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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JIEUN ENTERED THE COUNCIL ROOM, her chin held high and her steps confident. The three lords were already seated around the table, turning to her, their expression a mic of surprise and confusion.
'Princess Jieun, what are you doing here?' Lord Park asked, he had half-expected Prince Jungwon to be there in the King's absence, for he was the heir.
'I will sit the throne today,' Jieun replied firmly, voice steady.
Lord Kim snorted. 'And what makes you think you have the right to do that. You are not the heir.'
Jieun narrowed her eyes at him. She and Lord Kim had never gotten along. He was a loud and abrasive man who always seemed to be looking for an argument. 'I am the king's daughter,' she said, her tone icy. 'And if my brother is not prepared to rule, then someone else must take his place.'
Lord Park and Lord Lee exchanged a glance. They both knew that Jieun was right. Jungwon was not ready to be king, and with the King's health deteriorating rapidly, someone needed to take charge.
'We are here to discuss the fate of the realm,' Lord Lee said, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. 'Perhaps we should focus on that.'
Lord Kim grumbled, but did not say anything further. Jieun took a seat at the table, her gaze never leaving the three lords. She knew they did not trust her, but she did not care. She was determined to do whatever it took to protect her family and her people.
'Let us begin then,' Jieun said once seat in her father's seat. She had to admit, she looked far better in that chair than Jungwon ever had. 'The king has been poisoned, this serves as no surprise for you, however, with the help of the physicians we know that it is most likely the same poison that my late mother and brother died from, which means. . . someone close to our family has been poisoning them.'
The lords looked at each other with concern and shock. Lord Kim, in particular, looked visibly uncomfortable at the mention of the poison. Jieun could sense his unease but decided not to press the issue just yet.
'What do you propose, Your Grace?' Lord Park asked, leaning forward in his seat.
'I propose we launch a full investigation into the poisoning, starting with those who had the means and opportunity to do it. We cannot let the culprit go unpunished, and we must send a message to those who would dare to harm our family,' Jieun said, her eyes locking with Lord Kim's for a brief moment.
