The Queen's Affection || Jungwon

2 - 21st Century Girl

10 years later

- Yeona PoV -

"Your highness!" I hear the court maids yell at my chambers.

I don't give them a care of mind because of this dreadful day. My birthday. Specifically... my 18th birthday...

I ignore them as I paint in my room and hum a sweet melody. I'm sure if I act invisible, I would simply not exist. Oh how I love to tell myself that.

I suddenly hear the doors to my chambers open and close.

Without looking, I know it's Court Lady Park, aka Sieun, probably looking constipated as always. I'm sure it's because of me.

Once I was brought to the palace, she was the court maid who didn't seem to know everything in the books. Clumsy and quiet paranoid I do say so myself. I chose her so that we can navigate this crazy world together.

She sits next to me as I continue to paint.

"Your highness, what are you doing? We must make it to the ceremony," she tells me.

"What ceremony?" I play dumb.

She sighs, "The ceremony to find your husband."

"I'm not sure about that Sieun," I tell her as I paint the stems to a dandelion.

She scoots closer to me, "You know what everybody says about you. They think you're..." she pauses. "Antisocial!"

I dramatically gasp, "Oh how god awful that is!"

She rolls her eyes, "Go out there and prove them wrong!"

"The funny thing is Sieun is that they're not. I am antisocial. I hate talking in front of people, to people... I would rather be locked away by myself!" I let out a small laugh.

"How are you going to find a husband if you are??" She questions.

"Aha! You have cracked the case!" I softly pat her head.

"Your highness!" She whines.

I groan as I put down my brush.

Why must I find a husband? Just because my stupid grandmother decided to make an agreement that I wasn't there for?! I did not sign up for this life!

"All I'm going to meet are power hungry men. Do you really wish for that?" I try to guilt-trip her.

I give her my big puppy eyes with a pouty lip. Usually she falls for it and doesn't bother me any longer.

"I will get Queen Dowager to come up here," she threatens with a smile.

Sometimes... Sieun is evil.

Queen Dowager... my parental grandmother... the evil soul who took me away from a near perfect life.

She haunts me everywhere I go with her over embellished dresses to hide that fact that she's the most wrinkliest person in all of Joseon.

That night... I would never forget it.

I swung my sword once and they knocked it out my hand within a blink. I was once so brave to think I could take on 20 grown men when I was mere child.

All the way to the palace, I cried feeling as though I disappointed my mom. Then the thought of her no longer being with me intensified my tears.

Till this day I don't know if she was actually killed, but I can only assume so.

When I saw my grandmother's face that day... I knew she would be my lifelong enemy.