"What happened?"
Youngmi came back from town, she never went to the castle, it was too risky for her to return. If the people in the palace had seen her, she would be in deep trouble. Their plan would be a huge failure.
"Nothing happened, your daughter kept me company." Seora smiled as they both looked at Hayoung who was innocently playing with her doll, wearing Seora's tiara.
"Your Highness—"
Seora shushed her instantly. Youngmi was far too surprised to see the tiara on her daughter's head. "My name is Eunmi now." Seora whispered to her trusted lady. Youngmi bowed her head as a sign of apology.
"You can take that now and bring it to the palace, I should be dead as wanted." She smiled distantly. Seora prayed silently that everyone would buy the idea, Taeyong out of all. "Please assure my father that I'm fine. I'm with mother, tell him." She said.
It was inevitable that she was sad. Her father was bedridden and the queen was controlling everything. Seora had thought about this too many times and she knew this would be the only way. The queen could never touch her father, provided that her daughter was in throne.
She was sorry that Taeyong had to be part of her scheme, but he'll learn to love, even if it wasn't with her. Most importantly, he'd care for her father. He promised her as much before.
"Yes, I promise to aid for him until his last breath." Youngmi said. "You should go now, we cannot be late for the finale. The queen hates waiting." Seora smiled reassuringly as she took the crown off the little girl's head. She stared at it for a while, it was her mother's before.
This was a huge sacrifice but she would not die in the hands of an evil woman like the queen. Seora promised to get rid of her, and this was the only way. It was up to Taeyong to solve the rest now. He deserved a kingdom after all, Seora never met the cut to be a ruler anyway.
Youngmi handed her fresh clothes for the princess to change. It wasn't silk like she always had on her skin, but it was something she had to be comfortable with for the rest of her life. "Do you want me to bury the dress?" Youngmi asked. They have to hide every evidence of her existence.
"Please do that for me." Seora said. She later went for a change. It was something she should've done three days ago. She thought she had the strength but her body couldn't lie, she was extremely exhausted. Heck, she had never been out of the palace before. She had carriages to travel anyway.
《—♡ 》
The warm water released every tension she had in her body. Her aching muscle was coming to a state of calm and pleasure. It was exactly the healing she needed. Seora closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her body to calm with the water.
"Do you want to be a queen?"
"I want to be like you." The woman smiled. She had beautiful set of teeth, her hair was very long and silky. Seora used to love touching her hair. Her eyes were light brown, they were magical she would always feel the soft gaze of the woman.
Her smile out of all, was entirely calming. It felt welcoming, as if the smile was only for her. The woman hugged her, the warm touch, the secure embrace. She felt safe, something she was unable to feel after the woman was gone.
"Mother, do you want to be a queen?" She asked softly in the embrace. "The throne isn't mine, but it is yours. It will be one day." The woman said. She stroked her little daughter's hair. Seora didn't get enough of the hug but her mother was already releasing it.
"You're fit for the throne and you have to be brave, because I won't be there for you." She said. Seora wasn't understanding what she was saying. Her eyebrows furrowed and somehow tears came to her eyes.
