A Tale About A: Forgotten Princess [Part 2]

Chapter 18: Rabbit Promise

A-Yeon POV

"NO!" I bawled as the assassin slashed the sword down on to Father. I quickly rushed over to him and lifted his head on to my arms.

"Father..." My voice trembled as I cried for him. Father weakly reached his hand to mine and grabbed on to my sleeve as he struggled to say something. I leaned my ear close to his mouth as I tried to make out what he was saying.

"Ugh..." He made groaning sounds as he struggled to get the words out. I felt a sudden tug on my sleeve before it was loosen and Father was gone. 

"Father? A-abeoji...Wake up..." I stared at his pale face and shook him lightly, pleading for his eyes to open once again. 

"Father..."

"Father...!" I mumbled for him as my eyes slowly opened. I was greeted by the wooden coloured ceiling and reality dawned on to me as I realised I was back in my room.

But how?

Silence filled the room and no one had noticed I was awake already. In fact, it felt like I was alone in my room, crushed under the heavy blanket as I laid helplessly on my bed in tears. 

I need to get back to Father!

I forced myself up but the pain in my heart does not seem to give me any strength to move and I felt useless. 

Get up A-Yeon ah...Father is still waiting for you...

I pushed myself once again slowly, my back leaving the bed and I sat up right on the bed. Indeed, no one was in the room. The sky was still dark but morning was only around the corner. 

I have to hurry before someone sees me.

I flipped the blanket off me and limped towards the door. I managed to escaped in to the gardens only to be caught by a servant on duty. 

"Princess Hwa Yeon, what are you doing out here? You must get back to rest!" The servant insisted as she drew closer to me.

"Don't get near!" I shouted at her unintentionally. I felt guilty all of the sudden but the thought of Father all alone got me going again. 

I'm sorry.

"Princess...where are you going?" She asked on the spot again as she dared not to follow me. Ignoring her questionings, I hurried away from my quarter as fast as I could. 

"A-Yeon ah." The last person I wanted to meet spotted me and I sighed. "Where are you going at such an hour? You've just recovered." 

I was speechless as I avoided the gaze of Mother. 

She lessen our distance and gave me a concern look as she held on to my arm. "Where are you trying to go?" Her gentle tone somehow convinced me to tell the truth.

"To find Father." I said softly.

There was a moment of silence and her grip on mine loosen. My Mother took a deep breath before she said, "JongSuk oppa is dead." 

"No, he's not!" I slapped her arms away and shouted. 

"Please A-Yeon ah...The assassin killed him already." She gripped on to my arms even tighter.

"I have not confirmed it myself!" I pushed her away and ran off but only to stop in my tracks when I heard Mother shouted, "I won't allow you to go back!" 

"It's too dangerous and there's no point in returning to a dead man. We must move forward and live our lives." 

"No point in returning? What do you know when all this while you're living the good life in this palace? You don't understand how much Father mean to me. He may be useless to you but he's everything to me!" I screamed as I disagreed to her words.