Part 1- The Funeral

Seven-year old Hye-ri had no idea why she was all of a sudden being dressed in mourning clothes. She could barely even pronounce the word "mourning" correctly. Her mother, brothers , father and all their household servants and maids were in those mourning clothes too.

Her brothers stood next to her father in their courtyard and she stood partially hidden behind her mother, clutching the material of her mother's traditional mourning dress in her small fist.

She had been told strictly by her mother to not "make any noise today" and "create any ruckus" as the overly pampered girl who was the youngest in her family usually did on fine mornings; she loved to play and run around her father's huge estate.

And even though Hye-ri wasn't a child who could stay still for even a second, her mother's stern and deadly serious face and tone was enough to make the girl scared of the consequences she would face or rather; her mother's harsh punishment that she would face if she dared not obey.

She was clueless as to what was happening around her that day; clueless of the fact that that day would prove a turning point in the lives of all who lived in Goryeo; as young children often are.

She was frankly getting bored standing there doing nothing, so much that she was itching to run around and play.

What is happening? - little Hye-ri couldn't comprehend why they were all looking so down on such a fine morning.

She knew vaguely about the concept of death. She could see that something big had happened from the expressions of the adults; that much she could discern. But she didn't know that who had died and what that meant for the people of Goryeo, especially the Kim clan. She had tried to ask the maids about what this was all about but hadn't gotten an answer.

"We should get going now to pay our respects my lord." Her father's most trusted and loyal servant who stood a few steps behind her father told him and Minister Kim nodded solemnly.

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"Orabeoni, where are we going?" Hye-ri asked her second brother on the way.

"Hush, lower your volume Hye ri-ah! We...we are going to our Aunt's residence." Her brother replied in the most serious tone she had ever heard him use.

Kim Ji-hyuk; the second son of Minister Kim was in general a goofy kid, a year and a half older than Hye-ri. He always had a grin on his handsome face.

All the people in Kim household particularly the ladies and maids gushed over the handsome young Kim boys, who in Young-ja's opinion- "would soon break hearts all over the kingdom."

Young-ja was the children's caretaker and the one who managed all the maids and servants present in the household; and the scariest yet most powerful in the Kim household after Hye-ri's mother herself. The sixty-something old maid had served the family for years and had practically raised Hye-ri's father when his mother died early. She was strict though, overly so with the young Hye-ri; always rebuking her for her unladylike behavior when the latter would attempt to copy her brothers.

Anyways, Hye-ri could understand that whatever was happening was a very grave and serious matter indeed as even her favorite brother, who was also her partner-in-crime for pranks; wasn't being like his usual self.

She didn't ask any more questions for the rest of the way.

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Little Hye-ri had been to her Aunt's place before. She liked visiting her aunt, Queen Jisoo.

Hye-ri loved visiting the Queen's palace with her mother because her aunt would always smile at the little girl warmly and give her a present every time, they paid her a visit.

Of course, the yummy finger-licking tasty delicacies and sweets, all of which Hye-ri could stuff her face with to her heart's content, without the usual nagging of her mother or Young-ja was a reason too.

She would soon learn that her dear Aunt's only son and her first cousin died and they were on their way for his funeral.

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Queen Jisoo was the king's first wife, the Primary Royal Noble Consort and the mother of the late Prince Wang Eun, who had been next-in-line for the royal throne.

Late Crown Prince Wang Eun had been a couple of years older than his cousin Hye-ri and sick for as long as anyone could remember- he was born with a terminal illness so the chances of his survival for even a year or so had been very slim but he had surprised everyone by living on for thirteen years when it was said that he most probably couldn't even live through infancy.

However, he was a very wise and gentle soul; just like his mother. It was because of his natural amiable qualities that he was liked by all. Both his younger brothers; even though they were his half-siblings and the royal princes;highly respected him.

The three princes shared a close bond which was unheard or unseen among any of the previous royals.

Even the current King, their father had to come to power by a military coup against his supposedly 'corrupt' brother; even though no one would dare use such words in the presence of His Majesty for it would be considered treason to doubt His Majesty's actions, although those were done before he became the ruler and when he was just one of the royal princes.

Everyone pitied the poor Queen Mother's fate.

The 'miracle baby' that the Queen had at last managed to conceive after going through so many hardships and quite a few miscarriages was born a sickly pale boy, who could seldom leave his bed and quarters let alone the Imperial Palace.

Hye-ri hadn't seen him around much for this very reason-she had only met him a handful of times and that was because she had only seen him on days when he had been feeling relatively better and healthier; and those days themselves were very few. And now he had died.

It won't be a hyperbole to say that people of Goryeo literally worshiped the ground that the sweet and caring Queen Jisoo walked on- who; even after facing so many hardships; never failed to be benevolent towards others.

She loved children- especially the other princes and her niece and nephews; whom she treated as her own. She had a calming aura of hers which instantly made others feel better by merely a flash of her kind smile towards them.

The Queen was one of those few who are beautiful inside-out.

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Hye-ri's mother was consoling her sister-in-law, who just had a blank look on her face; her usual smile gone from her lips.

Hye-ri didn't quite know what to do so she stood behind her mother and was playing with her fingers; pretending that they were dolls.

The funeral rites would begin in an hour or so.

A few minutes passed with her mother trying her level best to console and murmur comforting words to offer solace and to try to soothe the pain of the Queen who didn't look like a royal queen anymore- her hair strands were all over her face, falling out of her impeccable royal hairdo and her eyes were unfocused and shone with unshed tears, which threatened to spill any moment but somehow didn't.

They say that seeing your child die before you, in front of your eyes is like experiencing something even worse and more painful than your own death itself.

It was as if a huge part of Queen Jisoo had died along with her son.

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A/N

Here are the meanings of some of the Korean words that I've and will use in the story :

Oraboeni- girls use this to address their older brother.

Hyeong/ Hyeongnim- boys use this to address their older brother.

Hope y'all liked the prologue.

Please vote and comment your feedback-I live for your constructive criticism.

Lots of love,

Milli