Two Kingdoms | Park Sunghoon

36

FRIDAY: TWO HOURS BEFORE ATTACK.
AERI POV.

As I sat at my dressing table, I stared endlessly at the tears streaming down my cheeks. Eyes burning, cheeks flushed, nose red and stuffy. The remains of my breakdown were scattered all over my bedroom: my clothes torn and crumpled into every corner, the drawers of my dresser thrown about as well as their contents and my bedding resting all around the room. There was only one item I kept safe in front of me and that was Sunghoon's letters.

I picked up each envelope, setting them out in front of my to take my pick. My breath still hitching and hiccuping as I grazed my fingertips along the paper. I set my eyes to the addressing on each one: "My love" "My Queen" "Dearest Fiancé" "Wifey". I couldn't help but grin.

Closing my eyes, I chose a random letter. It was his very first letter. The one that brought us together. The note he left when he gave me my engagement ring. I read over it, sheepishly giggling as I studied his egotistic words.

To my future Queen,

I'm sure I caused an impression on you today, seeing as you're reading this letter. It's not like I planned what I was going to say to you, I'm going to choose what to say after I see you. I really do hope you're fun. The other princesses and queens all thrive off men and money.

And this gift is for when you accept my proposal. I have a feeling you're to my taste and I am to yours.

Your soon to be husband,
Prince of Baekche,
Park Sunghoon.

The more I thought about it, he definitely planned what to say and that only made me fall harder for him. I mean how else could he elaborately plan such a performance if he didn't consider the fact I was going to be disrespectful at the suiting session. Ah... men.

That was when I opened his most recent letter. As much as it pained me, reminding me that I was about to risk my life and my soldiers' in less than two hours. The thought haunted me. I had countless nightmares, waking up drenched in sweat and hallucinating in the middle of the night. I read through each line, reading it in his voice.

To Queen Aeri, my dearest fiancée.

We must act upon their ruthless advance soon. For all we know, it may have been them who beheaded your Generals. I wish to meet with you day after tomorrow, expect my visit love.
We can talk about this in finer detail then.

From,
Prince Sunghoon.

As I re-read his letter, something caught my eye. That specific line. Something was off.

'it may have been them who beheaded your Generals.'

It struck me. It struck me like lightning. Like a lightbulb. How could I be so damn stupid? My tears flew down once more, this time harder and excruciatingly more painful.

I rushed out my door, holding the scrunched up letter in my clenched fist. I heard my servants cries of concern and alert as I ran out, yet that was the least of my worries.

"Where on earth is Daeho? Get him now! I mean now!" I shrieked as I entered the throne room, to see Daeho there already, analysing some scrolls.

"Your Majesty?" His voice questioned.

"Cancel everything. I- I-" my voice stammered as my legs have into the pain, my body dropping to the ground, Daeho's arms too late to catch me.

"Your Highness! Are you well? What is it?" He yelped, reaching for the letter in my palm, "What is this?" He questioned as he opened it, reading what the cursed bastard had said.

"I... I never told him. I never told him they were beheaded. I never let him know or let him let along anyone else know what truly happened with those deaths. Daeho, cancel the plans. Cancel the attacks. I can't- I can't," my throat tightened, making it hard to breathe let alone speak. I rubbed around my neck, attempting to loosen my collar. Thankfully, Daeho understood immediately, signalling for a glass of water and leaving immediately to halt the attack.

My heart ached. His betrayal felt like daggers slashing at my heart, cracking my bones and breaking my heart. I felt thorns wrap around my throat and the pressure of an entire home on my head.

Were all his words lies? Was his affection all deception? Did he never truly love me?

For I opened my seemingly forever locked heart. I let him take the reigns of my brain and body. All I did and thought was for him, for the family we were to one day have.

As I attempted to rise to my feet again, I fell upon hearing the most disturbing of noises.

Screech.

My ears rung in terror just as I heard the blood curdling scream from somewhere in the castle. Possibly even outside the castle.