For Life

~Problems In The Palace~

Taeyeon's P.O.V.

After the royal family sent Princess Sooyeon, everyone got back to their respective chambers to rest. Prince Junmyeon was tasked to take care of the white knights from The States as the eldest, Prince Jonghyun was busy taking care of the Palace Guards, he was also asked to join the meeting with the Prime Ministers to guide the King.

I haven't really got to greet the soldiers from the north so I decided to pay a visit on their tasked place to stay, their chamber isn't exactly far, they're just practicing their swordsmanship on the field next to our palace guards'. As I was making my way towards their chamber, I saw Princess Juhyun looking pretty serious as she walked around the stables of the knights from the north, she's deep in thought so I decided to call her attention especially when I noticed that there weren't any court ladies scattered on the stable.

"Princess Juhyun" She looked flusttered when she faced me and gave a deep but stiff bow, she's still learning to be a good princess and I might say I need to praise her for that. She's very strong willed and will be a great Princess one day

"Oh, Queen Taeyeon" I raised my hand to tell my court ladies to stop following me for a while, I need to have a private talk to Juhyun as a normal person and not a Queen and Princess.

"What are you doing here? Do you want to see the horses at the stable?" I smiled and pointed at the stable where the horses are located, Princess Juhyun shooked her head which made me confused a bit.

"No, I was just wondering around since I don't know where to go" She must've ran away from her court ladies, she's every shy and embarrassment was really evident in her eyes.

"Where are your court ladies?" I asked, feeling quite excited to hear how she managed to escape her chamber without her court ladies noticing her.

"I told them to get some food for me since I'm already hungry, then I escaped" She uttered very quietly which made me laugh a bit, she made my day happy by seeing her looking so embarrassed because she tried to trick her court ladies and finally managed to escape her lonely chamber.

"Come on, let's go back to your chamber. I'm sure they're all worried for you now" Princess Juhyun also smiled as she finally realized how sneeky she can also be, I thought she was really innocent but she's also very persistent. I walked with her to her chamber and saw all of her court ladies calling for her name, looking for the missing princess.

"Princess Juhyun! Where have you been?" And I was right, she did ran away from her court ladies because she feels suffocated. It really feels awkward and embarrassing to see almost a woman just like your age who'll call you 'your majesty' just because of courtesy, Princess Juhyun must've felt really lonely as her court ladies aren't as warm and wouldn't act normal just like her friend Mino. For sure she must've also missed him and her family who took care of her.

"I'm sorry if you got worried because of me, I didn't mean to" Princess Juhyun's court ladies suddenly got flustered when they saw and heard the princess apologizing of what she did, they looked baffled for a bit as they saw me witnessing everything. They must've felt ashamed as I saw the Princess apologizing infront of them all.

"It's okay Princess Juhyun, atleast we know that you're safe" I smiled as I witnessed Princess Juhyun's real color, she's the type of Princess who will ask for forgiveness when she realize that someone is worried of her. She might be the new Princess of Joseon but she's still the girl who grew up with a loving family.

"Queen Taeyeon, it's nice to meet you and see you here again" Court Lady Seulgi, Princess Junhyun's main court lady greeted mw with a warm smile. Everyone was really flusttered at what Princess Juhyun did.

"Thank you Court Lady Seulgi, shall we enter Princess Juhyun's chamber?" I asked as I wanted to tell Princess Juhyun something, I wanted her to just act like herself and never let other people's persective change the way she is. She needs to be strong and determined to be a princess, in that way she can easily accept her new life.

"Sure Mama" I smiled warmly as Princess Juhyun is now slowly accepting her real life, as a villager or a peasant as they call the people outside the palace here, being a princess is very hard. King Baekhyun ordered to hire almost all of the royal teachers to teach Princess Juhyun on how to act and speak like a real princess. She's been too stressed as everyone was expecting her to be a perfect princess just like her sisters.

"Mama! Mama!" My heart pumped erratically inside my chest as I felt something wrong going on, Princess Juhyun and I stopped walking towards her chamber and stared at the running but limping figure making her way towards us. I immediately recognized who she is and ordered some of my court ladies to help her walk, the guards look baffled but just bowed their head to me.

"Court Lady Mina? What are you doing here? Where's Princess Sooyeon? Why are your clothes like that? What happened?" She's Princess Sooyeon's main court lady, we just sent her off so they should still be travelling towards the south. My eyes wandered on her clothes that looked like she had just got back from war, there were some stains of blood on her neck as a wound was seen.

"The princess..." I got alarmed when Court Lady Mina kneeled before me as she couldn't stand anymore, Princess Juhyun got alarmed and also kneeled infront of her as she ordered her court ladies to call the royal physcian. My mind couldn't comprehend anything but when she mentioned Princess Sooyeon and as I obeserved her dress...

"What happened to her?" I demanded with furry gaze, something is wrong and I can feel it. The guards positioned themselved infront of me as their leader knew that something was also wrong, Princess Juhyun pressed her hand of Court Lady Mina's wound on her neck to help prevnt blood loss. The reason why Lady Mina is back here alone... why Princess Sooyeon isn't exactly with her... is because...

"The Chinese prince is here, Your Majesty"