The kingdom celebrated. For weeks after the Crown Prince's wedding, the streets were filled
with lanterns, music, and laughter. To the people, the union of Prince Younghae and Lady Saha was a blessing — a promise of stability for the future.
But beyond the jubilant drums, a quiet sorrow stirred in the shadows of the palace.
In the western gardens, where the maple trees turned red with the season, Seorin sat alone.
She had avoided the newlyweds' quarters since the wedding, feigning illness, though her
body was as strong as ever.
Her heart, however, felt as though it had been scorched.
Every time she heard the laughter drifting from the East Palace, she wondered if it was
Younghae's voice mingling with Saha's. Did he laugh the same way with her? Did he smile
more brightly now than he ever had beside Seorin?
She clenched her hands in her lap, her fire core pulsing faintly in her chest. For the first time,
she wished she could strip it away. A fire that could defend a kingdom… yet powerless
against her own heart.
"Little sister."
The familiar voice pulled her back. Lady Hanuel approached, carrying a shawl of white silk. She draped it over Seorin's shoulders, her touch cool and soothing.
Seorin forced a smile, but Hanuel saw through it.
"You need not lie to me. You are hurting."
Seorin's lips trembled, but she looked away. "Unni, I should be happy for them. Saha is kind, beautiful, full of radiant energy and he… he chose her. Who am I to stand in their way?"
Hanuel knelt in front of her, meeting her eyes. "You are Seorin. And even if the world thinks
otherwise, your heart matters."
Tears finally broke past Seorin's control. She buried her face against Hanuel's shoulder, the
sobs tearing free like molten fire escaping stone. Hanuel held her, silent but firm, her own
heart breaking to see her sister reduced to this.
"Cry, Seorin. Cry until your flames no longer burn you from within."
And so, beneath the crimson trees, Seorin wept, her pain swallowed by the autumn wind.
"I know His Highness loves you and wants to be with you not Lady Saha but he's doing it the wrong way, if I tell you this i know you will get your hopes high Seorin so I will keep this away from you until your feelings for him goes away.
His Highness doesn't realize it but I do, he will end up falling in love with Lady Saha,his decision will break two people's heart but I will not tell him, I will not say anything because I also have a family I want to protect. I know I'm being selfish to Lady Saha and unfair to her but my family comes first before duties". Lady Hanuel thought to herself while helping her sister.
While Seorin struggled with her heart, the throne room became a battlefield of words.
The king, aged and wearied, sat upon his dais as the ministers pressed their petitions.
Your Majesty," one minister declared, "the Crown Prince is now married. It is time to appoint him Regent. The kingdom cannot remain in uncertainty."
Another added, "The people must see stability. We must move forward while your health
permits you to guide him."
The king's expression was unreadable, but he glanced toward Younghae, who stood at his
side. The prince's face remained calm, but his hand tightened behind his back.
Later, in the privacy of his father's study, Younghae's restraint cracked.
"Father, must we rush this? I have yet to be ready. To rule a kingdom is not the same as
training a sword. Should we not wait?"
The king sighed heavily. "The court will not wait, my son. Power is a beast that grows
restless when left unfed. They see your marriage as proof you are ready. They will not let this moment slip."
Younghae bowed stiffly, but inwardly, unease twisted him. His carefree days with Saha
already felt like distant memories. Every step he took now was chained by expectation.
And yet, he remembered his promise to her that when he became king, he would set her
free. That thought alone kept him walking forward.
But in the palace, whispers grew. Some claimed the Crown Princess was too carefree for her station. Others murmured about Seorin, her closeness to the prince before his marriage, and whether the fire deity still held influence over him.
And in the shadows, Hanuel watched. She alone saw how threads of love, duty, and betrayal were beginning to knot into a snare that would one day consume them all.
"I'm sorry Lady Saha, I need to protect Seorin I hope you can stay strong within the walls of the palace. I'm sorry that I couldn't be a friend you can rely on." Lady Hanuel wept as she passed the crown princess's chambers.