Yeji stormed into their chamber, finding her husband putting on his frilled cotton tunic in front of the looking glass.
"How did you trick my father into giving you the power to command my knights?" She said, a pent-up fury forcing itself from her tone.
"Trick?" Heeseung asked, fixing his collar. "If I was a trickster, I would be out in town with my jests."
Yeji hissed, coming at her husband to push him. "Give me back my fucking armies!"
"The King orders me to take command with the knights of this city, my love." He answered plainly.
"You seem to forget those men were able to terminate thousands of heads of the city culprits. All because I took command."
"That is the catch." He answered, pulling himself away from his wife. "Behind those thousands were hundreds of innocent men and women put to their early graves."
"How are you going to convince me some were innocent?" She asked.
"Because those men and women were framed."
"Framed?" Yeji scoffed, treading to the bedside table to fetch a goblet of wine. "Those people worked in brothels! They have sold children! They have sold slaves!"
"There were no children involved for heaven's sake, Yeji!" Heeseung let out a loud sigh. "You have killed a notable name without granting a chance of trial and interrogation she might have as well deserved. Have mercy on the crosses and graves, at least! Witherhall unnecessarily spilled too much blood because of you!"
"Tell me honestly, Heeseung." Yeji said, pointing her goblet to her husband. "Whose life exactly are you trying to defend? Your favorite whore's? Those innocent children's? I am pretty sure you were busy whoring as I was busy doing my duties as a—"
"Oh, Yeji, stop fucking with me!" There, his scream persisted in which the princess was quick to take her turn, throwing the goblet to his direction only for it to hit the looking glass as he was able to dodge.
"The lookouts are all I ever fucking wanted!" Her rage persisted as well as broken things being tossed everywhere.
"I need my command back by the next morning." After a moment of cries, her tone softened.
"Yeji." Heeseung called, following her as she walked towards the door, gently grabbing her by the hems of her gown enough to pull her back as he wrapped his arms around her waist, a smile forming on his lips as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I know you are with child." He said. "If I waited for you to tell me I never would've known until it's there. But what matters more now is that you have our child.."
"I will give you back your armies after your rest."
---
Adi found Riki at the yard with a bow and arrow in his hands. Thinking he was alone, he tried aiming at the targets, taking deep breaths before hitting bullseye. Adi thought about what the Lady Mother once said to her while she watched her husband. To tell everyone the truth, she saw no groom in that boy. Only a stranger who never wanted to be in that position. Who never wanted to be alongside her. So, Lady Yang was wrong. She had fooled Eru. Marriage wasn't easy.
Riki turned back only to see that hampering lady standing at the balcony with hazelnut eyes gazing eagerly at his grace. She wore the same fake smile. Clapped a bit before heading down to meet him on the ground.
"You did well, my love." Eru said, grabbing his arm. "Mind if you teach me how to hold a bow, too?"
And so hesitantly, the prince did. Her figure was a little too small for a man like him with broad shoulders, so it seemed as if he was only scooping her in his chest. Their hands intertwined on the bow. His other hand then slowly moved her cheek in front so she was facing straight to the target. Yet, Eru was always so stubborn and curious she ended up raising her head to take a glance at the prince. He returned the stare, causing her to fix her eyes on the target from then on. Together, they released the arrow as it hit the straw board.
Eru's mouth widened in awe. She could not recall using a bow her whole life, even having just a plaything of it. But now she was delighted, partly because she was learning to do the things the prince was also learning to do for his own recovery.
"A close shot." She said, releasing her clasp. "You surely don't mind always teaching me, do you?" She asked only to receive a timid nod from Riki.
"You can teach me a language of hands, too. I'd like for us to talk a little bit longer." She smiled.
