"What do you mean by my Chi energy is not bright enough?"
The man I assume and call doctor sighs and says "Kim Min Ho. You have always been a very frail little thing. That is why your parents doted on you very much. That is why you are not like other Men. You are fragile and should be treated as such, but for some reason, you're covered in bruises and sores and your life energy seems to be dwindling"
Dwindling?
"You have to explain" I say as he sighs.
"You are dying"
"Excuse me?"
He sighs again "You have just little blood in you, and have you even been eating? You are not just you anymore Kim Min Ho, you have a baby now. Is it His Majesty? Has he not been taking care of you?"
This day really could not get any worse.
It had started normally anyway, I woke up with Hwang next to me, a quilt over my body as she helped nurse any place that ached while Byul, who still had his mask on, oversaw everything.
He was surprisingly quiet except the look of anger was so obvious in his face that at a certain point, I had to reach out to him and hold him close as he says "He asked about the hair pin. I cannot believe you ended up giving the man a gift. He has been nothing but mean to you"
I had only smiled and told him that I was too weak to argue and he let it slide.
For a shocking fact, I was also unable to move well, without falling which seemed to make Hwang nearly burst out in tears as Byul hurriedly carried me to the bath.
Everything hurt and the warmth seemed to have magical power that helped flex the bones in my body that refused to calm down but I know I remained there for a while and possibly slept off before Byul woke me and took me out.
For breakfast, everything presented me was not what my baby wanted and I refused all, but for some reason, I wanted Byul to make my food which caused shock in the kitchen and a certain 'But Master! Men do not cook and you should not trust him too much! He is a mercenary!'
Byul had retorted with a simple 'Yet one of you tried poisoning him not so long ago'
And they shut up.
Hwang on the other hand said she'd be with Byul incase anything went wrong before I finally got to eat.
After sleeping again, I decided to take a walk through the garden, Byul right behind me as the scent of flowers and everything around calmed me down before I was roughly pushed to the floor and Byul was clashing swords with a masked man.
I stared in shock as they kept going before Byul slashed act his face, breaking the mask and sending him to the floor and pointing his sword at the man's neck.
But before any other thing could happen, I had passed out and now, here I am in my chambers with the Doctor who is saying I am dying?
"The Prince must..."
"No!"
His eyes widen at my outburst as I let out a groan and hold my head "Please no, don't tell him"
"But Master...."
"He is the Prince and you must understand that he is a very busy man you see. I... I do not want him with trivial issues as my health, that does not speak well on my duties as his bride does it, making him worry so" I say.
And I believe that if he does hear about this, the deal we had managed to have would go up in flames immediately.
The man shakes his head "You do not understand. You could die"
"But I won't, if you have not heard, I already did die before but here I am" I say with a wink "Is there... Is there anything I can do to..."
"Kim Min Ho!"
My parents burst into the room, Mother crying and Father mumbling something angrily under his breath as she hugs me and begins to kiss me around while the doctor looks me, as if to know whether he could tell them, but I shake my head.
When Hal abeoji had been sick, he had kept it from me, possibly because he believed he could have resolved everything before it became bad.
Though he never got better and I am the one that finds him nearly dead, getting hurt that he kept it from me, I finally realized that whatever he did, was for my sake which meant he cared.
And I believe whatever is wrong with me can be resolved.
I am sure of it.
I couldn't have just died, to die again, could I?
When the doctor is gone, Mother is staring at my arms, letting out little squeaks of anguish as Father says "You have always had a trim figure, but now you are barely even having a figure"
I chuckle "You worry too much"
"Why shouldn't we?!"
Her snap makes me jerk as she says "Our Kim Min Ho, who has never had to suffer for anything in his life suddenly has bruises because of that... That man! And I should not worry? You think I do not know what he does to you?"
My eyes widen there as I say "I... I do not know what you're talking about"
"Do not play your Mother and Father for fools" Father says "The walls have ears and people gossip. He beats you, he hurts you, he rapes...."
"Enough"
They pause there as I try putting a smile on my face "You could get hung for treason if you keep talking like that. I can handle it, whatever that he does, because I know I have a responsibility now. If he tries taking you both away as punishment, I would be alone and I... I can't lose you both again"
"No, no Min Ho" Mother says as she holds my hand "You have never lost it and never will"
But I have, in my other life, I have.
It is nice to know that I have people I can run to... I don't want to lose it.
"And you cannot shoulder everything on your own" Father says "That is why we still exist. I and Hwang, we.. we are still alive for you, do not die for us. We love you Min Ho. You are not alone"
You are not alone...
I feel the tears coming down but I quickly laugh, brushing my away "This baby makes me so emotional this days"
For the first time, a small smile breaks on his face as he stares at my belly "I sometimes imagine how he would look. I hope he looks like you, we do not want someone looking like something that just crawled out of hell with red hair would we?"
I laugh "Father"
"Kim Byul Ho is right" She says "You are very beautiful, and your child would be too as well"
Kim Byul Ho and Hwang...
Is it not funny they both near the names of my personal maid and my bodyguard?
I chuckle there at the irony of it before Byul enters the room, pausing before saying "Master. You... You are okay"
I smile "As always. That man you caught, is he still alive?"
"Master, you just woke up, I believe you should..."
I stand up "I am fine thanks to you, so do not worry too much"
I turn to my parents who are still seated and bow to them "Thank you, Eomma and Appa. I shall take my leave now.... And... And send a message to Tae Hyun, ask if... Ask him if everything that happened yesterday was just a distraction for Chan Yeol"
Mother stares at me with a look in her eyes as she says "What... What happened yesterday Min Ho?"
I only smile "Just tell him. He would understand. Goodbye Mother"
And I walk away from the room.