HIM THEY CALL THE CRUEL KING (Completed)

07

The following evening, Da Won meets and speaks to the performer crew about adding a new member to their team all alone. She tells them that she is her very own cousin and she wanted to take part in the celebration. The crew had high hopes on her and believed her blindly without asking her to show her cousin's talent in dance. They hide about the plan with Ho Seok and gives him the reason that, they will be staying over their friend's place for a night.

Just like they planned, the next day Da Won takes D to the crew and them, being the real performers, teach her the art of dance that they are going to perform for the night. D follows them brilliantly and assures them that she will do well. But on their plan, there's nowhere mentioned that D will perform. In the afternoon, they send D with the crew and Da Won stays with Ji Min, as she had told her mother and brother that she will be with her friend for a night with D.

I sat on the cart with others. There was not just one cart, but many more. Then I realize that, my cart man is Ho Seok. I quickly put on my pink cloak on, which covered up to my eye level. Ho Seok wouldn't identify me with just my clothes. He kept speaking to the crew leader and I made sure that I don't interact to anyone until I reach the palace.

Since it was my first time visiting the palace, seeing the beautiful path of the palace was must. So I crept to the one corner of the cart and watched the scenery whole heartedly with the cloak still on, to prevent being noticed by Ho Seok.

The palace looked beautiful from far and the whole path was decorated. We were this close to the palace when a thought emerged inside me. How can one describe the beauty of the palace? I haven't seen any before to compare this with one. And to what people say the king as Cruel, it didn't reflect on the palace. In other words, to me, it counted among the beautiful buildings of the Seoul that I have seen.

The guards approached us as soon as we got off. There was no need for me to panic, since I'm a performer at the moment. Just like I have imagined, we were asked to relax in the temporary rooms and then get ready when the time comes. None of us where allowed to walk around the palace. The guards were right outside each room. I can't meet Tae Hyung now. Maybe before the celebration begins, I shall snaek out wearing the costume and if anyone spots me, I can tell them that I'm among the crew and then give some silly reasons and escape. I don't think the guards are that genius to spot my lies.

Just before the performance, D manages to leave the room without anyone noticing her and sneaks into the inner portions of the palace, where only residents of the palace are allowed. She hesitatingly walks deeper and deeper into the palace secretly and at one point she finds the guards call her from behind. As she turns back, the guards say nothing amd bows. She could see her thoughts being right. The guards truly aren't skilled in finding someone's flaws. D gives them a warm smile and walks passionately, imagining herself as a member of royal family.

I don't have to worry about anything. It's good that the guards find me as a royal member and didn't stop me. I shall act the same way. The performance hasn't started and I believe that Tae Hyung is still inside the palace.

After passing few corridors, I found someone with a royal attire, but wasn't sure by that look, whether he's the person I'm looking for. Although the other day, the king possibly might have seen me, but I couldn't clearly make out his face. If this is my opinion about that sight, then the king too wouldn't have seen me that clearly and probably the only reason why I'm still alive? But for now, knowing the kings face is highly needed. I crept in bit closer and then I found another lead. The royal member has a scar on his face. A long cut at his right eye area, a scar that rum vertically, slightly above his right brow to down bit upper to his cheek. It wasn't a pleasant sight though, but it's the only thing that cleared out my doubts. A royal member cannot own a throne if he has a scar on him and this scar is visible to everyone.

He can't be the king asper Ji Min and Da Won had said, the king has only one brother alive and that's the one who I'm supposed to meet and this person must be him. He must be Tae Hyung.

D pulls herself out of the act of pretending to be a royal member and faces him with a bow and a warm smile. He looks confusingly at her with no words out.

"I'm Da Won. I would like to have a word with you in private, if you allow." D asks his permission.

He nods and walks her to a private room that was bit darker than the others. He walks and sits on a higher position. D couldn't make out any figures in the room and had no idea what he is seated upon. She remained still on her position and starts to speak.

"I have no grudges on this kingdom and the King. I'm a citizen from south and have come here with a purpose of interviewing the villagers." She says.

He  nods slightly and asks, "what do you want to know about?"

"About the kingdom and its untold secrets." She answers and adds, "I have tried finding some to interview about the King but there's only one person who knew. It didn't work out. The person refused to tell me. So I have come here to ask you, young Master Kim."

She could hear him breathe out forcibly before questioning her.

" I appreciate your dare of approaching me, but do you know how dangerous it is to be here?" He asks, to which she replies, "yes, I know."

He gives a little pause to the conversation and asks curiously, "how did you possibly think about me? You are an outsider and there's no way that you know me without anyone else's help. Who told you about me?"

D finds it difficult to answer. She can't tell Da Won or Ji Min's name, nor she could give any hints about the Jung family. The only name she could remember is Kim Seok Jin.

This person must be faking just like what Ji Min had mentioned, Seok Jin must be lying. Anything much exactly like what he had told didn't happen. I cannot sense any harm towards me either, so it wouldn't be a problem to mention his name to Tae Hyung.

"Kim Seok Jin" D utters.

"So, the thing is that, you need my help with the interview." He asks.

D nods in response with a warm smile.

Few guards from  behind turn on the lamp and light the room, and the vision in front of me was unexpected. I was utterly fooled. The person who I believed to be Tae Hyung, sat on the King's throne and gave me a crooked smile. He wasn't Tae Hyung, but the king himself.

He stepped down from the throne and started to take slow purposeful strides towards me and was experiencing immense pleasure of a punishing an utter fool like me. I could clearly see that on his face. My whole body could feel that cold rush and I knew one thing for sure that I needed to run if I want to see the morning sun again. I analyzed my area, there wasn't any soldier in the room. They had  already left. But he is a King and he is close enough to get hold of me. It's better  to remain vulnerable. That will give him assurance that I won't try to escape. I slid down with my head down, and my gaze fixed to the dark floor. Tears formed, but I held them back. I can't be trapped like this. I need to hold on to myself.

"I'm impressed. An average girl like you visiting a King like me is something truly great. Aren't you afraid of me? Citizens of south are fearless like you?" He starts to mock at her. "Why are you silent? What do you want to know about my kingdom? I will tell you everything." He walks close to her, too close that she could feel his body heat slightly and bends down to her. His face few inches away from her's, he says, "I will tell all about my secrets." He then backs up few steps and starts to laugh madly at her. She waits until he walks behind her laughing hard. That's the only time to run from there and reach the door. When he walked behind her at the first time while mocking at her, she analyzes the distance and now according to that calculations she decides to run as once he reaches that spot behind her again.

Am I able to be that swift? What if he gets ahold of me? There leave no more chances. If I managed to escape, then I can somehow make it up to the palace exit and run along with Ji Min. There's no time to think. I need to act now.

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1/07/20

Next chapter on Saturday 💜