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"𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐈 continue?" Soo-Won whined, whimpering as his arms strained against the weight of the open book he held straight out in front of him. "I can't read anymore, and I'm thirsty."
"Absolutely not, we haven't finished 'Ethics of A True King'. And keep on standing. This is an easy punishment, considering how tremendously painful your deception was." Sara sat comfortably on the sofa across from her husband, an identical book in her hands. "Start again from page 201, Chapter 13, Husband as Well as King."
"Will you really forgive me if I read all 600 of the pages?" Soo-Won asked, his eyes sparkling, a silent yet loud plea visible in the guilty orbs.
"I will forgive, but I will not forget. To reward you for your efforts, I will let you run around in the garden as I finish the paperwork. Now hurry and start." Sara said in reluctant amusement. "Go on."
So Soo-Won nodded eagerly and resumed his clear delivery of the traditional ethics, revised by Sara's old tutor, Master Ansa. The old man was an extremely wise and eloquent man, kind to her through the hardships she faced. What better way to honor his memory and passing, than to make her husband and king read the whole book aloud?
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When Soo-Won finally finished, Sara was nodding with every word she agreed with, while the man felt like he was going to faint. Although he was allowed to drink water, he had to remain standing.
"Have you reflected on your actions?" Sara said, looking sternly at her husband, who nodded desperately. "Words, darling."
"Y-yes ma'am." Soo-Won bit his lip until it was red, blushing furiously at the name the woman carelessly used.
"Good. Now run off and do some work. We've got an economy to fix."
The man pouted and quickly swooped down for a kiss, before obeying and walking out of the room to complete some headache inducing paperwork.
After he left, Sara walked towards the shelves, deep in thought.
To be honest, it was a bit concerning that Yona was at that town. It was a given that she would feel the need to save people, considering how naive and optimistic she was, but if talk of a band of people who looked dangerously like the famous fugitives of Kouka had done more than the sovereigns started, many complicated and dangerous problems could occur.
Sara bit her lip. Oh how she hated Yona. In general, she hated people like her sister, stupid and useless in the beginning and causing problems for everyone then suddenly starting to act differently. There was no place for people like her in Sara's plans, and the younger girl's irregular actions would only jeopardize everything. Especially the sudden quest for gathering the dragons...
A loud sigh filled the room. How was she supposed to smoothly reign, when there was a wild girl doing whatever she wanted on the loose? Where was the "girl who saved everyone", when Sara was getting whipped and beaten, when Sara was forced to do everything because Yona was out playing? Where was her sister then?
"Shit!" Sara yelled, throwing a book across the room. It bounced off one of the walls with a loud thunk, and fell back down.
Did she really have to be the villain, when her story was just beginning? She finally had control of her own life, finally had the throne she wanted. What she worked for. If Yona was simply gathering dragons for the sake of a quest, or for the sake of the kingdom, it would be beneficial, and Sara wouldn't mind just letting Yona do as she wanted. But if the unpredictable girl decided to come for the throne...
Sara groaned. The only dragon on her side was herself, and she was fated to die. She wasn't sure if Kouka could handle a civil war...
Luckily, all the brutal training and lessons she was forced to take were not for nothing. And they most certainly weren't taught to her so she could become the wife of a king.
They were hammered into her brain so that she could be a queen. And a goddamn mighty one at that.
