Though it had only been a week since she had last seen him it felt like an eternity. "Minzy are you okay," Dongwook asked as he pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Hmm," she turned to glance over at him. "I'm fine, why do you ask?"

He shrugged as he handed baby Dae in her arms, "I don't know. You just seem distant, like there's something or someone on your mind."

"Why of course there is, my son is always on my mind. Aren't you hot stuff," she spoke with a high pitch voice as she made funny faces at him before she got him to smile. "Look at that goregous smile of yours. It's so pure and innocent," she cooed as kissed her son's forehead.

"Minzy..."

"Hmm," she glanced up to see a serious look on Dongwooks face. "What's that look for," she grinned.

"What is wrong? These past couple of days you just seem so different. Are you and the king having issues?"

"Why would we be having issues when I never see him," she asked more so out loud to herself. "Why would I be mad that he has not come by to see me at all this week? I mean why would it bother me that he shows no sign of concern," she coughed a laugh.

He went quiet as he sat staring at her, meanwhile she only shrugged off her sarcasm and continued to entertain Daesung. "Minzy do you possibly have...feelings for the king?" The smile that was fixed upon her face soon faded as she sat staring at her son who now was confused at his mother's blank expression. "Minzy..."

She sat frozen for a moment before turning to look over at him to be met face to face with Dongwook. His eyes were a darker shade of brown as she gazed into his eyes. What she felt next was something she couldn't control as her eyes stayed fixed onto his. Cupping his face with her free hand, the warmth of his face pressed against her palm felt sensational. It felt right as his warm breath brushed up against her lips, making water and crave them against her very own lips.

Taking the hint, she watched as he slowly began to close the small gap between them. Her heart began to race as she closed her eyes to prepare for what was to happen next.

"My lady," a voice echoed through in the intense moment causing both parties to withdraw. Turning Minzy looked to see that the owner of the voice was none other than Teddy.

She let out a long sigh when she realized she had been holding her breath, "What is it Teddy?"

"I just came to bid you a good night, but I see I've interrupted something," he glared over at Dongwook who shrugged off the death glares.

"All is well with me Teddy. Thank you for checking up on me, but I am fine. Go ahead and relieve yourself from your day's duties," she nodded to him.

"I cannot make my leave when all the guests have not yet gone," Teddy hinted to Dongwook.

"When will you see that I am not just any guest," Dongwook spoke through gritted teeth. "Just take your leave as your fair lady has asked you to."

"When will you learn your place," Teddy fired right back.

The men arguing back and forth started to agitate Daesung to the point where he was about to cry. "Stop the both of you! You are up setting my son." Taking a deep breath she gave her son a sweet kiss before holding him up, "Here Dongwook please take him. I actually need to discuss some things with Teddy and I don't want Daesung to be up later than he usually is."

Though he didn't want to leave, Minzy gave him the look that it was time for him to go, "Fine." Nestling baby Daesung back in the sling, he walked over and gave her a soft peck on the cheek as he whispered in her ear, "We'll see you tomorrow night."

She grinned as she nodded, "Good night and travel safe." She sat waving as she watched him quietly exit her quarters like he did every night, vanishing without being heard or seen.

"How long has this been going on," Teddy asked suddenly.

"How long has what been going on?"

"You and that commoner my lady?! Is he your lover and is he the father of your son?!"

She placed her index finger against her lips and glared at him, "Will you please quiet down! To answer your questions no!"

"No what," he whispered loudly as he stepped forward.

"He's not a commoner, but my handsome Savior thank you very much," she said rather proudly. "Now tell me, how the king is before you start your boring lecture," she spoke quickly.

He pressed his lips tightly together to calm himself down before sighing, "He's alright my lady. Why do you ask?"

"I haven't seen him for quite some time and wanted to see if there is anything I can do besides lying here helplessly."

He nodded in understanding as he walked to her foot, "The doctors say that your foot is healing quickly and you should be recovering in no time."

She pouted as she looked at her foot, "But I want it fixed now. How can a queen be a queen when she's not out there helping her people?"

"By first taking care of herself," he answered softly as he gave her shoulder a light squeeze. "Don't worry my lady this is only for just a short while. Did you want me to ask the king to come and relay all that has happened this week?"

"No! No," she panicked as she waved her hands. "Don't please!"

He eyed her suspiciously at her outburst, "Why not my lady?"

She sighed as she looked to him, "We aren't on speaking terms I guess. I want him to come talk with me when he's ready to, not forced."

Though her answer was vague he knew better than to ask further, "I understand my lady. Well then, I will take my leave."

"Thank you Teddy, have a good night," she smiled at him before he left.

As if one week wasn't enough, one week turned into weeks of not seeing the king. It was as if he was only a rumor to her ears when the maids or Teddy would speak of his whereabouts. It was odd to her to think that she was only a ways down from his quarters to never even hear his voice either.

Sighing as she awaited the doctor who was examining her foot, she waited to hear the results, "Well my queen I don't know how to explain it but somehow your body as healed quicker than I expected."

"Really," she smiled up at him.

"Yes," he nodded with a grin.

"So when will I be able to walk?"

He chuckled knowing that the queen was tired of being trapped in her room, "One step at a time. Let's start out by putting pressure on it first and doing some small foot exercises to get the strength back in your foot."

She nodded happily as she soaked up all the details of how to take care of her foot. When the doctor had left she felt like starting right away. Slowly shifting her leg over the edge of the bed, she let her foot gently touch the ground as instructed. It felt like pins poking all over her foot, but it was expected. Resisting the pain, she let it sit in place for a few more seconds before moving to back onto the bed. She let out a sigh of relief as her foot found comfort on the pillow.

"This will be a painful journey, but it will all be worth it," she told herself out loud.

Minzy was exhausted from the foot exercises she had done throughout the day. Her body had been so used to laying in one place, that it was a work out to have her moving around. Laying flat on her back she huffed out deeply as she tried her best to not let sleep over take her. She did her best, but somehow sleep finally took it's toll on her as she fell asleep.

Minzy's eyes fluttered open as she felt the presence of someone near her. As she opened her eyes she was met by a beautiful pair of small eyes and couldn't resist the smile that appeared on her face. "Hey baby boy," she mumbled as she took her son into her arms.

"Sorry to wake you, but we thought we'd say goodbye before we leave," Dongwook smiled down at her.

"Leave? Why? How long have I been asleep," she asked confused.

He chuckled in understanding, "You look exhausted and so we didn't want to wake you."

She frowned as she kissed the top of her son's head, "Yeah but still...you should've woken me up! This is the only time I get to see my son."

"I'm sorry Minzy, but why were you so tired in the first place?"

Her demeanor changed as she smiled up at him, "I received great news today. I get to finally put pressure on my foot and start to build up the strength in it so that I can walk again!"

"Wow that's great news!"

She nodded as she started to bounce Daesung in her arms, "Your momma will be able to walk you around." Daesung gave her a big smile as he began to laugh causing both Minzy and Dongwook to do the same. Minzy gave Daesung one big kiss causing her son to laugh before she handed him into the arms of Dongwook, "Travel safely please."

"No Minzy Daesung and I are going to chase theives and robbers," he said sarcastically as he craddled Daesung in the sling wrapped around him before placing the cloak over himself.

"Whatever gets you home safely," she teased as she waved for him to come closer as she pulled up the hood to the cloak. Holding him in place she smiled as she moved forward and placed a sweet kiss onto his cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow night."

He grinned as he straightened up, "Same time? Same place?"

"Yes, of course." Waving as she watched him open the door, her smile faded as she saw the king standing at her doorway. She sat in shock at the fact that she hadn't seen the king in weeks and especially since he was standing face to face with Dongwook.

It was intensly quiet as the king and Dongwook stood face to face with each other until the king broke the silence, "Are you new to the palace? I don't think I've ever seen you before."

Dongwook chuckled before he glared at the king, "I don't work here if that's what you're thinking...especially if I'd have to work under you."

"Dongwook," Minzy called. She watched as both men glanced back at her. "Please not now," she gave him a begging look for him to hold back.

Though he didn't want to Dongwook bit down on his tongue, "Alright goodnight Minzy."

"Minzy," the king coughed a laugh offended that this stranger was so informal with the queen. "Who are you?"

"Someone that is holding back the hate I have for you for the woman sitting behind me," he spoke quietly for only them to hear before pushing past the king.

Minzy glanced away before the king could look at her, "How may I help you?"

"Who was that?"

"Someone..." she didn't want to say.

"And what is that someone to you," he asked as he walked to the foot of her bed to meet her gaze.

She turned again not wanting to look him straight in the eyes, "Someone...I really care about. Now what is it that you need?"

"Is he from your life outside of these walls?"

She turned to glare at the king who stood in place waiting for an answer, "What do you think? Why are you coming into my quarters so late at night anyways? I don't see you in weeks yet you think you have the right to come walking in here to ask?!"

"I am the king."

"And I am the queen so what difference does that make?"

"Because that someone is within the walls of the palace so of course I have the right to ask," he spoke with a matter of fact tone.

She coughed a laugh feeling herself becoming upset by the second, "Well this won't be happening for too long, since my foot is recovering rapidly."

"I don't think it's safe for you to go out at night..."

"Please don't," she cut him off as she held back her rude comments. "It's late you should go and get some rest."

He sighed as he made his way towards her before kneeling, "Minzy..."

"Hmm..." She hummed nervously as she moved back.

"I'm sorry..."

"That I've neglected you for this long. I just...I just didn't want this to happen. Us lashing out on each other since we have no one to blame for all the pain we suffered and are going through. Minzy please I'm tired of fighting with you when will we be able to see eye to eye?"

She sat quietly as she thought about what he had just said. It was true neither could blame each other for their circumstances yet there was no one else they could point fingers at. "What you say is true and I'm sorry as well. I also can't seem to find a way to get over my past, so what do you suppose we do?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he sat next to her staring at the draped window, "Maybe we can start by being honest with each other. Maybe you can tell me about your life outside of these walls?"

She raised her eyebrows at him in disbelief, "And what about you?"

"What about me? You know everything about me and what happened to me when you disappeared."

"I know everything," she challenged him as she squinted her eyes at him.

"Yes you and the whole kingdom know my deepest and darkest times of having my mistress come into the public eye, us having troubles, and her sleeping with the enemy," he shrugged as if it was nothing. "And don't lie to me about not knowing all of this when my gut feeling tells me you do."

She nodded in understanding as she sat quietly, "Well what is there to tell you? I left, I struggled to make a new life, I made it, and now I'm back. There isn't much else."

"Okay fair enough," he nodded. "Even though I know there's more to it."

"Yes there's more to it, but to be completely honest I'm not ready to talk about it."

"And when will you be ready?"

She looked him deep in the eyes as he patiently waited for her answer, "When I can figure out the right way to tell you." She grinned as she didn't know how else to put it. Glancing down, she watched as he reached out and placed his hand over hers and return the grin understanding and accepting what she said.

Author's Notes:

Okay this chapter is kinda...boo! haha, but if I keep tweeking it I don't think I'll ever be able to finish this chapter. So I'm just going to throw this one out there and move on with my life and on to the next chapter haha. Please don't judge me too harshly lol. Thanks for waiting patiently and reading!<3