A/N: Thank you all for being so patient! I've reeeally been loving your enthusiasm for this YoSoo series. The glowing reviews you left on the previous chapters absolutely made my day - y'all are simply fabulous.

And thanks so much for all the kind messages I received. What with work and all, I haven't managed to respond yet - but I will!

This chapter is a teensy bit longer than usual, so I hope this makes up for the wait.

Enjoy!

Hae Soo started to look forward to her long walks back to the Damiwon.

The weather had immensely cooled down, finally allowing her to bask comfortably in her own thoughts as she trekked through lush gardens with tired feet. An umbrella of constellations kept her company on her nightly trips back.

"Lady Soo, Lady Soo!"

Startled by the commotion, her hand flew to her chest. She turned to find one of the royal guards scuttling towards her anxiously.

"It is starting again…" he told her hurriedly. Speaking in hushed tones, he furtively glanced behind him. "Will you check on him? His Majesty has forbidden us from entering his quarters while he sleeps."

When the night terrors first came, Wang Yo was inconsolable. Drenched in cold sweat, he had jumped up in bed yelling bloody murder. A band of guards were compelled to rush to his side and hold down his flailing limbs for fear that the young king would injure himself.

The following day, heaps of sacrificial food for the dead had been sent out from the palace to Gaeguksa. For a time, his good deeds seemed to appease whatever caused his nightly episodes, but his peace was short-lived as the nightmares seemingly returned in full-force.

"How long has this been happening?" she asked. The king's muffled noises seeped through the walls as they approached his quarters.

"Less than a fortnight now, Lady Soo," the guard whispered gravely.

She nodded at him, deciding that she would deal with the consequences later. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and pushed her way into his room.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark and there she found him… long legs entangled in his sheets, his handsome face scrunched up in deep anguish. Beads of perspiration had collected on his brow, plastering locks of his black hair on his forehead. Dressed in his white sleep-clothes, Wang Yo laid in stark contrast against the dark covers.

"No…N-no… I'm sorry…please…"

The taut muscles of his neck glistened beneath a sheen of sweat as he babbled on desperately.

Hae Soo knelt by his bed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Your Majesty, wake up."

He twitched erratically as his breath came out in laboured gasps.

"Don't…please, please…I'm sorry…"

She shook him lightly. "Your Majesty, you're dreaming!"

His sharp features crumpled in torment as he continued thrashing.

Worry bloomed in her chest as she tried to rouse him.

"Your Majesty. Your Majesty, please wake up!"

He shot up like a drowning man, gasping and wide-eyed. Hae Soo managed to move out of the way just in time to miss the heavy swing of his left arm. His eyes darted wildly around the room like a scared animal. Coming up to sit on his bed, she placed her hands on both sides of his face, forcing him to look directly into her eyes.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's just me."

He swallowed tightly as her face came into focus.

"Your Majesty, you're safe," she told him softly. "You were only dreaming."

He stared at her, still panting heavily. Their breaths mingled together in the ghost-quiet room.

A pained look crossed his eyes. "Where am I?" he asked shakily.

Her heart clenched at the sight of him looking so young and helpless in that moment. He was trembling, she realized.

"You're in the palace."

He winced as she timidly reached up to place her warm palm on his clammy skin. Very carefully, she swept his fringe back from his pale forehead.

"You're safe now," she whispered. "Try to go back to sleep."

A shaky exhale escaped his lips as he slowly leaned back to rest on his elbows. His eyes drooped shut once more when his head reached the pillow, her face was the last thing he saw.

Hae Soo remained by his side, gently stroking his arm until his breathing gradually calmed.

Leaning over to pull his blanket up to his shoulders, she paused to stare at his pallid face. She sighed with relief as she noticed that his breathing had finally eased into a sleepy tempo. She was puzzled to find herself feeling something she never thought she would – pleased that this man was safe and at peace.

Quietly, she turned to leave, fervently praying that the darkness would grant them both much needed rest before the sun came up.

Little did she know that this night would just be one of many.

Sunlight spilled in through the wide windows, bleaching the floors and bathing the spacious room in a warm glow. All was hushed, save for the soothing whisper of the wooden brush against midnight-black hair.

It was much longer now, she noted, falling a little past his shoulders. With nimble fingers, Hae Soo parted his hair into sections as she combed out the tangles from his thick locks. How reminiscent of a lion's mane, she thought…like something out of a children's tale that she couldn't quite remember from her past life.

She shook the silly thought from her head.

"You were in my room last night, Lady Soo."

The low timbre of his voice pulled her from her musing.

Her eyes met his own piercing ones in the mirror.

"Yes, Your Majesty," she replied. "I heard you've been unwell lately because of the night terrors."

"Ah, that's right," he nodded thoughtfully.

He breathed a tiny mirthless chuckle. "I see them," he whispered. "I see all of them whenever I close my eyes…and when I wake, I hear dead men talking."

He smirked at her in the mirror. "This was what you meant, wasn't it?"

"Your Majesty?"

"You told me once that I would regret what I'd done, and now…"

His eyes flickered to the ground as he trailed off.

"Sometimes I wonder if they're the lucky ones," he muttered, "if they were so fortunate to have dodged such a burden."

Hae Soo glanced down at the bags under his eyes, no wonder he always looked so tired lately. Clearly this man was not as immune to bereavement as he often liked to exude. His brothers' deaths were slowly, but surely, taking a toll on him, robbing all joy from his conquest of the throne.

Their eyes met again in the mirror and his gaze hardened as he caught her staring.

"Do not pity me," he seethed, fists clenching on the armrests. "I am not weak."

She sighed. "I never said you were."

A heavy silence befell the pair of them before he spoke again.

"Has the 4th prince been sending you letters?"

Her hand stilled on the brush.

"No, Your Majesty," she answered weakly. "He hasn't."

Wang Yo was well aware of this fact, of course. He had been tracking their communications ever since his brother had left for Seokyeong and he received regular confirmations that they indeed hadn't been exchanging messages. Though he would never admit it to himself, this knowledge pleased him to no end.

"Yes, it's been a while hasn't it…" he mused, keeping his eyes on her reflection. Hae Soo was unmistakably uncomfortable with the switch of topic in their conversation.

He smiled, titling his head to the side. "Didn't I tell you he would forget?"

Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes as her heart sank. He noticed her chin quiver slightly, but she said nothing as she continued to run the brush through his hair.

"Besides," he continued. "I think it's only fair that you should pay for your crimes..."

My crimes?

Her eyes flicked up to his reflection.

"Oh yes, Lady Soo," he murmured, watching her closely in the mirror. "Since I've been losing sleep, I've had some time to ponder over this for a while now, and it occurred to me…none of this would've happened if it weren't for your meddling."

Her heart dropped to her feet.

"I made the decision to kill my brothers and become king…all because of you."

She held her breath fearing that the slightest sound might trigger him to snap.

"What are you saying, Your Majesty?" she asked, fear evident in her round eyes.

"I'm saying that everything started with you," he seethed, rising from his chair, he turned around to face her.

The wooden brush clattered on the floor as he grabbed her wrist, nails digging into her skin as he pulled her closer to him. She winced in pain.

"Had you not covered up So's scar," he snarled into her face. "Had you not helped him take my seat in the rain ritual, things might be very different!"

No, he would not pin this on her.

"But you didn't have to do the things you did," she said emphatically. Chest heaving, she wrenched her wrist from his vice-grip. "You had a choice, Your Majesty!"

"Did I?" he asked curtly.

Her mouth dried up as he towered over her menacingly.

"You know, in a way, I have you to thank for my misery," he smirked. "You are responsible for all this."

Eyes narrowing, he slipped his fingers into her hair. "And so, if I am to be haunted," he said quietly, roughly tugging her head back as he brought his face closer. "If I am to be tormented…for the choices I have made…it's only fitting that you should suffer too."

She swallowed sharply.

"Wouldn't you agree?" he asked.

She shivered under the intensity of his dark gaze. This did not go unnoticed as he raised a lone eyebrow.

Abruptly, he released her and turned away. She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until he walked several steps forward, mercifully allowing some space between them.

She watched as he paced in front of her, huffing as he ran his fingers through his hair frustratedly.

"What a fool Wang So was," he muttered. "When Father asked him what he wanted after the rain ritual, he could've asked for power, land, position…"

Raising his eyebrows, he turned to face her again. "Instead he chose you," he murmured in awe. From where she stood, the sunlight melted his eyes into a deep shade of hazel.

"…an insignificant, worthless little servant."

Hae Soo blinked back tears, trying very hard not to show how much he was hurting her.

"And that day when I stormed the palace," he chuckled, shaking his head. "I found it odd that he was willing to risk so much…even the dead king's crown!"

She flinched at his words.

His eyes glazed over as he scanned her face. "All for you…a useless nobody."

She emitted a tiny gasp as she recognized that look, it was dangerous.

If she had any sense she should run, she knew, yet she found herself still rooted to the spot, heart pounding against her ribs, as he approached her. His footsteps, calculated and deliberate…

Reaching out, he delicately ran the back of his fingers along her flushed cheek.

"What it is about you, I wonder?" he asked, as if seeing her for the very first time.

She felt her head spin from his proximity. He was standing so close to her, their robes brushed against each other.

She closed her eyes, struggling to keep her breathing slow and even.

Without warning, Wang Yo snaked an arm around her waist. Gasping in surprise, she automatically placed her hands on his chest as he pulled her tightly against him.

Her shallow breaths fanned across his face as she stared back at him with eyes wide as saucers.

His brows furrowed in frustration. "How is it that even when I have the throne, So still manages to have something I want?" he asked, his voice very low.

What?

He can't mean-

But he absolutely hates me…

I know he does.

At least, if he detested her, there would be a safety in that hatred.

She watched his eyes grow dark as he oh-so-slowly swiped his thumb over her plump bottom lip...his breathing, much heavier than normal...

Hae Soo drew in a shaky gasp as he brought his lips down to her ear. "Would it be so wrong for me to just keep you?" he whispered hotly.

Oh, God.

She swallowed thickly as his calloused fingers trailed along her jaw…then down the side of her neck…ever so lightly, she could barely feel it…

He quirked up a thick brow, staring down at her with heavy-lidded eyes as he gauged her reaction. His face broke into a wolfish smile as her wild pulse thrummed beneath his fingertips.

He wasn't playing fair.

This game he had ensnared her in…this dance that she didn't know the steps to…she didn't want any part in it. He was going too far, she knew, and it wasn't fair at all.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered, her voice coming out high and breathless.

Circling his large hand around her throat, a pained expression flickered in his eyes.

The tip of his nose lightly grazed her cheek as he brought his face even closer. "You'll never belong to anyone else," he rasped.

She could hardly breathe.

His arms tightened around her as her knees finally gave out.

"You're mine, Hae Soo."

Before she could even react, he clasped his long fingers behind her neck and pulled her head forward, roughly pressing his lips against hers.

Her hands knotted in his silk robes as electricity shot through her body.

Wang Yo eagerly swallowed her gasps as her lips fell open.

She felt him pour every ounce of pent up frustration into their kiss…a build-up from months of hurt and agony that they shared together within the palace walls.

And just like that he pulled away.

Dazed and breathless, Hae Soo blinked her eyes open to see his face white as a sheet. He looked as if he'd just been stabbed.

He shoved her away, sharply exhaling. Eyes darting everywhere, he quickly turned and left, his robes billowing behind him as he slammed the door closed.

dafuq Wang Yo?

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