6.

I made it back to my brothers palace. I was covered in dirt and had holes in my clothes. I guess I can see why she thought I was poor. I had one of my guardsmen show up incase my meeting with Seonmi went longer than expected or if there was any urgent matters I needed to take care of at the palace.

He ended up coming to the jewelry shop to fetch me because there were some changes and propositions that needed to be finalized and approved as soon as possible which meant that my meeting with Seonmi needed to be cut short.

Seonmi.

Why won't she stop crossing my brain?

Ever since I got that strange headache I suddenly knew her name. Did this have something to do with my ring? Before I passed out upon meeting her I noticed my ring glowing the same shade of amethyst as the gems on it. I haven't been able to remove this ring ever since I could remember.

No one ever knew where the ring came from nor if it was possibly offered up as a gift but seeing as though it caused me no harm my father ultimately decreed among everyone within castle walls to dismiss it. He even went as far as banning the servants of the palace from ever speaking about this outside the palace.

Those who did speak of it were disciplined along with the person they told. It was to protect me or so he says and considering the common people never knew what my brother and I looked like my father wanted to keep things that way. In his eyes if our servants disobeyed a simple royal decree regarding his own sons then they wouldn't think twice about trying to overrule his commands.

My father had his fair share of enemies as well as allies. He may not have said it but you could tell that a enemy strike always plagued the deeper recesses of his mind. As much as he tried to not show favoritism between my brother and I it was still clear he favored my brother. I tried shaking the thought's away.

For some reason it seems that meeting Seonmi has made me nostalgic. I ended up taking care of those urgent matters and headed to my room for a rest. I felt exhausted from today event's and wanted to throw my worries into my pillow for the time being.

The plan is already set into motion so overthinking these trivial things won't matter in the end. I wouldn't have known about Seonmi had my brother not brought up some incident between her and Subin. Ever since the incident from our childhood Subin hasn't seen me in a favorable light.

So, If I want my plan to go smoothly then I need to gain Subin's favor and what better way to do so than getting close to Seonmi. It seems that she holds some sort of significance to him based on the letter he wrote to her which I in turn had one of my men come in betwixt so she didn't receive his letter.

If I play my cards right then everything should end in my favor. I just have to hold out until the ceremony. It won't matter who Seonmi is anyway because once this is all over and my plan succeeds I won't need her anymore because she won't serve me any purpose. Until then, I need to keep a close eye on her and Subin. This can't fail and it won't fail.

After taking a long well needed shower I got dressed in my everyday wear royal clothing and rested my head on my pillows as I mentally reviewed how the plan would go and what might need to be done. I was so consumed in my thoughts that I didn't even realize I fell into a deep sleep in the process.

* * * *

It was time for the royal fitting. It's been three years since my brother died and I was getting ready to assume the throne soon now that the mourning period is over. Subin was close with my brother so it's no wonder he would brief me on things that I should be aware of as the new soon to be king.

Subin was now in charge of helping me adjust to my new duties as king. At the moment he was attending to one of his apprentices so he could help with the transfer of power without falling behind on his duties in the palace. With the loss of my brother who was also his dear friend he looked at me differently. Was it pity? Was it out of respect? Was it resentment from our shared past? Was it because it was part of his duty?

"You'll burst a blood vessel thinking that hard y'know."

I turned to see Seonmi leaning on a nearby wall with a smug look on her face.

"I didn't ask for your input. Don't you have something better to do like I don't know making jewelry instead of finding new ways to irritate me?" I said jokingly

"Actually I do. That's my reason for being here right now in fact."

Seonmi came to the castle frequently to speak with our mutual friend Subin. They were close ever since they were in school and as they grew older they still had that same natural bond. When I first met Seonmi she had come to visit Subin in the royal garden but Subin wasn't able to make it and instead she ran into me while I was about to take my daily walk through the garden.

Her lips were cherry red that day and her brown hair fluttered through the wind effortlessly like it belonged there. It looked as if every step she took was in slow motion as she glided through the garden appearing as though she was dancing. I watched as a tiger flower blossom drifted and landed perfectly in her hair as if someone were to purposefully placed it there themselves.

"Please love me."

"What?"

Seonmi's voice snapped me out of my daydream of the day we met. I didn't realize I said those words out loud. The tiger flower held the meaning 'Please love me' and I accidentally blurted that out. I didn't know what to say. Seonmi and I stared at each other for what felt like eons while the mutual attraction between us both caused tension to fill the air.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting Seonmi I had to finish tending to one of my apprentices." Subin smiled joyfully.

The sudden sound of his voice caused both Seonmi and I to jump also making us realize we were only inches apart blissfully unaware of the lack of distance that was between us at that moment.

Please love me...

Please love me...

* * * *

I woke up from my dream with tears streaming down my face shaking uncontrollably while repeating the words 'Please love me'. I didn't realize my second in command was in the room because I was crying so intensely that I couldn't see anything. Everything in my dream felt so surreal like I've already lived it but how is that possible?

"Your highness Is everything okay?! What's wrong?"

"Send for that jewelry maker Seonmi that I met with earlier. Don't take no for an answer!" I said through gritted teeth.

My second in command left my room immediately following my orders. Why is it that every time I think of Seonmi my heart feels like it's going into overdrive? I noticed a purple hue to my left. I looked down to see the gems of my ring glowing a brilliant shade of amethyst.

"What is going on?" I whispered to myself.

My ring only glowed like this once before and that day was the day...

That was the day I...

I turned to face the portrait of my father hanging up in the royal guestroom I was in. The stone cold emotionless face etched onto the portrait made my stomach turn reminding me of the painful memories I held on to.

That was the day I stopped being a part of this family.

I spent a decade locked away in another palace surrounded by people I didn't know when all I really needed was my family. I remember the day I snuck away so I could finally visit them. None of my family members ever came to see me after they sent me away but I just assumed they were just busy and wasn't able to make time. After a long arduous trip I finally made it to my fathers palace.

I snuck past the guards and got in through a back way I was still familiar with. I caught sight of my father and brother waving goodbye to a guest. I was going to make my way to them but I stopped in my tracks when I heard my fathers boisterous voice echo through the room scolding my brother.

"Taeseo you can't keep slacking off. I brought them here so you understand why I will not tolerate that kind of behavior. I don't ask much from you"

"You never asked." Taeseo mumbled under his breath

"This mouthy attitude of yours isn't befitting of the future king of Woseon Kingdom. You have a long way to go before you ever set foot on the throne." My fathers temper now standing out as clear as daylight.

"Well maybe I don't want to be king!"

"I don't care what you want!" Father yelled back with anger

I stood shocked at the scene before me.

"Whether you like it or not it is your duty to serve and protect this kingdom. There is no one else who can sit on the thrown after I'm gone but you Taeseo."

"Yes there is!"

"No there is not! Ji-yeon is not a part of this family, you are and you need to start acting like it!"

Father took Taeseo by his wrist and rushed out of view to I assume lock him in his room. I backed away and turned to head back from whence I came.

I'm no longer part of this family...

I was never part of this family.

From that day I said I would only come back until I had a plan to make my family pay for never wanting me. I was only a burden to them and my mistake was just a convenient way to get pawn me off to be someone else's problem. Ever since I walked away I didn't look back and began recruiting others to aid me in my plan to see the downfall of my family

I became great at lying and playing the fool even so much as to manipulating people into thinking they had the upper-hand to get to where I'm at now and I refuse to jeopardize that with how far I've come. Looking at that portrait only reminded me of how close I finally am to getting what I've been wanting for years even if it means that I have to kill my only brother.

I didn't notice how much time had passed as I was reflecting on the past. I watched as my second in command and a few other guards escorted Seonmi to the palace entrance. She intrigues me more than she should and I want to know why. As the ruler of the Hwajae empire It's imperative that I find out what's so special about this girl.

My ring has only ever glowed amethyst once before and the fact that she managed to make it glow amethyst again all these years later means she's connected with me and my past in some way and I need to know why. She just might be the key to Hwajae empire successfully crushing my family's reign of power. My guards announced Seonmi's arrival. I wiped my eyes so as to not give away that I had been crying and allowed her to enter my room while my back was still turned as I looked out of the glass windows.

"I'd like to speak with Seonmi alone. Everyone else is dismissed." I could hear the shuffling of footsteps as the rest of the servants began exiting the room. Once the doors closed I began speaking.

"How long have you been a jewelry maker?" I started out asking.

"I've been making jewelry for as long as I could remember, your highness." Her voice was soft and delicate vastly different than her feisty and fiery demeanor when we first met.

"So I presume you are able to identify any piece of jewelry you were to lay your eyes on am I not correct?"

"Well yes, more or less."

"Are you able to replicate a piece of jewelry exact if you were to study the original piece? I'm aware of the time constraint due to the upcoming festival however this is a separate request I'd like for you to assist me with personally."

"Of course, it would be an honor your highness." I scoffed at her reply.

"It would be an honor your highness." I mocked under my breath.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing, just clearing my throat."

It just dawned on me however, that she may not want to go through with the project if she see's my face and recognizes me from our meeting earlier. I looked around and picked up my handheld fan and used it to cover my face and then stood up and turned to look at her.

She looked down seeming nervous to catch my gaze. I stepped forward and stopped in front of her. My tall stature now looming over her as I slowly analyzed the short girl that stood before me. I can't deny that she's beautiful, hell if I'm to be completely honest had we met differently I would've taken her as my wife but things became more complicated considering the circumstances.

She took a slow glance up at me and I anxiously lifted the fan up hoping she didn't recognize me just by looking at my eyes. Her eyes darted back to the floor like a curious child trying not to get caught. I cleared my throat and began speaking again after analyzing her a bit longer.

"You start tomorrow. You cannot tell another soul about this or else there will be grave consequences, understood?"

"Yes your highness."

"You are to come here and report to me directly everyday at the hour of the ram; no later. You will be compensated well for the project but only after it has been finished, did I make myself clear?"

She nodded her head yes but I couldn't help but get back at her for her feisty attitude from earlier.

"I said did I make myself clear?" I commanded as I raised my voice a little louder.

"Y-Yes your highness." I smirked to myself and turned my back to her.

"You are dismissed."

I could hear her delicate footsteps shuffle towards the door and it closing behind her.

"She's interesting, I like her." I muttered to myself with a smirk