What a day, indeed.
I just might be the unluckiest man in terms of escaping. No matter what I do, I can never truly escape from my father. How come everytime I try to run away from this hell prison that they call palace, series of unfortunate events tends to occur?
Hide from the palace guards, mistaken to be a horse thief, rescued the famous Philosopher Bojo Jinul from the bandits and now I'm back to square one.
Then out of the blue, the angelic face of Lady Jung Krystal came to my mind.
Well, maybe this day is not that bad after all.
"Did you spend the whole day trying to leave the country?" the sweet voice of my mother brought me back to reality.
"You don't have to rub on my wounds, Eomma."
Eomma lighty laughed at my remark. "We should head back inside the palace, the King would like a word with you. Several, in fact."
"He usually does." I muttered lowly but I know she heard it but chooses not to comment on that and instead, leads me to where my father is.
"You are restricted to the grounds!"
That's the first thing my father uttered upon hearing our arrival. He didn't even look up from what he was doing.
"Are you putting me on a house arrest?!"
"Do not mock me, boy!" He lifted up his head, his face tomato red in color. Like a volcano ready to erupt. If I wasn't so frustrated with him I would have laughed out loud. "I'm in a foul disposition and I would have my way-"
"Or what?! You'll send me to Qin like some criminal? Over the sake of your stupid contract!"
"You are the Crown Prince of Goryeo!"
"And it is my life!"
"Sooman, sit down before you have a heart attack." My mother, the angel that she is, had finally come to interfere. I know-we- all know, nothing can make my father change his mind but at least my mother can make him see some sense sometimes. I just hope this would be one of those times.
Eomma looked at me with those sweet but strict eyes. "Jonginie, you are born to privilege and with that comes specific obligations."
I sighed. "Forgive me Eomma, but, marriage to a complete stranger never made anyone in this room very happy."
I regretted saying it especially when I saw the look in my mother's face. Of course I'm well aware of how her marriage with Appa were arranged. Heck, all of my ancestors were forced to marry the person they ended up with.
Being a royalty, I had known this fact ever since I can grasp the idea of what being born to this family means but facing it right now, I just can't seem to embrace that stupid tradition.
The silence gave the King the go signal to speak again. "You will marry Princess Xiangqin by the next full moon or I will strike you in any way I can."
"What is it Appa, hot oil or the rack?" I asked sarcastically.
I think that made the red tomato volcano in my father erupt. "I would just simply deny you the crown!" then he realized I'm his only heir. "And lived forever!"
"Good! Agreed! I don't want it!" and I mean it with all my heart.
****
"Who?"
"Lady Jung Krystal."
Naturally it's Eomma who had calmed me down after that heated afternoon with Appa. In fact, I think she's the only one in this world who can truly understand me.
