PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR BEING SO LATE WITH THIS CHAPTER! Life became very overbearing and I could only work on this in small intervals, I know I must be pretty dumb for starting to write new stories with all the stress in my life. Trust me, I am not good at making good decisions like that.

This chapter actually contains pre-main plotline story but it's still important for the characters development in the story.  And I wanted to thank you guys for all the support when I first posted the foreword.

Now please continue and enjoy this first prologue/history chapter.

“Minseokie~” A soft female voice called out to a 3 spring’s old Minseok –soon it would be his 4th in a few moons- who looked up to his mother but comparably late to his younger brother –by 2 springs, it would be his third soon despite him being an autumn child- Jongdae who instantly waddled and almost tripped in his short journey towards his mother who picked him up and affectionately gave him a kiss.

“Mama~ Come here!” Minseok chirped from his spot in the nursery not wanting to get up until his nanny and former wet-nurse –she was now Jongdae’s wet-nurse- Sunye picked him up and he gladly accepted the offer soon being taken towards his mother.

“My beautiful little prince.” His mother –Queen Sohee- smiled at him as she pecked his cheek. “Come now, we’re going to go see your baby brother.”

“But DaeDae there?” Minseok pointed at his baby brother who was very interested in the jade pendant that Sohee was wearing and even started to try to munch on it despite having no teeth.

“No, it’s another baby brother for you to protect.” Sohee said softly before gesturing to Sunye to start walking. “It’s second mama’s baby.”

They walked down the palace hallways; the staff bowing down deeply with respect for their Queen Consort and the little princes, some of the staff even cooing at the babies before leaving with soft smiles on their faces. Sohee occasionally stopped to look at the outside of the palace windows, seeing the vast lands and beautiful sceneries littered with residencies of their subjects, the port being not so far away from the castle which was obviously the capital of the nation of Asterrania –she could see the faint outline of the beautiful sea-green blue ocean- only a night away on carriage but half of that time on horseback, however the Queen started thinking about what she had recently said.

Sohee knew that it wasn’t ideal nor okay to make Minseok think that the 2nd Queen was his other mother and that his other brothers were his full brothers but she wouldn’t make him think differently until it was time for him to be in court but there was actually quite a while until then.

Sohee married the 4th prince in line to the throne of their country, Prince Yunho, he married her because he loved her for her and not because of an arranged marriage along with the fact that his father had allowed him to wed whoever he wanted without thinking of status nor gender; the King had nothing to worry about for the line of succession of the kingdom since his 2 eldest sons had married princesses from nations from the east and west. They lived happily for around a year before the war broke out and once the war had broken out, her husband and she had to be separated due to her husband being a prince and a royal commander that he had to go fight with his brothers, a month before the war ended Minseok was born.

Soon enough her husband came back alive yet his brothers hadn’t and that had only meant one thing; that her husband was to be king for his brothers' wives hadn't gotten pregnant and thus there were no heirs for the throne, the king only groomed him for a few months before he passed away due to grief for the loss of his sons.

Her husband and she were crowned as rulers not too long and her son was crowned as Crown Prince. Despite being loved by the people as she was the daughter of a famous and kind merchant and being considered of their status, she was hated by the members of the nation’s court and high ranking clans. Sadly since they were the ones who decided almost everything and aided the royal house with soldiers for the wars, she knew that they hated her for what made the people of the nation love her: her origin.

The court and the royal family had an idea that the crown prince must only marry those with noble/royal blood since they must be the epitome of what true purity is, she could see that the court was ready to attack them or leave the royal family defenseless before an attack unless Yunho married another woman/man with a higher noble status. She could not hate Yunho for accepting to marry another for he did it to protect his family, he married the daughter of a high ranking general who had served the royal family in many instances and had won them many battles and she, herself, had fought valiantly alongside Yunho.

Boa of the Kwon clan, she was remarkably beautiful along with the fact that she was well-educated –in so many aspects; she was talented with arts and well versed when it came to the scholars- and a good fighter. The first woman to fight on the battlefield along with the men and survive to be named a general; thus she became the 2nd queen of the nation, one who was celebrated greatly by the court and also the people since she had fought to protect them. Unlike her, Boa had no problems to be with child as she did. A few moons after the first night, when she was bedded by the King, she had been seen by the royal physicians and they had deducted that she was with child. For Sohee, it was harder, they attempted for around a year only succeeding the night before Yunho was meant to go to war.

Sohee prayed to the Almighty that the child would be a girl not a boy, not because she wished anything ill on the woman nor the child but she did not wish for her son to be placed into a competition with his brother. She knew that the court would push the idea of Queen Boa’s child being the Crown Prince than her own due to his bloodline. Yet, her prayers were in vain for the child -who was born two months after Minseok’s 1st spring- was a boy, a beautiful child who was born with the softest screams that she had ever heard, Minseok’s cries were so loud in comparison yet the boy instantly quieted once it was swaddled by his mother who cried in joy over her blessing by the Almighty; the prince was named Junmyeon. The court celebrated greatly the 2nd prince’s arrival and was showered in gifts from clans all around the nation.

Soon she found herself with child again, she hoped that it was a girl. Since girls would never have to worry about the royal throne nor fighting –unless her mother was Queen Boa- and the only thing she would worry about was about sending her child away to be married to some prince of a foreign land instead of her being murdered by any of her brothers’ -she loved Minseok but she knew that the Throne could make even the most honorable man into the cruelest ruler- for being a candidate to the Throne. Yet the child who was born in the beginning of autumn was a boy, a very loud boy louder than either Minseok or Joonmyeon ever were and had been along with a beautiful smile, and he was named Jongdae.

And now Queen Boa found herself with another child, a baby boy. She hadn’t seen him, deciding to go with her children so they could meet their younger brother. She felt saddened that there was no female in the house, she had always dreamt of having a daughter however she was considered lucky to have had two sons. For her health that had been quite fragile after her first pregnancy; she had been recommended by the palace doctors to not have any more children after she had Jongdae for it would be quite deadly for her if she were to bear another child and that she would possibly die in labor and quite possibly even the child.

Her heart would break if she heard that Queen Boa would be able to bear more children than she could but she would never say it out loud, she knew that her husband loved her more than Queen Boa for Queen Boa was only his friend when they got married yet Queen Boa could be considered far more superior to Sohee in so many ways. She hated how the court would get to her even with the smallest words and her mind would convolute those small words into something larger and more powerful.

She stood outside of Queen Boa’s chambers and looked at the guards who were talking to one of the maids so they could announce her presence,

“Queen Sohee, Crown Prince Minseok and Prince Jongdae have arrived, Your Majesty.” She could hear a maid say softly to Queen Boa, the softness must be because of the baby who was most likely sleeping or feeding.

“Allow them to enter.” She heard Queen Boa’s firm voice say softly with unhidden joy laced in her melodic yet strong voice. The doors had opened and Sunye, her boys and she had been led into the room where Queen Boa was softly singing to the 4th prince who was sleeping while Prince Junmyeon leaned to her side while softly whispering to his brother with shining eyes filled with tenderness towards his younger brother. Junmyeon was a sweetheart, a sweet and kind child that she possessed a soft spot for.

“My Lady, congratulations for the successful delivery of the 4th prince.” Sohee bowed with respect –with the respect that could be in a bow for the 2nd Queen- along with Sunye and looked up to see Boa who simply smiled.

“Thank you Queen Sohee.”

“Has the King come to see his son?” Sohee asked softly with respect and Boa nodded her head. When she gave birth to Jongdae, Yunho would be in the room with her holding her hand –since he wasn’t with her when Minseok came into the world- until he was kicked out by the royal midwife –who had even brought him into the world- so she wouldn’t have to listen to him yelling at her every 5 seconds to get the baby out so his wife would stop being in pain.

“He did. Yet he had to leave for some diplomatic things blah, blah.” Boa laughed softly as she waved her hand as to mock the King –her friend- and Sohee cracked a smile.

“With what name has he blessed the child with?” Sohee questioned softly as she got closer to Queen Boa, standing by the foot of the bed.

“He allowed me to name my son.” Queen Boa replied as she looked down at the 4th prince. “I named him Jongin, my little Nini.”

Sohee was always amazed by the sweetness and love that Boa spoke with when it came to her sons; she truly seemed to be okay with marrying the King since she could have children which was her joy.

“Jongin is quite a fitting name for the prince, My Lady.” Sohee answered with a soft voice.

“Can the little princes come and meet their younger brother?” Boa asked softly and Sohee nodded, allowing one of Boa’s wet-nurses –Hyori- to take Jongdae from her arms and Sunye allowed another of Boa’s wet-nurses’ –Miyeon- to take Minseok from her arms and to take him towards Boa. It was not allowed for any of the Queens –nor their maids or wet-nurses- to be close to the other when she has just given birth and the child was to be in her arms for the Queen could try to murder the royal infant due to the child being a possible threat for her children.

“Minseokkie, you have to protect Nini, okay? You too, Dae? Do you think that you could help me with that?” Boa asked softly to both Minseok and Jongdae who were both amazed by the baby who was quite cute.

“Yes yes!” Minseok whispered softly. “Me and Jun will protect Nini!”

“Thank you Minseok, you’ll be a strong ruler who protects all his siblings.”

So what did you guys think about this chapter? Reminder that this is a prologue chapter but very important to the plot of the story so please don't ignore it.

What did you guys think about the Queens' relationship? If there is anything that you guys think that should be included or also a suggestion for the story as well, please mention it in your reviews. Also if there are any questions to be asked, please include them in the comments.

Thanks guys, I love you and have a nice day/night. Please review/comment, suscribe and upvote.

Because next chapter we start with the royal bros~!