[Saved from the assassination, Seol was taken in care at Damiwon with many visitors, including Jung, Baek-Ah, Lady Gyeonghwagung, Hwangbo sisters, princesses, Wang Ju, Wang Chi, and the king. Seol wants to play but she couldn’t due to her uncle’s overprotectiveness. To ease her, the king tells her a fairy tale.]

The sun sets as the moon replaced the young night. Awake from her nap, Seol was looking at the hairpin her mother left. Her fingers touched the jades with care. She almost believed the hairpin must have protected her—well, more like the spirit of her mother did. She heard the knock and quickly hid the hairpin under her pillow. At that same time, princesses, Hwangbo Sisters, Crown Prince Ju, and Wang Chi burst through the door.

“Seol-unnie!” Princess Mun-Deok called.

“Seol!” Hwangbo Su ran to her as her sister followed her.

Seol smiled as her friends came over.

“Are you alright? How’s your arm? Is it still hurt?” Hwangbo Seol asked.

“I’m alright, everyone. I’m all better.”

At least, Seol was happy to have her friends.

“Did you gain information from the assassin?”

The voice of the king was cold, calculative, yet composed at the same time. It’s been three days since Seol returned with a small injury. Luckily, the doctor told him the wound was very light it will be gone sooner or later. But attempt to kill his inly daughter Soo left, made him quiver in wrath.

“Yes,” Jung replied, “and there was a witness also. One of the court lady was found at night outside the chambers.”

“Whose chambers does it belongs to?” The elder clan of Shinju asked.

Jung’s eyes were shaking, but he replied.

“It’s from the queen and the crown prince’s.”

The general and the officials swore they heard the veins popped from the king’s forehead, indicating his wrath slowly revealing. The officials couldn’t even look at him, utterly frightened.

“Is everything okay?”

Seol asked Wang Chi and the Crown Prince Ju. They nodded their head in unison.

“I miss playing with you.” Princess Bo-Hwa whined.

“Alright, let’s play after I feel better.” Seol said.

Then they heard the door burst opened, revealing Baek-Ah who was sweating, concerned for Seol.

“Our Baek-Seol*~! Are you okay?”

He dramatically ran towards her, looking for any injuries she might have got.

“Baek-Seol? Who’s that?” Hwangbo Seol asked curiously.

“It’s the nickname I made for Seol,” Baek-Ah said as he patted Seol’s head who was giggling, “it’s the name of a princess from fairytale.”

And the children walked over to listen the fairytale stories of Snow White. After an hour, Baek-Ah finished the story and had Wang Chi, Hwangbo sisters dismissed, told them their mother was searching for them. But unease and anxiety in Baek-Ah’s face caused Seol to worry.

“Uncle Baek-Ah? Are you okay?”

Baek-Ah only replied with nodding his head. With alarmed expressions, he turned to both Ju and Seol.

“From tomorrow, you have to return to your home in Chungju.” Baek-Ah managed to speak.

Seol and Ju glanced at one another, surprised by the news.

“Why?” Seol asked, tilting her head.

“Well—”

Before Baek-Ah could answer, he heard the court lady announcing the general and king’s arrival, causing Baek-Ah’s face pale for a brief moment. He scooted to the side as the king entered. His blank expression transformed into a gentle smile when his eyes spotted Seol. Ju quickly bowed and excused himself when Jung told him his mother was waiting for him. The girl hurriedly shoved the blanket, jumped off from the bed and hugged her uncle.

“Uncle~!”

Gwangjong smiled at her.

“Did you have a good rest?” Jung asked.

Seol vigorously nodded her head.

“Our Baek-Seol wanted to get out and play.” Baek-Ah chuckled.

“Baek-Seol?” Gwangjong raised his eyebrows and so did Jung.

“I made up a nickname for her. It’s based on the fairytale princess.”

So’s face briefly fell as he remembered Soo telling the same story when she was alive. But he brought his smile back as Seol dragged him and Jung to the bedside.

“I want to go out and play with princesses…” Seol pouted.

The king sighed.

“I’m sorry, child. But if you want me to tell you some story, I’d love to.”

With that, Seol’s face brightened since it’s been a long time he told her folktales. She climbed up to her bed as uncle So sat on the chair. Jung and Baek-Ah smiled at them.

“This time, uncle made up the fairy tale.”

Seol squealed, anticipating. So coughed, began telling the bedtime stories.

“Well…once upon a time, there was a king who lives in a large palace. And he cast the most magnificent curse, that gave him everything he wanted…” The king formed a half-lidded eyes, “or so he thought. He despaired when he learned that revenge wasn’t enough…he was lonely.”

So’s eyes grew solemn. Seol frowned with the fact that king was lonely man who doesn’t have any friends in the palace. She pouted at the sad beginning.
“And so he searched the land for a young girl, who could be his little princess. And then…” So smiled as he playfully pinched her nose, “he found her.”

Seol squealed as the king affectionately tapped his index finger on her nose.

“And though then lived happily…” So paused as he deeply frowned looking at the door where Ju left, “it was not ever after.”

“Why not?” Seol asked curiously, her innocent eyes sparkled.

The king didn’t say anything for the last five seconds, then he continued.

“Because there was still many evil witches and monsters out there lurking, wanted to eat the princess.” He replied as his eyes lost its light as he added in his mind: ‘Just like how they ate his queen…the princess’s mother…’

Jung and Baek-Ah glanced at one another, concerned and nervous.

“The king was worried for his princess’s safety. While he knew he could destroy any threat to a princess, he also knew he couldn’t raise her with no worries…”

He stopped for a moment, as if he had created the most exclusive, glorious idea. He formed a soulless smile.

“No…,” He grinned as he said again, “he needed to put his own troubles aside, and put his daughter first. And so…the king unsheathed his ancient, mighty sword of forgetting.”

Seol wanted to retort why there was a sword of forgetting, afraid the fictional king might also forget his princess. Gwangjong patted her head, comforting.

“It’s alright, if he use it he won’t forget his daughter. He’ll forget about his worries, his troubles,…” So then spoke a bit more fierce, “his fears. He, with his almighty sword, slay every monster who tried to eat or take her away from him. And with those gone, he and his princess can finally live happily ever after.”

Seol felt sleepy as her eyes slowly closes, until she heard her uncle stood up and was bout to leave the room. Her father Jung and uncle Baek-Ah was already outside her room, waiting for Gwangjong.

“Uncle?”

He turned with sweet smile.

“Yes?”

“What will you do when I leave tomorrow?”

He contemplated for a moment, then answered.

“Your uncle needs to go slay some monsters.”

His sweet, yet bone-chilling smile caused the dread spiked down from Jung and Baek-Ah’s spine. They hoped the king was not planning on what they thought he will do.

“Oh and…including witches.”

“Oh…okay. Good night, uncle.”

Seol merely nodded her head as the slumber drifted her away into her dreams. She yawned and closed her eyes. So formed a serene smile, gave a soft kiss on her forehead.

“You will soon live happily, my little princess.”

He whispered affectionately as he marched out of her chamber. As he walked far from her chamber, Jung and Baek-Ah, his smile faded as it replaced with the cold, cruel smile. A usual expression the evil king wears in the fairytale.

In the early morning, Seol, Lady Munhye, and Jung was departed to Chungju household. Peculiarly, Seol couldn’t get to bid the princesses and the Crown Prince Ju goodbye as hwangbo sisters and Chi were the only ones see her off.

She looked at the palace, hoping to see any glimpse of princesses or the Crown Prince but she couldn’t saw them. Upset, she sat back and leaned on Lady Munhye’s side. At least, she could get to play with her brothers who was waiting for their return.

Note:

Baek-Seol*: It’s a Korean name of fairytale princess Snow White. Baek-Ah nicknamed Seol because she has a skin which was white as snow.