Royal Bonds | Y.Jw

| 51 |

I quietly stood and watched as townspeople scrambled around the small pedestal that had been set up for Jungwon's speech in the town. I let out a small gush of air as I pulled my coat tighter around me, trying not to shiver from the cold air.

"Do I look alright?" Jungwon questioned as he rushed up to me, wearing the same brown pants and beige shirt he had worn the night we danced at the Tavern, meanwhile there was a warm wollen coat over it to keep him warm, "down to earth?"

"Won, if anything is gonna win them over it's your charm, not your clothes," I softly reminded him and he just nodded, "does anyone know what your speech is about?" I questioned and glanced over to his parents, who both sat in their own chairs on one side of the pedestal.

"Hmmm... maybe mr. Oh?" he shrugged as he just let out a small laugh.

"On a scale of one to ten how risky is this?" I questioned carefully and he let out a sheepish laugh, "Jungwon..."

"There's a reason I asked a few guards to come make sure no one interrupts me," Jungwon casually shrugged as I glanced over to where Sunghoon and one of the other castle guards stood, getting ready to secure the pedestal somehow, "yeah... I might be changing the fate of thsi country quite a lot today."

"You have a death wish?" I hissed at him as he let out a small laugh and walked off towards the pedestal.

I watched in disbelief as he just stepped up on the pedestal, a few papers in hand as he quietly adjusted the microphone. Meanwhile the big group of townspeople, probably the whole town, gathered. Somewhere stood journalists ready to take pictures, sound recordings and notepads, ready to document what the prince had to say in his first public appearance and send it all out to the rest of the country.

"Uhm hi," Jungwon started and I mentally facepalmed, well that was a way to create immediate respect I guess, "I'm prince Yang Jungwon... I've decided to make my first public appearance before intended, initially I was first to talk to th epublic at my father's funeral, but I have decided he should watch me speak before he dies. I have decided to do that because I wish the best for my country and everyone who lives in it."

I quietly glanced out towards the group that stood in front of Jungwon, no doubt the one that made him this nervous.

"He needs to calm down and take a deep breath," Heeseung commented, making me glance to my side, where he stood. I hadn't even realized his presence.

"For the past 19 years my father has mistreated this country, and fooled the people within it," Jungwon slowly continued as a frown grew on my face and I looked over towards the King, who looked very tense, "and as the prince I do not have any remarkable duties yet, however as it is implied by law... it is my duty to assure the regnant rules the country in a proper and fair way. My father has not done that, and now I'm gonna fulfill my duty by revealing all the injustice he's done this country."

Within seconds one of the guards had rushed over and held the king in his seat as Sunghoon had rushed over, his hand resting on his sword and ready to pull it if needed.

"Starting from a beginning I want to remind the public about the king that was before my dad. King Lee Hangyeol, the fourth... as many may remember, or have heard, he passed away suddenly, the blame getting pinned on his wife, Queen Minyoung, who fled the country shortly after. Seeing as King Hangyeol had no descendants his half-brother, my father, took over the role as King of this country... starting the Yang dynasty and ending the Lee dynasty. This is a lie, it is what happened, but it is a lie. King Hangyeol did have a descendant, a young son, who after his father's death was hidden in the castle, put away for years to get raised as a mere castle worker. The rightful king of this country has been my physician since I was 15, and if someone I cherish in my daily life because I know how responsible and calm he is. My father did the rightful owner of the throne wrong."

"Another misuse of his power my father has used is the inborn-system that all workers at the castle is laid under. For years my father has forced workers to marry each other at young ages, including forced fertility. This breaks the law of arranged marriages, including the one he forced my sister, Queen Shinhye of China, into at the age of 16. As for Royal family members it is legal to arrange marriages, as long as they still have the possibility to choose the spouse whom they wish to marry. I have done that now, I have chosen my future wife that isn't a princess or duchess of another country or region... she's a normal member of society, like anyone else living in this country."

A small smile played on my lips as Jungwon let out a deep breath, glancing over towards me before raising his chin again and putting his papers down to speak properly to the people.

"The benefits my sister's marriage have given our country has not been shared with the country and the people, as it is supposed to. Instead my father has kept it all to himself, to the castle. As the people of this country has gotten poorer my father has been swimming in his own wealth," Jungwon loudly declared and the King immediately stood up from his chair, "in total my father has broken 29 laws while having his time on the throne. Before his reign he broke three. Kidnapping of a young kid, Human trafficking of the previous Queen, murder of the last King... Now I'm gonna fulfill my duty as prince and dethrone my father," for the first time during Jungwon's speech there was sounds of happiness from the crowd in front of him, instead of simple murmurs and hushed voices every once in a while, "I will not be taking over the throne myself. I am handing it over to King Hangyeol's son, Lee Heeseung the rightful king of Korea."

I quickly snapped my head to look at Heeseung, who had paused in the midst of his applause while his eyes widened. Looking back at Jungwon, he was already looking over towards his shocked cousin with a small encouraging smile.

"What will happen to the king?" a voice yelled out and Jungwon immediately turned back towards the crowd.

"The king will be incarcerated in the dungeons underneath the castle until the new King has decided what shall happen to him," Jungwon stated, "I myself will be moving out of the castle."

With the last sentence Jungwon stepped back down from the pedestal and shot his dad an evil glare while he got escorted away by Sunghoon and the other castle guard. Within seconds Jungwon had turned towards Heeseung and I, a relieved smile on his face as he wandered over and immediately engulfed me in a hug.

"God that was nervewracking," he breathed out a shaky breath as I just softly patted his back.

"Jungwon," Heeseung's voice spoke up, making Jungwon immediately hum and pull away from me, "I can not be the king," Heeseung shook his head, making Jungwon frown, "I refuse to, and the line of succession is already changed. Do you have any idea how long it'll take for the line of succession to be changed once again."

"What...?" Jungwon quietly murmured, getting a look of disbelief on his face.

"I am not gonna be king, you are," Heeseung finalized before quickly rushing off back towards the castle.