"Welcome to Blue House. Hope you enjoy your stay, gongju jaga..." the court maid dismissed herself after the convoy was settle in. Myung Yu turned her head towards Uk, who slowly skimmed the house with care.
"It's safe, Gisa Ahn... No need to check it through. I've staying here all the time during a visit," said Myung Yu, while smiling at him.
"Whose house it this?" asked Uk. He wanted to learn the system inside the palace so he won't mess up later.
"The Blue House once occupied by the Ki's twin sisters; Hwa Young and Hwa Sa. Their father, Lord Ki Tan is my father's cousin. That makes them my second cousin. During the unification after the war, my grandfather decided to give The North its independency. The relationship between the two countries got strengthen after Lord Ki decided to marry a North lady. From the marriage, they had these two princess," Myung Yu explained to Uk the history of the two countries.
"I only saw Hwa Sa. Where's the other one?" asked Uk. Myung Yu held a deep sigh. She sat on the chair, throwing her sight at a small garden behind the house.
"Hwa Young died last year. She had an illness after giving birth to Gongju Mi Rae and since then, she never recovered..."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Her husband must be having a hard time taking care of-," Uk stopped when he realized...
"Gongju? As... Hwa Young was..."
"Yes. Hwa Young was the previous sejabin. She was the wife of jeoha mama. They got married ten years ago. Hwa Young was just fifteen that time," Myung Yu smiled, remembering the sweet encounter between them.
"Jeoha mama fell for her during the celebration of his coronation. She was one among the sword dancer. I could still remember, how Mushim seja chasing us; me and Hwa Sa just to reach out to Hwa Young. Among all people that I know, jeoha mama is the only one who could differentiate Hwa Young with Hwa Sa. He never mixed them up, not for once. Hwa Young used to trick him by sending Hwa Sa for a date, but he always knew that's not Hwa Young," said Myung Yu.
Uk attentively listened to her story. It got into his mind the reason why Mu treated Hwa Sa like that before. No one in this world will accept any replacement of their mother, especially after only a year of the lost.
"So, from this marriage... Hwa Sa turns into a..."
Myung Yu took a deep breath. She sighed as she nodded softly at Uk.
"Whose idea is this?" Uk murmured by himself.
"A poor decision made by her own family. To ensure the lineage remain the same within the family," said Myung Yu. "I can't believe Hwa Sa agreed with it. I was asking her over and over again. But, she sticks with her answer," Myung Yu frowned as she looked at Uk.
"Gongju jaga... Gisa..."
As they were talking, a court maid came towards them in polite gesture.
"The Gold House has invited both of you for a dinner tonight," said the court maid.
"Where is Sejabin mama?" instead of starting to prepare for the dinner, Myung Yu questioning the court maid with Hwa Sa's being.
"Sejabin mama is preparing the house for the dinner party today..."
"Is that supposed to be a work of the host? I mean, wangbi mama must have her own court maids for that!" Myung Yu gradually questioning the workload given to Hwa Sa.
"I am sorry, gongju jaga... But, I know nothing about it–"
"Your job is to protect my cousin. But, right now, I think you just sell her off to the House of Gold!" the princess was starting to get angry. The rage was visible in her voice as she tilted her head and stared at that poor court maid.
"Forgive me, gongju! I.. I have no choice..."
"Gongju, I think it's unfair to channel your rage towards the wrong person. She just doing her job," Uk corrected the princess, looking at the court maid that slumped on the floor, dare not lifting her head, with sorrowful eyes.
Myung Yu glared at Uk, letting out a grunt before leaving the area into her room. A bunch of court maids pursue her from behind, ready to work for the dinner tonight.
***
The long dining table was set up at the pavilion next to the lake, in front of the Gold House. It was an outdoor dinner, something that was rare for the North Kingdom due to its cold weather. But, right now, it's almost summer, so the temperature wasn't that cold. Even the lake flow slowly and calm instead of stone cold icy slab.
The air seemed merry. Everyone was having a good food and a good conversation, except for Hwa Sa, who was sitting stiff, surrounding with the royal family left and right.
"You should taste the tea, gongju jaga. It's fresh brew," said Wangbi Yi. "Hwa Sa, pour some for your cousin..."
Myung Yu frowned when she heard how Wangbi Yi addressed her daughter-in-law. However, she refused to ask the grace, afraid that she might caused a drama in a formal event.
Hwa Sa slowly grabbed the tea pot and pour the tea into Myung Yu's cup. Her hand was a bit shaky, probably because the pot was hot.
"That's how you pour your tea, Hwa Sa?!"
Wangbi Yi's sharp voice made Hwa Sa accidentally slammed the tea pot on the table, causing some of the tea spill a bit at the sleeve of Myung Yu's hanbok.
"Cousin! I am sorry–"
"It's fine, manora jaga..." Myung Yu smiled at her as she pointed out her favorite court maid to bring her a handkerchief. The court maid gracefully walked towards Myung Yu and dabbed the soft cotton cloth onto the sleeves.
"Even a court maid is more gracious than you, Hwa Sa!" Wangbi Yi again scolded Hwa Sa. She hung her head low, unable to lift it for a second.
"Wangbi mama, my court maid should take care of me carefully, because I hire them. If she scratches my skin, I might punish her as well. That is necessary. But Hwa Sa isn't a maid, mama! She's a sejabin. You shouldn't–"
Hwa Sa grabbed Myung Yu by her forearm. She shook her head faintly, looking at the princess with a pair of sorrowful eyes.
"She should learn how to be a perfect sejabin. But so far, what I see is her being reckless and weak! How can she becomes a sejabin if she couldn't handle a simple thing, like pouring a tea?!"
Hwa Sa shrunk a bit next to Myung Yu. The princess instead, giving Wangbi Yi a sharp glare. The queen was lucky that they were at a formal party. Or else, Myung Yu probably ended up taught her some 'good lesson'. She took a deep breath, and while holding Hwa Sa's hand softly, she uttered some words.
"Being a sejabin doesn't mean she has to behave like a obedient dog. Even dog sometimes bite, wangbi mama."
Wangbi Yi gritted her teeth, glaring at Hwa Sa who took a shield behind Myung Yu. She said no more and continued enjoyed her meal in silence.
"You and I have so much to catch, cousin..." Myung Yu glared at Hwa Sa as the lady hung her head low and sobbed a bit.