Two Kingdoms | Park Sunghoon

4

She admired her eyes in the endless mirror, the willow green glistening at the light radiating off the chandelier. She observed it, from her iris to her pupils, slowly closing one eye to see her eyelashes.

"So this was the beauty in my eyes he always spoke about.." Areum thought to herself.

Just like her husband, she headed to her balcony, only the sun had set and all she could see was a rare river of stars planted on a glowy orb. Just as she analysed and admired her eyes, she did to the night sky. It was ethereal.

Once again, she rubbed her stomach.

"I can't wait to see you my love," as she kissed her index and middle finger and placed a warm, motherly kiss to her womb.

It was cold. Although it being in the middle of summer, and it being a warm night, she was cold. It couldn't have been odd pregnancy feelings. Her body broke out in cold sweats and her breathing fastened.

Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun..

It rang in her ears.

She felt an excruciating sting in her chest, she grasped the door and headed inside and ran towards her door. Calling for her maid, she fell to the ground and felt the pain worsen and crawl to her head and down to her belly.

"Your Highness! Call the doctors now!" Her assistant shouted to the others whilst feeling the Queen's pulse.

Silence.

"What's all this commotion? It's the middle of the night and I'm trying to rest!" The King shouted before looking to the ground to see his wife and her maid, crying.

"Suyeon, what did you do? Why is my beautiful wife on the ground, stationery?" Daesong grabbed her by the collar and dragged her up. Just as the doctor arrived he began his tests and took her to his workspace.

"Once I find out what you did to my wife and my child," he continued in a threatening tone whilst pushing her to the ground, "I'll make you suffer a death a thousand times worse than my Queen. And when I do, I hope to see you squirm in pain and beg me for my mercy. Guards! Take her away."

He signalled the guard beside him, and he held Suyeon's arms and pulled her away. She was speechless and had nothing to say to the king, too caught up on what just happened to her mistress.

Daesong ran towards the doctor's room and felt tears rising to his eyes, the burning sensation turning his face and eyes red. His blood boiled.

"Bastard." He muttered under his breath as a tear finally fell down his eyes just as he entered to see his wife paler than ever and the doctor wrapping a towel around a.. baby.

His heart dropped. He rushed towards the doctor and grabbed the child from his arms and stared at the crying being in his arms. Then diverting his eyes to his lifeless wife.
"I'm sorry my King... she couldn't make it. Your baby is miraculously healthy, despite being premature." The doctor looking at the king, his eyes soft and his voice solemn.

Taking a painful glance at his wife, his heart pounded and slowly rose to his throat. She was pale and blue, her eyes closed and swollen, her mouth covered in white foam. It hurt. For once, it actually hurt. She was his world. "How could the world crumble and die out like that?" He thought to himself.