Chapter 7 : Negotiating With The King.

Johan had a gloomier expression than the rest.

In addition, after Joab, he was another person who liked being close to Yeli.

"It's all settled. We can leave."

Yeli said while walking to Ari who was sitting on the pink canopy bed that Yeli had just given her.

Unfortunately, she couldn't take it right now since they will only be three people on the journey.

They couldn't afford to carry it. She had to wait when Yeli and all his would be moving from the caves to Jiuhon.

Yeli, Ari and Joab passed through the woods and soon arrived at the palace entrance. The palace was closer to the woods than the local residential areas.

The moment the guards at the gate saw her, they exclaimed in excitement.

"The princess!"

"The princess is back!"

Ari might think that these people had missed her but that wasn't the case.

These people were in hot soup and were about to face the king's wrath.

Two days ago King threatened that if the palace guards wouldn't find Ari, all the palace guards would be beheaded.

Even though these guards worked at the palace entrance the same rule applied.

Thus, they couldn't help yelling in excitement. They had been saved.

Ari, Yeli and Joab were taken to the king who was sitting on his throne in the palace hall court.

As soon as queen Kim Sui saw Ari, she rushed and embraced Ari in her arms. She burst into tears.

King Choi finally let up a long sigh of relief.

Yeli and Joab quietly stood a few meters away from the throne. The people here seemed to treat them as air.

After some moments King Choi coincidentally happened to notice Joab and Yeli.

Seeing Joab's attire, he was extremely displeased. His heart skipped a beat.

Joab's attire reminded him of four men he killed years ago.

Their attire was the same. A thick knee-length fur coat and other animal skin garments. Even their appearances were similar.

Tall, sturdy and bearded.

'What is he doing? Is he one of them? That's obvious!'

King Choi was forced to ask who they were.

"Ari you haven't introduced me to those two men yet. Who are they?"

Only at this moment did Ari remember that she had come with Yeli and Joab.

"Ah... I'm sorry. My lord, I forgot to introduce you to my family. Please be magnanimous and forgive me" she said to Yeli very politely.

All the people in the hall casted their gazes at Yeli and Joab in disdain when they heard Ari acknowledging the well-dressed stranger as lord, although they could tell from Yeli's dressing that he was really prestigious.

He wore his usual dressing. A white robe inside which was hard to notice, a large, thick and white fur coat on top and a fur earflap hat.

He also carried a long and thin sword. This sword originally belonged to his mom,

On the hand, king Choi became even more displeased, while countless thoughts rushed in his mind.

'Is he a king or a prince? Is he here to ask for those four men I killed years ago?'

"Don't worry my lady, I know you're overstimulated for meeting your family again and that is why you forgot."

Yeli said politely while bowing slightly.

"Thank you for your kind."

Then she turned around to her, father the king.

"Your Highness my father, this is Honoured Prince Yeli of Abaki Kingdom and the man next to him is commander Joab."

After hearing this, king Choi finally revealed panic and displeasure on his face as a shiver ran all way down his spine.

He was not old and probably still had a good memory. He clearly recalled the name Abaki in his head.

'They are on my turf why do I feel like scared of them?'

"Hey what do they need?"

King Choi asked in a cold tone which surprised Ari, Yeli and Joab.

'Ari is just introducing us. What's the point of being very angry? It doesn't look too good'

Joab thought.

Her daughter had just introduced Yeli and Joab to him. He was supposed to greet them now but instead, he cut the crap and asked straight what wanted to know.

"Father, he and his group of soldiers are seeking for a place to stay for a while. Please can you help them? They want to stay here for just a few months."

Yeli had told her that he would return to his homeland once he turned 19 which would happen coming few months.

King Choi smirked and said.

"Hah, you want me to give them somewhere to stay in my kingdom? That's definitely impossible."

He had a bad impression of Yeli and Joab starting from the first time he saw them.

"Father, these people have saved my life. That's why I took the initiative to help them. They just want to stay here for a few months. Please, father."

Ari pleaded but her father remained unmoved.

"Ari you're a woman now why can't you see this matter with some maturity? These people are here with bad intentions."

King Choi was growing angry at Ari.

"You haven't said a single word to them. How can you conclude that they are here with bad intentions?"

Ari continued fighting for Yeli and his soldiers.

"What's wrong with you? Have they bewitched you? How can you stand for these outsiders?"

Kim Sui who stood next to her asked.

"No! no! mom, it's not like being bewitched. They hadn't begged me to do this. I'm the one who has chosen to help them and indeed I have pondered over it carefully before making up my mind to tell you. They are really good people"

Ari insisted.

"It can be a trick Ari, they were being nice to you to trap and use you. Some years ago, I killed some four men of them. Did you get it? They might be here to take an act of revenge secretly."

King Choi finally revealed the feud between him and Yeli.

"I know. They have told me. Now see, if they really wanted to use me to revenge how could they reveal the feud between you?"

Even though the death of those four still hurts Yeli and his soldiers, they were not willing to start a war with king Choi.

Elder Jun-heok, one of the king's advisors chimed in.

"My lady must have been seduced by that pretty boy. But you have to know that love can destroy friendships, families and even nations so I advise you to be careful and make a wise decision. It's not worth getting your family destroyed because of a merely foreign handsome boy"

He thought that Yeli had seduced Ari and won her heart and trust to make use of her.

"Hah elder Jun-heok is right. But Ari is this the man you really liked? Is he a man? Is he even worth to be a man?"

The voice containing mockery and ridicule spread throughout the hall.