Your Highness

H U N D R E D A N D T H I R T E E N

C H A P T E R H U N D R E D A N D T H I R T E E N

The warm motherly expression was replaced with the rage of denial. The great empress refused to accept his words. There was no way she could accept this reality. The road she paved for him, the many efforts she put into raising him, how could she accept all this to disperse like bubbles in an instant?

The future she had in store for him held more, much more than he could imagine. She wanted Han to be the pillar of this country, she wanted his name to be remembered. For his future, there wasn't a thing she wouldn't be able to do.

Han was aware of the expectation she carried. Even though she never said it, even though she never pressured him to achieve anything. Yet, deep inside, Han was aware of her intentions. The words hid behind her solemn expression and the glimmer of hope that weakly flashed when his father offered him a praise. Her expectation was like heavy baggage laid on him, ever since he could remember.

Her raging eyes filled with tears and the raising voice was a natural reaction, considering how disappointed she was.

"Do you know what you are talking about?" The great empress said, and bit down her lip.

"You got to this position at the expense of your life. You've done more than any other of your brothers. You did more for the country than the one sitting on the throne himself. Your title doesn't even serve you justice and yet you want to forfeit it?"

Determination of an unknown source filled the great Empress' eyes. Anyone seeing this will know that she wasn't one to simply give up. She wouldn't take a no for a no. Her stubborn side was one Han wasn't familiar with. He never disobeyed her, so there was no reason for him to see it.

Rather than arguing, he used to just follow her wishes to let it slide. But things are slowly taking an unexpected turn, cause Han could no longer do as his mother wishes.

"Royal mother-" Though Han didn't even get to finish his sentence, the great empress could already see it was something she didn't want to hear.

No, Han. No. You can't do that.

"Even when I am pleading you like this, you won't change your mind?"

Her tears used to make him waver, but for some reason, they didn't have the same effect on Han. He was determined, just as much as the great empress on her view. Han wouldn't yield to her tears, as if he couldn't see her pain or hear her cries. It made her feel angry and betrayed.

"So many people have to sacrifice at your expense. Only for you to throw all that away for a mere girl." Her pain echoed in every word.

"Tell me, Han. What do you even know about that girl?" The Great empress emphasized the last word, deliberately as if she was mocking him.

This time, Han was left in silence. He didn't know much about Hayoon, besides that there was something indescribable when being with her. Han didn't know what it was that made her feel so different. He neither knew her name, background, or history, only that her company made him relaxed and comfortable, and that they shared mutual feelings.

He was only sure of one thing, that he had known her in the past and that he didn't mind it. Bluntly, he knew nothing about her, but she had become a person that meant more to him than anyone else.

In people's eyes, Hayoon was merely a slave Han brought in. She had the lowest status. A refugee of a fallen nation. She was incomparable with Han. Being his servant was a too generous title for her.

Hayoon was pretty. Indeed, the Great empress gave her that. But that beauty was nothing more than good to look at but not meant to touch.

Hayoon's look was simply for decoration, unfortunately, her beauty had become her own destruction. In the eyes of the Great empress, Hayoon wasn't him worthy. There is no way the Great Empress would just sit back and let Hayoon become Han's fall. He deserved better. There is a million of flowers in the world, and the great empress didn't believe that Han would be the only one for him.

"Did you know she was from the fallen nation, Kang?" the great empress said, her eyes sharpened.

"I know," Han calmly said. From their first encounter, Hayoon already made that clear. That she belonged to the nation that Han swore to wipe out. Her unbreakable gaze at that time, was him still vivid. The fearless eyes, that didn't fail to surprise him.

The great empress's brows knitted. She couldn't believe that Han knew that. If so, why did he let Hayoon stay by his side? Didn't he swear in front of the head monk's grave that he would wipe out the people Kang? The people that rampaged the temple and the people who ruined his mother's grave.

The great empress' still remembered Han's plead. Ignoring all his principle the prince did whatever it took to recover to avenge the death of the people at the temple. But know, not only did he not kill Hayoon but let her stay by his side? What an irony! How love could corrupt a person and turn him blind.

"My poor son, did you know she was involved in the burning of the temple?"

Her question left him in surprise, the bewilderment caused his eyes to narrow. No, Han had no idea what the great empress was talking about.

"What are you saying?" Han asked, his voice faded at the end.

"My gullible son, letting a person of unknown origin staying by your side. So unlike you,"

The empress reached her hand inside her sash and pulley out something. She reached her hand to hand and opened her palm, inside it was a red braided bracelet.

"This was found in that maid's belonging, I'm sure you know what it is."

Of course, Han did, it belonged to the elder head monk. The red bracelet was something the head monk would carry with him every where. It was a lucky charm, which was supposed to protect him from bad luck.

It was a gift the head monk received before he went in to war, at the time where he was still a general. People usually gave such present to soldiers, hoping that they would return safe and sound from war and disaster. When the head monk still was a general, there was no way he would go out without wearing it. It was to the point people would remember him for wearing it.

But how did this end in Hayoon's hands?

"Some servants noticed your maid's suspicious activity in the palace. Apparently, that maid had been meeting the empress in secret. When Hyun learned about that and asked the empress, she said that she couldn't remember anything. Laughable isn't if? Who would buy such an obvious lie? Turning suspicious, Hyun searched your servant's chamber and found this."

The empress paused, as if awaiting some reaction from him, but Han was no different from a frozen statue that showed nether emotion or reaction to her word. He was simply lost.

"Do you see it now, Han? She was just a spy, planted by your side. A poisonous snake is hidden behind that innocent facade. Who knows, she might even be the one who killed the head monk?"

The words of the empress hit him like a bucket of ice water, and Hayoon was nowhere to be confronted. More than anytime, Han wanted to speak to her, but he know that Hayoon wasn't around.

The great empress didn't lie when she said Hayoon left to change her dressing, although it was only partly the truth. Hayoon was forced to change. Her hair accessories taken away, the silky robes were replaced with the plainest white robe, in exchange for the bracelet heavy chains were secured around her wrist. By now, Hayoon was probably hallways back to the palace. Rather than having the emperor sending his troops to catch a spy, the empress would rather hand in the prisoner in Han's name, so Han wouldn't be implicated.

A/N: Hi guys. To fill you in, it has been hard, but I pulled myself together. Separation is never easy..😔

I thank you for the comforting words and for your patience with me. 🙏 I'm back, and by now I can say that I'm genuinely happy to write again. 💛

I hope you like this chapter, and See you in next update🍒