The Sun's Muse

Prologue

"Your majesty, please replace the crown prince!"

"Please hear our request, your majesty, please replace the crown prince!"

While the rain fell relentlessly outside of the king's quarters, loud pleas that rivaled the sounds of the heavens echoed through the halls of the chamber. The ministers' protest had been on-going for three days straight, but there has been no response from the king.

Eunuch Seo paced back and forth outside the crown prince's quarters, growing restless with each passing minute. Crown prince Yeon had locked himself up inside his room earlier that day, as if he already knew the verdict of the on-going protest.

The young man sat with his legs crossed behind his desk, his fingers tapping lightly against the mahogany table. He let out a light, bitter laugh to himself for he had seen this coming. He knew he was doomed the moment the queen gave birth to his brother four years after he was born.

He was never the favored child. For a reason he did not know, his father could never look at him, and the queen was beyond cruel. He was given the title of crown prince due to the king's uncertain health, even though the queen opposed to it. Now that His Majesty is better, and his brother is of age, it was really only a matter of time before the queen convinced the ministers to take action.

However, he couldn't bring himself to get mad at his brother. Prince Gon was a good child, and he learned most of his values from Prince Yeon himself. His brother is not at fault, neither of them were. They were not the ones who desired power, it was always the queen who ran the show.

He was no longer astonished with the power the queen held. She found a way to wrap the most powerful man in Joseon around her dainty little fingers, and she took his subjects with him. However, she could never sway Crown Prince Yeon, and maybe that was the reason why she was so keen on taking everything away from him.

He had always felt like he was held down by her chains in the very place he was supposed to rule. He felt like an unwanted guest, a prisoner even, in his own home. He was trapped, and he wanted nothing more than to break free.

As he bowed down in front of the king and the queen that day, he felt the queen's piercing eyes upon his figure. At that moment, he sensed something spark inside him, he couldn't tell if it was melancholy or rage, but he himself was stunned once he came to realize what the feeling actually was.

It was ecstasy.

You might think you have won, but I'm afraid you're mistaken. If I have no chains around me anymore, you can no longer control me. There is no longer anything to fear when you have nothing to lose.

Prince Yeon had lost the only thing he held on to. The day he was stripped off his title, he broke off his chains.

***