The sky was heavy and sorrowful.
Grey clouds gathered above, ready to weep along with the people, sharing their pain. The coldness in the air was just as gloomy.
The cries of Princess Minah echoed faintly, her sobs mixing with others standing beside her.
Beside her, Prince Yuhan stood silently, his face pale, eyes dull staring blankly at the picture of his father that was framed and as one by one others coming placing flowers in front.
He sighed when a single drop of rain fell on his cheek. He raised his head, staring at the sky with dull eyes. It looked the world was mimicking his emotions, his feelings. The only difference was the world was venting out the buried feelings, and Yuhan...
He couldn't.
He could never when he had just become the king. The kingdom needed him. He had to be strong for them, for his people.
It was the funeral of his father. The previous king.
It was sudden. No one expected that to happen. Corebane.
It was almost like an insult to everyone, especially to royals. Corebane was the disease where the destruction of aether shield protecting the mana core from outside mana and mana within the body occurs. Destruction of aether shield meant the body was susceptible to damage caused by mana.
The powerful the mana, the worse outcomes. And, his father was a powerful mage before his aether shield was destroyed.
The reason by this occurrence was still unknown and there was no cure for it.
It was just a week ago that they got to know about it when he collapsed. Apparently, a year had already passed since his shield got destructed.
The fact he was able to live for a year after that was already remarkable, showing his father was a very powerful mage.
Normally, it took a few weeks at most before the person faces death. So, in some way, royals were saved from criticism.
But, for how long?
Just the case of someone appearing with such disease in one family meant it was start of series of similar deaths.
They didn't even knew who would be the next victim of this disease.
He exhaled a shaky breath, closing his eyes letting the drops of rain fell on him one after the other in a way to hide his tears.
"Your Majesty!" A deep voice sounded beside him catching Yuhan by surprise. He turned his head to see him. His partner. His best friend staring at him unreadable expression.
His black hair fluttered with a wind, lifting his hands and shielding Yuhan from the rain. Your Majesty? Ah... right. I'm the king now.
Yuhan didn't argue. His eyes landed on his wife shielded from rain by her personal maid.
He was tired. He didn't knew how he would proceed from here. He didn't knew how he would take the responsibility of being the king.
"Baa..." a small voice caught his attention.
He looked down to see her. Her small figure in his arms, covered with a scarf. Her golden hair, her blue eyes and small hands that reached towards him.
Yuhan stared blankly at her. Her smile that outshined everything. Her smile made the gloomy atmosphere disappear.
She was smiling without any care of this world. She was staring at her father, not understanding sorrow or pain. She only saw her father and smiled.
A smile that did not belonged to the world of grief.
He just stared when a small gust of wind blew, caught the edge of small scarf around her head and lifted it away. The fabric fell slowly, revealing her face to the world.
Cameramen present there quickly caught the sight. But, Yuhan lost in his thoughts didn't noticed.
Her small and innocent smile broadcasted live for everyone to see. And when she sneezed... that moment broke the gloomy environment. She laughed like it was a hilarious thing.
Everyone present there or watching the live widened, their breaths caught.
That small glimpse of her before Yuhan realised and covered her was enough to brought a smile on everyone's face. She was beautiful.
She was beautiful like a sun.
The rain that was pouring started to get slower. Slowly, the sun started to appear, like it was corresponding with her.
She was like a sun that shines after endless rain.
The sun that brings warmth to a frozen world.
The sun that gives life to everything it touches.
She was that sun.
Kang Yuna. She was the sun.
___
The tension increased as the moment that everyone had been waiting for came. A single drum cracked through the air followed by one after one.
The clicks from camera were quicker than before as the Royal Family entered the Royal Ground in their royal garments.
"Everyone, Royal Family had finally greeted us with their presence. Not long after the King Kang Yuhan deliever his speech, the justice with be finally given."
Everyone present drop to their knees, head bowed in respect solely for royals. But, did Royal Family deserves such respect?
No.
No, the don't. Hawoon shook his head as he was settled on his chair. He was in his office with watching news on his phone. Hyeseung along with his wife were also present watching with him.
In fact, Elite Officers of every division except the First, Royal Army and te police. None of them deserve the respect for deceiving their people. Hawoon knew that.
Hawoon still watched, feeling ashamed seeing the devotion in his people's eyes. He was not even present there, guilty and ashamed that how would he face them when he knew that they were being deceived.
Hawoon clenched his hands into a fist when the screen change to the Royal Family. Their faces showed no remorse. They were not ashamed. They didn't care that they were destroying some innocent's life for their own personal gain.
Royal Family had already settled on their chairs. As usual Princess Kang Yuna still not present. She was a mystery that everyone wanted to solve. Being the oldest, but never for once she appeared before public except only for once.