One Year

Engagement Party (4)

Siri has noticed the constant stares of the Crown Prince and one of the Concubines across from them. She noticed Morgan's lust and the Concubine's anger. How could she not, with their constant stares directed at them.

"Looks like you have an admirer." Siri whispered to Ryu.

Ryu's cold eyes quickly looked around and saw who she was talking about, but when his eyes swept over Nina he brought his eyes back to Siri just as quickly. His unchanging cold mask held on tight as he told her. "I can say the same thing to you."

"Ha." She laughed once. "As long as they look and not touch, I don't care how long they look."

This Prince does! Ryu thought. He somehow didn't like other men staring at Siri. She was his wife and how dare they covet something that was his! Instead of telling her what was on his mind, he kept quiet and finished the pastry that she just ate from.

"No more wine for you." He ordered. "Drink only tea from now on."

The maid quickly took the wine away and brought out tea for them. Their wine cups were traded in for tea cups and their cold wine for hot tea. Siri pouted slightly as she saw what happened within moments of Ryu speaking.

"Here comes my family." Siri warned him. "Prepare yourself for shamelessness."

Siri's father, Frank, first rank concubine, Siena and her daughter Luna came up to congratulate Yelona and Crown Prince Morgan when they saw how unhappy Morgan's demeanor became as the celebration progressed. Frank thought to come defused the cold atmosphere between his first daughter, Yelona and Crown Prince Morgan by toasting their future union.

"Please accept this cup of wine to celebrate the union between my daughter and Crown Prince." Frank said as he poured the wine into a clean cup and handed it over for Crown Prince to accept and drink from.

"Hmmm." Morgan said sloppily as he waved to and fro in his seat. Since the moment he saw Siri, his previous fiancee, he had been kicking himself for letting her go and being so easily swayed by those around him. Even his mother wanted him to annul the engagement. Since the moment he started regretting his choice, he had already drank three jar full of wine to lament his loss and not in celebration to his engagement to Yelona.

He had been completely been captivated by Yelona's charms and innocence. Her naivete and her flattery made him fall in love with her. Which made him regret being engaged to her sister Siri. And when rumors started popping up about Siri and Yelona standing up to those rumors, he knew she was innocent in starting the rumors. She was protective of her younger sister and didn't like how others talked badly about Siri.

However now that two years have pass, Yelona's innocent charms no longer captivated him for she was no longer an innocent woman. They have long become lovers after their engagement was announced, two years ago. They had waited to get married to stop the rumors that Yelona stole her sister's fiance. The astrologer read the stars and told the King it was best if he married Yelona in two years instead of right away.

He had to convince Yelona that it was for the best and through her tears of understanding, she relented and agreed to wait two years. However their hormones couldn't be held back. He couldn't wait to make her his, so they soon became passionate lovers. What he liked about her then could not be said about her now. Her naivete and innocence had now become a crutch. How was he suppose secure the throne with her lack of leadership and iron will?

So instead he drank away his regret and ignored the woman that he was infatuated with for the past two years.

Morgan looked at the wine cup that was held in front of him by his future father-in-law and knew if he slighted Prime Minister Chen, he wouldn't get the support he needed to secure the throne. That was one of the reasons why he was going to marry Prime Minister Chen's daughter.

"Thank you father-in-law for your congratulations and well wishes. This Prince will accept this cup of wine and also drink to your health." Morgan said as he swallowed the drink with one gulp.

Traditionally, the groom was suppose to share the congratulatory drink with his fiance so their good wishes were shared equally, but for him to drink it all by himself, meant that he only wanted their good wishes to himself.

Yelona's smile stiffen at Morgan's actions. He had slighted her in front of her own family. How could she not be angry at him? The whole time he had been staring at her bitch of a sister, Siri while drinking more than socially acceptable. He was embarrassing her in front of everyone and she couldn't say or do anything about it because he was Crown Prince and her future husband. How could she lecture him for staring at another woman and lusting after her, especially since that woman is his Uncle's woman and Morgan's previous fiancee!

She had to hold her anger within herself or risk ruining everything she and her mother had planned so perfectly since she was 10 years old. She would steal Crown Prince Morgan away from Siri, then marry him, becoming Princess Consort. In which she will then become Queen, then Queen Dowager. She would hold the highest seat of authority over everyone, becoming the phoenix to Morgan's dragon.

"Thank you father for your kind words and well wishes." Yelona said as she smiled. "It is this daughter's blessing to be your daughter and be engaged to Crown Prince Morgan. Please accept this cup of wine as well."

Yelona poured her father some wine into a cup and handed it off to her father. He smiled and laughed too loud as if to brag to others about her filial piety.

Several other important members of the government had come up to give a toast to them, causing Frank to stay to talk to them, while Siena and Luna made their way to Siri and Ryu.