???

"Rin."

I smile as the small, cloaked figure instantly whips around. I can see the annoyed face of my precious little sister as she angrily storms towards where I am, her bright silver eyes wide.

The silver eyes we shared.

She crosses her arms.

"Jungkook, I'm not doing this anymore."

"Why not?" I say, still smiling. "At least give me something first. How is he doing?"

"He's doing fine," She says, rolling her eyes. "You healed him completely that day. He's out training literally every single time."

Good.

I'd thought I'd missed some things on the day of the Hunt. I'd been interrupted by the Asura Princess.

Now Queen, wasn't she?

"And the Queen?" I ask. The moment I mention the newly-coronated Queen, Rin's lips twist into a frown. "How is she treating him still?"

"The Queen is the kindest person that I've ever seen." She says, putting her hands on her hips. "She treats him better than any Mistress does, and even to her servants. I don't want to spy on her for you anymore."

She pouts. "I feel like I'm betraying her trust."

And I'm surprised.

What kind of a woman was the Queen to make my feisty younger sister feel this way? Rin didn't give her trust easily. I would know— as the only person she'd given it to.

Until a week ago.

"It's not like I'm asking to do anything bad." I say softly. "You know how I—"

"I know." She says. "That's why I've done it for you until now. But it just feels kind of wrong. Your friend's in really, really good hands. So you have nothing to worry about."

"She cares for him a lot, Jungkook."

Then she shifts the hood over head deeper. And as she rapidly walks away, she looks back over her shoulder one last time. I hear her call softly.

"This is the last time!"

The Queen.

The more I hear about her, the more she pulls my interest. I'd never have thought she'd gain Rin's favor. Or Taehyung's, for that part. He was not someone to follow someone else this easily.

And with such loyalty.

I turn and fix my cloak over my own head.

I might need to pay her a visit sometime soon.

______________________________

SILIN

I feel the exact moment when Jimin sees the dark marks littered all across my throat and collarbone. I hear it— when the dress he holds for me slips out from his grip and crumples to the floor.

He stands completely still.

"Jimin," I say. "I'll need a different dress. One that'll completely cover all of this."

He doesn't speak for a while. But when he does, his voice is a compression of pure, white-hot fury. I smile softly at the fact that he doesn't even try to hide it.

I also appreciate how he doesn't mention it at all.

"I'll have it for you right away, my lady." He whispers. I murmur quiet gratitude.

"And please prepare some meat for Taehyung by twelve. He should be back in his room from practice."

He was probably exhausted, from being awake the entire night and having attended training right at seven in the morning. And exhaustion made his hunger worse.

"Of course."

"What time is the tea party today?"

"It's in forty minutes, Your Majesty." Jimin whispers. "Everything has been prepared for, and will take place in the Garden Room. Do you want me to stand by you?"

The Garden Room.

"It's alright," I say, giving him a smile. I knew that he was worried for me from last night. But I planned to use the humiliation I'd been forced to go through in a very useful way.

"I'll be fine by myself. And no one is absent?"

He nods.

Perfect.

All the noble ladies I'd invited to this party were each of their own hubs in the social scene. A little bit of hints and gestures dropped, and they would have the news spread to the most rural tips of the land.

To break Han, I needed to break his standing first.

________________________________

"Your Majesty!"

"Oh, please don't." I laugh daintily as all the ladies get up to curtsy at my entrance. I can literally tell all of them are vying for a chance to get my attention and favor— Asura was the most powerful Clan, after all. And they were all looking for opportunities for themselves and their husbands.

The first half hour of the tea party flows by with gossip and rumors. It's all dirty conversation— snappy jibes at how a married noble daughter slept with another man, or laughter at a renowned family who'd lost everything due to a fire.

It's women I'd never associate myself with, if I didn't need them to talk so much.

It's why I'd called them here, after all.

And finally, the topic I'd waited for comes up on the table.

"Your Majesty," One of the ladies begin, with a knowing smirk on her lips. "You must tell us a few details of how your first night went. It was yesterday, no?"

Several other women clap along. Questions flood the room.

"How is the King in the bedroom?"

"I saw the King from the distance— Sir Han from the Shilla Clan, is it not? He really is a fine piece of a man, if I do say so myself."

"Tell us, Queen!"

I place my teacup down with a soft clink. And the moment the women realize my eyes slowly glaze red with tears, they gasp. Several quickly ask me if I'm alright. Several others rush to offer me their personal handkerchiefs.

"No, no. I'm alright," I say, in the most pitiful voice I can. "It's just that— I truly thought Sir Han was a gentle, kind man. And you know that I'm still so young and naive."

I let a couple teardrops roll down my cheek.

"I was still mourning for my parents. So I hoped he'd go easy on me— I told him that I had no experience at all. And that I was still grieving."

The women murmur in agreement.

"But the moment I got into bed, he—"

I stop there, pausing dramatically. Tears fill my eyes. Several ladies gasp, and I purposely let some of the love marks that Han had forced on me last night to show. It's not too hard— that bastard had left plenty.

In a second, I have all of them on my side.

One of them murmur heatedly. "I didn't expect the King to act like such a— lustful, undignified man. And towards such a young Queen."

The whispers spread like fire.

The tears hide my smile.

"I'm sorry." I gasp, hastily getting to my feet. "Please— please don't speak of what I told you today. I don't want my husband to be known in such a way. He truly— truly is such a caring man."

I can feel their pitiful gazes.

Good.

"But I need to go. I'm so sorry for ending this early. Please enjoy the tea. Servants will bring more to you if you ask."

Even as I close the door, I hear the women's whisper grow in volume.

The tears instantly dry. I dust the front of my dress.

It really was this easy after all.

The tips of my heels click against the floor as I walk back down the corridor. My fingertips unconsciously brush against the groove of my neck, where the spots sting and hurt. I'd need to cover it up with foundation when I got back.

Suddenly I feel so tired. All I want to do is just collapse asleep in my bed and fall away from the world for just a couple hours.

So many things to deal with. So much whispering, thoughts hidden behind fake intentions.

I sigh.

I turn the corner.

I slam headfirst into a hard figure. I instantly stumble, my ankle slipping in the uncomfortably high heels I'd forced myself into. My hand instinctively latches around an arm. The neckline of my dress, which I'd already pulled down to touch my soft spots, is tugged down even lower until it reveals the curve of my shoulder and the top of my chest.

A familiar scent wisps over my throat.

I look straight into Taehyung.

His eyes are fixed down at my nape.