17 The Door Closed

The crown prince was stunned and was left speechless. As for Ye Beom, she was too struck with the twist of events as she kept on thinking of why and how her story ran like that.

"H-how? How could I..." She murmured to herself but was loud enough for her sister and brother to hear. "What did I ever do wrong?" she sighed as tears kept on rolling down her face.

She cannot look at anyone. She had no face to show. She knows she had done nothing wrong, but on the other side... somehow, she was worried of what kind of expression she will see when she look up. What kind of treatment she'll receive from them? Will she be looked down upon? Will they act cruel to her? Will they hear her out or not? Will they even stand being with the second princess's presence? Those are the same thoughts, running through her head.

"This, must be..." She faltered at she sniffs still unknown to herself about the tears that is now like a waterfall falling from her eyes. "...This is all a misunderstanding, right?" A heart breaking smile that she forced to do was plastered on her face as she cries.

"Take all of the food that has been brought by the second princess. None must be left!" Commanded the Pyeon Jae. "This shall serve as the evidence!"

While the hwarang that was sent by the grand empress dowager is busy taking possession of the evidences, the company of the both princess were all silent not uttering a word. Pittying the second princes as they see her cry.

Not long after...

CLAAANG!

The crown prince's grip on his ssaurabi loosened which is the reason why it dropped. "I shall take my leave." The crown prince said in such a bitter tone with a pale face.

Brother... No, no. It wasn't me. No. I swear on my life... it wasn't me.

She cried, she wanted to say the words in her mind to defend herself but her voice wont ce out. Her lips won't move but just tremble.

Why is this even happening? I can't remember anything about this incident. Why? Am I going to die now?

"...eom. Beom! Ye Beom!" Princess Shinrae shakes her up. "The reason why I came here with you. Do you want to know?" Shinrae asked fiercely as she held Ye Beom's shoulder firmly.

"What?" Is this your doing sister?...

"First, don't resist and go along with the hwarangs. They won't dare harm you in anyways if you'll just be obedient." Shinrae explained as she whispered to Ye Beom. "I shall she you when the night falls."

See me? At the nightfall? Does she mean she'll sneak out in the midnight? Is this woman insane?!

Ye Beom gripped princess Shinrae's wrist as she looks up at her and asked: "Are you?! No... What are you planning?" Bewildered with what might happen, her grip tightens.

"Just listen to me and go. Now." Without any more talk, princess Shinrae helped princess Ye Beom stand up and held her as soon as she does. "Wait 'till midnight. And Ye Beom, just put your trust on me."

Where is this plot going to take me? Someone is probably— no, for sure someone wants me dead. Someone wants me screw it all up.

Ah! Yes, the grand empress. She's never liked me, like how she is supposed to be a doting grandmother towards me.

"Ye Beom! Don't space out! I promise, I... will help you out of this." Shinrae... yes I remember now. The first princess is a sly fox. I wrote her as a character whom have been holding quite a big grudge against those whom insulted her and concubine Gaen, her mother. Number one on the list is the second princess! Next was the grand empress! Argh what do I do now?! I screwed myself!

Ye Beom let out a laugh but it sounded as a scoff. "Yeah right. Midnight. I will be waiting."

"Your highness, this is taking us too long. Come with—" Pyeon Jae was cut off abruptly when princess Ye Beom stood up with an angered glare.

"Lead the way." Ye Beom said.

"I shall inform her highness that the food that will be serve—"

"I said... Lead. The. Way... please just. Sighs." I know that in the cold palace, we won't be eating a dishes that is normally served for the imperial family, but the foods the same being served to the servants.

The hwarangs nods at each other, signalling to put their weapons down but still be on their guards. "This way your highness." Pyeon Jae directed the path and so princess Ye Beom obediently trail behind him as two hwarang is at the both of her sides.

"Mistress..." The worried head lady Joo-in muttered in a sad voice.

"Joo-in, there is no need to worry about me. I know for sure brother will—" Ye Beom suddenly stopped at the middle of her sentence when she recalled what happened earlier.

Brother... earlier he just left us behind. Walking away without even bothering to pick-up and bring his ssaurabi. Surely it is because of the verdict against me. So does he believe it? It was just a false accusation. No matter what, I know that brother will look and dig all through this and prove my innocence. Sighs.

"I will go inside now Joo-in." Princess Ye Beom gave head lady Joo-in a faint smile. "Lady Joo-in, please always make my chamber as dustless as always even when I'm not there." She entreated to Joo-in.

"Yes mistress, we will take care of it. And so is the entire Gwihan palace, mistress." Joo-in replied earnestly.

"I should go ahead this time now." Ye Beom said.

"But my lady, my mistress... the consort? Shall we tell the consort about this?" Head lady Joo-in inquired.

...Brother. What should I do? Princess Ye Beom sighed at the thought.

"I am sure that the word about what happened today have reached him already. So there is no need." Princess Ye Beom said as her forehead creases. "Just please do take care of him." She added.

"I shall do as my mistress say then." Head lady Joo-in replied.

"Do you still have any more concerns, lady Joo-in?" Ye Beom asked, tilting her head."

"Yes mistress. Please do take care of yourself too." A worried Joo-in said as her voice wavered.

Princess Ye Beom smiled as she reaches for Joo-in's cold pale hands. "Worry not, I will do take care of myself. Thank you for always worrying about me." With no any other words, princess Ye Beom walks away from her court ladies.

Little do they know that a man was watching them, hiding from the shadows of the tree the entire time, as he also hear their conversation clearly. "You didn't even left me a word." The man whispered to himself as he leans on the tree. He watched the princess back as she nears the cold palace's door.

His heart kept on throbbing as she watch the second imperial princess. "Be well..." the man paused as he turned around and starts to walk away, "...my wife."

It was the consort Taejoo. He clasped his chest as the pain in his heart won't fade. "In the end I wasn't able to prevent this from happening. I... have failed." A disheartened Taejoo uttered to himself.

The cold wind blows and brushes against the princess's skin. She sighed at the thought that, she, herself, the author of the story she transmigrated to, doesn't even know what and how her story goes. With that she entered the palace with a blanked expression and a dead eyes.

Creeeaaaakkk...

And on that moment the cold palace's door closed.