Chapter 358 - Betrayed Heart-IV

Following them, Seoyeon arrived to where the Queen's room was, it was the throne room. The single chair that was placed at the head of the room that had always been seated by the proud woman now turn into the seat of fear.

The Queen was in horror, "What did you do?! Why! Why is my power not working?!" She turned to look at the yellow witch who was pushed on the ground, helpless. 

"Someone helped me with this. As I had expected you are not a human," said Min Hyuk and lightly he withdraw his sword from the scabbard.

"This is a treason against the Queen! Do you think the humans of our kingdom would obey to you when you become the next King. They would not obey to a vampire!" The Queen chuckled evilly. "You don't have what it takes to become a King. Release my hand and I should forgive you this once!" Demanded the Queen whose chin was tip high.

Min Hyuk stared at the Queen before chuckles spilled form his lips, "It appears that you don't understand your current situation yet, Queen. Or fallen Queen now I should call you, Gong YiSeok. Don't you remember what you have said before. People in the kingdom are similar to herd of sheep. Hey don't care who lead them they care only about whether they could live happily and fulfilling. For the Queen who cannot fulfill their need and instead chase her greed, do you believe they would obey you?"

"Since when have you been plotting against me? I shouldn't have trusted you even for a second," yelled the Queen in disbelief.

"I have planned to kill you since three years ago where you had decided to turn Haneul into a pawn piece of your greed. But I decided to become a King a year ago, at the same time as when you had sent Haneul to the war so you could test your leverage on her," Min Hyuk's eyes turn bottomless cold when he stared at the Queen. "It took me a year to get here but it was worth the time."

"You are making a great mistake, Min Hyuk," warned the Queen. "What you do will only make you understand you had the wrong person as the enemy. I am not the one who you should kill. If you can spare my life we can protect this kingdom and the cata—"

Min Hyuk pushed the time of the sword toward the Queen's neck. "Don't bring her name in this. I hate it the most to hear Haneul's name coming from such a vile mouth."

"Even if you kill me now, I will die honorably and watch you from above, laughing at your foolishness!" The Queen turned alerted that the sword went nearer toward her neck. "You will regret it! I swear you—" the voice of the Queen died down as her throat had been sliced.

Min Hyuk watched the Queen who still struggle to speak before finally her body lost its energy.

"You have never been honorable to anyone's eyes. We should see if there would be even a single person who would mourn for your death."

When Min Hyuk walked away from the throne, the people bowed down. In union, they greeted, "All hail, King Min Hyuk!" 

Min Hyuk felt the grasp of the throne, the heaviness of it was still yet to weigh on his shoulders but he knew that being the head of the kingdom leads to many responsibilities. While he never planned to become the King, he had taken the seat and promised to work the kingdom better than the late witch.

Before leaving, Min Hyuk didn't forget to drop his order, "Don't kill the yellow witch," the woman who was on the floor turned hopeful only for a second as he added, "Show to all the people of the kingdom what would happen to those who are consumed by their greed. Make sure her death is slow and torturous."

From behind, the yellow witch screamed for help, beseeching for one last mercy but Min Hyuk had left, turning all the screaming he heard to a deaf ear. Using his horse, he made a quick race into the forest. Once arriving, he jumped down from the saddle, making his way into the invisible village where he had only visited for three times, this being his third one.

Once he entered, his eyes were caught by the sight of Haneul. The two stared at each other before they both went forward to take each other into a hug.

"It took us a year since my promise to marry you to get here and hardships for you to be here. Finally, it has ended," whispered Min Hyuk, a smile on his lips as he snuggled to her shoulders and inhale her sweet scent. "We can be together now without anyone who could reject us."

Haneul was glad. She was glad to see that Min Hyuk was alive and to know that he had achieved his mission without any mortal wound on him. 

From afar, JaeGil watched the couple, his eyes falling to stare at Haneul. A sharp sting squeezed his heart but a smile came on his lips as he couldn't help to turn happy seeing her in joy despite loosing Haneul in the hand of someone else.

So far, Seoyeon didn't see the reason for Haneul's slaughter of the light witches. She continue to watch but found this to be the ending. Just as she thought of that, the scene disappeared. It played again with the entire kingdom was in merriment. The marriage between Haneul and Min Hyuk spread all over the kingdom. 

Haneul waited for the hour to strike for her to leave her room when Mrs. Sol came inside the room. Her mother hadn't oppose her marriage but it didn't mean she agreed. With the growing time, she could feel the rift between them widening.

Mrs. Sol entered, "When you were young, you wished not to marry. All you wanted to stay here in this house because once I told you about how lonely I was to be separated from my family," started her mother and Haneul turned her eyes to see her mother placing her hands around her cheeks. 

A smile was on Mrs. Sol's lips that turned a little short, "You look beautiful today, my daughter."

Haneul didn't believe her mother words. It was because she knew her mother hatred to vampire rooted since her grandfather's time, "You will not oppose my marriage again?" 

"No. I have decided that nothing else is better than your happiness. I have tried to push my will into you but then I noticed how doing so had only hurt you. Our father and I, we will give our blessing into your wedding. I wish you of a long and happy life ahead," saying this, her mother leaned forward, kissing her forehead. 

The maid came not long after, "The sedan is here, milady."

"It is time to go," her mother said before pulling something from her pocket, "I forgot to give this to you. I noticed the jade ring that you have on your finger. It must have come from Min Hyuk, isn't it?"

"It is our promise ring," answered Haneul and her mother nodded with a smile. 

"Your grandmother gave this to me but it is time for me to give you. Thankfully it isn't a ring but an earring," Haneul's eyes glittered with bouncing delight when she saw the earring from her mother's hand. It wasn't that she was happy about the gift. She was happy of it, but she was much more delighted today as finally in her wedding day, she had mend the discord between her and the woman who had given her birth.

When her mother helped her to wear the earring, it dangled when the wind brushes over it, her mother smiled upon seeing her, "It looks perfect on you. We should go now. Everyone has been waiting for you."

When Haneul left out of her room, she caught sight of Yeseul who had come with her. "Yeseul!" Haneul was in more of to see her friend, "You shouldn't be here, you have just given birth to your son."

After Yeseul had left her side around a year ago, she had took a small wedding with Han Anhye. It was only three month ago after they had killed the Queen that Yeseul gave birth to an adorable baby boy.

Her late maid laughed, "Three months have passed, milady. I am much better than before now. JaeGil is taking care of him and I can't possibly miss your wedding day. This is the day that you have been looking forward the most."

"There you go, still calling me milady. You know you could call me comfortably by my name. I would be happier if you do," Haneul said.

"Alright then, Haneul," tested Yeseul and the two girls giggled. They had spent so much time together as friends that they felt each other more like sisters as more time passes.

When it was time to leave, Haneul had ride the marriage sedan alone. Her heart slipped and stuttered inside her chest with expectation as soon she would be the wife of the man who she loved with her whole being. 

Haneul peeked out her head over the curtain when at the same time, the sedan stopped its movement. Finally she arrives, thought Haneul and at the same time the wedding music played, through her red wedding veil which covered her face, she saw the long and slender fingers slipping inside the curtain that covered the sedan. 

Min Hyuk pulled the curtain aside, his eyes met Haneul's through the wedding veil where a wide smile break out of her lips. 

Finally, thought Haneul. She had went through a lot of tribulation, troubles, and pain. At times she found friend through her journey and now was the day for her to receive the happiness she had always dreamt of beside Min Hyuk as his wife.

Haneul was so happy with the turn of page in her life, not knowing the upcoming disaster that would soon come in count of hours....