Chapter Forty-three: Decision time

That evening, a courier bird arrived bearing a message for prince Song. His other guards that set adrift during the wrecked voyage has arrived at the capital waiting for his orders. He replied back with the instruction to blend into the society until he calls them back.

Folding the tiny paper bearing his message he winced due to pain .He brought the bird closer and attached the message, then sent it flying.

Sitting back on his seat, the early morning episode replayed in his mind. Rubbing his bandaged head he smiled but promised himself to make Jae joon call him master sooner or later.

A knock sounded on his door and startled him. On opening the door , he saw a middle-aged man standing there while asking if he could come in.

"Of course sir" he shifted to let him in .The man walked towards the only seat in the room and sat down while beckoning on him to do so too.

Yoona's father saw the apprehensive look the younger man gave him and smiled easing the mood.

"How old are you?" he asked while training his eyes on him. Prince Song answered truthfully.

"I'm seventeen years old , well... seventeen by next week" the older man chuckled and told him he will help him celebrate that day. He asked him his plans but Prince Song begged him to allow him stay.

"Sir, all my life I have been searching for the right path to take. I don't know what l want or even what I want to do but ever since I came here, it seems like my future has already been planned for me" the man nodded and promised to take him in on the condition he picks up a job to do.

He left the young man to think about it but promised to come back and hear his decision.

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The prime minister clutched the letter he received from the palace tightly and slammed his hands on a stool .He growled and cursed the crown prince on his uncanny victory.

"Seja! what tricks did you use on the empress" .His teeth clenched so tightly his jaws were hurting. Only when he heard his daughter's voice did he relax himself and let out a heavy sigh.

"I have never seen you so angry father, what's wrong?"He smiled at his daughter and asked her to sit across him.

"Seo-yun, l want you to know that whatever father does it's only for your happiness, whoever stands in your path l will destroy them for you... OK?" she let out a soft chuckle and told him not to worry about her.

The prime minister looked at her relaxed and confident state and chuckled. "Seo-yun, what will you do if you are not picked during the crown princess selection?"

She proudly looked at her father and asked why she won't be picked. She's beautiful, she's multi-talented, she has the power standing above every other lady in the capital due to her father's social standing and she has the grace and elegance of a true royalty . Her father nodded in agreement but warned her that things may not be that simple.

"Seo-yun, l might have done something that will make the crown prince not to choose you but it was for your own good". He narrated the full story to her but she dismissed it as nothing. In fact, it boosted her confidence that the crown prince likes beautiful women hence it will be easy to fall in love with her.

The man beamed with smiles and dismissed her. Once she left, he tightened his fist into a ball and swore to protect her interest even if he has to use the empress mother to achieve her aim.

"Seo-yun, l promise that next year during your fifteenth birthday your birthday gift will be the crown of the crown princess." he smiled but like a flash, he saw the face of that young girl and the dream of omen involving her.

He shivered when he remembered her threat and the dream where she slashed his throat. Calling on his shadow guard, he clenched his fist while ordering them to find her... and eliminate her.

"Seja, l will make sure she's gone from this world and from your heart"

He burnt the letter while convincing himself to treat it as a minor setback in his plans.

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The emperor summoned his son to his palace.He teased the poor boy about his mother but the crown prince told him he has gotten the trading right back.

Immediately his mother left from his palace, she sent a messenger with an official scroll that the salt trading right has been given back to him. He smiled when he saw it but tendered an official apology for his early behavior.

The emperor laughed till his stomach hurt when his son narrated the incident to him. He understands the crown prince especially as he saw him fight single-handedly against the officials for the right. Even his so-called loyal officials did not back him up in fear of making mortal enemies with the West faction that based their major source of political funding on salt trading. So how can the empress take it away from him and give it back to them.

"I'm glad that when you become the monarch your mother will not be a major threat to you rather a support because you are her flesh and blood. Some of us were not so lucky". The crown prince gazed at his father lovingly and wondered how he put up with his mother's overbearing attitude.

The crown prince changed the topic by asking him how he met consort Ki. He smiled and narrated how it happened.Then he was just a prince of the last emperor's brother not knowing he will become a crown prince.

Consort Ki saw him drowning when he fell off the boat he was using to escape from home and saved him.When he opened his eyes, he saw a young girl sitting beside him tendering the fire with meat roasting over the fire. Seeing her silhouette from behind, he knew she was a beautiful girl but looking down at himself he saw he only had his trousers on , his chest was open and his robe drying by the fire.

"You... why is my clothes missing from my body?" he asked the girl sitting by the fire. She turned and brought the dried clothes to him with the sentence "For a while, I thought I had lost you"

But being a pompous prince he was , he didn't thank her but demanded a compensation for seeing his body without permission. She stood up eagerly and squat before him , he was about to ask her to take responsibility of him when she raised her hand and flickered it on his forehead inflicting a sharp pain.

"That's your compensation buffoon" he rubbed his head in shock clearly not expecting to be hit by the girl but then his heart warmed for the girl and he fell in love.

Prince Soon laughed so loud his father was embarrassed. He even teased him. "Imperial father, should I tell imperial mother that the secret of you falling in love with her is by flickering your forehead?" and the man nearly choked on his saliva .

"You silly boy, quit teasing your father" .Both of them burst into a boisterous laughing ignoring the fact they are royalties. Outside, the servants heard the laughter and smiled praying that their father-son relationship remains strong.

The emperor turned serious and advised his son to marry someone that will make him happy. Protect her unlike he did and cherish her too. He even referred to the girl he lost and told him if fate permits and they meet again,he should be able to protect her then.

The crown prince fell into big thought and wondered why he is unable to find her. Very soon he will be unable to fend off his consort selection and he wants her to be the chosen one.

"Yoona, are you hiding from me ? Haven't you punished me enough? ... Please, where are you?"