Suk-bin holds the last note Seol Im wrote and once more, she feels like shedding hot tears but she controls herself. "Lady Nam." She calls.
"Yes your majesty." Lady Nam answers with a bow.
"Put this paper into one of the finest envelopes for me, I will like to take very good care of it." Suk-bin whispers.
"Your majesty, taking this with you will do nothing but remind you of the horrible incident and keep hurting you." Lady Yu nags.
"Yes." Suk-bin nods. "I want to be always reminded of those terrible incidents every day, so that I can also feel her pain too."
"Your majesty." Lady kim calls sobbing.
"Cry no more!" She orders. "I will make sure I punish Gwang Jae for this no matter what." She stretches her hand again to lady Nam holding the paper. "Put it in one of the finest envelopes for me."
"Yes." Lady Nam collects the paper and walks to carry out the orders she had been given earlier.
"Seol Im would be so lonely, right now as she is." Suk-bin whispers sadly.
"I really do miss her." Lady Kim says sobbing.
"Lady Kim! What are you doing in front of her majesty? Wipe off those tears right now!" Lady Yu orders.
Lady Nam walks back in, holding a very nice envelope with lovely designs. "Here you go, your majesty." She says giving the envelope to Suk-bin.
"Thank you." Suk-bin whispers as she collects the envelope. "As you all know, the prince will be getting married soon. I can't handle all the marriage process alone, I will need your help on some things."
"We Will be at your service, your majesty." The women says and bows.
"Alright, I will see you all soon." Suk-bin stands and walks out holding Seol Im last words with her. "Seol Im, I am so sorry I couldn't protect you from that monster, please forgive me and Rest In Peace." She whispers in her mind.
"Your majesty." Lady Baek calls walking closer to her madam leaving the remaining attendants behind. "What happened to you? is everything okay?" She asks observing her madam's very pale face which was like that some minutes ago.
Suk-bin hands over the envelope to her for her to read the contents. "You should read this too."
Lady Baek can't believe her eyes with what she is reading, her mouth goes agape and her eyes wide open in shock. "Your ma-ma-majes-majesty." She calls stuttering. "Please tell me what I read just now isn't true."
"Seol Im is dead, the prince's childhood friend is dead." Suk-bin whispers trying to fight back her tears.
"When did this happen?" Lady Baek asks already sobbing too.
"Last night I guess." Suk bin sighs. "I need to see the queen, her majesty. It is very important."
"I don't think you should go there now with this mood your majesty, please let's go back to your chambers and think of how to break the news to the prince." Lady Baek suggests.
"Lady Baek!" Suk-bin calls already breaking down. "How do you think I can tell the prince that his child hood friend died because his brother sexually assaulted and harassed her?" Suk-bin asks in tears.
"Your majesty! Please stop crying."
"It is just too much for me to handle, I was so excited to come here because I knew she would be very happy to play a very big role in her friend's marriage procedure. But I didn't know she is no more." Suk-bin weeps bitterly.
***************
"Is my mom inside?" Prince Yeoning asks lady Baek.
"Yes, your highness." Lady Baek replies sadly.
"Is everything okay? Why do you look sad today?" The prince asks.
"I am fine, your highness." She pretends to be okay.
"Alright." Yeoning says and walks in to see his mother, but is very shocked to see his mom crying bitterly. "Mom!" He calls loudly and runs to her. "What is wrong with you? Why are you crying?"
"Yeoning." Suk-bin calls still in uncontrollable tears.
"What happened mom?" Yeoning asks again.
Suk-bin picks up the letter from her side and hands it to him. "Read it." She whispers.
The prince hurriedly collects the letter and reads the content hastily. He burst into a very bitter laughter after reading. "Mom, do you expect me to believe this?" He asks wiping off the drop of tears on his cheek. "Seol Im isn't dead, she will never take her own life, I know her, she is a strong lady."
"Yeoning." Suk-bin calls again still in tears.
"Mom, please stop crying." Now, the tears aren't dripping anymore, they are flowing off his eyes, but he wipes them off still not believing the fact that Seol Im is dead. "You are making me believe this is true."
"It is my son, your childhood friend is dead because of your brother."
"Where is Seol Im?" Prince Yeoning asks restlessly, he tries to stand but he keeps falling. "I want to study with her, isn't their exams coming up soon? I want to read with her."
"Yeoning!" Suk-bin tries to caution her son but she can't even manage to stop her own tears.
"Mom, please tell me this is not true." The prince whispers in tears looking at his mom hoping he would tell him it was just a prank. "Mom!" He calls loudly. "This isn't true right?"
"It is." Suk-bin replies quietly.
"No!" Yeoning retorts loudly. "I won't accept this, this can't be happening. I refuse to accept this." He holds his mom. "What happened to Seol Im? Where is she? I saw her days ago and she was fine."
"All of this happened because of your brother, he caused her to take her own life." Suk-bin sobs. "Now, the poor girl is laying dead somewhere, we can't even manage to give her a befitting burial."
Prince Yeoning let go of his mom's hand and the tears flowing down his cheeks suddenly gets hot, his childhood friend is gone!!!!!