Kingdom

122. Nightfall(8)

They play without talking, glancing at one another before each turn. Nori is annoyingly good at this game, and that's frustrating. She doesn't bet all her cards at once and even if Yoongi wins a battle, he is far from winning.

He drinks another glass of wine, his mind getting dizzier. The Princess mixes the cards for the next round. Her hands are so elegant, so tiny. Why is she so pretty? It would be easier if she was less attractive. But she is getting more attractive each day. How is that possible? Maybe it's the effect of her magic powers.

Would she ask for them to hold hands on their way back to the house? Will they go back to the house together? Would she ask him to sleep in her bed or send him to the kitchen?

It doesn't matter what she wants. Yoongi will sleep in the house, on the floor next to the table. He doesn't want the servants to start new rumors about the Royal couple not getting along. He has to protect this marriage. But should he? Is there any point to any of this? Why is he trying to make this girl stay in his Palace and be his wife? She deserves better, doesn't she? His head spins. He should stop drinking and go to bed, the longer he stays with her, the more ridiculous his thoughts become.

Yoongi pushes all his cards forward, challenging the Princess to do the same.

"Do you want to lose quickly?" Nori asks,"It would be a pity, I quite enjoy the game."

"You know that I am an all-or-nothing kind of a guy. Let's put all the cards on the table."

She cocks an eyebrow. "I thought you outgrew that extreme attitude to life."

"I only made a compromise for you."

"I appreciate it."

She smiles softly, and it seems her words are not meant to be sarcastic but honest. Yoongi fills his glass with more wine, feeling all kinds of restless.

"Will you answer my bet?" he asks.

"I have more cards than you, so I will only give as much as you gave me.Nothing more." She meets his eyes with a daring stare. "If you win this session, I am still in the game, but if you lose... it's over for you."

Yoongi pulls one card out of the pile, just to save himself from losing. He can't lose to her. Ever!

The Princess is a feisty little thing. She is not polite enough to let a man win to strike his ego. She is not someone to easily obey the norms of society... In fact, it's in her nature to disobey...

Sudden coldness pierces Yoongi's heart. His thoughts spiral in unwanted directions.

Yona used to say that to enchant someone to do what you want you have to choose carefully. It's hard to push someone to do things they do not want to do. It's far easier to lure people into doing something they secretly desire...

"Do you like Seokjin?" Yoongi asks, the words just flying out of his mouth.

"What?" Nori flinches, dropping the card she was about to play. "No. I mean yes, but in a friendly way."

"If you like him, will you tell me?"

She rolls her eyes, picks up the card and places it on the pile between them.

"Don't try to distract me with nonsense." Nori says. "Play."

"If you want to be with him, just tell me. We will break this marriage and you can marry him."

Nori gives him a cold look. "Sure. Let's do this."

Yoongi sulks and puts a card on the pile. It's a lower value than the betting card. Hers is lower, too. No one wins this round, they have to play again. Nori gives each of them three new cards from the side stack and chooses one to play her turn.