Seventeen Imagines III

#71 "Black Hair"

Since I was young, my mother told me that I shouldn't go along with black haired people. It's due of the prophecy that I'll die if I'll let it happen. Thankfully, as the duke's daughter, I got my red hair with resembles dad's; and as per my mom, she has lovely pink curly hair, so all of my siblings has either red or pink.

It was, however, hard to hire employees for the duke residences because majority of the empire's commoners is black haired. Nevertheless, from maid, cooks, servants, butlers, all of them has colorful hair colors.

My life so far is great. Well, except the fact that I can't stroll freely in the city.

"My lady, the carriage stopped in front of the Louise dress shop. Would you like to look for some dress for the crown prince's coming-age-ceremony?" Asked by my maid, Letee.

Whenever I went out, father made sure that I am accompanied with strong knights. 'Geez, it such a pain in the ass!'

What's more, if there's a shop I wanted to visit, knights raided it and asked people with black hairs to go out in exchange of gold bars. Luckily, there are no nobles or aristocrats, (even the imperial family) who possessed such plain dark hair color. If one has, I'll be in a big trouble.

Even if my dad's position is the duke of the country, I don't want to trouble him with this or else, his enemies will use it to drag his position.

"I shouldn't go out," I mumbled as I get off from the carriage.

Days passed by. It is already the day of the crown prince's coming-age-ceremony. Finally, maidens of the country will have the chance to meet the rumored handsome prince of the century. I heard that the crown prince was actually a hidden son of the emperor and a commoner that his majesty's meet when he went to Croeas empire. Because the emperor and the empress have only princesses on their side, they can't choose the rightful heir of the crown. Therefore, the emperor doesn't have the choice but to introduce his hidden son, Crown Prince Wonwoo.

"I wonder what he looks like," I mumbled as I entered the banquet hall.

Nobles were seen chatting with wine glasses on their hands. The music is superb and the interior design of the palace always awestruck me whenever I came.

"I should be glad that all of the nobles have colorful hairs," I giggled in excitement.

Truly, my father won't allow me to attend this grand party if I'll encounter a black haired person.

But... My expectation crumpled the moment they announced the Crown Prince's appearance.

"The Crown Prince Wonwoo is entering the banquet hall!"

Buzzing starts spreading around. All eyes are on the stair where a handsome prince descendent like a handsome warrior. His eyes are rigid and cold but enough to melt any women's heart, including me.

He is so handsome.

But there's one thing I shouldn't forget.

"His hair...is black," I breathed.

The moment I uttered my fear, our eyes met, as if the destiny is playing at us right now.

'No. Even if he's too awesome to reject, his hair will bring me to my doom!'

As if dad, who also got shocked at this revelation, thought the same thing as mine, he diverted his widened eyes to my side.

I can tell it by dad's look: his anxiousness and his fear that all of our hard work will put in vain.

So although he doesn't say it, I ran away as far as I can.

Breathing heavily, I found myself standing at the terrace.

"Now I can breathe," I sighed. But cold sweats kept creeping down on my foreheads.

'Am I that scared to die?'

"Oh look who's here?" A gentle voice greeted me out of a sudden. "Isn't this the duke's pretty daughter? Lady (Y/n)?"

Few coming steps were heard at the terrace. When I lifted my gaze, I saw a man with brushed up blonde hair. His eyes reminded of an eagle, yet it's charismatic on his own ways. He has pointed nose, arched brows, thin heart shape lips and sharp jaws. Also, his physique is so good, I wonder how I look so small when I stand beside him.

'This pretty guy. Who is it?'

"Allow me to introduce myself," he murmured with a bow as he put his hand near on his chest. "I'm the Marquess Wen's second son, Junhui."

Junhui? I never heard of him.

"Marquess has a second son?" I inquired.

From what I know, the marquess has only one son and two daughters.

"Apparently, it turns out that he has a son with a commoner," he chuckled. As he gulped and his Adam's apple moved up and down, I was distracted by the thoughts that he is so sexy.

Shaking my useless desire, the crown prince's image flash back on my head. Crown Prince Wonwoo is also a half royal and half commoner's blood. Then this guy is also at the same boat.

"Isn't it the reason why the crown prince has black hair?" I whispered on myself.

But Junhui heard my words. He frowned at me and said, "Were you disturbed that the crown prince shares the same hair with commoners?"

When I was about to speak, Junhui grabbed my chin and lifted it up. I thought my heart stopped beating for a moment the time our eyes met.

"How nice of him," he giggled. "For him to dye his hair into black just because he doesn't want to forget his origin."

With his words, my eyes widened.

"The crown prince dyed his hair?!" I asked.

Junhui let of my chin. His hand caressed my cheek and soon fell down on my red hair. Leaning closer, Junhui kissed it. "Yes," he whispered. "Believe it or now, crown prince Wonwoo has gray hair. Yet he dyed it in black because of his dead mother. Isn't it amazing?"

No way! Then if that's the case, there's no need to me to avoid the crown prince! If Prince Wonwoo has originally gray hair, then I'm safe!

"I see," I said with a smile.

Junhui stepped back a little and looked at me disappointedly. "Are you that happy?" He asked.

"Of course! He's a brave person who welcome such prejudice," I blurted. But to be honest, I was just relieved because of the marriage talk the emperor and my father had.

"So you're saying that I'm a coward?" Junhui continued which I didn't understand.

"Huh?" I mumbled.

"I dyed my hair into blonde because I hate my original hair. The only trace that I'm nothing but a commoner. This hateful black hair of mine."

My eyes fell on his blonde hair. There's no trace of it, but if what he said is real...

"So... You are a black haired guy?" I asked with a gulp.

Junhui smiled at me and said, "Yes."

A few seconds later, a huge eagle descended from the sky.

'Uwaaaaaaaak!'

Sharp claws wrapped around my shoulder and my feet left the ground. It took me a second before I realized that the eagle brought me up in the sky.

"Lady (Y/n)!!!" Junhui's shout is the last thing I heard before I was knocked out.

So the prophecy is real huh.

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