"Do you think prince Wang Wook will be the new king, Soo?"

"I don't know, sister... Would he be a good king?"

The oldest daughter of the Hae house looked out the window from where they could see the palace. Whenever she spoke of Wang Wook, her features would soften and she would play with curl of her hair. Hae Soo, who had never seen Lord Wook before, was convinced he was the best choice because of everything her sister told her. She told her Lord Wook would visit even faraway villages to see how they were living, if they were healthy, if they were prosperous. The fair Lord Wook would make a good king indeed, and her sister would be happier then, smiling like sunshine was in her veins, and maybe she would even step outside. Maybe Lord Wook could help her sister, get her out of her bed, take good care of her and all the other sick people in town. Maybe he would be a good king indeed.

But King Taejo was an indecisive man who had been postponing the ceremony which would announce the crown prince. No, not so much indecisive, but a man with many options. You see, King Taejo had eight sons to choose from, all from different mothers and with different personalities, or so Hae Soo had heard. She had personally never seen any of them, they seemed to visit town whenever she was elsewhere running errands for her sister. But if her sister believed Lord Wook was the best choice, and she thought her sister was the kindest person in the world, the she was probably right.

"I believe he would be a great king."

"Then he will be, sister."

Hae Soo was always too busy going to markets and picking herbs to think about princes and kings. Every night she would sleep a dreamless sleep and think only of how she could help her sister.

It was with surprise that Hae Soo noticed the king put up notices all over town about a challenge to every girl in the kingdom. He would accept one girl from each village into the palace, and the girl would get to know the princes and provide him with information on which one was better suited to be king. The girl would then be set to marry the prince she chose and, if she failed to convince the king, she would receive the appropriate punishment.

Hae Soo thought it was a good chance for girls who dreamed about the palace. As for herself, she wondered if the princes would show their true selves to strangers. It was true that, if they accepted girls from everywhere in the kingdom, then the girls would come from many different backgrounds, so the princes, who only ever dealt with nobility, wouldn't know what to expect. While Hae Soo read the notices she heard many men complaining about the future of the kingdom being balanced on the hearts of naive women and it drove her mad. As if men were exempt from the matters of the heart. As if the heart and the mind never worked together. As if it wouldn't be King Taejo's choice in the end.

Hae Soo's basket was full on that day and she decided she had heard enough. She was struggling to carry it home when someone reached out for her basket. Startled, she let go of the basket and the figure, covered in a black cloak, didn't run away with it like she had been fearing. "I'll help you," it said, and it was a man's voice. Hae Soo had no real reason to doubt the people of her town — they all knew each other and helped each other — but she also had no reason to trust someone who hid themselves. She took her basket back and bowed, scowling, never once answering the man. He just walked away, blending in with the shadows of the market. She wondered who it could be.

On the first week, a girl called Chae Ryung, from a town in the east, came to the palace to meet the princes. She stayed in the palace for three days before announcing to the king that prince Wang Won should be the next king. Upon being asked why she had chosen him, Chae Ryung stuttered and the king, ever cautious, called in prince Won. Turned out that Lord Won had bribed the girl and it infuriated the king, who disowned him and sent Chae Ryung back to her village, deeming her ignorance and poverty to be her only fault.

On the second week, it was a girl called Yeon Hwa, from a town in the north, who came to the palace. She stayed in the palace for four days until she declared prince Wang Yo should be the next king. Upon being asked why she had chosen him, Yeon Hwa, a refined and educated girl, told the king a list of reasons, exulting the prince, his dedication the kingdom, his intelligence and his ideas that would make the kingdom prosper enough to rival neighboring kingdoms from the entire east continent. The king was pleased with her explanations and was ready to accept her as the winner when one of his advisers recognized Yeon Hwa as the daughter of an influential family who had much to gain from her marriage. The king called in prince Yo and questioned him, and it turned out that he had already been in contact with Yeon Hwa long before the challenge started. The king exiled Yeon Hwa and her family from the kingdom and sent Lord Yo away from the race and the palace for his treacherous ways.

On the third week, a girl called Woo Hee, from a town in the west, came to the palace. She stayed there for two days until she suddenly disappeared, prince Wang Baek Ah along with her. The palace guards discovered a secret passageway in Lord Baek Ah's chambers which led outside and a note he left behind. He told his father that he loved him but that all the schemes for the throne made him feel caged and lonely, and that he didn't want to compete with any of his brothers. He said he would praise Taejo's name in songs through every corner of the Earth and that the king should think fondly of him whenever he heard them. King Taejo was heartbroken and worried but let him go. He knew his son Baek Ah and his love then, and he still had many sons to choose from.

As every week passed, the people grew worried that there might not be a woman who could truly know the princes. The oldest Hae sister grew worried that no girl would come to recognize Lord Wook, which was unfair not only to him, but to the people who would prosper in his benevolence.

Hae Soo stood in front of one of the notices and thought. If she made it through the week and chose Lord Wook, would she be able to ask the King to marry her sister to him instead? It would be a great idea for everyone. Wook would be crown prince, her sister would be delighted to live with him, and the kingdom would have a great king like Taejo again. But was she up for the task? Could she truly get to know the princes and convince the king with words? What if she failed? Would she be sent back, exiled or worse, executed? She was certain she wouldn't be able to escape like the Woo Hee girl, her sister was too frail and depended on her. Still, the more she thought, the more she was convinced she could do it.

"Hey, you. Girl. Come here."

She looked around and found a hunched figure beckoning her from the shadows. She approached it with caution, ready to run if any danger made itself present.

"Do you plan on going to the castle? I can offer you something that will make your life easier."

The figure with a croaked voice reached inside a bag and pulled a piece of cloth.

"If you cover yourself with this you'll render yourself invisible."

"Invisible?"

"No prince will notice you and you'll discover all their little secrets. What do you say?"

Hae Soo pondered. It was a tempting offer.

"And how much would you want for this?"

Before the figure could speak, the glint of a sword emerged from the shadows. Hae Soo backed away immediately but the sword was never aimed at her, only at the mysterious merchant. Hae Soo could barely make out the same black cloak she saw the other day. The man kept his sword close to the merchant's throat and spoke in a low, menacing voice.

"You will take your shoddy merchandise and leave this kingdom at once or you can stay right where you are and never leave this alley again."

The merchant made a panicked sound and ran away, their bag full of trinkets bouncing and ringing until you couldn't hear them anymore. The man turned to Hae Soo who took a step back, adopting a defiant stance, chin up and brows furrowed.

"Are you going to the castle?" The figure asked.

"Why should I give you any explanation?"

She heard the man chuckle and pursed her lips.

"Be careful whom you trust."

Without any explanation of his own, the man left, leaving Hae Soo to ponder on his words and make her decision.

On the fourth week, Hae Soo, originally from a town in the south, came to the palace.

Hae Soo had never seen such an enormous garden full of of so many different flowers. The main hall was so grandiose that even her best clothes felt like rags. The court ladies explained that the last queen had loved the kingdoms of the west and sought out to bring her favorite flowers to the palace. Hae Soo, tired from climbing so many steps and patting down her hair to be in her best appearance, cleared her head from the distractions of the palace and took a deep breath before heading inside to meet the King.

"Welcome to the palace," King Taejo spoke, his voice echoing through the walls. "You are encouraged to feel at ease but remember: you have until the end of the week to give me your answer."

"Yes, your majesty," said Hae Soo, head bowed and heart heavy with worry.

"These are the princes." Hae Soo lifted her head slightly to see the King point to his right, where all the princes were lined up. "My eldest son, Wang Mu. Wang Wook," he smiled at her and she felt a little more at ease. "Wang Eun. Wang Jung. And Wang So."

The man he called Wang So was the most mysterious of all. While all the princes looked rather friendly and dressed in light colors, prince Wang So, clad in black, looked to the side, exposing a mask that hid his left eye. A prince that hides himself?, Hae Soo wondered to herself, feeling that this prince would make her mission harder.

After presentations and meals, the King conceded that her mission should begin the following day, so she was under no obligation to talk to the princes that day. As she organized her belongings in the room the King had prepared for her, Hae Soo was thinking about how exactly she would approach the princes and if they would answer her questions honestly. Having had no contact with them whatsoever, she wondered if there were right or wrong questions, what their personalities were like, if they were likeable and if they would like her.

Having to marry one of them...

She was pondering on starting with Lord Wook when there was a knock on her door. She jumped; she expected no visitors and the King had already excused her to rest. Before she could open, she heard a voice say, "Come out and follow me." Upon peeking outside, she noticed the back of prince Wang So walking away from her door and her eyes widened. What would he want with me? Did I already give a wrong impression? She looked from side to side and noticed nobody else, not even the palace attendants, and decided to follow the prince clad in black.

She met him in the courtyard, surrounded by the night air and fireflies. Looking closely, the prince didn't really look scary like she had first thought; his lips didn't form an ugly line and his eyes didn't glare at her. He had a different aura, especially with the mask and the clothes. A sinking feeling that he didn't belong in the palace but somewhere else, with other people whose eyes were small and perfectly angled, a luxurious family with hair long and beautiful like his. A different place, a different time, maybe. Like in the books she read, he was like a prince from a distant kingdom, a colder land, closer to the night.

He looked at her straight in the eye when she came closer, and she felt nervous. She felt like he was scrutinizing her and that she would be discarded then and there without even the chance to talk to the other princes.

"Do you know anything about the princes? Have you heard anything about them?" He asked when she sat down and she bit her lip.

"No... I don't know anything other than what my sister told me about Lord Wook."

Wang So nodded.

"The good thing is that Yo and Won don't live in the palace anymore and they were the ones you needed to worry about the most. Mu is quiet and fair and Wook is kind and spends most of his time with books. Eun and Jung... They're very accepting of newcomers, you should get along with them just fine."

Hae Soo, not expecting the lesson on all the princes, tried to make mental notes about everything he was telling her before catching herself. She didn't know anything about Wang So either and there was no way to know if he was telling her the truth or if he was misleading her to make a wrong choice.

"One important thing to keep in mind is that the princes are their truest after nightfall. During the day, there are many eyes on us from every corner of the palace but, once night is high, each and every one of the princes do their own thing and you should find more about them then."

"Why should I believe you?"

He looked at her with an amused smile on his lips. Hae Soo wasn't sure if she was being mocked.

"You don't have to. You can see everything for yourself, but it's better to have a lead than go in blindly, don't you think?"

"Why would you help me?"

Wang So looked away from her, towards the gates. He looked at the moon and then down at his hands. He looked everywhere and still gave her no response. In the end he gave her one last look, stood up and walked away, and Hae Soo was left with her questions, her conjectures and the fireflies.

She decided to meet Wang Mu first, as he was the oldest. He gave her a shy smile when she asked to join him on his morning stroll and didn't say anything unless prompted. Hae Soo noticed every court lady stopped by to greet him, and she decided to count it as a positive point towards the prince. Had it been prince Wang So, Hae Soo was sure the court ladies would find a way to come back the way they came or avoid eye-contact. Lord Mu walked slowly, read the reports that were brought to him about taxes and the market in the neighboring towns, but when he was requested to see the King, his eyes lost their way. Hae Soo saw him falter for only a second before he nodded, excused himself and walked away.

In the evening, she decided to try out Wang So's suggestion. She tip-toed out of her room and looked around for Lord Mu. She found him in the kitchen, chattering with the astronomer, Choi Ji Mong. He was drinking wine and his face was flushed and every time Ji Mong cracked a joke, he would laugh heartily. Hae Soo noticed the kitchen was empty for the two of them in respect. Reaching out and trying hard not to be seen, Hae Soo grabbed one of the crystal glasses and returned to her room.

Wang So, who just so happened to be around her room, saw the glass in her hand and thought of what interesting plan the girl was coming up with.

Determined to leave Lord Wook for last, Hae Soo met Wang Eun the following day. He seemed to be writing something very carefully in a couple sheets of paper. When she asked him what it was, he told her that it was a play for the children of the village. She asked him if was planning on acting too and he ran to his bedroom, coming back with puppets he had made himself. Hae Soo was very impressed and she admired him as he worked on fixing the puppets and the script.

At night, she watched him climb a tree and check a bird nest that was at the very top. She was afraid he'd fall but every step he took was premeditated and he never lost his footing once. After grinning at the baby birds, he ignored them completely and proceeded to use a slingshot to throw small rocks at the palace guards. He missed some and hit a few, giggling to himself the whole time. Letting out a small laugh that was almost a scoff, Hae Soo picked one of the rocks he threw and brought it to her room.

On the next day, Hae Soo met Wang Jung. He practiced his swordsmanship with great care and concentration, and when she asked him if he wasn't afraid of facing an army, his chest swelled with pride as he told her he was the second best fighter in the palace and, if needed be, he would give his life for the kingdom. Hae Soo tilted her head to the side and asked him who was the first. He whispered Wang So's name before returning to his practice.

At night, she saw him climbing the palace's walls and running on the roof. He ran and jumped, trying pirouettes, back-flips, always landing on his feet. He hid himself whenever a guard came closer, so she was sure he wasn't allowed to train either at that hour or that place. He fell a couple of times but always jumped back to the roof. She saw he had left one of his wristbands on the ground and picked it up.

"So, how are your investigations going?"

Hae Soo never saw Wang So coming and it appeared to amuse him greatly.

"Do you ever make a noise, my lord?"

"Not if I can make you jump every time."

There was mischief in his eyes and she had expected it from Lord Jung or Lord Eun but not him. He kept his hands clasped behind his back and walked side by side with her.

"Your predictions were fairly accurate, my lord. Did you... spy on your brothers?" Hae Soo asked, squinting her eyes at him, and Wang So chuckled. Ah, first impressions can be so wrong, she thought, feeling actually at ease with the prince who seemed to enjoy catching her off guard and who helped her when she didn't even ask for help. What do you gain from this, my lord? What is your goal?

"I did not spy on my brothers, Lady Hae, I observe them."

"Is there a difference?"

"Intent," he pointed out, and it sounded plausible enough that she couldn't tease him about it. "I lived my entire childhood in a different place and, upon my return, I tried to learn as much as I could from my brothers. I wanted to know their interests and habits and discovered that first impressions are very rarely right." Hae Soo smiled to herself.

"And what was your intent in doing so?" Hae Soo asked but Wang So remained silent. Did you want to befriend them, Lord So? Did you accomplish your mission? They passed by the personal chambers of the princes where she had intended to meet Lord Wook and stopped. She was sure his was the first door to the left but Wang So kept looking to the last door on the right. "What's wrong? Whose room is that?"

"Baek Ah's," he said. "It's been ten days since his departure." Lord So wasn't smiling anymore and Hae Soo had her answer then. She didn't say anything or move and soon Wang So's attention was back on her. "Aren't you meeting Prince Wook? You shouldn't make him wait."

She bowed to him and moved to Wang Wook's door but still she didn't enter. She thought about all the things her sister said about him and suddenly she was nervous. She wanted to leave a good impression so her sister would be proud of her but her feet didn't move.

Wang So was suddenly behind her and, as though to keep her from jumping or maybe to reassure her, he touched her shoulders lightly before leaning in and speaking in a low voice.

"Don't be afraid. Wook is the kindest of the princes and the best candidate for King. You'll like him," he said and, with one last smile, walked away before Soo could say even a word of gratitude.

Don't be afraid.

With newfound courage, Hae Soo knocked softly on the door before entering and greeting Lord Wang Wook.

So was right again, she discovered. Lord Wook was kind and his smile was easy. He offered her tea and showed her all the reports he had been receiving from emissaries all over the kingdom. He studied the tricky numbers of the economy profoundly and wrote letters to noble families. He showed her maps so she wouldn't get bored, and gave her little details about many towns and big cities. He told her of sights she would love and offered her any book in his library if she wanted. She stayed with him all day.

When Hae Soo returned to his chambers before bed, he was still writing. She said she just wanted to say good night and thank him for all his trouble with her. He smiled and gave her a book as a present so she would always have a good memory of their first meeting, and she took one of his writing brushes when he wasn't looking.

Lying awake in her bed on that night, she thought about the lord who spent all day in his study with official papers. He was dedicated, intelligent and kind-hearted, but what were his interests? What did he love?

Unable to sleep, Hae Soo left her room and tried to close her door as quietly as she could. She wondered if prince Wang So would still be awake and found herself wanting to talk to him, wanting to know his opinions. She walked towards the courtyard where they had first talked and saw something rather peculiar. There was a cloaked figure jumping over the palace walls and even from that distance she could tell it wasn't Wang Jung. Unsure if she should call the guards or not, she hurried closer and saw the figure look behind their shoulder.

It was prince Wang So.

She ran towards him, worried he would jump over the wall and into the sleeping town.

"Lord So! Wait!" She tried catching his attention and not being heard at the same time and it ended up being a very loud whisper. Wang So looked down at her in surprise.

"Lady Hae? What are you doing awake?"

"What are you doing up there?" Wang So looked around as if making sure no guards were around.

"You should go back to your chambers, Lady Hae."

Hae Soo scoffed and looked around. She found a big rock and stepped on it, then reached out her hand towards Wang So. Sighing, the prince took the cue and helped pulling her up, no easy feat giving her height and her shoes. Once she was up, they both sat down on the tiles looking at the town below. Hae Soo caught her breath and looked at him, finally putting all the pieces together.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

Wang So didn't look at her, just took the hood down.

"Back in town, many weeks ago... And just before I entered the palace. It was you who helped me."

"I tried helping the first time, but I remember you didn't let me."

"I couldn't even see your face!" He gave her a sideways glance. "...my lord."

"That's how I knew you'd do well," he said, smiling in her direction, then looking back at the town. "You weren't carried away by anything other than fantastic tales. I thought that, when it came to people, you had a good judgment of right and wrong, not to mention the right amount of courage, and that's why you were good for this mission."

"Is that why you helped me? You told me not to trust anyone... You included yourself?"

"Yes, and that's what you did on your first day. You followed your own instincts. You did well, Lady Hae."

"Hae Soo."

He looked at her then. They could barely make each other out in the darkness, but still they could see. His words were arrogant but there wasn't arrogance in Wang So, just a distant look in his eyes and a smile on his lips that was sometimes happy and sometimes sad. She liked that it was the happy one he usually directed at her.

"Lady Hae is my sister. I'm just... Hae Soo."

"...Soo." He repeated and she liked the way he said it. She only heard her name when her sister called her or when a neighbor needed help with something and it always had an urgency to it. She liked it how he said it then, just the two of them, in a low and melodious voice. "Did you discover anything interesting?"

"I discovered you're the strongest man in the palace."

He laughed.

"I've fought my battles, Hae Soo. It's all in the past now."

Hae Soo hugged her knees to her chest. It was a little cold up where they were, but questions burned in her chest.

"You care, don't you?"

"About what?"

"Everything."

He was quiet and he wasn't smiling any of his smiles.

"That's why you went into town. You tried to help me and I didn't let you but you didn't leave. How many people did you try to help?"

"...We should go back."

"Prince So," she said, reaching out and touching his arm. The man who hid himself behind a mask and black armor was still warm to the touch. "Do you want to be king?"

"I can't be king," he said, breaking free from her touch, standing up.

"Why? Tell me," she pleaded. He was the first friend she ever made. "Don't leave."

Prince Wang So stood on the palace wall tiles, clenching his jaw, seeming to fight with himself. With his mind made, he crouched next to the girl, the brave and intelligent girl he believed in, and he took off his mask. Hae Soo was sure that the very sight of his face was supposed to be her answer but to her, he was beautiful. I've fought my battles, he had told her, and it reflected on a big scar next to his eye. It was a wonder he hadn't been blinded, and Hae Soo was glad for it, reaching out, tracing it. He grabbed her wrist but it was just a touch, he didn't hurt her or push her away.

"I can't be a king like this. People need to see me and see the success of the kingdom, they can't look at me and see my failures. They can't look at me at all, I look like... a criminal, not even a prince."

"What man would dare fighting you, the strongest of Goryeo, when your scar is the symbol of your victory?" Her comfort couldn't reach him, his lips were a fine line.

"And what good would that do in a time of peace?"

Hae Soo thought about this man who helped people without showing his face, who got to know the brothers who never came to care about him in return, who appeared to have lost the only one he was close to and still counted the days since he had been gone.

You don't want to be feared, do you?

You want to be loved.

"We should go back," the prince said, climbing down and then catching her when she jumped. Lord So, who had been teasing and comfortable to talk to, looked very different then, up close. His mask was back on but he was bared, and his eyes seemed to shine at her in the darkness. He walked with her to her room and was intent on leaving without another word but she held him again. He looked so young and vulnerable caught off guard. She pulled him closer to her, almost inside her room, and whispered, where no one could hear:

"Would you give it to me?"

His room was in the same hall and there was no one around, no guard patrolling, no court lady, no prince awake past his hours.

"Please?"

Wang So hesitated but slowly reached and untied the ribbon which secured the mask in place. He placed the mask in her hands, bowed, and then made his way to his own chambers. She wondered if she had wronged him, after all, but when she closed the door, her mind was already made.

There was no prince around that time. It was just her, King Taejo, and the items she had brought.

"Hae Soo. You have accepted the task to came to the palace and tell me about the prince who is best suited to ascend to the throne. Tell me, at what conclusion have you arrived?"

"Your Majesty, these are my findings."

Hae Soo grabbed the first item, the crystal glass.

"Prince Wang Mu is loved by the people in the palace and does all that he is asked with diligence. However, I believe that the thought of ruling the country makes him anxious, and he's not prepared to face such task. He is, however, very suited to take care of the palace and all the people that live in it, and would gladly to spend time with them and drink with them as good friends."

She placed the crystal glass down, and grabbed the small rock.

"Prince Eun is creative and sure to be loved by the kingdom. His honest works are bound to entertain the population and the children, but he's still too immature to face the throne and its responsibilities, preferring to play with slingshots. It'd be best to let him grow a little so he doesn't skip any step in the development of his character."

Next was the wristband.

"Prince Jung is strong and confident, and will surely lead this country to victory in many battles. But that confidence is also a fault, and his recklessness is not suited to a king. As of now, his prime concern is his training and strength, and it may be a few years before he starts thinking of a greater good."

Placing the wristband down, Hae Soo's hand faltered. It hovered before the next two items before the final decision. She picked up the brush.

"Prince Wook is reliable, intelligent and dedicated. Every minute of his day is focused on the progress of this country and his kindness would led us to prosperity but..."

The king furrowed his brow.

"But?"

Hae Soo looked over everything she had gathered, organizing every thought and every conversation in her head. She saw herself put the brush down and she saw her fingers brushing across the mask. She thought of how he should have been asleep but wasn't, over the palace walls, guarding. Protecting.

"Your majesty, I pick Prince Wang So."

"Wang So?"

King Taejo eyes widened. To Soo it seemed that this was the last decision he expected her to make.

"Why?"

"Your majesty, you brought me here in order to get to know your sons, their character and their hearts. I have watched them and talked to them, and no other heart was as clear to me as Lord So's. When you're not looking, he visits the town and helps the people in anonymity. While he was away, he fought and gave himself for this kingdom. He loves his brothers and would selflessly follow any of them on their path to the throne. He distances himself in shame, but your majesty, I beg of you to give him this chance."

I'm sorry, sister.

"There is no other prince whose heart is as honest as prince So's."

King Taejo straightened his back and regarded Soo seriously. She looked straight at him, an outrage, but he expected her utmost sincerity and thus she spoke. They stared at each other for what seemed like a long time, a battle of wills, until finally the king let out a hearty laugh.

"I concede, girl. Your spirit is perhaps stronger than any of my sons'." To the guards he said, "Call forth prince Wang So!"

Hae Soo stayed where she was, kneeling before the king, barely noticing she was holding his mask, barely noticing her heart race when he walked in and knelt beside her. He glanced at her briefly out the corner of his eye and then focused his attention to the king.

"Prince So, you are set to become crown prince within a week."

Wang So raised his head in shock.

"My king..."

"The whole palace shall start the preparations for the ceremony. Before then, the wedding ceremony shall take place within three days."

"Wedding ceremony?" Hae Soo blinked.

"Between the two of you, naturally, as stated."

My sister...

Both were excused from the throne room, getting up slowly, walking out the throne doors.

I could have denied it then, could have looked for a different way...

Prince So turned to face her. She was still so taken back, face blank, feeling too much at once. Still holding his mask.

But sister, the truth is, at that moment...

Wang So pulled her against his chest. She could feel his heart was beating fast too, she could hear the tears in his voice when he whispered, "Why did you choose me?"

At that moment, I was glad.

Her arms circled him. She patted his back, tried her best to comfort him, held him tightly.

I was glad I got to be with him.

"I believe in you, my lord."

I thought happily of the all the things I could give him.

Was that so wrong of me?

"Hae Soo, you should be in bed."

"Please help me, my lord."

Prince Wang So, crown-prince to be, sighed exasperatedly at his fiancee. He let her inside his chambers and she hopped in excitedly, peering at everything. The room was much simpler decorated compared to her own, but there were a few surprising details here and there. His armor was exposed on the wall, as well as a good number of swords. There were no mirrors. A single flower was in a vase by the window. A peony?

"Ah, peonies are my favorite too!" She said, clasping her hands together.

"...I know," he said, looking to the side.

"You do?"

"Our wedding is tomorrow, Soo, I've seen the decoration."

"Oh. Right."

She stood by his bookshelves and was ready to pull one of his books out when he came behind her and pushed it back into place. She turned to him, very conscious of their proximity. It was hard to look away from Lord So's eyes in that distance.

"Soo."

"Yes?"

"What do you need my help with?"

The prince crossed his arms and Hae Soo gave a sheepish smile.

"The dance."

"The dance?"

"I still have trouble with it."

"Soo, the weeding is tomorrow."

She hid her face behind her hands.

"I know."

He sighed, took one of her hands and walked to the center of his room. She supposed it was best to practice with him than the instructor the king assigned, anyway. There were so many things to learn, so many things she had to known as a crown princess, so many things she hadn't thought about before the challenge. So held her close and she tried to follow his steps. He was swift and confident in his moves. When she messed up she thought of her sister, who had hugged her and told her she had done well, and she tried again. So didn't get frustrated like her instructor, he just moved and they were dancing again. She giggled when they twirled and it made him smile.

"You like dancing?"

"It doesn't feel embarrassing with you."

She felt disappointed when they stopped.

"You'll be fine, Soo." He brushed her hair behind her ears and it was so different from her sister's gentle gestures. "You should go to bed."

"Can I..."

She didn't want to leave and knew she was being silly, but it was a ceremony for the two of them and she didn't feel as pressured when she was with him. With him, she didn't feel like a crown princess. She wondered if he felt the same way.

"Can I brush your hair?"

The prince blinked a few times.

"My hair?"

She nodded and smiled brightly and he could do nothing but concede. She sat him on a chair and removed his mask. She thought of the times she brushed her sister's hair and how it always made things feel lighter. The prince's hair, long and dark, was beautiful. She brushed it and touched it and felt a little closer to him then.

"Soo."

He had his eyes closed and his voice was soft, the tone she liked.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think it'll be okay? For me to be king."

She moved to stand in front of him, adjusting his bangs with her fingers. He had that vulnerable look on his face again, and it clenched her heart when she could see his face so clearly, both eyes open, begging her for reassurance. She traced his scar lightly with her fingertips, then his brow and his cheekbones as she spoke.

"You know, my sister has a scar, too," she began. "It's not visible like yours but it's there. She loved and she was abandoned and she cried for a long time. I know it wounded her. But Lord So, a scar is just a symbol of a wound that has been healed. It means you can start over. Everyone can get wounded but not everyone can start over." She smiled. "I know I don't have many skills but I'll help you in any way I can."

He took her by surprise, pulling her closer, she practically fell on his lap. She felt shy, blushing at once, but he hugged her tightly. Ah, she thought, of course you'd be scared too. She hugged him back and tried to will his heart back to its normal pace, hearing him say her name over and over in her ear and being calmed herself.

Everything will be okay if it's you.

There were so many people in the palace that she was glad she didn't have to leave his side. They had danced and they had made their vows and were ready to make a toast. Her sister was there, looking healthier than she had been in a long time, beautiful and tearful. Hae Soo clinked her glass with his and drank, everyone seemed so happy for them, so hopeful.

She heard him gasp for breath before anybody else. She looked his way and his eyes were wide, his hand at his throat. Hae Soo dropped her glass; it shattered on the floor and everyone looked at them. She cried for help and suddenly there were too many people, pulling him, pushing her. There was blood coming out of his mouth by the time they carried him outside and Hae Soo, panicked as she was, looked at her sister.

Lady Hae rushed to her side and smelled his glass.

"Soo, when you came to the palace, did you bring everything with you?"

Her mind cleared at once. She started to run, ignoring anyone who called for her, rushing to her room. There, she picked the pouch she brought with her to the palace, back when she was just a town girl, just the youngest Hae sister who took care of the supplies and picked herbs.

The herbs.

She rushed to the kitchen and asked the court ladies for help. They were fast, so well-trained and helpful, but Hae Soo made the antidote herself. When she was done she ran again, still in her wedding dress, now stained and torn in places, but she ran to his chambers, and it was a relief when someone asked for the people to give her way. She saw that it was Lord Wook and he nodded at her.

She gave him the antidote before anyone could think of stopping her. She was his wife and they could have suspected her but she didn't care. She made sure he drank it all and she didn't move until the pained look in his face was gone.

The King ordered everyone to leave and, with one last look at Hae Soo, he left.

Hae Soo removed her jewelry and undid her hair, doing the same for him. With a wet cloth, she wiped all the blood from his face. Seeing him there, pale and weak, made her cry. Her head lied on his chest, listening to his heartbeats and she cried. You didn't deserve this, you did nothing to deserve this. She cried until she got tired and there she fell asleep, dreaming of their first encounter, of his eyes under the moonlight.

Oh sister, I made a mistake.

"Tell me what you want, Hae Soo."

She felt like the same town girl there, before him. Her hands lied on her thighs and she held her clothes tightly, almost sure she was not going to get away with her request.

"I have made a mistake, your majesty."

His eyes felt heavy on her.

"I believe Lord Wook would make a good king."

"So you take back every word you have said to me?"

She shook her head.

"No, your majesty. Everything I said still holds true to my heart."

"Then why? Do you think a change in plans will keep the royal family safe?"

"I..." She raised her head, looking straight at him, her will at the tip of her tongue. "I believe whoever did this, be it a nobleman or a common man, does not deserve the prince. He has suffered enough, he has given enough."

They don't deserve you. None of these people who never tried to know you.

"And what do you plan on doing now?"

"We'll start over." She smiled, hoping she could reach him, hoping she could reach his heart. "We'll start over where he can help people. Until the day he's older and more experienced, until the day this whole race for the throne has been forgotten. Until that day, the prince will help the people and the people will get to meet him and know him and trust him. Only then he will be healed."

"And you?"

"If you'll let me, your majesty, I will be by his side. I believe there's much I can learn from him as well."

King Taejo chuckled, stroking his beard.

"Can the kingdom trust you, Hae Soo?"

"Your majesty," she bowed, "I have only ever told you what I believed is the truth, and if I failed you or prince So, it is because my heart spoke so loudly that my mind couldn't hear."

"You may go, child." His tone was so fond that she raised her head in surprise. "Please take care of my son."

"I shall, your majesty. Please take care of my sister."

Hae Soo stood up and walked away, never to see King Taejo again.

When she danced, her footprints made drawings on the wet sand. She twirled when the waves touched her feet, and she laughed, holding her skirt up so the water wouldn't drench it. The water was crystalline and the breeze was cold and refreshing. She had beautiful hairpins in her hair and her dress looked like clouds.

She forgot all about the dress and the water when she saw him approach her, his ponytail moving to the breeze, and she offered both of her hands to him. He never stopped smiling around her, a smile that reached his eyes, both his eyes, mask long forgotten inside a drawer in their home. He held her hands and he moved swiftly, dancing their wedding dance with the sea.

He kissed her while holding her up, and it felt salty then, just like the first kiss they shared when he woke up and she was there, lying next to him, crying because he was alive, repeating his name. There were no more tears and neither of them were headed for the throne anymore. Still they were royalty, so they danced their royal dance, much less bound by rules, much more carefree, never letting go of each other, waving at the people who passed by the shore, people who knew and supported them, and there they would stay, until the people claimed his name, until the people demanded their king.

I trust you with all my heart.