Chapter 12 - Remember Me

Kris dashed outside, ignoring his mother who was calling him hysterically. His wife cried in front of the fountain, holding the dead body of the elder, and his heart raced. There in front of the King, he knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. "Joy…"

He could feel the King's piercing eyes on them. Damn. They definitely had his attention.

"Now you all know what will become of you if you dare cross me," the King's voice was disgustingly full of himself.

Kris wished Joy hadn't glared at him, but she had. The King's eyes fell on the anger written on her face, and his brows furrowed. He watched her with interest, but before he could do anything to her, Kris quickly blocked her out of his way.

"Is she your wife?" A smile tugged at the King's lips, and Kris's jaw tightened. He could figure out what the King was thinking. "You have a beautiful wife."

"Leave her alone," Kris hissed venomously.

The King's laughter filled the air, and he looked over his soldiers in disbelief. "Did you hear what he said? He asked me to leave her alone. This young man was asking me, asking the King of Silla—"

"I wasn't asking you. I was telling you, commanding you, to leave her alone," Kris corrected him, and Jun’s laughter stopped short. Kris must have been crazy to say such things to him, but crazy or not made no difference. The King would definitely take Joy if he wanted to, and Kris wouldn't let him do that.

The King pointed his sword at him, the cold metal of the weapon touching his chin. The other villagers gasped in fear. Joy gripped Kris's sleeve from behind, her hands shaking uncontrollably.

"No," she whimpered.

Yet Kris didn’t fear anything. He peered into the King's eyes that were burning with rage.

"Get up." Jun forced Kris to stand up with the tip of the sword under his chin. He then turned to one of his soldiers who appeared beside him and waited for the soldier to spill the information.

The soldier shook his head, signaling negative to whatever the King had asked him to find out earlier. Kris figured out that it was about the gold. Of course there was none. How would he find what didn't even exist?

"You have 48 hours to bring me all of the gold, or Sangju will be history," the King threatened them, and with those last words, he reined on his horse to leave with his soldiers.

That left everyone speechless.

Dear God, please protect us. Please don't let that evil man harm us. Please don't let him hurt my son, and please forgive my sins. Oh God, I am such a sinful human being who makes mistakes.

Please protect my family.

Hana remembered those words, and the times she had begged God not to take away her beloved.

God, please forgive me, for I haven't come to you as much as before.

She never thought this nightmare would haunt her again. She had watched her son storming out of the house and toward the devil himself. Her whole body trembled, and her breath caught in . As she couldn't stand to see what would happen next, she collapsed to the floor, sobbing hard. Her heart felt like it was about to explode.

Then suddenly, he came back. Her son came back. He was alive.

"K-Kris—"

"Mother." He came inside, dragging along his wife, who was still sobbing hard. Before he could speak again, Hana lifted her hand and gave a hard slap across his face.

He was totally shocked. This was the first time he had been slapped by his mother.

"What were you doing!?" she roared. "Didn't I tell you not to leave the house? Didn't I tell you!?"

He was still speechless.

"Why did you go to see that man when I told you not to?" she raised her voice even more.

"Mother." He wanted to hold her, but she pushed him away, tears streaming down her face. She looked so vulnerable in front of him.

"It's okay. The King has left."

She froze. "The—the King?" No. It shouldn't be…

"Yes, the king of Silla. He killed the elder."

Joy broke down again at hearing those words.

"N-No. What do you mean by the King of Silla?"

"He is the King of Silla. That man." Kris couldn't hide his rage.

"No, he's not the King!" Hana shouted out loud, surprising them.

"What do you mean, mother?" Now, there was confusion on Kris's face.

"Did you see another man with him? The King—no—he's a tall man with brown hair and brown eyes."

Kris looked clueless. "No, mother. I don't know what you're talking about. You're acting strange today." From the tone of his voice and the look on his face, he was getting suspicious.

Hana gulped. "N-No, it's nothing," she stuttered. "I'm just glad you two are alright. Promise me you won't do that again?" she begged.

He just nodded and hugged her, trying to sooth her cries. "I won't, mother. I won't"

She couldn't keep her mind from it, though. Something wasn't right.

Irene woke up in the middle of the night and sat up on the bed, panting hard, sweats covering her whole body. She obviously couldn't sleep properly ever since she moved into the castle.

Damn that prince. Damn this kidnapping. Why can't he just let me live in peace? She scowled and rose to reach for the water at the side of her bed, but damn again, the goblet was empty. She was so