It took less than a week of staying with Queen Yu in Songak for me to realise that life in court was no picnic. There was no place for me to throw tantrums and complain about everything without evading punishment. Queen Yu may be my aunt and thereby my family but she was not someone I could take lightly. Nor was third prince Wang Yo. I did not see much of him after our first meeting but the less I saw of him, the better for the both of us. I would save myself from fierce rage and he would save himself from possible injury. The past few days had given me time to think and I had decided that prince or not, I would uphold my vow to destroy him if necessary. Regardless of status, no one should have to tolerate any sort of wickedness. I had told Minyoung of those very thoughts but her response disappointed me.

“Minyoung is a lowly servant, my lady,” she said as she placed butterfly hairpins in my hair. “Shouldn’t people know their place? A servant must always and only endure.”

From my seat in front of the vanity table, I frowned. “Endure?” I repeated in disbelief. My heart was hammering against my chest but I could not tell if it was from anger or from sorrow. “If you were beaten endlessly for a crime you did not commit, are you supposed to say nothing? If I bullied you to tears, are you supposed to only endure?”

“My lady, I have been following you ever since I was young and I like you very much. I know you would not treat me badly without reason and even if that were to happen…Minyoung will still like you!” she replied with a smile before taking my hands in her own and bringing me to my feet.

I had nothing more to say after that and I remained silent as Minyoung followed me out of my quarters. It was the day before the exorcism rite and though I would not be spending it with the royals, I had to go out to buy a new dress.

The royals would be holding the exorcism rite in the palace; I, however, had point-blank refused to attend the ceremony and opted to spend the evening on the streets of Songak where the citizens would be celebrating. That would be more fun, I was absolutely certain of it. I was smiling just at the thought of my first event in Songak without my parents to pester me but the smile was immediately wiped off my face when I ended up bumping into someone.