Chapter 3

Small pale hands had carefully measured fine green powder into a satchel of dried purple petals before tying the package close with a string. 

She let out a sigh, brushing the loose strands of her golden hair behind her ear.  This was the last order of the day, and she stretched her arms above her head after the tedious grinding of herbs.  Every day was the same for Ara.  She concocted potions and medicine for the village people as they bustled about, lively and carefree.  As monotonous and ordinary it may be, Ara was content, respected by many and driven by purpose.

“Hey Ara, is it ready yet?” A voice called at the open doorway.

Ara turned around to her childhood acquaintance that was her age, fifteen, yet already so beautiful.  Her auburn hair was twisted into a knot and the apron adorning her envious curves was speckled with flour and cream.

“It is.  This should help with the nausea and aches your mother has,” she replied, handing over the medicine to Sohee.

The girl rolled her green eyes as she accepted it and handed Ara a few coins.  “I can’t believe my mom’s going to have a baby—and at her age!”

Ara’s lips twitched as she held back a grin.  “It’s never too late, I think,” she commented.

Sohee expelled a sudden snort, surprising Ara and even herself, which she tried to veer into a giggle.  Lately, she has been mindful of her blooming appearance, and already had a line of fake sweet-toothed suitors ordering cakes and desserts on an unusual daily basis.

A trumpet bugled throughout the village, to which Ara disregarded.  Sohee squealed, unfurling her long curls with flustered haste.

“Ara!  Oh my goodness!  Do you think the Prince is here?” Sohee exclaimed, brushing off the remnants of ingredients on her apron only to smear it more.

“Perhaps,” Ara responded with a shrug, and turned around to clean up.

With a yank on her arm, Ara found herself stumbling out the door after Sohee, who used her free hand to brush her hair and embellish her auburn tresses with doughy crumbs.

“We have to go see him!”

Ara rolled her eyes this time.  “Isn’t he a flirt or something?”

Sohee stopped behind the gathering and turned a shrewd look at her.  “He has every right to be.  He is the Prince, after all,” she said a matter-of-factly.

“I would love to be his concubine,” Sohee added, arching on her tippy-toes and gazing dreamily over the crowd’s heads.

“You know, if you come back crying with a broken heart, I won’t have to say—“

“I told you so,” Sohee finished.  She stuck her tongue out at her.

“Then by all means, go for it,” Ara relented with a small laugh.  There was no rousing Sohee from her dreams or tempering her obstinacy.  Those were some traits Ara admired about her.  Sohee had a voice, she had dreams—and Ara had never thought about aspiring for more than what she currently had.

Still, Sohee’s infatuation with the prince worried her.  From what she had overheard through gossip, the prince was impulsive, reckless, temperamental, a philanderer—and Sohee had the beauty to catch his eye.

In a gradual surge, the crowd stooped courteously.  Ara followed suit, slightly bending her wobbly knees, bowing her blonde head, and curtsying with as much grace she could muster.  She had never seen the Prince before.  The sensible mind of hers had stated that work was far more imperative than ogling a fetching prince with an infamous repute, and the stress of her emotive nature restrained her with the fearful thought of falling victim to hopelessly fantasizing, like dear Sohee.  The plod of hooves drew near, and Ara’s eyes betrayed her as she peeked up in curiosity. 

Leading the march was the Royal family’s most trusted, General Soonyoung.  At a fresh age of twenty-two, Soonyoung was the youngest general after his father, who had served them throughout his life, and whose father’s father served as well.  Soonyoung faced forward, stern and unenthused, and imposing.  No one risked to clash against the general for he had acquired his father’s cat-like reflexes and speed; no assassination attempt or assault had ever succeeded.

“Oh my goodness!  It’s the Prince!”

“Prince Seungcheol, marry me!” 

“Only Seventeen and already such a fine young man.”

The onlookers squealed and cheered blocking Ara’s view.  As she arched on her toes, her heart leaped up into and her eyes lit up when her searching amethyst eyes locked onto a dignified young man, who was perched on his gallant white steed. 

The rumors were unfailingly true. 

Prince Seungcheol was devastatingly handsome.  His short silvery lilac hair dazzling in the haloing rays of the sun was a trademark of his royal blood, and the gray eyes of his mother were dark with self-assurance and mischief.  A knowing smirk played on his full lips—lips that undoubtedly whispered saccharine odes of adoration and worldly promises, lips that spoke softly to a beautiful male riding beside him, to whom was born with straight and exquisitely golden tresses that rendered Ara’s own as ashen and dried wheat; one with compassionate russet eyes, and a delicate nose and rosy lips that would flare any female’s deepest envy.

‘He must be Jeonghan’, Ara realized, the gossips circulating through her memory.

The stunning male was the Prince’s close childhood friend, and from the low whispers that had been exchanged between female admirers, Jeonghan was the Prince’s secret lover. 

‘Could this rumor be true?’

Even from a glimpse, she could tell the two were close.  Close enough to be lovers?  She wasn’t so sure, but Jeonghan was like a character out of a fairytale.

Ara’s chest tightened and a shadow of dissatisfaction fell from her expression to the hollowness of her stomach.  The sensation was foreign and baffling.

She looked away from the procession.  ‘What was this strange feeling?  Was I disappointed?’  Her puzzled eyes widened in shock as she stared at her hand.  Her slender fingers had impulsively combed through the length of hair.

A heat of a stare prickled her skin.  Ara glanced up and froze to a certain dark gray eyes gazing at her.  ‘Was the Prince looking at me?’

She browsed around her and then back to the Prince, whose lips then curved into an amused smile.  His disarming action flushed her cheeks, and she quickly tore her own gawking eyes away from him. 

Strange, her heart was pounding too rapidly.  When the horses passed by did Ara expel a heavy breath she didn’t realize she was holding in.

“Ara!  Did you see?  The Prince was looking at me!”  Sohee exclaimed, tugging on Ara’s sleeves.

Blinkin