Challenge

The Mute Queen


He had been sitting in a special room at the gisaeng house for half an hour. It had been three years he didn’t visit Hanyang. He missed the city, but not as much as how he missed gayageum beautiful sounds which were played by his eccentric gisaeng friend. Not only his ears, his eyes were also enjoying how that delicate fingers thrummed every gayageum string perfectly in front of him. His fingers were much trained and more delicate than before. He’s sure that this person had practiced a lot.

 

(Clap.... clap... clap)

 

“You have improved a lot Heechul. Is that a new song?” He praised and kept clapping his hands. The said man smirked, “What do you mean by ‘improved’? I am already perfect since born and yes, for you, it’s a new song”.

 

Hangeng only shook his head and smiled. He told himself that this man had never changed. Always bragging everywhere “You should try to lower yourself a bit when someone praised you, you know?”

 

Heechul just shrugged and had a facepalm, “So you’re telling me I have to lie?” he asked while helping Hangeng to pour soju into his cup.

 

“Hahaha... I didn’t mean like that. Thank you, ” he said as he took a sip and felt the bitter taste of the handmade soju.

 

“Your cute friend back then, why did she leave so soon?” Hangeng returned to pour soju to Heechul’s cup.

 

Heechul pretended to be a bit upset “What? Cute? Am I not enough for you?”

 

Hangeng took a sip again and chuckled “Hahaha... it’s not like that”

 

Heechul scoffed “Of course not. You’re mine and Sungmin-shi is also mine”

 

“It seems she likes you”

 

Heechul raised his own chin looked so proud “You can say she’s my fan”

 

“And she dislikes me”

 

Heechul lifted his eyebrows “Why do you feel like that?”

 

Hangeng shrugged “Well, the way she looked at me. It’s like someone who felt jealous toward her love rival”

 

Heechul was being silent for a moment of staring toward the other male then burst his drink onto the latter face “Hahahahahahaha.... Love rival? Are you insane? Maybe I am a man, but look! I am a Yeojang and wear a woman hanbok. I am full with woman pheromone so why does a woman get attracted to me?” Heechul took his handkerchief, then wiped his face gently while still giggling, “Well... she said once I was really pretty though. She’s a sweetheart, isn’t she?”

 

Hangeng didn’t answer him back, but only stared at him instead. While he's wiping the other's face, their eyes locked to each other. The silent night also added more intense atmosphere between them “I...I thought you will never come back to Jonseong”, he whispered.

 

“I don’t have any reason to not come back. You know I am a mercenary. A paid warrior” Hangeng whispered back without blinking. It’s been so long they’re in this close distance.

 

Heechul’s hand stopped on his left cheek “But I thought you wouldn’t come here after what I had done that day. I thought you hated me—”

 

“Shhhhh...” Hangeng placed a finger to Heechul’s mouth, made the latter’s cheek blushed “Why do you always assume everything by your own? Maybe I was a bit shocked about your confession, but I never looked at you with hatred nor anger”. The air between them gradually divided to be opposite magnetic poles as the distance between them became closer and closer.

 

“Heenim!!!!” Suddenly Hyoyeon opened the door made the other two were quickly retreated back to their former position.

 

“Yah!! Knock before opening the door, Ignorant !!” Heechul yelled at her because he nearly had a heart attack.

 

The latter only grinned “Hehe... Am I disturbing something important? I only want to tell you that dinner is ready”

 

Heechul gasped “Since when you report about ‘dinner is ready’ to me? Usually you just let me take it by myself!!”

 

But she answered plainly with a shrug, “I just want to serve my master nicely tonight. Is that wrong?”

 

Heechul gritted his teeth and ready to stand up to  grab her hair again because it’s obvious Hyoyeon did that on purpose to annoy him. But unlucky him, Hyoyeon already ran to the kitchen “Yah, Hyo!! Wait?”

 

“Like hell I am going to wait!” she shouted from afar.

 

Hangeng only shook his head and chuckled, watching Heechul disappeared from the room to chase Hyoyeon, “Funny people” he muttered with his mandarin language. He poured soju to his cup again and drank it. He’s still curious about Sungmin, Heechul’s friend. He’s sure he had seen her 4 years ago. Her face resembled someone. A woman he once met in somewhere high class.

 

He shook his head again. It’s impossible. He thought. Their face might be quite a look alike in some ways, but their aura was different. He clearly remembered the one he saw in Gyeongbok palace had a scary aura. Her fierce eyes were intimidating, making him wanted to just look down and couldn’t stare at her more than a second.

 

'Maybe it’s only my imagination', he thought.

 

 

 

 

~~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~~

 

 

 

“His Majesty has arrived. Open the gate !!!!” A shout from a gatekeeper made all the soldiers, servants, and palace officers who were around the palace lining on both sideways to greet their King.

 

Kyuhyun passed the entrance by his horse, followed by Prince Yesung and his followers, Captain Yonghwa, and some main royal bodyguards. Everyone bowed to the King and said ‘Long Life Jonseong King’ in unison. Kyuhyun lifted up a hand as a cue for them to lift up their head.

 

As the king and the others had arrived at the second gate, they climbed down from their horses and let the horsetaker to take care of them. There were only the King, Prince Yesung, and the royal bodyguards who could pass the second gate, so Prince Yesung’s followers stayed behind and let some servants brought them to their lodging. Only two of Prince Yesung’s people who were allowed to follow their leader.

 

As they passed the second gate, eunuchs and court ladies came to greet them, “Welcome back, Phea.” Eunuch Kang bowed his head along with other eunuchs and court ladies.

 

“And Prince Yesung, welcome back too. We’re blessed to be able to see you again”, He bowed again to Prince Yesung.

 

“No need to greet me that way, Kangin-shi. It feels awkward”, Yesung smiled at the eunuch who used to become his childhood friend since 18 years ago.

 

Eunuch Kang smiled back, “It’s in our protocol, my prince. We have prepared a room near King’s quarters”

 

“No. It’s too big for me. I prefer to stay at Dano pavilion. I spent the most of my childhood life there” Yesung said to Eunuch Kang then he turned to the King, “I hope you don't mind, Phea.”

 

Kyuhyun chuckled, “Of course I don’t mind, Hyung. Feel free to use it. It’s yours after all.”

 

“Welcome back, Phea!”

 

Everyone’s eyes turned to the owner of that gentle voice. It’s Lady Seohyun with her court ladies. She approached her husband with a wide smile, then bowed her head before him, “I am glad you come back healthy”

 

“You’ve never changed, Seohyun-shi. Oh, I am sorry, I mean Hyun Mama?” Yesung greeted her.

 

Seohyun looked surprised and shook her head “No. You don’t need to call me Hyun Mama. Please call me Seohyun. It has been a long time. Nice to meet you again, Prince Yesung” Seohyun said while bowing her head.

 

Yesung smiled, “Nice to meet you too again, Hyun Mama”

 

Hyung, she said you could call her Seohyun. Really, I don’t mind”, Kyuhyun protested.

 

But the big brother shrugged “It’s in the protocol, Phea. Right, Kangin-shi?” he said before he glanced at Eunuch Kang playfully. The latter left a chuckle, “Yes, Prince Yesung” made Kyuhyun rolled his eyes.

 

“Ah, I got something for you. We met some Chinese merchant on the way back here. They sold a lot of pretty items” Kyuhyun said while his hand tried to reach something inside his overcoat sleeve. He took a beautiful black rose hair pin with pink crystal in the center, but quickly put it back and took another one. A white peony flower hair pin with faint blue crystal on it. “White. Your favorite color, right?”

 

Seohyun took the hair pin and inserted it immediately to her bundled hair, “How is it?”

 

Kyuhyun smiled “It looks good on you. Right, Hyung?”. Yesung nodded, so did Captain Yonghwa who stood beside the King also added “Yes, It looks beautiful on you, Hyun Mama

 

Seohyun took a glance to Captain Yonghwa and smiled a bit, but quickly turned to face the King with a bright smile, “Thank you so much, Phea. I really like it. But can I know for whom that black hair pin is?”

 

Kyuhyun paused for a moment and bit his lower lip “Umm, it’s—it’s for my mother” he said with an awkward smile. Seohyun nodded with mouth formed an ‘O’ shape, but she couldn’t fully believe it because as far as she knew, Queen Mother Insoo's favorite color was blue. That black rose hair pin, it’s beautiful yet elegant. More than hers.

 

“Phea!!” an eunuch came from nowhere and ran hastily toward them.

 

“What’s going on, Ryeowook?” Eunuch Kang asked him

 

He squatted for a moment to catch his breath, “Min Mama. She...she...she releases her anger toward a court lady again!”

 

Kyuhyun eyes grew wide. Sungmin in rage was never happened since three years. He thought the latter had changed and became calmer nowadays. He wondered what the court lady had done  to make she lost her temper again, “Where is she now?”

 

“At the west wing”

 

“Bring me to there”

 

“Phea, wait!” Seohyun called him but the latter seemed in a hurry and forgot to say anything to her before rushing to the west wing of Gyeongbok Palace with some royal bodyguards.

 

Yesung shook his head “Geez, why he is such in a hurry like that. I’ll go there too. Jongjin, Sungjin! You two bring our stuff to Dano pavilion. Kangin-shi, let’s go!!” Yesung commanded to his fellow and Eunuch Kang. He turned a glance toward Seohyun “Excuse me, Seohyun-shi” he said before leaving.

 

“Let me you to your pavilion, Hyun Mama” Captain Yonghwa who still stayed there said to her.

 

Seohyun didn’t answer him. Instead, she kept staring at Kyuhyun's back figure  with an unreadable expression until the latter completely disappeared from her sight

 

Courlady Taeyeon walked closer toward her and whispered, “Madam!”

 

Seohyun took a long breath, “Let’s go to the west wing too”

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~~

 

 

“one hundred fifty nine..... ugh”

 

“one hundred sixty...... ugh”

 

“one...hundred sixty one.... ugh”

 

Sunkyu sat beside her queen, watching an insolent young court lady having her lower legs whipped by a long-thin wooden stick hardly by a senior court lady. It’s also witnessed by tens of beginner court ladies who watched in fear. They had to take a lesson what the consequences they would get if they pissed off a royal family member. A wooden stick punishment was not unfamiliar punishment for them. They had received it a lot in their trainee period to discipline themselves. They thought they had grown immune to that kind of punishment, but this time was the worst wooden stick punishment they had ever seen.

 

The young court lady winced in pain. She had to keep counting until 500 but whenever she forgot the number count or repeating the same number, she had to repeat counting from zero again. This had been her 6th try already, to say the same number. Her back leg wasn’t only red, but in a bloody mess. Everyone hardly saw her milky white skin. She cried, but no one who’s brave enough to take a pity and helped her.

 

She regretted what she did for her disrespectful manner when the queen walked passed them. She was only laughing to Sunyoung's joke while bowing their head to the queen. She didn’t mean to laugh at her. But unlucky her, the queen wasn’t in a good mood at the moment. Most of the young court ladies on her age rarely believed about the queen rumors that she liked to kill people who pissed her off. They even made a silly joke about the queen being mute. No one of them wanted to serve at the Queen pavilion since they preferred and respected Lady Seohyun more. From their opinion, Queen Min was more like a lazy queen who rarely showed up to the public and mostly imposed her job to Lady Seohyun instead. But this time she finally understood why most of senior court ladies were scared to Queen Min and didn’t dare to talk bad about her.

 

She asked for forgiveness for countless times, but the queen seemed like pretending not to hear her voice. The queen even didn’t have a heart to look at her begging face. She glanced at her a couple times only finding her cold stare.

 

“Min Mama, I think it’s enough. You haven’t eaten since last night”, Sunkyu whispered beside her. But the queen didn’t share a glance at her. She kept watching the young court lady’s punishment.

 

Knowing the queen for years, Sunkyu knew there’s something different from her eyes. Usually whenever she watched this kind of thing was followed with a cold smile, her eyes were much like she was enjoying people's screaming. But this time, they looked empty as if the queen’s mind wandering somewhere. She didn’t have any idea what the reason that made her queen like that. It was the first punishment after three years. Usually Queen Min preferred a direct and quick punishment, not with a very slow painful punishment like this.

 

She admitted she was quite happy that Queen Min gained more respect from young court ladies, but she still wondered what made her queen in such a bad mood. She thought her queen supposed to be happy after hanging out with Heechul yesterday.

 

“What’s happening here?” King Cho and Prince Yesung arrived to the place. Everyone got surprised, then bowed deeply at him immediately, except Queen Min.

 

The young court lady collapsed to her knees. Her face was so pale and wet with tears and sweat. Court lady Han approached the King “We’re punishing this court lady for her bad manner toward Queen Min, Phea”

 

Prince Yesung approached the girl, “Are you okay?”

 

“Please!! I don’t want to do this anymore. Just cut my legs, Phea” She begged.

 

“What’s your name?” Kyuhyun asked

 

The young court lady kept looking down “Sul... Sulli, Phea”

 

“What did you do?”

 

“It’s my fault. I... I laughed. But I didn’t mean to laugh at Queen Min”

 

Kyuhyun glanced at Sungmin. He noticed the latter expression was back to the usual cold Sungmin. She’s back. But some thought annoyed his mind, how about the smile he saw at the green field near Gyeong forest several days ago? That sweet smile and happy face. Was that only his imagination? But he blinked a lot when seeing that scene back then. He was sure he wasn’t day dreaming. So he chose to bet.

 

“Yes. It’s clearly your fault, a fourth level court lady like you, to not give any respect to the queen of Jonseong. You have to be punished, not only because of your mistake, but also as a good example to your fellow court ladies. Right my queen?” He glanced at Sungmin as she stood up along with Sunkyu.

 

“You usually preferred a severe and quick punishment like cutting tongue, finger, or other body part. Since she had laughed at you, how about I help her to cut her neck?” Kyuhyun challenged her. Everyone nearly winched with the King’s words included Prince Yesung.

 

Sungmin smiled plainly and shook her head. She asked Sunkyu to translate her lip movement “She said she didn’t need that. She’s enjoying herself punishing her and she’s satisfied enough”

 

Kyuhyun just smirked, “But I want to punish her. And you court lady Han!! This is not the first time I heard about a court lady being disrespectful. If this happen again, I will punish you multiple times than this” He warned court lady Han, who was in charge to disciple young court ladies.

 

Court lady Han bowed deeply in fear, more sweat were clearly seen on her face, “Yes, Phea. I understand. I’ll train them again”

 

“Good. Changmin!” Kyuhyun called one of his royal guard. The said man quickly understood as he pulled out his sword. The King glanced back to the expressionless Sungmin. He wanted to prove that the latter was never changed. That it’s useless to have a feeling for her.

 

As the royal bodyguard came closer, the young court lady whose name Sulli was shaking in fear. Her lip was mouthing some prayers. Never had she thought that she had to die just because of laughing. She closed her eyes, hoping the pain would pass quickly. She already heard some of her friends screaming.

 

But there’s nothing happened. She was still breathing, not feeling anything sharp on her neck, but a pair of arms were wrapping around her.

 

She opened her eyes. The royal guard still held his sword in the air. She turned to her left side, wanting to know the person who protected her. As she recognized the person, her eyes widened in shock. Her tears flew again like a waterfall.

 

It’s Queen Min...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TBC

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So here the new chapter guys ^^. I am so happy that I finally reached 200 subscribers. And Thank You so much for everyone who wishing me to get well soon ^^. Actually I planned to update last week but I got a fever hahaha XD. Thanks for all your comments. Hope you all like this chapter. Your comments will always be waited no matter what xD. Please tell me what you think about this chapter ^^!!

 

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Comments

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CHULelang
#1
it's been 8 years T.T
KariCia #2
Year 2021🥲😭
chokyuri #3
Chapter 48: Hi.. here I am again after watching Mr.Queen movie which has some similarities with this beautiful story.. I am so grateful I found that movie since it has a beautiful plot, great character development as well, and on top of all - IT HAS AN ENDING..
The movie is highly recommended to watch :))
Much love~~ stay healthy everyone~~
regreen14
#4
Jan 2021, still waiting for updates since 2014 😭
joyer137
#5
I'm trying to play the song in youtube but I couldn't find them.... What happen author-nim?? Even though you prolly won't update this anymore but please don't delete everything. I want to keep this story within my reach...
maefrancekim26 #6
Chapter 1: here i am 2 years since i first read this incredible story,still hoping for an update lol,how are you my friend?hope you are doing great! i've read this for so may times,i love how it still affects me and make me feel lot's of stuff allthroughout the story. this is again a masterpiece to bad it's still unfinished..
dipjyoti #7
Its really very frustrating to accept an un ending storyline. This beautiful story requires a closer. Please don't waste the whole efforts that you made on developing each character. If you can't write anymore, you can take help from a coauthor. Or simply you give us the draft. Please please at least give a single reply why did you stop to update the story.
chokyuri #8
Hello?? Here I am again for the n-th times :") still waiting for the update tho....
Dear Bonchan-nim, my friend, if u read this I wanna let you know that I do really love this story not only because it has KyuMin on it but the plot, the personality you have built up in every characters, even your choice of words in describing every scene are PRICELESS!!! It was AWESOME, and this story itselfy is a MASTERPIECE... I really meant my words :") I know you have all the rights to not continue writing this story, but please- pleaseee I beg you as your friend, as your fan, as people who really really love this story, please let us know the ending of both times (the previous life and also the present).. I will really appreciate it if you also give a happy ending for KyuMin in either the previous life or the present one :") So... yeah... I hope you are reading this.. and I also wanna say THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS STORY, I LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCHHHH✨♥️
galatea69 #9
This story is like a relationship without a closure ... I know my ship is already sinked, but still King Cho and Queen Min deserves an ending.. Ending because I am not hoping to be easy to King Cho coz he's been literally an to Queen Min but baby we need to know what is going to happen.. I wish u a good health ... Thank you for this wonderful story.
EXOholic-itine #10
Checking this fic every now and then though I know Kyumin ship being literally dead might be one of the reasons why you stop updating or might be personal issues I don't know.. All i know is that the reason why some like me kept on coming back here is because we are still hoping that we'd get to see any updates coming from you who wrote this unique and great story.. Ahhh I hate that I love this fic more than any kdramas nowadays..