The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 27 -

Back with a full tray, Yeseul got the chance to stand next to Princess Yoongmyeong, Yeowool's mother, again. She was curious about her and quickly noticed that she loved to talk positively about her son. At the moment she talked to an older Prince, Yeseul suspected it was a cousin of her.

»Yes, I'm very proud my Yeowool chose to become a Hwarang«, the Princess told the prince.

»You would've also been proud had he chosen any other path«, he countered and seemed a little amused.

»That's right. That's right.«

»Your little Yeowool, could not do any wrong, right?«

»Mum!«, Yeseul suddenly heard Yeowool say. He joined the three of them enthusiastically and took a cup from Yeseul's tray. »Prince Morang«, the Hwarang greeted the prince respectfully and did a small bow.

»There he is. Your mother just spoke highly of you«, Prince Morang told him amused.

»I hope so«, Yeowool answered and then spoke to his mother, »I heard that's all you're doing tonight.«

»Yeowool, what else should I talk about other than my favourite son«, she countered and Yeseul could hear the love in her voice.

»I'm your only child, mum«, Yeowool countered and the three of them laughed. Yeseul couldn't supress the smile that formed on her lips.

»Now, what about Junmo? I haven't seen her yet«, Yeowool asked as he put his cup back on the tray. His hands lightly touched Yeseul's hands holding the tray. Another grin made its way on her face.

But suddenly he ripped her hand away from the tray, however let go of her immediately. Surprised Yeseul could only watch as tray and cups landed on the stone floor. The ceramic cups shattered in pieces. It caused a loud noise before everything went silent. Shocked Yeseul covered her mouth with her hands. All eyes in the room were on her and the dropped things on the floor. She didn't dare to look up and instead kept looking at the shards on the floor. She knew King Jinheung, the Queen, Seonu, Suho, Banryu and the other Hwarang were looking at her as well. Then she heard loud angry steps and realisation hit her. It was Court Lady Ok, she should better start picking up the shards.

Quickly Yeseul got on her knees and started picking up the small ceramic parts. She didn't know what the quickest method would be. None of the cups had survived. Yeseul took the small shard and collected them in the front of her hanbok. The steps got closer and suddenly someone pulled her up by her right arm roughly. It was indeed Lady Ok who met Yeseul's eyes angrily.

»You fool!«, the Court Lady said furious, »You moron! Why do you keep breaking things?«

Lady Ok's hand let go of Yeseul's arm but instead landed on her left cheek. The pain sent a shower down Yeseul's body again.

»I'm very sorry, Court Lady Ok«, Yeseul apologized quickly, bowed down and stayed like this.

»Lady Ok, didn't His Majesty say something about this?«, Yeowool spoke up and as Yeseul glanced at him she could see that he held Lady Ok's arm so she couldn't hit her again. Lady Ok seemed irritated for a moment before her face changed into an insulted expression.

»Miss Yeseul, pick this up quickly and go back into the servant's room«, the strict Court Lady ordered before turning around and leaving the throne room for the servant's room.

Yeseul immediately got back on her knees and started to collect the ceramic pieces again. She suspected to know why Yeowool had done that. He probably thought that she could call it a day when she wasn't allowed to serve anymore. But she presumed she would get another task to do. Yeseul knew Yeowool felt very sorry. He didn't want her to be beaten, he had probably not thought about this possibility. And she knew that he wanted to help her picking up the shards really bad, but he couldn't. He couldn't get down on his knees to help Yeseul. Not as a Hwarang next to a servant. And especially not in front of his mother. But Yeowool did what he could and kicked the pieces closer together, to help Yeseul end this disgrace earlier. The people in the throne room had started talking again.

»You have such a friendly heart, my son«, Princess Yoongmyeong praised her son.

»Indeed, a gracious act«, Prince Morang agreed.

»Thank you. Where were we? Ah yes, I asked about Junmo. I haven't seen her yet. Is she here today?«, Yeowool tried to switch the topic. Yeseul picked up the last pieces, stood up and looked at Yeowool one last time. For a short moment he looked at her, an apologetic expression on his face, before focusing back to the conversation.

»Ah yes, my daughter is in one of the other halls. We could go and meet her later, then you can ask her yourself, Hwarang Yeowool«, Prince Morang answered. Yeseul listened to his answer as she left the throne room and made her way to the servant's room.

Yeseul indeed had to stay. Lady Ok ordered her to help clean the ceramic cups in the kitchen next to the servant's room. The sun already began rising when all guests seemed gone and Lady Ok finally allowed all servants to go to sleep. She even informed them that the King had granted all servants that helped in the evening to have off until noon. Exhausted Yeseul quietly sneaked into her shared room and fell asleep immediately after lying down. She would probably sleep through her whole free time.

Yeseul did sleep through her time off. And contrary to her believe that after coronation would be less work to do. She would have to work four more very hectic days. Enraged from being lectured by a Hwarang Lady Ok had made it her personal mission to keep Yeseul busy. Everything that had been decorated and set up for the coronation and the celebration had to be taken down and stored away again. But since the other servants and maids had to get back to their original work this stretched over two days instead of just one. In addition, Lady Ok made it Yeseul's sole task to reorganize everything in the storage that had been used on the coronation day. This task didn't bother Yeseul too much since she organized the storage in her parent's shop if it wasn't for the high amount of time it took from her day. All throughout a guard would call her whenever the King wished to be dressed. At the same time the Queen had requested a new hanbok, on which the four seamstresses had to work. So, after taking down everything for hours for two days and then reorganizing the storage throughout the day, she would spend the evening hours at the sewing room working on her parts of the hanbok. Sometimes Bokja, Joohye or Gyeongsoon would come by and keep her company for some time. Yeseul was very thankful for this.

On the fifth day after the coronation, after they had finished the hanbok for the Queen and Lady Ok had not given them any new tasks, Yeseul saw her chance and used her coin given by the King to leave the Palace and hurry to her parents' house. Joyful she stormed into the shop and greeted her parents. They stood behind the counter the customers would pay at.

»Mum, Dad, hello!«

»Yeseul! You're back, what a surprise!«, her mother said and hugged her daughter.«

»Yeseul! Already back?«, her father asked and hugged her as well.

»Yejong! Come here, Yeseul is back!«, her mother shouted into the back area of the shop.

»I'm not really back. His Majesty gave me a coin that allows me to leave the Palace whenever I want. Well, when I have time for that«, Yeseul explained.

»Yeseul!«, Yejong shouted as he happily hugged his older sister. He just barely reached to her waist. »Tell me about the Palace!«

»What gave you the honour to receive such coin?«, her mother asked surprised.

»I'll tell you while we have dinner«, Yeseul suggested. Her mother smiled content and said: »We were just about to close the shop for today.«

A while later they sat down and ate dinner while Yeseul told them a lot of the things that happened. For some things she had to add or leave out things as, for example, she couldn't explain her parents that she had robbed a shed with the King before. Yejong was all curious and asked questions to everything Yeseul brought up. Her little brother even asked if Yeowool had been there to which Yeseul coordinated a very neutral white lie.

She was happy to be back with her family again, even if it was just for an evening. She loved eating the food her mum had made, it was much more and more options than she had at the Palace. Yeseul liked that they sat together and told each other every news they had learned since she had gone to the Palace, laughing, smiling and telling together.