ix. second encounter

Court Lady Oh had decided to pay me a visit while Ji-ae works with the the other slaves in the kitchen and in washing up the clothes.

While Court Lady Oh and I walked side by side around the palace grounds with some of the servants behind us, I couldn't help but just wonder why King Taejo did not marry Court Lady Oh. 

"Lady Oh, do you mind if I ask you a question?" I peered into her face. But her face looked blank. 

"What is it about?" She spoke, meerly like a whisper.

"I was wondering why you didn't marry one. You are pretty, Court Lady Oh. But I only know that you never married anyone and...you're just a royal concubine of the King." She winced with my words. I knew I must have hit something. She stopped on her tracks as I stopped on mine too. And then she dismissed the servants away, leaving Court Lady Oh and I behind.

"I was a little merchant girl who wanted to marry the boy who trades in his childhood. But that seemed so far away and that will only be a memory now. I comb and fix his hair. I set up his meals." Court Lady Oh paused and then looked straight into my eye. "I even bathe his wives." Her voice sounded painful.

"Eunha, don't ever stay close with any of princes from now on."

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Court Lady Oh and I continued to keep walking side by side until we stopped and saw the servants passing each other the basket.

"You bring it for him." 
"I don't want to." 
"Then you go bring it for him." 
"My Lady!" Ji-ae exclaimed. And extended her hand towards me, holding the basket.

"You're close with the princes, right? Please bring it for him." She smiled. I took the basket filled with food anyway.

"And who is this him?" I asked, slightly grinning. 
"The fourth prince, Wang So!"

My eyes widened in surprise. Oh no...

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"Ah, Ji-ae. You'll be dead if I get back down. Ow, my knees and my feet hurt. Where is he anyway?" I scrunched my nose and looked around as I climbed up the hill. And there he was. The man in an all black suit, staring at the window of astronomer Choi Ji Mong's room.

"I have brought you food." I spoke, putting him out of his thoughts as he looked up at me.

"Just leave it there." What?

"I have to bring it back down. So I will just sit here and wait for you to be finished." I pursed my lips and sat down beside him.

Being this close with him without any bloodshed or weapons at all feels nice.

"I'll be living in there soon." He suddenly spoke.

"In the castle?" I turned my head to face him and then look at the direction he is looking in.

"After what I am doing in Shinju, I'll finally step inside back to the palace." He spoke. I could only nod and wait for him to finish his food.

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Wang So

The girl with me was an adoptive kid of the King and his royal concubine. I know her because before she used to play with the other princes. It was until then that the King's royal concubine, Court Lady Oh took her to Damiwon and raised her by herself.

I noticed how she was struggling to keep up after stepping down in the mountains. She must have slow knees and feet. When she crouched down, I was extending my hand to help her out and carry the basket instead. But she was quick to stand up and carry on walking. Eunha has grown to be independent. And as I watched her walk all by herself inside the palace, i couldn't help but smile at her back figure.