(Morning comes and the birds outside start to do their job in waking up the sleepy couple. Eun unwillingly opens one eye and sees that the room is already bright. His arm feels a bit numb so he tries to move it to a more comfortable position, only to find that Soondeok’s there, still in his embrace)

‘You didn’t move at all last night did you, our kitten?’

(As if she’s heard him, Soondeok snuggles closer and rests her face on his chest, making that tired groan Eun loves but rarely hears. Eun takes his own time admiring his wife, her hair, her face, her neck…everything about her is perfect. Absolutely flawless. After a while, Eun kisses her hair and pats her bare shoulder, trying to wake her up.)

‘Honey. Good morning~ Rise and shine~’

‘Mmm…quiet…’

‘Deok ah. Wake up. Aren’t you hungry?’

‘Five more minutes…’

‘You’re going to leave your poor husband like this, huh?’

(Soondeok scrunches up her face as she relunctantly looks up at Eun then rolls to the other side of the bed and continues sleeping, not showing a sign of care to her husband at all. Eun grins then gives her a back hug as he tenderly kisses the back of her neck. He loves it when Soondeok just lets him hug her for as much as he wants after a tiring night – with nothing in between them, a warmth that’s unique. Just then, the maids arrive with their breakfast, Eun quickly pulls the blanket over to cover themselves before allowing their entrance.)

‘Greetings to Your Royal Highness and My Lady.’

(The maids bow as they did their morning greeting and bring in their breakfast, setting the dishes carefully on the table as they have done so every single day for the past couple of years. Soondeok covers secretly the moment she smells the what would’ve been their delicious breakfast.)

‘Honey, you alright?’

(Eun whispers. Soondeok can’t hold it in anymore, she wraps the blanket around herself and speeds toward the window, feeling like she’s about to empty her stomach there and then.)

‘YA! Deok ah!’

(Luckily, Eun was quick in covering himself with a pillow before the maids turn around to see what’s going on.)

‘WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT? TURN AROUND!’

(The maids turned their backs toward the prince immediately)

‘My wife is having morning sickness, can’t you guys see? Take the food away this very instant!’

‘But, Your Highness-’

‘From now on, we’ll be eating in the dining room, understand? Hurry up and leave!’

‘Yes, Your Highness!’

(The maids hurried with their task of putting the dishes back onto the tray and left the room with their untouched breakfast without another word. At last, the door shuts.)

‘Ya. Deok ah! You can’t just grab the blanket and leave the bed when your husband’s still ! You mad? I know you want to impress them with your perfect acting but this is too much!’

(Soondeok doesn’t give a response, she’s been hanging there, head outside the window, taking deep breaths. Eun grabs his pants from the floor, puts it on hastily and hurries over to his wife.)

‘Soondeok ah, you alright? I thought you were, you know, acting… Are you actually feeling unwell? I mean…do we need to call the doctor?’

‘No! I’m fine. Just fine. Don’t worry about me. It’s…acting.’

‘But you-’

‘I said, I’m fine. I was a pretty…pretty good actress wasn’t I?’

(Soondeok looks into Eun’s eyes and asks for reassurance. In fact, she’s not feeling fine, she’s feeling terrible, but she doesn’t want Eun to know, she doesn’t want him to worry about her, again.)

‘Yes…best actress in town…you almost got me there.’

(Soondeok forces a smile)

‘Oppa…I think…I think I’m gonna skip breakfast. You know…it’d just be odd if the maids see me having breakfast with ease after what happened just then.’

‘S…sure. I can bring you some snack later.’

‘You don’t have to. I’ll ask for some food later if I’m hungry…’

(Soondeok drags herself back to bed like a zombie, Eun tries to stay by her side.)

‘Here darling, lie down, slowly. I’ll go and get you something to wear.’

‘Oppa, I want to go out for a picnic.’

‘A picnic? You can’t even have your breakfast inside your room.’

(Eun questions his wife as he picks a dress for her)

‘Please? To our favourite picnic spot outside the city. Pretty please?’

‘We can’t ride there now, not when you’re supposed to be with child.’

‘Then we can take a carriage maybe?’

‘Why do you want to have a picnic all of a sudden?’

‘No particular reason. Just do…’

‘We’ll figure out things later, here, put this on first honey.’

(Eun holds out the light-blue top to Soondeok as he returns from the closet, Soondeok moves back and shakes her head like a little kid.)

‘I don’t want to~’

‘Come on, be good and put some clothes on. Come on.’

‘Make me.’

‘Don’t make me get in bed just for this, honey. You know how hard it is for me to leave the bed once I get in.’

(Soondeok wraps herself in blanket and smiles shyly at her husband while twitching her eyebrows)

‘You did it once already this morning, why not do it again then? After, you know, we have some fun~’

(Eun is astonished)

‘Ya, you…did you not have enough fun last night?’

‘I just want to cuddle…’

‘No.’

‘Just cuddle~ Soondeok-ee wants a cuddle from the prince~’

(Soondeok does aegyo in front of Eun, which means that this is what she really wants. You don’t get to see her doing aegyo very often. In fact, Eun can’t really remember the last time she did it in front of him. Soondeok throws her arms wide open, Eun looks down to think, at last he gives in.)

‘Okay, alright, but after a cuddle, you get dressed, and you’ll let me have breakfast, okay?’

‘Okay~’

(Both of them cuddle in bed, for some reason, Soondeok feels extra clingy today, even Eun senses it.)

‘Deok ah, you feeling alright? You’re clinging onto me like a bear to a tree.’

‘Am I?’

‘Look at you now, you even got my toes under hostage.’

(Soondeok chuckles then touches Eun’s face, brushing his hair to the side so she can see his eyes)

‘Do you not like it, my dear husband?’

‘Not that I hate it, but I can’t guarantee I’ll behave well.’

(Soondeok whispers)

‘Oppa, you think mother will know?’

‘Know what?’

‘About what we did last night.’

(Eun snickers)

‘Heck yeah, after what the maids saw just then.’

(Soondeok lets out a gasp)

‘Oppa! Did they see everything?’

‘Oh so now you’re starting to worry. Would you be angry if they did? Seeing your husband’s flawless body~ Hmm?’

‘N…no…’

‘Deok ah, don’t worry, they won’t tell anyone.’

‘I just don’t want to see you being lectured by your mother again.’

‘You know what, you’re right, if mother does lecture me, you should take the blame.’

‘Why?’

‘You’re the one who seduced me last night.’

‘Ya, Oppa! That’s not true!’

‘Not true? Who was the one who, uh, you know, touched me everywhere?’

(Soondeok smirks as she climbs onto her husband and looks down at him from above)

‘Well, if you had moved like I told you to, then I wouldn’t have to.’

‘Mum told me I can’t initiate.’

(Soondeok can’t stop giggling, which made Eun don’t know what to do)

‘And since when did you start listening to her, Oppa?’

‘Hmm…Yesterday.’

(Soondeok laughs without shame)

‘Well, you failed that too, Oppa.’

‘And whose fault was that?’

(Eun pokes her belly softly)

‘Alright, alright, I share half the responsibility.’

‘Half only?’

‘You had your share too, Oppa.’

‘Fair enough.’

(Soondeok lowers down and rests her head on Eun’s chest – both of them just lie like that for a good period of time, no words, simply enjoying each other’s company.)

‘Oppa, let’s also visit Haesoo today.’

(Eun frowns and pushes her off of him)

‘What did you just say?’

‘The teahouse. She said we can visit her anytime we want.’

‘And why, of all the days, would you pick today?’

‘I want to put some make-up on.’

‘Make-up? Honey, you must be joking!’

(Soondeok looks up at Eun)

‘No I’m not. You’ll love it, Oppa~’

(Eun hooks her hair behind her ear)

‘Is it for me, honey? You don’t have to if it’s for me, I know how much you hate putting make-up on.’

‘I want to visit father today, to tell him the news.’

‘What news?’

‘Our baby.’

‘Ah…right…I forgot. Yes…it’s time he knows as well.’

‘I want to look, you know…lady-like, so father will know that I’m really ready to be a mother…to be a proper lady.’

‘I’m sure even if you don’t do all that, he’ll know.’

‘Yes well, I just thought that if my old man sees me wearing a dress and with make up on, he’ll finally get the idea that I’m an adult now, that I can take care of myself and my family…You know what I mean? That he doesn’t have to worry about me anymore, that I’m in good hands.’

‘Of course, well said. So how about this? We’ll have picnic, you know, for lunch, then we can go to the teahouse together, then go to find your father in the evening. I should visit His Majesty too while you’re there, mother’s been asking me to pay a visit.’

‘Why?’

‘His Majesty’s not feeling well these days, physically…and mentally, or so I was told. Being on the throne with no power really must’ve drained his energy out quite badly.’

‘Oh dear.’

‘Didn’t your father say anything to you last time you guys met?’

‘He did…but I didn’t really pay much attention to it. I really hate the idea of you being involved in palace matters…’

‘What about dinner, Deok ah?’

‘We can just have it at home. We’d be real tired by then, I suppose.’

‘Or your father would have us stay for dinner at his place.’

‘That too is possible.’

‘Good, I’ll just gulp my breakfast then I’ll go out to have the maids prepare everything.’

‘You don’t have to gulp it down, Oppa. We have plenty of time.’

(Eun gets out of bed while Soondeok finally puts some clothes on)

‘Wait, Oppa~’

‘Hm? What is it my love?’

‘You forgot something.’

(Soondeok points at her lips, Eun grinned)

‘Ah right~ Forgot our morning kiss~ How many do you want today, my darling?’

‘Mmm…how much do you love me?’

‘You testing me, Deok ah?’

‘Just 2 today. One for me, one for the baby.’

‘You know what, Deok ah, I truly respect you as an actress. Well, 2 it is!’

...to be continued