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She’d waited all day for him to return.  She’d busied herself writing her stories out on parchment.  She’d actually enjoyed her time alone.  Her imagination had been full of light, and the most wonderful tales had flowed through her fingertips into her pen and out onto the sheet now lovingly stroked repeatedly with black ink.  She stared down at it with immense satisfaction.  Nothing made her happier than writing.  It was truly a gift.  A wonderful gift.

He didn’t come to her until well after the sun had set.  Through the window in his bedroom, she could see the beautiful moon rising high in the dark indigo, velvet sky.  Casting its magnificent light down upon the earth.  Illuminating the darkness with hope.  She never felt as alone when she was staring up at that bright disk.  It reminded her that light was always shining somewhere.  Even if she couldn’t see it.  Tonight, she was enjoying its reflection in the face of that glowing globe.

As he entered his chamber a few minutes later, he approached her carrying some ornate crimson and pristine white fabric.  It was embroidered with pure gold.  He laid it out across his bed and glanced up at her.

“I’ve brought you a gift.”

She gazed in awe at the white underdress and the red overdress and frowned.  “These are royal robes.  You expect me to wear these?”

She stared up in shock at Jijin.  What was he thinking?  She was not a princess in this kingdom.  

He nodded.  “I do.”

“But I am not a sacred bone of Silla.”  Her quiet answer filled his ears.

“I care not.  You are the only reason I’ve slept well this past week.  You deserve to be decked in beauty.”  He smiled sweetly at her. “I have another gift for you too.”

He held his hand out.  Two intricately designed, golden hair combs glimmered in his palm.  She gasped.  She had seen only one other set of combs this lovely in all the time during which she’d walked the earth.

“Wear these too,” he whispered gruffly.

She shook her head.  “It’s too much.”  

Anyone seeing her adorned in this garb and with these ornaments was certain to believe she was his concubine.  Such extravagant clothes and accessories would seem to be irrefutable proof of her importance to this mysterious man.  Feeling decidedly uncomfortable, she turned her back on him and wandered over to the window.  She drew back the shade and stared up at the moon again.  And wished that she’d never been forced to leave her home.

A moment later, she heard his footfalls approaching her steadily.  He came to a standstill behind her.  She felt his fingers in her hair a few seconds later.  But she spun around abruptly as she realized what he was doing.  He had managed to secure one of the combs against her scalp near the middle part that was currently dividing one half of her snowy tresses from the remainder.

“What are you doing?” she rebuked him.

“I would have thought that was obvious.  I’m fixing your hair.”

“There wasn’t anything wrong with it,” she lied.  She hated that growth of hoary hair.

“You’re right.  But I thought the gold would look stunning against your gorgeous white hair.”  His eyes examined his handiwork before he continued, “And I was right.”

He reached out and slipped the other comb into her hair near her left temple.  She tried to swing away from him, but his other arm slid around her waist and drew her firmly up against him.

“Stop fleeing from me,” he admonished her in a low tone as he pushed his fingers through her hair.  “It’s so beautiful,” he whispered as his eyes caressed those long locks.

“It is not,” she countered defiantly in a tiny voice.

“Stop that.  Stop putting yourself down. Just because you’re unique doesn’t mean that you’re not beautiful,” he murmured gently.  “Your oddity does, in fact, increase your allure.”

She sniffed and refused to meet his eyes.  Certain he was playing with her.  “What story shall I tell you tonight?” she queried after a few awkward moments.

He bent to whisper into her ear, “Why, more of the king’s saga, of course.  But first, put on the beautiful garments.”  He glanced at them.  “Do you need help?”

Her heart stopped and then began to accelerate with alarming speed.

As her eyebrows smacked her hairline in dismay, he clarified, “From a maid.”

She was loath to admit it, but if he wanted her to wear those ridiculous robes, then she was going to require assistance.  So she finally gave in to him and nodded.  He released her and went in search of a maid.  A few minutes later, one joined her in her private room.  Where a steaming bath had already been drawn for her.

“Miss, I will help you bathe.”

“No,” came her crisp voice, “you will not.  I do not require your assistance to bathe.  Only to dress.  You will wait outside my chamber while I bathe.  When I’m finished, I will alert you, and you can assist me with my robes.”

Wide-eyed, the young girl bobbed her head before fleeing from the room.

When she’d finished bathing, the storyteller allowed the servant girl to help her don the royal robes.  Eun Sook’s eyes slid along the costly fabric.  The rich red and glowing white of those garments was so resplendent that the robes nearly shone.  As though containing a hidden light.  Their gold embroidery was stunning.  Clearly advertising that these were clothes worn by royalty.  Kings and queen, princes and princesses wore such extravagant robes.  This she well knew.  So why had her benefactor bequeathed them to her?

The luxurious satiny touch of those robes enveloped her, caressing her skin with delight.  No more was she wearing the rough cotton of laborers.  She was going to lie down tonight in opulent comfort.