CHAPTER ONE : PRINCESS DIANA

Inside the Daeham Palace, the morning routine was as normal as any other households.  Her Majesty the Queen had woken up, washed, and gotten herself dressed in formal royal uniform before being escorted to the royal dining in the lower floor.

Queen Anne, or otherwise known as Jeong Yein, was a slender woman in her early 20 with a tiny face and a pair of warm, innocent and charming doe eyes.  She was also previously known with the nickname Elk because of her eyes, which gained huge public interest thus made the name The Elk Princess a common thing to use in local news.

NO LONGER THE ELK PRINCESS, SHE IS NOW THE ELK QUEEN

The tabloids had made the headline on the news.  Public was delightful that the princess they looked up to so much had now become the queen.  And she was only 22 years old.  Yein was the nation’s heartthrob and everyone’s role-model.  So of course the news was in their favor and the journalism companies gained a huge profit from the news alone.

Ever since King Jeong Eric was in the throne, the palace had always been decorated moderately.  Except for the flower vases that the queen, the king’s wife had worked hard on, the palace rather looked like a huge mansion that typical rich citizens live in than a royal family.  They even made it to the worldwide news and gained attention as one of the most modest royal families of all times.  Even if Yein had taken over, the palace still remained the same.

The royal dining was of a long and huge table that you wouldn’t tell it’s only for three occupants.  Since becoming the queen, Yein had taken the seat that her late father used to fill on the head table, while the Queen Mother was seated far opposite of her.  Meanwhile, there was a little girl who sat near Her Majesty the Queen, much to Queen Mother’s displeasure.

Little Yeonhee was barely 5 years old when Yein took her in.  She was a small, pure and sad young girl.  As the royal guards had Yeonhee faced Her Majesty in the palace after being brought in, the girl was still weeping sorrowfully.  Having her beloved parents being murdered before her was absolutely traumatizing.  The queen could only stare at the poor girl with mist in her eyes, feeling useless as she could do nothing to help her niece nor her dead parents.

10 months away from her wedding, Yein and the whole Wallgeum Nation were shocked with King Jeong Eric’s death.  However, what shook the entire nation more was when it was reported that the late king’s first daughter was attacked and assassinated in Incheon, South Korea where she was staying along with her husband, only two days after the king’s passing.  Yein had lost two of her most beloved and respected ones in such a short span of time.  Therefore, she vowed to herself that she would be good to her only family members left in her life, her mother Queen Jiae and her late sister Jeong Jaein’s daughter, Kim Yeonhee.

Yein and Yeonhee were talking and giggling to each other over the breakfast meals.  The intimate interaction somehow irked the Queen Mother.  The elder woman cleared in hope to distract Yein away from her niece and it quite succeeded.

“How are your wedding preparations going, Yein?  I hope everything is running smoothly. We don’t want another disaster happening during the royal wedding!”

Anyone could see the stiffness and change of expression on Yein’s face upon the question, even little Yeonhee wondered what the adults were actually talking about, but Jiae kept her straight face and continued to eat her meals like she didn’t just drop a nasty remark.

“Mother…” Yein stared at her mother speechlessly.

“What?  I was just saying,” said Jiae with a raise of eyebrow.

Some time ago, when Yeonhee’s mother was still a princess and a very young lady, the royal king had set her up for an arranged marriage with the son of the president of Haestar City Police Union.  But it all broke loose when Jeong Jaein pulled a stunt at the last minute and decided to leave the wedding with an excuse of falling in love with another man, causing great uproar from the president and the king himself, for her having shaming them.

“That’s not really a nice thing to say in front of a kid.  Especially Yeonhee, don’t you think?” said Yein and spared a glance towards the little girl.  She was glad that Yeonhee was enjoying her baked sausage instead of taking offence despite hearing her name being mentioned.

“I just don’t want a bad history to repeat itself, that’s all.”  Jiae shrugged nonchalantly and had Yein sighed in defeat.

“Everything is going well between Myungeun and me.  The wedding will be perfect, so you don’t have to worry.  Besides, my future spouse is asking if Yeonhee wants to be our flower girl.  I think it will be amazing!”

Queen Jiae frowned at what she just heard from her daughter.  “Flower girl for the royal wedding?  Are you kidding me?”

Yein flashed her toothy smile innocently, knowing it would spark the fury inside her mother.  “I was serious.  Myungeun adores and is always fond of my niece, so it’s not a problem at all.  Don’t worry Mother, everything will be alright,” convinced Yein reassuringly.

“That reminds me,” she added.  “Our national football team is having a match with Japanese team this Saturday as a friendly match before World Cup next year.  They’re inviting me to watch the match and have dinner with the minister from Japan afterwards.  Will you join us?”

Jiae shook her head in obvious disinterest.  “I’ll pass.  I’m planning to read books over the weekend.”

“Sounds like a very productive activity and interesting.  But if you say so, then.  I’m taking Myungeun and Yeonhee with me though.   Our foreign peers will be thrilled to get to know my family, or future family members.”

“Wait-what?  I understand you’re taking your future wife, but Yeonhee?  I won’t allow that!”

“Oh no, I already told him he’ll be meeting the three of us for sure.  He has my words because I will absolutely not break that.”

Sensing the tension and seeing how Jiae was starting to grit her teeth and breath out angrily, Yein slowly took her cue to leave and stood up from her chair.  “I’m leaving for work now.  Yeonhee, come with me if you’re done.  I’m taking you to your art lesson.”

Scurrying up to match Her Majesty’s fast footsteps, Yeonhee got up and wore her backpack in a hurry.

“We’re leaving first, Mother.  Bye, I love you!” Yein kissed her mother’s cheek in an attempt to cool the elder down a bit and flee out in no time.  Little Yeonhee worked her feet just as fast and greeted the Mother Queen before leaving.

“I’m taking my leave now too, ma’am,” she said and bowed.  Jiae scoffed in disbelief and rolled her eyes in full annoyance.

“My own daughter is going to kill me at this rate,” she mumbled and left the dining table with furious stomps.  Day by day, her wish to keep Yeonhee at her place and to not get involved too much with the royal family’s affair only showed declining rate of success.

The royal wedding took place in the Hwang Grace Church - The Holy Church of Wallgeum, which was built in 1893 where its name being inspired by the late King Jeong Eric’s great-grandmother.  The press had been waiting outside the church since the morning, and the people weren’t losing either.  They had waited for this beautiful moment to unfold since Queen Anne announced her engagement when she was still a princess around last year.

Yein’s fiancée, Park Myungeun, was the granddaughter of the former Prime Minister, John Park.  Her father was the founder of Hoya Arts University, where thousands of talented music and art prodigies attended.  He was also a famous pianist, who once had a Europe concert tour, in which he met Myungeun’s mother during one of his concert performances.  Her mother was a theater singer in South Korea, which explained Myungeun’s exceptional vocal and music talents.

As the brides showed up before the church, all the reporters hungrily took photos of the beautiful couple.  It was obvious their faces were glowing of happiness.  The newspaper and magazines would be sold out again tomorrow.  That’s how popular the couple was among their people.

Little Yeonhee watched her aunt in big fascination.  Her lips were parted a gap.  Her eyes were dreamy.  It felt the scene happening before her was kind of unreal, or like she was in a movie. And Her Majesty the Queen as well as her wife were the beautiful protagonists.

Yein and Myungeun both turned their heads to the back and chuckled at Yeonhee’s cute reaction.  Myungeun had to call her name and snap her finger to bring the little girl back to reality.  After all, the girl was their flower girl and the wedding wouldn’t be happening because of her.

When the exchange vow was over, and the brides had kissed, the queen’s private secretary Lee Daeyeol, walked up towards Yeonhee and bent down on one knee to match her level.  “It’s time for your speech, ma’am.”

Yeonhee felt very odd to be called madam when she was just a mere 5 years old girl while the man was much older than her.  But she obliged his words and went to podium at the front.

“To Your Majesty the Queen and Her Majesty’s wife, I wish my sincerest congratulations on your wedding.  For the first time today, I felt like Her Majesty wasn’t just my aunt, but a real Queen after all.  Her Majesty has always been so kind and modest, so the young me is certainly oblivious.  But on this grand day, it feels great to see the Queen side in you.  You are very beautiful, Your Majesty.  And Her Majesty’s wife, Aunt Myungeun, you are the prettiest and most graceful bride ever.  I am sure, The Late King is smiling in heaven right now as he watched this wedding unfolds.  And my mama and papa, they will surely be very proud and delightful to see how the newlywed couple walked on the aisle, smiling brightly and be very happy together, today.”

The couple was moved by the speech that they had tears in their eyes.  Yeonhee’s words were mesmerizing and touching.  The script she originally had was long forgotten as she made up her own sentences and the whole paragraph right on the spot.  Myungeun leaned in towards Yein.  “She reminds me of you when you said your speech during your father’s funeral.  You also mentioned how your sister would be very proud of your father during his time ruling the country.  Is she really 5 years old?”

Yein chuckled and was smiling with tears.  “Clever, right?  Who knows a very young girl like her could say such beautiful things in long sentences by herself.  Kim Yeonhee is a special child, indeed.”

Queen Jiae who already made her speech way before Yeonhee did was standing by the side and had been watching the little girl silently.  Upon the girl’s words, Queen Mother lost her composure and turned her back.  Only Lord the most Merciful would know what was flaming deeply inside her heart.

The Daeham Palace was blessed with a newborn around a year later.  The Queen’s wife had given birth to the royal’s heir with Her Majesty stuck by her side during her delivery.  When Yein first touched the baby’s skin, tears were flowing down on her face.  “Oh dear, look at this! Our beautiful baby!”  She whispered with her heart content.  Myungeun too, was crying from the aftermath pain mixed with happiness of the delivery.

“You’ve worked hard, sweetheart.  This is certainly the most beautiful thing that ever happened in my life,” said Yein further.  Myungeun nodded at her words as Yein kissed her hand.  “Indeed,” she replied.

Yeonhee came inside the room a while later and Yein ushered her to come over to look at the newborn baby.  The little girl ran and was grinning as soon as the baby’s face came into her vision.  Myungeun pulled Yeonhee in the bed beside her so they all could see the baby together.

“Is the baby a boy or a girl?”  Yeonhee asked innocently.

“She’s a baby girl, my dear,” said Myungeun as she Yeonhee’s long and soft hair at the back of her head.

“She’s beautiful.  Has she gotten a name yet?”

The queen and her wife shared a meaningful gaze with a subtle smile painted on their faces.  “Not yet, but I might have an idea,” said Yein.

Yeonhee finally looked up from staring at the baby to the two adults between her.

“I’ve been meaning to name my daughter Diana, inspired by my all-time role model, the late Princess Diana from England.  Is that alright with you, sweetheart?”  

Myungeun was smiling when Yeonhee turned to her from Yein with a curious pout.  “Absolutely.  Whatever made you happy, my heart will be contented too.”

Yein was grinning when she gained her wife’s approval.  They had never really talked about naming their child or children to be honest.  So, when the time actually came, Yein was pretty nervous to give her thought without discussing with her wife beforehand.  She didn’t want to make her wife ever feels left out for having the privilege to name their children without prior discussion.

“That’s great!  Since we should pick a local name for our daughter as well, Dahyun would be pretty good.  It’s similar with Diana,” said Yein.

“It’s amazing!  Diana Jeong Dahyun, what a pretty name for a pretty girl!”  Myungeun was happy with the choice of name Her Majesty had chosen.

Yeonhee was clapping happily before cupping the new royal crown princess’s face gently.  “Princess Diana Jeong Dahyun, welcome to the world!  You will be the happiest girl on Earth ever, I promise!”

Hello, I'm back with the first chapter! I feel so fulfilled for being able to post this within a week after the prologue. I hope you'll enjoy reading this. Just a quick notice ahead, I will probably reveal the character chart after about chapter 3 or 4 and above. And if ever you're curious how the queen could conceive a child when they're both women, then I'll just say please refrain from asking that kind of question. This is a fantasy story for a reason (^_^;) I'll be deeply appreciative if you leave feedback on the first chapter of this story and what you think of it so far. Thank you for sticking with me. Have a good day :D