Chapter 183: 2. The Next Heir

Azure – Twelve years old

Hye-Se Young turns from the side of the house holding a basket of clean clothes and stops in her tracks when she notices the young prince was again standing on top of an old tree, staring out over the gate wall.

Her shoulders slump once again finding him there. She places the wicker basket down and heads in his direction. Stopping just a few feet from him she clears her throat to get his attention.

He jerks and nearly falls from his perch causing panic to spear through her and rushing to his side.

“Young master, you shouldn’t be up there!” She nearly screams with fright for his safety.

Jilsaeg slowly sits on the tree that bent sideways as if its own trunk was to heavy for it to stay upright while growing. He faces her with a solemn look.

“I just wanted to see them.” His voice softly reaches her ears, his eyes downcast.

Placing her hand over her heart she couldn’t help but feel the loneliness and sorrow of being trapped in the grounds of the palace. All his life he never stepped foot outside of the gates, never met another person his own age, didn’t know what it was like out there in the world.

“It’s not wise, your highness, to be peeking over. Someone might see you.” She reaches a hand up to him.

Clasping her fingers with his, he carefully hops to the ground, his Hanbok nearly catching his feet and he wobbles a little. Fixing his clothing, he straightens up and gives the tiniest of smiles.

“I don’t understand why I can’t be seen by others. Seong-Yu Hyung told me that it’s not normal for the Crown Prince, such as myself, to be locked away from the day he was born. Why am I so different?” He questions as they both begin to walk back to the house.

This wasn’t the first time he asked this. Nor was it the first time he has been questioning about his treatment since birth, or why his father, the king never visited him. This Seong-Yu character had been bothering her a great deal. But she still chose to keep him out of her reports to the head Historian once a day. She was hoping it was all just an act since he was little and maybe he just wanted a friend, even if they were imaginary.

But once she voiced her worries to the boy and called the character just his figure of imagination mysterious happenings started whenever she would find herself alone. Such as missing objects, moved furniture, or the fact that candles always lit themselves in the dead of night in the little shrine further to the edge of the courtyard where the art piece of Seong-Yu Lee had been hung.

Hye-Se Young looks over at him and was about to say something but then the front gates cracked open loudly and dozens of imperial guards came marching in with a purpose. And in the center of them was the royal palanquin.

Gasping in surprise, she quickly went to her knees and bowed until her head was touching her hands. Realizing the prince was still just standing there, she quickly reaches up and takes a hold of his robes and yanks hard for him to do the same.

He had been fascinated by the invasion and never seen anything like it. He’s read it in books, but he never saw it in person. After she had yanked on his clothing he quickly complies and follows suit of what she was doing.

She had taught him over the years on proper etiquette in case that should he ever be faced with royalty or his father, that he would know what to do and not embarrass himself in front of others.

The footfalls soon stop near where they were and as he looks to the ground, he couldn’t help but wonder what they looked like. So, he slowly lifts his head until he saw feet, then what seemed to be thick trousers to tunics, then to the guards faces. They weren’t looking at him but straight ahead.

It wasn’t until someone steps down from the transport that he quickly looks back down again with his heart pounding into his chest wildly.

Suddenly a strong sense of displeasure hits him and he frowns. Biting his lower lip, he nearly flinches at the cold voice of an older man speaking to him.

“Stand up.”

They both carefully get to their feet, but he doesn’t raise his eyes to him. The atmosphere was thick with a tension and annoyance that he wasn’t familiar with nor was he used to it. Anxiety starts to pick up deep in his gut.

“Did you teach him no respect commoner? Look up at your king while he’s speaking to you!” The man barks out.

Without meaning too his vibrant eyes flash for only a moment as he looks up. The guards stiffen and ready their hands on their swords looking at the intense color, not knowing what he was capable of.

A strong sense of fear overwhelms the air, followed by resentment. He didn’t understand any of these feelings, where were they coming from or why. But it was making him highly uncomfortable.

“So, you still have those damnable eyes.” The man in the center clothed in fancy robes sneers.

Animosity fills Jilsaeg to his core and he knew it didn’t belong to him. Was this his father then?

He looks to Hye-Se Young and scowls at her. “What are you still standing there for? Show me to his room.” He snaps and immediately she quickly jumps and rushes to do just that.

After moments of getting the king comfortable and refreshments he stares at the young boy that was now sitting in front on him staring at the ground. He looks about the room with distaste, hating that he was here at all. If it wasn’t for the fact that his third wife had just borne him another girl, he wouldn’t even be here now.

But he needed a male heir on the throne, and he would die before letting one of his daughters be married off to another family and taking over his bloodline. Regardless that this child in front of him was born a heathen, he was still his flesh and blood. He was getting too old to keep trying to make another child and he was tired.

It was time to prepare him to do his rightful duties.

“From today onward you are to be trained in royal etiquette and learn your family history. You are to be trained in combat, swordsmanship, and archery. You will learn how to ride a steed, understand the rankings of your subjects and learn the art of literature and companionship.”

The boy just sat there in dumbfounded silence as he carefully listened to what he was telling him. Mistaking his shock as confusion the king scowls deeper.

“You will be the next heir, my heir, to rule. Therefore, I will refuse to have an incompetent child to be associated with the Lee name. My name. Do I make myself clear?” His tone was hard and domineering.

“Yes, your highness.” He speaks softly.

“Good.” He then stands up with the child quickly bowing back down.

As soon as he walks to the door he stops. “One more thing. Those eyes of yours…”

He waits with bated breath.

“Learn to control them. If I see them flicker as they did when I arrived, I won’t hesitate to show you your place, understood?”

“Yes, father.”

He slides the door open and as he walks out, he growls, “Don’t ever call me that again.”