---RECAP---

"W-What do you want in return?" She asks, composing herself.

A deal was being processed.

The ends of Yong Sun's lips curl in a mischievous smile.

He connects their foreheads, watching her eyes.

"Areum-ah, I want Soojin..that's all I want.." He breathes out.

-----------

"Y-You're insane..insane to believe that I will help you.." Areum mumbles, shuffling to get to her feet.

Yong Sun watches her rise, only to watch her advance towards the exit of the room.

"Aish..and here I was thinking you loved Yun Ki with all in you..Alas, I'll have to get through him first before I lay my hands on Soojin. I guess he too will have the same consequence as our dear Mother.." He mutters, through clenched teeth, watching Areum turn in her steps, hastily.

"What?" She asks, almost as though she'd missed what he'd said.

Yong Sun rises to his own two feet, bending forwards to pick up the blade he'd so casually flinged over the wooden flooring.

He runs a finger over the flat surface, cleaning the stainless steel metal of any dust.

"You heard me, Areum. Yun Ki's life will be at stake if you don't agree to help me. It's either you help me get to Soojin or I infiltrate Yun Ki's reign in broad daylight and take Soojin from him, I mean...from a decapitated him.." Yong Sun chuckles.

"NO!...Y-You can't possibly t-touch Yun Ki..What-What's his fault in all this? How ca-can you threaten to kill him...all for that worthless commoner who has risen to the ranks of The Queen and surrounded Yun Ki with dark clouds of misery.."

Yong Sun grasps Areum's shoulders.

"You hate her, don't you? Don't you agree that Yun Ki was far better off without her? Don't you just long for the Yun Ki who longed for you and you only?" He questions, wittingly.

"O-Of course I do. Not a moment goes by when-when I'm not thinking of him. B-But he loves her, Yong Sun.." Areum explains, mind clouded with feelings of confusion.

Yong Sun runs a hand over her tresses, playing with the ends of her light brown mane.

"You'll help him forget her, won't you? After all, aren't you the Royal Concubine? His comforter? What use are you if you can't help the man forget a woman he loved for a while?"

He taunts.

He lifts her bony chin, to meet her eyes. Puzzled eyes.

"What use is this body if it can't provide comfort and distraction to a lust-driven man?...Areum-ah, I know Yun Ki. In fact, I know men. You dangle flesh before them, they won't be able to resist giving into temptations..We're designed such."

"Will-Will you take her away, forever?" Areum asks, eyes pitch black.

Yong Sun stops himself from curling the ends of his lips into a victorious smirk.

"Of course, I will. Then, it'll just be you and him. Just the way you've imagined it, all this while. Areum-ah, no one needs to know...It'll be our little secret." He tempts, patting a reassuring pat over her tear stained cheeks.

"I-I'll need you to promise me something, in return.." Areum lets out, determinedly.

"Anything, Princess. Say the word.."

Areum breathes out, a shaky breath, palms moist as she was falling into the traps of the Devil.

The evil, manipulative liar.

All whilst blinded by her love for Yun Ki.

A man who no longer belonged to her.

A man who'd started threading dreams of building a future with the love of his life.

The love of his life, whom he watched asleep, mouth agape.

Yun Ki runs the tips of his fingers to move the stray strands of her hair from her closed eyes, watching her closer.

He uses his hand to lean her into him, to rest her head over his shoulder as he writes into his poetry journal.

As he makes an entry.

'-The Beginning.-

She walked me out of the shadows, out of the looming darkness of pure unadulterated hatred.

She caressed parts of me that needed healing.

She moulded me into something stronger, joining pieces of me that had grown astray.

She showed me love.

Love, in her dark brown eyes and hearty smile as she clutched my hand and walked me through the path of thorns.

Now all I want is to hold her close, to never let her wander away from my eyes.

To guard her, in sickness and health.

She's all I have to protect, before my own.

She's all I'll ever want.

For she, has turned this Brute into a living breathing Man, whose heart has escaped past the ravages of insanity, all for her.

This is the beginning of our love.

I'll treat you well.

-M.Y.K'

---------

"You must be glad." Minister Choi chimes, slicing an apple.

Soojin's mother, sits with Joon Ki in her outstretched lap.

She stares up at the man, in irritation.

"What must I have to be glad?" She snaps back.

The man raises an eyebrow, questioningly.

"Is that attitude, I sense, Eomeoni?" He taunts.

Taking a deep bite of the apple, Soojin's mother watches as the juice leaves past the elderly man's lips.

She looks over at Joon Ki, who'd fallen asleep from all the fatigue he'd felt.

She chants prayers, silently as she holds onto every breath that leaves past Joon Ki's lips.

She watches his chest raise and fall, as the sign of his living breathing state.

She counts on his heart rate.

For that is all she can do.

All she can do is pray that Joon Ki bears the perseverance of making it through this hell.

She wishes he were dead, however.

Rather than having to live in pain and adversity.

She wished he passed away, peacefully.

However, just as she was believing that he wouldn't make it, he would bounce back, with a stronger pulse.

And it was all for her.

All for his mother.

"You must be glad as your dear daughter is returning.." Minister Choi chews out, causing Soojin's mother's eyes to snap back at him.

"S-Soojin is co-coming here?" She asks, sitting upright.

The man nods in response.

"Of course. Where do you think Yong Sun has gone? He's going to drag that wench with the ends of her hair and bring her here...It'll be like a family reunion.." He mocks, spitting the seed.

"However, she'll be mating with a man who isn't her husband...Eomeoni, how do you feel about knowing that she will be carrying the child of a man who hasn't even married her? What will your neighbours say if they find out that Soojin is raising a bastard?" He asks, kneeling down to meet her mother's strained gaze.

Her chest heaves, in agony.

"H-How could you st-stoop so low? Don't you have a trace of humanity in you?!" She screams.

The Minister plugs in a finger in his ear, giving it an unbothered shake before receding it and blowing at the ear wax coating his index finger.

"Eomeoni, must you attack us so personally? Things like these happen in Politics. Women are mere chess pieces in this battle of wits..Don't take it personally." He expresses, nonchalantly.

Soojin's mother begins to wail, hoping her neighbours or a passerby would hear her pleas.

The Minister stands back on his feet.

"Is it a Family tradition to wail and scream every now and then? Ssibal, can't even sit near you for more than 10 minutes." He curses, walking away from the room, locking it behind him, leaving Soojin's mother and her emaciated brother to lament in isolation.