The Edge Of Forever

06| gifted crown

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o6

g i f t e d  c r o w n  : 재능있는 왕관

"MINA, WE HAVE ARRIVED."

With a deep breath, I exited the palanquin and grabbed onto the outstretched hand of my brother. A gust of wind blew past, demanding to be felt but the morbid fire inside of me was enough to have me focused on that. 

Ji had on a hard look, almost troubled and I could only understand why. I turned to my right and my throat felt constricted, I blinked and moved my veil to the side to get a clear of the Palace where I had been born, grown up and my home. An onerous ache pounded my heart and I dropped my veil. The guards were standing at the top of the ten steps to the gates of the palace which had large bottle green gates. 

I lowered my gaze and allowed the sliver of sun rays to dissolve in me. 

Father, I called out in my heart, I hope you are with me at this moment. 

The air was cold and unwelcoming, unfamiliar. It was only when I came as an outsider than I realised how cold the ambiance was on the palace that I had run around in, smiling and happy. The Palace itself was screaming at us to leave and that was all I yearned to do at that moment. The memories of laughter mixed with the brutality we all faced in the palace played in my mind, like a nightmare that I couldn't escape from. 

"Mina." Ji called out, snapping me from the poisonous daze I was in.

"Y-yes?" I stuttered with my words and trained my eyes back on Ji. 

He gave me a comforting look but it didn't work since this was just as hard as it was for him than it was me. Choi exited her palanquin from behind me and they nodded to each other. Each of us had bought guards with us but they were told to wait outside. Ki and Choi's handmaiden only came, no other maid. At that moment, I turned to Ki who mirrored the expression of unease boiling in my stomach.

"Let's go." Ji instructed, his voice wavered. "Mina, stay in between Choi and I." 

"I'll be fine, Ji Hyung." I nodded to him and moved so I was standing on the other side of Ji. 

We wordlessly began walking towards the gates of the palace. As I walked up, I unconsciously counted the steps up, like I always used to do. Ten. The guards looked at Ji and opened the gates for us but when we began to enter them, a guard stopped before me, halting me in my tracks. 

"Who is she?" He questioned as he did his best to peer at my face through the veil. 

I lifted my veil to the side. "P-Wang Mina is before you, step aside." I let the veil fall back in front of me. My chest heaved up and down, the slip up was minor but deadly. I was about to call myself Princess- a title I no longer held. Rightfully, we still held the title but it was never used and made forbidden for us.

The guard stepped aside and a surprised look flickered through his eyes. We walked in and when we came into the clearing, I suddenly felt myself get slower with the burden of the nostalgic memories. We had to walk towards the King's chambers to meet him and I thanked the heavens we wouldn't be passing by my old residence to get to the King's chambers. 

A eunuch and head maid were waiting in the clearing for us. I didn't recognise any of them. They saw us and bowed to us. 

"Master Ji, Lady Choi and Lady Mina, we hope you had a safe journey here." The eunuch lowered his gaze and hunched forward, back into his normal position with his hands in front of him. "I am Eunuch Park, His Majesty is awaiting your company, do follow me."