After the seemingly sentimental moment between Byul and Baekhyun, things returned to their usual state. Almost.

Byul caught Baekhyun looking at her in deep thought more than a few times, and she always threw whatever was nearest to her hands at him, to snap him out of his daze. It was lucky she stopped herself before she threw the flower vase just moments ago.

She didn't want people to sympathise her. She didn't need sympathy. She didn't like it.

But Baekhyun's expression wasn't one of sympathy. In fact, Byul hadn't seen that look on Baekhyun before and couldn't read what was in his mind.

When she asked him about it, Baekhyun would turn the conversation away smoothly since he had a lot of practice in that area when talking to match making ministers who wanted to introduce their daughters to him, or he would point at her face and laugh, saying that he was staring at her ugly face.

Ugh, as if she believed him.

But other than that, Baekhyun and her were getting on pretty alright. She could understand him without him saying much, and he would know when she was tired and not make ridiculous requests to spice up their boring Palace life.

She would never have believed it, but Byun Baekhyun and her were almost...well...friends. Almost. There seemed to be something different about this friendship from the others she had, but Byul didn't exactly know what it was. But she liked it all the same, as compared to pure dislain and hatred for Baekhyun.

Eunhyuk too noticed the change and teased Byul about it. "Omomomomo!! Is the ice princess Han Eunbyul falling for the Crown Prince?" he teased, grinning when Byul last saw him.

Byul gave him one hard whack on the head that had him wailing in pain. "Do you even know how retarded you sound?" Byul wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ddong-ha and me? HAH!"

Eunhyuk pouted and rubbed his head. "I was teasing okay?" he defended. "Can't even take a joke..." He looked at Byul and shrugged. "What can I say? The Crown Prince had charmed a dozen girls before, how do I know that he hasn't charmed you?"

"Because I'm Han Eunbyul." Byul said simply, grinning. Eunhyuk laughed and nodded. "Yeah yeah I forgot. You're my future wife, how can you go and like someone else huh?" he slung an arm around her shoulders.

Byul rolled her eyes and shrugged his arm off. "Oppa..."

"Arraso arraso I'm kidding. Geez, imagine me marrying you." he guffawed. "Might as well marry my own sister! It's the same thing!"

-----

There had been a massive construction project in the Capital City funded by the King, and most of the guards were called out of the Palace to help out. Which was why there weren't enough guards to go around the royals and Byul couldn't take her lunch break privately.

Instead, she joined Baekhyun, the King and Queen and Dahae for lunch instead.

Byul stood behind Baekhyun as the court attendants served the dishes, watering as she remembered how these tasted like when Chanyeol brought it for her to eat.

"Sit down and eat with us, Byul." The Queen looked at her kindly. "Don't stand. It must be uncomfortable."

Byul shook her head. "It's okay." she assured. "I'll force Ddong-ha to watch me eat later." she joked. Baekhyun made a face and flicked a grain of rice at her.

Dahae scowled, not understanding why everyone seemed to like Byul. What was so lovable about her anyway? It's soooooo irritating!

"I heard you saved Sehun-gun from a tiger, Byul." The King looked at her, impressed. "I must say, you've got amazing shooting skills to kill that tiger with one single arrow. Especially when I heard that the tiger was moving around wildly. It must be hard to aim."

Byul pinked. "It's just luck, Pyeha."

"No it isn't. It's hard work and skill." The Queen smiled. "Remember how I told you Byul practiced shooting for six hours a day till her fingers bled, my lord?" she looked at the King. "I was really shocked when I visited the Han family only to find Madam Han wrapping her daughter's bleeding fingers."

Baekhyun's eyes trailed over to Byul's hands which she quickly hid behind her back. Which girl wouldn't care about their hands like Byul did?

"Did you boys thank Byul for saving Sehun-gun's life?" The King asked. "You must thank her. She did something great."

Baekhyun looked over at Byul and they met eyes, smiling secretly. "Yeah we did, Abeoji." Baekhyun nodded, stiffling a laugh. He remembered how Jung Head Attendant nearly busted them and they were all saved by a few praises Baekhyun threw in Byul's direction. Till now, he had no idea why Jung Head Attendant decided to do that.

"What's the joke, Jeonha?" Dahae asked, raising a brow. Was she missing out on something?

Byul giggled while Baekhyun pressed his lips together more firmly to hold that smile. "It's nothing Dahae. Nothing you should know." Baekhyun assured.

Dahae scowled deeper. Since when did Baekhyun keep secrets from her? The Crown Prince was supposed to be ridiculously infatuated with her, and not keeping secrets from her with another girl!

The doors opened and the court ladies finally came in again. "And now for the last dish, your majesties." the court ladies smiled. "Whale meat in Bamboo tube, cooked with miso and gingo nuts." she presented. "This dish was thought by our dear maid Dae Jang Geum herself!"

"It sure looks fantastic!" the King praised, taking a deep breath. "And smells fantastic too."

The Palace had previously been in an uproar when whale meat had been sent to the Palace by one of the kings in Japan. The Koreans hadn't eaten whale meat before, much less seen a whale, and had no idea how meat from such a massive animal would taste like.

The King took a taste and he brightened. "Wow. Remember to praise Dae Jang Geum for this!" he clapped. "It's marvelous!"

"Really?" The Queen ate the whale meat slowly, savouring it's taste. She nodded, smiling. "It's great. Tastes like beef, actually, but more rich and blubbery."

Byul blinked, leaning nearer to look. She hadn't seen anything of the likes before. Baekhyun caught her looking and raised the bamboo tube to her nose teasingly. "Since I'm such a nice person, I'll let you smell it, Han Eunbyul."

Byul scoffed, but that didn't stop her from taking a deep breath. Wow, it smelt marvellous.

Sweet, fragrant, refreshing and....Byul's eyes snapped opened. She gazed down at Baekhyun's serving and glanced at Dahae who was drinking hers. Was it her, or was Baekhyun's serving a tinge yellower than the others.

And there was this acute smell of almonds in it. Natural almonds would be okay, but don't forget how cyanide too smells like almonds and apples.

Byul's sixth sense told her this wasn't almonds. Not apples. Nothing near edible. "Wait!" Byul blurted when Baekhyun raised the spoon to his mouth. "Don't eat it!"

Baekhyun frowned at her. "Why?"

Byul looked over to the court lady. "Has this been tested by the silver needle?" she asked urgently. "For poison?" The court lady looked offended that Byul even had to ask. "Yes. It was tested in the Imperial kitchen."

*But then there's the journey from the kitchen to here. Anything can happen.* Byul thought. "Ddong-ha. Don't eat it." Byul urged. "I think....I think I smelt almonds and apples in there. I think it might be cyanide." she blurted.

There were murmurings around the room. "Are you sure, dear?" the Queen asked. "That's pretty serious. It might mean someone's trying to poison Baekhyun."

Byul her lips. "I think so."

"Hah! You think!" Dahae frowned. "All our soups are fine and why would Jeonha's be otherwise?" she asked. "It all came from the same pot and don't forget how it's already been tested by the silver needle. I bet you just want to eat it for yourself!"

"No, I really..." Byul struggled for words. How were you supposed to explain your sixth sense?

"Han Eunbyul, since I'm nice and all, I'll offer you a sip okay?" Baekhyun held out a spoon. "Don't need to be shy."

Byul shook her head. "No Ddong-ha don't-"

"Fine then I shall eat it myself. It's delicacy I tell you." Baekhyun raised the spoon to his lips and Byul screamed. "No! I'll take that sip. I'll take it."

Dahae smirked, as if her theory of Byul wanting it for herself was true. Byul took the spoon from Baekhyun shakily, raising it to her lips.

"Go on, Drink." Dahae urged.

Byul closed her eyes and poured it into .

And then it went black.

------

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The Dull One [CLICK]

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