Kingdom

31. Hiding Place (9)

Yoongi is walking fast through the garden feeling awfully annoyed. Those Ilsan people should solve their issues by themselves. They should stop asking him difficult questions about the past, only so he gets criticized by the Princess again and again. Why is Yoongi feeling out of place in his own Palace, as if he is a side character in someone else's story?! Namjoon should not use the King to fix his sister's problems. That girl is not only an extreme moralist, she apparently has mental issues. There are shamans and doctors Namjoon could send her to.

The King should have not agreed to this marriage. He regrets it a thousand times over.

He opened so much to Nori, and she still looks at him with the same reproachful coldness, still considers him to be a despicable and evil man. The Princess's attitude is yet another proof that the King should not get his weaknesses exposed to random people. Last night he let Nori pour her bitterness on him because he felt guilty for causing her pain in the past. But her cruelty knows no end. Yoongi won't allow her to get any closer to him. She can come naked in his room if she wants, he still won't accept her. He will deny her until she is so frustrated she leaves. It is what she deserves for being so hateful and judgemental.

"Wait!" Nori's voice calls from a distance. Yoongi turns around by instinct, almost certain he is hallucinating. But to his surprise, he sees the Princess running to catch up with him.

"Go away" he says, turning his back on her and continuing to walk.

"No, wait, there is something I need to say, please stop." Nori pleads, stepping in front of the King and blocking his way.

"Another series of offenses?"

"No, I came to apologize."

"Really?" Yoongi asks, raising an eyebrow. "Did you brother force you to come? Please, spare me your fake apology and leave me alone."

The King tries to walk past her, but Nori moves to block his way again, almost falling as she stumbles in her gown.

"Namjoon didn't send me." she says, "It was my decision to come after you."

Yoongi ignores Nori's words, walking forward almost as a bull towards a wall. But the Princess refuses to move away, stepping backwards in front of him and continuing to talk.

"I realise that my anger towards you has grown out of proportion and my behaviour has been rude and offensive. I want to ... "

She can't finish as she trips again and almost falls but Yoongi catches her by instinct, his hands wrapping around her waist.

"You are so fucking clumsy." he says through his teeth, pulling her towards him.

"And you are so fucking impatient." Nori replies, removing his hand from her back.

Yoongi's eyes narrow in disbelief.

"Did you just swear in front of me?"

Nori bites her lips, taking a small step backwards.

"I want to explain and apologize." she says, "Can you listen to me for one second, please!?"

Yoongi crosses his arms, looking at the Princess with hostility. He wants to get away from Nori, he wants to put a thousand walls between them, never to be reminded of the Princess, or of Sano or of any of the things he yearns to forget. Yet, as much as Yoongi wants to avoid her, he finds it hard to ignore the Princess's plea.

"I am listening." he says."Be quick."

Nori straightens her posture and clears her throat as if she is to give a long speech. A sudden cold wind blows from the trees, making her shiver for a second. She looks small and fragile but her expression turns determined and decisive.