When she was brought before him, the first thing she did was get on her knees and bow to him. His expression did not change. His eyes were still wide and his mouth was hung open as he gazed at her, completely taken aback.

The king stood up from his chair and approached them, also seemingly shocked by her appearance.

“Your highness?” the King asked, still in disbelief.

“Yes, your majesty, it’s me,” Yewon lifted her head to look at him and confirm that it was indeed her. The king froze for a moment holding eye contact with her as if contemplating the next course of action. Moments later, he began making orders to the various people around him. “Disperse the crowd,” he commanded. “There will be no announcement today. Help Princess Yewon into the courtroom immediately.”

The guards helped her get up from her bowing position and supported her as they obeyed the King’s order and helped her back into the palace.

As she was getting up, she only glanced up at Seungcheol. His shocked expression did not wear off at all, and his eyes would not leave her even as she struggled to walk.

She eventually made it through all the halls which she had not walked in so long to the courtroom, where only the King, the Queen, Seungcheol and Soonyoung were gathered.

“Princess Yewon, it’s so good to see you,” the Queen said. “But… you’re not pregnant,” the Queen noted after a brief glace at her flat belly. “How can you be here if you’re not pregnant?”

And so Yewon revealed to them everything: from arriving at Galacia, to seeing Wonwoo and the hostages in the dungeons, to being ordered to marry Prince Jun of China to form an alliance against Solen. She told them about how Jun had lost consciousness, and how her sisters would not marry him either, and how a Galacian guard helped her and Wonwoo escape into storage space of a ship sailing back to Solen.

Upon learning that Wonwoo was in the country too, the King ordered for someone to go find and retrieve him from wherever he was taken for treatment of his infected wound.

The King seemed delighted by everything that Yewon was telling him. When she told him that she refused to marry Prince Jun and consolidate the alliance, he got up from his throne, and kissed her forehead, thanking her sincerely. Of all people in the world, the King of Solen was the last person she would have ever expected to show her this kind of genuine gratitude.

“My dear, you just alleviated the greatest burden I have ever had to carry,” the King told her with a wide smile on his face. “Thank you,” he told her. “You have given us hope for Solen when there was none before. Thank you, my dear. Thank you, sincerely.”

Seeing him smile and thank her like that, she felt that all the pain and suffering of the past weeks was worth it.

“We’ll correspond with your father and appeal for peace once again,” the King told her. “And you, my dear, will rest now. I will bring you the best physicians for all of your injuries, and from now on, you worry about nothing but recovering.”

She bowed to him and thanked him. Relief washed over her; she was so happy to be in the King’s favor, so happy for all the relief she brought, so happy to know that she did well according to him.

“Who knew that the princess of Galacia would become the heroine of Solen,” Soonyoung chimed with a smile on his face. “Thank you princess,” he told her. It was the first time that Soonyoung spoke to her directly since she was back, and giving him the individual attention led her to be slapped by shameful memories of their last encounter. She could not bear to look at him for more than a few seconds, immediately averting her eyes to the floor and trying to shake those memories away.

Yewon then recalled that Seungcheol was probably informed about the affair. Perhaps that’s why he wasn’t even looking at her now. Through the entire time, Seungcheol remained seated with his eyes on the floor as she recounted the story. He didn’t look up or acknowledge or even speak to her. She wished she could hear his voice at least, but she got nothing from him.

When the King announced the end of the meeting and called on the guards to take her to her room and bring her maid, Seungcheol still didn’t lift his eyes from the floor. He looked as if he were deep in thought. She wanted to yell at him and force him to acknowledge her, but she was tired and her tongue was dry, so she refrained. Instead, she let the guards help her into her room.

-

Her room seemed like it was untouched since the last time she was there. Everything was exactly in place, and the large bed was as comfortable as she remembered it, and her dresses and garments were still in the closet where she had left them.

Minutes after the guards had escorted her to her room, someone knocked on the door and entered, and Yewon was so pleased to see Haein again.

“Your highness,” Haein also smiled, looking genuinely happy to see Yewon. She bowed her head to her and later hesitantly but willingly wrapped her arms around her in tight embrace. “I missed you so, so much your highness,” Haein said as she embraced her. “You don’t know how happy I am to see that you’re back.”

“I missed you too,” Yewon replied. When Haein pulled back, from the embrace, Yewon noticed that something was different about Haein, and it didn’t take long for her to see what it was.

Haein was not in her maid’s uniform. She was in a regular dress of high quality. Her hair was not pulled up into the simple bun that servants usually donned, rather it was styled relatively more intricately. She recalled what Seungyeon had said about Haein: she was not a servant; she was a scribe. Yewon guessed that Haein went back to her duties as a scribe when Yewon had left, and coming back suddenly, Haein did not have time to change back into the uniform.

Haein noticed that Yewon was looking at her attire, to which Haein said: “I’m sorry I’m not in uniform, your highness. I was working at the library, and I didn’t want to keep you waiting by going to change.”

“It’s fine,” Yewon said quickly, brushing it off. However, she was curious about Haein’s reasons for demoting herself, and made a note to ask her later.

-

Haein bathed, clothed, groomed and treated her, and throughout, Yewon told her briefly what had happened, and reassured her that Wonwoo was alive. That seemed to relieve Haein a lot. It also relieved her to know that the alliance with China didn’t seem to be taking place.

“You have to consolidate your marriage with Seungcheol immediately, your highness,” Haein advised. “No more delaying it. Before something happens and you’re forced to go back.”

Haein was right. She really, really needed to be pregnant right now.

“Could you tell him to come?” Yewon asked Haein. “He hasn’t spoken to me at all…”

“He hasn’t spoken to anyone much at all since he came back,” Haein revealed. “He’s ashamed your highness, for what he brought onto our country with his battle decision and for all the devastation he caused.”

Yewon had not really thought of that and realized that she had failed to consider how he himself was feeling. He made an enormous mistake which led to ominous prospects for his country, and she could not imagine the guilt that he bore because of it.

“I will ask him to visit you tonight,” Haein said. “So be prepared nonetheless.”

-

There was a physician applying medicine to her wounds and disinfecting them when came a knock on the door. Hoping it would be Seungcheol, she was only slightly disappointed to find Soonyoung.

She dreaded this encounter with him.

“Can you leave us? For just a minute,” Soonyoung asked the physician. The physician bowed to Soonyoung and left.

An awkward silence ensued.

“So…” Soonyoung began. “You’re here again. But not pregnant.”

“No, I’m not pregnant.”

“That’s simultaneously very unfortunate but also very fortunate at the same time,” Soonyoung said. He took a seat on the chair beside her bed.

“Yeah...”

“Wonwoo’s here by the way,” Soonyoung informed her. “He was found in a hospital and was taken to the palace immediately. Thank you for saving him.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Yewon said.

Soonyoung sighed. “I… I know you don’t want to talk about what happened last time we were together but–”

“I really don’t,” she cut him off quickly, hoping to avoid whatever conversation this was going to be.

“I’m sorry, but there’s something you I need to tell you,” he said quickly.

She eyed him curiously.

“Seungcheol doesn’t know,” he stated simply.

“Like… at all?” Yewon asked. She knew that Soonyoung was planning to lie and say it happened once and was quick and void of any passion, but she didn’t think that Seungcheol would not be informed at all.

“I didn’t tell him because he was depressed when he got back, and if I told him, I was afraid I would depress him more. So I just didn’t tell him. And when it seemed like you were not pregnant, I thought it would have been better if he never found out.”

Yewon felt herself burdened all of the sudden. The fact that Seungcheol didn’t know meant that there was still something which could upset him, which could make him angry, which could turn him away from her even more. The fact that her shameful encounter with Soonyoung still had to be unearthed made her nervous.

“You have to tell him now,” Yewon said.

“But does he really have to know?” Soonyoung replied.

“Yes, he does. What am I going to do when I don’t bleed when I’m supposed to? How am I supposed to explain that to him?”

“Just… lie,” Soonyoung suggested sheepishly.

“How?”

“Tell him it you did it to yourself with a cucumber or something…”

Yewon was startled at the suggestion. “But…”

“Come on, please,” Soonyoung begged. “Seungcheol is not in the right mental condition right now, and he certainly won’t be able to take this if I tell him. Just lie to him and let’s put it behind us and never talk about it again, okay?”

“This is so wrong…”

“I know. I feel sick about it too, but this is the best way to bury what happened once and for all.”

Yewon nodded in agreement, but it bothered her to the core that she would have to lie to Seungcheol.

“Thank you,” he said, putting his hands together in front him in an expression of gratitude. He looked extremely relieved that she agreed. “Anyways,” he continued, “I understand that you need your space from me right now, and I promise I’ll give it to you.” He stood up and bowed. “I won’t speak to you, and I will sit as far away from you as possible during meals.”

“That’s not necessary…”

“To be honest, I also feel like I need my space from you too,” Soonyoung admitted. “So I think it’s best we just stay distant until we’re both over what happened between us.”

Yewon nodded in agreement.

“Good day, your highness,” he bowed to her and left.

-

Yewon had fallen asleep after Soonyoung and the physician left. Her sleep schedule had been messed up the past few days, but for the first time ever, she felt like she woke up well-rested, clean and comfortable.

It was almost dawn when she woke up, and although she tried to fall back to sleep until morning, she couldn’t. Instead, she helped herself to the bowl of carrot soup she found on her table. She was very hungry after having not eaten properly in weeks, and so the soup was extremely gratifying. She craved more food, but decided to wait until breakfast that morning.

She could not just sit there and do nothing, and so she asked the guard stationed outside of her room to take her to where they where they were keeping Wonwoo. She wished to check up on him; the last time she had seen him, he was in terrible condition.

The guard helped her through the halls towards one of the rooms she had never been into, where she found him, awake, sitting up and reading a book.

“Yewon,” his face brightened when he saw her. “I feel so blessed to see you right now.”

“You’re awake,” Yewon said happily. “I didn’t think you would be.”

“My sleeping has been messed up since forever.”

“How is the wound?” she asked him.

“Getting better,” he reassured. “Still hurts a little though.”

She took a seat on his bedside, and he moved to make room for her beside him.

“I was just reading this book about the history of piracy,” Wonwoo revealed. “I asked Yulhee to bring me something random to read and this is what she gave me. Did you know that pirates used to torture their captives by locking them in the storage compartment of the ship?”

“Seriously?” Yewon asked.

“Yes, seriously. We literally put ourselves through torture,” Wonwoo said, laughing. Yewon also laughed. As horrible as those weeks in the storage were, they were long over now.

They had a small conversation in which Yewon told him how she jumped off the ship, climbed up the rocky coast, hence all the fresh wounds on her body. Wonwoo told her that he passed out and couldn’t remember much from the past days.

She felt so content in that moment. She was safe within the palace walls, conversing with Wonwoo like they used to before. She no longer felt stressed or worried about his life, or any life for that matter. For the first time in a long time, she felt at ease. There was no stress or pain or anxiety.

Finally, she did not have the fate of an entire country on her shoulders.

Wonwoo continued telling her about pirates with a fascinated look in his eyes, and Yewon listened to him intently as he raved on about their practices and customs.

Their conversation was light and it reminded Yewon of their relationship before things got complicated, before feelings were involved, when they were friends and confidantes who could speak to one another for hours without getting bored.

Yewon was glad of that; she was glad that he did not bring up his feelings for her again, nor did he touch her or try anything. He seemed intent on keeping his promise about not doing anything about his feelings when they’re back in Solen, treating her as his brother’s wife and nothing more.

As he was talking at one point, he suddenly winced and he looked like he was in pain.

“Are you okay?” Yewon asked with concern.

Wonwoo clutched the covers as a he moaned in pain and Yewon bit her lower lip, prepared to jump and ask for a physician.

“It’s okay,” he managed, still wincing. “I get these bouts of pain sometimes, but I’m okay.” He groaned again and lifted his head and hit it lightly against the headboard as he tried to deal with the pain. Yewon, uncertain of what she could do to help him, placed her hand over his and held it as he continued to flinch.

Seconds later, the pain seemed to have subsided slightly. He took Yewon’s hand which was over his and squeezed it, thanking her with a sincere look in his eyes. In that moment, she felt almost lost in his eyes, which were wet with what looked like tears from the pain in his shoulder.

A voice from behind her made her jump. “Should I call a physician?” came Seungcheol’s voice. Both of them immediately disentangled their hands and Yewon got up from the bed.

“Um, no, I’m alright,” Wonwoo reassured Seungcheol, also seemingly startled. “It’s nice to see you again, brother.”

“I just came by to see how you’re doing,” Seungcheol said, his eyes focused on Wonwoo. “But it looks like you’re busy,” Seungcheol glanced at Yewon. “I’ll come by later.”

Seungcheol then walked away, and Yewon felt incensed by how he was treating her. She was right in front of him, and he did nothing to acknowledge her. He was treating her like she didn’t exist, and she didn’t like it at all.

“I’ll be back,” Yewon told Wonwoo before trudging after Seungcheol.

A/N: Just when you thought you guys would get some cheol x yewon lol. I'm sorry truly I am. Anyways its still Monday where I’m at so I’m on time yay!