That blonde over there would make a beautiful princess," So Min whispered to Hyun Joong.

The Woodtowers’ ball was in full swing. Charles and Edie Woodtower were personal friends of King and Queen and no expense had been spared in this celebratory party thrown in their honor.

The ballroom itself was splendidly opulent, with gilded molding and enormous crystal chandeliers. An orchestra played from its position on a large balcony, the soft music providing a pleasant backdrop without hindering conversation. She and Hyun Joong were in a small alcove that provided an excellent view of the ballroom.

Hyun Joong frowned. "I’ve never liked blondes."

So Min grinned at him. "That’s not what the Daily Reader says about you."

Hyun Joong laughed. "You mustn’t believe everything you read in the papers."

"They call you the Playboy Prince." There was a touch of censure in her voice and her dark eyes gazed at him soberly.

"I enjoy being seen with beautiful women." He shrugged, slightly embarrassed by the playboy image he’d cultivated as part of a erse rebellion against his father. He smiled at her. "And tonight is no exception. You look stunning."

And she did. Clad in a cream-colored gown that complemented her skin and displayed her curves, she outshone every other woman in the room. Her hair was pulled up, exposing a long, graceful neck, and her makeup subtly enhanced her pretty features.

She blushed at his compliment. "Thank you." As the blush faded from her cheeks, her gaze swept the room once again. "If you don’t like blondes, there are several attractive brunettes here and I’m sure any one of them would make an appropriate princess for you."

"It is completely inappropriate for my fiancée to be matchmaking for me," Hyun Joong replied.

"Somebody has to do it." She studied him and wondered if she was being foolish in resisting his appeal. "You have less than three weeks to marry."

"I will marry before my birthday," he assured her. "I have spent my whole life being groomed to be the next King of Gojoseon. That is my destiny."

"Then why haven’t you married before now?" She gazed at him curiously. "You said your father gave you a year. Why have you waited until the last possible moment?"

Hyun Joong hesitated before replying, unsure what the real answer was. He knew part of the reason had been because he hadn’t wanted to believe his father would really force his hand in such a manner. Even more he didn’t want to confess that he’d been searching for something, something he couldn’t define. Whatever it had been, he hadn’t found it.

He smiled. "I waited because I hadn’t yet met you."

So Min shook her head and eyed him in disbelief. "I think instead of the Playboy Prince, the papers should have dubbed you the Prince of Baloney."

He looked at her in surprise. He couldn’t remember a woman ever talking to him so irreverently.

"What about dreams, Hyun Joong?" she asked. "What are your dreams for yourself?"

"I want to be a fair and merciful king. I dream of peace and prosperity for Gojoseon."

Her rich, caramel-colored eyes gazed at him thoughtfully. "Those are the dreams of a king. What are your dreams, your hopes for yourself as a man?"

Hyun Joong frowned thoughtfully. Dreams? His frown deepened. "I don’t know," he finally replied. "I don’t know that I have any."

So Min nodded, as if his answer didn’t surprise her. "Aside from the fact that we don’t love each other, we are fundamentally far too different to make a successful marriage. I could never marry a man who has no dreams, and that’s one of the reasons I would never marry you."

To be continued?