The Queen's Affection || Jungwon

25 - Don't Leave Me

- Jungwon PoV - 

"Your father has been quiet," Queen Yue says as we sit across from each other. 

I could say the same thing about her. Since the raid and the attack, she was no where to be found. It's not like I could have went out searching for her, but still...she left so quickly without a trace on where she went.

"I believe he's plotting something," she informs. "I need you to figure it out."

I exhale, "Operation end my father has begun."

She nods, "That suitor ceremony is going to happen soon. If he doesn't do anything now, I'm sure he'll do something then."

"I'll sneak into his study," I say. "I'll have Jongseong search through his office here-"

"He can't," she cuts me off. 

I furrow my eyebrows confused. Why can't he? Did something actually happen to him?

"He's being held in the dungeon," she informs.

"What!?" I shoot up but she pulls me back down.

"I have to go do something!" I tell her. "There's no reason for him to be there!"

"Councilor Yang gave Queen Dowager a reason," she explains. "She's set to believe he's behind the attacks towards Yeona."

"That's bull-"

"I know," she cuts me off. "Right now isn't the time to let our emotions take over us. We must take down the source, then we can be free."

"What if something happens to him in the meantime?" I question worried to death.

"He'll be fine," Queen Yue assures. "Yeona went down to the dungeon, so I'm sure she'll take care of it."

"Yeona? No, my father will try to do something to her again," I say standing up. "He can't touch her. Not on my watch."

She pulls me back down again, "That's another thing."

She sighs looking down as if she's preparing herself to tell me the worst. 

"You can't marry Yeona," she lays it on me. "I won't allow it."

"E-Excuse me?" I blink a few times shook at what she just told me.

I knew when we first met she didn't seem to like me. She basically told me that I was selfish...

"My daughter needs a man who's willing to be her equal, someone who actually wants change for this kingdom. Not a man who only wants what any other man wants," she says completely stern and emotionless.

I flinch from the fact that she thinks that I want to use Yeona for pleasures. That's not who I am at all, and that's not how Yeona is either. 

"With all due respect your highness, but I have to disagree with the way you think about me," I argue. "I love and respect your daughter, and I want nothing else but to make her happy."

"But do you want to become King?" She questions me.

"Once my father is out of the picture-"

"Do you want to become King?" she reiterates. "Whether your father is in the picture or not... because if you love my daughter as much as you say you do, you would stick by her side no matter what."

I stare at her for awhile, because my relationship with my father isn't easy to bury down. I spent my whole life chained up, following his every demand. 

A childhood? I'm not sure what that is. Teen life? As far as I know, I never lived it. 

Only till now I felt like I was living, and that was because of Yeona.