"Aish..." Jiyong mumbles to himself while picking up another mess that his lord has left him. Of course he smiled and nodded when his Lord told him to clean up the mess. Of course he bowed deeply and told him that it will be put away in less than an hour.. "Aish why did I say an hour...." Jiyong puts the papers together and puts them neatly on the shelf. He turns around to the messy room once again and sighs. 

 

His Lord is a brilliant scholar but a huge mess when it comes to organizing. The man has hired on two assistant scholars to help him to stay on track and travel with him. That is a dream of Jiyong is to travel and read what the world has conjured up these past centuries. He knows that the world is changing since there are more and more people hoping to find the next big thing. 

 

Jiyong wants to be one of those but really all he can do is dream....it's a start though. "What are you doing there?" says a voice behind Jiyong. The servant turns around with a faint smile. "Hello Lady Gummy" 

 

"I thought that you were going to be done soon Jiyong" says Gummy looking around the room. As the lady of the house it is her duty to make sure that things are always in their place. There are times when she can be a real but it's just her doing her duty...Jiyong doesn't take it to heart.  Jiyong bows deeply. "I'm sorry my Lady. I will be finish soon with the Lord's findings." 

 

Gummy chuckles. "He is still a mess after so many years of marriage....I hope that you will be done soon Jiyong?" says the older raising an eyebrow. Jiyong bows his head. "Of course my lady." Gummy walks out of the room followed by her ladys in waiting. Jiyong goes back to picking up random bits of scribbles that are nothing but trash to the nobles but pure gold for Jiyong. The younger stuffs a couple of papers into his garment and dares not to read them in the room. The only time he can really read is at night under a full moon. Lighting a fire is a waste of wood. 

 

"Hyung" whispers a voice outside of the room. Jiyong smiles. "What is it Seungri..." 

 

"I got some bread from the kitchen....want some...." Jiyong can already mentally picture the big grin on Seungri's face. The one thing about the kid is that he is good at hiding things and if you need something he can get it for you unnoticed. "Will you stop stealing bread. They are starting to notice..." 

 

Seungri laughs behind the thin wall. "Oh they can deal with a couple of pieces of bread missing. They get to eat  more than we do in a day than we do in a whole year....they can deal." Seungri is also not a fan of the nobles. Jiyong sees the man very driven to see change. Most people think that he is crazy but Seungri can't help his way of thinking. His older brother YoungBae thinks the same but is not so active with his thoughts as the younger. 

 

"So are you almost done...your dad said that dinner is almost ready..." 

 

Jiyong sighs. "I can't eat now...I have to wash the floors in the eating hall and these quarters...." 

 

"Aish...they work you too hard...you should work out in the fields. It's hard work but you can take breaks more often...plus you can steal corn easily..." 

 

"Seungri...you need to stop stealing...."

 

"Awww hyung you care..." says Seungri with a chuckle. "I'm going to eat....see you later" 

 

Jiyong listens as the feet walk away from the thin wall. Jiyong puts the last of the books away and looks at the floor. Sometimes he wonders if people will notice if he doesn't wash the floors just once. Would they even notice that the floors never been touched in eight hours....but he can't do that. Jiyong sighs as he drags in a bucket that has soapy water already ready to be thrown onto the floor. 

 

With a scrub brush in hand Jiyong starts to clean from top to bottom. It's crazy how the floors of the house are cleaner than him. How he so intently scrubs things that have already been cleaned hours ago. Jiyong hates that he has to wash the floors twice a day but the Lady of the house insist that the floors be spotless at all times even in her husband's quarters. 

 

Jiyong scrubs for hours but he gets the job done. He is exhausted and could care less if he eats. He doesn't have a mother to bother him of such things and his father is too tired to ask. Jiyong lays down on the dirt floor of their one room hut and falls sleep into a slumber. 

 

///////////////////////////////////////morning/////////////////////////

 

"JIYONG!!!" screams Dami pushing her brother. Jiyong jumps up and looks at his sister. There is a panicked expression on her face. "What is it noona?! Why do you look like that" The pained expression is starting to make Jiyong worry. "Where is Appa?" 

 

"......" 

 

Jiyong's eyes widen. "Where is he?!" 

 

Dami starts to cry. "They took him....those bastards took him" 

 

"Who....what" says Jiyong who is confused. He doesn't understand. "What is going on...what do you mean that they took him...." 

 

Dami looks down. "There is this thing going on...where nobles like to keep down cost....they get rid of servants...normally the really old ones...they send them to dreadful lands and treat them like prisoners....oh Jiyong what are we going to do...." 

 

Jiyong had to take a couple of minutes to process what just happened. He can't believe it. The nobles take away their freedom just like that. Jiyong just doesn't understand. "Who did this?" 

 

Dami shakes her head...."It was Lord....he did it..." 

 

Jiyong bawls his fist. He can't believe this. What he has done for his Lord has been nothing but years of loyalty but now he is just going to get rid of his father just like that. "I will be back...." Jiyong stands up only to have his wrist taken in  a tight grip. "Where are you going?" 

 

"To do something about this" 

 

"Are you kidding....you dare to question the Lord...." 

 

"I don't care! This is our father noona. This is all we have left of us....it's just the three of us." Jiyong's voice is getting higher. Seconds later Seungri and Youngbae come into the hut. "What is going on. We can hear you through our walls." 

 

"They took him...." says Jiyong with rage in his veins. 

 

YoungBae then shakes his head. "I didn't think that our Lord would do that....Mr. Kwon was nothing but good to their family...." 

 

Jiyong then heads towards the door. "I'm going to get some answers." 

 

Dami runs to her brother again. "And do what?" 

 

"I don't know!" screams Jiyong. "I'm not loosing my family...I can't just sit here and mope and not do anything." 

 

"You could be killed" 

 

Jiyong continues to walk through the thick fields that divide the huts and the Lord's residence. Jiyong has no idea what he is going to do...

 

////////////////////////////Yang's breakfast////////////////////////

 

The family is happily eating together. They are eating their usual fest where Minzy is eating all of the grapes. Yang loves his girls and always makes sure that there is more than enough food prepared for them. Gummy looks up as Jiyong approaches their table. Jiyong bows deeply making Yang raise an eyebrow. "What is it Jiyong...." 

 

Jiyong keeps his head down. "I came to ask about my father...." 

 

"Oh yea...Kwon...I sent him away to take care of some debts...." 

 

Jiyong's blood is boiling now due to the casual voice of his Lord. "But Lord...we don't understand why you choose him..." 

 

"Are you questioning me Jiyong.." 

 

Jiyong bows again. "No my Lord..." 

 

"Just leave it at that....you all lived a happy life together...you still have your sister. Be grateful..." Be grateful....Jiyong could just run across that table and stab the man. He could just do things that you wouldn't want to describe...but he doesn't...because that is the life of a servant.

 

The younger turns around and starts to walk away. "Jiyong?" 

 

The younger turns around. "Yes my Lord....Clean the books again. I feel that it's hard to turn the pages." Jiyong bows with a grit in his bones. He has no idea what to do and really can't do anything about it. He stops in his tracks when a familiar voice out of breath is trailing behind him. 

 

"Jiyong!" 

 

Jiyong turns around to see Cherin in her breakfast garment. "Young master why are you running!" says Jiyong patting down her now dusty clothes. Cherin frowns and pushes Jiyong off of her. "Are you crazy....forget about me....what about you....I can't believe my father...." says the younger trailing off. Jiyong looks down. "It's not fair...." 

 

Cherin nods in agreement. "I have heard him talk about getting rid of debt but I never though that he would do this....what are you going to do...." 

 

"What can I do....there is nothing to do but accept it...I'm not a noble remember...." 

 

Cherin then grins..."But you can be..." 

 

"What?" says Jiyong looking at the woman like she is crazy.... 

 

"You will go and get him....I know where they are taking him....they are holding them in the royal courts until night fall" 

 

Jiyong raises and eyebrow. "I can't go like this...I might get taken away as well." 

 

Cherin then takes the younger's hand. "Follow me..." 

 

"Wait...What...?" 

 

//////////////////////Cherin's Room//////////////////////

 

"That's enough powder...." says Jiyong scrunching up his face. 

 

Cherin had a plan alright...but nothing Jiyong expected. He is now in a silk hanbok with the finest fabrics. Because Jiyong has such a small frame and pretty features he can pass as a woman. The big plan is to have Jiyong go to the royal court and demand to have Mr. Kwon back...or something like that. 

 

Jiyong stands from the fancy pillow but trips on the dress to fall down. "Aish..." Cherin laughs. "Now that is not of a lady" Jiyong frowns. "This is not right...I can't do this." Cherin takes the larger hands in hers. "You can do it. Seungri and YoungBae are getting the carriage ready and the rest of the servants are going to cover for you....everything is set up....what is the problem...." 

 

"I'm IM an imposter...being in this dress could get me killed...leaving the lands could get me killed...leaving the ack....that hurt...." says Jiyong holding his side. Cherin punched the man to get his attention. "Yah yah Jiyong...your father is a big part of your life...I'm risking alot too...we all are...we are doing this for you because we care for you...."  Cherin smiles into the coffee eyes. "Now let's get going. It takes time to get to the royal courts." 

 

Jiyong has no idea what he is going to say or do. "Oh here" Cherin hands Jiyong a tiny bag. "What is this...OH MY GOSH HOW MUCH..." Jiyong shuts his mouth. What is in the bag is at least 100,000 won which is ten thousand dollars. Jiyong holds out the bag.."This is too much..." 

 

"That is the debt....take it..." 

 

"How do you know...." 

 

"Because I heard my father talking about how much one of you cost....it's disgusting how he talks of you all like cattle....take it...." Cherin grabs Jiyong's hair and puts it up in traditional Korean head dressings. His face is white as snow and his skin clear of any dirt marks. "There...you are beautiful...." 

 

Jiyong looks the other in the eyes. "Thank you Cherin..." 

 

"It's no problem Jiyong...that's what friends are for." They both grin and open the back door to Cherin's room. YoungBae and Seungri are already in the proper clothes to be amongst nobles. The two almost didn't notice Jiyong. YoungBae is especially taken away. "Jiyong....you are....pretty..." 

 

Jiyong laughs. "Okay okay I'm beautiful...now let's get my father." 

 

Cherin who is still in her room takes off her hanbok and throws on Jiyong's old clothes. She runs out to meet the guys making their jaws drop. "young young..." 

 

Cherin laughs. "Now you think that I'm going to sit here and miss out on all the action..." smirks the younger. Seungri puts an arm around her shoulder. "Yea plus Jiyong could use some tips on being a lady." 

 

Jiyong laughs. "I know plenty...." 

 

YoungBae looks at the sun. "Let's go...the carriage is in the back of the lands." They all grab an end to Jiyong's dress and help him go through the property with out getting noticed. So much is being risked for one person. Hopefully Jiyong will make things work. 

 

"So who will you be hyung?" 

 

Jiyong smiles to himself. "I will be my mother...Countess JiEun." 

 

***Chapter one done!! What do you all think of the story so far. I love all of your feedback. Please feel free to leave a comment no matter how long or short. Also please upvote this story to show your support. Thank you for reading! Until next time!