𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐑 [Kim Taehyung FF]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡

The morning sunlight touched Fiorella's skin as she walked through the grand hallway, her steps slow and careful with the support of Hye Ji.

Fiorella felt a faint sense of relief, the pain overshadowed by the confusion that clouded her mind. The previous night had been a torment, she couldn't sleep even after Taehyung's departure.

Her thoughts weren't consumed by the fear of his return but rather the things he seemed to bear silently.

Taehyung had allowed her to sleep in his bed, a gesture that puzzled her.

"Where is His Majesty?" Fiorella asked, her voice a soft murmur.

"I don't know, Princess. I was told to come to his bedroom to assist you, but he wasn't there when I arrived,"

Fiorella furrowed her brow, trying to piece together the fragments of her memory. "Do you know when I fell asleep there?"

"The other maids took care of you, Princess. I'm not certain of the exact time,"

"But why, Princess? His Majesty wasn't there the entire night?" Hye Ji's voice carried a hint of curiosity.

"No... I mean, yes, he was there, but later he left," Fiorella replied, her thoughts tangled in the complexity of the situation.

"May I share something with you, Princess?" Hye Ji's voice was hesitant, drawing Fiorella's attention.

Fiorella turned to her, "What is it?"

"I've served in the Daegu Empire for a long time," Hye Ji began, "but I've never witnessed the Emperor spending a night with any woman in his royal bedroom."

Fiorella's silence was thick.

"You're the first he has ever allowed to stay there the entire night," Hye Ji continued, her words heavy with implication.

Fiorella felt a swirl of emotions, confusion, and an underlying frustration. "He showed some sympathy because I suffered... and am still suffering... for him," she snapped, her voice edged with bitterness.

Hye Ji's eyes softened with a mix of empathy, "Princesses, concubines, and maids are willing to risk everything for just one glance from His Majesty. But he brought you here, to this palace, gave you the royal treatment, and cared for you when you were hurt. I don't know the full extent of his intentions, but it's clear he holds something for you."

"He kept me here against my will, and abducted me from my home. That's all that matters to me, Hye Ji," Fiorella retorted, her voice trembling with suppressed rage.