Royal Bonds | Y.Jw

| 5 |

"Miss Lim, I need for you to follow me," the King marched past me as I entered the castle for my morning shift.

I hesitantly looked at him before simply following. I hate to admit it, but I was deeply terrified of him. He's deep booming voice, the glare he always looked at me with, how he always barked orders around to people. Either I didn't like him or I was terrified of him, no in between. Or both... it could be both.

"How may I help you this morning your Majesty?" I questioned as I folded my hands in front of me and stepped into his office.

"I understand Jungwon has asked for you to be assigned as his personal maid, is that right?" he questioned as he walked over and looked through his papers.

"I'm afraid I haven't been told," I stated making him glance up at me.

"He aired the idea by the dining table last night," the King grumbled, "I'm afraid my wife has promised you would be assigned as his handmaid as of today."

"May I ask what that implies?" I questioned making him let out a snort before walking over and standing in front of me, at least a head higher and twice as broad.

"That would mean you will only work for my son, you won't do any tasks that isn't revolved around him, unless explicitly asked to. You will be moving into the handmaid room beside his... and most importantly you will not treat him as your friend," the King stated making me nod at him, "is that understood?"

"I'm afraid it might be a bit difficult for me to not treat him like a friend in the beginning," I stated before feeling a stingy feeling across my cheek and seeing the left side of the room.

"You will know your place before this week runs out or I'll make sure you find it real soon," the King threatened making me immediately nod at him, "go to the kitchen, his breakfast is waiting here."

"Yes... your Majesty," I spoke.

I turned on my heel before marching out and straight to the kitchen, immediately picking up Jungwon's tray. I shook the stinging feeling in my cheek off me as I climbed the stairs to the east corridor and knocked on his door. I could only pray my cheek looked just fine.

"Don't you dare knock!" a voice yelled out making me smile slightly as I opened the door to Jungwon buttoning the top buttons of his shirt.

"I got breakfast for you," I calmly spoke and walking over to his desk and placed down the tray.

"I was wondering if you could eat with me now," Jungwon spoke making me look to him, "now that you're my personal maid."

"You're absolutely insane for requesting that, you know that, right?" I questioned as I walked over and pulled his curtains away from his windows, letting proper daylight stream in.

"But that way I know we'll still spend time to- what happened?" Jungwon froze in his spot making me frown at him.

In two fast steps he had marched over to stand in front of me, carefully turning my face and softly carressing my right cheek.

"It doesn't matter," I assured and waved his hand away.

"Don't tell me it doesn't matter! Tell me what happened. That's an order!" Jungwon loudly stated making me look to him in disbelief.

"Oh so you're throwing orders now?" I retorted making him sigh and run a hand through his hair.

"I didn't mean -" he sighed before looking towards his windows, to his door, down to me before speaking up once again, "Please, tell me. As your friend."

I gulped down and looked away from him as I began fiddling with my fingers. I knew the order thing had been something with what he had been used to learning, it had happened before in the past if we had argued, but now that I actually worked as someone under him it felt a bit weird.

"As your friend might just be the problem," I carefully whispered to him, "You're a prince, I'm a commoner. We're not kids anymore. It's... I should know my place."

"Know you're place?" Jungwon let out a small laugh at me, making me glance up to look at his surprised expression, "What do you mean, know your-"

Jungwon froze in his spot as I saw realization hit him, he had figured it all out. He knew it now. He slowly looked back down at me with wide eyes.

"Oh god... the bruise... that was why, wasn't it?" he questioned in disbelief making me stay silent, "to know your place..."

"I was asked to know my place and not treat you as my friend," I calmly stated and folded my hands in front of me.

"But..." he trailed off with a small sigh and rubbed his face in his hands.

"How about you sit down and eat breakfast?" I suggested with a small smile, "I'll accompany you if you wish for me to do so."

"Please," Jungwon whispered with a small nod.

I watched as he walked over and sat down by his desk silently beginning to poke to his breakfast before glancing over at me. Not really eating anything

"Why aren't you sitting down?" he questioned making me glance towards his door that stood slightly open.

"I must not sit down unless the Prince asks me to," I stated making Jungwon frown at me before glancing to his door.

Jungwon let out a small sigh before rushing over and closing his door as well as locking it before literally dragging me over to sit down in the chair beside him as he continued poking to his breakfast.

"I don't like this," Jungwon spoke up making me just stay silent, "I just want us to treat each other as we usually did, without anyone stopping us or... you know... that..." he pointed to my cheek making me smile softly at him.

"It's fine," I assured him and he just shook his head at me, "we can't change it."

"Have you eaten breakfast?" he questioned and I nodded at him.

"I ate from home," I stated making him hum before looking back up at me.

"I want you to eat my meals with me from now on, as you will be moving into the maid room," he stated making me just nod at him.

"Is that another order?" I questioned making him sigh at me.

"No it's a friendly request," he corrected making me let out a small laugh, "what's so funny?"

"Nothing," I simply shook my head at him, "may I then request to go and get my belongings once you've eaten your breakfast?"

"You can just go," he waved me off.

"I need a permission slip," I shook my head making him look to me in confussion, "otherwise the guards won't let me go before workhours have ended."

"This is ridiculous."

"This is how it'll be for now."

"I don't like it," Jungwon deeply sighed before looking through the drawers in his desk and getting out a small block of paper, immediately grabbing a pen as well, "you shouldn't need a permission slip to go in and out of the castle."

I watched quietly as he quickly sribbled down the permission for me to leave and get my belongings, not forgetting to sign it with his signature. Very hesitantly and displeased he slipped me the piece of paper as I carefully folded it and patiently waited for him to slowly finish his breakfast.