Author's Note:

Hello hello dearest readers! First of all, I am so sorry for updating so late. I've been really busy with school and work, as much as I wanted to sit down and write, my busy schedule and fleeting inspiration won't allow me. Anyway, since school has just ended I might be able to update more frequently, and hopefully finish it until next month *crossed fingers*. 

Also, I would like to extend my gratitude to my partner in crime (mlenil) for assisting me with the terminologies. hihi. Of course, thank you everyone for the support! Hope this will somehow help our longing Chaeki hearts. Keep the fire burning! :D

Okay, without further ado, here's CHAPTER 3! :D

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Chae Won

“I am pleased to meet you Suk Yong Chae Won, I am Song Jeul Ki your gungnyeo. I hope we can go along together” I cannot believe my eyes, the smile was all too familiar. I managed to keep calm until Jin Kyung said that she will have to attend to other things, living me with Jeul Ki.

As soon as the door slid close, I hear a loud sigh from Jeul Ki. “Who said that pretending to be a girl would be easy?” After which he lifted his gaze to meet mine and smirked. I could feel tears build up in my eyes as I gathered him in a tight embrace. My arms wrapped tightly around his neck and my face buried in the crook of his neck. I felt his arms encircle my waist and a deep kiss on my head. No words need be said, I knew at that instance that Jeul Ki is my Joong Ki. I sobbed loudly and I could feel his hand coax my back in comfort.

“You are here, oppa. I cannot believe this.” I managed to utter in between sobs.

“Hush now Chae Won-sshi, remember I promised to never leave you? That’s why I did all possible means to be here with you.” He whispered in my ear. I lifted my head to face him, and I could clearly see the he is also shedding some tears.

“But how? I do not understand, how were you able to find me?”

“Well, I learned that the soldiers who took you came from this kingdom, hence I made my way here. During my journey I witnessed an accident, two people died including a woman who I later learned was supposed to serve as a gungnyeo in the palace. I thought that it will be easier to enter the kingdom if I took her place, little did I know that I will find you here. Let us just say that fate made a way to bring us back together, and I’m very thankful for it.” He calmly explained as I felt his hands wipe away my tears. Indeed, I thank the heavens for making our reunion possible, but we still have to face our current predicament.

“Oppa, what will we do now? How will we escape from here?” his expression became tense as he placed both hands on my shoulders.

“We will have to carefully think about it, it will be too early if we make a move now. But we have to escape before the king touches you” I cringe at the harsh reality of my role as the king’s new mistress. I weakly nodded, before he once again gathers me in a warm embrace.

----

Joong Ki

I am very delighted to see that my Chae Won is safe, her smile is enough reward for all the things I did just to be with her. But I cannot just ignore the impending circumstances brought about by our presence in the palace. There has to be a way for us to escape, and live in a faraway village, together.

My mind wandered to the events that led to our reunion. My entrance in the palace was definitely not easy. I had to present myself as a composed woman, like what was expected of a typical gungnyeo. I had to speak in a high pitch tone, mimicking that of a woman.

Growing up in a family where I had two younger sisters, I thought that I already know everything about a woman does. But I found myself wrong when I entered the court ladies’ quarters, where gungnyeos stay in the palace.

I roamed my eyes around the four corners of the large room. The intricate wood works, the wide paper doors and the futon silk depicted only a piece of the palace’s grandeur.  The other gungnyeos welcomed me with shy smiles, I do not know if they can sense my difference. Once settled in the room, a young gungyeo approached me.

“Annyeonghaseyo,  you seem to be new here?” she had a bright smile on her face. I nodded in response.

“What is your name?” she asked.

“Jeul Ki, Song Jeul Ki” I answered trying to keep the tone of my voice.

“Pleased to meet you Jeul Ki-sshi, I am Lee Yo Bi. Where are you from?”  I recalled every detail that I could remember about the lady in the accident. One by one, I was able to answer Yo Bi’s queries using the stories I made up. I hope she did not notice my uneasiness during our conversation. But I had to get used to this if I want to stay here and look for Chae Won. I would do anything for her.  

“I believe I have to go for now. I will see you tonight Jeul Ki. If you need any assistance, feel free to approach me” I sighed in relief when Yo Bi left the room. I stood from my place and continued to familiarize myself with the room, and suddenly a lady in a mere Sok ot emerged from one of the doors. My eyes grew wide at the figure and I immediately shifted my gaze.

“Omo! Who are you?” I saw her jump from her place and crossed her arms above her chest.

“I am a new gungnyeo in the palace” I said still averting my gaze from her.

“Oh is that so? My apologies, I thought you were an intruder. I see that you just arrived.” She walked pass me then took her green hanbok from a wooden stand.  

“Welcome to the Great Palace, where your world will begin to revolve. I am Han Hyo Joo by the way, and you are?” she looked at my direction.

“Song Jeul Ki”  

“Jeul Ki-sshi is it?” After wearing her hanbok, she neared me and examined my figure from head to foot.

“I must say, you are beautiful Jeul Ki-sshi. Better be careful, no one in the palace should indulge your beauty except the King. If you are lucky, he might even take you as one of his concubines.” I shuddered at the thought, of course that would not happen; I definitely would not allow it.

“Fortunate are those who can gain the  King's affection. I even heard that he has a new one. You would probably be serving her.” My heart fluttered. Can the king’s new concubine be Chae Won? The idea of her being captured and turned into a concubine did not cross my mind. I excused myself from Hyo Joo and went outside to gather my thoughts.

I was walking around the palace grounds, my right hand rubbing my temple. I need to find Chae Won as soon as possible. I was in deep thought that I did not notice the figure in front of me.

“Oh, my sincere apologies” I nodded in respect to the person whom I came across with.

“No need to apologize my lady, it was also my fault” a manly voice was heard. When I lifted my gaze, there I saw a man in military suit and beonggeoji.

“Please be careful on your way my lady.” He had an absurd smile on his face.

“Muban Kwang Soo!” I heard one of the military men call to him.

“I must be on my way, I will see you around my lady” and before he left, I saw him wink at me. Is this what Hyo Joo was pertaining to earlier? I should definitely avoid people like him, he will be of no use for my plans, or probably not?

----

“Joong Ki-oppa” Chae Won’s concerned voice brought me back from my thoughts. I looked at her and saw the worry in her almond-shaped eyes. Her hands clutched on the sleeves of my hanbok.

“What were you thinking?” she asked

“Nothing much. Chae Won-sshi, please try to call me Jeul-Ki from hereon. Someone might hear us” I said in a low tone. She sighed and pouted. “I will try, but I cannot promise”.

“My Chae Won, you still have not changed at all” I pinched her cheek which made her smile.

“Come, let us have some fresh air.” as per habit, I took her hand in mine and headed for the door when I suddenly realized our predicament. “I almost forgot” then I let go of her hand. Disappointment hovered our faces, but we have to do this for now.

We strolled around the huge palace garden where trees and flowers of different kinds were planted. There was also a red bridge located over a pond full of water lilies and coy fish. With respect to her new status, I allowed Chae Won to lead the way. Midway into crossing the bridge, we came into a group of gongnyeos assisting a woman in a red hanbok with exquisite gold details on it. Her hair was in an Eoyeo Meori style, from my knowledge of royalties I believe the woman before us is the queen.

Chae Won and I respectfully bow to acknowledge her presence.

“You must be the king’s new hugung.” She arrogantly said. Chae Won could only lower her head in response.

She smirked and neared Chae Won, I badly wanted to protect her but situation called that I cannot. “Do not ever think that you could over throne me, pleasuring the king at night will never make you a queen. Keep that in mind.” And with that, she left with her gongnyeos.

I wanted to embrace Chae Won right there and then as if to shield her from all the pains that might to destroy her. But instead, I came closer behind her whispered comforting words. We have to escape from this golden dungeon as soon as possible.

---

A few days later and I still have not had the opportunity to elope with Chae Won. Jin Kyung began teaching Chae Won with the proper etiquettes of a hugung. She would obey her, but at the end of day she would cry as I envelop her in the privacy of her room.

One night, I left Chae Won sleeping and made way to my room. As I walked through the corridor, I overheard two ladies speaking.

“That new hugung is still very young, seems like the king will be very pleased with her.”

“Indeed, and she might even be able to bear him a son that Jungjeon Si Yeon and the other hugungs never did.”

“Yes, a son that will be the heir to the throne. If that happens, surely the Jungjeon will be overthroned.”

“I wish it will happen very soon.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. The reason why they made Chae Won the king’s concubine was to impregnate her with his son.

In a swift, I ran towards Chae Won’s room and immediately woke her from sleep.

“Chae Won-sshi, hurry, we will elope now!” She could tell that panic was all over my face.

“Oppa, really, now? But how?”

“We will find a way” I raised her from the futon and handed her a hanbok to wear. I held her hand as we silently passed through the dark corridors of the palace and thrived for the end of the garden. We reached the palace wall, and to my surprise its height was equivalent to three persons. I felt defeated, but there could possibly be a way. I searched around for another possible route until I saw a tree with its branches reaching the other side of the wall.

“Chae Won-sshi, I need you to climb that tree to cross over the wall. Think of it as our old oak tree, do you understand?” she nodded.

We were about to take our first step on the tree when a blaze of light illuminated our area.

“What are you doing?” one of the military officers asked.

“Ah, uh, I am just accompanying Suk Yong Chae Won to have some fresh air, that’s all.” I tried my best not to stutter.

“Jeul Ki is right, I asked her to accompany me here. Should there be a problem?” Chae Won asked with authority, I was surprised with the command in her voice.

“Oh my apologies Suk Yong Chae Won, I did not recognize you.  Actually we were searching for you because the king is asking for your presence tonight.”

I felt my whole world crumble at what I heard. I looked at Chae Won, and she had the same devastated reaction. Tonight will be the night that the king will make my beloved Chae Won his.

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Mini Glossary:

Sok-ot  (속옷) - undergarments

beonggeoji (벙거지)- a special hat worn by military men

Eoyeo Meori’ (어여머리) – hairstyle worn by queens, king’s wives, and queen mothers. Consisting of false hair, it is made into a thick braid and secured on top of the head, with the original hair showing in front of the false one. 

Jungjeon - (중전, 中殿), which literally means ‘Center Palace‘. Title given to the queen of the current king.

Hugung (후궁, 後), - Concubine

Gungnyeo - maid

(credits to The Talking Cupboard)