UNCHAINED

During the choulon dynasty period, the queen's words is mightier than the wind because it was believed the king was incompetent so the villagers only listened to the queen who ruled the land with an iron fist. No one dared to talk back or challenge her, during those times a king should have as many wives or harem as he wants but that's not in the case of Kyu-Chul the third of the Choulon dynasty. The people feared the queen instead of the king. Kings and a king's words should be final but it wasn't the case of the great king Kyu-Chul and thus the villagers called him an incompetent king because he couldn't stand up to his wife or defend his people from the iron rule of his wife. He was more of a puppet to his wife and any one seen gossiping with the queen's name will be put to death and whenever she decides to take a tour around the village, no one dares to come outside or else you have yourself to be blamed. Queen Ae Ri was a like a god the whole villagers worshipped and she shows mercy to none, both big and small.

One day she was touring the village when a little stone landed on the back of her head, she immediately riled up and turned back to know where the stone came from. She saw a kid of about 7 years trying to make a run for his life cause he already knew what awaits him. She ordered her servants to bring the boy to her. The small child hid the catapult behind his back, trembling with fear as he neared her.

"Little one," she began and squats herself to be on the same level with him, she gripped his arms, her fingers digging into the child's skin. The kid winced in pain and he prayed someone would come to his aid but that will never happen. He shut his eyes close to avoid seeing the anger in her eyes. "Didn't you parents tell you you shouldn't be out by this time of the day?"

"I…..ha….ve…..noooo...parrre….nts..," the little boy stuttered, fidgeting with fear. He opened his eyes but avoided her gaze. "You ordered them to be killed by your guards."

One of the servants whispered in her right ear. "Ahhh…I see, your parents deserved what came to them and you are the next victim. You're just like your parents, they never listened." She stood up to her feet. "Take him away!"

"Please your highness," the little kid pleaded. "I know you have a heart in there and it wasn't my intention to hit you with my stone, I was only trying to kill a bird. Please have mercy on me." All the kid's pleads fell on deaf ears, the whole villagers who were watching the scenario from their houses look at the small child with pity, if only they could have a savior. If only fate'd bring out someone to save them from the clutches of this queen.

Her servants took the small child along with them when suddenly someone blocked their path. "What is it this time?" The anger in queen Ae Ri's eyes shows that she has no room to be stopped.

She looked at the old man who has been the king personal adviser for years, let me put it this way, he grew up together with the king even before king Kyu-Chul was crowned king, he was like an older brother to the king and he also hated the ruthlessness of the queen but he did not dare utter a word or else he will have to witness his head being served to him as food.

Lee Jaewon a man in his late fifties with tiny set of eyes, a slightly flat nose and plump lips stared at the queen not letting his eyes waver. His hair was tied up in a top-notch and his sword beside him. Even at his late age, he was the best swordsman Choulon ever had. He devoted his years serving the king that he had to time to ever get married.

Jaewon looked from the child whose face is smeared with tears to the queen who kept a straight long face. "Your highness, I think this little child shouldn't be your concern but the maids' quarters."

"How dare you block my way to utter such words, or what should be my concern?" She pulled out his sword which was beside him and with a fling, she brought it to his neck but never for once did Jaewon flinch.

"The maids' quarters is in commotion right now, I tried to find out what the ruckus is all about but couldn't so I had to run to you," he lowered his eyes to the sword that was close to his adam's apple, he gulped down and watched the queen withdrew the sword from his neck and placed it back in its holder.

"What's happening at the maids' quarters?" Queen Ae Ri gave him a long look, a murderous look.

"I'm afraid queen, you have to go see for yourself." Queen Ae Ri ordered the servants to let go of the child which they complied to.

"You are pardoned today but next time I see your little legs out here while I'm touring around, I will cut them off and have you eat them, understand!!" The little kid nods while trembling. Immediately they let him go, he ran off to God knows where. A small smile found its way on Jaewon's lips as he watched the little child scurry away. At least he was able to save a little child from being executed for some innocent reason.

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A heavy slap landed on Dong Mi-Cha's face, one of the handmaidens of the palace, the king's first love and he had the desire to make her his wife but because the king's late father told him he had to get married to a royal blood like himself- he ended up getting married to Ae Ri, the obnoxious princess. To make life miserable for Mi-Cha, Ae Ri had to employ her as a handmaid in the palace and made her works ten times more difficult than the others. To king Kyu-Chul, Dong Mi-Cha will always be the only woman after his heart. Mi-Cha rubbed the part of her face where the queen had slapped, feeling the queen's anger all around her.

"Who got you pregnant?" The queen thundered. "How dare you have an affair in this palace under my nose and TELL me who is the father of your baby?" A single tear rolled down Mi-Cha's face, what will be her fate if she tells the queen her husband is the father of her child? He was the one who got her pregnant. It happened one day after the king got a lash out from his queen, he got himself drunk and it also happened that she ( Mi-Cha )was on her way to deliver the queen's clothes to her chambers when she encountered him on her way. After some much pleading from her, he dragged her to his room and had his way on her.

Since then, the king she adored, the man she loved so much turned into the man she despised. She lifted her eyes to meet the queen's burning gaze and with trembling lips, she uttered those words. "The king is responsible for my pregna…..," before she could finish off her sentence, another heavy slap landed on her left cheek.

"How dare you accuse the king of being the one who got you pregnant?" Out of anger and frustration, Ae Ri pulled out one of the guard's sword and created a cut on her left upper arm. Dong Mi-Cha winced in pain as she held the place the queen did cut.

"Because he's the one who got me pregnant," Dong Mi-Cha already knew what awaited her so there was no need for her to tremble. She knew she will be executed today or tomorrow but she hoped the child growing in her will live.

"Guards take her away, she will hung tomorrow morning and this will serve as a warning to those who dares to come close to the king," Ae Ri ordered the guards guiding the maids quarters. They took her away to the astonishment of other maids, the muttering died down immediately Mi-Cha was taken away and locked up in the dungeon.

Queen Ae Ri fumed with anger at the thought of an ordinary maid giving birth to the king's heir, ever since she got married to the king, he hardly comes to her chambers talk more of touching her instead he kept running after that maid and now he had gotten her pregnant just like she dreaded. No one will give birth to the king's heir expect her if that includes making the king do it the hard way.

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Later that night, the door to Dong Mi-Cha's dungeon creaked open, she curled up herself to the wall as she saw a figure emerge in. Have they come to take her away for execution already? She wasn't afraid of what is to befall her but watching her own death is something she never wanted to witness. The figure strides to her and she came to see the face of the figure by the help of the lights hanging around the walls of the dungeon.

"Lee Jaewon?" She called in surprise.

"Sorry if my visit took you by surprise but I know you are a noble woman and I know you won't have done that out of your own free will."

"The king forced himself on me." Her voice sounded more like a whisper as she stood up and walks towards him.

"I know," Jaewon smiled. "He's still in love with you…."

"If he's still in love with me, why force himself on me?" Mi-Cha flared up, anger twinkling in her eyes. "Ever since he did that, I despised him, I despised him a lot for he knew what his so called wife will do to me if she found out."

Lee Jaewon took another few steps towards her, closing the gap between them. He placed his hands on her arms, squeezing them tightly. "I have served the king all through my life, I basically grew up with him. He's the type when he set his eyes on something and it caught his attention, he will do anything to have it. A werewolf only has one mate in a lifetime and you are his mate although he couldn't make you his but still you're his mate. He may be married to the queen but his eyes are for you only."

"Why are you telling me this and are you here to tell me all these?" She arched her right eyebrow at him in a questioning manner.

"As the king's friend, brother and advisor," he withdrew his hands that were on her arms. "I'm here to set you free, you need to flee from this place…..even if not for any reason but for the child in your stomach." He lowered his eyes on her stomach. "He deserves to live."

"The security of this palace is tight and there's no way I can escape from here even if I wanted to and also how do you know he's a he?" she searched his eyes, filled with curiosity.

"My instincts never lie to me," he smiled broadly at her. "And take this," she lowered her eyes on the metal in the shape of a crystal locket. "This will take you to earth, wear it round your neck that's the only way to pass through the portal that lead to earth." He placed the locket in her trembling hand.

"Why are you being so kind to me?" She looked up to meet his eyes.

"Because the child you're carrying maybe no ordinary child, it is high time someone stood up to the queen and who knows that child in your belly might be the only fate and savior of Choulon."

"Thank you for your kindness towards me, I will never forget it, I'm forever indebted to you."

"You need to flee now, the day is about to break," he pushed her out of the dungeon and there she met the guards fast asleep. She turned to look at him inquisitively. "Don't worry I took care of them, now leave and remember to wear the locket. A portal that leads to earth is in the woods. Don't worry about a thing here, I will cook up some story for the queen and also the people of earth are good people. I'm sure you will find a helper there."

She smiled and took off.