Sticky Shattered Glass Pieces

Chapter 36- The Previous King

The next day, the elderly woman who welcomed me into the house knocked on my room door and told me to get ready for my morning task at the castle. I quickly took my bath and got ready wearing one of the extra-large hanboks that the lady gave me the day before. Everyone, even Yoongi's consciousness was shocked to see me in that dress and claimed that hanboks suited me well and the palace men would like me. The two chambermaids waited for me to wear my shoe as Yoongi's consciousness followed me from the back to the castle.

"Min Yoongi is going to love you seeing you in this hanbok," his consciousness whispered to me.

"What makes you say that?" I whispered back.

"Because I like it, so will he," he smirked at me.

I rolled my eyes and walked with the two chambermaids slowly to the castle. As we reached the gates of the castle, the castle was bold on the blue beyond. It stood there as if conjured from the storybook of a child. It was perfect. Every stone was even and square as if those who built were set on perfection as if they really loved what they made. They were walls made to protect a community, to echo with laughter, and be the shelter they needed for the millennia to come.

I awed at the building itself as it was my first time seeing a majestic-looking castle. I have always read about castles in some fantasy stories and wished that one day I would visit them. Now, my wish had come true because of Min Yoongi. My stomach churned as I thought what would be Yoongi's reaction when he saw me as one of his chambermaids. I swallowed my saliva nervously and looked at Yoongi's consciousness. He was already staring at me when I looked at him and I smiled sheepishly at him covering my nervousness.

"You will be fine," Yoongi's consciousness said as he vanished in the thin air.

"No, wait-" I whispered softly at him.

The two chambermaids took me to the kitchen and introduce me to the kitchen staff first before they headed to the main chamber, the great hall. The staffs were kind and welcoming and I thought I wouldn't have any issues with them as long I am staying here. As we reached the great hall, the ceiling must be twenty feet high. Designs of fruit and flowers are carved into the molding and small. Vases of blossoms give off a cloying scent that makes my eyes itch.

"We bow our head before the queen when she enters," one of the chambermaids told me.

I nodded my head in small and smiled at her. Then, I noticed the royal guards were yelling that the queen was arriving in the great hall and everyone should bow their heads as she entered. I admired her royal enchanting look as I bowed before her. Then I caught a glimpse of Min Yoongi behind her and looked up at him as I turned my head up fully. I quickly hung my head to the ground and closed my eyes feeling butterflies in my stomach again.

"Your Majesty, another new chambermaid has been selected for the castle," one of the royal guards said as he bowed his head in front of the queen.

"Selected for the castle?" I murmured under my breath softly.

"Who has selected me as their castle chambermaid? Did that elderly woman put a word or two to the queen about me? "

I wondered as I bowed in front of the queen. The queen told the royal guards to place me with the other chambermaids in the castle for two months. She wanted to observe my performance and evaluate me first before giving me heavy duties as the rest of the castle chambermaids. I slowly looked up and saw Yoongi sitting on his throne majestically. He didn't seem to notice me or even look at any of the chambermaids in front of him. I took a deep breath and bit my lips hard.

"Take her to the chambermaids' room. I will decide what to do with her next. We have other matters to discuss now," the queen said as she signaled the royal guards to take me away.

I was escorted to the chambermaids' room immediately and the guards told me to wait for the queen's order. I entered the room and looked around as many other chambermaids came rushing into the room to see their new chambermaid.

"Do you know the requirements for a chambermaid selection?" one of them asked me.

"Where are your parents?" another one asked me curiously.

"Well, I don't have-" I was cut off by something that sounded like a clap of thunder.

"The chambermaids would be accompanied by their parents, or nearest relatives, together with their clan heads and local officials. You don't have any, so, I don't believe that you can be one of us. What are you hiding from us?" one of the chambermaids who came from the entrance with a great entry said as she smeared at me.

"I am not. I don't really care if you believe me or not. I came here to serve the king," I pretended to save myself from getting caught.

"How dare you?! Do you know who I am?!" she asked me as she smirked at me.

"No, and should I?" I asked back as I raised my eyebrows at her.

I could see that she was furious at me for talking back and smirking at her. I couldn't be bothered about her or getting into a girlie fight with her. My top priority was to save Min Yoongi and bring him back to my world safely. She thought likewise and pulled my hair on purpose.

"You think just because the king selected you as his chambermaid, you could behave as you like?!" she kept pulling my hair and I struggled hard to get released from her strong grip.

"The king what?! Did he select me?" I stopped when I heard her say that.

"Didn't you know this? Did you think you would have so much privilege in the castle without the king choosing you? How naive?!" she smeared at me.

Just then one of the royal guards came by and announced that the king wanted to see me immediately. The chambermaid let go of my hair and adjusted her outfit. She adjusted her hair and walked towards the royal guards, but they didn't seem to care much about her. The rest of the chambermaids started chuckling and whispering with each other saying how pathetic she was. I took a deep breath and adjusted my hanbok and my hair. I walked toward the guards and glared at the feisty chambermaid who was embarrassed that she didn't get noticed even by the royal guards. I saw her walking back into the chambermaids' room angrily, and I chuckled a little.

The royal guards took me to the king's chamber and told me to enter the chamber. I nervously smiled at them and pushed the door open wide as I entered the room. Ivory carpeting runs for a few meters from the bed above before coming to an end, and burgee banners with gilded stitching adorn the walls. Between each banner are several tapers of various sizes, almost all of which have been lit, illuminating the artistic portrayals of late rulers underneath them. Narrow stained-glass windows commemorating significant victories are framed by veils of the same ivory color as the banners. Emblazoned borders and polished corners have been added to the drapes.

The king's room was huge and majestic with his mahogany bed in the middle of the room with long windows and thick long curtains whose colors match the ceiling of the room. As I entered the room, I heard the door close behind me and I turned around. I saw Yoongi standing in front of me and I backed up a little. I was nervous that he might not reciprocate well if I hug him at that moment. Seeing him again after so long made my eyes tear, but I controlled my tears from flowing.

"You left me behind and came here? I see you have chosen your life here," I provoked him on purpose.

"I didn't know all of this would happen. I just wanted to know what is in the portal," Yoongi spoke up.

"Okay, you must understand that I came here not because I am in love with you, or I missed you. I came here because I wanted to know what is going to happen to our deal," I pretended not to care about him.

Yoongi glared at me and walked towards me slowly. He pinned to the wall beside his bed and came closer to my ears.

"After all we have done before I went missing?" he whispered in his sexy voice.

I swallowed my saliva hard and said, "No, I didn't mean-."

He cut me off suddenly and pressed his soft lips against mine as he held my chin closer to his face as he kissed me. In that kiss was the sweetness of passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment. In the moment of the kiss, we are our pure and vulnerable selves. His kisses upon my neck started a fire within me no one else could ever ignite. He parted and released his grip on me as he looked into my eyes.

"You are not very good at lying, my princess," Yoongi said as he smirked handsomely at me.

I tried to snap out and come back to my senses which took me a while. Yoongi's passionate kiss left my heartbeat rise and my cheeks were flushed. I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks throughout my whole body as I just stood there feeling flushed. I took my courage and gathered my energy to speak up again.

"So, what am I supposed to say now? I love you?" I asked Yoongi.

"Do you love me?" he asked me back.

"I-I don't know, Yoongi," I said as I looked at him.

"Then, why did you come over?" Yoongi asked me as he sat on his bed.

"I was just worried about you. I was afraid that you were missing and the deal-I mean-"I froze at my won words.

"What about the deal? You thought the deal was off when you knew that I went missing?" he asked me coldly.

This was the Min Yoongi that I know. One time he would be caring and love and another time he would be so cold and mean. Yoongi walked over to me and grabbed my arms as he pulled me towards him.

"Just admit that you love me, and you want me," he hugged me tightly.

"Why? Do you?" I asked him back.

"Yes, my princess. You have no idea how much I missed you when I was here," Yoongi said as his voice cracked.

I was shocked that Yoongi, the Mafia Leader's voice was cracking when he said he missed me when he didn't get the chance to see me. I was embarrassed at myself for provoking him and wanted to pick a fight with him not knowing he was miserable in this world. I hugged him tightly as I heard his heartbeat. It was my favorite sound at the moment and I didn't want to let go of him either.

"I am sorry, Yoongi. I promised your consciousness to bring you back real soon. Just hang in there for me, will you?" I said as I hugged him.

He parted the hug suddenly and looked at me in shock.

"My consciousness?" he asked me.

"Yes, the one you sent to find me," I explained.

"No, I didn't send anyone to get you. In fact, I wanted you to stay back till I come back," Yoongi said in confusion.

"If he is not your confusion, then who is he?" I asked as I looked at him.

"Do you know what he looks like?" Yoongi asked me.

"Just like you. The only thing he has is a long blond ponytail and scar on his face," I described him.

Yoongi walked over to his drawer and opened it slowly. He took out a photo and showed it to me.

"Yes! He is the one! Isn't he-" I bit my lips hard and was confused for a second.

"He is not my consciousness. He was the previous king of this kingdom who died in a war. The scar on his face was his victory," Yoongi looked at the photo in my hand.

"Victory of what?" I asked him curiously.

"Victory of conquering the neighboring city," Yoongi's pretentious consciousness spoke up.

Yoongi and I turned our heads to the voice and I gasped in shock. Yoongi looked calm and steady looking at him sitting on the bed with his sword in his hand. I backed up in fear and dropped the photo on the floor. As soon as the photo dropped to the floor, it started to burn and burst into flames at the end. Yoongi pulled me over to avoid the fire and the flame and I clutched onto his clothes tightly nervously.