royal blood

08 | back when you smiled.

1913 marked a big year for wendy. she had turned seventeen and finally felt welcomed into the royal family. her father finally let her call herself a princess, and her step-mother was willing to allow wendy to live under the same roof as the rest of the family, not hidden in the maid villa next to it.

wendy held her skirt, as she sat down on the stairs that led to the entrance of the villa. she looked around, smiling at the sight of birds searching for a place to rest around the cherry trees. she lost herself in her thoughts of enthusiasm surrounding her new life, before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

" you moved rooms, but i could always find you somewhere around the villa. " doyoung sat next to wendy, as wendy smiled towards her brother. " the cherry tree is probably the oldest tree we've had. it was here when king han, the second king of hlorrendin, won his first battle in 1230. "

" you really love history, brother. " wendy said, as she reached out, to hold doyoung's hand. while he hesitated at first, doyoung held his sister's hand tightly. " i have always struggled with history, especially since hlorrendin has such rich history. " she let out a sigh, as doyoung nodded.

to wendy, doyoung was not just a half brother, he was the whole world to her. since her mother was murdered and wendy was forced to live around the other maids, he would always visit her and spend hours with her, talking about random things that doyoung thought about.

wendy didn't expect so much love from her brother. her younger sister, yeri, had turned 14 not too long ago, and was very distant from the whole family. her parents, king hwan and queen jin ae did not care about wendy's well-being or happiness. however, doyoung cared about it.

" it is okay to struggle. " doyoung said, as he smiled towards wendy. " everyone has their own problems, that we choose to fight in silence. i don't like such things, because people struggle on their own. " he looked at the cherry tree, " people shouldn't keep pain to themselves. "

" if people would share everything they do not like, then everyone would have a problem every other minute. " wendy cleared her throat, " as much as you dislike it, brother, people choose not to say anything because they also happen to fear what people would think of them. "

" but why ? " doyoung asked, looking at wendy. " why are people so judgemental of others and what they do ? " he said, before he looked back at the palace. " i also fear of my parents and what they believe, but i can't wrap my head around the idea of people hating eachother for personal matters. "

doyoung and wendy remained in silence. a few minutes passed, but wendy kept thinking about doyoung's words. people were judgemental, and wendy had known it better than anyone else. what she experienced from her father and from his other friends, she couldn't believe another human would be able to go through it without physically suffering.

a gasp was suddently heard from the other side of the garden. both wendy and doyoung looked up, realising they were still holding hands. as they saw queen jin ae standing infront of them, wendy removed doyoung's hand from hers, quickly getting up to bow at her.

doyoung, on the other hand, remained quiet. he lowered his head, as a small smile appeard on his face. his mother walked up to him, as she grabbed him by his arm. she made doyoung get up, as he continued looking down. wendy watched the two, scared for what would happen.

" i have never been more disappointed in you, doyoung. " jin ae's words hit doyoung. they were as sharp as a knife to him, making him feel like he was unloved by her. like he was only capable of making his mother sad. her dark eyes were on her son, before she slowly turned back to wendy, " i expect you to find a wife, not hold that bastard's hand ! she is your sister ! "