[Dara's POV]
"PRINCESS!" "PRINCESS" "PLEASE SHOW YOURSELF"

I covered my mouth using my hands to stop myself from giggling out too loud. It is always fun when I play Hide and Seek it’s because I make the rules and in my rules I always get to hide. I let my descendants look for me and it was just so funny watching their reactions, it’s is definitely worth it.

Time to time I would sneak away from my descendants. Even though I had been scolded a lot of times because of it, I still do it anyway. I don't know why but I think it is probably because of being a princess is a little too boring for me. Who would want people around you to be standing there like a pole? And then when you try talking to them, they give you really short answers. 

Definitely NOT me. 

Even if it was just for a mere second, I feel like I have the need to move or do something.

But I do have to admit, I really like it when all the attention focusses on me. Like what I am doing now, making my descendants run all over the palace only to find me. One even fell on their tip toes and I couldn’t help it in anymore, the laughs I have been trying to keep in came out but I don’t need to worry if they heard me or anything because no one can ever guess where I am hiding and that is why I picked this spot to hide in the first place.

A spot where you could also see every bit of your surroundings.

"GONG JU! Come down now from that tree in this instant!" someone said in a fierce voice.

Uh! Oh! Maybe I spoke a little too early.

I looked down where that source of voice came from and it came from - GASP!

"Her Highness" I murmured to myself, in other words ‘the queen’. GULPED!

I quickly jumped down from the tree and fixed my clothes. I lowered my head thinking I'm in big trouble, AGAIN. Not really a big deal though as long as it wasn’t the King who found me. I remember the time where he punished me and convinced me to live as one of my servants to teach me how being a servant is a big pain in the . But in this case, it’s my mother, she won’t punish me but it doesn’t mean it would stop her from scolding me. Oh man!

"Now tell me why you are sitting down on top of that BIG tree!" I can literally feel her eyes invisibly stabbing me.

"Oh I-I'm jus-" I stuttered, then a large group of people came into a sight. Luckily my descendants found me just in time before my mouth opens up and make up lies that does not even make sense, I am such a bad liar when it comes to lying, honestly.

"Princess, where were you?" Madam Park asked me. Her real name is Park Bom, she may have the same surname as me but she is not from a royal blood.

She was taken in by my father, my father was walking through Joseon but when he saw a child abandoned crying on the street, he took her into the palace since he could not bear to see a child abandoned in his kingdom. As she grew up alongside of me, the king offered her a place to stay somewhere else far where she will live a happy life but she decided to stay with me. She was willing to do anything for my father to repay for saving her, my father knew how little things she can do but he sees a potential within her so he told her to take care and raise me as a Princess for Joseon, it might sound like a small job but it is one of the most important jobs you can get here.

People will literally kill for the job with the intention of killing me of course and that is why my father gave the job to a person he could trust and that is Bom. I sometimes wonder how she manages to put up with my stubborn attitude. 

"Madam Park, Is the Princess being stubborn again?"

After Madam Park, and the rest who was behind her realized that the Queen is here, they all lowered their head and bit their lips.

The Queen shifted her eyes to me.

"Come to my room, NOW!" The Queen yelled really loud. I'm assuming that she was talking to me.

=====

The Queen, or should I say my mother had just finished after scolding me for the ninth time. It had always been like this, every time I get in trouble, I have to answer to my mother and no one else, well of course my father is an exception. Technically no one really dared to scold me besides my parents and a little of Madam Park.

Since it is the weekends today and don't have anything scheduled and not wanting to get scolded by the queen again, I think going back to my room was the best option right now.

Sitting in my room, in front of a mirror as I comb my hair. I couldn’t help but admire myself for being too beautiful. I hummed a beautiful tune harmonizing along with the birds singing outside.

No one can ever be beautiful than me. Not in a million years.

I was fixing my hair when a palace lady suddenly came rushing at my door. 

"....Princess...."

She looked like she had been running for a while now. I could hear her pant from all the way from here. A frown appeared on my lips.

"What happened?" I stood in up alarmed.

After hearing out the bad news from her "BWOH?!".
 

I was red fumed. I couldn’t believe that my father would do that, MY OWN FATHER!

I dropped everything I was holding and quickly left to go to have a  very BIG talk with my father.

=====

"FATHER!" 

I opened the door myself despite my father's descendants trying to stop me.

"Get out of my way!" I was red fuming, they were scared of me but without the king's order, I can't come in but judging by the rumours I just heard, I don't really care about the rules anymore.

My father had already expected me barging onto his room. He puts his fingertips in between his eyes as he signalled everyone who was behind me to leave us two alone for a moment.

I quickly sat down in front of him and looked at him fiercely.

"HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO ME?!"

"OHO! Is that how you treat your father? Coming into his room and make unnecessary ruckus. Let me remind you Gong Ju, I'm the King of Joseon, even though you might be my daughter, you still have to know your place" The king scolded me, definitely showing his authority.

"His highness" I dangerously whispered but this time I lowered my tone.

"So what made you come here?"

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down or else I might start yelling at my dad again, I mean His highness.

"I heard that I’m getting married" My voice sounded more like I'm irritated rather than being excited and happy, usually girls who hears themselves getting married and getting their happily ever after is so happy that they could fly into the sky but on my case, I’m just simply irritated.

"Hmmm" His highness nodded.

"Without me knowing anything about this matter?! I'm very displeased that I had to hear this rumour from one of my servants," I moved closer to his table and kneeled as if I was begging him to tell me it was a lie “Please tell me that it's only a rumour father" I kept wishing for this only to be rumour and I’d like to prefer it to stay that way.

But the next thing that father said made me wish that this was all just a nightmare and I need to wake up from this dream, I don't like this nightmare. Someone pinch me no or better yet if this is all true, I really don’t mind getting kidnapped by anyone else right now. I’m seriously considering the latter.

"This is not a rumour Gong Ju. You are getting married by the end of the month. Shamans says that, that day will be a good day to conceive a child"

"BABY?!" Aigoo! My head hurts from this entire nightmare. Someone please wake me up. I vigorously shook my head "B-but I'm too young to get married, I'm only 24 years old" 

"No you are not Gong Ju, in fact being 24 years old is the average of getting married and sometime soon you are going to get married either way so why not do it now."

I looked away from his eyes and disappointment was written all over my face.

He took a deep breath "Look here Gong Ju".

I couldn't bear to look at him, not after what he had done.

"This marriage is not about gaining more power for our country - I'm doing this all for you Gong Ju, All I want is that you will have someone when I am not there by your side"

I scoffed at his comment 'FOR MYSELF?!' I thought. 

"Oettoke? Not to be rude or anything but His Highness, I don't see any benefits I would get from this marriage - I only see you gaining more power" my voice raised higher without my intention.

This time it was His Highness turn to deeply sigh.

"We had already set up the date for the marriage and if we back up now - our reputation will be damage - tomorrow you will be meeting up with your fiancé"

I didn't bother to say anything. I don't even know how to react about this sudden marriage. Do they expect me to be all happy and excited? No one in their right mind they will have the energy to be happy after being forced to marry someone you don't even know.

I stood up and headed towards the door.

I stopped when I heard my father's voice. Hearing him say my real name made my heart ache more. "Sandara-ah, I trust you that you won't let me down"

I never thought smiling was this hard; the curves of my lips kept stopping halfway, my smile never reached my eyes.

As soon as I got out of his room, I didn't know what to do so I went back to my room. I ran to my room, running was definitely not allowed in the palace but nevertheless no one dared to stop me as they just stared at me with pity in their eyes.

My knees fell on its own when I opened my door.

I cried my eyes. I didn't care whether my descendants could hear me. The last thing I want to do right now is think about how much tomorrow will change my life.

Did I tell you that this why much I hate men? All they think is about MONEY and POWER. They never think about the women here in Joseon. Sometimes I blame my father, for not raising this country well but who am I to judge - I am a woman.

I don't get how being a women makes it a bad thing. We, women, can only become the housewives who stays at home and wait for our husbands - who is out somewhere, God knows where.

But His Highness was right, if I back out now. What would our citizens think about the Royal Family? 

We - Royal family - are supposed to lead and become the role models for our people. Without us, Joseon wouldn't have existed.

=====

[Author's POV]

Sandara didn't knew that the King and Queen had been standing outside of her house. They had been standing there ever since Dara had started to cry despite it was already night time.

Hearing their daughter cry made their heart aches but it hurts more when you know you were the reason.

"I told you it was a bad idea" The Queen said.

"Don't worry my Queen... Sooner or later, someone will have to tame our beloved BRAT princess." The King wrapped his hand around the Queen's hip while she rested her head onto his shoulder.

Their descendants immediately turned their backs to the King and Queen once they saw them hugging sweetly.

They watched over Sandara until she finally slept.

There you go ^.^ 1st chapter has been done. Let me know your opinions. Don't forget to Subscribe & Comment.