Decisions

A Mother

The 14th prince took a deep breath as he made his way to Queen Yoo's quarters. As he stood outside waiting to be announced, he wondered how this would go. It had been several weeks since their visit to Wook hyungnim's residence, where they all but forced Yeon Hwa to surrender. Jung was thankful that So hyungnim no longer had to worry about her, but he knew that they still had another person to worry about: their mother.

To be honest, he had been avoiding this confrontation for awhile now. Although he grew up never thinking anything ill of his mother, he knew that she favored him most out of all her children. It was safe to say that she coddled him, keeping him blind to all the dangers that were in the world. Yo hyungnim on the other hand, was always constantly pressured to do her bidding in order to ascend the throne, and So hyungnim was forever shunned by her because of his scar. He never understood this, and while his older brothers suffered under their mother, he was the only one reaping the benefits of her love.

He didn't think it was an issue being favored when he was younger, but now that he was older, he saw the error of her ways. It was finally time that he put to rest his questions once and for all, and end her schemes permanently.

After he was announced, Jung walked into the drawing room where his mother waited with a large smile.

"Jung Ah, why have you taken so long to visit this mother of yours? I have been wondering when I would see you again!"

Eomoni smiled as she leaned forward slightly to speak to So hyungnim. Jung could see the nervousness on So hyungnim's face as he sat next to him.

"How nice is it to see your bare face. You now have the king's trust and I am proud of that. I have waited so long for a day like this, so let's forget the past."

After Yo gave them the sign to start eating, Jung turned towards So and said shyly.

"This is my first time eating with you, So hyungnim!"

So turned and smiled amiably at his younger brother, and Jung felt any nervousness melt away. There was no way the rumors about his second eldest brother were true.

"I was already in Shin Ju when you were born."

"We should forget the past mistakes and see each other often as brothers," Yo said with a smile.

"Yes, Yo hyungnim!" Jung responded before he turned again to smile at So. So returned the smile and Jung felt that the rest of the night would be fine. But how wrong he was.

Jung smiled stiffly as he gave her a bow before he sat down across from her. He poured some tea for his mother first before pouring himself a cup. She smiled as he finished before picking a pastry and setting it on his plate.

"Here you are, Jung Ah. These were your favorites when you were young. Is it still the same now?"

Eomoni picked up a piece of meat and placed it on top of the rice in So hyungnim's bowl.

"You liked meat very much when you were young."

Jung had just taken a bit of his own rice when he heard coughing from his right and turned to see So hyungnim clear his throat before speaking, mouth still full of rice.

"I still like it very much..."

Jung looked down at the sweet pastry on his plate and smiled tightly.

"Yes, eomoni."

"Well then, eat up. This mother is happy to see her son again."

Jung picked up the pastry and popped it into his mouth, chewing but not tasting anything of the sweetness. He picked up the cup of tea and gulped it down, washing away the pastry. He glanced up to see his mother smiling broadly as she watched him before taking a sip of her own tea. His mother was always like this when she saw him, but today it was especially hard to bear on his end. Maybe it was because of what he was about to do.