The Sun's Muse

I- News

Chapter one- News

"THE THIRD BOOK OF 'FRAGRANCE' BY DAESHIM  IS OUT NOW! GET IT BEFORE IT SELLS OUT!"

Excited murmurs filled the air surrounding the area as the book shop keeper's announcement echoed throughout the market place. Young women instantly flooded inside the book shop, pushing one another aside in order to get a chance to grab a copy of the best selling "Fragrance" series.

Small gasps of shock and delight could be heard coming from the young ladies as they indulge in reading the novel.

"'I make regrets whenever I waste my time with you!' Ae-ri said as she turned away from Lord Yeo. However, when she tried to walk away, the young man grabbed her by the arm and made her face him!
'You may regret it, and you may only be wasting your time with me,' Lord Yeo started. 'However, I cherish every moment I spend with you, for you are my warmth.' The young man said, caressing her hand."

The young ladies sitting inside the book shop swooned and let out deep gasps as the story teller read out a passage from the novel.

"Lord Yeo is indeed one of a kind, he is such a sweet talker!" One of the ladies said with dreamy eyes.

"Ae-ri is so lucky. She should just stop playing hard to get and admit her true feelings. Lord Yeo is smart, handsome, and rich! What more can she ask for?" Another maiden added, and all the other girls agreed, sighing dreamily.

"Aishh, that Lord Yeo is a coward!"

The women who were sitting in a circle quickly shot piercing looks at the man who dared to say those words, ready to fight whoever insulted their favorite leading man.

However, they found themselves flustered and speechless to see a handsome young nobleman leaning against the nearest wall, with a grimace on his face. He approached the young ladies, who were still in shock, and sat on a stool within the circle.

"W-what do you mean Lord Yeo is a coward? He is not!" One of the ladies recovered and came up with a comeback, defending the character. One of the ladies nudged her arm while staring at the young gentleman, urging her to shut her mouth.

"Well, if he weren't a coward, and if he truly loves Ae-ri, would he not fight for her using his actions? He is all talk, but he did not even defend her when his sister talked down on her for being the daughter of a gisaeng¹!" The young man exclaimed and shook his head, as if he said something utterly unbelievable.

The maidens looked at each other, sudden realizations flooding their minds. They looked back at the man who sat with them, and couldn't help but wonder who he was.

"Ladies should not settle for men who are just beautiful and rich, they should find men who will fight for th----- OW!!!! OW! OW! HEY THAT HURTS! STOP---

The young man's words were interrupted when the book shop owner, Bo-rim came up to the group and grabbed the young man by the ear. He dragged him to the book shop's hidden chamber, and roughly let his ear go. The older man took a heavy breath before facing the young gentleman who had an apologetic grin across his face.

"Lord Yeon, for the love of all that is holy, how many times do I have to tell you not to tamper with the young maidens' views on the romance novels! Goodness gracious, you are going to ruin my sales!" Bo-rim exclaimed, with his fingers massaging the highest point of his temples.

"Well then what do you expect me to do, just sit here and listen to them swoon over the bare minimum?" The young man asked with his arms crossed, blowing a stray piece of his hair away from his face.

Bo-rim sighed in defeat and slapped his forehead with his palm in frustration.

"No, Lord Yeon. I expect you to sit here and paint the book covers, like you're supposed to. You asked me for a job, might as well do it while you're at it." Bo-rim said as if he has already given up on the gentleman.

The young man laughed and reached for his paint brush by the side table.

"Aish, all right, all right, go away if you do not wish to age another twenty years." Lord Yeon said with a grin. Bo-rim heaved out a sigh and headed to the door, when it suddenly opened, almost giving him a heart attack.

Another young man entered and bowed to Bo-rim, without saying a word. He had a dangerous aura surrounding him, from his long, dark hair and the clothes he wore, to the sword he clutched by his side. Bo-rim waited for the young man to say something, but a few seconds passed and it seemed like crickets filled the air.

"Right, I seem to have forgotten that you don't speak unless spoken to. Yah, Kim Chul, try to pacify your young master, he is ruining my sales again." Bo-rim said to the young man who just entered. Again, he received no oral response, just a slight nod from the young man.

"Ah, really, these young men are going to be the death of me." The shopkeeper  muttered under his breath before exiting the room, leaving the two young men alone.

"Your Highness," Chul started.

"Chul, remember what we talked about," Prince Yeon said, not looking up from the cover he was painting.

"My apologies, My Lord." The young man corrected himself, remembering the Prince's request to address him as 'Lord' as long as they are out of the palace.

It has been a month since Prince Yeon left the royal palace. Although he insisted on going alone, his bodyguard and childhood friend, Chul, went with him in order to ensure his safety.

"I have confirmed that the children who were being troubled by the guards earlier this morning were brought to safety." Chul said with his head bowed. The young prince nodded his head slightly, urging him to tell him more.

"The people of the palace are preparing for the queen's birthday celebration that will take place two weeks from now. They will be expecting you there." Chul continued.

"Gosh, why send me away when they want me back so quickly? And really? A grand celebration, when the people in the villages are starving??" Prince Yeon started, his forehead creasing as he rubbed his chin wth a finger." Do you have any news about my little brother?" His face lit up as he asked with a grin.

"Well, I heard he caused trouble with his new tutor," Chul said uncertainly, which made Prince Yeon laugh.

"Well, I guess there is nothing new with His Highness. I hope he is holding up well." The young prince sighed deeply, thinking of his younger brother.

He thought of how alike they were, from their strong facial structures, their stance, as well as their principles. He no longer had any desire for power that the throne held, if it was going to belong to his younger brother, his only wish was that Prince Gon will use the principles they shared to rebuild the nation.

The prince snapped out of his thoughts when he heard sounds of commotion outside. He stood up and went out with Chul following him from behind.

He approached the crowd of people who were gathered near a wall, gushing over whatever was posted there.

Prince Yeon squeezed in between the people in order to get a proper view of what was posted, and his eyes widened in terror once he read what was written.

'The discarded prince is within the capital. He is yours for the taking.'

***

1. gisaeng- courtesans who were known for their knowledge in different forms of art and literature.