Imagine my joy when i woke up to my husband, Seo Hwi sitting right next to my bed and stroking my hair with a subtle scent of the fresh fruit that he had managed to buy for me after this weeks-long investigation of the brothel that we have been thrown into with his sister for the Third Prince. I had missed him dearly, and I wasn't the only one. But he was skinnier now, he had lost so much weight with fear and worry for his precious sister and he had started growing visible grey hairs when he had just entered this 30's. His hands were rough with blisters and scars and desperately needed to bathe. But I was just so happy to see him that I couldn't help myself but to throw myself at him from the moment I saw him there besides me and I jus buried myself into him for a while before he had to push me away so that he could breathe again. I had been taken in by the gracious Hwa-Wol and her husband as well as their precious daughter whom I couldn't take my eyes off of. In a world where males dominated and females were seen as nothing more than burdens, nobody talked about the beauty of watching a little girl grow up into an elegant woman with the potential to change a man's world…
"Did you miss me that much, wife?" "You have no idea husband, especially when you left me with your rather reckless best friend. I am glad that you have older fiends like Chief Park and Moon-Bok." "He is a little crazy, isn't he?" "Husband, I really do have so much to tell you…but let us have you bathe first. And what do you want to eat? What shall i make for you?" "I bought us some beef. I would like to take you our for a meal, but I need to catch up on some sleep. You can get a bath ready for me later. Did Seon-Ho treat you well? he wasn't an asshole to you, right?" "He was as pleasant as he could be, he told me that I reminded him a lot of your sister, so we was…tamed, at least." "Tell me all about it once I wake up." I managed to get a kiss or 2 out f him before I took off his shoes and outer robes and he fell asleep within seconds. My poor hard-working husband must have been exhausted, especially now that he was 2 women in his life to care for and worry over. I wanted to be more involved in his friend's household after everything that they have done for me, and since I had a surprise for my husband, i could only go to Hwa-Wol and ask her to invite more of my husband's friends and a small group his father's followers so I could finally host my banquet and announce this news to everyone who is expecting the Seo clan to grow.
I had just started with all of the preparations alongside Hwa-Wol and Chief Park's woman when the memories of the Young Master Nam kept drifting in and out of my mind. He was a very handsome man indeed, but he was deeply disturbed and reckless, just as his lover had become in his absence. He was a lone wolf who had been so isolated that it was easy for him to twist ideas in his mind and misconstrue signals that he was given. I had told him everything about what Yeon had been through in the brothel for my sake - expect for the beatings and torture that she endured, simply because, well…I was a little afraid of him, to be honest. He already looked like he was restraining himself in front of me with what i had already told him, and i knew he was more upset that it was coming from myself rather than her. And with what my sister-in-law told me about his past, it was very easy for him to build up grudges, but not in the way that everyone else thought of. His rage, his love, his hope, his future, his desires, his passions…he had built them all against a single woman who had her own grudges, her own pain and her own path to walk on that didn't necessarily stray from his as much as he thought that it would. But it was no wonder why Yeon couldn't indulge her secrets to him, and it was no wonder why her pain had turned to anger in the brothel. She was so adamant on not being touched by anyone that it frightened her deeply, and when day turned into night and she was alone in bed…he had marked her with her touch and she had made such an imprint on him that he couldn't see anyone in his world apart from her…but it could all go wrong if they kept secret from each other, no matter how painful it could be to hear them all…
"Young Mistress? Your husband is calling for you to fill up his bath for him." "Very well, please keep an eye on the meat for me." Hwa-Wol and Moon-Bok lived in a moderate sized yangban with plenty of servant, unlike myself and my husband, especially after the experience that we just had with ours. So I couldn't help but to run to my man in case one of the servant girls tried to serve him before I could get to him, only for him to pull me by the arm and drag me right against his chest from the moment that we were alone.
"Husband! What are you…!" "Sshh, stay still for a moment wife, do you have any idea how much i have missed you?" "Husband! We are in somebody else's home! We cannot just…." "A few of the maids here have been more than helpful to me already, I will just…" I had my hands wrapped around him and my lips upon his before he could even finish that sentence; we were still in the newly-wed phase and I couldn't be more grateful for this. My body seemed to have missed him as much as my heart and soul did and before I knew it, I almost ended up bathing with him if it wasn't for the fact that one of the servants had called for me to remind me that I had to tend to the food in the kitchen whilst the other ladies tended to everything else. "Damn these servants!" "Husband, I also miss you terribly, but it will have to wait until…" "I want you now, wife!" "And i want you as well, but i cannot touch you without giving you the gift that i have prepared for you, which will be after our small banquet tonight." "Give it to me now, along with…" "Husband! I shall give it to you in front of everyone tonight…." "Damn this, i shall get you some servants soon so i can have you when i want you and…" "Get me a few girls from Ihwaru." "Are you being serious?" "This is what your sister stand for, getting the girls into a different skill set so that they can support themselves. And bring me the ones who are closest to her and that you can trust husband. We should have a full household waiting for your sister by the time that she arrives home." "So you are willing to house her if need be?" "Always, I wouldn't have you if it wasn't for her." "Thank you wife, i deeply appreciate that. So what present do you heave for me?" "Nice try husband; hurry up and get dressed so you can greet your guests at the entrance of the front courtyard. Everything shall be revealed as soon as we have dessert." "Make it extra sweet, just for me."
The day went without any problems at all and soon we had almost half of the capital attend our banquet with many officials who were present, mainly those who were vying to join in the investigation of the century so far. What was more appealing than noble and palace girls being sold into a brothel run by a very jealous Princess Consort? And her own sister minting fake coins for the new dynasty that was slowly approaching us as well has having a handful of her aids that she was sleeping with killed by her own sister in return? To the eyes of many, Seo Hwi had also become a rising star in the palace as he was the man that the most infamously paranoid Prince trusted, although he was not quite on the same level as his best friend, which suited me fine. After everything that i had been through thanks to the Third Princess Consort, I wanted my family and now new loved ones as far away from the palace itself and anything to do with those Royal Family members.
Although i had been a little intimidated by his best friend, I was still thankful for his care towards me, and more especially so with the parting present that he gave me when i retuned home with Hwa-Wol in the carriage. It really was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen with pastel colours to match my skin tone. I didn't quite have him down as a man who knew woman's taste like this, but I was still grateful nonetheless. Nam Seon-Ho wasn't typically a man who could show affection well, but he did the best that he could through gifts and if this is what worked for him, then so be it. And if Seo Hwi and everyone else around me cherished him in their own ways, then i would as well. "You look beautiful, wife." "He also sent you some robes as well, he complained to me non-stop abut your dull fashion sense." "Damn him, i went from being a blacksmith to a soldier to a…well, i do not even know what I am to the Third Prince, when have i had the chance to worry about my clothing?" "You are a rising star now husband, and image matters now." "Is this an excuse to take all of my money and shop for a new wardrobe?" "Why spend money on clothes when you have your sister's business in your hands? I can imagine that she will want to see a new business set up for the family, which you can do with as many brothel girls who are seeking a way out and they are willing to learn…" "You are a genius, wife. I shall get on that when I recruit new slaves in the morning." "Are we going to go back to our home in the other village? I would really much rather live as close to your friends as possible, husband, especially when you are out there working and i am left all alone." "I feel the same way wife, but there is nothing that we can do until the Third Prince is taken down."
"Let us get the same sized home as this one husband, with plenty of space in the front and back courtyard with fresh grass and…." "Goodness gracious wife, you really have given this some thought, haven't you?" "I had some time when i was left alone with your best friend to think about it…." "How comes? Isn't a small home enough for us both?" "It is good enough for us both, but it won't just be the 2 of us anymore now husband." "What do you mean?" "I want a medium sized home with plenty of room for our children to run around in." "Children? Well, i guess we will…." "Not will, we are husband. This is the gift I wanted to give to you. I am pregnant my love; the Seo clan is growing, because I am carrying your son in my womb this very minute."
The look on his face was enough to make me burst into tears as i threw my arms around him again and i practically buried by head into his neck as I waited for him to say something, anything about this good news and it seemed like a century has passed by until I finally got a response from him. "Are you…are you sure?" "I am hormonal, I always crave sour food and i cannot wait for you to come home every single night so i can have you to myself, and i mean that in the most literal way." "So it is a son? You are positive?" "I asked Moon-Bok to check me out himself as soon as i arrived here." I could tell that he was holding back tears since we still had guests to attend to, whereas i needed to re-apply my makeup. "Well? What do you think? How do you feel?" "My father…he would kill me if i didn't have any sons, my mother as well I think. I need sons to carry on my father's lineage I cannot wait, wife. Give me my sons, as many sons as you can give me. But for every son you give me, i want a daughter as well." "Yes, husband. I shall do as you say."