Two Kingdoms | Park Sunghoon

5

17 YEARS LATER.

People hoarded with their heads down and bodies in prostration in front of their new ruler. Aeri stood awkwardly, still shaken and not knowing what to do. She held her hands behind her back and twiddled her thumbs. She followed by reciting her oath.

"..And I promise to you, my followers, that I will bring us to success. Hoping to fulfil and exceed my father's legacy." She finished holding back the tears. As much as she wanted to add "So my father does not keep believing I am a failure" to her speech, however she suppressed the urge. He was no longer her father. Nor was he king. He had no right over her.

All her heart longed for was someone who loved her. Cliché. That's what she would think and tried to forget. He left the world anyways, just like her mother.

CORONATION PARTY.

"Congratulations Your Highness. I wish you a fruitful and successful reign. However, excuse me for being frank, but I'm not entirely sure you can.. how do I say this? Uphold your father's order." said the Prince of Baekche. Aeri could feel his insensitivity in his voice, everyone had said more or less the same thing to her, unsympathetically.

She often found herself upset and anxious when being told these things. It only made her father's demeaning words drill into her mind deeper. His constant taunts and scolding haunted her; the only thing she feared. The young girl developed her father's traits: a perfectionist, thought themselves as superior. However one thing she would never pick up from him, is his heartlessness and his carelessness towards his loved ones.

The Prince of Baekche. An incredibly 'handsome' prince to everyone. Except Aeri. She always longed for a lover. Whether they were platonic, romantic or parental. She just wanted to be loved, and when she had found that love, she would sacrifice it all for them.