Chapter 4 – [1790]

[Several days later]

The sound of tea poured into and against the pottery brown, drinking cup echoed throughout the room. The one held responsible for the noise was the kind Yoomi who was serving the King seated at the table in front of her. As the elder observed her, a fatherly smile was plastered on his face. "You look a lot like your mother now that I can get a close look at you." He commented to dismiss the awkward silence in the air surrounding them. Yoomi waited for the glass to fill before giving a reply, once she responded in unison she gently lowered the teapot until the bottom touched the table’s surface.

"You knew my mother before her passing, your majesty?" Yoomi articulated with her head lowered and her eyes buried from the King's. While waiting for his reply, Yoomi succeeded in sitting comfortably on the cushion under her.

The King chortled a little, "Your father is one of my finest executives, wouldn't it be shameful if I was not acquainted with your mother?" A waiver of Yoomi's dark pupils was a sign that she was uncertain of what to say next, thus the elder continued, "Your mother was a fine herbalist. She was very knowledgeable of the wide variety of herbs out there. I heard you possessed some of those skills too, am I right?"

The lass nodded with a matured smile, "Yes your majesty. In fact today I personally brewed this tea myself. You see I am still only a beginner, but it would be an honor if your majesty would taste it and provide some critics as you see fit. I would like to hear your majesty's thoughts." Peeking up she noticed how the King didn't react positively and immediately to her words. With a heavy gasp, Yoomi hung her head again and hid her neck, "I'm sorry if I have offended you, your majesty. I did not mean to take you for a test subject, I was just—" The King cleared his throat to stop the lass from trying to clear any misunderstanding.

"Kim Yoomi, as of today you are the Crown Princess, my son's wife, and my daughter-in-law. Actually, I should thank you. You chose to let this old warrior taste your self-made tea before even my son, your husband. I'm delighted." The smile on the two parties widens at the light mood of the room. The King then reached for his two-thirds filled cup and brought the drink to his nose, where he sniffed the sweetness of the syrup. The King exhaled with a satisfied grin then began to take the drink in slowly through his mouth. He satisfied his thirst and emptied the cup in one tilt of the wrist. Slowly he lowered the cup and exhale heavily. "What did you use to make this tea? It's truly refreshing!"

A gleeful smile was drawn on Yoomi's pale face while she glanced up to meet the elder's lively eyes, "It was thanks to you that I could make such tea, your majesty."

"Me?" The King questioned with raising eyebrows, "But I didn't do anything," a sign that he wanted to hear the reason immediately.

Yoomi bowed once before answering, "The ingredients used to make this tea were picked from your majesty's garden. Behind the palace, I heard that the most beautiful scenery in the palace was your majesty's garden. I have seen many flower beds, but none has proven to be more than or as beautiful as your majesty's. It is a great fortune that I'm able to see it in person."

"You mean Huwon," the King uttered softly.

"Huwon?" She craned her neck in confusion.

The King hummed, "Yes, the Palace garden you spoke of," he answered then pause for a moment before coming up with an idea, "then, would you like to become its owner?"

Yoomi shot her head up and looked directly into the King's eyes. There were excitement and disbelief in her eyes and heavy breathing. "Y—you don't mean it do you, your majesty?"

The elder kept his smile, "You don't believe me? Would you believe me if I wrote a letter down and send it the Minister of Works? I mean it. Once my passing, my son will become the King and you the Queen of this nation. I have never met anyone who treasures my garden or even praise it in front of me. I'm well aware that my son will not look after it. So why don't you become its owner instead?"

The younger couldn't believe what she was hearing but if those were true words then she was the happiest person alive. "I-I will look after it for you, your majesty! Thank you! Thank you, your majesty!" The older chuckled and earned thankful tears from Yoomi.

Jungook pulled himself forward from his original leaning position on one of the chair's arms. He was thrown off guard when one of his men has relied upon the latest news to him. "What? Yeo Inpyo snuck out of Woogyu?" The lad trembled in front of Jungook, fearing for his life.

With a shaky voice, the lower rank stuttered, "Y-yes s-sir."

Though his blood was boiling on the inside, Jungook knew there was no use expressing his anger and instead calmed himself down by trying to ease his cycle of inhalation and exhalation. Finally, to put on a relaxed mask, he turned to one of his most trusted men and begin orders in a low voice. "Ji Taeyo. Find Inpyo and do whatever you can to bring him back."

In the line of men in black uniforms, the tallest man Ji Taeyo with his hair tied back nodded.

Heo Minho was observing the completed construction of the academy with a follow up of men behind him. "Beautiful isn't it your highness? Your idea of creating this establishment was brilliant and now this site will raise many of your people to be wise and capable." One of the officials behind commented and complimented. But the Crown Prince was more occupied in thoughts of his success instead of paying the man any mind. He inhaled the air around him and could still smell the paint and wood of the construction. It was true that when Minho started the construction of the academy his goal was to raise a wiser generation, including his own children.

"Starting tomorrow please begin the process of hiring teachers with credentials as we've discussed." He said as he came to a stop.

"Yes your highness." Another officer replied, causing discomfort to the other who had been praising.

"Then let's depart. I must return to the palace and report to his majesty my plans." Minho said earning agreement among the pack.

Inpyo peeked out from over the walls and all he could see were colorful flower bushes, ponds with daffodils, and a walkway to a platform with the pond surrounding it on all sides. Though the setting was beautiful, Inpyo paid its beauty very little interest and instead noticed a figure bending over the flower bunch. It was a woman in a long thick dress, her long black hair was let loose behind her. And as she was bending over, her hair fell over the side of her face and blocked her from noticing Inpyo. But the lad waited until the lass either see him or so he could see her face.

After a moment luck was on his side and the wind begins to pick up. With her hair flying towards her vision, she quickly swirls a hand around them and held it over one shoulder. Inpyo's eyes widen as he saw her side profile. He knew it was Yoomi. Inpyo called out Yoomi's name, forgetting about the danger that could come with him being seen at the palace walls. Once their eyes locked, Inpyo pulled himself onto the roof of the walls and search for safe ground to land on, meanwhile Yoomi scanned their surrounding for any unwanted witnesses. Once Inpyo had leaped off and made contact with the ground, Yoomi approached him with swift movements, grabbing onto the fabric he was clad in carelessly.

Yoomi gently shoved Inpyo into an unoccupied room near the garden and once she double checked the outdoors for any eyes or ears, she proceeded to shut the doors when no one was present, "Inpyo, you—," as she spun around, her intention to scold was cut off by the sudden contact of Inpyo's shoulder as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I missed you Yoomi. I am truly sorry for what you had to go through. I promise you, I will never allow them to take you away from me ever again. I will protect you," Inpyo blurted his confession as he tightened his hold on her, taking her scent and presence in.

"Inpyo, I—" She wanted to hold him but knew what kind of trouble they would get in if someone caught them, thus she only gripped onto the fabric that wrapped around his waist. 

"Yoomi let's run away. Come with me, we will run to a place where no one will know us. A place where no one can find us, no one, not even his majesty," Inpyo said with a hint of desperation. When Yoomi didn't answer he ripped himself away from her and the pace of his breathing picked up. "Let's leave now when there's no one around." Inpyo grabbed onto Yoomi's hand and attempted to help her out but Yoomi tore her hand out of his and turned her back to him. She didn't want to break under his watch. 

"There's no use running now Inpyo. If you had come earlier then we could have run away," the sound of anger and sorrow was mixed in her tone, "I'm already married to the Crown Prince. I'm already the King's daughter-in-law. If you came earlier I would have left with you! But you're too late—!"

Inpyo shook his head in denial and took a step forward where he wrapped his strong arms around Yoomi, trapping even her arms in his hold. His chin was rarely resting on her shoulder as he mumbled into her ear, "Don't say that, it's not too late. We can still be together Yoomi, but only if we leave now." Yoomi begin to struggle in his encircled arms, making Inpyo nervous on the inside. "Yoomi please!" This time Inpyo raised his voice and tightened his hold, "I beg you. Leave with me, be my wife and become the mother of my children. Let's live our remaining days together." Whimpers could be heard from Yoomi as she tried to break free again, but Inpyo would squeeze her a little to keep her still. "Please Yoomi," his voice shook, "you know for you I would do anything. I can leave everything,"

Yoomi finally stopped fighting when tears flowed down her cheek and anger was flashing in her eyes. "If you want to be with me then listen carefully." Inpyo kept quiet and waited to hear her out. "Come back at three after midnight. Come back here when everyone is sleeping. If you arrive too early or too late then I won't leave with you. You'll have to understand that it is for the sake of my father's reputation." Yoomi said, biting down on her decision. Inpyo expressed he understood with a small bobbed of his head. Finally, before leaving to jump over the lower walls again, Inpyo handed Yoomi a medal.

"His Majesty gave this to me. Hold onto it for me, I promise I will return to it and to you. I will come back here to this very place at exactly three." Inpyo said earning a soft smile from Yoomi.

"I will have everything pack and will be ready for when you come."

Inpyo flashed her a smile and nodded. "Alright, I will be back. See you in a while," as he stretched out a hand to caressed Yoomi's cheek for the last time, she pushed it away and guide it safely over the wall. After a quick scan of his surrounding, Inpyo ensured he hasn't been spotted and took off instantly. On the other side, Yoomi listened to his descending footsteps.

"I will save you again,"

On the road where very little people pay Inpyo any attention, he was suddenly greeted by three men, all who he was familiar with. The outfit they each wore and the eyes of killers they all possessed. "Yeo Inpyo, come with us back to Woogyu." The man in the front said.

Inpyo looked from one to another before locking eyes with the tall man before him. Though Inpyo appeared difficult to handle, in truth Inpyo had his guard up and was stiff in front of the small group of men. Mainly because the man with higher authority out of the small group appears to be a threat. "So you guys followed me all the way to Jongno, huh?"

"Master wants to see you." The tall said, ignoring Inpyo's comment.

"Well, I don't want to see him," Inpyo said hoping he could get a reaction from the lad, but he noticed it did very little on the taller.

"I received orders to bring you back. But if you insist otherwise then please excuse my manners." The man drew his sword, causing frightened wimps from the citizens around them.

Inpyo reached a hand over onto the sword that was strapped around his waist, he felt his sword's handle and quietly wrapped his hand around it. "The only way I will go back is if you kill me. So if you want my dead body then fight me,”

His taller opponent raised an eyebrow, "Well said. Master never said to bring you back alive or dead, so it's a relief that you're willing to offer us even your dead body."

Inpyo flattened his eyes at the emotionless sound of the male's voice.

A cold person the stranger was.

"Die you Woogyu dogs!" Inpyo shouted as he charged forward, his sword clashing against the other.

Minho and the King were alone in the King's chamber. "I have ordered that the minister seek out scholars starting tomorrow. I will have that school opened in ninety days when the new season begins. When I first opened this project, your majesty, you told me that I could run it in any way I wish to as long as I kept your promise. So, tonight I came to tell you that the academy is finally completed and I will like to ask you for permission regarding Prince Youngtae’s attendance outside the walls—."

The King made a harsh, rumbling sound at his throat, “That won’t happen. If he attends the academy then he will have documents in the school. No one must know of his existence.”

Minho frowned, “But your majesty—”

“He must not set foot outside of the palace walls until you and the Crown Princess are with an heir. Speaking of the Crown Princess, did you even see her face before coming to me?” 

There was a pause followed by a sigh before Minho responded, "Your majesty this is about Prince Young—"

"Enough. It’s been settled. I will keep my words and only watch how you run your academy but you mustn’t allow Youngtae to roam outside the walls.” The King took a breather before he continued, “Now, I want to continue chatting about the Crown Princess."

Minho couldn't defy his father's wish and hence slowly gives in, "Please speak, your majesty."

At this the King wasted no time to share, "She came to my chamber today." The King started, earning an interested glance from Minho, "She came to serve me the tea she made with her own hands. And to express my gratitude I gifted her ownership of Huwon. The Crown Princess could not stop praising its beauty and it touched me greatly."

"Her Highness the Crown Princess did that much?" Minho questioned, earning a raspy hum from the King.

"That's why from now on you must pay her more attention. She is a kind and weak young woman. Look after her and teach her how to become a strong lady. So when the time comes for me to pass, I will pass peacefully knowing I have left behind a great and strong King and Queen in my position."

"I will heed your words, your majesty," Minho answered with a bow of his head.

The brightness of the King's expression from chatting about Yoomi suddenly darkens, "Any words from Inpyo?"

Minho exhaled with a sense of annoyance, "Not yet. Wherever he's hiding, no one knows."

"Order some men to look for and find him. You must find him. I need to speak with him again and hear out the truth of his selfish action." The King said, earning a bow from Minho.

"I will carry out your orders, father."

Jungook gripped Taeyo's jaw with his forefinger and thumb, and to show his disappointment he dug his nails into the lad's meat. "You lost him in a crowd? You want me to believe that? Jongno is not an unfamiliar village to you Taeyo! So explain to me how did you lose Yeo Inpyo!?" The man spat on his first commander's face.

"It was a mistake to return without capturing him," Taeyo answered instead.

Jungook scoffed, "You're right. At least you're admitting to your own mistake, Taeyo." The man finally removed his hold causing Taeyo to move his jaw around and made sure it was still intact. "Find out where he is this time without approaching him head-on. Even if you have to tear or burn down homes, do it and find out where he is staying and where he is heading."

"Yes, master." Taeyo lowered his head and drowned out the answer.

Night finally fell and it felt like forever to Inpyo. Inpyo was deaf to his surroundings when all he could think of was the thoughts of him being with Yoomi again. Where he could hold her and share conversations with just her. "Yeo Inpyo!" A calling broke him from his spacing out. Before Inpyo could even dodge, a heavy wooden stick was swung toward the side of his head and knocked him out.

"Tie him up!" A voice demanded, then the sound of footsteps shuffled about and the hands of many were pressed against Inpyo's motionless body.

The night got even darker now with Inpyo's eyes coming to a still-shut.

End of Chapter Four.