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But she couldn’t trust him.  She couldn’t trust anyone.  Except…possibly…Jin Heung.  He had stood up to their mother when she’d insisted that they marry.  He had protected both Sook Myeong and himself from that horrid path. 

But this man…this heavenly-scented stranger…was just that.  A stranger from a foreign land.  And his interest in her was motivated by political expediency.

It didn’t really matter how strong his arms were.  Or how tender his voice.  Or how wonderful his fragrance.

She was still alone.

So she stiffened suddenly and pulled herself out of his arms.  She squared her shoulders and stuck her pert, little nose in the air and headed for her bench.  She didn’t look back up at him but directed her gaze towards the setting sun.

He watched her for a moment.  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured. 

When she didn’t respond, he queried, “May I sit next to you?”

She scooted over infinitesimally.  He took that as permission.  He approached her, seating himself next to her.  But leaving ample space between them.  He had no wish to crowd her. 

He sat with her.  Silently watching the sun as it slipped beneath the horizon.  Painting the sky in brilliant shades of pink and purple.

He stole several surreptitious glances at her lovely face.  But she never looked his way.

Truthfully, she was steeling herself against his presence.  She was so tempted to be comforted by his quiet strength.  But she was experienced enough to know that men were not always who they appeared to be.  And she couldn’t afford to give him any advantage over her. 

She wanted to speak with her brother.  She had tried to see him today.  But he had been in meetings with the prince all day long.  She was most frustrated.  She desired to know what Jin Heung expected of her.  Was he anticipating her marriage to this foreigner?

She was very much afraid that he was.  She knew her mother would have approved of such an arrangement if she couldn’t marry her children to each other.  Since Jin Heung had refused to marry Sook Myeong, her future had been in jeopardy.  In question.  Vulnerable to the acquisition of a foreign king.  Or a prince like this one.

Why did such a truth terrify her so? 

It was perfectly normal for a princess in her position to be bartered off in marriage to a foreign power.  It happened all the time.  Perhaps it bothered her because she knew that her mother had been forced to marry her own uncle.  And Sook Myeong very much suspected that such an arrangement had been abhorrent to her mother.  All sorts of horrible consequences had resulted from that unbalanced match.  And her mother had been miserable.  For her entire life.

The princess was frozen.  Fearful that she too would spend her life in agony.  She really had no faith that a good man would seek her hand in marriage. 

Unless…

…this man was a good man.

But if he were, then he didn’t deserve her.  Because if there was one thing Sook Myeong knew for certain, it was that she was not a good woman. 

So, after watching the last of the dying rays of the sun disappear, she stood up.  “Goodnight, Prince Jong Su.”

He stood too and bowed before her.  “Sweet dreams, princess.”

She caught the glance of his warm, cinnamon eyes before she looked away.  She was trapped in them for a few moments.  But if her heart released any pangs, she was the only one who was cognizant of them.  He couldn’t read the enigmatic expression floating in those beautiful, obsidian orbs. 

He did, in fact, feel as though he’d dreamed the interlude in which she’d leaned against him, burying her face over his heart, while his arms embraced her.  And his heart ran away with him.

The cold creature standing before him now hid her distress well.  It had only broken through the veil for a few shocking moments.  She had thrown up her walls again.  Protecting herself from heartbreak.  If only she knew that she could trust him. 

But it was all right.  He was willing to exercise some patience with this girl.  He had the distinct impression that she was worth it.

––

Still shaken from her encounter with the prince last night, Sook Myeong looked up in surprise when a knock sounded on her door the next morning.  Had the prince sought her out? 

Her heart suddenly began to race.  Tripping along at an alarming rate.  She took a steadying breath and called out, “Enter!” in an imperious tone.

A maid opened the door and bowed to her.  “Your highness, the king would like to meet you in the garden.  In your usual spot.”

“My brother?” she queried in surprise. 

Just what did Jin Heung want?  Such behavior was completely out of the ordinary.  He’d been swamped with his responsibilities ever since he’d taken over the throne.  She had rarely seen him since.  He had yet to seek her out for a private discussion.

The maid nodded.

“When?”

“Presently, your highness.”

“I will be with you in just a moment,” the princess responded smoothly as she prepared to face her brother once more.

––

“I am truly sorry that I have been so busy with kingdom affairs that I couldn’t find the time to introduce you to my sister before this morning,” Jin Heung addressed Eun Sook as he led her along a corridor that led to the back garden.

“It’s all right, Jijin.  I know you’re busy.  And in your absence, I’ve occupied myself writing my stories,” she smiled at him. 

She was simply thrilled that she got a few minutes alone with him this morning.  And he was leading her out into the sunshine again!  Instead of to some stuffy sitting room.

“Excellent!  When we marry, you can tell them to me.  I miss your tales.”

“And I miss you,” her eyes caressed him.

“I know,” he frowned.  He bent close to her and whispered into her ear, “We will marry soon.  And then we can spend every night together.”

As his warm breath slid over her skin, she shivered.  And nodded.  She could barely wait to be with him again.  In that big bed of his.  With no restrictions preventing their contact with each other.  She truly desired Jijin.  And she knew he wanted her too.  She sighed.  How much longer would they have to wait?

––

Sook Myeong had seated herself on her bench to wait for her brother.  She lifted her face to the cheerful sun.  And wondered what it was so happy about.  She wished her heart felt as warm as the rays of that bright luminary.  But her future seemed so uncertain now.  And that cold wind of unease kept blowing over her.  Freezing her from within.

The snapping of a branch beneath someone’s foot reached her ears, and she froze.  Unsettled.  She spun around.  And sighed with relief as her eyes took in Jin Heung and a striking, young woman with unusually white hair and crystal, violet eyes. 

“Sook Myeong, this is my fiancé, Sookie,” Jin Heung began abruptly.

His sister’s eyes widened in shock.  “Your fiancé?” she queried faintly.  Shock rolling off of her in waves.

Hadn’t her brother still been nursing a broken heart over Ah Ro just a week ago?

How on earth had he gotten engaged to another woman in the meantime?

“Sookie, this is my sister, Sook Myeong,” Jijin smiled at his affianced bride.

She bent a sweet smile on the younger girl.  “Hello.  I’m Eun Sook.”  She giggled.  “Jijin is the only one who calls me Sookie.”

Jijin?

Sook Myeong stared in fascinated wonder at her brother.

“Sook Myeong, Sookie is the prince’s sister,” he continued by way of explanation. 

Maybe his sister would just assume that he was marrying Sookie due to the prince’s influence, saving Jin Heung from making any further explanations.

“You’re the prince’s sister?” Sook Myeong breathed in shock.  “You came with him?”  She didn’t wait for an answer.  But turned towards her brother.  “He arranged this marriage for you?  To encourage peace with Goguryeo?” 

Was the king of Goguryeo greedy?  He wanted her to marry the prince and her brother to marry their princess?

It made sense.  But she felt saddened for her brother’s sake.  Until she watched the way his eyes slid over the albino’s countenance.  Then Sook Myeong was struck by lightning.  Her brother was in love with this woman!

Jin Heung cleared his throat as he glanced at his sister.  “Not exactly.  I mean, yes, he did agree to our marriage, but it wasn’t his idea.  I asked Sookie to marry me before he agreed.”

“You what?” she breathed, startled.  She narrowed her eyes as she studied the two lovebirds.  It was just as obvious that the girl adored her brother as much as he loved her.  “You just met a few days ago, yet you asked her to marry you before discussing it with her brother?”

“Yes,” he breathed, still hoping that he didn’t have to explain Eun Sook’s earlier presence in his bedroom.  He was trying to shield her from criticism and rumors.  And he knew his sister was one tough cookie.

Still not understanding, Sook Myeong studied them for a few more moments.

“What your brother is too much of a gentleman to admit is that I occupied his rooms for two weeks before my brother arrived,” the girl informed her quietly.

“What?”  Sook Myeong could not absorb this information.

“Sookie!  That is only half the truth.”  His gaze flew to meet his sister’s.  “She is not my concubine,” he hastened to clarify the situation, enunciating the words clearly.  “She stayed with me to tell me stories so I could sleep.”

His sister glanced at the beautiful girl.  Sook Myeong bet Eun Sook had helped him to sleep, all right!  But…why the masquerade?  Unless…

She gasped.  “You’re making her your queen?” she queried in astonished enlightenment.

He nodded.  “But, Sook Myeong, she is every bit the innocent maiden you are.”

“What makes you think I’m an innocent maiden?” some imp prompted her to retort.

His midnight eyebrows suddenly quirked upwards in shock.  “Sook Myeong!  Don’t soil your reputation with such nonsense!” he rebuked her.

“Why?  Because then you couldn’t barter me off to Goguryeo?”

“What?” he gasped.

“The prince has already admitted that his brother wants us to marry.  I assume he’s discussed this with you?  And you approve?”

He squirmed under her glare.  But then he hardened his heart as he sighed.  “It is the way of the world, Sook Myeong.  You know it.  And the prince is a good man.  He’ll make you a good husband, I think.”

Her face crumpled.  “You do expect me to marry him, don’t you?” she shot back at him.  “Do I even get a say?  Or has all this time in the garden just been some elaborate ruse to fool me into thinking that he is truly attracted to me?  And not just to the power you wield?”

She didn’t wait for his answer.  She turned and fled for her bedchamber.  Leaving him alone with his beloved.

“Jijin,” came Eun Sook’s soft voice.  “You’re not truly going to force her to marry my brother, are you?  I mean if she doesn’t love him?”

“I think, my dear,” he responded as his eyes watched his sister’s departing back, “that it is far too late for that.  I think that the prince has already done it.”  He then uttered in absolute astonishment, “He has, somehow, managed to steal my sister’s heart.”  He paused.  “Or, at the very least, to ruffle her feathers.  She’s certainly not impervious to him.”