A Frozen flower

CHAPTER 1 - PUPPET KING

"Are you even in your right mind?", banging on the table shouts the Royal Queen Dowager.

"I just wanted to solve the resolve," I say while bending on my knees in front of her with my head on the floor and trembling in fear.

"Do you think you are a king or what? I have protected the people and ruled the court for years now when you were hiding behind my skirt like a coward and now you suddenly want to run the kingdom? With whose permission? I took pity on you and let you play the king so no one will take away that stupid king's title from you but how dare you to go against me?" She threw the blue jade teacup onto my face while she was burning in anger.

"I did something that deserves death, Queen Dowager. Please show mercy" I begged for my life.

My blood drop falls onto the ground as I feared, I know this woman can go to any extent if I do not beg for mercy now. Even though I am her child she won't even care about my existence and can order to kill me on a whim. All she wants is a royal puppet who can sit on that throne while she is the one who rules.

"Mercy? Do you think you deserve it? You ungrateful child. Just get out of my sight before I do something" She shouted catching her head.

"I Apologise Queen Dowager, I will never act on my own like this again," I said while getting up.

I showed my respect and came out immediately. As soon as I came out of the room I saw my chief eunuch smirking at me, it angered me but I can't say anything because he is the queen dowager's person. I knew this fact from the time he came to me when I was 11 years old. He acts as if he is loyal to me but in reality, all he thinks of me is that I am a puppet king. Everyone in the nation thinks I am just a puppet king with no power or authority in hand. He reports every single thing I do or think to the queen dowager. I can even breathe peacefully with him around.

I came back to my quarters and sat down at my desk thinking about how suggesting a solution to an issue in my court is such a big sin that my mother was so angered.

Come to think of it, it's been 9 years since she talked to me and not yelling at me. It was all nice till my brother was alive we were a happy family, Mother use to pamper me a lot, and My brother was a great king. He maintained his court and our family so well, we were so happy back then. He use to love me a lot but then he passed away due to illness and somehow I was to take the throne at just the age of 11 when I wasn't even trained to take the throne. As I knew nothing of politics back then my mother took charge of the court and ruled it under my name making sure the throne doesn't fall into my uncle's hands, till I will turn 18 years to handle the throne myself. But that was the beginning of me and my mother drifting apart. She always felt unhappy about me not being as capable as my brother was. She always blamed me for every wrong thing that happens. Later she never cared about me, never visited me, never loved me but always yelled at me, bet me, and scolded me. I guess she was depressed about my brother and she hated seeing me in his place. Maybe I was just a disappointment to her. The problem is I am already 20 years now but she has no desire to step down. She thrives in that power so much now that she hates the fact I am the king and she can never be one.

"Your Majesty, I will get first aid to clean your wound," said the senior court lady cha breaking my thoughts.

"Ya sure" I replied.

Senior court lady Cha was the only close figure I had of a mother since I was 11 years old. She is in her mid 50's with a little grey hair, a few wrinkles but always a pleasant smile. She never insulted me or mocked me or saw me in less light as all others in the palace do. She always took care of me like her own child. She never even took a day off or went to visit her own family. I wonder does she even have one? But I never asked.

A few maids came in with the first aid. They helped the Senior court lady cha dress my wound. I bet by tomorrow everyone in the Joseon will know what happened today. I don't want again to look at everyone's judgemental eyes. Like I am some laughing doll for them.

 "Your majesty, the dressing is done. You want me to ask maids to bring dinner?" asked Senior court lady cha.

"No need, all just vacant the room. I want to rest now." How can I even eat? After the humiliating incident happened today?

"As you please, Your majesty," she said while asking everyone to leave the room.

I threw myself onto the bed thinking finally another day of my dreadful life came to an end.