Hey guys! Sorry for a late update. I was busy with my New Year celebration. 

So, here is the new chapter and I hope you enjoy it!         Happy New Year everyone! 💙💙💙💙💙💙

Queen Daemok couldn't help but glare at that woman. Soo. It was clear to everyone that the king still held affections for her and will be too unlikely to change. All those years trying to even get an ounce of his affections even just for her son was never achieved.

When she looked at the Hae Clan, she was shocked. Many years ago, the clan rejected Hae Soo. But now they welcomed her and her children. Her children who looked like the king too much, especially the eldest boy. The girl, not so much. She looked a lot like Soo. And she had her suspicions about them.

Her approaching son broke her from her thoughts. "Mother?" he asked as he stood next to her. Yes, I am his mother. I am the Queen, not her. The king's wife. she thought.

But she failed to realize that in times of chaos, a person in a position of power will be the most vulnerable to attacks.

Lee Hwon spun quickly as he blocked his opponent's sword, applying force to his block that forced his opponent to stumble backwards. When he saw the small flaw as he moved to protect his body, Lee Hwon swiped his blunt sword and quickly disarmed him.

"Excellent. Your swordmanship is improving more and more, brother. I'm impressed with you always improving. If you continue to do this, you will soon become the greatest swordsman in Goryeo." he said as he held out a hand to his fallen opponent. Kang Chul laughed as he accepted it and stood up, wiping away dust from his rough practice hanbok. "And you're still the better one, Hyungnim." he replied.

Lee Hwon only smiked slyly as he looked beyond his younger brother's shoulder. Upon seeing his expression, he looked around. And saw a young woman dressed in soft pink hanbok with her hair styled in a simple braid of an unmarried noblewoman. "I think I should leave the two of you to talk." his older brother cheerily said and before he could protest, sped away.

Kang Chul could only let out a sigh and steeled himself to face the young noblewoman.

The king paced the secret meeting room as he waited for Soo and their children to come. Soo had promised that today he would finally properly meet them. But be couldn't help but worry. What if they would not accept him as their father? Would they reject him?

He was broke from his thoughts when a knock on the door was heard. Sitting down regally in his chair, he motioned for the door to open. "Enter." he said.

The door opened to reveal Soo. And behind her was their children.Once again, he was struck by how much Lee Hwon resembled him too much in his youth. Kang Chul looked a lot like Soo but with sharpness in his features that belonged to him. A perfect blend of features of his parents. Seol, the youngest and the ony girl's name, looked like the youg version of Soo when she was young, just like her older brother resembled him. He frowned when they bowed to him. "Soo-yah, you all don't need to bow to me." he said gently. Soo only smiled.

"A sign of respect, Pyeha." she replied. So only sighed as he looked at their childen who only looked amused by them. "You must be Seol." he focused on his young and beautiful daughter. She bowed down to him. "Yes, Pyeha."

"You look a lot like your mother." She only smiled. "I ave been told of my resemblance to my mother. It is an honor to be beautiful as Eommeoni." she said.

So decided his mind as he looked at them. Soo, who recognized his expression, looked at her children who nodded and formally made a bow together.

"Greetings, Pyeha. I am Lee Hwon, the eldest of the three siblings. This is Kang Chul, the second among the three. And lastly, there is Seol, the only girl and youngest among the three." Lee Hwon said. The king shook his head. "Ani. From now on, in private call me Abeoji. Ahrasso?" he asked. And when he saw the nods of approval from them, he smiled widely. "Abeoji." And his heart soared in joy just from that one word.

Soo smiled fondly as she watched her children bond with their father who enjoyed their presence.

But liitle did they know, it was just the beginning.

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The calm before the storm.