When Peony Blooms #AMBW

Chapter 45: " Interwoven Threads of Deception."

Two weeks later

In the cold embrace of the pavilion, Ji-yun found herself alone, her company the silent dance of falling snow. Kang-Ho changed since he release, his countenance clouded with the mysteries she couldn't unravel. He only gave a subtle hello before walking away. His departure left her with an unsettling quietude, the stillness echoing his concealed secrets.

She leaned against the balustrade, her gaze lost in the snowflakes. Each tiny frozen speck was a distraction, a brief reprieve from her inner turmoil. Her breath frosted in the winter air, a visible testament of her isolation.

As the muted crunch of footfalls on fresh snow disrupted her introspection, Ji-yun swiveled around, her gaze meeting the figure she had been patiently anticipating. The young woman battled with herself as she fought to speak. Ji-yun using the woman's desperate circumstances and her all-consuming need to care for her gravely ill father. To feet her own wants of gossip on Ayodele.

"What news do you bring?" Ji-yun queried, gesturing the young woman forward.

The servant faltered momentarily, her eyes darting nervously before she released the shard of information that bore enough weight to sink Ji-yun's world. "There are rumors... Crown Princess Ayodele, she is said to be with child."

A tight grip clenched around Ji-yun's heart, squeezing the breath out of her. Her fingers instinctively coiled around the wooden balustrade, knuckles turning a deathly pale. A hollow laugh bubbled up, painting painfully in the snowy silence. "So, that is why she's been as protective as she has been," she muttered to herself, her voice a whisper against the winter wind. Her mind was a whirlwind, thoughts spiraling in every direction as she tried to digest the implications.

A realization dawned on her. "Ah, the reason she picked Seo-Jin," she murmured, a desperate attempt to rationalize the shocking revelation. "No sons of the ministers would have willingly accepted a bride carrying the late Crown Prince's heir. Seo-Jin was the only viable choice for her."

While Ji-yun was grappling with the harsh truth in the icy pavilion, elsewhere, Ayodele sought solace in solitude after having publically proclaimed her decision to wed Seo-jin. The draining proclamation had left her in desperate need of reprieve. The relentless tide of ceremonies and negotiations had taken its toll on her. She rested in her chamber, gaze directed towards the painted ceiling, while fatigue gnawed at her every muscle. Her feet ached as though singing the steps of the countless miles she had walked, and she absently rubbed her swollen stomach. Her eyes, heavy with exhaustion, landed on Lady Choi who sat nearby.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to conceal," Ayodele confessed, her fingers gently tracing her burgeoning belly.

Lady Choi merely nodded, her eyes sympathetic but understanding. As if on cue, Afi walked in, carrying with her a bundle of beautifully dyed hanboks. She unfolded two in front of Ayodele; one with a gentle flush of rose, the other imbued with a soft hue of sunset orange.

"The orange one," Ayodele instructed, her eyes lingering on the vibrant fabric before refocusing on the pressing matter at hand. "I plan to announce it soon enough. Concealment is becoming a task. Thankfully, with Ji-yun marginally tamed for the time being, I might find a moment's peace. Oh, how much simpler things would be if only he were here."

"The Crown Prince?" Afi queried, to which Ayodele could only nod and let out a sigh that reflected her longing.

As if to soothe her distress, a servant entered the room bearing a tray. She knelt before Ayodele, offering a bowl of warm tea and a silent promise of comfort. The servant's hands moved with practiced grace as she stirred the brew, all under the watchful eye of the crown princess. A silent gesture from Ayodele prompted Lady Choi to inspect the tea.