second prince

»  

She blankly stared at him.

THE SECOND PRINCE!!!!

Gaya immediately backtracked into a deep bow, wondering why the hell she had fallen into this predicament.

She waited for her punishment but all she heard was….laughter. She looked up curiously and found the prince laughing uncontrollably. It was a very strange situation.

She waited until he was done and looked at him with interest in her eyes. He was very good-looking, long nose, straight face and a strong chin. It led her to thinking about his brother, the crown prince.

‘You still haven’t answered my question, you know?’ he asked again, with visible humour in his eyes.

‘About why I haven’t failed yet? Well, it’s to bring honour to my family’

‘Honour’ the prince asked with curiosity.

‘Yes, to bring honour. If I fail now I will just end up being one of the girls who failed the selection and I could be allowed to marry anyone of my rank. But if I fail towards the end with only a few candidates remaining, it makes me the girl who almost became queen and it gives me the high right to marry whom I choose. It also brings honour and respect to my family.’ Gaya said thoughtfully and truthfully.

The prince was stunned, to say the least. He had never met such a woman. At the palace, women were meek creatures, and the princes had been taught as such. The only woman he had seen exercising her power would be the Dowager*. He had never seen women explicitly voice their thoughts on marriage either.

‘Don’t you always have a choice on marriage?’

Gaya darkly laughed.

‘You are truly not aware of things outside this palace, your highness and since I have to leave now I suggest you do some research. Now if you’ll excuse me.’ Gaya walks away before she could hear a word of protest from the prince.

Lee Minwoo, the second price, makes it his duty to research and finds out disturbing things. He could finally understand Gaya’s dark undertone. Her favourite cousin, the daughter of a merchant had been forced to marry a high ranking minister even though her cousin refused. What continued was something that commonly occurred, according the prince’s research. The cousin was beaten up by her drunkard new husband and unable to bear the pressure, she committed suicide. Minwoo learnt for the first time what a majority of women outside this palace went through, all because of a certain girl named Song Gaya.

The next day the remaining 24 candidates were called upon to have their faces read by a renowned face reader and drawn by a painter for the crown prince to see. All the girls powdered up their faces and pinched their cheeks for it was the first time the crown prince would see them, albeit indirectly. Gaya did not do anything for she was far too immersed in her thoughts of the second prince. She wondered if she has been too rude to a member of the royal family and whether she should find him and apologise.

The girls all lined up and Gaya looked at Daera.

‘Why haven’t you done anything to your face?’ Gaya asked.

‘Because you told me to be myself and this is what I truly look like. I do not wish to deceive the crown prince.’ Daera’s answer made Gaya smile.

For the next hour they had their portraits drawn, while a face reader stared at their faces. It was an uncomfortable experience. After names were called and only 10 candidates were remaining, Gaya thought it wouldn’t matter if she failed the next test and decided not to prepare. They had to wait until the next day for the announcement of the next test.

Upon reaching he chambers she found a slip under her pillow.

Meet me at the gold pavilion at noon sharp

-Minwoo

Gaya had no idea of the second prince being named Minwoo yet she took a chance as her curiosity pulled her and she was standing smack in the middle of the pavilion at noon.

‘I knew you’d come’

Startled, Gaya turned.

‘Second prince’ she bowed. Gaya felt deep in her heart that the letter was from the second prince, why she did not know.

‘Pardon me but is your name…Minwoo?’ Gaya cringed at saying the princes’ name. No one could call the royal family by their names only their titles.

‘I like the sound of that. Hmmm…I give you permission to call me by my name’ he smiled at her boldness.

Gaya felt beyond flustered. She regretted coming out to the pavilion.

‘Why do you look so troubled? Are you scared of a mere prince?’ the prince asked, amused.

‘No, I am afraid of the laws’ she answered.

Gaya’s answers always seemed to make the prince think twice, something he would usually never do.

‘You are very intriguing, Song Gaya. You make me almost wish you truly do not get selected.’

Gaya was puzzled at what he meant.

‘I will give you a word of advice. Tomorrow someone very important will meet you. In front of that person keep your mouth shut. If you don’t you are one step closer to becoming selected. I have prior commitments so I shall leave now’ at that the prince proceeded to leave much like how Gaya had left him before, leaving Gaya confused at what he said.

With a jolt Gaya realised she never apologised.

Minwoo walked to his brother, the crown prince’s pavilion and found him as usual, practicing with his sword.

‘Do you ever do anything except tire yourself with that sword of yours?’ Minwoo called aloud.

His brother, the crown price of Shilla and next in line to become King turned and smiled at his little brothers approach.

‘Do you do anything except wander around?’ Hoon retorted.

They both sit down and are served the finest soju, taking turns pouring for each other.

‘Brother, among your future brides, there is one very interesting girl’ Minwoo says, already intoxicated.

‘Do not tell me you went and met one of them. You know it is prohibited’ Hoon chastised.

‘Well, the first time was a coincidence. The seond time was deliberate. I couldn’t not meet her. She makes me rethink m view of the world.’

‘What’s her name?’ Hoon asks, clearly interested in the girl that made his brother think, a rare feat.

‘Song Gaya’ the second prince slurs the name and falls unconscious under the influence.

Song Gaya

Hoon refers to the portraits he had received of the candidates and finds Song Gaya. She was truly an exceptional beauty he thought but turning the page over to her family members made him crumple her portrait. Her brother’s name ignited fire in his heart.

Song Yunho.

Dowager - The mother of the king.