The Princess and The Tailor |Park Jeongseong|

6

"What a pleasure for you to visit!" The king celebrated as he watched the princess walk inside of his and the queen's headquarters.

"I come visit all the time father."

"I see you once during dinner, and that is only sometimes." He said as he stood from his huge bed.

The maids that came with the princess quickly adjusted a chair for her as they placed a cushion on one.

The princess never sat in chairs that had no cushions.

She gracefully sat down as she placed her hands on her lap. Her eyes looked about the room searching for the dark brown pair.

"Where's J- Your servant, father?"

"Which one?"

"The tailor."

"He is with his family today. Most of the men are, if you haven't noticed. Since you never keep up with the things that happen in the castle." The king said as he shook his head in disappointment, sitting in front of her.

"May I have a cup of tea?" Hazel asked one of the maids, who immediately nodded her head. "There aren't any of the cooks or in house servants that are men. Why is that so?"

"War scouting. We need more men. So, our guards had to approach the commoners for warfare." The king shook his head as he looked down at the table.

"The commoners? Is it that bad father?"

"It's very bad my dear. A lot of our soldiers are down. We had to make a desperate decision to deploy all able-bodied men."

The princess looked down at her hands for a second, not even noticing that the maid had placed her cup of tea in front of her.

"All?"

"Yes. But don't worry my dear, you will not be in danger."

Does that include Jay?

"I'm assuming royalty doesn't need to fight, do they?"

"These aren't like the times of our ancestors where we would send the prince to fight."

"I heard the prince of Maignes is fighting in the war." Hazel said as she raised her eyebrows, wondering why everyone has to suffer while their leaders stay in their cozy bunkers.

"They are the enemy. Their kingdom is much smaller than ours. They are trying to expand."

"What does that have to do with the prince not fighting in war? I bet Wilson just didn't want to."

The king stayed quiet as he looked away from the princess, who took a sip of the tea that was placed in front of her.

"When are the men being deployed?" She asked softly as she placed her mug down on the table.

"Today."

The princess almost choked on her own spit as she looked at her father in shock.

"Today? Already?"

The king turned to look at her in confusion as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Yes Hazel. Why do you care so much this time?"

"I don't." She said quickly as she shook her head. "I mean- I do. It is my people. I have to care."

The king nodded his head as he still stared at her in suspicion.

****

Hazel quickly got out of the carriage as she adjusted her long dress, with the help of Fran, who worriedly looked around.