[Summary: Soo found Eun unable to sleep, so she tells him bedtime stories and all prince were listening her favorite, intriguing fairy tales which is Snow White, and Beauty and the Beast. Warning: Slight OOC. SoXSooXWook alert.]

The night was quiet at the Palace. Except for the pavilion where Hae Soo served teas and snacks for most of the princes, along with Woo-Hee, Soon-Duk, and Chae-Ryung who was helping her. As she finished served them, she went back to her seat and began to write down. Curious, Baek-Ah and Woo-Hee approached.

“Soo, what are these?” Baek-Ah looked at the books.

“It’s a book, sire.” Soo replied shortly.

“What kind of books are they?” Woo-Hee asked.

“It’s a storybook with pictures. I write down all of foreign tales I’ve heard and read when I was a child.” Hae Soo answered as she remembered her life as young Go Ha-Jin who loved fairy tales.

Her replies sparked Prince Baek-Ah’s interest. Including other princes.

“Foreign tales, huh?” Yo mused, curious of the tales from outside Goryeo.

“It’s intriguing…you seems to know many of them.” The Crown Prince smiled as he eyed on the pile of books she wrote, on the side of the table.

“Well, I expect nothing less from the girl who knows the languages we never heard of.” Wook laughed heartily as he remembered some foreign words he heard from her.

Hae Soo only smiled as she continued to write and paint the pictures.

“Speaking of tales, I bet Eun will love them,” Won suggested, “he loves everything with legends and myths.”

Then, they heard the footsteps from a certain innocent prince.

“Soo~!”

The Senior Court Lady Hae Soo looked up from her book to see Eun who was wearing his white evening hanbok—as what Soo called as pyjama—holding his pillow. Judging the way he rubbed his eyes during his bedtime, Soo assumed he couldn’t sleep.

Hae Soo made a polite smile as she greets the 10th prince.

“Good evening, your highness. How may I help you?”

“I couldn’t sleep… I tried to but I can’t.” Prince Eun whined.

Soo sighed at his childish demeanor and so did some of the princes. Looking down at all the writings she wrote on a several books she decided to keep him company to his room.

“Then, before you go back to sleep, why don’t you come here and join us?”

Prince Eun immediately sat down with excitement, then noticed the pile of books.

“Soo, what are these?”

“Those are the books of foreign tales Soo heard.” Jung replied for her.

Eyes sparkling with interest, Eun smiled widely.

“Tell us, then! I wanna know about them~!”

Soo nodded her head in approval.

“Alright,” then she looked at the princes, “there’s a plenty of spots for you also.”

As the curiosity get them, they had their chairs scooted closer to listen better.

“Now…where do I start?” Soo picked some books and looked at them.

“What kind of stories it has?” Prince Jung asked.

“Plenty. There are a lot of stories about faraway places, daring swords, magic spells, princes, princesses, witches, monsters and all. These are my favorites.” Soo replied as she picked one with the picture of red apple.

“I want that one!” Eun exclaimed.

“Alright then…it’s called Snow White, the tale of the most beautiful woman of the world.”

“Beautiful woman…I thought Soo was the beautiful woman…” Jung muttered innocently as Wook, So, and others secretly agreed, causing Soo blushing.

“Well, you have to hear them first. Okay…so along ago, in a faraway land, there was a Evil Queen who was obsessed with her own beauty, consumed by vanity and envy.”

“Why envy?” Eun asked curiously as much as he was immediately nervous with the word of Evil Queen announced.

“Because she was jealous of any woman whose beauty and charm will surpass hers. The queen as a peculiar, yet magical mirror. Every time she came to the mirror and chanted,” Soo then made a rather ominous yet somewhat alluring voice of a queen, “mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s fairest of them all?”

The princes immediately wanted to answer Soo was the fairest one but they were too focused on her story.

“Then the mirror shimmer as it answered,” Soo changed her voice into a voice of a mirror, “you are the fairest…but there’s another whose beauty will surpass yours. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace. Alas, she IS much fair than thee.”

By now, the princes gulped while inwardly impressed with her skilled storytelling. Eun and Jung were immediately horrified with what will the queen will react.

Then Soo voiced her role as a queen again, put up with more acting.

“Alas for her…reveal her name!”

Based on her acting, the younger princes presumed the evil queen must have been raged with jealousy. Soo reverted her voice back to the role of a mirror.

“Lips red as a rose, hair black as night…her skin white as snow…”

‘Oh god…’ Won, Eun, Baek-Ah, and Jung exclaimed in their thought, while other princes seemed amused with how the story goes.

“Then, the queen’s face reddened with rage, her fist shaken unable to control her seething jealousy,” Soo described, “so she commanded the huntsman to be brought to her castle. She commanded him to take Snow White far into the forest, find some secluded place where she could pick a wild flowers for her dead parents. But her next command caused the huntsman to go pale.”

“What did she said?” Jung whispered.

“The Evil Queen’s half-lidded eyes gleamed with envy and told him he shall kill her.”

The older princes swore Eun nearly fainted, but thanks to Jung, he helped him sat up.

“The huntsman tries to argue but no one could disobey her so he reluctantly agreed. The queen informed more as she have to make sure he does not fail, she ordered him with the sack, he must bring back…the Snow White’s heart.”

Wook and So frowned as he winced at how cruel the evil queen must have been. Envious of her step-daughter’s beauty. Even though the evil queen’s character bitterly reminded him someone, the fourth prince decided not to think much. The story continues with Soo telling how Snow White escaped the castle and went deep into the dark forest, discovering the house of dwarves. Soo looked at the eight princes then giggled.

“What?” Baek-Ah asked.

“Actually, some of you reminded me of the dwarves in someway,” Soo replied, “oh! Why don’t I describe them with connecting most of you?”

They all shrugged, letting her continue.

“Okay so…the oldest reminded me of Ji Mong, because he is very intelligent and always care about other dwarves. The one named Bashful reminded me of Jung because he was very shy in some occasion. The one named Sleepy resembles Eun, because I saw you sleeping during studies…” Soo playfully glared at Eun who was sulking while the rest snickers in agreement, “oh and the other one named Sneezy reminds me of…you, 9th prince, since I just heard you sneezed just a few moments ago.”

And Won just sneezed again.

“It was you who talked behind my back!”

The princes laughed.

“It’s not over yet…the one named Happy reminds me of Crown Prince because he also cares for his brothers and very optimistic. The youngest one is Baek-Ah, because he likes musics and the activities that keeps him company. And…uhh” Then Soo stared at Yo and smiled slyly, “oooh, you just looked like the one named Grumpy~!”

Then the other princes just laughed while Yo frowned, slightly offended.

“But don’t worry, Snow White favors Grumpy among them…,” Soo finished laughing and continued the story, “anyway, the seven dwarves agreed to let Snow White stayed at their house and they bonded as if they have a daughter of their own. But the happiness does not last…”

Soo turned the next page, revealing a wicked woman with a goblet.

“The Evil Queen finally realized that hateful Snow White was still alive and she made a drastic decision: transform her beautiful self into a hideous old hag to form a trap that could finally kills Snow White. The potion was started with cover her clothes by the black of night…” Soo pointed her fingers towards the starless night sky, “to age her voice she used an old hag’s cackle…”

Suddenly, the raven’s cries reminded the audiences as an old gag’s eccentric, yet disturbing cackles.

“…to whiten her hair, she used a scream of fright…”

The younger princes paled by imagining the scream of fear rang through their ears.

“the blast of wind, fanning the queen’s hatred!”

Eun was hugging Jung tightly while Baek-Ah mischievously blew the flute to scare them.

“the thunder bolt to complete potion with its sympathy for her envy!”

Yo’s eyes grew wide as he swore he just heard the thunderstorm.

“the queen then drank the potion, turned into an old, ugly hag. With her new self, she searched for a special death for the one so fair and here it is! The poisoned apple. One taste of the apple and the victim’s eyes will close forever in the sleeping death.” Soo announced.

“Now I know why the book cover has a picture of red apple.” Eun wondered.
Soo continued with a tale; while the dwarves left for work, Snow White was left alone in the house. The story goes to the where she met an old hag whose basket were filled with apples. The old hag held out the one red apple to her and she accepted. The Snow White took a bite and fell unconscious. The dwarves who were back from the work found Snow White unconscious and chased the old hag, who was actually the Evil Queen. They cornered her the to cliff and due to the slippery abyss the queen fell to her death.

“…so beautiful, even in death, that the dwarfs could not find in their hearts to bury her…they built a coffin of glass and gold, and kept eternal vigil at her side…”

The younger prince imagined the beautiful princess’ corpse kept inside the glass coffin. Once again, imagining Soo inside cause them to cringe. Other princes felt the same as they assumed even the death cannot rotten the princess’ beauty. Even Soo’s.

“it’s not over yet…there comes the best part,” Soo said with a smile, “one day, the Prince heard of the maiden who slept in the glass coffin. He searched far and wide. And finally, he found her. Marvelled and mesmerized by her beauty he couldn’t help but wished she was alive. He leaned forward close enough and gave her a kiss on her pale lips. And oh my god, her eyes fluttered opened, awaken from the curse of envious witch.”

“Wait…seriously?” Baek-Ah exclaimed, “it wasn’t really a death, but a sleeping curse?”

“Yes! Well, no curses were perfect enough to kill people.” Soo laughed.

“So whatever happened to them?” Jung asked.

“Snow White married to the prince whom she fell in love. The dwarfs blessed their marriages. The people celebrated as their beloved princess was back as the queen was dead.”

“So basically it is happy ending?” Eun asked.

“Yes!”

The younger princes didn’t realized they have been mesmerized by her stories. However, Jung looked a little crestfallen.

“Prince Jung? What’s wrong?” Soo asked concerned.

“Sis…um…,” Jung glanced around then spoke, “if someone might try to poison you, you’ll not gonna…leave us right?”

The pavilion got silent as most of them shuddered with the thought of Soo dying from poison. So and Wook cringed in fear as they know Soo was too innocent for the cruel hell that was no other than Songak. Even Woo-Hee, Soon-Duk, and Chae-Ryung feared it worse. Soo’s eyes faded its light, but returned it faster.

“Nah~! Don’t worry. I’m a big, strong girl who wear hanbok all by myself.” Soo said with confidant smile.

So smirked and approached to her.

“Try me.” He dared.

Even though Soo remembered the time she played house with So, she smiled with mischief as she playfully punched his stomach, rather too painful even So hissed.

“Oh, I like her.” Won smirked while giggling and clapping his hand.

“Respect.” Yo formed a rather cruel smile.

Soo hugged So pretending to pamper him and stared at Yo.

“You’re next.” Soo whispered with her index finger threateningly pointing at third prince.

Yo’s face went pale as he knew she was serious.

“Wait…if most of us are dwarfs, who’s the prince who saved Snow White?” Jung asked.

Everyone glanced at Soo, demanding explanation…’

“I don’t know…” Soo claimed, “maybe Prince Wook?”

Wook smiled a little, much to So’s dismay.

“Soo~! One more story please?”

“Oh! Here’s my favorite story! This time, woman save man’s life!” Soo said as she held out one book.

Woo-Hee, Soon-Duk, and Chae-Ryung inspected the book cover closer.

“Beauty and the Beast?” Soon-Duk pronounced the title.

The title perked the other’s interest.

“Yep, it’s about a woman who fell in love with a man who’s a beast.”

So blinked his eyes.

Yo snorted at the title and a brief summary.

“That’s ludicrous. Who could ever love a beast?”

“It may seem impossible to narrow-minded ones,” then Soo glared at Yo, “I’m looking at you, Prince Yo.”

Won and Baek-Ah tried their best not the laugh.

“To-ho-ho-ho, BURNED!” Won exclaimed.

“But the main reason why it’s my favorite story,” Soo smiled in a most loving smile, towards So while fluttering her eyelashes, “it reminds me of someone I held dearly so much.”

With their eyes met, So averted his gaze in bashful mode, unaware that Baek-Ah was watching them in amusement.

“Well, tell us~!” Baek-Ah grinned.

“Alright then,” Soo opened the book and began to read, “once a upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince was living in a ravishing palace. He had gained everything he could wish for….or so he thought. Luxury, wealth, and power was not enough to satisfy him…he was lonely. A scarred, abandoned, lonely prince…”

Baek-Ah’s expression saddened as his gaze secretly caught on the fourth prince.

“Aware of his own cold and lonely heart, the enchantress cast a curse on the palace for she knew there was no love in him. She transformed him into a hideous beast and cast a spell on every person who dwelled on a palace. Ashamed by his hideous, scarred look, he locked himself inside the castle for his magic mirror only allowed him to see outside the palace. The enchantress had left the enchanted rose that will bloom until his twenty-fifth year. If he could learn to love and loved by her in return until the last petal fell, the spell will be broken,” Then Soo’s eyes went grim, “if not, he will be doomed to remain a best for all eternity. As many years passed, he fell into a despair and losing all hope, for who could ever love a beast…”

“Poor prince…” Eun muttered sadly, “he was just a lonely man who was insecure of himself.”

“Yes, sire. He is a lonely, scarred man who needs love.” Soo agreed, “meanwhile, in a village, there was a woman who was known for her beauty and intelligence. And that’s why people calls her Beauty. The village found her peculiar and unfitting because she reads.”

Woo-Hee was aghast.

“What? People shuns her because she reads?”

“That’s how the society in some countries have, they think having woman reading means it is odd and as most man thought women were not supposed to read, write, or think at all. The girl knows how the society treats her, but she was also strong enough to endure such prejudice. She has a doting father who wanted nothing but her happiness. When he managed to earn money, he asked her if there’s anything she wants.”

“What did she say?” Soon-Duk asked.

“Was it a jewels?” Won asked.

“Was it an expensive silk?” Then Yo asked slightly sarcastic.

Soo shook her head.

“No…she only wanted to have a most beautiful rose,” Soo smiled, “red rose is her favorite. Heck, it’s also mine’s.”

“Wow, she’s quite modest.” Baek-Ah mused.

“So the father agreed as he bid his daughter goodbye while on his way to his journey. He was lost so he needed a shelter to avoid the snowstorm. Then, he found a large palace hidden inside the forest. He went to the castle, welcomed by the unknown owner. The master of the palace gave him warm chamber, feasts and new clothes. On the next morning, the father went to the garden and found one of the most beautiful rose. He plucked one, unintentionally angered the owner, who was actually the beast.”

“I knew it! I knew it was the beast’s palace.” Jung exclaimed.

“The father begs for forgiveness. The beast then offered him to be freed in an exchange of his daughter to take his place. When returned to his house, he explained everything to his daughter, the Beauty. As an understanding daughter, she agreed to go to the palace.”

Soo continued telling the story. The parts where the Beauty was not afraid of the Beast’s hideous appearance. The parts where the Beast kept ask for her hand in marriage, only to be rejected, but she accepts for who he is. And the part where Beauty left the palace for a week to see her sick father who missed his daughter. Also, the part where Beauty watched the mirror to see the Beast.
“But Beauty saw the most horrifying, nightmarish sight she wanted to see the least.”

“What? Oh, tell us Soo…Tell us NOW! I cannot bear a moment WITHOUT KNOWING!!” Eun nibbled his fingers out of anxiety and worry for both Beauty and the Beast. Even most of the audiences were tensed.

“The mirror revealed the rose garden outside the palace and alas! The beast was collapsed nearby the lake clutching his chest with grief-stricken, longing tears flew from his eyes as his other hand hold the rose he wanted to give to her. The heartbreak struck him in pain as it slowly drains his life away.”

“Oh no…!” Eun, Soon-Duk, Baek-Ah, and Woo-Hee exclaimed.

“Shocked, pained, the Beauty hurried back to the palace hoping she could see him again and there, he remained in the same place where he laid beside the lake. She calls out for him and he saw her. The genuine smile formed, happy to see the one he truly loves the most. Beauty ran to him and stopped as she kneeled beside him.”

Then Soo caught in the act as a beast.

“Why…didn’t you come sooner?”

The quotes of Beast caused Eun and Soon-Duk embrace one another. Soo then made an act of Beauty who was in verge of tears.

“…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.. I—”

Then she made an act of Beast again.

“Idiot…I don’t die for a human girl…Don’t need to say anything…”

Eun and Soon-Duk was on verge of tears now as Soo acted as a dying beast.

“I’m happy to see you again…I’m happy to be born and die…to lov—”

Soo acted as a Beast closed his eyes accepting his so-called death.

“Disbelieved, Beauty tried to call him out hoping he was just asleep. In tears, she wailed and wailed for him. She yelled at him to wake him up and cried again as her tear dropped onto the Beast’s cheek finally told him she loves him. Then…,” Soo continued, “the tear sealed inside with a dim of light and spread it over his body. Too shimmering, Beauty closed her eyes for a moment and opened again, only to find…”

Soo take a short glance at So then smiled.

“Alas, the tall handsome prince smiling at her. He stood up with his teary, yet happy gaze met hers. Beauty was confused but when she saw his eyes, she cried like a child but elated to see her beast, her prince, come back to her as they are now able to freely love one another,” Soo shut the book with refreshed smile, “The End.”

“Oh my goodness! That was the most romantic story I have ever heard!” Soon-Duk squealed.

“I tried not to stop tear up,” Chae-Ryung blinked her eyes out her tears, “but it won’t stop..”

Most of the audiences were impressed with her skills of storytelling as they were drawn to them. Jung and Wook prompted Eun to go back to his room, while Baek-Ah tilted his head and smiled, caught Soo and Woo-Hee’s attention.

“What?” Soo asked.

Baek-Ah smiled.

“I just thought the last story reminded you and someone else.” Baek-Ah replied as his eyes were on fourth prince.

He walked away but watched So and Soo interacting, more likely bickering as So was teasing her for in love with such a stories while Soo retorted at him claiming it is an exquisite fairytale. The 13th prince sighed heartily.

‘I hope miracles happen on them soon…’

And so, Soo was often called by younger princes to tell more stories with others when they couldn’t sleep. Often, when she finished her stories she saw the audiences drifted themselves into a deep slumber. Smiling in a motherly affectionate way, she grabbed the blankets and cover each one’s body no one would caught a flu.