“What was all that about? Did he catch you while you were in the palace?” Jungkook turned to Sunji as soon as the two visitors disappeared after the curb of the road.

“He knew,” she whispered, still looking in distance as if wishing to catch one last glimpse of that man, “he knew I was coming. He was… expecting me.” Then she turned to Jungkook with determined eyes. “Let’s stay away from the prime minister for now. We’ve done his bidding. Now we can think of us alone.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Do you think he crossed us?” Just the thought of a betrayal made his hair stand on the back of his neck. “ ‘Cause if that’s the case he can easily be taken care of.”

But she was already walking back inside through the wooden gates. “No, I don’t think he crossed us. Is just that his plan is done and there’s no point in affiliating ourselves with him for now.”

“Why not? He can assure us some success in the capital. I thought that was something you wanted,” he followed her closely, trying to understand all the shadows that came and left her face.

But Sunji wasn’t listening anymore and hurried to enter her room, to trap herself inside once more so she could understand why her mind was so conflicted and her heart so confused. She had promised herself when she burned her memories with commander Nam that she wouldn’t fall again for any man and yet her heart was perturbed – or so it seemed. Just like any other woman she was impressed with the king’s aura, his presence making her want to bow her head and blush and yet she knew it wasn’t just that, but also the power she knew he wielded in the name of the people… and those were all the wrong reasons why she should be curious about him!

With Jungook at her door, guardying her troubled sleep, she kept herself locked inside, her mind turning everything on each side so she would fully comprehend herself. That until she was able to let go and convinced herself that it wasn’t her place to develop such curiosity towards a man like the king.

“It’s all for the better,” she whispered while putting the first flower of magnolia in her hair before finally leaving her room for a walk in the blossomed garden. “Say, should we create some new designs to dress the pretty maidens of the capital? Or should we embark on a journey?” She suddenly turned to Jungkook with a playful sparkle in her eyes.

“Where to?” He returned her smile, anticipating her next move.

“Oh, I don’t know, to the Han Empire maybe? Father always praised their culture,” she lingered under a heavy branch full of new blossoms. “Let’s go away and return only when we’re old. What do you say?”

“You know I will follow you anywhere…”

“Then it’s set!” And she laughed as if her heart wasn’t heavy or wavering.

“Young lady, you have a visitor,” the old butler called from the garden’s gates, bowing deeply before allowing the visitor to step in as well.

“Prime-minister Kim,” Sunji bowed just a bit to welcome the newcomer, “what brings you in our humble town?”

“A hope to meet the woman that just made me the happiest man, of course,” he smiled with satisfaction before pulling out a bouquet of rare white lilies. “I hope you will pardon my intrusion and make some time for me. I believe we have to talk now that the king has received our gift.”

She had to take the flowers. But the way she held them proved just how disturbed she was with his sudden visit. “I didn’t think there’s anything else we should talk about. And I’m afraid that I work on a tight schedule nowadays, so my time is limited,” she passed the bouquet to Jungkook, motioning him to leave them alone. “I don’t know what you have in mind now, prime minister, however please count me out,” she continued as soon as they were alone.

“I heard the king invited you to the banquet on his birthday,” the man decided to take the bull by its horns.

Unperturbed, Sunji took a pair of gardening scissors and cut some of the tall, ornamental grass she had grown to decorate some of the vases. “He might have thrown out such invitation as a thank you for the gift.”

“And of course that you have no intention of accepting.” He did even bother to ask while studying her with a cocked brow which only made her hands shiver with disgust and fury.

“I believe that is none of your business. Whether I decide to accept and join the king’s party as his guest or not has nothing to do with you or anyone else. I might as well go since it’s a great honor for a woman to be invited directly by the king,” Sunji couldn’t stop the words rolling of her lips, which only made the prime minister laugh.

“That is exactly why you shouldn’t go! You’re a woman and unmarried nonetheless. Your presence there will only draw their attention to you and as you know, any affiliation of a maiden with a man outside the lock of their betrothal or marriage is punishable by law,” the look in his eyes grew colder as he leaned in to give his warning. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, Lady Hwang as I value our partnership.”

Passing her finger over one of the blades of grass, Sunji smiled coldly before turning to look the man in the eyes. “Oh, do no worry, I have no intention of ever joining the court as just one of the many women of the king. I have my own path to take which, I believe, will no longer cross with yours or the king’s,” she revealed while walking away. “Goodbye, prime-minster, I really do hope we won’t see each other again,” she ly for a second before leaving him behind wondering what fate led him to meeting her.

››۝‹‹

And while the house was being emptied and the bags piled up on the porch, Sunji looked more and more distracted, her eyes often leaving the clothes she was sowing for the blue sky above. Until one day when, putting