Not only does a queen garner a grander residence, larger personnel, the most unique of jewels, and higher authority, she also garners, however unwillingly, more curiosity… more scrutiny. Wherever Mura goes, there are eyes on her always. Even more so than she had as the crown princess. 

Today is no different as gazes follow her with every courtier and official that she walks past. As bothersome as it may be, it is something Mura must learn to be accustomed to. It may take time, she concludes. After all, she was coronated merely the day before.

Her annoyance, however, is forgotten when her path happens to cross with that of the King. 

“Chonha?” She bows. 

“Chungjon,” Baekhyun addresses her formally yet with a warm smile. “Are you headed for the Grand Queen Dowager’s residence?”

“Yes, to pay my morning respects.”

Their exchange is restrained and courtly, for they have eyes on them. Despite however much Baekhyun craves to be affectionate with her, now is neither the time nor the place.

“Very well then, I’ll leave you to it,” Baekhyun says, but he does not leave empty-handed.

Mura makes sure to discreetly brush her hand with his as he passes her. The touch is ever so slight and fleeting but is enough to rouse a soft pleased smile to take shape on Baekhyun’s lips.

Mura sports a smile of her own as she resumes her path, no longer troubled by the gazes that follow her.  

No sooner Mura returns to her quarters from paying her morning respects to the dowager queens than she is informed that the consorts have come to pay their respects to her. 

Hayeon and Eunbo demurely enter the Queen’s chamber abreast and offer their bows. 

“Nam Sukui, Yoo Sukui, please, have a seat,” Mura welcomes them with a smile.

Something akin to jealousy pricks at Mura’s heart as she watches the two women take their seats before her and she feels rather ashamed. The idea of sharing the King is something she has grappled with ever since their reunion, but it is also something she had to ultimately resign to. The King does not belong to her. He belongs to no one and nothing but his duties. She understands it perfectly. Even so, it seems a tinge of envy has managed to slither its way to Mura, though not malicious, by any means. She bears no ill will toward the other ladies, of course. As a matter of fact, she sincerely hopes to build a rapport with them. After all, they are here for the same reasons as she— to serve the King. 

“Chungjon-mama,” Eunbo begins. “How delighted I am to have you in the palace as our queen. I look forward to following your lead and assisting you in any manner I can.” She then glances to her left. “I’m sure Nam Sukui shares my sentiment.”

Hayeon gives a strained smile. “Of course. I am always at your disposal, Mama.” She of course means not a word of it. Only seethes internally. The five-taloned dragon emblem stiched on the Queen’s dangui mocks her. Her hatred for the Queen runs as deep as her love for the King. 

Mura smiles sincerely. “I am grateful to have your goodwill. I have heard but admirable things about you both. I’m sure I have a good deal to learn from you and I should like nothing more than for us to be well-acquainted.”

“It would please me so, Mama,” Eunbo says.

As their time comes to an end and the royal consorts prepare to leave, Mura stops Hayeon. 

“Nam Sukui, will you oblige me by staying? I should like to speak with you privately. It will not take long.”

Hayeon’s curiosity piques. “As you wish, Mama.”

“I shall take my leave then.” Eunbo bows before withdrawing.

“Thank you for staying, Nam Sukui,” Mura says.

“What is it, Mama? Have I done something?”

Mura waves a dismissive hand. “No, not at all. I simply wish to clear the air. I’m aware our interactions in the past haven’t been very genial, but I wish for there to be no bitterness between us henceforth. I should like for us to turn a new leaf.”

Hayeon has to contain the urge to scoff. “May I speak honestly, Mama?”

“Please do.”

“I have harbored affection for the King a long time. Long before you were wedded to him. While you spent your days as a maiden uncaring about him, I spent mine dreaming of him and yearning to be with him.”

Mura glances at her hands. “I see.”

“Yes, you are my queen and as such you may have my civility and respect. However, you are also the woman he chose to love instead of me, hence asking more of me is much too difficult for me to oblige, I” 'm afraid. I pray for your understanding.” Hayeaon tips her head.

“I understand, Sukui.” There’s remorse in Mura’s tone. 

“If you have nothing more to say, may I take my leave?”

“Yes.”

Hayeon rises to her feet and offers a bow in farewell.

“Nam Sukui,” Mura calls just as the other reaches the door. 

“Yes, Mama?”

“For what it’s worth, I am sorry.” And Mura means it. 

“I have not yet given up hope. His Majesty may adore you today, but who knows? He may also learn to adore me. If not tomorrow then one day in the future.” With that, Hayeon leaves.

╚══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══╝

The unusually pleased manner in which the King eats his breakfast does not go unnoticed by the attendants. Their master, as of late, appears to be in high spirits, straying from his usual stern disposition and it has been nothing short of astounding. 

“The abalone porridge is exceptional today,” Baekhyun remarks happily. “Tell the cook I was very pleased.”

The servants cannot believe their ears. Praise from the King? The King they knew would have never bothered to dish out a compliment for he was hardly ever impressed. Either the cook had concocted a truly heavenly porridge unlike any before it, or the sun rose in the west today. 

Afterward, as the maids are taking away the dishes, one of them mistakenly drops the empty brass porridge bowl, which brutally falls on her great toe first before twirling to a stop on the floor. The sound of it rings loudly before going completely silent.

All present in the room stiffen straight, save for the maid responsible for the mishap, who swiftly sinks to her knees in apology, far too fearful of the wrath that is about to hail upon her to pay any mind to her throbbing— likely bruised— toe. 

“F-forgive m-me, Ch-chonha. I deserve to be p-punished.” She knows very well just how much the King loathes incompetence. They all know. 

“Are you hurt?”

The King’s query confuses the trembling, prostrating maid. “I beg your pardon?”

“I noticed the bowl fell on your feet, a sturdy little thing, it must have hurt.”

“I... I am fine, Your Majesty. This lowly servant is much obliged by your kind concern.”

“Still have it looked lest there is an injury.”

“Y-yes, Your M-majesty.”

“Well then, you are dismissed.”

Is that all? The King simply dismissed her without chastising or punishing her. The maid cannot believe it, nor can the others. 

Later, a few of the King’s court maids gossip among themselves regarding their master’s newfound gentler temperament. 

“What gives? It is as though he is a different person entirely,” one says. 

“I might have an idea what brought on this change,” another says. The others look to her expectantly for the answer. “Why, it is the Queen, of course.”

Another one nods in agreement. “Yes, you are right, it must be the Queen. The change in him started appearing since her arrival in the palace.”

“Who would’ve known it would only take the presence of a queen to warm his cold, rigid heart.”

“Oh, I pray the Queen’s effects on His Majesty stay with him for a long, long time.”

“Yes, for the sake of all of us!”

“We must thank the Queen.”

“Indeed we must!”

“Thank you, Chungjon-mama!” They sing in chorus.

╚══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══╝

On a fine evening, Mura sets off in the direction of the palace’s main lake. She walks with somewhat hurried steps, eager to reach her destination. Anticipation bubbles within her chest.

Once she arrives at the lake she finds the King and his attendants there. Upon taking notice of her, the King approaches her with a spirited smile and a glint in his eyes. Same as he always does with every encounter and rendezvous, regardless of the number of times they see each other on any given day. And Mura must admit, she has become quite habituated to being greeted thus by her husband. She prays she may never have to miss it.

“Have you waited long, my king?” Mura asks.

“I’m afraid every interval spent apart from you is spent waiting for our next meeting,” Baekhyun says. “Though by no fault of yours, of course. My court duties are solely to be blamed for it.”

“Would you have otherwise spent every moment in my company?”

“Most certainly!” Baekhyun proclaims. “Why would I ever willingly choose to be apart from you?”

Mura chuckles. “My king, we could not have possibly been in each other’s company at all hours.”

“What do you mean? We most certainly could have.”

“Have you not heard the saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder? If we were to stay in each other’s company at all times, we would soon tire of each other.”

Baekhyun scoffs. “Speak for yourself. Under no circumstance should I ever tire of you.”

“You make such a bold claim, my king.” 

“I suppose my love isn’t as fickle as yours,” Baekhyun states sullenly.

Mura is both amused and endeared. “It is not that my love is fickle. I believe some time apart is necessary to truly savor one’s company. It makes the company all the more sweeter. Moreover, there is a sort of thrill in waiting and anticipating the next meeting with a beloved. Besides,” Mura lowers her gaze bashfully. “I should very much hate to miss the expression with which you greet me every time we meet.”

Sullen no more, a smirk tugs at the corner of Baekhyun’s lips. “And what kind of an expression is it?”

“You know the kind.” Mura does not meet the King’s eyes. 

“I do not for I cannot possibly see my own physiognomy. Therefore, I should like for you to describe it to me. What kind of an expression do I make when I greet you?”

Mura does not appreciate being probed on this matter when it is evident she feels shy. “The same one a chirpy dog makes when it greets its master. Tail wagging and all.” 

Baekhyun erupts with a hearty laugh. “I cannot say that isn’t a fair interpretation on your part, buin. I suppose a chirpy dog would be the most apt description of how I feel whenever I see you.”

Mura scoffs with a smile. 

“Anyway, there is something I have planned for us,” Baekhyun says. 

Mura regards him curiously. 

Baekhyun beckons to his attendants and following their master’s signal they light up a paper sky lantern before a eunuch approaches the King and the Queen with it.

“I know it isn’t spring and the lantern festival had passed us months ago, but I thought we could make up for missing it this year.”

A fond smile appears on Mura’s lips as she recalls the previous year’s spring lantern festival. Mura is delighted to learn that their time together at the festival was meaningful to the King.

Baekhyun takes hold of the illuminated lantern and encourages Mura to do the same. “Let us make a wish,” he says.

They both close their eyes to make their respective wishes and once they open their eyes again they share a gentle smile before releasing the lantern in the air. They watch it float away higher and higher above— a bright yellow glow amongst the sparkling white stars of the night sky.

“What have you wished for, my queen?” Baekhyun asks.

“I shall not reveal,” Mura answers tersely.

Baekhyun is amused. “And why not?”

“Might I remind you that you had not revealed yours to me the previous year,” Mura speaks sullenly.

Baekhyun chuckles in delight. “Shall I do it now then? Shall I tell you what I wished for last year?”

Mura shrugs nonchalantly. “Do as you please, not that I am itching to know.”

Baekhyun breathes out a soft laugh. “Ah,” he utters in remembrance before reaching into his sleeve pocket. 

Mura flinches when the King suddenly takes her right hand and watches obliviously as he slips a pair of garakji on her forefinger. Mura is astounded.

“Chonha?”

“I promised you a new pair, had I not?”

These new ones are unlike her previous ones. While the previous ones were made entirely out of silver, the bands of these new ones have been crafted from jade. And though these new rings retain the peach blossom motifs of the previous ones, rather than being ingrained in them, the blossoms in the new ones have been fashioned from silver and inlaid on top of the bands.

“Do you like them?” Baekhyun asks.

Mura smiles tenderly at the rings. “I adore them. They are beautiful.”

Baekhyun gives a pleased smile. “I am glad.” He then wraps his hand around Mura’s fingers. “Ever since I had been old enough to understand the significance of my responsibility as crown prince and future king, I had only wished to become worthy of the title that was bestowed to me; to become a source of pride for my father. I have never truly desired much else for myself until, of course, you came along.”

Mura stays silent, allowing Baekhyun to continue. 

“And ever since you had entered my life, my mind, and my heart there is one thing and one thing only I had coveted and I wanted it more than anything ever before, and it was to be loved by you. I may have been a royal with all the riches, but without your love, I was nothing but an impoverished man desperately longing for your affection.” Baekhyun chuckles wryly as he is reminded of the piteous state he had once been in. “Lest you are still curious about what I had wished for that night at the lantern festival… I had wished for you to return my love and enrich my penurious life. And as luck would have it, my wish has been granted. And now I stand before you the richest man, not only in Choson but all lands beyond ours.”

Mura is touched, she is moved by the King’s admission. How could she have been so blind? How could she not have seen the passion this man had carried for her?

“Now, shall I tell you what I wished for this evening?” Baekhyun says. “One might claim what more could the richest man in all of lands possibly ask for, but I have come to learn that I am insatiably greedy. Thus, tonight I wished to live for a long, long time with you by my side; to grow old with you. And when the time comes for me to leave this world, that I may do so in your arms with having seen your face and having heard your voice as the last things I do. So I may die as prosperous as I have lived.”

Such a morbid thought drives Mura nearly to tears. “Chonha—”

Baekhyun brings Mura’s hand to his lips and kisses it, which silences her. “And when I am buried,” he proceeds to say, “I hope to be buried with one of these rings while the other remains with you.” He plays with the garakji on her forefinger. “Hence you must make sure never to lose them.” He playfully chides her.

Eventually, their tryst draws to a close and Baekhyun walks Mura to her quarters. 

“I always hate having to say goodbye,” he complains. 

“Relish the anticipation of seeing me again tomorrow. I shall do the same for you,” Mura says. 

Baekhyun smiles tenderly and places a loving hand on his wife’s cheek. “Sleep well, my love.”

They say their goodbyes and the King leaves for his quarters, but his image and his earlier words remain with Mura. Even as she makes ready for bed, her thoughts continuously linger on her beloved husband— the smallest of expressions he makes, his smile, his earnest words. And as one of her maids combs her long tresses, Mura plays with the pair of garakji on her finger and admires it. She can’t remember if she had thanked the King for it. She then blushes at the reminder of his leaving a kiss on her fingers. 

In bed, Mura tosses and turns restlessly. The King still won’t leave her thoughts. She is beginning to understand his gripe with having to part. Is this what love does to one? She sits up. This cannot go on.

Her maids get startled when Mura abruptly appears before them in the corridors.

“Mama, do you require something?”

“I’m stepping outside for a bit,” Mura says as she dashes for the doors. 

“This late?” One of her maids questions as she and the others follow their mistress out. 

“Where to, Mama?” Another one asks.

“The King’s quarters.”

Mura can sense their judgmental gazes behind her. If Madam Choi were present she would have pestered her about how improper it is to show up at the King’s chamber unannounced at such an odd hour. Madam Choi would have also hounded Mura for her ill appearance given that she is still in her sleepwear, her hair unbound. However, she does not intend to linger in the King’s chamber for long. She merely seeks to catch a quick glimpse of him if he allows her and thank him for the garakji.

Mura picks up her pace in the hopes that the King is still awake. As she runs, her untethered hair flails in the wind. 

“Is His Majesty awake?” Mura inquires breathlessly upon reaching the King’s chamber door.

“Ah, y-yes, Chungjon-mama,” a perplexed eunuch answers. “Should I announce your presence?”

Mura continues to pant. “Yes, please, do.”

The eunuch announces her presence and Mura is pleased when the King allows her to enter. She takes a proper breath before making her entrance. She finds the King sitting at his desk over an open book. 

“Buin?” Baekhyun takes in her wife’s appearance. It has been long since he has beheld her with her long tresses untethered. It never ceases to amaze Baekhyun how unbelievably divine his consort looks with her hair down. Realizing he is getting distracted, Baekhyun clears his throat. “What brings you to my chamber so abruptly?”

“Forgive me for disturbing you at such an hour, Chonha.”

“No, it is no bother, of course. You are always welcome in my chamber at any time, but I am concerned. It appears as though you came in haste. Is all well?”

“Yes. Yes, of course. There is no cause for alarm. I…uh… I merely remembered I hadn’t thanked you for the garakji, which was rather ill-bred of me. I simply came to express my gratitude.”

It takes Baekhyun a moment before he responds with a mirthful chuckle. “You could have done so tomorrow, my dear. You needed not trouble yourself with the trip.”

“Ah, yes, forgive me.” Mura realizes how ridiculous she must seem.

“You need not apologize, buin. As I’ve just mentioned, you are always welcome in my chamber no matter the time as long as it is of no trouble to you.”

“I missed you,” Mura blurts out and it catches Baekhyun off guard. She is instantly overcome with bashfulness. “The truth is…” she battles with her diffidence. “I… I couldn’t sleep because I m-missed you and I w-wished to see you one last time for the night.”

Baekhyun’s lips thin into a smile, evidently pleased. He rises from his seat and approaches his wife. He regards her lovingly before directing his attention to her hair. “Whatever happened to relishing the anticipation?” He caresses a strand of her hair between two fingers.

“I suppose I have failed at my own counsel.”

Baekhyun removes his gaze away from Mura’s hair and points it back on her visage before sweeping it down to her full lips, where it lingers. He his own lips absent-mindedly. “I wish to kiss you. May I?” He murmurs. 

Dumbstruck, Mura simply nods gently, granting Baekhyun the permission he seeks. A hand comes to rest along one side of her face before Baekhyun carefully begins to lean in on her and she closes her eyes in anticipation for her first kiss. Their first kiss.

Baekhyun presses a chaste kiss at first, his lips soft and moist against Mura’s. He then pulls back slightly to catch a glimpse of the other’s countenance. Mura keeps her eyes closed, her heart thumps wildly against her chest. Baekhyun then plants another chaste kiss, followed by another one, and this time Mura reciprocates by planting one of her own.

Baekhyun then ventures further by parting his lips slightly and Mura responds similarly allowing their lips to meld together. As the kiss continues, it deepens, and Baekhyun ventures even further by brushing the tip of his tongue against Mura’s, which earns him a surprised whimper. Now cupping her face with both hands, he teases her with his tongue once again and she answers by gently pushing her own tongue past his lips. It is now Baekhyun’s turn to let out a moan, soft and pleased. 

Their inexperience does not cause the exchange to be any less passionate. Mura finds that kissing Baekhyun is akin to drinking a warm, soothing elixir that cascades gently down the throat and pleasingly infuses into the veins. And Baekhyun thinks he has discovered a brand new hobby for himself. Tasting the delectable lips of his queen undoubtedly makes for a more titillating experience than reading even the most riveting of books.

They separate their lips momentarily to allow themselves some air. They take this opportunity to passionately gaze into each other’s eyes before Baekhyun swoops in again to reclaim Mura’s lips.

╚══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══╝

A/N: Happy New Year, my precious readers! Sorry it took me a while to update. I had a really bad case of writer's block. But I'm ushering in the new year with a brand new chapter. They kissed! Hurray! Hehe. Hope you enjoyed the update and I wish you all a fantastic 2024!