The King's Gambit

Illuminate

In the soft glow of early dawn, a sedan came to a gentle halt in a corner of a little village in Kaesong, just beyond the pulse of its bustling marketplace that had already begun to stir with its usual morning buzz. The scent of morning dew clung heavily to the air, laced with the sharp aroma of spices and the distinct smell of coal burning beneath steel.

Within the modest carriage sat the Princess Consort, her heart beating a quiet yet restless rhythm as she steeled herself for the day ahead. She had risen at the break of dawn and had been told to prepare for an external engagement with the Crown Prince, her first of its kind.

Ji-eun had prepared her meticulously in their chambers, dressing her mistress in a hanbok of an unassuming muted pink, woven from rough hemp. It was a disguise, of course, a deliberate attempt to conceal her true identity so as not to draw unnecessary attention to herself. After the trying night she had endured, she was grateful for the white powder and rouge that masked her exhaustion, for only Ji-eun was privy to the dark shadows beneath her eyes.

Without a word of explanation, she had been ushered into the sedan. The one person who could have offered her some clarity had vanished with the rising sun.

Once again, the princess was left alone to navigate the uncertainty alone. All she could do was pray, fervently, that this forced engagement with the Crown Prince – in public no less, would be less agonising than the dread that gripped her heart whenever they were forced to be in the same room.

"Your Highness, we have arrived," came the deep voice of her escort as he announced their arrival.

As the sedan door slid open, Jiwon stepped into the mild morning air, drawing it deep into her lungs. No longer cloaked in silk and status, Jiwon adorned the garb of the common people with grace, her outward composure betraying none of the storms that raged within her soul. The princess scanned the vibrant marketplace with curious eyes, drinking in the unfamiliar sight before her.

It was a world apart from the stifling confines of the imperial palace, she observed. Vast, untamed, but undoubtedly alive.

"Where are we, Ji-eun?" Jiwon's voice cut through the din of activity as the sedan pulled away, her gaze turned towards her handmaiden.

Though the two ladies were seemingly alone, Jiwon knew better. Her sharp eyes caught the watchful eyes of the imperial guards lurking in the shadows, ready to protect her should danger arise.

"We're at the largest marketplace in Kaesong, Your Highness," Ji-eun replied, her tone polite but steady.

Jiwon almost raised an eyebrow at that, especially when she finally noticed the glaring absence of the Crown Prince.

Where could he be? Was he running late?

"Do you know where the Crown Prince is?" the princess asked after a moment, her voice tinged with curiosity. "I was told this was a public engagement with him."

"He should be at the Confucian school nearby, Your Highness," Ji-eun chirped, answering with ease. Now that they were outside the palace's watchful walls, the handmaiden was free to speak her mind regarding the Crown Prince's whereabouts.

Jiwon frowned, for she was still trying to understand the situation. "And why, pray tell, is the Crown Prince at the school while I'm here?"

"It's part of his personal engagement outside of court duties," Ji-eun explained. "The Confucian school assists orphans, and our Crown Prince has been teaching them to read and write their own names. He's been doing so twice every moon cycle – voluntarily, if I may add. He receives no payment for his teachings."

"As for why we're here..." Ji-eun's voice softened as a hint of amusement danced in her eyes. "I've been instructed to accompany you in the marketplace until midday."