Daeun POV

The day of the banquet quickly came and all the preparations I had made were finally taking shape.

"Are you sure you're ready for this? Aren't you nervous?" Jiyeon asked as we picked out the outfit I would wear.

I looked at her and nervously giggled "Of course I'm nervous. I've never had to do something like this before. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about running away right now."

Jiyeon giggled "I wouldn't mind if you ran away."

"What?" I looked at her in shock.

"Just as long as you ran to Sungyeol" she joked causing me to laugh and relax a bit. "You are going to be fine" she said as she placed her hands on my shoulder. "You really are the most beautiful Crown Princess" she smiled.

"Not as beautiful as you" I said as I stood to face her. "It takes a woman with a truly beautiful heart to be able to do what you did."

Silence fell between us and was only broken when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" I called out to them. "I'm almost finished" I continued as I sat down to put on the finishing touches.

Sungjong POV

I nervously entered the chambers. Even though Daeun said that it would be okay, I was still a little scared about the ghost.

As I was looking around the room, my eyes fell upon Daeun as she sat facing the vanity. I was so mesmerized because she really looked beautiful in her outfit. I hadn't realized I had been staring until she came over to me and said "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah" I nervously coughed. "You look beautiful" I blushed. "I'm sure Sungyeol would agree."

She blushed a little at my comment and said "Thanks."

"Shall we go?" I held my arm out to her.

"Thank you Sungjong" she started to choke up.

"For what?"

"I don't think I would be able to go through with all of this if you weren't here to support me."

I gave her a hug and said "I'm sorry I was so mean to you for all those years. I wish I could turn back time and change that. We could have been friends much sooner if I had only given you a chance. I kinda regret all the mean things I did to push you away. I'm really going to miss you."

She hugged me back "I'm going to miss you too."

I pulled away from her and placed a kiss on her forehead. Then I took her arm and wrapped it around mine. "We should go. We don't want to keep everyone waiting."

She smiled at me and nodded.

Hoya POV

While waiting for my son and Daeun to arrive, the banquet was buzzing with rumors. Apparently, everyone had heard about the expected visit from the monks and how they were going to be making some grand announcement at the banquet. There had also been rumors that Sungjong had left Jiae and was now seeing Daeun.

I was about to get the festivities under way when I heard Woohyun announce their arrival "His Royal Highness Crown Prince Sungjong and Honorary Crown Princess Daeun!"

Everyone turned to face them as they entered and we all were in for a shock. Murmurs quickly filled the space. "Oh my!" "Are they really together?" "Look at what she is wearing!" "How did she manage to get one of those dresses?" "Is he going to marry her?"

They slowly approached my wife and I and bowed gracefully. Then they turned and took their seats.

The courtyard was full of tension when I stood up and announced the start of the banquet. "Let the festivities begin!"

Gossip quickly consumed the courtyard. Everyone was comparing notes as to what they had heard and were trying desperately to figure out what was going on.

A few hours later, Woohyun announced the highly anticipated arrival of the temple monks "His Holiness Soryong and the temple monks!"

Everyone watched as the monks entered carrying a bunch of chests. As they approached, I rose from my seat to greet them. "Thank you for coming all this way, Your Holiness."

"It is my honor to be hear Jeonha" he bowed in reply.

"In your letter, you stated that you had an important announcement to make" I smiled.

"That is correct" he replied. "I've come to deliver a Royal Command from King Lee and Queen Jang."

Everyone in the courtyard was shocked. Thankfully, I wasn't totally taken aback because of my talks with Daeun. "We are honored" I bowed. Then I stepped aside to let him talk.

Daeun POV

"First, would Jang Daeun please come forward" head monk Soryong stated.

I took a calming breath before standing up and approaching him. "I am Jang Daeun" I announced myself confidently.

He bowed low to the ground before rising and saying "It has been our temple's honor to serve you."

The courtyard quickly filled with murmurs.

I acknowledged his sentiments and said "I want to thank you and all the monks of the temple for taking care of the orders you received over a thousand years ago. I assure you, it shall never be forgotten."

Soryong then opened one of the chests and produced a golden scroll. Everyone gaped in awe as he handed it to me. "With this, our duty has come to an end." Then he and the other monks bowed once more before leaving.

"What the hell is going on?" Queen Soojeong screamed as she rose from her seat. "Why would they pay respects to her and not their King?"

"Silence!" King Hoya shouted at her. Then he turned to me and said "I'm sorry Daeun."

I smiled "It's okay." I looked out at everyone and said "I know that most of you do not like me. In fact, many of you have gone so far as to try and harm me in the past." I chuckled a little. "You all think that my father was trying to use his friendship with the King in order to have me marry Sungjong, but that is not true. My father knew he was going to die so he asked the King to look after me because I would have no family after he was gone. That is the only reason our King has even paid any attention to me over the past eleven years."

I looked at King Hoya and smiled "Thank you for looking after me like a father to his daughter."

"It was my pleasure" the King teared up.

I held up the golden scroll for all to see "Lee Sungjong and Yoo Jiae! Come forward and receive the Royal Command!"