9 I just sparred a little
As the imperial princess finished bathing, she called the court ladies to enter and help her put on her hanbok.
"Mistress? Among which of this binyeo would the imperial princess want to put on her hair?" Asked Jang Soohyun which is holding out the the big red casket full of binyeos and other more oriental hair accessories.
A simple golden dragon binyeo with a exquisite pink pearl on its mouth caught the second imperial princess's eyes.
The princess's eyes was fixated on it as she decided to pick that binyeo up and says: "I will use this one. Please do my hair wonderfully!" Then she hands the binyeo to Soohyun.
"My, my! Of course mistress, this servant shall do so!" Soohyun humbly replied as she giggled with optimism because of the mistress.
"I'll count on you then, Soohyun." Princess Ye Beom beamed a smile as Soohyun started combing her hair.
Sighs...
"Princess? Are you not feeling well?" Soohyun asked.
"No. I am most definitely fine." Princess Ye Beom reassures Soohyun.
"This servant is glad then." She smiles.
Of course I'm not. How could I be fine? It feels like... I'm stealing someone's position here. After all I'm not supposed to be here. It's like I'm doing a family pretend. What is this? A house play? Sighs. But somehow, I wish that I have such a reliable person like lady Joo-in in real life.
"Lady Soohyun?"
"Ah yes, mistress?" Soohyun responded.
"You see, have you even... I mean.. did you for once.. wished to have someone that is not yours to be yours?" She paused.
"...ahh! B-but it's not just s-someone! I-it, it can also b-be uhm... something! A something too! Yes! Haha haha haha" princess Ye Beom laughs nervously as she waves her hands.
Lady Soohyun gasped and said; "My princess! Perhaps, our princess desire something more unique and elegant looking binyeo?" Then she tilts her head in anticipation of the princess's answer.
Sighs. She's denser than I thought she is. Oh my heaaad.
"Oh no. It's nothing, forget about it. Are we done already?" Ye Beom asked.
"Yes mistress. We may head to the Myeonhee palace now." The other court lady answered.
"I thank you, then." Replied the imperial princess.
Come to think of it. Just a week ago I had a clean up in my court ladies. Now I have 4 court ladies, and 2 assistant court ladies. And of course, Lady Ki Joo-in is promoted to being the head of my court ladies.
Even so, I still don't know all of their names! It's just so confusing! And they almost look the same! Ugh so frustrating.
"Oh! Princess please, you flutter this servant!" Then the court lady bowed.
"No please. I order you to stop referring yourselves as servant. I see you all not as a servant. Rather, I see all of you as a companion." The princess humbly replied.
"Oh princess!" Lady Joo-in exclaimed in delight.
"Haha Lady Joo-in!" Princess Ye Beom laughed.
"I just can't help it mistress." A teary Lady Joo-in approached her.
The princess just smiled at her and said: "Now, now. Let's head to my grandmother's palace!"
"Yes, mistress." The 7 of them politely responded.
While the second princess and her court ladies are on their way to the Myeonhee Palace, they noticed a loud crowd.
Hmm. What could that loud crowd might be?
The second princess wondered as she decided to approach the crowd.
"Y-your highness! You mustn't!" Lady Joo-in told the princess. When the princess turned around, she saw Lady Joo-in bowing.
Why isn't she still raising her head up? Why is she still bowing? Ye Beom thought.
Ah! Maybe because I haven't given her a permission yet?
"I understand. You may raise your head now." She paused as she waited for Joo-in to raise her head up. "...but I'm afraid I won't listen." She chuckled.
"M-my lady! Mistress!" Lady Joo-in calls out.
When the second princess approach the crowd she heard a familiar sound.
Clang! Clang! Claaank!
Her highness's eyes widened upon hearing the unbearable echoes of the sword colliding to each other. Her heart thump so loud that she could her it through her ears.
Why? Why is there a sword clanging?
The princess tried to make her way through the crowd as she mindlessly brushes off the man in front of her.
"Hey! What is your pro—"
"Ah! Hey mind your—"
"Ow! This brat—"
"Hey ow!"
"Oi?! What's happening there?!" Asked the man in front of the four men that the princess brushed off. At first the man with a muscular body built blocked her way as he wasn't able to recognize her highness the princess as she is lowering her head.
"Oi! You little lady, what do you think you are doing huh? Making—"
"Mister! Don't, stop that!" Interrupted the first man that got brushed off.
"HUUUH?!" The man with a muscular body built. "Why?! She just brushes us off! What is she? A BOSS?! A pussy boss?" Then he laughed merrily.
"Heeeey lady. Why won't you look up—" when the man lifted up the princess's chin his jaw dropped and his eyes widened. His knees weakened as he dropped onto the ground.
The second imperial princess just stared at him with her infuriated eyes darting into his soul. The man felt a terrible fear towards the princess. It was as if something invisible was struggling him as he find it hard to breath. Yes, right. The atmosphere was too intense. The deadly stare that the second imperial princess's giving of was enough to make anyone submit to her.
"P-princess!! I-I'm... This lowly servant pleads guilty! I was wrong y-your highness the s-s-second princess!!" Then he bowed to the princess while kneeling.
The man's voice was too loud that it attracts the crowds attention. Everyone stared at the second princess and the more they witness the princess's deadly stare at the man kneeling, the crowd grew fear towards the second princess. No one dared to gossip. Instead it was dead silent. They were just waiting as to what action the second princess will do next. Just like everyone in the crowd, even the two unstoppable men that was sparring earlier that drag the crowd, was drawn to the tension building up not too far away from them.
Ye... Beom? What is this? What are you doing? The man thought to himself.
"Rowon." The man said. "What happened there?"
The man named Rowon replied: "Your highness, her highness the second princess was insulted by the man kneeling in front of her."
"That... muscular man? Isn't he one of our reserved soldiers?" The man asked once again.
"Indeed he is your highness." Rowon replied.
"Give me all of the details about that bastard. And why are they all just standing—." The man wasn't able to finish off his sentence when princess Ye Beom sunddely shouted;
"YOU!!" Then the man kneeling flinched.
"Say. Servant. What have you done..." the princess paused as she reaches to the muscular man's chin and lifted it up for him to meet her eyes. "...that wronged this. Her. Highness. The. Second. Imperial . Princess. Hmm?" Princess Ye Beom emphasizes every word as she smiled wickedly while tilting her head to gaze at him that gives off such a feeling to the man being an absolute inferior.
"I— no, this servant, raised his voice t-to the princess." He said.
"And?" She said in a calm manner.
"A-and, this s-servant belittled the princess."
"And?" Discontented with the answer she repeated the question.
"And, this servant dare to bad mouth the princess." He answered.
"And what is it?" She asked again in a VERY CALM manner that it gives creeps.
" T-this, t-this s-servant... dared say t-that the princess is a..." he hesitated.
Damn it what is with this princess! I will be a dead shit. I could feel daggers behind my back.
"...a? Say— a what?" The princess repeated.
"A what?" Then again she repeated.
The man gulped hard. His eyes keeps on wandering around as he tries to look on his back.
"You've got no use of your tongue, I see."
Everyone on the scene gasped with the princess's words.
Flustered and scared the man bowed several times and yelled;
"PLEASE YOUR HIGHNESS THE SECOND IMPERIAL PRINCESS!! I PLEAD GUILTY FOR MY WRONGDOING!! THIS SERVANT IS GUILTY OF BAD MOUTHING THE PRIN—"
"Is... that what I asked you?" The princess cut him off.
"No, your highness." The man replied.
"You are wasting my time. I have to go the grand empress's palace. So make it quick. You still haven't named your two more wrongdoings to me..."Second princess warned. "If I get impatient I might just behead you. Now speak."
"This... servant called the princess a... pussy boss—"
"A fucking what?!" A man interrupted. "You fucking what?!" He repeated as he grab the man on his collar struggling him.
"Your highness!"
"You stay there Rowon! I will deal with this man!" The man yelled.
"Brother!" Ye Beom exclaimed. Ye Beom was surprised as the crown prince suddenly appeared.
"What more?! What more did you say to my sister?!!" Crown princess Eunhyun threatened the man as he unsheathed his sword and places it on the man's neck.
Hic! "Please spare my life your highness—"
"Shut up! What else? What else did you do to her?!" Eunhyun yelled deepening the sword to his neck until it bled.
"I- this servant block the princess's way."
"YOU DARE WHAT?!"
"Brother that's enough." Ye Beom voiced out.
"No. This man deserves to die—"
"I don't want him to die. Give him a whipping or a flogging. I don't care. Make him suffer. What a shame, he keeps calling himself a servant when clearly he is a soldier with that built of his body. What do you take me as? A fool?" Ye Beom then turned around as her head is aching. She sighed.
"You hear the second princess. Give him a good hell of a flogging." Eunhyun commanded the soldiers as he glares at the man.
"Ye Beom! Hey, Ye Beom.... Woah!!" The prince catches princess Ye Beom as she lose her balance. "You. You're not fine, are you?"
Princess Ye Beom sighed. "I suddenly felt sick. That twat!"
"Well at least you defended yourself. That was a brave act imposing your authority here in the palace." Princess Eunhyun said.
"It was no act brother. I mean all of it." She retorted.
The prince was taken aback a little. "Then that is much better. Let's keep walking now. Grandmother must be a whistling kettle by this time now." Then they both laughed as the court ladies on the princess followed them from behind.
"But, how come you came there at the very right time?" Ye Beom asked her brother.
"Oh.... well you see. I just sparred a little. Hehe."
So it was him who was sparring. Ye Beom giggled. Huh? Then who was he sparring with?
A moment later at the Myeonhee Pavilion.
The princess tilted her head. "Brother? What is going on?" then she looks at her brother. "Why is Taejoo here too? And the woman beside him. Who is she?"
