The Mercenary: A Sequel to Hwarang: The Saga of the Sooks Book #2

Chapter 23: Her Special Day

Eun Sook blinked and rolled over. She was not accustomed to being awoken by a maid.

"Can I help you?"

"No, your highness, 'tis I am here to help you. Today is your wedding day. We need to get you ready to meet your groom."

"We?"

"The princess is waiting for you in your sitting room."

Eun Sook sat up abruptly. "The king's sister? Sook Myeong?"

"Aye, your highness."

"Oh! You can drop the 'your highness'! I wasn't raised in a palace."

"But, your highness, you're marrying the king today. You won't be a simple princess anymore. You're about to become our queen," the girl breathed in awe.

And Eun Sook blinked.

It was clear to her that someone had overheard her conversation with her brother. And the news that she was a bona fide princess had spread like wildfire throughout the palace. The question was...what did they think of her now that they knew she'd spent two weeks in the king's rooms before moving to her own chambers? And today she was to become his wife, feeding the flames of those raging rumors. She was just sure of it. Which was why she was suddenly as scarlet as an apple. She buried her face in her hands.

"Your highness? What's wrong?"

"What are they saying about me?" she groaned.

"Who, your majesty?"

"The other servants. What is the gossip in the corridor?"

The girl blinked. She really didn't want to answer that question. "Um. Everyone thinks the king must be besotted with you, your majesty."

Eun Sook lifted her head and stared at the girl. "Are they saying I was his...concubine?"

The girl blinked. Looking every bit like a deer trapped in the corner of a forest as it faced a deadly arrow.

"Doesn't matter what they think, your highness. It's clear to me that you're a gently bred lady," the girl drew herself up to her full height. Five feet, one-half inch. "And only an innocent would blush like you do, your worship."

She paused as she considered the situation. "Even if they do think that, you're proving them wrong today. Today you're becoming his wife. Not a lowly concubine. And he will crown you as his queen. Leaving no one with any doubts."

Eun Sook sighed. Had he really made the right choice when he'd chosen her? Wouldn't he be ridiculed for elevating an albino to sit on his throne with him?

"You don't...you don't think he'll come to regret it, do you? Marrying me?" Eun Sook glanced at the girl.

She frowned. "Your highness?" she asked for clarification, wondering what on earth could make this brilliant, beautiful woman so insecure.

"I mean...look at me! I'm peculiar. An oddity. Won't I be an embarrassment to him? Surely, someday, his eyes will stray to a dignified woman. With raven hair and great, dark eyes. And I shall be relegated to the bottom of the heap."

"Your majesty, no! He is surrounded by such women. But he chose you. With your unique beauty. Don't you know that you're stunning?" the girl asked incredulously. "I haven't seen him looking at any other women either, your majesty."

"Well, I would hope not! We've known each other for all of five weeks! He hasn't had time for his eyes to stray."

And now she knew that he had been recovering from his first infatuation when he'd met her in the forest. She sighed. Did she really live up to the ideal of his first love? Was he going to regret asking Eun Sook to marry him so quickly? He wasn't going to change his mind a few months down the road, was he?