Hae Soo

Smiling as she looks up at the beautiful clear sky, she in the fresh air and let the weather uplift her. It had been a while but finally she could get back to her normal routine with some welcome additions. She still got ready with her prince, but now before leaving the residence, her prince made sure to lightly kiss Seol's cheeks as farewell. Her breakfast was taken together with Seol along with Woo Hee and Soon Deok. Then she goes out hands in hand with Seol to do her various duties. Inspection of the household, keeping notes on the supplies, and then they will go for walks or visits. Visits to Damiwon, to the palace gardens, to the prayer stones. It did not matter where as she was simply happy as seeing Seol walking right beside her filled her with so much warmth and happiness that she was afraid that it was all a dream. She may have missed her daughter's first steps, first words and other things, but now she was here and she could be her mother.

As she went around, she noticed the changes due to her new status as an adopted Princess. The court ladies bowing the moment she passes by, not straightening up till she acknowledge them, which she did quickly as she could still remember her days as a court lady quite clearly. Not to mention she noticed the additional pair of eyes watching her. Watching her to see any weakness exposed. Weakness they could use against her and her prince when they need it. Unfortunately for them, she was not naive like many of them thought as she was used to the scrutiny of the palace. The difference was that this time, she was not dealing with heartbreak along with the stress. No this time, her heart was safe. And she was not mentally exhausted that the palace's hidden darkness will affect her in a terrible way. No this time, she was fighting with all of her might to stay strong and not giving up.

Wang So

Perhaps they thought it was subtle and he had notice them. Sadly for those court officials and nobles, he had more than enough experience with politics and noble's behavior that he could read the reason behind their behaviors easily. They were all keeping an eye on him. Just ready to see a weakness and use that to their advantage. But anything that they could use was not something big enough to affect him since he had the heavens on his side. He knew that this was the calm before the storm. The best time to strike will be right before the Ninth Lunar Festival. Which was still far away.

First, there will be the royal wedding of the 10th Prince Wang Eun to Park Soon Deok that will take place in a month or so. An ideal time once again for spies to enter the palace under disguise, but he had made sure that none of the servants or officials will go near his wife and child without being observed. Even if he could not always be with them, the five royal guards as well as the trusted personal servants were keeping an eye out. As for Chae ryung, he had her placed as a tester for drinks and so far she was not showing any sign of betrayal.

Until he had a better idea of plans of his enemies, all he could do was to prepare. Just what he was doing right now, making all of his younger brothers train in martial arts. No excuses allowed. He will make all of them able to at least be able to get one strike on him.

"Eun-ah, where are you going?" He said to the retreating back of his little brother. Who realized that he was caught and was now looking at him with a pleading look in his eyes. Sadly for him, Eun was making the wrong expression. That look only reminded him of his unfair death. An event that he will avoid at all costs. "Eun-ah, you did not finish the routine yet. You can't leave before you are at least able to complete one out of the twenty strikes." Adding on with a serious look, "you had to do at least this much, unless you want Soon Deok to beat you up."

"But, Hyungnim," Eun's face truly was the face of a protesting child, "I know that I said this was the birthday present I wanted but...I changed my mind. This is too hard."

"Hyungnim, are you already tired? It is not even that hard of a move. Look I already have half of it down."

"Jung-ah, all you think about are martial arts. It's different for Eunnie-Hyungnim and me. We both like something else." Then it was back to this. His three brothers fighting. Eun chasing Jung around in retaliation and Beak Ah trying to stop them but getting mixed up. He couldn't stop his smile as he sees them. Their happy faces that was all he want. Looking at them, he had an idea.

An idea to make them take this training more seriously, and a way for him to get out of the palace with his darling daughter. Even if Soo did not say it, he knew that as she progress through her pregnancy, she was starting to get tired more easily and have intense mood swings at time. It will be good for her to have a day of rest where she could pamper herself and relax. He did not want Seol to feel suffocated either by just staying in the palace.

"My dongsaengs, stop it. Stop it, I said." But no they did not stop at all, even if he knew that they have heard him. "Whoever does not stop will not be able to play with Seol or Soo for a week." That stopped them. Playing with his precious ladies were his brothers' favorite activity. "Who wants to go on a day trip with Seol tomorrow?"

Just like he had expected, now his brothers could not wait for a chance to get out of the palace with Seol. Good, he will not tell them that it will be a small hunting trip till tomorrow. A day of chasing butterflies, chicks and rabbits will let all of them see the need to improve their attacking skills. Not to mention, he bet that Seol will love to look at her favorite butterflies. Thinking of Seol, he wonders just how she was doing in her first lesson today with Heok. His daughter was smart so she was sure to excel in her lessons.

Heok

Teaching someone was a great responsibility. But when you are teaching a child of someone with power, it becomes nerve wrecking as your neck could be on the line. In his case, he personally knew the parents of the child, and just what her father was capable of. Not to mention, his teaching will have a great impact on the child's future. His fellow guards who knew what he had to do that afternoon was kind enough to help him along on his regular duties. None of the four could blame him for being a bit absent-minded today.

For the past couple of days, he had been thinking of different lesson plans and had also talk with Jin, the only one that had any personal interaction with the hidden princess. Jin could only say that she was a mix of her parents in her expression, sometimes insecure but also very observant. Basically he was no help in figuring out what the child had been taught before. He will know about it soon enough as in a couple of minutes, he will have his first lesson with her. Making sure that his clothes were plain but neat, he silently made his way to the servant's door at Byul. A way to enter the more private area of the residence without letting others know.

Seol

The past few days had been like a dream to her. She was with her parents. Her actual birth parents that she had been denied before. Just a few days let her learn a lot of things about her parents.

Her Appa while he was talented in both studies and martial arts, he was very soft when it comes to his wife and child. Not to mention overprotective, especially when he was not with them. They had silent guards on them, according to what her mother told her, though she could not sense them. But she had noticed that in her parent's bedchamber, within easy reach were two swords. According to Jae Hee, there were hidden exits and weapons through the house so they will not be defenseless. Their safety was a priority with her father. It was his way to show his feelings, that was what Seol think as he could be sometimes a bit awkward when showing his emotions. Nonetheless, she always look forward to the small kiss on the cheek, her Appa gives her every morning before leaving to do his duties and a goodnight kiss before she retires for the night. That small gesture was enough for her to feel warm and happy all through her body to the tip of her toes.

Her Omma was like her in lots of ways but she was more weird sometimes in her actions. The random expressions that she uses through the day, not to mention she had some wild mood swings. The way she behaved when she was pregnant was so different than the way she remembers her own pregnancy in her past life. Her Omma seems to go from mad to sad to happy to laughing to downright crying. You could not predict her reactions, and she had observed many people being cautious when nearing her. Except for her father who did not seem to be surprised at all, and always went straight to soothing her mother. Her Omma had her Appa wrapped around her finger. Not that she will take advantage of that fact. At least not yet. When her mother was her usual self, she was kind but also strict. Not to mention cautious of everything but also behaving naturally. It was such a contradictory behaviour but that was what made her interesting to observe.

There was one thing that she was completely sure of. Her parents loved each other, in a way that she hopes someone will love her someday. With their entire being, accepting everything about the other and were affectionate towards each other all the time. Though it was hidden in public. Another thing was that they loved her the same way. So much more than she had ever been loved. This was the unconditional love of parents that she had heard about but sadly did not experience at least not till now.

Now, she sat in the calligraphy room waiting for her teacher to arrive. Heok, one of the guards that she knew as he was always around when she had visited the King in that different world. She hopes that he will not start with easy stuff, rather go straight to learning letters. She had always wanted to learn the Thousand Characters, but never been able to do it because the book was apparently going to be a waste on her according to her tutor in the past, as she was not an influential royal. Perhaps the same excuse could be used now as she was just a ward of the most hated and rumored prince, but the King had allowed her parents to be in charge of her education, and that excuse cannot be used. Raising her sleeves, making sure she had plenty of paper and ink, she look towards the door as it opens and her tutor Heok enters.