.forty nine.
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"I felt what I had never felt before."
-
Minji stayed in their bedroom, covers hugged tightly around herself as she cried herself to sleep. She was unable to for what felt like hours, but eventually she was so tired out that she welcomed the thought of sleep to take over her. She felt so lonely, the bed was much bigger and colder without her husband. What was worse was that she had the same nightmare again, but this time her husband was not around to offer her comfort. The warmth of his embraces was something she quickly missed.
She woke up the next morning to the sound of the maids knocking on her bedroom door and she jumped slightly. Her hands reached to her right, momentarily forgetting, but she was quickly met with the painful reminder that he wasn't there with her. "Prince Eun, may we come in?" They asked, and Minji sat up in bed, once again pulling the covers around herself for protection.
She opened her mouth to speak, but her voice sounded rough and hoarse at first. When she tried again after clearing her throat, she said, "Yes. You may come in."
As they pushed the door open and entered the room, they were all met with surprise at what they say. Around the room were articles of her sleeping gown laying around. The sheets were clumped up and messy. Underneath them was the general's daughter, but she was alone. The prince was nowhere to be found. Minji could feel the burn of their eyes on her and dropped her head in embarrassment. She was there, exposed, all alone. Though it was something that was the least of her worries at the moment, she knew people would talk. Everyone at the palace would soon find out what had happened between her and her husband.
The maids quietly helped Minji get washed up and changed into her clothes for the day. Minji bit down on her lip as they finished up, uttering a question for them. "Do you know...where my husband is?" She asked, hoping to go find him as soon as they were to leave the room.
She would try to talk to him and apologize for hurting his feelings.
The maid that was helping her did not have an answer. It was one of the other maids who was near the back that replied. "We searched the house for the tenth prince, and he is not here. It seems he slept in the guest bedroom, but left early this morning." She informed her. They were all confused as to where he was and they were wondering what had happened between them for her to leave his wife alone in the house, especially with her condition.
Minji felt her heart drop. He was so hurt that he didn't want to be in the same house as her. But she knew exactly where he went. The only place he would probably go was to his brother Han's house.
Once the service was done helping her get dressed, they went about the house doing their other chores. But Minji informed them that she would be out. The head maid offered to have one of the others walk her to her destination, since Eun wasn't around to help her. But Minji assured them that she didn't need his help. She had walked to Han and Soon Deok's house dozens of times and knew she wouldn't get lost. With a determination to go find her husband, she left the house by herself, her hands stuck out in front of her to prevent her from bumping into anything.
-
Eun had been at his younger brother's house from very early that morning. He hadn't even waited for the sun to rise when he got dressed back in his white silky sleeping robe and walked the ten minute distance to where they lived on his grandfather's property.
He had knocked on the door a few times and waited for him to come answer it, when Han finally opened it, he had a sword in hand ready to fight off any intruders as it was very early in the morning, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. His expression and demeanor relaxed significantly when he saw it was only his older brother Eun. He looked both ways and became confused when he didn't see Hak Soon with him. Eun and Hak Soon were inseparable ever since they had gotten married. Eun only lived and breathed for her.
