FEAR.

"Greetings your Majesty." All the maids bowed down fearing to meet the blazing eyes of their Emperor.

"You all are dismissed." Han Jisung ordered not bothering to answer their greetings at all .

All the maids scurried off grabbing the opportunity to save their selves causing them to push each other in order to get out of oppressive room forgetting all their prim and proper training.

"Your Majesty, what brings you here to my humble abode." Song Minhyun bowed slightly, trying to calm her nerves down.

"You haven't answered my question yet, what is the meaning of this?" Han Jisung asked grabbing Song Minhyun angrily by the arm.

Hurt by his aggressiveness, Song Minhyun tried to pull her arm out of his grip.

"Father, i think you are hurting mother right now, can't you see her wounds." Han jiwoo said butting in unable to take the sight of his father rough handling his Mother.

Hearing his words Han Jisung took a pause and took a look at Song Minhyun appearance. "What happened to you why are you badly injured to this extent?" Han Jisung inquired coldly, he may not care about Song Minhyun but he cared about his reputation and if words got out his concubine was hurt right under his nose it would affect his reputation badly.

"It was that commoner my lord, She had attacked me today when we went to deliver the edict to her." Song Minhyun said and soon her eyes widened realizing she shouldn't have said it.

"I thought I sent the Eunuch there, why would you decide to leave the comfort of your palace to escort him to the outskirts of town." Han Jisung asked looking at Song Minhyun suspiciously.

"I did it for you your Majesty, I went on your behalf to apologize for what had happened yesterday as I heard the maids talking about you sending Eunuch Chen to read the edict to her, I decided to accompany him." Song Minhyun explained calmly.

"Since when do the Emperor of Chi nation have to apologize to anybody." Han jisung asked angered at the fact someone from his family went to apologize to Bogsu , although he was cautious of her, he still had his pride and dignity to maintain.

"Han jiwoo see me in my study." Han Jisung commanded angrily storming off but was still careful in avoiding the broken fragments of the teapot in the room.

On seeing his leaving back Song Minhyun knelt to the ground crying and hitting her head with her hands, why did she have to come up with such a lame excuse knowing the Emperor never apologises to anyone.

Song Minhyun yelled out angrily standing up and pushing to the ground all the flower vases that adorned the room, after falling everything to the ground, the once brown wood was now covered with broken ceramic fragments.

The Emperor finally manages to visit her but she ruined it because of her stupidness, thinking of this she slumped to the ground desperately holding the curtains that divided the waiting room from the bedroom crying.

"Mother, are you okay?" Han Jiwoo inquired after letting his mother vent all her anger and frustrations.

Hearing his voice Song Minhyun felt a sudden light of hope, "Your Father asked you to see him, put in a good word for me and help me beg for his forgiveness." Song Minhyun grabbed his clothes hopefully making Han Jiwoo sigh resignedly, his mother was always like this any little scramble with his father, she becomes a deranged person.

"Don't worry mother i'm here for you." Han jiwoo comforted patting her back trying to calm her down but his hands were slapped away almost immediately.

"What are you still doing here, get going you vagabond." Song Minhyun said pushing Han jiwoo away from her causing him to fall and one of the ceramic piece cutting into his hands.

Not wanting to trigger his mother Han jiwoo silently left her alone and met a maid outside on the Stony paths that led to the Emperor's palace.

"Go into the Royal Concubine palace and clean the place up and watch over her, make sure she doesn't do anything unruly." Han jiwoo instructed with a hint of worry in his voice afraid his mother might do something harmful to herself.

Han jiwoo often wonders whether the love between his parents were not strong enough that caused the Emperor to hate his mother making him hate his father despite how much he doesn't want to.

"Your Highness, your hand Is bleeding." the maid informed Han jiwoo drawing him out of thoughts .

"It's none of your business, go carry out your order now." Han jiwoo said rudely.

After the maid left, Han jiwoo took a look at his hands that were bleeding profusely from a long deep wound that night leave a scar in future, then he tore the undergarments of his robes to tie it , he would get it treated later, as for now he needs to provide his mother assurance from his Father about his love for her even if stealing something from his father or his mother might lose it completely.

Han Jisung headed to the Emperor's courtyard that was built with mahogany wood, looking exquisite as the builder had taken his or her time to mould it into the building it is.

Han Jisung went straight towards the Emperor's study, pausing at the entrance looking at the pease blossom tree that was right before it moving in accordance to the wind, some of the leaves had dropped from the tree signifying the incoming change of season.

Han jiwoo took a deep breath before knocking on the door made of net and wood like the one at his mother's courtyard.

A cold "Come in." was heard making Han Jiwoo realize a sigh before going into the study pushing the door sideways.

"I see you finally decided to come what took you so long." Han Jisung said In a voice that sent shivers right through Han jiwoo spines that made him gulp in fear, yes as much as he hated his father, he loved and also feared him.