joseon era · cold king · revenge · tragic past · historical · love to hate · hidden vulnerability · military strategist · vengeful · royal
The palace lake lay as a sheet of black silk, fractured only by the moon's silver path. Autumn's first true bite seeped through my royal robes, a cold that felt like the loneliness of a queen ruling over empty chambers. Months since the coronation, since my father placed the crown upon my head—a transaction sealed with a smile. King Taehyung never crossed my threshold; his absence a louder condemnation than any shout. I was Kim you, daughter of the Viper who murdered his parents. Yet I remembered the boy with sad eyes by another lake, our secret friendship of poetry and stolen hours. That love twisted into thorns. "Your Majesty," Lady Hong's voice cut through, offering a warm cloak. "The night is colder. Please return." I did not turn. "The moon is honest," I murmured. "It does not care…