3rd Person POV

"SOYOUNG!" Master Lee said and fell asleep.

"Master Lee? MASTER LEE?!" Sian tried to wake him up but it was of no use.

Both Sian and Eunsang were shocked by master Lee's revelation.

"Eun, where is lord Cha?" Sian asked.

"My king, he is having dinner with the other ministers and royal guests at the banquet hall"

"Call him right now!"

Eunsang bowed and left the room to call lord Cha.

After about 10 minutes, Eunsang returned with lord Cha and saw Sian pacing around the room.

"Your Majesty, you asked for me- Oh my God! Is that blood on your royal clothes?" Lord Cha gasped.

Sian, "No it is just red wine-"

Lord Cha, "OH MY GOODNESS! WHAT HAPPENED TO MASTER LEE?!-"

"HE IS SLEEPING! NOW WOULD YOU CARE TO LISTEN TO ME OR SHALL I THROW YOU OUT OF THE TERRACE?!" Sian yelled.

"Apologies, your majesty." Lord Cha bowed.

"Where is your daughter-in-law?" Sian asked.

"I am sorry, your majesty...I haven't found her yet...all I know is that she fleed the capital with Jeongguk and Taehyun. I have asked my men to find her...once they do, they will slay her on spot-"

"NO! DO NOT KILL HER. Bring her to me...no one shall hurt her or I will have your head!!" Sian ordered.

Lord Cha was staring at Sian with confusion because the man who wanted Soyoung dead for all this while, was now ordering him not to hurt her.

"WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT? GO AND FIND HER IMMEDIATELY OR YOU WILL BE IN PLACE OF MASTER LEE NEXT TIME AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WILL BE THAT YOU WILL BE DEAD!" Sian yelled.

"Y-yes, your majesty." Lord Cha quickly bowed and left.

Sian, "Eun, send our best spies to all the directions and ask them to find lady Soyoung."

"But my king, it will be hard because none of them know how she looks," Eunsang said.

Sian, "She is educated, Eun...it won't be hard to find her. Ask our men to put every beautiful woman's knowledge to the test that they come across. I want her in the palace before the sun rises tomorrow...so you all have 1 day....and be very careful...the knights shouldn't become aware of this."

"Yes, my king!" Eunsang bowed and left.

.........................................

Next day,

Soyoung's POV

I woke up suddenly because someone was hugging me. As I opened my eyes, I saw it was Jeongguk. He had his arms wrapped around my waist. At first, I was surprised and was about to shove him aside but then I noticed how peacefully he was sleeping. Jeongguk got his mother back and now he is so happy....probably he is sleeping so peacefully after ages...I shall not disturb him but he was looking like a baby in his sleep so I got the urge to caress his cheeks.

As I gently caressed his left cheek with my right hand, he opened his eyes and I got scared, "Y-you were awake?" I shoved him aside and sat up on the bed.

He yawned and stretched, "No I wasn't but you know...we warriors are light sleepers hence your actions woke me up."

I rolled my eyes, "Why did you come to my side? And where is the baggage?"

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"Oh good morning! You both are awake?!" Taehyun came in holding the baggage.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Where were you and why did you take the baggage with you?"

"I went to take a bath and I didn't want to rummage through the baggage for my things and wake you both up so I took it with me.....but why are you asking? did something happen?" Taehyun explained.

"No nothing happened!" I grabbed the baggage from Taehyun and glared at Jeongguk before leaving, "HUH!"

I could hear Jeongguk giggling.

3rd Person POV

Taehyun scratched the back of his head in confusion, "How weird!"

He turned towards Jeongguk and said, "It is your day with her....you should get ready."

Jeongguk quickly got up, "Yes hyung!"

After both Soyoung and Jeongguk had a bath and all three of them had their breakfast, Jeongguk took Soyoung out.

Soyoung's POV

As we were walking together, Jeongguk said, "You know...sometimes I feel like you don't love me like you love hyungs." 

I looked at him, "What makes you feel that?"

Jeonnguk, "Like...you don't kiss me or hug me....or hold hands with me...sometimes you make me feel that touching me is a great sin for you."

"See....this is why I get mad at you!" I grabbed his arm, "Happy?"

He smiled and nodded.

I rolled my eyes, "Emotional blackmail."

He laughed at my words.

"Where are we going, Jeongguk?" I asked.

"There..." He pointed at the garden at a distance, "Want to race? If I reach there first, you will have to kiss me, and if you reach there first, I will do anything you want." He smirked, "Agree?"

As soon as I nodded, he ran away. I couldn't help but giggle at his actions.

When he reached the garden, he realized that I didn't even take part in the race. He looked confused but waited patiently as I walked toward him at my own pace. Hardly did I reach the garden, when I stood on my toes to grab his collars and pull him in for a kiss. His eyes widened and he quickly kissed back.

"What was that?" He asked.

"The thing you wanted since forever?!" I said.

"Did you just deliberately lose to kiss me?!" He asked with a teasing smirk.

"No...I lost because I didn't want you to blackmail me emotionally again." I replied with the same teasing smile.

He giggled and asked, "Ok but if you would have won, then what would you have asked?!"

"I would have asked you to carry me around for the whole day-"

I didn't even finish my sentence when he picked me up in bridal style. Even though his arms were as strong as iron, I still wrapped my arms around his neck to prevent myself from falling.

I was surprised as I stared into his eyes.

"You were saying something?" He asked.

"I..uh...I wanted you to carry me for the whole day and never put me down on the ground even for a moment."

"Accepted!" He smirked and stared into my soul. I couldn't help but blush as his doe eyes stared at me with love.

He carried me to a swing made of wood and ropes and put me there. The swing was large enough to fit two people...so after I had settled down, he sat next to me.

"This doesn't count as putting you down on the ground...does it?" He asked.

I shook my head no while still blushing.

He smiled and put his left hand behind me to hold the left rope of the swing, with his right hand he held the other rope and started swinging. I hugged him to have balance and rested my head on his shoulder.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment. The cool breeze brought the scent of various flowers with it and made the environment peaceful.

"I wish our life would be so peaceful!" I said.

"I wish so too..." He sighed, "But I know...if not now, at least someday it would be peaceful...."

"Jeongguk brother!!"

I opened my eyes and saw Seojun coming towards us with a basket of flowers.

"Seojun?" Jeongguk stopped the swing and asked.

"Yes, it is me, my handsome brother! I saw how lovely you both were looking so I came here to ask would you like some flowers for your lady?" He asked, "I am taking them to the market but I shall give them to you for free because their beauty is nothing compared to milady's."

Jeongguk frowned, "I shall take some flowers only if you promise that you will stop flirting with her."

I giggled and Seojun replied, "Brother, it is my nature to flirt with everyone...but don't worry...I am born as an eunuch."

Jeongguk was shocked and speechless, "Oh...I...umm...I am sorry..."

"Don't be, brother..." He smiled to ease the awkward environment.

Jeongguk looked at the basket and said, "Give me those carnations."

Seojun gave Jeongguk all the carnations he had. Jeongguk jumped down off the swing and plucked some grass from the ground to tie the carnations together in a pretty bouquet. He got down on one knee and gave me the flowers, "Will you accept my love?"

I bit my lower lip and accepted the flowers.

Jeongguk smiled widely and said, "Since carnations symbolize love and protection, I vow to love and protect you always for I consider myself your 1st husband and it is I because of whom you ended up with the 7 of us...hence I believe my responsibilities towards you are more than the others."

"Jeongguk...it was never your fault...it was mine but I want to say that I love you so much and thank you for everything...." I bend down to hug him.

Seojun sniffed, "May God bless you all with happiness and love..."

"Seojun, could you give me those yellow lilies?!" I asked and Seojun immediately gave me all the yellow lilies he had and said, "You both enjoy...I shall take my leave now..." He bowed and left.

I used some grass and twigs to make a crown with those yellow lilies and Jeongguk watched me.

"There you go...." I placed the crown on his head, "Wow...you look like a prince."

He smiled brightly.

"Since these yellow lilies signify happiness, I wish that you are always happy..." I kissed his cheek, "I love you...I love it when you smile."

He gave me a shy smile, "If you are with me, I will always be happy..." He stared into my eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "Don't you think this swing is becoming a little boring? Want to try a different swing?"

"A different swing?" I asked and he picked me up and swing me around.

"This swing! Do you like it?" He asked and I laughed and wrapped my arms around him.

We spent the rest of the day in the garden peacefully by taking strolls, talking about random things, eating fruits, and playing around. Later, in the evening, we met second mother-in-law in the garden and went back home with her.

.....................................

3rd person POV

"So you are telling me that the two youngest knights left the capital with one of their distant cousins?" Eunsang asked the guards of the capital entrance.

"Yes, sir! And they had a permission letter from sir Jin where it was mentioned that sir Jin is suspecting revolt near the borders, hence he appointed the three young men to investigate," one of the guards explained

Eunsang rubbed his temples and thought to himself, "This kingdom is surrounded by the Eastern mountains in the east, Mount Ether in the North, and the Southern sea in the south. They wouldn't have gone to the Eastern mountains because Lord Cha was there for vacation...Mount Ether is a supernatural and eerie mountain, hence they must not have gone there.....The Southern sea is out of this list because of the royal wedding, the boatsmen are not working and without them, they wouldn't be able to cross the sea...."

"Go towards the west and search every village in the outskirts...Find the most beautiful women and put their knowledge to the test....if you find a woman who seems witty and knowledgeable, bring her to the palace immediately but make sure not to hurt her. You must do this before the sun rises else his majesty will have your head," Eunsang explained and left for the palace.

"We still didn't receive any good news from our spies...God knows how we will find her?!" Eunsang sighed.

As soon as he entered Sian's room, he asked, "Any news?"

Eunsang slowly shook his head no, "Let us wait till dawn!"

Sian paced around the room throughout the night while Eunsang checked with the guards if they found anything.

On the other hand, the king's men would go to every village situated on the outskirts of the capital and would drag beautiful women out of their houses and ask them to read and write while their family members would be held captive. After none of them would succeed to do so, they would be released.

The long sleepless night went by and the sun rays entered through the window of Sian's room and still they couldn't find Soyoung.

"Eun!!" Sian called Eunsang while looking at the sunrise.

"Yes, my king?!" Eunsang came near.

"Today is the wedding and coronation ceremony, right?" He asked.

"Unfortunately yes, my king! And it will be followed by a grand masquerade ball" Eunsang confirmed.

"Do one thing....prepone the masquerade ball and at the end of the ball, the queen will be coronated," Sian said.

"But we are yet to find the queen."

"We won't find her...she will find us! There is only one way now!" Sian clenched his fists, "Send each of the seven knights to the borders to fight with the barbarians."

"But, my king...the barbarians are ruthless...the knights might get killed," Eunsang said.

"Yes...and that is why I need them to go there so that lady Soyoung gets threatened and comes here to beg for their lives. Also, capture lord Seo and whoever you find in Seo mansion....she shall come here to save their lives," Sian smirked.

__________________________________________________________________

A/N

Any guesses what's gonna happen?! 🌝