It had surprised Hyun Joong when So Min had mentioned love. He’d once held out hope that such an emotion existed, had desperately wanted to find it, if for no other reason than to prove his father wrong. But, after spending the past year searching for love, dating an endless string of women, each of whom had left his heart cold, he’d come to realize it didn’t exist or at least not for someone like him.

Marriages were made, as his father and mother’s had been, for a variety of pragmatic reasons, not because of some wild, crazy magic that might exist between two people.

As Hyun Joong sat in Min Ho and Hye Sun’s living room waiting for So Min to join him, he thought of what he knew about Jung So Min. She was 25 years old, an unemployed dance schoolteacher who had spent the past year caring for an ailing mother who had passed away a month before.

She had one charge card she rarely used, a seven-year-old car, and owned no property. Her reputation was sterling and he knew many of his countrymen would find her modest background charming.

He knew everything about her that could be learned through public records, but there was much he didn’t know, and he was surprised to realize he was looking forward to spending time with her. He smiled as he recalled her laughter. He hoped he could make her laugh today.

"So Min will be down in just a minute," Min Ho said as he reentered the room.

"Good. I’m looking forward to spending the day in her company." He offered Min Ho a friendly smile, but the tall, dark-haired man didn’t return it.

"You know So Min is my sister-in-law from my previous marriage," Min ho said.

Hyun Joong nodded. He knew Min Ho’s first wife had died tragically and after her death, Min Ho had come to Dongyi and gotten a position as a royal bodyguard. According to the rumors, Hye Sun and Min Ho had fallen madly in love. But, Hyun Joong now suspected Hye Sun’s father had made some sort of a business arrangement with the bodyguard. Hyun Joong wasn’t sure what the king had promised Min Ho, but he knew the King was pleased to have his willful, adventurous daughter safely married. That was how royal marriages worked, he reminded himself.

"I’m very fond of So Min," Min Ho continued.

"And I’m sure I’ll grow fond of her as well," Hyun Joong replied, noting that his answer didn’t ease the tension that emanated from Min Ho.

"I don’t want her hurt." Min Ho glared at him.

"I have no intention of hurting her. I’m marrying her, not burying her," Hyun Joong protested with an uncomfortable laugh. He didn’t understand why Min Ho wasn’t thrilled that Hyun Joong was offering So Min a dream life as a princess.

"I’m just warning you," Min Ho returned, his gaze intent on Hyun Joong. "If you hurt her, you won’t have to worry about succession rights or anything else."

Hyun Joong stared at Min Ho in surprise and wondered for the first time if perhaps he hadn’t gotten in over his head with the lovely Jung So Min.

To be continued?