

“Alright people, we have a lot to do. But I need a head count!”

For the next two days, the palace had been busy doing the preparations for the arrival of the Northern King. The Queen had the butler supervised the staff and the King looking weak stayed seated on his wheelchair but energized at the mere thought of a party. His main request was to have Aiden stay beside him. All through out the day, his father would ask him questions which he dutifully anwered. It’s not really questions about what’s going on inside the palace or any of the politics sorrounding the Throne but mainly questions about him. It dawned on Aiden that there were some things he was in common with his father and some things which they were completely different from. But he enjoyed those conversations. He felt like that was the time that his father is getting to know him and him getting to know his father. Not his father, the King. But the man who fathered him.

There was one instance when he was taken aback thought when his father asked him a question that one afternoon. “Who was Sandra Park?”

He was so surprised that it took him a moment to answer. “She’s…  she was one of the orphans that grew up in that orphanage in YG Town that I have told you about. Why?”

“I heard your mother talking to the Intendant about her,” the King answered not noticing the grim look on Aiden’s face. “I guess your moth