'Rumors'

Yurin walked around the garden for a while and sniff some flowers to clear her mind. She saw two butterflies circling around her. She smiled at how they seemed to be 'a happy couple'.

*I wish life was that simple.* She continued walking around when she saw Myungsoo on the other side of the bridge looking worried as if he was looking for something.

Yurin had the urge to run away and hide after seeing Myungsoo and thinking about what happened last night.

Myungsoo turned around and saw Yurin on the other side and ran across the bridge. Yurin saw him rushing towards her and smiled awkwardly.

When Myungsoo was crossing the bridge, he accidentally slipped and fell in the lake. Yurin gasped and jumped in the lake, knowing Myungsoo all her life, he feared water the most due to a tramatize event when he was a kid.

Yurin swam towards Myungsoo and dived under to look for him. He was kicked and struggling to keep himself above surface. Yurin found Myungsoo and dragged him safely towards land.

She patted his back gently as Myungsoo coughed from the vast amount of water he swallowed. Servants rushed towards the scene in panic.

"Are you okay, Myungsoo-ah?" Yurin asked in concern. Myungsoo saw how worried she was and his eyes soften as a smile formed on his lips.

Abruptly. Myungsoo engulfed Yurin into a bone crushing hug. The servants who came with blankets and warm clothing sighed out of envy at what they thought was the perfect royal couple.

"M-Myungsoo?" Yurin shivered.

"Yurin-ah, I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to." Myungsoo's voice shook.

"I-It's okay." *It's actually not okay.*

"Please, can you promise me one thing?" Myungsoo hugged her tighter. "Promise me, you will be with me until the end. Please?" He begged.

Yurin sighed and hesitantly nodded her head.

Woohyun and Sungyeol squealed on the inside at the couple, thinking Myungsoo finally caught Yurin's heart and high-fived each other.

"Let's get you into warm clothing. I don't want you to get sick." Myungsoo smiled and helped Yurin stand up. He hugged her shoulders as they walked to their room with blankets wrapped around them.

Myungsoo looked at Yurin who seemed to be in pain. *Did she hurt her leg helping me?* He suddenly stopped walking.

"What's wrong?"

Quietly, Myungsoo lifted Yurin bridal style, surprising her. "Myungsoo, put me down. What are you doing?"

"I'm carrying you. I noticed you were slightly limping. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."

*How did her know?* Yurin bit her lip and clung her arms around Myungsoo's neck and rested her head on his chest. Myungsoo's heart fluttered and at the same time he got nervous knowing Yurin can now hear his heartbeat.

Kaein was snooping around when she saw her husband treating Yurin so differently from her. *He didn't even look at me. He doesn't even acknowledge me as his wife and yet he's so kind to that woman.* She clenched her fists tightly out of jealousy. *Kim Myungsoo, she doesn't even love you, but I do. Ever since I was a child when you saved me from drowning. Why do you only see her?*

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Yoonjae was pacing around the room waiting for Howon to return.

When she heard a deep voice outside, she raced out to see if it was him.

"Howon! Did you tell her?" Yoonjae asked.

Howon shook his head. "Not yet."

Yoonjae frowned and smacked his head.

"yah! What's that for?"

"For being an idiot!"

"What? If I tell her my feelings, then I am definitely an idiot. She is married to Myungsoo. I can't interfere with their relationship. She's going to be the future Empress of Korea. What can I do?"

"At least let her know........"

"Even if I do, what will happen then?"

"At least let her know before you go to war. She has the right to know. If you don't tell her, I will."

"Okay. Okay, but can't you let everything calm down first? There's so much drama going on. Barbarians attacking us, the Emperor is sick in bed, my father is retiring, Yurin's father is off in a mission and the officals are all corrupt. We don't need anymore rumors going around." Howon sat down and rubbed his temples in frustration.

"I'm sorry. It's just, Yurin is such a great person, and I always wanted you two together. I didn't expect this to happen." Yoonjae patted Howon's back in sympathy.

"No one did." Howon lifted his head and stared into the bright blue sky.

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A few months passed and unfortunately, Emperor Kim passed away suddenly. Kaein was kept quiet this whole time, waiting for a good time to hurt Yurin.

Howon hadn't seen Yurin or anyone else in months because he succeeded his father's place as the General. Yurin spent her days either at the Kingdom's temple praying or gardening to make the area more beautiful with plants and flowers.

Myungsoo on the other hand was getting read for his induction as the new Emperor of Korea. He has been working hard getting use to the work and knowing every official in the kingdom and their backgrounds.

Even though he was super busy, he would always find some time to help Yurin out with her garden. As for Kaein, besides his wedding day, he pretty much did not see her at all, which made her even angrier.

So she decided to spread a few rumors from what she observed lately of Yurin and Howon.

"Have you heard? The Empress is having an affair."

"Really? With who?"

"With General Lee."

"But he hasn't been back though. What about Emperor Kim?"

"Well, I heard this affair had been going on for a while, before the Old Emperor Kim was dead. Can you believe it?

"Oh my. Poor Emperor Kim. He's been in love with the Empress since they were kids. His first love is taken away by his best friend too. I always thought they were the perfect couple."

"Me too. Oh Kaein Madame will be so mad if I don't bring this tray of food for her!!" When the servant left in a hurry, Sungyeol and Woohyun were standing outside, hearing everything.

"Hyung, should we tell Myung- I mean Emperor Kim about this?" Sungyeol asked.

Woohyun sighed. "And to think they were actually developing feelings for one another. Let's go talked to Sir Sunggyu about this." Sungyeol nodded his head.

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Ever since Old Emperor Kim's death, Myungsoo invited his biological brother, Sunggyu and his wife, Miyoung back into the palace with their one year old son.

"Sir Sunggyu, we have a problem." Sungyeol and Woohyun rushed towards Sunggyu.

Sunggyu raised an eyebrow at the two suddenly being so formal until he realized there were servants around. "Uh...you guys may take a break. I'll take care of Jungyu here."

The servants bowed and left. "What is it?" Sunggyu asked while rocking baby Jungyu in his arms.

"Hyung, we heard a few rumors about Yurin and Myungsoo." Sungyeol panicked.

"Yeah, I heard..."

"Yurin and Howon are having an affair?" Sunggyu cut Woohyun off before he could continue.

"How'd..."

"Please, it's going around the entire kingdom. The only people that don't know are Howon, Yurin, Myungsoo and Howon's wife, Yoonjae. Plus we don't even know if it's true or not."

"Do you think we should still tell Myungsoo though? He does have the right to know."

"I think we should investigate this more first. Aw man Jungyu, why do you always poo when daddy holds you?" Sunggyu frowned while the baby giggled.

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Yurin was tending the garden and watering the flowers at the temple. It had become a daily task and habit for her now. All she wants right now is peace in her life.

"Eunmi, can you go get me some more seed? I want to plant more flowers on this side of the garden." Yurin pointed at an empty corner next to a tree.

"Neh." Eunmi bowed and left to get more seed.

Yurin walked around and admired her hard work for the past few months. She picked up a flower and sniffed it's refreshing scent.

*Myungsoo should be here soon.* She smiled.

Yurin smelled some more of her flowers as she walked around. Suddenly, she felt her vision blurring and her head spinning.

Just when she was about to collapse, a pair of strong arms extended to help her.

She shook her head to clear up her vision to see a worried Myungsoo. "Myungsoo?"

"Yurin, are you okay? Why do you look pale?"

Before she could answer, she fainted in the arms of Myungsoo.

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Yurin's eyes fluttered open to see that she was laying in her bed with Myungsoo holding her hand with a smile on his face.

"You're awake!" He helped her sit up.

Yurin sat up and felt her stomach turn and a lump in . She gagged a bit and pounded her chest to make it feel better.

"Quick get me a bucket." Myungsoo ordered a servant.

Yurin felt the lump coming back up again. She threw up in the bucket with Myungsoo patting her back and holding her hair up.

"Are you okay?" Myungsoo asked.

Yurin nodded her head. "Yeah. This haas been happening for the past few months." She wiped with a hankerchief.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I-I.."

Myungsoo embraced her into a tight hug. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I would have asked the doctor to come see you sooner. He said you're almost three months pregnant." Myungsoo said with joy.

"P-Pregnant??"