Heart of Ice

History

She stayed in her room for five days, not talking to anyone, and no one speaking to her. There was only the kitchen boy who came in and out with food for her, telling her what each thing on her tray was. But even when he entered with the food, she avoided looking at him or speaking to him.

There were only two things that gave her solace in those dark days: food and letters. She had to admit that Solenese food was not bad at all, and she always ate happily and finished everything on her tray. After the second day, the kitchen began serving her more and more, probably realizing she liked to eat.

She also wrote letters to her sisters, her brother, her parents and Tati. She found that letters brought her back to the castle in Galacia, made her recall memories and the happiness that she felt there, a happiness which was absent here.

In the five days, she came the realization that she was manifestly depressed. It was not "sadness," it was deeper, darker and more prolonged state of mind that she could not get herself out of, no matter how many happy thoughts ran through her head.

And although food gave her some satisfaction, and letters distracted her from it for a bit, it was still this unescapable shadow being cast over her life indeterminately.

-

The sixth day came, and Sungyeon was back. Yewon was awoken by Sungyeon violently pulling her from her bed.

"Princess, you smell horrid," Sungyeon scoffed, immediately stripping Yewon of the robe that Yewon had not changed once over the five days.

The bath that Sungyeon gave was painful. It felt like Sungyeon was taking revenge on her for keeping her away for five days. The water was even more scorching than usual, and bristles of the bath brush actually scratched her until she bled.

"Stop," Yewon yelled to Sungyeon, "you're hurting me on purpose!" The blood could not possibly be "cultural" to Solen.

"It was an accident, your highness," Sungyeon claimed, but continued to hurt her nonetheless.

-

Yewon went to breakfast that morning. Her face was a bright shade of red from the scorching water she had bathed in, there were bags under her eyes and her face was bloated from all the crying she had done the previous days. She was not the most alluring princess, but she had to fulfill her so-called duty.

The King and Queen were there, and they both wished she "recovered" in the five days. She wanted to tell that that she did the opposite of "recover," but she just smiled in their direction. Seungcheol, Soonyoung and Yulhee were there too. Seungcheol was still as cold as ever, not even looking at her when she walked in.

"Why aren't you greeting your princess?" his father asked. "Aren't you going to ask her how she's feeling?"

"No. Why should I care about how she's feeling?" Seungcheol responded before putting food in his mouth.

"Stop being so cold," his mother scolded. "Remember what his Majesty of Galacia said? You hurt her, and he'll raid us."

"Will he raid us if I tell her I don't care about her?" Seungcheol replied. "Well, I don't care about her, and she should know this from now. If that is cause for raid, then let her damnable father raid us. Our marriage has always purely political, and so if she gets hurt, I would not care. If she dies, I would not care..."

"Seungcheol!" his mother yelled, clearly angry. "You don't know when to stop talking, do you?!"

It would be a lie to say that Yewon was no affected by those words. It was like he was constantly sending blows her way, blows which were painful and reminded her just how alone she was.