In a kingdom torn by power struggles and political intrigue, Jieun, the rightful heir to the throne of the East, finds herself sidelined as her brother, Jungwon, takes control. Determined to reclaim her birthright, Jieun seeks alliances and forms a...
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MOON HUNG HIGH UP IN THE SKY WHEN JIEUN WALKED INTO THE GARDENS. Gentle breezes brushed through the summer-green grass, a gentle wave as they swayed in rhythmic movements to the song of the wind. Above her, moondust had scattered across the sky in a plethora of stars, the ebullient eyes ripped anxiety from her heart. Beneath her, the grass felt soft as her hands ran over it, almost in the same way her mother used to stroke her hair, mellow touches.
At the moment, she felt just as delicate as the flowers surrounding her.
'Is this where my dearest sister has run off to?' Jungwon inquired curiously from behind her.
'Jungwon. . .' Jieun trailed off, tearing her eyes from the scenery to look at her brother.
'Jieun,' Jungwon acknowledged with a firm nod.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the guards that were in the gardens to give them some privacy. Once they were out of earshot ━ never tearing their eyes off the siblings ━ Jungwon walked over to Jieun, taking a seat beside her on the grass.
'Father grows worried, so he sent me to look for you,' Jungwon informed her, pulling his knees to his chest, shifting slightly on the ground to find a more comfortable position.
Chuckling, Jieun turned her head back to the gardens. 'I hardly believe that.'
'It is true, I do not lie to you, Jieun,' Jungwon said, lips curling into a small smirk.
'So it was not you who suggested seeing if I was in the gardens? Not you who told father you could go look for me so you could escape the feast?'
'That. . . might have been my idea, indeed,' Jungwon chuckled. 'However, that does not mean I wanted to escape the feast.'
'Not necessarily, no,' Jieun responded. 'But I know you.'
'Indeed you do.'
A silence hung above them as Jungwon looked at her. It was strange how much she resembled their mother who had birthed them into this world with loving eyes. His sister seemed to be the only constant that kept him from descending into insanity. Perhaps it was because they were of equal mind ━ sometimes. Their opinions differed largely, but the love they had for each other held them together.
