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4 month later.....

Spring time was a joyous period for the capital, a lot of businesses and houses were booming with joy. In the Royal Palace, Prince Taehyung would visit the princess every now and then to be with the his unborn child. "How are you doing now?" He walked in to his wife's chambers. She bowed lightly. "What are you doing? I have told you not to do this." He began to nag her for bowing to him. "My lord, I am fine."  She pulled a smile. He puffed to her response which pushed a chuckle from her highness. "Why are you standing?" He took hold of her right arm and slowly pushed her to her seat. "My lord-" His highness interrupted, "Shush." Placing a finger on her lips and continued. "This afternoon one of my friends is coming back from the northern kingdom. I really want you to meet him. He is a really good friend of mine." Her highness nodded politely understanding. "Along with him Junmyeon  will also be there." She nodded again. "So I want you there to announce our coming parenthood." his face presented a cheeky smile. This made her highness laugh seeing his cute face expressions and smile. "Yes, my lord." She laughed and his highness hugged her tight. 

"Ah." She winced. "Did the baby kick you again?" His tone expressed concern. "HMM." she hummed with a pout. He bent to her bulging stomach, "Baby, don't kick your mother. She is a good mother, so don't kick her always. Few more months and you will be in our hands and then we will play lots. Hmmm?" He said and caressed her tummy. A small chuckle escaped from her highness's lips.  She prayed for their happiness to last long and that God's blessings be always there on her family.

In the evening, just as his highness mentioned, his friends arrived. Prince Taehyung's eunuch navigated them to pavilion in the palace garden. Once the two of them seated, Prince Taehyung came from the other direction shouting, "You guys are here." He climbed the stairs, walking straight to his friends. They stood up and each gave a hug to Prince Taehyung. "Jihoon, how are you doing my friend?" His highness smiled widely at Jihoon with grabbing his shoulders. "I am fine, Crown Prince." He replied with a smile. His highness frowned at him, "Why are you being so formal?" 

"You are the crown prince now, so it is my duty to address you with respect than with mere friendship." Jihoon reasoned. "No. You are my friend before I became the crown prince so you don't have to address me as such." His highness commented. Jihoon bowed his head with a smile. His highness turned to his servants, "Serve the tea and snacks, we have lots to talk about." He waved his hands. The three of them sat down and Junmyeon asked, "So how was north, Jihoon?" Jihoon looked at Junmyeon with a recollection, "Well, it is a beautiful place, there are a lot of scenery to see. Unlike the capital, it is very peaceful there without the rebels." He expressed his thoughts. "The two of you must visit the place sometime when you feel the need for a peaceful mind" He suggested. Both of his friends agreed interestingly. "So did you find any girl there in the northern kingdom?" He joked. For some reason the air around fell. He raised his eye brows not understanding the problem. With a nonchalant expression, he said "There are beautiful girls but none of my interest." Junmyeon accepted Jihoon's distaste in expressing his emotion on that matter. 

"By the way, when is the crowning ceremony?" Junmyeon turned to his highness. The teas being served, his highness took a sip of his tea before looking at Junmyeon. A sigh escaped his lips, "Not soon anymore. There seems to be another person who wants to acclaim the throne. So after recognizing each  of our skills, shall the successor be decided and held a crowning ceremony." His highness pointed, on which Jihoon wanted to ask a question, "Father mentioned a brief information about this matter. How is that man even related to the emperor? He is not a royal if I may say." "Yes, I don't quite understand why that guy is even seen as a potential for the throne." Junmyeon added. 

Prince Taehyung took some time before answering, "Honestly, Junmyeon you have to ask your father about this man." He turned to Junmyeon, he had a questioning expression for the prince. "Your father is one of the ministers who supports that insolent man." The wind fell again. Junmyeon could feel that Prince Taehyung was not happy with his father's involvement. "I did not know about this." Junmyeon reasoned. He felt disappointed for not learning about the matters taking place in the palace and not helping his friend. "As per the minister of justice, that man is one of the royals. He is the son of the princess from the western kingdom; Mahan and my father." Prince Taehyung said. "What?!" The two of them shrieked. "His majesty has another wife?" Junmyeon questioned. 

"I am not sure about it." Prince Taehyung averted their stares, "But because the child was born out of the wedlock so half of the council questions his legitimacy. There was no news about him until the minister of  justice decided to raise his existence in this matter." He sipped his tea. "No matter what, you will have our support, Prince." Jihoon assured him. "How must we be of your help, Prince?" Junmyeon chipped in. Right then his eunuch came and whispered, "Your highness, princess is coming." Prince Taehyung turned around to sight his beloved and there she was, walking slowly to the pavilion with her maids. "Push all the other matters aside." His highness said as he stood up from his seat. "I have wanted to tell the two of you about something." He said before running down the pavilion to his love. 

"Are your legs in pain?" His highness rushed to the princess. With a small chuckle she responded a small headshake. He smiled, "Come on, I will navigate the route." The men stood up when while they climbed the small flight of stairs. "Princess." The two men bow to them. They did see the baby bump yet they wanted to hear the news from the prince. Her highness as well returned the bow. "So." his highness's eyes move from the princess to his friends and with a wide smile, he said, "We are going to be parents." The two men couldn't believe their ears. Their eyes shot wide open with their lips slight apart. "You are going to be a father?" Junmyeon asked again. A big smile shining on his lips his highness gave a nod. "CONGRATULATIONS!!" Jihoon shrieked with happiness for his friend. "A prince is to be born." Junmyeon and Jihoon hugged each other in ecstasy. The couple could only laugh at their joy. 

"You should have said this earlier. I would brought some toys from the north for my nephew." Jihoon excitedly stated as he turned to look at the giggling couple. "Same. I would have brought some herbal medicines that were good for the baby and mother." Junmyeon happily said. "I wanted it to be a surprise." With a proud expression his highness smiled. "It is lovely meeting you sir." The princess wished Jihoon and Junmyeon. "It is a pleasure to meet you your highness." Jihoon professionally bowed. 

" I wish you great health and well being, my highness." Junmyeon professionally bowed as well. "Well then lets sit down and have lunch." Prince Taehyung said. Soon the food was served and the duo had a good talk with the couple. After the lunch, prince Taehyung excused himself to escort his beloved to her chambers for afternoon nap and would return to them. The men was chatting among themselves about the next heir and that's when Junmyeon mentioned the incident with Prince Jimin. "Prince Jimin was then sent to exile and Prince Taehyung was unconscious for almost a week." He ended his narration. All the while Jihoon could only think of you. Where were you in all this?

"Were there eunuchs and maids sent with Prince Jimin?" Jihoon asked him. "Well, I think only his lady in waiting was sent with him." Jihoon had a confused look. "That girl...... what was her name?........." Junmyeon was having difficulty in recollecting your name. "Was it Y/n?" Junmyeon snapped his fingers. "Yes." He continued," She was such a clueless person at times but then for a while I didn't visit the palace often before the prince got exiled so I never got to check her out." Jihoon looked at him vexed and Junmyeon could only ignore. "Why did you stop visiting?" Jihoon questioned with scrutinity. "Well," Junmyeon's lips gave hard pressed smile, "I got a person I adore." Jihoon was too surprised to hear that. "Was it that maid girl you always stalked around?" He asked with surprise in his voice. 

With a small smile he shyly nodded his head. "Oh my god! What have you done? Do you have any idea what you are putting yourself into?" Jihoon nearly shouted at him. "You know we can't love palace maids." He made him remember the rules of the land. "Yes. But I liked her since I saw her for the first time. I mean it is not my fault that the palace takes in beautiful maids." He shrugged. "Be careful what you do, if anyone finds out you will be done for." Jihoon warned him and the other nonchalantly agreed. And slowly like a sly fox Junmyeon changed the subject back to Prince Jimin. "Either way I don't understand why his majesty gave Jimin hyung the title of Prince. I mean he is not some even his majesty's king then why keep him in the palace." Jihoon rolled his eyes, "His father sacrificed his life for the king, so his majesty only took in the orphan as his. Why do you even care about him?" Junmyeon stretched his legs on the floor, "Well if he is given the title of Prince then shouldn't he also have claim to the throne?" He asked the other who gave a thought for it. 

"Though he is given the title of the prince but that doesn't mean he is related to the king. So I don't think he can have a claim." Junmyeon nodded sluggishly. Just then in their sight they saw some guards rushing to the pavilion. The duo exchanged a confused look before standing up. The guards climbed the pavilion and their head guard shouted, "Arrest them." Prince Taehyung's eunuch scrambled and ran out to get Prince Taehyung. "What are you doing?!" Jihoon shouted. "Why are we being arrested?! We are here to meet Prince Taehyung!" Junmyeon shouted. "Be quiet! The two of arrested for good reasons." Jihoon looked at Junmyeon who was trying very hard to let go of the guards' grip. "What are crime charges on us?!" Jihoon shouted as they were dragged from pavilion. 

At the very moment Prince Taehyung was nearing the pavilion when he saw his friends pushed and dragged by the royal guards. He rushed to the guards with his eunuch following him. His highness was able to obstruct the guards from the front. The guards stopped and bowed their heads. "How dare you arrest my friends? Who ordered you?!" He shouted at the guard showing his authority. "Your highness, the decree for their arrest was ordered by the his majesty." The chief reported him. "On what charges?" He questioned them. "For the murder of the royal maid; and the other for illicit affair with one of the royal maid." He answered. "What?!" the three friends were confused. "No, I didn't do it." The two cried out. 

Prince Taehyung was shocked to hear the charges. "Don't worry, I will help you." Prince Taehyung assured them and sprinted to meet his majesty. The two were thrown in the prison. Prince Taehyung went to his majesty's study room. "Announce." He ordered the his majesty's eunuch to announce his arrival. "His highness, Prince Taehyung is here." A voice came from the room allowing his presence. He walked and saw his father writing something on a paper. His majesty looked up from the letter, "Tell me, son." he smiled. Alas he did notice agitation on his son's face, "Your majesty, my friends are unfairly arrested and it was done under your command. Is it true?" His majesty put down his brush and sat up straight. "Yes. They were arrested under my command."

"But why father?" A frustration was underlying in that expression. His majesty with calm nature explained to him that two eye witness came forward with the allegations and that minister of personnel approached his majesty about the illegitimate relation of his son with a maid. The explanation didn't help prince Taehyung get a grip of what was happening instead it only made him get worse.

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Hey guys,

Another update. 

Hope you guys love it.

With love,

Anny.😘