The capital city was filled with life as Heechul stepped from his carriage. He’d managed to persuade, Shindong, the estate’s driver, to take him into the city. It would have taken too long to walk the distance from the country manor to town. Shindong cackled as Heechul stumbled out of the carriage and tried to walk as ladylike as possible. He wasn’t accustom to dresses, and his movements were too harsh to be those of a noble woman.

    “You look ridiculous,” Shindong laughed, “No one is going to believe you’re a girl.”

     “For Leeteuk’s sake, they will have to.” Heechul snapped, smoothing out his crimson dress and practicing dainty hand motions. “I will be back to the carriage in an hour. Wait for me here.”

    “If you don’t return, I’ll assume you’ve been arrested for impersonating a Lady.” Shindong teased, his full belly shaking as he laughed. “Good luck, My Lady.”

    “Shut up,” Heechul huffed, turning away from the carriage and facing the large stone building in front of him. “This had better work, or we’re all dead.”

   Taking a deep breath, Heechul made sure to sway his hips as he moved towards the guards stationed outside the prison. He smiled sweetly to them and received polite bows in return. One guard held open the door for him and addressed him as My Lady, evidence that his disguise was working

    “Good afternoon, My Lady.” a tall guard inside the door greeted. “What business do you have in the prison?”

    “I’m here to bail out my servant. He was unjustly arrested today for a crime he did not commit.”

    “And, what estate does he belong to, My Lady?”

   “The Lee estate,” Heechul replied, before adding, “Formerly, the Kim estate.”

     “The Prince himself had that man brought in.” The guard informed, “He’s being sentenced as we speak.”

     “Where?”

     “In the royal court. If you hurry, you may make it in time.” the guard replied, “I wish you luck, My Lady.”

     Heechul bowed politely to the guard, before turning and sprinting from the building. The guard gave him a strange look, causing Heechul to remember that he wasn’t a servant today, but a noble woman who bowed to no one but royalty. Trying to walk with an air of nobility, Heechul set his site on the royal palace on the hill overlooking the city. Court was held on the palace steps once a week, sending poor criminals to the noose or into the prisons. It made him ill to think of Leeteuk standing trial there.

     It took longer than Heechul expected to wind his way through the city and climb the walkway to the palace. His heart was pounding as he pushed through a crowd of spectators gathered to watch the sentencing. Standing in the center of the large stone courtyard was a group of men in chains and a judge holding a leather bound book and quill. He was speaking with the men one by one and hearing their cases before writing down the proper sentencing.

     “Wait!” Heechul shouted as the judge stepped in front of Leeteuk and raised his quill. “That man is innocent!”

    “Who dares interrupt sentencing?” the judge snapped, “What man is so bold?”

     “That servant belongs to my estate,” Heechul began, pitching up his voice to sound more feminine as he stepped from the crowd and crossed the stone courtyard. “I have come to pay for his release.”

     “This man was arrested for defying royal order,”

     “He is not the servant who disobeyed,” Heechul provided, “The court is mistaken. Ask the man who plowed through my hay this morning. You have arrested the wrong man.”

    “If this is the wrong man, than where is the right one?” the judge asked as Heechul stepped in front of him and Leeteuk made a strangling sound in his throat.

     “He ran away,” Heechul lied, holding up his velvet purse. “Please, release my property?”

     “I will have to ask the Prince first,” the judge informed, his gaze casting towards the palace as a group of servants approached holding silk umbrellas over a tall man’s head. “He can identify if this man is the one at fault.”

     “How, he wasn’t…,” Heechul began, his words trailing off as the man approaching them turned out to be the same man he’d hit with a clod of dirt that morning. “Is that the Prince?”

    “Yes, My Lady.” the judge confirmed, “May I present Prince Choi Siwon.”

     “Sire,” Heechul greeted, bowing politely as he realized he’d assaulted a member of the royal family.

      “Is something wrong?” Siwon asked, gesturing to the prisoners as Heechul kept his head bowed in hopes of not being recognized.

     “This Lady says we’ve arrested the wrong man. Is this the servant who assaulted you this morning, Sire?”

     “No,” Siwon answered, “I do not know this man. Where did you find him?”

    “Clearing the road of hay, Sire.” the judge informed, “He was where you said the guilty party would be.”

     “Servant, what is your name?” Siwon asked, “What estate do you belong to?”

     “Park Jungsu, Sire.” Leeteuk answered, bowing his head. “I work for the Lee estate. The man who attacked you has run away. I was tending to the mess he left.”

    “And, who are you, My Lady?” Siwon questioned, turning his attention to Heechul. “I feel like we’ve met before.”

     “We have not, Sire.” Heechul replied, his gaze on the ground as he spoke. “I have come to reclaim me servant. I can pay for him.”

     “He is an innocent man, payment isn’t needed.” Siwon reassured, “Though, I will not release him until I know the name of the lovely Lady standing before me.”

    “My name?” Heechul repeated, not sure how to answer. “My name…,”

    “You do have one, don’t you, My Lady?”

    “Her name is Kim Heemi,” Leeteuk supplied, causing Heechul to flinch and look up with wide eyes. “She’s Master Lee’s stepdaughter.”

     “I didn’t know Lord Lee had another daughter,” Siwon stated, his dark eyes studying Heechul’s face closely. “I think I would have remembered such beautiful eyes.”

     “I have been living with my grandmother,” Heechul lied, “I am only visiting for the summer, Sire.”

    “Release her servant,” Siwon ordered, “He is free to go.”

    “Thank-you, Sire.”

    “On one condition,” Siwon added as Leeteuk was set free. “I require your presence tomorrow for breakfast. I would like to get to know you, My Lady.”

     “That would be impossible,” Heechul denied, “I have church tomorrow…,”

    “Tomorrow is Saturday, My Lady.” Siwon chuckled, “I will pick you up at seven. If you do not wish to come, then I will gladly sell your servant to another estate.”

    “No!” Heechul squeaked, “I will have breakfast with you, Sire. But, do not come pick me up at the estate. My stepfather wouldn’t approve of the outing.”

     “I happen to know that Lord Lee would die to have one of his daughters spend time with the Prince.”

     “But, I am not his daughter.” Heechul supplied, “I’m simply a product of a marriage. My stepfather isn’t too fond of me, Sire.”

    “Then, where would you like to meet for breakfast, My Lady?”

    “Meet me in front of the field you destroyed with your horrible hounds,” Heechul instructed, “I’ll pack a picnic for us, Sire.”

     “A picnic,” Siwon repeated, seeming curious by the choice. “I have never had a picnic before. I thought them as something only peasants do.”

    “Then, you have yet to really live, Sire.” Heechul teased, suddenly feeling quite bold. “Now, if you’d excuse me, I must get back to the estate. Leeteuk has chores that need tending, and I am quite tired.”

    “I will send you home myself, My Lady.” Siwon offered, gesturing to one of his servants. “Prepare the carriage!”

    “Please, Sire..,” Heechul begged, “My stepfather won’t approve…,”

    “Don’t worry, My Lady. I will be careful to not cause you trouble. I have already caused you too much today. It’s the least I can do.”

     Heechul’s hands shook as he sat in the back of the Prince’s carriage with said royal seated across from him. Siwon was staring at him with a curious look on his face. He studied him closely, as if trying to figure out the meaning of a complex painting. Heechul kept his head bowed in fear that Siwon would recognize him as a man. So far, he had yet to connect his face with the servant who’d attacked him.

    “Have you never been to the palace before, Lady Heemi?” Siwon asked as the carriage bumped slowly down the road. “I think I would remember those eyes.”

    “No, Sire.” Heechul answered is a whisper. “I do not care for the triviality of the royal court.”

    “Triviality?” Siwon repeated, again seeming curious. “Tell me, My Lady, what is trivial about the palace?”

    “Forgive me Sire for saying this, but I find the stations of nobility, royalty, peasants, and slaves, to all be trivial. A man’s worth shouldn’t be determined by the blood in his veins, but his actions and his mind.”

    “I see,”

    “To socialize with those at court would mean to surround myself with people who feel they are better than all others, except those who wear crowns.” Heechul continued, “A crown isn’t a sign of worth, Sire. It’s just a piece of expensive jewelry.”

     “These are bold words to be said to a Prince, My Lady.”

    “I apologize, Sire.” Heechul stated, afraid that he’d overstepped his boundaries.

     “Do not apologize, My Lady.” Siwon instructed, leaning forwards and placing his hand under Heechul’s chin. “And, don’t look down when you speak. As you said, I am not worth more than you are, so you do not have to show humility before me.”

    “And, you’re not wearing your expensive jewelry today, Sire.” Heechul quipped, lifting his head and looking into Siwon’s dark eyes. “If I had known it was a prince my servant assaulted this morning, I would have commended him for it.”

     “Commended him?”

     “Royalty are worse than nobility. They do not just abuse the law to their favor, but they create the corruption.”

     “How can a woman of nobility have such scorn for titles?” Siwon asked with a quirked brow. “You confuse me, My Lady.”

     “When you grow up being looked down upon, even though noble blood runs through your veins, it is easy to dismiss such titles as trivial.” Heechul whispered as the carriage came to a stop. “I believe, this is where we part ways, Sire.”

     “If it is alright with you, My Lady. I’d like to pay a visit with your stepfather while I am here.”

     “Please, do not mention my name to him, Sire.” Heechul begged, “I do not wish to anger him. I’m not supposed to leave the estate during my visit. He will not like that we met today.”

     “I promise not to mention you,” Siwon assured, “I only wish to apologize for wrongly arresting his servant. Will you be alright walking from here, My Lady?”

    “Yes, Sire.” Heechul replied as the carriage door opened and Leeteuk offered him his hand.

    Climbing from the carriage, Heechul bowed politely as the door closed and the Prince pulled away.

     “We have to run,” Heechul told Leeteuk in his normal voice. “He’s going to speak with Father and I need to be out of these clothes when he does.”

     “Why are you dressed like a woman, anyway?” Leeteuk asked, “You look ridiculous.”

    “This ridiculous look just saved your life.”

     “It was your fault it was in jeopardy in the first place,” Leeteuk pointed out as Heechul grabbed his hand and began pulling him up the road.

     “Just say thank-you,” Heechul huffed, “Now, move your . I need to be a man again. This dress is heavy, and my feet are killing me.”

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The last chapter didn't get many comments. Did you not like it? :( I'll try harder to make it better.