DAECHWITA

one

"Seomin, you're truly brilliant!"

The roar of laughter that followed behind was deafening as Choi Jangmi winced at the amount of noise that was ringing through her home. She was sure that the neighbours would be furious.

Her home was full of people that her father was accquainted with, his friends who were awfully loud as they drank to their delight.

Jangmi, of course, was hidden away from their prying eyes, concealed by the veil that separated the main room and the kitchen. Her mother had returned from placing more food on the table as she too sighed at the noise.

"When will they leave?" Ahn Haneul mumbled, eyeing the last bottle of fruit wine on the cupboard, that was sure to be finished.

"At this rate the neighbours will be knocking on our doors," Jangmi fiddled with the sleeve of her hanbok, staring at the loose thread, deciding that she would fix it tomorrow.

"Well, all I can say is thank the Emperor for placing a curfew for the next week. I won't be having to serve these lot for a couple of days!" Haneul smiled, her daughter frowning.

"The Emperor's announced a curfew? Since when? How did you find out?"

"Your father told me. Apparently there are bands of thieves who are going around the noblemen's houses and stealing. One has to be in their home by 6 o'clock in the evening. If anyone is spotted after that time, they'll be hanged,"

Jangmi shuddered at the punishment. Such a harsh penalty for quite a small crime. 

But all in all, the Choi girl wasn't surprised at the sentence. After all, it was Emperor Min Yoongi's orders that had been set in place, and his word was final.

...

"I heard that the Emperor's looking for someone to marry. Oh, the poor girl. I bet that she's going to be killed by his hands within their first week!"

"Hush!" Jangmi spluttered towards her friend, Cha Nari, who glanced around at the busy marketplace that was bustling with shoppers. "If someone hears you, you're dead meat,"

"What? Everyone knows it's true," Nari whispered. "I still feel awful though,"

"How do you know anyway? That the Emperor's looking for marriage?" The Choi girl asked, curiousity brimming from her lips. 

"It's been going around the noblemen's houses for a long time," Nari confirmed. "I think they're all trying to get their daughters to marry the Emperor,"

"I couldn't do that," Jangmi mumbled softly. "Marry a man who has blood stained on his hands? Never,"

"There's that as well as the fact that he's the Emperor," The two paused as they examined a silk ribbon. "And all these noblemen want to be in a higher position of power. They don't care whether their daughters marry a murderer, as long as they have money and status, they're fine,"

Jangmi hummed at her friend's argument, the duo continuing to talk as they strolled through the market, leisurely.

Bless the soul who would end up with such a horrific fate.