A Plum Blossom

Chapter 19

A dive into the past, it was two years later. This was when she was to officially enter the palace as Crown Princess Ha Lee and claim her Plum Palace.

However, before she could claim it, she was to stay at the Treasured Palace with the Crown Prince to better know him.

In the royal carriage sent to retrieve her by the palace, she sat alone with no other inside.

On the way there, she felt something inside her.

Something that felt not so right.

Something that told her to be ready.

She didn't know what it was that she had to be ready for. However, all she knew was that deep down inside it hurt her.

During the two years that passed, her beauty grew along with her body that further matured. Her already gorgeous looks became almost divine. As if she were a goddess sent down from heaven.

Arriving, her things have already been placed into a chamber of the Treasured Palace. Now, she needed to await Queen Qi Ting and Crown Prince Han Shirong's arrival.

Patiently, she waited there in her seat. At least an hour had passed and still, they've yet to arrive.

She sighed inside.

In this situation, she began to overthink.

Maybe they were busy?

Maybe they're just running late?

Maybe....they don't like me......

That last one made her really think of it. Were they running late simply because they didn't care?

Then, just as she was thinking of it, coming through her doors were Queen Qi Ting and Crown Prince Han Shirong.

Immediately but gracefully, she bowed in respects to the two.

"Ha Lee greets Her Majesty and His Highness."

The Queen laughed, "Please dear, rise. There is no need for formalities between us."

As the woman talked to the young teenage girl, the Crown Prince only looked at the two, not a single bit interested. Moreover, he didn't exactly want her here.

"This is the first time my son, will have met and seen you. The same also goes for you dear." her voice seemed to be filled with entertainment.

The teen just smiled, but inside she laughed to herself as she had already seen him countless times.

Shirong looked at her for a brief then turned away to look elsewhere.

In his eyes, she looked like any other girl that he  saw. Desperate for power, greedy and just plain fake.

Other than that, he wasn't in anyway interested in her.

That's all she ever was to him in his eyes.

"After a few months, you will be moving to the Plum Palace. That place is only to be owned by the Crown Princess and no other woman is to claim it. The one who is not the real owner shall not even step foot there." the Queen told.

Ha Lee was bewildered hearing "the real owner."

"Is that place divine or something? The way she said it makes it sound as if the Plum Palace grounds are alive."

Her Majesty then turned to her sole son, "Shirong, make sure you take care of her."

He simply nodded at her words.

Once she said so, she left the palace and to her Moonlight Palace, where the full moon always shines brightly above.

Now alone, the two were just silent.

Shirong was, as before, not interested. His fiancée on the other hand, was composed on the outside but burning with blush inside.

This man, she had taken a liking to ever since that day she saw him at the royal garden. His looks weren't so captivating, but to her she felt a connection with him. Whenever her eyes fell upon him, she could only dream of how he looks when his lips curled into a smile.

She only ever saw him with a straight face and no other emotions.

"A smile is all I want to see from him."

She faced towards her betrothed and gave him a warm expression. "Ahh... Your Highness, it is an honor to finally meet you in person."

He briefly looked at her, then turned towards the doors to leave with her in solitude.

Still, even as he left, she kept her smile for him that soon became distraught. Her eyes lowered along with her heart that pounded for him restlessly.

Inside, she could feel how dreadful her heart ached, and how she always waited for him to look her way.
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