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Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. And weeks turned into Months.
It's been so long since she was vanished form the palace. She can no longer remember the time she last saw the man she've always love. But despite all those time she stared out of the beautiful scenery of the mountain, Hyun Ae never forgets how Jungkook looks like.
People may call her a fool for continue loving the man that betrayed her, but she can't forced her heart to turn away.
There was still a bitter taste in her every time she'll hear about the word 'Queen'. But does she regret being dethrone? A big part of her does, because being dethroned and vanished means losing contact with the King. How can she protect him when she's not there? But a small part of her was glad to be out of such suffocating cage. She felt free. Away from those people that hurt her. Away from all the responsibilities.
In that mountain, she can be who she've always wanted. In that mountain, no one would watch her and blame her for things she've never done. In that mountain, she's Hyun Ae, a woman. But the only thing that give her the bitter aftermath, was when she remember all she've lost for the crown. Those people she've lost along the way. All of their efforts, sacrifices, gone to waste.
There was no time that she won't go to her parents's grave, asking for forgiveness. There was no time she won't visit the late Crown Prince's Jeonghyun's grave, crying.
There was no time in those past months that she did not cry.
"You should rest, Agassi." Ji Seok muttered from behind the woman. Eyeing her master with so much sympathy.
There was no time in the past months they've been in the care of monks, that the woman won't go to the bridge, eyeing the vast view of green and sky, lost in her own mind.
Ji Seok can barely remember how Hyun Ae used to be. The former Queen has completely lose who she was as a person. The mighty woman that never cowers, is long gone, taken away the day her crown was cruelly stripped off of her.
Ji Seok did not regret coming along to serve the woman while they stay on the mountain, not because the King ordered her to, but because her loyalty will always be on the former Queen. She has depth of gratitude that she always wanted to repay, and through those years of serving the woman, she learn to care for her like a sister.
While her brother has to remain on the palace and continue being a warrior of the Court. Court Lady Suk also came with them, the older woman kept saying she'll never going to accept another master other than the their Queen.
For them, and for all the people that believe in Hyun Ae, she will remain their Queen.
"The wind is unusually cold, Ji Seok." Said Hyun Ae without sparing Ji Seok a glance. Her eyes still trained on the neighboring mountains, hand tightly wrapped around the robe of the bridge. She inhaled, feeling the cold breeze lightly touching her skin.
"Perhaps it's because the month of winter is closely approaching." Answered, Ji Seok. The younger woman took the space beside the former Queen, eyes not leaving her master's frame.
Her eyes, Hyun Ae's eyes, was the first thing Ji Seok noticed that changed about the woman. The woman's eyes used to be filled with determination, always firm and always taunting, but the woman in front of her? Her eyes was filled with nothing.
Ji Seok can't even spot any emotion on those brown orbs. Her face is completely void of anything.
Just blank orbs sending shiver to those that would dare meet her gaze. The only emotion they'll see from the woman was when she would cry herself to sleep. Pain and longing. And nothing else.
"We received a letter from Park doryeonim, this morning. He said he'll be back sooner than he expected." Ji Seok said, earning the attention of the woman.
The other person that was wrongly accused of adultery have been traveling through villages, for a reason Ji Seok have no idea of. Park Jimin rarely stay with them in the mountain, but the man never forget to let Hyun Ae know of how much he cared. Making her feel more bad each day, because after all those months that passed, after all those shameless confessions of the man, she still don't reciprocate his feelings.
"Miss Suk also preferred you a cup of peppermint and ginger tea to relieve the vomiting and nausea." Ji Seok said once more, smiling at the woman. "And I will go down to the capital to fetch a Uinyeo."
"I told you I am fine." But Hyun Ae is also stubborn.
Ji Seok sighed, "Agassi, we won't know the cause of your illness if we won't consult a physician." "Miss Suk and the monks already have speculations on your conditions, but neither will be certain if we won't involve someone that studies medicine." The younger explained, still trying to convince Hyun Ae. "Don't you want to know what really goes on with your body?" Ji Seok pushed further, trying to get anything out of the woman.
Hyun Ae look back to her, eyes still void of any emotion.
"Yes." Her words shock Ji Seok. "I don't want to know the possibilities, or I will continue to fear reality."
•••
"How is she doing?" Asked the King, his hands wrapped around an arrow. Examining it, a small smile in the corner of his lips.
The arrow he was holding, was the same arrow that was used to kill the late Queen Doyoung, his brother's mother.
It was dipped in poison, one gush was enough to kill.
"She was doing good." Answered his attendant, Eunuch Mook. Jungkook turns back to the man, putting the arrow down on the table beside him.
"Any.." He can't bring himself to continue his words.
But though he can't fully end his sentence, Eunuch Mook already know what the young King wants to know, "We are not yet certain about her condition, Your Majesty. The former Queen still refuses to seek medication."
Jungkook's head nod, a sigh leaving his lips. "Why is she still so stubborn?" He muttered.
"And Your Majesty," Eunuch Mook trailed, "The current Queen consulted the royal physician last night." Eunuch Mook said once more, earning back the King's attention.
"Why?" He asked.
"She's showing signs of pregnancy, Your Majesty."
Those words broke him apart.
• Agassi - name to address a woman of any age, or a woman belonged to higher background. • Uinyeo - a 'medicine woman' or female physicians
