Chapter 35: Seo Yeon

We were finally taken to the morning assembly a few minutes before it was due to start. Hwi held my hand since we left and didn't loosen his grip, when I noticed Seon-Ho kept his eyes on but I was avoiding his gaze. I had never seen him look so angry at me before but there was nothing I could do about it until this trail was over. I knew I owed him a separate conversation; god knows how much worse that would turn out. But I had to focus on saving my brother's at present, and hopefully wean the Prince off of my brother before it was too late. The further we stayed away from the palace the better.

Prince Bang-Won walked into the morning assembly in messy attire for a dramatic look I guess. He laid the charges upon Nam-Jeon before bringing him in. Seon-Ho was in pure shock over seeing his father who was usually the epitome of all nobles across the land trembling to such an extent he had to almost be carried on a stretcher by the guards; he had clearly been tortured. Hi legs were almost broken and he was leaving pools of blood with every step he was forced to take. As much as he deserved everything he got and more, he was still Seon-Ho's father and I didn't want him to see him like that. Without even thinking about it I quickly spun around to face him, completely blocking the bloody scene in front of him. "It's ok, just focus on me and not on him. I'm so sorry for all of this, especially for not telling you anything beforehand even though I had a lot of chances when I lived with you. I know I may have lost the right to ask anything from you, but please trust me. I promise you, I will set you free from the hellhole you have been living in". I managed to blurt out before Hwi spun me around again. But not before I saw the broken look on his face that he had been trying to hide from me all these years...and failed. He looked so sad I was tempted to hold him in my arms and never let go.

The prince laid the charge on attempted assassination a royal body. The prince called on my brother first and he gave his testimony; confessing to everything apart from the rigged military exam and Seon-Ho's part in it all, much to Seon-Ho's surprise. The court was in disarray. The prince then called and Seon-Ho, who looked like he didn't know what to say. But before he had a chance I stepped in...ready to change all of our lives.

I took a deep breathe, avoiding both their pointed gazes as it was agreed I could speak first. I quietly sighed in relief, as this part was planned as I had avoided confiding in Seon-Ho and not preparing him for what was to come. As bad as I felt for deceiving him on some level; didn't want this rage and revenge to consume him anymore than it already had. I knew it was not my place to end it for him, but in consideration to the crimes his father had committed towards my brother and myself, I took the opportunity to end it once and for all, for the chance to him to finally lead a normal life on his own terms. If I could achieve that I swear I could die happy with no worries.

I could feel the whole court's eyes on me; I was certainly not used to all this attention; in fact I stayed away from it as much as I could. But I only had this one chance to set all of our lives back on track and move on once and for all. I took a couple of nervous steps forward to face the king and look him dead in the eyes "I lay charges against Nam-Jeon for the murder...of Ae-Ri". My voice faltered on that last bit. I couldn't face Seon-Ho as I talked about his concubine slave mother who killed herself when Nam-Jeon lost his eldest legitimate son drowned in childhood and blamed the whole thing on Seon-Ho before snatching him from his mother...and then she hanged herself outside their mansion out of grief. No-one spoke about the incident since then; I didn't even know he had a brother until I noticed Nam-Jeon always going to temple annually.

I made my way to the King with my eyes locked onto Nam-Jeon, the person who dared to bring misery to my family's life even after we were orphaned...before I opened my mouth and confessed to everything I had found out when I retrieved my memory after a year of staying with the Nam's; everything he did to myself and my brother, including keeping the nature of my father's death off of the records so we were bullied wherever we went...everything he did to Seon-Ho's mother and brother; how he swindled a noble lady out of her fortune after marriage and demoted her to slave and concubine after he was married to someone else only to push their legitimate son into the water himself so he could drown because he had weak heart despite only being a child...Seon-Ho was legitimate in a sense that his mother's marriage with his father is still traceable and some records that he kept hidden away. I still didn't dare to look at Seon-Ho but I heard him drop to the floor in what could only be shock, I so wanted to reach out to him and hold onto him until he released every demon from his body but luckily Hwi caught onto him. I felt myself exhausted as I carried on, bringing more charges onto him proving that he took advantage of his position by exploiting those he was made to help.

And right on queue the doors open and the Royal Hall was half flooded with half beaten peasants all with their own grievances to inform the King whose face was turning redder with every sentence I spoke.

Nam-Jeon almost collapsed in shock. I heard Seon-Ho gasp behind me, but I was determined to have my say and get it over with. "Ae-Ri? Isn't that that concubine that was granted to Nam-Jeon? The death of such people with low status are not fit to be judged. Why would you bring this up?" The King asked me observantly. I closed my eyes again and reminded myself why I was exposing this...and who I had to protect "Your Highness, concubine Ae-Ri was certainly of a low background...but she was indeed not born a slave. In fact, I have evidence to prove that the lady in question was actually a noble lady from the far north plains of your kingdom. And she in fact his first legal wife, before she was demoted to concubine and then a slave when her unfaithful husband met another Nobel lady of a much higher standing to her...but not before robbing her of her wealth as deemed in their marriage contract, to make it look like he had every right to her wealth". I thought I was going to pass out as I felt her son's eyes burn into me so hard