"General Kwon has requested to see you."

The fear in Joohyun's eyes when she looked at Seulgi made Seulgi sick to her stomach, the fire burnt in her eyes as she slowly turned back to her head of servant, clenching her fists so tightly that Yoon Ah could see the veins on the back of the Empress' hands. "I am not seeing her. Get out." Her tone was stern and cold, making Yoon Ah shivered in fear before she left the room to inform Yuri. 

"What does she want?" Joohyun asked quickly when Yoon Ah left, clutching onto Seulgi's sleeve tightly, her lips became rather pale from the nervousness that was eating her from inside. 

Seulgi's clenched fists relaxed and she turned to face Joohyun slowly, raising her right hand to cup the girl's cheek gently. "I have no idea. It can't be that she knows about the baby." Joohyun felt slightly at ease when Seulgi's thumb caressed her cheek, she held the Empress' hand on her cheek and brought it to her lips to kiss the palm. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I am the Empress." 

Fear was evident in their eyes, the way Seulgi looked at Joohyun in a proprietorial way and the way Joohyun slowly leaned closer to capture her lover's lips in the most tender way as if she was scared to hurt the young Empress any further. Seulgi sighed when Joohyun nibbled her lower lip and she pulled Joohyun closer by the waist, exchanging kisses that would then be sealed as a promise to never leave each other's side. Their hearts raced because of the adrenaline and the fear, but the latter was soon forgotten as they peppered more kisses on each other's face as they whispered their promises. 

"I am the Empress, I won't let her take you away from me. I am not scared." Seulgi panted slightly from the kiss earlier on. Joohyun stared at her younger lover so softly because she knew that the Empress was in fact, scared. Despite being an Empress, she could not defy the rules and regulations. The rule was in favour of Yuri at that point of time since Yuri was the mother of Joohyun's child. Seulgi saw the way Joohyun looked at her and she could not bear to look into her eyes anymore for the fear that Joohyun would not trust her to keep her safe from Yuri, she pulled the girl into her embrace and she rested her chin on Joohyun's shoulder. 

It was killing her.

How her mother gave her all the power of being an Empress and yet, she felt so powerless because of the girl she loved. If she had to give Joohyun away, she swore she would take her own life since she could not even protect the only girl that she loved, what made her think that she could protect the entire nation? And in that moment, she knew that she would never be able to live without Joohyun, for the girl meant the world to her. 

Three Months Later 

"Your Majesty, are you going to the Imperial-"

"Joohyun." 

"But, Your Majesty, you haven't been stepping into your other consorts'-"

"I said Joohyun." 

Seulgi put her brush away and looked up to glare at Yoon Ah who immediately bowed her head lower to avoid the eyes of the Empress. 

For the past three months, Seulgi always stayed at Joohyun's place and she would only go to Sana's place once a week and Soojung's place in the day when she had free time to see Nayeon. She knew what she wanted - Joohyun. She did not care if Sana was going to throw tantrum again in the next morning when the Japanese princess would go to her study room to whine at her for neglecting her. She did not care, but she would still pacify the girl because she had to admit that she was fond of the girl, just not love. She was pissed off a few times by Sana when Sana questioned about Joohyun's baby, it was a sensitive topic and Sana would probe it to an extent that Seulgi would sometimes send her out. Seulgi had no idea why Sana would doubt and ask so much about the baby.

"Your Majesty, do you want to get the physician to check on the lady's baby tomorrow?" Yoon Ah asked slowly as Seulgi stepped out of her study room to walk to Joohyun's place. Seulgi looked to her side at Yoon Ah with an arched eyebrow. "I heard from Seohyun that the lady vomited thrice this morning." 

"Why didn't you come and inform me?" Seulgi's eyes was filled with worry and she questioned Yoon Ah. "Didn't Seohyun call the physician to check on Joohyun?" Seulgi fastened her pace and her guards had to jog to catch up on her. 

"She did, but it is not the physician that the lady always sees." Yoon Ah replied breathlessly since she was practically jogging to follow the Empress as well. 

"Where did physician Song go?" Seulgi frowned. 

"She took a leave because of family matter. She will be back tomorrow." 

"Just get her to check on Joohyun as soon as possible." Seulgi said quickly and she waved for the guards and servants to stay outside before she went into Joohyun's room. "Hyunnie?" Seulgi's voice became much softer and gentler. The room was quite dim and Seulgi supposed that Joohyun had already fallen asleep. She should be, because Seulgi ended her day later than usual. She smiled when she saw Joohyun lying on the bed, her back facing her. 

Seulgi tip-toed to the bed and removed her robe by herself, putting it away on the table beside the bed. She blew out another candle to make the room dimmer so that Joohyun could sleep better. As quietly as possible, the Empress sat down beside Joohyun and pulled the blanket up higher to cover the sleeping girl. She was tired, but her fatigue was washed away when she looked at her lover at the end of the day. 

The way Joohyun would scrunch her eyebrows a little in her sleep. The way Joohyun's fists would clench as if she was a baby. The way her hair would sprawl flawlessly on the pillow as if to decorate the bed. Seulgi smiled to herself and leaned down to kiss on Joohyun's ear, her eyes shut gently as she took in a sniff of her lover's addictive scent. 

Her eyes fluttered open when she heard the girl groan softly, stirring in her sleep. She immediately sat back and tried to remain as still as possible but she failed, because she had already woken Joohyun up from her sleep. 

"Sorry..." Seulgi muttered when Joohyun turned around to look at her with her half-lidded eyes that were still sleepy. 

Joohyun smiled and reached for Seulgi's hand, putting it near her cheek as she nuzzled to Seulgi's palm. "I was waiting for you, but I fell asleep." Joohyun said sheepishly. She tugged on Seulgi's hand with a small pout to pull Seulgi to lie down beside her. The moment Seulgi rested her back on her bed, Joohyun immediately threw an arm across the Empress' body and snuggled closer. "I miss you, you know."

"I miss you too." Seulgi smiled and s her arm under Joohyun's neck to pull her tighter. "How are you feeling?" 

"Fine?" Joohyun laughed a little. 

"I heard from Yoon Ah that you were sick this morning." Seulgi sighed. "I am sorry. I didn't know..." 

"I told Seohyun to not tell you because you were working. It is just a normal thing, I guess." Joohyun said, tapping on Seulgi's toned abdomen with her finger. 

"But still... it must be hard." Seulgi mumbled. She could not bear to see the girl suffer. "I will get the physician to check on you again tomorrow." 

"Alright." Joohyun said quietly. "Did Yoon Ah give you the chicken soup?" 

Seulgi nodded. 

"You must take care of your body. You know how... your mother overworked..." Joohyun said carefully.

"I will look after my body, don't worry." Seulgi smiled and pecked on Joohyun's forehead. "How's the baby today?" 

"Same." Joohyun replied flatly. 

"Let's think of a name for her." Seulgi suggested. Joohyun did not reply and just shrugged. "Nara?" 

"She should not have similar name as Nayeon." Joohyun stated coldly. 

Seulgi bit her lip and she exhaled slowly. "She is my daughter, what would the ministers think if I don't give her a similar name?" 

"She is not-"

"Hyunnie..." 

"I don't like her." Joohyun detached her arm from Seulgi and turned to lie on her back as well, staring at nothing. 

"She didn't do anything wrong." Seulgi reasoned, turning to face Joohyun and resting her head on her own arm. 

"Just give her something else." Joohyun insisted. "She is not a princess." 

They fell into silence afterward with Seulgi studying Joohyun's face quietly. She was aware that Joohyun did not like the baby inside her and she would sometimes skip the medicine prescribed by the physician for the baby because she did not want the baby at all. But Seulgi still made sure that the baby was safe and healthy because the baby was innocent after all. 

"Sometimes I feel like you're still the Hyunnie that I met ten yea