Secret of the Two Kings (89 CHAPTERS - ON HOLD)

제 7 부

"This is a royal order! You have no choice but to follow."

Those words triggered Dong Hee's moral dilemma. Walking down the palace grounds, looking at the vast night skies, her mind boggled, and her heart hopped. Whose order should she choose? Would it be possible to choose both? If she followed the Queen, that would mean treason for disobeying the King. On the other hand, if she granted the King's orders, that would inflict an eternal burden to her heart; her conscience would certainly make her sleepless forever.

She clasped her hands and gazed up at the skies, praying fervently while remembering what she and the King had discussed.

"Please, Heavens. Help your humble servant."

~~•~~

"Now we have something to talk about," said Jae Joong.

Dong Hee fell silent, her thin lips throbbing slowly with her every breath.

Without missing a beat, Jae Joong splattered his question, "When will the Queen give birth?"

She had expected the question. If there was no emergency, why else would Jae Joong summon her? Her judgments faded as the King's dead-stern voice resonated towards her head. However, despite the personal struggle, she had to appear as if she had no attachment to the Queen—just doing her job. She pursed her lips and answered softly, "Most probably tomorrow, Sire. Around the time of Haeshi."

"And the interval of the twins?"

"I am not certain, Sire. Half an hour is the maximum in her case."

"All right. Know that I am doing this just in case things go wrong. This is a one-step plan ahead against my enemies."

"What do you mean, Your Majesty?" Dong Hee asked in confusion. Half of her wanted to hear it already to stop her agony, while the other half told her to stop listening.

"Whether the eclipse happens or not, do as I say... When the first twin comes out, bring him to me as quick as you can. I'll be waiting at Minister Dae Wong's house. Your travel time will be short. I will teach you a shorter route."

She breathed heavily, hearing the first command of a big plan ahead. Her sigh could tell that she was like carrying the whole universe on her back.

Jae Joong added, "All troops, which are handled by the Prime Minister, would be on high alert inside the palace because a royal member would be born. That is why you would meet me outside. I don't want the twins to stay too long inside the palace. I'll let you think of your way on how you could bring the Prince out safely."

Those statements gave her a tremendous shock. At first, she thought that she would just do her job in assisting the Queen in her live birth. But instead, she would act like a slippery criminal, or worse a fugitive!—trying to sneak a royal blood outside the sturdy walls of the palace.

Jae Joong continued, "Going back, when I received the baby, go back quickly to the palace and help the Queen for the second twin. Now you listen carefully."

She could not feel the beats of the heart. Did they stop? Jae Joong's sharp scorching glare pushed the gastric juices up to her throat. It burnt; it blistered.

"This twin must be proclaimed dead."

She gasped—hearing words that were against her principles as a Head Nurse. Time stopped. Her blood flowed backward and dried in an instant. All that was left were her worn-out blood vessels and ghastly colorless face. She discovered that she was half-numb, barely twitching a single muscle.