Your Highness

E I G H T Y T H R E E

C H A P T E R E I G H T Y T H R E E

Hayoon was sitting at the table around the candlelight waiting for the prince to return. Unexpectedly, time felt much more longer when Han wasn't around. During the time in the palace, he rarely left his room and hence she never felt lonely. Maybe she had gotten accustomed to his company, to The point it felt strange to stay alone. Han hasn't been away more than a little while but it felt more than hours since he left.

Suddenly a set of three knocks was heard from the door. In reflex, Hayoon straightened her back and looked in the direction of the sound. The thought that it could be Han crossed her mind, but then Hayoon realized that he probably wouldn't knock.

"Who is it?" Hayoon asked.

She waited for an answer but as if there was no one outside she didn't get a reply.

"Is someone outside?"

Silence.

Curiosity brought the best of her. Hayoon stood up and walked towards the door. When she opened the two doors, there was no one outside of it, only a little box was placed on the ground in front of the room.

What is this? Hayoon looked at it from different angles before crouching down to pick it.

When Hayoon opened the lid, she found a letter inside it, and underneath was a silk robe in clear white. Taking up the letter Hayoon read the message written in black ink.

You have to enter the banquet

Upon reading those words Hayoon's eyes widened. Her eyes searched for any moving shadow in her sphere, but there was no one aside from her. Whoever left this message didn't want to reveal themselves. Anxiety made her restless and Hayoon stepped outside the chamber looking for the messenger, but she couldn't find a trace of a living person.

"I know you are still here!" She said. "Who are you? Why are you telling me this?!"

At the end of her words an arrow pierced the air and stuck to the pillar next to her. It was so fast that Hayoon didn't even see it come. Although she flinched slightly no sound escaped her lips.

Another white paper was wrapped around the arrow. Hayoon pulled out the arrow and read the message inside it.

Someone is trying to harm the prince

Someone is trying to harm Han? Was this person helping Han? Why isn't he revealing himself?

Suspicion was all left in her, how could she trust the word of someone she didn't even know? Her thought was a mess, and by every passing second, she felt the anxiety rise in her. This was absolutely not the time to hesitate. Hayoon couldn't afford the risk to ignore this warning, although the messenger was unknown, there was no way she could turn an blind eye to it. Hayoon had to find Han and at all costs.

"How do I get into the banquet?" Hayoon asked in the air, knowing the person was still present.

A stone was aimed at the box on the ground as if telling her to look inside it.

At the bottom of the box was an invitation to the banquet. With this Hayoon could pass the doors and enter the banquet ground.

.

.

.

In a short amount of time, Hayoon managed to fix herself and get into the white robes she had received. She didn't know if this mysterious messenger was reliable but there was no time to contemplate. After getting dressed Hayoon exited her chamber, ready to head towards the banquet ground. To her surprise, a couple of servants was waiting outside her door, as if they were meant to escort her. A pair of guards and a eunuch was standing there.

"This way please," The eunuch spoke.

Hayoon realized that this must be planned out by the mysterious messenger and hence she didn't say anything and just followed.

With fast steps, Hayoon walked towards the banquet ground. The strings of her white mask swayed with the wind as she walked through the corridors of the palace. Hayoon felt a little uneasy by the thought of the mysterious messenger. The person probably held more power than she could imagine, judging by the way he could manage the people inside the palace like this. The eunuch and the two guards escorting her was probably some people he had planted inside the palace.

To know that someone as high status as Han was watched by such an unknown person made Hayoon fear even more. She felt that they were no different than a piece of chess, under the control of another master mind.

Deep in thoughts Hayoon hasn't realised that she was already near the entrance to the banquet. There were respectively two entrances. One for the female guests to enter and one for the male guest. Instinctively Hayoon was heading to the entrance for the female guests but the eunuch at the gate door took a step forward and prevented her from entering.

"My lord, the male guest is supposed to enter through the other door," the eunuch lifted his arm in the direction of the other door.

Right. I'm dressed as a man.

Hayoon nearly forgot it. Her flustered expression was fortunately shielded by the white mask, or else the eunuch would probably found her suspicious.

She suddenly remembered that Han said the male guest was supposed to wear a mask, and the ladies were supposed to wear a veil. Too absorbed in her thoughts, Hayoon nearly forgot that she was in disguise of a man.

The eunuch escorting Hayoon let out a sigh of relief. He wasn't fast enough to stop her from acting to rash, but luckily she wasn't exposed. He let out a discrete sigh of relief before leading Hayoon to the other entrance.

"This way my lord," her eunuch spoke.

Standing in front of the gate to the banquet, Hayoon showed the invitation to the door keepers and was allowed to enter the banquet. But from the moment she stepped inside Hayoon was no longer accompanied by the servant and was left on her own.

"We will stay out here, Young master." The eunuch said, bowing her goodbye.

Hayoon gave him an agreeing nod and after dismissing her servants she passed he gate and entered the banquet.

Where are you? She frantically looked to left and right trying to find Han.

A/N: sorry for not being able to update last week. I'm still having my exams so it took a little longer. My last exam will be next week so I'll probably be able to update regularly again very soon! Thanks for your patience and hope you like the chapter!

Hayoon enters the banquets in disguise of as a man! I'm already squealing in excitement, how about you?

Stay tuned for next time readers!💛