Tears of the Moon
Chapter 04

She froze. 

She was terrified but also elated.

Her lips felt like it was being ripped off by his pressing lips. And her body seemed like it was flying off to the skies as her senses was overdriven by him.

She held her breath and stayed still unable to react yet strung in tension.

Just when she was about to savor the feel of his lips on her, he let her lips go.

His hands were still holding her, one hand on her face and the other on her waist. She was still trapped and held tight. 

They were on eye level, his stare boring holes into her, searing to the depths of her soul. 

Then he smirked. That little smile at the corner of his mouth that conveyed his satisfaction at her confusion and discomfort. She had memorized that smile; it was the only smile he ever gave her.

'BASTARD INCARNATE!'

She wanted to slap his mouth clean off.

How he hated him. He was the worst person in the world who made it a goal in his life to hurt and humiliate her.

Yet how great she loved him. Undeserving yet involuntary.

He continued to stare into her eyes, and his fingers again continued to trace her lips.

"My queen, my Queen..." his voice in a sing-songy tune. He was really enjoying this.

He pulled her to him again, which had her close her eyes, waiting for his kiss and assault. Then she felt his breath by her left nape and ear as he spoke, "Do you remember the vow I made to you?"

She opened her eyes but remain silent. Her heart was pounding and she wanted to flee.

"No? You don't remember?"

His hand now fell from his cheeks to her nape, his thumb tracing the vein that run from her jaw down to her collarbone. His thumb continues to linger in her collar bone. Caressing.

"Let me remind you again, because I fell like you may have forgotten"

"...You my queen may be the Queen of the nation. But you will never the Queen of my heart. Never."

He was holding her gently and lovingly but he was hurting her royally.

Her heart constricted. Her pride trampled. 

That was how he was. That is how he is. The blow doubled especially after the kiss and caress then taunting her of what she cannot have. Precise in making her humiliated. Precise in his torment. He will always be precise.

Then he let go of her. Just released her like a bag of trash.

'Bastard!'

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself.

Silence.

She was waiting for him to leave but he didn't. He stayed quiet yet unmoving. His presence palpable even in the silence.

She sat down -- backs straight, chin up, and controlled her emotion to be able to put on a serene appearance.

She opened her eyes and noticed that his eyes were still taunting her.

She looked at him back wanting to poke a knife in his eyes that seemed to searing her skin, and his half-smile taunting. 'DEVIL'

They stared at each other, daring each other to make the move, 'Do what you will..'

But still silence.

She gave as much as she received, she remained as tight lipped as he was, waiting. She gives him the same intensity, stare for stare. He might have just mishandled and humiliated her but she will never allow him to see how much he hurt her.. 

'I am still Queen'

"En passé", he spoke, breaking the silence

"Well it looks like I have to be the first to break this silence" He drooled out, still with his smirk evident from his lips

She nodded in answer, she could not trust herself with speaking, and she might just curse him then and there.

He continued, "The ministers just informed me that the nation is in danger with the lack of heir to the throne."

This was what she was waiting for.

"A laughable matter especially since I have only lived 28 winters over, and I am still young. Suggesting that for a stronger monarch, we need to secure the succession. Tsk tsk tsk. My ministers are always funny" His voice was in constant monotony, like he was bored.

"But then again we know what this is all about. Isn't that right my queen..." his voice laced with disgust.

She refused to be baited by him, she answered, "of course your majesty. I know what this means."

"Is that so my queen"

"Yes, your majesty. I have heard that the north nation are threatening war, we are at a disadvantage right now, after just ending the draught and locust infestation. And will all these threat coming at us, we need to show the people that we are a strong monarch. And with that, we need to dispel the rumors regarding the heirless seat----"

He clapped his hands after her answer, and taunted, "What a diplomatic and textbook answer. Bravo my queen, Bravo."

"Your father must be proud to have such a smart and loving daughter."

His smile was gone now, only replaced with unreadable exterior.

She immediately was alarmed, and she continued, "Yes, your majesty, my father is proud"

"And he will also expect me to make sure that the succession is continued"

"That is why, even before you came to my chamber I was already planning to go to the great hall to ask and suggest that we make a royal decree before the end of the week regarding the opening and placing a concubine in the palace"

He tilted his head and brought his hand to support it over the table, and then he smiled and asked, "Did you, now?"

"Yes, your majesty"

He smiled, now looking more genuinely amused, "a concubine?"

She stared at him as she answered, "That is the only solution your majesty. With your approval I will immediately start looking for all women from the noblest clans in the land"

He laughed and asked dryly, "Only solution? Are you sure? Nothing else?"

"How about you, my queen. Why not suggest a night together? "

She clasped his hands together to prevent the trembling, 'night together? With me? Suggest it now?'

'Never again.' 

'Never again after that last incident when the throw a tantrum and was labeled as being possessed when I was brought in his chamber for a night together,'

'Never Bastard!'

She smiled now and answered, "It is because of my lack of virtue that is why the monarch is being threatened. It is because of me that we have no heir."

"It is my duty to safeguard this nation, as the mother of the people. And getting a concubine is the best solution."

"Really my queen, what a noble lady you are. I never knew. I should have seen and realized your true heart."

'True heart, my ', she looked at him, taunt per taunt, humiliation per humiliation and lie per lie.

"Then do you have any suggestion in mind my Queen for my concubine. The one who will lie in my arms after a week. The one who will bear the prince and the heir?" 

He was becoming more vicious again. He was not liking her decision, she loved it.

"I have already started the information gathering. There are many possibilities but if you have any suggestion I will always put your preference in mind."

"I have one" He said

She took out a pen and smiled at the king, "Oh that is great your majesty. Who might she be?"

"Park. GYU. MI."

Her hand stopped, her sister.

He suggested her sister

She turned her head down to hide his hatred, 'BASTARD to EVERLASTING HELL'

She wanted to kill him now; yes he would suggest her sister. He knew that would hurt her. Her 15 year old sister who she had not seen for 8 years.

She counted to ten before she could control herself, "My sister. A good choice your majesty. I have heard from my mother that she is growing up to be such a noble and beautiful girl. I would put her as priority"

"Yes you would, is that right My Queen. You would put you younger sister in the list as concubine."

She nodded now.

SILENCE.

Each one of them in their especially dark place

"But I have another woman in mind." He broke the silence again

"This one has caught my eyes for quite some time now. A very lovely, innocent. and loyal girl" She hated him, those were the same words he described his first love. The one that died.

"And who might that be your majesty. I would gladly make inquiries to make sure everything is to your satisfaction, especially since it’s the concubine matter", she asked. 

"KANG. JI. YOUNG"

She stood up in shock. Her closest confidante and only friend. The only person that has been by her since childhoow until now. The servant she grew up with to be her playmate and the attendant she brought to be her friend. The person who stayed and suffered with her when her father caned her. The person that stayed and hugged her as the bastard king in front of her killed her heart many times over. JiYoung--- her servant, her friend, her attendant, her half-sister and the only one who loved her.

"Any complains My queen?"

'DEMON'

'BASTARD'

''

'DEVIL'

She could not answer. She might just curse him now. or kill him right then and there.

Her hatred bottling up yet ready to explode. She may love him, but she could not take it anymore. She may love him, but she could not have jiyoung be her concubine. She may love him but his last torment was too much. She may love him, but hearts can easily die. 

Then he laughed, "No?"

She stood straight and did not answer.

"Not Kang JiYoung?"

"Then say it? Tell me."

"Beg me not to include her", he taunted.

She wanted to kill him. Kill him a thousand times over right now. But more than that she wanted to die. Wanted to die right then and there because it hurt too much.

"I order you; this is a royal command, BEG ME. Beg me to spare Kang JiYoung", His voice was even and his smile was evil.

"Come on my queen, say it"

"I BEG YOU." He started

"I beg you." involuntarily she followed

"Not Kang JiYoung" his smile continued to be plastered on his face.

"Not Kang JiYoung", she was breathing hard and tears started to pour from her eyes.

She could not stop it anymore, her tears & her composure breaking.  He knew that suggesting JiYoung would hurt her. Torment her. HE really did know how to hurt her most.

"That was not so hard, was it my queen?" He said

He walked over to her, wiped her tears away with his fingers gently.

And whispered, "Your wish is my command, my queen."

He immediately left and before he was out of the door he spoke clearly, "Don't you ever dare open that concubine seat. DON'T EVER!!!"

He was gone and she was crushed.

Her hope of him loving her finally died.

She slumped on the ground, crying and heart dying again.

a/n: Finally got a title that kinda satisfied me, Hahahah that is after a week of thinking, changing, procastinatting and just overall fighting with myself then BOM. there it is!
Additionally if you read this chapter I guess the plot inspiration would be familiar. Don't worry the familiarity would end there.  The next chapter would be totally different. I promise.
***havent re-edited this one, just posted the way i wrote it, so there could be a couple fo errors, sorry about that.

@hornet - Thanks for liking my work. but the king, well you'll have to read on to see who it is.

@SyazNies- Hey yah! thanks for dropping by, but again I am curious to you guys comment, why Kris? Jaejoong? is that like a random thing pairing? is there any interaction. I Am kinda OC that way, I need some material to see if those guys have something with Gyuri. With L, I get it, the radio guesting was seriously adorable and JOnghyun would be the SHinee-kara collab years ago. but what with Gyuri and Kris pairing?

@gyuleia- thanks for dropping by again. and hahaha, thats a long shortlist, longer than mine OTP pairing for this story....
With KyuHyun, kinda don't feel that pairing since heard a rumor that he and seungyeon dated or is still dating. That's just wrong to have them paired up, like betrayoing your friend or something.
With GD, well he is unique, don't kow him that well actually. I do love top, and daesung but the rest of the bigbang member I just watch from afar, hahahaha.
Lastly. EXO is really big right now? Havent seen anything of their work, I have too much loyalty to the 1st generation and 2nd generation idol to check out the new ones. hahahaha. but i just might check them out one of these days.

@SweetOrais- annyeong to you. Yup, EXO are younger then gyuri and additionally the King here is older than queen so anyone young will not do. hahahahaha is that too much spoiler for the King's identity? LoL. anway hope you guys enjoy