The Red Moon

"Would I be able to work?" She asked him. "To help out around here? I know I can't go out without you, but would I be able to do something within the house?"

---

"Oh no, miss. The chefs take care of the prince's meals. We do have to set the table for him, and you're welcome to help if you would like." She said to her, walking over to the door.

She nodded a little in understanding as she followed her, "Sure, I'll help set the table," she said to her smiling a little as she looked at her. The shock she was in from being in this world was something that could take a long while to adjust to, she had been fairly lucky so far when ti came to finding accommodations. She followed Mi Chang out of the room and into the dining area, "Can you show me so I know how to do it from now on?" she asked as she looked at her with a furrowed brow then wet her lips.

---

Baek Ah looked at her then nodded a slowly, "Of course, you could if you wanted to but leaving the house isn't a good idea," he said to her seriously, "At least not without someone to accompany you, if you wear royal colors chances are you'll be left alone but I don't know how people will react. I do not want you to think I'm keeping you here on selfish reasons,"

She shrugged. "If I have things to do I won't mind, I just would like to go outside sometimes. Even if it's within your walls," She said softly. "I don't have many clothes but I would like to work to help pay for them. I don't think it's right to have you do this, especially since I seem to have come here straight from nowhere."

---

Mi Chang smiled and pulled out the chopsticks, showing them the correct placement. "Rice bowls to the right, and cups to the left," She explained, moving around the table.

She nodded and took it all in then made sure to pick each one up and place it back where she'd put it to ingrain it into her memory. "Got it," she murmured then smiling a little, there was still a part of her that wasn't too sure what had happened. She didn't even know what year it was, and her Korean history was a little rough despite knowing the language.

---

He shrugged a little, "You seem just as confused as I am, so I think its only fair that I take care of you," he said to her lightly as he looked at her, "Besides, even if I'm not going to be King - I have to take care of those within our country,"

"At least let me work. I can paint, and play some instruments." She said, shrugging a little. "I want to do something, no matter how small," She said, looking around the room. "Uh, also, if I cannot leave your room, where can I sleep?" She asked curiously, noticing there was only one bed.

---

Mi Chang nodded. "We stay in the shadows unless they need something," She explained, pointing out where to stand. "But this is Prince So's residence, so likely it will be only him who comes to eat," She explained. "Which could be at any moment."

Lily nodded and listened to her them moved over there then nodded a bit, "alright I can do this," she murmured softly and closed her eyes - she needed this; she didn't know where she would go if she didn't have this place. If it wasnt' for her she'd still be on her own.

---

He looked at her then chewed on his cheek, "I can have a bed brought in here for you," he said nodding a little, "If you deem it improper I can get you your own room,."

"I don't mind," She said nodding a bit. "But I don't want to intrude on you, if you would like your space I can sleep in a separate room," She said, looking around.

---

Prince So walked into the room, sitting down and waiting for the food to be brought to him.

Mi Chang stepped forward, bringing a rice bowl and gestured to Lily to bring the rice wine gourd to fill his cup whenever it got low.

He looked up, noticing her red hair. "You again, are you lost?" He asked, raising an eyebrow but looking at his food.

She gulped nervously pouring the rice wine into his cup with both hands, "No, sir," she spoke as she kept her eyes down - that was a respect thing right? She really hoped she wasn't being disrespectful. "I was hired to work for the household," she told him gently then moved back against the wall where Mi Chang told her to go.

---

"I would prefer that you're not far," he said as he looked at her, "I can have a divider set up for propriety reasons, but I don't know how much I can trust anyone,"

She nodded. "That's fine, then I am comfortable with that." She said to him. "If I can have an easel to paint, I can paint for you or play instruments. Since I'm here, I can be a sort of entertainment if that means I'm doing my part."

---

He turned to her and gestured, calling her forward. "Hired? Under what authority?" He asked curiously.

Mi Changs eyes widened, watching in shock. She had no idea what was happening, this was so unlike him.

She looked at him then stepped forward, she didn't know what to say, "I met with Mi Chang in the market today, sir - my travels have been unexpected to say the least; I was told I could help her with her daily tasks by the mistress in the house," she spoke formally not meeting his eyes; was he going to kick her out? What would she do?

---

He nodded a little, "I am fine with that," he assured her then smiled as he looked at her, "Would you like food? I can have something made,"

"What do you like to eat?" She asked curiously. "What kinds of food do you like? I really like kimchi," She said to him.

---

He nodded a little as he looked at her, finishing his rice wine as he looked at her. He didn't know who Mi Chang was and he didn't really care, but he was really interested by her red hair. "I don't want you working with her any more. You can assist during daily tasks, but I want you brought to work in my household. See to it that it gets done."

She nodded slowly not understanding why he'd want her around, she stepped forward pouring more wine into his cup then stepping back, "I understand, sir," she said to him nodding then stepped back and looked to Mi Chang with a confused look on her face before looking at her feet.

---

He smiled,'I like beef and chicken a lot, but lamb is good as well,"

"Well, I'll eat whatever you want to have," She shrugged. "I'm sure it'll be good," She said, looking around and looking at the instruments. "So you're waiting to get married? Once you are, what will happen to me?"

---

Mi Chang looked alarmed and looked at her before staring at Prince So.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll join my household servants," He said, eating some of his food and waving her back.

"Of course," she said to him then stood next to Mi Chang then lifted her head to look at him for a moment then let out a breath. The dinner was over in less than an hour and when he left the room she looked at him, "What do I do I don't know what I'm doing - I don't even know what his daily tasks are," she said to her scared that she wouldn't be able to her job right.

---

He nodded a little,'alrught," he said to her and ordered one of the servants to make enough food for two people then looked at her, "You'll be a standing figure in our household, and if you wish to get married I'm sure I could find you a husband,"

She sighed a bit. "Things must be different here, arranged marriages are normal." She said as she looked at him. "I come from a place where people choose their own spouses because they love them, as opposed to being arranged to them."

---

Mi Chang looked just as alarmed, shaking her head. "It's an honor to work in his household but he usually only trusts those nearest to him for it," Sje explained. "You'll wait on him, and do whatever he asks of you, without fail." She said softly. "He wakes up at different times each day but you will need to be there when he wakes up no matter where..." She said before sighing. "You need to move into the household to be reached quickly."

He nodded a little and looked at her, "I just want to make sure you're not taken advantage of," he said to her softly as he sighed, "If you want to choose your husband I will not stop you but I will want to meet him more than once," he said to her.

---

She nodded a little, "What do I absolutely have to know, I have to learn it all tonight, I don't know anything about this man," she said to her as she put a hand to her forehead. "I feel sick," she whispered softly.

She nodded a little. "If you would rather that. Would I even be able to marry? You said so yourself, difference isn't exactly welcome here," She said curiously. "Nevertheless I don't have any interest in marriage as of now. But you might marry before I decide on it and I want to make sure if I have to leave."

---

Mi Chang patted her back and sighed, leading her out of the room and to her room. "I have a friend who can help you, she can be stern but she will be willing to help you."

She nodded a little then let out a deep breath and followed her, "I need all the help I can get," she murmured and prepared to put herself in college cram mode - sheh adn't been there in years but right now was serious.

---

He nodded, "You will always have a place in this household," he said to her shrugging, "I don't know why but you are something special, I do not know you well enough to say for what reason,"

She smiled a little. "That's good to know," She murmured, sitting down by one of the instruments. "I sort of know how to play this one," She said softly. "I can practice so I can play as entertainment soon."

---

Mi Chang nodded and began telling her everything she knew. "He likes certain foods for breakfast, you'll need to be one of the ones serving him. He has some servants come with him around in case he needs some things but it is very rare, it isn't likely he'll ask you too."

She nodded a little as she looked at her then sighed, "Okay I can serve breakfast - is there a set of dishes I can use to practice setting it all up? Any other customs I need to know I may not be familar with?" she asked her gently. "I'm sorry I'm asking so much of you," she said to her suddenly feeling bad then felt her resolve weaken and tears fill her eyes. She didn't even know what was going on, she didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there.

---

He smiled a little,"If you want to - you don't have to," he said as he looked at her and looked up once the food was brought in. "Ah, thank you," he said to them.