Blog

“She was quite ravishing.  A captivating creature with wide, emerald eyes and long, midnight locks.  She took his breath away.  He simply stared at her for several long moments,” the storyteller continued.

“For her part, she kept dabbing at the cut on his lip.  ‘I’m so sorry you got hurt defending me.  I should never have taken the shortcut through the forest.  It was foolhardy of me.  Please forgive me for putting you in such danger,’ she begged him.

“‘Putting me in such danger?’ he asked incredulously.  ‘You’re the one who was in danger.’

“‘And you’re the one with the split lip,’ she pointed out logically.

“‘I would rather have a split lip than a spoilt maiden,’ he murmured generously.

“She smiled at him.  ‘Please come home with me.  The least I can do is make you a meal to thank you for your trouble.’

“He gladly accepted her kind offer. 

“She stood up and reached a hand down to help him up. 

“He laughed ruefully.  ‘I’m not an invalid, you know!  My lip just stings a bit.’  He found his feet without her help.

“She shook her head.  ‘It’s all right to accept help, you know.  Even for a powerful lord like you.’

“He cocked one elegant eyebrow at her.  ‘What convinced you that I’m a powerful lord?’

“Her eyes slid down his trim figure.  ‘It’s some air you give off.  A calm air of authority.  You are clearly not a peasant.’

“He couldn’t really argue with her assessment and be truthful at the same time, so he let the matter drop as they walked towards her home.  Suddenly, his stomach rumbled, and she chuckled as she glanced his way again. 

“‘You really need that meal, don’t you?’ she teased him.

“‘I missed lunch,’ he murmured defensively.

“‘I promise dinner will be worth the wait.’

“‘Why were you in the forest?’ he asked abruptly.

“‘I needed to get something from the market for dinner.  I have to walk around the forest to reach the market.  It’s almost twice the distance.  I was in a hurry.  So I decided to take a shortcut.’

“‘Are you expecting guests for dinner?’

“She nodded.  ‘One of the council members is coming to dinner.’

“He stopped moving instantly.  ‘A council member?’  He paused a moment.  ‘Who are you?’ he narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously.

“She stared up at him in confusion.  He sounded alarmed.  Or angry.  ‘Kim Beom Su’s daughter,’ she was quick to respond.

“Inwardly, he gasped.  He had come across the daughter of one of the council members? 

“‘I just remembered that I have a former commitment.  Once we reach the market, I must leave you.’

“She turned the power of those stunning emerald eyes on him.  And frowned deeply.  ‘You’re not going to let me feed you dinner?’

“Confused, he stared at her.  ‘Don’t you have servants to do that?’

“She nodded.  ‘I do.  But I despise doing nothing.  So I told our cook I would help her tonight.  I offered to go to the market for her.’

“He gaped at her.  ‘You are truly an unusual woman,’ he murmured, dumbfounded.

“She grinned at him suddenly.  ‘Why, thank you, sir.  I shall consider that a compliment.’”  Eun Sook’s voice came to a halt as she heard Jijin’s breathing deepen.

She sat still, quietly listening for him to reprimand her for not finishing her story.  But no rebuke developed.  She smiled as she gazed down at his face, relaxed in slumber.  She bent closer to him.  To take a good look at his gorgeous face. 

The man was truly beautiful.  She could happily sit here staring at him for quite a while.  Drinking in his beauty.  There was something childlike hidden in his precious countenance.  She sighed.

But her delightful perusal of his face was interrupted by the sound of the outer doors opening.  Silently, she slipped off his bed and padded towards the outer room.  She met a maid carrying in her dinner. 

“Thank you,” Eun Sook murmured quietly.  “You can place the tray there,” she pointed at a table in the center of the room.

Once the maid had left, the storyteller sat down to enjoy her food before heading for the little chaise longue hidden in the corner of the room in which she’d bathed.  She’d found somewhere comfortable to sleep tonight.  Far from the intriguing man slumbering in the big bed into which he’d invited her to crawl.