Weeks passed, yet Lady Seorin could not chase away the memory of that day in the council hall. Each time she crossed paths with Crown Prince Younghae and Lady Saha, the sting in her chest grew sharper. She hid it well her composure never faltered, her voice never
betrayed her—but inside, the fire that once protected her now threatened to consume her
whole.
The palace itself seemed to shift with the seasons. Winter had begun to retreat, and with
spring's arrival came new discussions in the royal court—discussions not of borders or
harvests, but of succession and marriage.
The great council chamber was filled with the weight of expectation that morning. Ministers
stood in polished robes, their voices respectful yet insistent as they addressed the aging king, His Majesty Kim Dojin.
The king's once-commanding figure had thinned with years of rule. His hair, now streaked with silver, was tied back simply, his golden robes flowing yet somber. Behind the dignity of his bearing lay an unspoken grief—one that had lingered since the passing of his beloved queen. Unlike kings before him, he had never remarried. His devotion to the late queen had been unwavering, and his refusal to take another consort had become both legend and burden.
"My liege," one of the elder ministers bowed deeply, "the Crown Prince has come of age. It is time he takes a bride and secures the line of succession. The kingdom longs for the promise of stability."
Another minister stepped forward, holding a scroll. "We have gathered the names of noble
daughters most fitting to stand as Crown Princess. Lady Cho of the Western House, Lady Min of the High Clergy, Lady Kang of the Northern Province—"
The list continued, each name pronounced with gravity, each title heavy with political
alliances.
At the far end of the chamber, the Crown Prince himself stood tall, hands folded behind his back. His eyes, though calm, burned with something unsaid. He had listened in silence until now, his jaw tightening with every name spoken.
When the final candidate was announced, Younghae's voice cut through the chamber like a blade.
"No."
The ministers froze, murmurs rippling through the chamber.
The Crown Prince stepped forward, his presence commanding though his tone was sharp.
His gaze swept across the faces of the council before landing on his father.
"I will not marry any of the ladies you have listed. My heart has chosen already. If I am to
wed, it will be Lady Saha, daughter of Minister Jo. No one else."
A silence fell, so heavy it seemed even the torches wavered.
The elder minister's eyes widened. "Your Highness… surely you jest. Lady Saha, though
noble-born, lacks the lineage and alliances befitting a Crown Princess—"
"Enough!" Younghae's voice thundered, startling even the most hardened of officials. "If not Lady Saha, then I will marry no one. Do not mistake me—I would rather walk alone than bind myself to another when my heart belongs to her."
The chamber erupted with whispers. Some of shock, others of disapproval. The ministers
exchanged uneasy glances, for the Crown Prince had never before defied them so openly.
At the throne, King Dojin's expression darkened. His hands gripped the arms of his seat, but his eyes lingered not on his son, but on the memory of his late queen. To love only one woman, to swear such devotion—he understood it more than anyone. And yet, as king, he also knew the weight of sacrifice.
In the shadows of the hall, Lady Seorin stood unseen, her heart shattering with every word.
Lady Saha…
The name echoed in her mind, scorching her like fire turned against itself.
She had endured the laughter, the closeness, the small moments that drew them together.
But this? This public declaration? It was no longer just jealousy—it was despair.
For the first time in her life, Seorin felt powerless.
And in that silence, a dangerous thought took root.
The council ended in chaos. Ministers whispered furiously as they left the chamber, their robes swishing like restless tides. Some muttered about the Crown Prince's arrogance,
others about the insult to noble families whose daughters had been named.
The King, however, dismissed them with a single wave of his hand. His voice was low, but
the weight of authority silenced all argument.
"Leave us."
The chamber emptied, until only the King and his son remained.
King Dojin leaned heavily against the throne, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied Younghae.
"Younghae," he began, his voice stern but weary, "you are the heir to Joseon's throne. Your heart may choose for itself, but your crown may not. A king does not marry for love....he marries for the kingdom."
Younghae's jaw tightened, but he did not lower his gaze.
"Father, I have seen you live without your queen all these years. I have seen your devotion.
You did not remarry, even though the court begged you to. Do not ask me to live a lie when
you yourself refused it."
The words struck deeply, reopening the old wound of the King's loss. For a moment, silence hung between them. Then the King's voice hardened.
"Do not mistake my grief for rebellion. I was already king when I chose my path. You are still
a prince, bound by my command. If you continue to defy me, you risk more than your own heart, you risk the stability of the throne."
Younghae bowed stiffly.
"Then let the court rage. Let them frown. My decision is made. If the throne requires me to
abandon myself, then perhaps the throne does not deserve me."
Before the King could answer, Younghae turned and left, the echo of his footsteps
resounding through the hall like war drums.
That afternoon, the palace buzzed with rumors. The Crown Prince's declaration had spread like wildfire, leaving nobles and ministers unsettled. Some called it reckless. Others called it romantic. But all agreed on one thing—Lady Saha had no idea of the storm she had been thrown into.
Lady Saha arrived at the palace gates the following day, her hair gleaming in the sunlight,
her smile bright as ever. She had come to deliver her father lunch, a habit that made the
stern Minister Jo soften in ways no one thought possible.
It was then that a messenger approached her.
"Her Ladyship Saha… His Highness, the Crown Prince, requests your presence."
Saha blinked, tilting her head. "Me? The Crown Prince?"
Her playful laugh carried down the corridor as she followed the messenger. "I wonder what
trouble he's gotten himself into this time."
Younghae was waiting for her in the royal garden, pacing beneath the cherry blossoms.
When he saw her arrive, relief washed over his face, though his expression remained
troubled.
Saha, ever carefree, spread her arms wide.
"Your Highness! You look as though you've been sentenced to exile. Did the ministers bore you to death again".
Younghae almost smiled, but the weight of his words held him back. He stepped closer,
lowering his voice.
"Saha… yesterday, in the council, I declared before my father and the ministers that I would
only marry you."
The playful light in Saha's eyes froze.
"…Wait!!!! What??? You're joking right?", After seeing Younghae's serious face, she realized that he was not joking at all.
Younghae's hand curled into a fist. "I couldn't hold it in any longer. They listed name after
name, but my heart rejected them all. I spoke a lie.....that if I am to marry,...it can only be you."
For the first time, Saha was silent. The breeze rustled the blossoms overhead as she stared
at him in disbelief. Then, slowly, she shook her head.
"Younghae… no."
His brows furrowed. "No?"
"I don't want to be Crown Princess." Her voice was quiet but firm, a stark contrast to her
usual laughter. "I don't want to spend my days bound by rules and expectations, wearing
heavy robes and carrying the weight of the kingdom on my shoulders. I want my carefree
life. My freedom."
Her eyes softened, and she placed a hand on his arm.
"You are my dearest friend, Younghae, And I love you so much, but marriage? To a crown I don't love? To a life I don't want? No. I can't."
Younghae's chest tightened. "And what of me? Do you not care for me?"
Saha smiled sadly. "Of course I do. But care is not enough for me to give up who I am. What
you want… what the ministers want… it isn't the same as what I want."
For the first time in his life, the Crown Prince felt powerless. The throne was pressing down
from above, and now, the one person he had chosen was slipping from his grasp.
And in the distance, unseen, Lady Seorin watched from behind the blossom trees, her
emotions a storm of fire and sorrow.
Younghae reached for Saha's hand, his grip firm though his voice trembled.
"Saha, I know you don't want this. I know you fear losing yourself inside the palace. But
listen to me—this will not last forever. My father has already spoken: once I am married, he
will abdicate and retreat into seclusion. When that day comes, I will be king… and I will
finally be free to make my own choices."
Saha shook her head, her voice rising with panic.
"Choices? You call this a choice? What of me, Younghae? You don't love me—you love
someone else. You love Seorin. How could I accept this marriage knowing her heart will
break? Do you not see how she might hate me for this?"
Her words cut deep into him, but he did not flinch. Instead, his gaze hardened with resolve.
"You are right," he said at last, the admission heavy but steady. "My heart belongs to Seorin.
It always has. But the court would never accept her now. Not while my father still breathes,
not while the ministers control every thread of this kingdom. To defy them would only put her
in danger, and that I cannot allow."
Saha's lips trembled. "So what then? You use me as a shield, while the woman you love
suffers in silence? How cruel, Younghae…"
He tightened his grip, desperation flickering in his eyes.
"No, Saha. This is not forever. Once I ascend the throne, when no minister can dictate my
heart, I will go to her. I will propose to Seorin as I should have long ago. That is my vow."
The words hung between them, heavy as steel.
Saha closed her eyes, tears threatening. She wanted to scream, to beg him to stop before
this fragile balance shattered completely. But she also knew Younghae's resolve was
unshakable once set. He was willing to chain himself to a loveless union, all for the sake of
protecting Seorin until the right moment came.
Her heart ached—not for herself, but for the woman who would never know the laughter she once thought they all shared was real.
And in the shadows, unknown to them, Seorin's heart was already cracking.
Saha drew a trembling breath, staring at Younghae as though seeing him for the first time.
His words had shaken her—his vow to leave her alone once he was king, his confession that his heart belonged to Seorin.
Slowly, painfully, she nodded.
"Very well, Younghae. I will accept. Not because I desire this, but because I know the truth you will not say aloud. A king and a deity can never stand side by side as man and wife.
Even if your love is true, the world will not allow it."
Her voice wavered, but her eyes were resolute.
"I will bear this burden, and when the crown rests upon your head… I will not stand in your
way when you seek her."
Relief flickered in Younghae's eyes, though guilt weighed heavy on his shoulders. He
squeezed her hand once more and whispered,
"Thank you, Saha. I promise I will never forget this sacrifice".
Soerin was coming down from the hallway when she saw Lady saha leaving the crown
prince in the garden then she walked towards him and each step she took towards him felt
heavy and heavier.
"Younghae," she asked softly, her voice betraying the tremor in her chest, "tell me truly… will
you marry Saha?"
Younghae's gaze faltered. For a heartbeat, he wished he could lie, to shield her from the
storm in his heart. But the truth pressed against his lips, relentless.
"Yes."
The single word shattered her. She felt it crack through her chest, splintering everything she
had held dear. Her fingers curled tightly into her robes, yet she forced a smile, fragile and
fleeting.
"I see," she whispered. "Then I should go… I'm not feeling well."
Younghae reached for her, concern flashing in his eyes.
"Seorin—"
But she stepped back, bowing quickly to hide the tears brimming in her eyes.
"Please, let me rest. I'll be fine."
He hesitated, torn between duty and the urge to follow her, but at last he nodded.
"Rest then. We will talk again."
Seorin turned, her steps light but her heart unbearably heavy. She walked away before the
tears spilled, before the ache in her chest could consume her in his presence.
Behind her, Younghae remained, unaware that in that moment, Seorin's love had begun to
twist—not into hatred, but into something far darker and more enduring.