The silence is deafening, unable to ease the tense atmosphere as Mirae is lost within the Queen's words. Her mind is unable to comprehend what was merely said to her, for the mere magnitude of such truths was too much to bear. The woman before her—the woman before Mirae—was her mother's best friend, the one that promised to tend to the aid of her daughter once the circumstances were right. Clenching the rings in her hand, the Queen's eyes are filled with tears, her heart breaking beyond boundaries and wounds incinerating as she remembers her friend's words that night. She had no idea where Raejin was heading, and for such a long time to pass for her daughter to already be so grown and old was simply too mind-boggling to understand. The truth, the time that had lapsed. the lost memories and promises—Miyoung remembered it all as if it were merely yesterday she had last seen her dear friend. 

"Mirae.." The woman draws, taking a step closer however Mirae balks in her stance, unable to blink an eye nor able to acknowledge that the Queen, the ruler of the Kingdom, was her mother's best friend and promised protector. "Y-You... You're the daughter of Hwang Raejin." She states, this time her words still indecipherable. The girl balks at the words spoken to her, and the second she snaps back into reality she shakes her head in disbelief and feels closing, growing parch with the inability to talk. 

"W-Whatever my... My mother told you.." She trails, avoiding her piercing gaze and stares off at the gown laid onto the bed. "I'm sure it was out of impulse—" 

"No." The Queen interrupts, almost instantly at the girl's denial, for she knows that deep in her heart that her friend needed her. "Your mother made me promise with all her might, and I am to keep that promise. You are to be treated as my daughter, no matter the circumstance. Whether you are wedded to my son, or my best friend's daughter, or a stranger, I promised to keep you under my care." She states boldly, her voice stern and completely terse in its intentions. Her mere tone made Mirae stoop in fear, yet came to understand why the Queen had stated herself so strongly. Though she may never know what had happened before her birth, the look of seriousness on her face told her that the promise was spoken and was made to be kept no matter what. She couldn't help but to feel bad, not wanting to burden her with her mere presence and persisted once more in an attempt to lower her kind and generous offerings. 

"Madame, you have already done so much for me. Why must you do so much to this extent..? Please, do not burden yourself." Mirae pleads, about to get down on her knees before the royal head stops her from doing so, tears falling from her eyes as she embraces the lower with gentle caress. The action makes Mirae's heart stop in her chest, her eyes wide with surprise as the Queen sobs into her shoulder. 

"Oh Mirae," She cries out, hugging her tightly and rubbing her back soothingly. "You don't understand. You're still too young to understand why your mother left and.. And I promised her to keep you from knowing. Please, let me do this for her. Your mother helped me and the King become rulers of this Kingdom, taking care of her daughter is the smallest deed I can do back for her." Her begs are full of sincerity, and Mirae eventually relents and submits into her pleads. She embraces the Queen with her own open arms, consoling her and reassuring her of compliance with silent whispers and quiet reassurances.

"I-I understand..." Her voice breaks, unable to take how the circumstances have curved them together, how the smallest bonds of love can bring two people together indefinitely. "I won't fight it anymore, Madame..." 

Smiling through her tears, the elder pulls away and cups Mirae's cheek. "You know, you are just like your mother. Always unwilling to accept help no matter how willing the person helping is." 

Mirae chuckles at this, also feeling tears well within her eyes at the thought of her mother. "If you don't mind.. H-How was my mother..? What did she say when she made you promise her...?" She questions, and the smile on the Queen's face only widens. 

Her warmth, the welcoming beam on her face, and the subtle affection evident within her irises was enough to tell her what she was like. Though her mother wasn't there, she could see how fondly the elder must have found her to be. After all, they were the bestest of friends, stuck and bonded together through circumstances both past and present; perhaps maybe in the future. Because as the Queen stares back into the eyes of the daughter of her friend, she is reminded of every second spent with her, especially when promises were spoken and most definitely kept in this very moment. 

Sauntering in the secrets of her relationship, Miyoung strolls the halls with utmost caution, ensuring that she were to not be spotted by the Queen or any of the guards who knew of her status with the prince. The night is still young with the stars now beginning to twinkle within the darkened skies, the moon's twilight illuminating the way through candle-lit corner and frames of portraits amongst the walls. Her gown is tarnished, ruined from her earlier altercation with the Queen as tears stream down her face pathetically. Her prince can be heard arguing even down the corridor, yelling and screaming at his mother as he begs and pleads for her to be with someone he simply was forbidden to be with. It broke her heart every day, living with the burden of tainting royal blood yet the love they had for each other was simply too strong to throw away. The prince had already fallen harder than she had, more than willing to risk the crown in order to be with her. 

And as she takes her last few steps before the grand staircase leading to the garden's where she greets the night's shivers, a voice calls out to her, soft yet loud enough for her to turn her head and meet the disheveled visage of her dearest of friends. 

"Miyoung!" The voice calls out, and she immediately gasps at the mere appearance of her friend. "Come here..." She pleads from the bottom of the stairs, hiding her stomach with crossed arms and clutching over at what seems to be in pain. 

"What's the matter? Why do you look so in pain Raejin-ah..?!" She exclaims under a hushed breath, hastily running down the stairs and approaching her with great concern. Miyoung watches as her friend bends over in pain, hissing under her breath and cursing to herself. 

"I.. I'm pregnant." 

The words take Miyoung aback, unable to comprehend the mere truth as questions race through her mind. Who was the father? How was she going to take care of this baby? How far along had she been? No matter what the case was, worry and panic set through her veins into whims of delirium and disbelief. Not only was Miyoung gravely concerned, but she was gravely pained at how Raejin seemed to have covered this pregnancy for what looked like months, telling by the size of her abdomen. 

"W-What do you mean? How did this happen?" She asks, helping Raejin down onto the bench beside them as she clutches in pain and sighs in momentary relief. Sweat beads upon her friend's forehead, a handkerchief patted onto her skin as Miyoung tends to her pallor visage, ensuring the best of comfort for her. 

"It's okay, you don't need to do that for me." Raejin replies, waving her hand as Miyoung frowns. She was always the stubborn one, unable to accept help no matter who it came from. "All that matters is that you're here." 

"Why? What is needed from me?" Miyoung asks hastily, unable to contain her nerves as she watches her friend's face contort in pain, twisting from frowns to silent pants within the night's brisk winds. 

Sighing, Raejin rests her hand upon her belly and averts her gaze down onto her unborn child. "I cannot tell you why, but I have to run away from here. My child, my own child is not safe here with me." She begins, her words immediately instilling confusion within Miyoung. And knowing her friend, she continues on to explain her predicament. "Once I birth her, I will be giving her to my mother. Whatever you do, find her and when you do, please take care of her for me. I can't stay here any longer, and I can't stay with my own child. It's too dangerous—"

"Dangerous..? What do you mean by such?" 

"I cannot tell you, Miyoung-ah.." She cries out, tears already beginning to fall from her eyes as she grabs onto her hands, clutching them tightly within her own and pleading at her with begging eyes. "Just please, please promise me this. Promise me when you find my child that you care for it. Give my child the love I cannot give it when I leave. I cannot stay here in the Kingdom."

At her every plead and sob, Miyoung relents and nods her head in understanding, embracing her friend as she cries into her chest. The sight pains her, to see her so hopeless and without a single shred of confidence usually adorned within her features. Raejin was a woman of bright energy, never of bleak false expectations nor was she one to cry or sob within the confinements of her own duties. She just simply wasn't of the same essence normal people were made of, and she was definitely made of the toughest and luminous of materials crafted within her endeavors and constant struggle within her own living. 

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." Raejin repeats over and over, wiping her tears away only to burst into them again, clenching her belly and caressing the bump with gentle hands. Whenever she were to glance down at her unborn child, Miyoung could see the adoration held within those hazel irises, similar to the ones she would have whenever talking of the future, or the passing times shared with her friend. She could recognize that same look anywhere, and it was then that Miyoung realized truly, how importantly she was needed to leave and how much she regretted having to leave. And despite not giving her reasons, Miyoung understood the moment was too difficult. Too difficult for time to tell. 

Whatever she means by her predicament, she will just have to come to understand as time folds over. 

And just as time folds over into seasons and years, explanations will come in the form of