이무기의 복 (Mourning Bride)

10. Dinner with the King Mother

"Your majesty? I have brought the dragon king."

Seonghwa's voice echoed through the long corridors. San stood behind him in his light blue robes that matched his natural scales. The silk was decorated with gold and he wore matching jewellery over his antlers and in his hair. Today, all hair was braided and done up in a knot for propriety. The king's mother would meet him in a dignified getup.

Inside the room, feet padded around. Then Hongjoong called for them to enter. Seonghwa pushed the doors open and stepped aside to let San enter first. With a cheerful grin at seeing his spouse again, the imoogi entered.

Hongjoong wore his blue robe again and had tied up his hair. His hands carried a pouch and his fan as he came to greet San. With a smile, he switched his items into one hand so the other could take San's claws. When they turned to look at Seonghwa, the shaman bowed deeply.

"Please enjoy your dinner with the king mother, your majesties." With a graceful swipe, he came back up. His well-groomed appearance stunned San, even in the restrictive walls of the palace and with his husband by his side.

"Thank you, Seonghwa," Hongjoong replied. His warm grin garnered a fleeting smile from Seonghwa before he hurried off to attend to his other duties. Hongjoong led San in the other direction, over to where San had met his mother last time, as well.

"My mother looked forward to eating with you. She even insisted on preparing some side dishes along with the cooks to let you taste them."

Surprised, San glanced at Hongjoong's face. The king wore his chin raised proudly and his back straight while San felt he was hunched constantly because of his ridge that he tried to keep from digging into his clothes. The silk slipped over sharp edges smoothly, but he didn't want to ruin the beautiful garments gifted to him.

"She did? The last time I met her, she seemed rather displeased with me," San confessed. Hongjoong's brows furrowed, but his voice remained cordial.

"I am sorry to hear that. She mentioned before how upset she was to see no queen by my side but a dragon king instead, but I believe she has overcome her selfish wishes and accepted my destiny."

San nodded, relieved, though not pacified. He dreaded the conversation with the woman, for he had no solace to offer. He fulfilled his duties just as Hongjoong did, and while the union of two men could be bothersome to her, San wasn't at fault.

They arrived to the doors of the king mother's territory of the palace wide open. The scent of foods met them as they ventured inside and found the woman had prepared a banquet for them. Three pillows lay on the floor surrounding a round table. The surface bent from all the food piled on it, ranging from vegetables to meats, to alcohol and countless side dishes. The king mother throned in the middle with her hands tucked under her red robes and her hair heavily decorated with golden accessories carrying various gems.

At their sight, a thin smile spread on her lips.

"You have arrived early, son."

"I wouldn't leave my dear mother waiting," Hongjoong replied. Charmingly, he led San to his place first and then knelt down opposite him. Seated on his pillow, San bowed to the woman at his side. His guts clenched in nervousness as soon as her rigid gaze landed on him. He felt exposed under her eyes, as if she knew everything about him and criticised it. The encounter with Seonghwa resurfaced in his mind, but he assured himself it had been a medical procedure and his admiration for the shaman didn't disrupt his blossoming feelings for Hongjoong.

"It's nice to see you again, dragon king. Have you settled well in the palace?" Her tone was frigidly polite and San gulped down his personal feelings to respond with the same detachment.