Third person's POV

Knowing that she can't afford to make Chaeyoung more angry than this, Mina quickly answered in her tiny voice, 'You said that... that I'm not allowed to touch... bow and arrow.'

'And what did you do?' Chaeyoung continues to press, being more strict than usual,

Mina's eyes got teary again as she knows this time, her disobedience has nowhere to hide, 'I... I held bow and arrow.' She replied, her voice is almost inaudible, half regretting her own action and half scolding herself for reminding the Queen about it.

'A clear rebellious behaviour!' The Queen scolds her, 'No one dares to go against my words, and yet you blatantly disregard my order.' Chaeyoung taps on Mina's nose tip a few times while speaking, 'I'm the Queen of this Kingdom, why aren't you scared of me? Huhm Mina? Should I be even more strict than how I already am?'

Mina's bottom lip starts to shake, her tears are about to fall. She is scared of the Queen, especially when the Queen is angry at her. But above that, she respects the Queen more than anyone else, she wants to tell Chaeyoung that, but the part where she knows the Queen adores her and spoils her too much is also true, and that's why she can't utter a word to defend herself,

'Do I really need to come back to be an evil Queen like before for you to listen to my orders? Chaeyoung continues to scold,

And that's the last drop to the already very full cup of water, Mina's tears are now pouring out nonstop, 'Please... don't! Please... Your Majesty! I... I only did that because... because I want to go on the hunting trip... with you, not because I take your... words lightly. Your Majesty... Please forgive me!' She gathered her courage to explain herself,

The Queen's heart has melted the moment she saw Mina's tears. She never wants to see Mina cries, but being a Queen of a Kingdom, she just had to address the girl's defiant behaviour. But right now, eventhough she's nowhere near the end of how she wants to teach this disobedient Mina, but the girl's tears have ended the lesson very early. Chaeyoung sighs defeatedly while reaching her hand over and wipes the tears away from Mina's cheeks, 'Hush now, don't cry! You know your tears have super power, don't you? You know I turn completely powerless whenever I see your tears, is that why you use it every time to get out of trouble? Huhm Mina?'

Mina looks up at the Queen with her real sad face, then she slowly stands up and starts walking,

Chaeyoung creases her brows while standing up as well, 'Where do you think you are going?' She asks,

Mina continues to walk while answering between her sniffles, 'Your Majesty, I... won't use my tears to get out of... trouble this time because... I really was wrong. I... I'm going to get... a cane and bring it... back here for you.'

Chaeyoung's heart can not handle how cute Mina is right now, the girl is so simple that she thinks if she herself brings a cane over just like last time, will definitely help to ease the Queen's anger. As simple as that, but Mina is not wrong though because it works every time, 'No Mina, no cane!' Chaeyoung tells her,

Mina immediately halts her steps as if there's a brake on her feet, she slowly turns around to face the Queen but her eyes stay fixed to the ground, feeling too guilty to look up,

Chaeyoung walks over to Mina, she bends down a little to look at the girl's face, 'Those 4 strokes of flogging from that time only happened because I absolutely had no other choices. You have no idea how much it hurt me when you were in pain, do you?'

Mina raises her head to look at Chaeyoung, the still guilty expression on that innocent face is so adorable, it could melt even the coldest heart out there. The Queen can't help but to reach both of her hands over and caresses those cute cheeks, 'So Mina, no cane because I would never want to hurt you. When things aren't out of my hands, no matter what mistake you make, I will forgive them all.'

And Mina's heart can not handle how sweet Chaeyoung is to her, in fact she's still trying to get used to how she's so lucky to be loved by this forgiving Queen,

On the other hand, Chaeyoung just heard out loud what she said to Mina as well, and once that sinks in, she realised that she herself is definitely the one who contributed a big part in making this Princess more and more defiant by the day, because she simply has spoiled the girl rotten. The Queen chuckles softly to herself, 'I guess I'm the one who should be blamed for your naughtiness.' She says with an adoring tap on Mina's nose tip,

Mina crunches her nose on the touch, feeling so loved and so adored. At this point, the word "naughty" comes from Chaeyoung's mouth doesn't sound like a scolding anymore, it sounds so gentle and adoring,

'But Mina, I still have something to ask you. Come with me!' The Queen then says and gently pulls Mina into her room, she proceeds to sit down on one of the chairs and holds both of Mina's hands with hers, while Mina is standing and facing her. Mina doesn't know if she's out of trouble yet, as she's not sure what is this something that The Queen wants to ask, so she's just nervously looking at Chaeyoung then looks back down at her feet,

Chaeyoung starts to gently caress the back of Mina's hands using her thumbs, 'Mina, what do you think about... the Vice Minister of war?' She decided to approach the topic,

Mina doesn't know why the Queen asks her such question, she creases her brows a little, 'Your Majesty, I think she's a nice person.' She answers her thought,

'Is she nice to you?' Chaeyoung continues to ask,

Mina slowly nods her head before answering, 'Yes, Your Majesty, she's very kind to me. She would always try to soothe me whenever I'm sad.'

'I see.' The Queen says, her thumbs came to a pause as a form of sadness suddenly took over her. She nods her head slowly, 'You deserve it. Mina, you deserve all the attention, all the love and care. And yes, JeongYeon is very loyal, she is a trustworthy person.' Chaeyoung is honestly praising her best friend's good qualities,

Mina is so confused at the moment, she's not sure where Chaeyoung is heading with this,

The Queen then continues, 'Maybe... maybe I should take a step backwards, you probably will be much more happier with... JeongYeon.' The Queen made the decision, but it would be a lie to say jealousy isn't a big part of it,

Mina instantly raises her head to look at Chaeyoung, 'Your Majesty, what are you talking about? Why...?'

But Chaeyoung continues, 'JeongYeon has all the freedom and power to care for you, to spoil you however she wants to. She's... much better than me in that way, I have too many things to consider and worry about before deciding anything. Sometimes, I even have to do things against my own wish, upsetting my loved ones.' She reaches her hand up and has a gentle hold of Mina's chin, 'Mina, I know that staying with me has been unfair for you. Don't you... don't you want a way out?'

Mina shakes her head repeatedly, she now has tears built up in her eyes thinking that because of her disobedience, The Queen is now kicking her out of the palace, 'Your Majesty, if... this is a new way that you are using to discipline me, I... I don't like it, not even one bit. I rather... you just punish me with flogging.'

'Silly, this isn't a discipline or a punishment. I just want the best for you.' Chaeyoung continues to tell her in a warm calming tone, 'Aren't you tired of being treated unfairly? Aren't you tired of me who always being so strict to you? Who would always tell you not to do this, not to do that?'

'Your Majesty, no... that's not true. I know that you are only being strict to me because you have reasons...' Mina says, tears are now falling one by one on her pretty face,

'Mina, I think JeongYeon will bring you lots of happiness. You should get to know her more...' The Queen persuades as if she's sure with her decision, but in fact the tornado of emotions inside of her has never settled down,

'No, I don't want it. Your Majesty, please stop saying things like that!' And Mina continues to refuse,

'Why not? Mina, I... I give you permission. JeongYeon is...' Chaeyoung tries to convince Mina but the girl gathered her courage to cut the Queen off mid sentence,

'Because she isn't Son Chaeyoung.'

Chaeyoung stops talking, she can feel her heart fasten its speed upon hearing that one sentence from the girl she loves, one short but meaningful sentence,

'Because she doesn't make me feel the way you make me feel...'

Mina continues to pour her heart out, 'Your Majesty, no one in this world cares for me more than you do. You... you don't know how much happiness you bring me each day and everyday, the type of happiness that I don't feel with anyone else.'

The Queen is still stunned, she's just sitting there and quietly listening to Mina's confession, with her heart is thumping loudly against her chest,

Mina is now pouting her lips while her tears continue to fall, 'So... unless... unless you are sick of me, unless you are... tired of this disobedient and stubborn Mina, please don't push me away!' She then sulkily removes her own hands out of the Queen's hold, wanting to stomp out,

But Chaeyoung quickly stands up from her chair and pulls Mina into her loving embrace. She hugs the girl so tight, with her left arm continues to pull Mina's waist in even closer, while her right hand is holding on the back of the girl's head in such a protective manner. Mina's heartfelt confession had the Queen withdrawn her decision real quick, 'My Treasure, please don't be mad at me. It's my bad, but I understand now, I won't say things like that anymore.' She gently soothes Mina,

Mina is now wrapping her arms around Chaeyoung's waist, leaning her head into the crook of Chaeyoung's neck, 'Your Majesty, I... didn't... like that, that was... so mean.' She complains between her sniffles,

The Queen hugs her even tighter, 'I know, I know. That won't happen again, huhm?!'

Mina then stops crying and just stays still in Chaeyoung's loving arms, where she feels so safe and so adored, where she would risk anything just to be in,

Hugging Mina for a long while, Chaeyoung slowly breaks the hug, she then tells Mina while looking into her eyes, 'Mina, next few days, you don't have to come with me to the throne hall. Be a good girl and stay here until I get back.' Chaeyoung's mind doesn't take a rest, especially when things that involve her Mina. Even after she told Dahyun to stop those guards and maids from spreading gossips about Mina learning archery, she still wants to make sure Mina is safe by keeping the girl away from her government member's eyes until things die down,

Mina doesn't know why the Queen wants it that way, but right now inside Chaeyoung's caring hold, she would obey to anything Chaeyoung says, 'Yes, Your Majesty.' She replies.

The next day in the throne hall, after some urgent matters they have to discuss, the left wing Minister steps out and bows his head to the Queen, 'Your Majesty, I have heard news about the former Princess of Macedon is trying to learn archery. I have discussed this with other government members and we all agree that she might have just become a threat to you, and therefore we request Your Majesty to sentence her to death.'

Chaeyoung's heart stops beating for a few moments, her fists are clenching so tight as of that instant. The thing she fears the most is happening right now eventhough she has been carefully trying to avoid it, 'That's not true! Mina isn't a threat.' She tells him,

Another Minister steps out, 'Your Majesty, she's from Macedon, we're very worried that she will take revenge one day, and the fact that she now has interest in weapons is the proof.'

Chaeyoung glances at JeongYeon who is now covered in cold sweats. The young Vice Minister just realised the severity affects of her action. JeongYeon quickly wipes off her own sweat before stepping out, 'Your Majesty, I was the one who tried to teach Mina archery, but I can guarantee that she hasn't learned anything yet, and that she has no intention to harm anyone.'

'That is not what we heard. We heard that she has mastered the skill in no time.' A Councillor argues back at JeongYeon's statement,

The Queen slams the table angrily, 'Rumours are not true. I can tell you that Mina is definitely not a threat to me.'

Everyone in the throne hall stays quiet after seeing how angry the Queen got, but they are all glancing at the State Councillor, wanting him to say something as they know The Queen respects him the most. The State Councillor sighs deeply before stepping out, 'Your Majesty, I don't want to believe those rumours, but I put your safety as the most priority, and therefore I don't want to take any chances. Besides... eliminating the last member of Macedon royal family to prevent future headaches is not a wrong thing to do.' He tells the Queen.