The man whose head bears the weight of the emerald encrusted crown, wakes up feeling light-headed.

He feels as though the air he breathes in is a lot more sweeter than usual and a smile adorns the ends of his lips.

"It's a new day.." He mumbles, as soon as he sits up in bed, watching the light from the red curtains seep into his room, waking him up.

Casper was neighing and that was enough of an indication for him to start the day, feeling the embrace of wind cascading past his ash grey locks, a feeling of liberation mixed with adrenaline, coursing past his veins.

Usually, he'd wake up with a heavy head, too hungover from the traditional alcohol drinking practices he'd made a routine for himself.

It was time he became level-headed, he thought, scratching the tuft of hair growing over his chin.

Yun Ki steps on the fury carpet, toes tingling and he lets out a small giggle, he's in the best spirits.

It shocks his own self as he hears a high pitched giggle leaving past his lips, subconsciously.

There could be nothing that could ruin how exhilarating he felt today.

His clean practices did bear a positive effect and it was time he made it a habit.

It was necessary for a man like him to be high on positivity or, 'happy-hormones'.

Yun Ki freshens up, stepping into the cold water.

His insides twist and goosebumps cover the expanse of his chest.

He ducks his head into the water, running a hand over his hair, allowing the freezing cold sandalwood water to cleanse his roots.

He loved the sandalwood scrub that lay beside his Bath.

Usually he'd have 2 of his maidservants cleaning every crevice of his body but he felt as though self-reliance was one step closer to becoming free from any reliance he bore on anyone.

He was an individual, one who had come into the world on his own and one who'd be leaving it alone.

He reached for the scrub, lathering it all over his chest, the yellowish-orange suds covering his glistening chest and neck, that he cleansed to perfection.

He wondered if his ill-tempered Uncle would throw a tantrum.

As if the drunkard would be up by now, he thought to himself, letting out a small scoff.

Yun Ki washed himself clean, stepping out of his bath to be greeted by his maidservant, holding a robe out to him.

He slithers his arms into it, walking out.

Stepping onto the hardwood flooring of his room, he positions himself before the full length body mirror.

His robe was undone and the front of his body was bare.

He stares at the ripples that caress his chest and runs a finger over them, tightening his core.

He thinks highly of his appearance and he knows that he's a good looking man.

What catches his attention is the scar underlying his eye that had gotten infected and had grown yellow with spurts of pus coating it.

Yun Ki hadn't had the time to get that sown up, yet as he'd had other things he had to look out for.

He tuts, stepping closer to the mirror, picking the two ends of severed skin, closer, watching a fat globule of pus running down his cheek.

It was serious.

"Call for the Royal Practitioner." Yun Ki comments, sighing heavily.

He hated anyone coming up close and personal to his scar.

He hated the thought of anyone even touching it.

As in his scar lay his vulnerabilities as the Crowned Head of Baekmin.

His twin had managed to freshen the scar that rested over the right side of his face.

No more self destruction, he mumbles to himself, in his own mind.

—————————

On the other hand, Yong Sun is with the Chief Guard, hidden in the former's cottage.

"M-Master, did you see the announcement pamphlet they've publicised? It has a portrait of me! T-They've put a bounty of 5 Gold coins on my head!" The Chief Guard trembles.

Yong Sun chuckles, blowing out smoke with every convulsion of his chest as he smokes out of a tobacco filled copper-pipe.

"Yah, take it easy. It's not like anyone takes these notices seriously.." He murmurs, patting his chest from the smoke he'd inhaled, accidentally.

The Chief Guard who was seated on the concrete floor, grasps his knees to his chest.

"It's easy for you to say. After all, it isn't your face on the poster, is it?" He questions, hugging his knees tighter.

Yong Sun inhales from the pipe, the room coated in fog from the smoke.

He bends before the Chief Guard, blowing the tobacco tainted fog onto his face as he exhales.

He grabs the man's chin.

"Ssibal, did you just talk back to me? After I saved your poor ass and kept you hidden, away from public view?" He tuts, running a hand over the man's face.

"If I throw you out this instant, the angry mob will tear you to pieces and cash you out for Gold coins. You're worth nothing!" He mumbles.

The Chief Guard coughs in response, holding onto his throat.

His eyes are glossy from the noxious fumes pricking his eyes.

"W-Why am I paying for your sins? All when I-I ran to you after I knew you'd been exposed..Why am I sacrificing my own life for y-you?" He stutters, flinching as Bohoja extends a hand towards his face, erupting into a cruel laughter watching the meek man shrivel under his hand.

He places his copper pipe back into the rack, bringing out the coal briquets he'd used to set fire to the tobacco.

He lifts them with tongs and watches as they glisten red as they're still on fire.

He prances forward, grabbing the Chief Guard's hand and straightens it, dropping the coal briquet on the man's bare palm.

The Chief Guard shrieks in pain, screaming out his Mother's name as his eyes are peered shut.

Yong Sun watches the man wiggle and squirm on the floor, removing the coal off of it, instantly.

He grabs the man's throat and pulls his ear close to his mouth.

"Why should you pay for my sins? …People belonging to the lower class ought to clean up after Kings and Queens. That's what's been happening for hundreds of thousands of years and that is what will happen for the next hundred, as well." He spits, biting the tip of his ear, causing the man to wince.

He pulls away, patting the top of his dishevelled greasy hair,

"I suggest you tame that tongue. You're in no position to squabble."

The shaky man grabs onto his wrist, arms stuffed between his thighs as he wrings in pain and yet nods his head, to every command.

"Besides, I'm the one dear Min Yun Ki wants. Why is he involving a middle-man? He could've summoned a notice for me! I would've rushed before him..Perhaps in his wife's room or between her legs, for that is what she was crying for a while ago, wasn't she?" He laughs evilly, grabbing the flat of his stomach as his thunderous scheming laugh echoes in the shanty he calls a house.

————————————

"Queen, I heard the Royal Practitioner would be coming in to see The King.." Soojin's maidservant says, combing her hair, as Soojin stares at her own reflection, wondering what had happened.

"Why? What has happened?" She asks, ceasing the maidservant's actions.

"An infected wound, is the word." She replies curtly, removing Soojin's hand gently, as she combes a stripe down.

Soojin bites down on her lip, getting her hair dried and tied to a Jjok.

"If I ask you something, will it be in exchange of the promise of secrecy?" Soojin asks grasping her maidservant's wrist, turning back to look at her.

The woman nods, hastily.

"I promise, on Late Queen's soul. I won't let a word get out past these 4 walls.." She says, placing a hand flat over her own chest.

"What do you know about Areum?" Soojin ask, turning on her plush stool, hands on her knees, waiting to hear all that there is to her.

The maidservant kneels before Soojin.

"Areum, Crowned Head's Royal Concubine?" She asks.

Soojin nods.

"Your Majesty, before you arrived and got wed to Jeonha, Areum was the woman he called in, every night. She entered this Palace as a young girl of 20. She was presented by one of the Minister's as a gift for Jeonha back when he was 27 years old and hot-blooded. At first, everyone saw Areum as a pleaser as she was repetitively called by him, for the first month she arrived. Many believed she possessed the 'Golden Art of seducing a man' and had perhaps charmed the King. However, 3 years later, Jeonha made it apparent that he was smitten by her. There were days that Areum never returned back to her Concubine Chamber. They lived hustled in the room for weeks before ..before Late Queen Bom-i intervened and banished Areum from setting foot into the Palace, for news about them had spread all through the Capitol and it reflected bad on Jeonha. Crowned Head fought with his Mother, saying he'd do whatever she said in return for Areum to be able to see him. He said she was his confidant, someone he wrote poetries to….The Queen ensured a ban on her, limiting her visits and to compensate for her absence, Jeonha started searching for a new set of concubines yet, no one could bewitch him as much as Areum…Of course, That's until you came and now everyone in the Palace sees how much the two of you are in adoration of each other, Your Majesty.." She speaks, in a monotone, reciting before her the story of Yun Ki and Areum.

"Is there any more?" Soojin persists.

The woman nods, hastily.

"Well, after you came into The Kingdom and were conferred upon the title of Queen Consort, Ah Ma had asked Areum to leave the Palace and resign from her position as the Royal Concubine but sh-she had blatantly refused, claiming she loved Jeonha.." She reveals, scratching the back of her head.

Soojin's grasp over the fabric of her robe tightens and she has no idea why her blood boils.

Was it because the woman had no respect for her as The Queen or because she was willing to lend Yun Ki her shoulder despite knowing he had a wife?

Or was it because she loved a married Man?

She however, couldn't blame it all on Areum.

Never, when she had committed treachery, her own self.

Soojin grows silent, pupils shaking.

Yet, her mind races back to when she had Yun Ki in her arms, seated under the wilted Cherry Blossom Tree and all she thought then was, whether this is what Areum felt when Jeonha cried in her chest.

She wanted to be the one swallowing the quivers of his shoulders, as he grew overwhelmed.

She wanted to be the one he sat with, in his chamber, talking her ear off about how he'd compared The Moon to her, as they sipped Sikhye and healed each other's aching hearts.

She wanted to run her hands along his lustrous mane, an action that'd ease the wrinkles that afflicted his tense forehead.

She wanted to be the wind beneath his wings and yet she was like a razor.

Sharp and sturdy, could cut what fell into her hands.

Just like Jeonha's wings, the ones she'd clipped off by finding solace in the arms of the biggest traitor of Baekmin, Min Yong Sun.

—————

"I should check on him, shouldn't I? I-I mean it's only right.." Soojin mumbles to herself as she has her ear pinned on the door of her Chamber, trying to hear Chief Hong's muffled commands as he welcomes the Royal Practitioner to Yun Ki's Chamber.

She can't believe she's being stealthy like this.

"Your Majesty, what are you listening to?" The maidservant asks, causing Soojin's cheeks to flare up, all red.

She places a pointer finger to her lip, asking the help to keep her mouth closed.

"SSHHH.." She whispers, placing her ear back on the door, to find that the corridor is now empty.

She lets out an exhale, hands on her hips.

"Say, can The Queen go visit The King's chamber whilst he's being treated? Or, is it more of a privacy concern?" She asks her help.

The poor woman has her hands clasped.

"The Queen owns Jeonha's heart, she can do all that she desires, other than public nuisance and nudity, which is a punishable offence as per Baekmin's Treaty number 40—"

Soojin raises a palm up.

"Aish, too much information." She says, sucking her teeth.

She looks at her door once more, puffing her chest, striding towards it.

She hears footsteps of her timid help, behind her.

"Please don't follow me." She instructs, before straightening out her pink coloured Hanbok and tucking a strand behind her head.

She walks down the corridor, watching heavy security outside Yun Ki's chamber.

She puts on a poker face, one she communicates with the security, via.

She's about to enter the Chamber but is stopped by a Guard placing an arm out, blocking her.

"Let me see Jeonha." Soojin mutters.

The man stares ahead, not uttering a word.

Soojin pushes his arm but it's immovable.

"I'm The Queen, let me go see him." She argues.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I've received clear instructions." He mutters, not once looking her way.

"T-This is not right, I'll have the Ki—"

"Aigoo, is it The Queen of Baekmin at the doorstep?" Chief Hong sing-songs, walking to the doorstep.

He looks at Soojin, smiling.

"Let her in, Son. It's alright. Jeonha will be happy to see her.." He mutters, patting the guard on his back.

Soojin bows before Chief Hong, respectfully and returns the smile, as they'd gotten congenial ever since that day, which also happened to be one of Soojin's worst days.

She walks into his sitting lounge, down to his bedroom to watch him seated at the edge of the bed as an elderly man was sat on a high jute chair, inspecting and palpating his face.

Yun Ki's eyes were peered shut and his hands were fisting the material of the bedsheets, intensely.

He hears ascending footsteps and seethes through his teeth.

"Chief, I'd told you not to leave me and go. You know how afraid I am of nee—" Yun Ki pops open his left eye, watching Soojin standing before him, with Chief Hong following her.

"You have a visitor, Yun Ki-ssi." He chimes as Soojin scratches the spot behind her ear, nervously.

Yun Ki grows a shade of pink, letting go of the tight grasp he has over the sheets, flattening them.

He wanted to look manly.

He lets out a small cough, in response, looking away and peaking glances at her, secretly.

"Soojin-ah, meet Cheong Il, the Royal Practitioner. He even treated my Father when I was a small kid..Sir, please meet my Queen, Min Soo Jin. We got married, a while ago." He mumbles as the elderly man lets go of the skin of his cheek and bows before Soojin, respect that she returns.

"Pleasure to meet you, dear Queen. Your beauty indeed surpasses the word of mouth. Yun Ki-ah, you're a lucky husband." He responds, causing both Soojin and Yun Ki to giggle, nervously and escape each other's eyes.

The practitioner hands Yun Ki a bark to chew on.

"This will lessen the pain. I have yet to clean out the pus. It's good you called me early as the infection could have spread into your sinuses." He explains, pulling out an off-white bark, which Yun Ki chews on, face twisting from the bitter taste.

Soojin laughs at his childish demeanour and she remembers her visits to Practitioners for her ailing brother.

"You're just like my Hyung..He too would make such faces, when we were little!" Soojin finds herself expressing, amused.

Yun Ki glares at her as he takes a big gulp of the poison, he calls.

"The only difference being, Jeonha is 32 years old and still can't tolerate pain!" The old man says, dripping a yellow solution into a cotton padding.

Yun Ki huffs, in annoyance, finding himself being teased.

"Alright Yun Ki-ssi, this might sting. You might want to hold The Queen's hand for support." The practitioner, plays cupid.

Yun Ki shakes his head no.

"O-Oh no need for that, I-I can tolerate it!" He says, flinching as the man's finger approaches his face.

Chief Hong adds to the igniting fire.

"It'll be great if The Queen does help, at least Jeonha wouldn't cry like he usually does."

Bursts of laughter echo between the 2 men, who wore a bow and were aiming cupids at Soojin and Yun Ki's flushed faces.

Yun Ki snarls.

"Yah, I've never cried. I-I just got overwhelmed, that one time.." He retorts, pumping his fist in the air to make a point.

Soojin launches forward, seating beside Yun Ki on the edge of the bed.

He stares at her with eyes widened as she places a hand atop his cold ones, caressing his knuckles with her warm hand.

The Practitioner continues, grasping onto Yun Ki's chin and forcing an excavator, debriding his necrotic tissues as Yun Ki lets out a loud hiss, hand displacing itself from the grasp on the bedsheets and grabbing Soojin's with force.

"Aish…" He mutters in pain, crinkles accentuated near his eyes, eyelids peered shut from the pain as a bead of blood rolls out of his gaping wound, being swabbed away, instantly.

He realises how tight his grip over her hand is when her voice hitches and is heard loud and clear in the room.

He looks her way, reading her expressions, which are that of concern for him.

He then looks at her hand, one he'd crushed under the weight of his own.

He gives it a small squeeze, causing her eyes to flicker over his.

"So, when can we expect an heir?" The man comments, causing both Soojin and Yun Ki's cheeks to grow beet-red as they scream in unison.

"Mwo?!?!"

---------Korean Words Used----------

Hyung = Brother.

Jeonha = King.

Jjok = A manner in which Noble and Royal Women wore their hair in The Palace.

Mwo = What.