Timeless

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Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Me no own

AN: Here we are!

Standing in front of Wook's house, Wang So felt the most nervous he'd felt in more than a hundred years. The rest of the princes were already in Wook's residence, as Damiwon was near, and the princes were undergoing a cleaning ritual because of the perceived illwill of the heavens against the Crown Prince. Another reason for all the princes almost constant presence at the 8th prince's residence was the fact that it was just outside the palace, near enough for them to reach in case of an emergency, but far enough that they were free from the constant watch of the nobles.

Wook had been ordered to take care of Wang So's lodgings by their father, as it wasn't quite safe or necessary for him to live in the palace quite yet. Wang So had no problems with this decision, as he literally had enough of the palace to last him a lifetime. And he was quite confident that Wook had no illwill towards him yet.

He made his way towards the pavilion, as the servants had told him that the princes and the ladies were all there. Apparently there was a celebration of sorts. As he approached, So noticed that Eun was gesticulating wildly to a lady. Even Yo looked amused by the proceedings. So's heart stopped, and so did his body.

It was her.

So would recognize her back anywhere, be it today or a thousand years in the future.

She turned around, and So forgot how to breathe.

As she and the rest noticed him, the atmosphere changed. But So cared for none of that.

Their eyes met, and So felt his heart beating again, faster than it ever had.

The world around them had disappeared. It was only him and her.

Then, to So's surprise, she made her way to him.

She was different. There was a grace in her walk that he'd seen in many female warriors. Her hair was longer, and reached her hips.

She seemed like a stronger person.

But still, So had no doubt that she remembered. he could see it in her eyes.

She was smiling politely, like any lady would to a prince. Had So been any other person than he was, he would have been fooled. But Soo was never able to fool him. Because her eyes, her beautiful, big eyes tha could see through any facade So put up, were brimming with emotion.

She was in front of him now, still smiling politely as she bowed.

"Welcome, Wang So hwangja-nim." she said, her head bowed. So smiled ashe noticed the small shake in her voice, and the way her shoulders were a miniscule tense.

"It has been a long time, my Lady." he said in an emotion-laden voice. Slowly she rose her head from her bow, and their eyes met again. So saw the relief, the worry and a myriad of other emotions pass in those eyes. Someone cleared their throat.

It was Lady Hae Myung Heee, Wook's wife.

"4th prince, why don't you join us? We were all listening to your...adventurous morning from the 10th prince. Wouldn't it be better for you tell it yourself?" So blinked in surprise, while Eun ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Sure. Why not?"So shrugged and made his way to the pavilion. Everyone, excluding Yo as he was older, stood to greet him. So inclined his head in acknowledgement, and bowed to Yo.

Hae Soo had followed them back as well, and offered So a chair to sit on, which So accepted gratefully. She bowed to him, and left the pavilion, excusing herself. So resisted the urge to follow her.

"What is your purpose for returning to Songak?"It was Yo who asked this. So blinked in surprise. His brother had never been so direct, preferring to play with words like most politicians. Even the rest of the princes were surprised.

"Hyungnim, what-"

"To marry. I don't care for the throne. I will, however, protect Mu-hyungnim from any schemes, even those mother cooks up." So said in a factual tone, cutting off Wook who'd been trying to avoid having the two Yoos fight. Now it was Yo's turn to be surprised, though he seemed to be thoughtful rather than angry. Most of the princes had the same reaction, except Eun, who always tuned out politics. Jung seemed off-put though.

"What do you mean, hyungnim? Mother would not do something like that." the youngest prince exclaimed. So stared at Jung, and so did Yo, unconsciously mirroring each other. The other princes shuddered.

"What are you, two?"

"Where is the kiddies table?"

"Do you even listen to Mother?"

"Where is your head at, bruh?"

"...what is a 'bruh' Wang So?"

"...it is english for brother. English is a foreign language. I speak a few, Yo hyungnim."

Yo and So's sudden roast of Jung and subsequent lesson in a language that currently didn't exist caused all of the princes to blink. They couldn't believe that Yo was actually talking so casually with So. Jung mouthed 'kiddies table' incredulously to Wook, who just shrugged, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"A few? How many languages do you speak, hyungnim? Baek Ah always brags that he can speak 6 languages." Eun asked with excitement coloring his voice. Baek Ah sent him an annoyed look, but looked at So expectantly.

"Oh, not that many...maybe around...hm, 20?" he said distractedly. Baek Ah had offered him honey-cakes, his favorite. He took a bite and felt like he was in heaven.

He looked up when nobody said anything.

"What?" So said to his brothers, who were all staring at him.

Yo stared at his brother, who couldn't have been more different from what their mother had described to him. He wasn't a stupid fool, and neither did he seem prone to lying like their mother. Oh, Yo had no doubt that Wang So was capable of shaking up the country should he feel the need to. He just hadn't expected So to be so like him. Their manners of eating and sitting were practically synchronized as well, and it was making their younger brothers uncomfortable.

There was a reason to Yo's uncharacteristic frankness. It was simple, really. First off, he didn't have a greed for the throne, unlike their mother. In another life, he may have shared her greed, but Yo had long since learned that their mother was consumed by a blinding greed that never could be satisfied. He'd realized this when he was 11, on the day that their mother's eldest son died.

Their father had been preoccupied with yet another marriage on that day, and had ignored the death of his second-born in favor of solidifying a political alliance through marriage. He chose to be a king before being a father. Yo had been angry that day, but he'd held it in, because he understood his father. And he'd expected that his mother, as cold as she had been towards both So and their elder brother. His mother had held no affection for their sick brother.

Yet, on that day she'd chased after their father like a crazy woman, or rather, the crazy that she was. Mu and Yo had been present when his mother tried to cling to their father's robes, crying for son that everybody knew she hated.

That day had been the first day that his mother had tried to hurt Yo. Thankfully, he'd been strong enough to defend himself from her reckless attacks. He shuddered to think about the fact that it could have been So, who would have been to small to defend himself.

From then on, Yo had looked at their mother without the rose-tinted glasses.

And the picture hadn't been pretty. Don't get him wrong. He still loved his mother, but he no longer had a burning passion for her approval, now that he knew that she could turn on anybody for her own greed. Yo and Mu had also formed a brotherly bond that day, and Yo knew better than anyone that Mu deserved to be Crown Prince.

Yet he watched as she schemed and Mu defended. Because Yo was neutral. He didn't care for the throne, he was just an observer in the games of politics that played out everyday in the palace. Though he did hold the favor of the Court.

This was the reason for his frankness with So. Yo wasn't stupid. He hadn't missed the way several of the nobles who had been neutral had reacted to So. Apparently So had been quite busy. But Yo believe So when he said that he didn't plan on coveting for the throne. Because if he had, he wouldn't have estranged their uncle. Wang Sik Ryeom may be the younger brother of the dragon, Wang Geun, but the man was a snake through and through. Yo straightened himself as he remembered something So had said.

"You mentioned marriage. Who is the girl?" he asked, eyes narrowed. He hoped that it wouldn't be Yeon Hwa. That girl was too alike their mother and she would be dangerous if So married her.

"Hae Soo" So answered absentmindedly.

Pin drop silence. Wook, who had been about to take a sip of tea, let his cup clatter to the table. Won choked, and Baek Ah and Jung looked at So incredulously, as did Yo. Eun gaped. So looked at their surprise, before sighing. He knew it. She'd probably done something out of the ordinary. Again.

"What did she do this time?" he asked in an aghast voice. The others exchanged looks.

"You know her?" Baek Ah said slowly. So rolled his eyes.

"You think that brazen girl would let just anyone marry her? I've known her for uh, lifetimes and I'm not sure what kind of hoops I'll have to jump through this time." the fourth prince said fondly. Many of the princes nodded in agreement. So looked at his brothers expectantly.

"So, how do all of you know her?" he asked, curiosity coloring his voice. Everybody exchanged looks, before Baek Ah sighed.

"It was 4 years ago, when Wook hyungnim married Lady Myung Hee. She was practicing archery by herself, and Won hyungnim thought that it would be good idea to disturb her by making fun of her-"

"I regret it alright, can we not-"

"Anyway, long story short, he challenged a 12 year old to a competition. And lost horribly." Won was hiding his face in his hands by now, while Jung and Eun snickered. Yo studied So carefully.

"But how do you know her? You've been in Shinju for the past 10 years." the third prince asked. So smiled serenely.

"Wouldn't you like know."he said, before returning his attention to the honey-cookies. Yo looked momentarily stunned by his answer, before he smirked, allowing So his secrets.

Throughout the whole affair, Wook stayed silent. He had always thought of Hae Soo as his sister, even though they weren't related by blood. Now, he was met with the proposition of So marrying her. If she wasn't opposed to it, he wouldn't stop So, but if she wanted out, Wook would do anything in his power to stop Wang So. For now, he would enjoy the time with his brothers.

"So-hyung, how were you able to describe uncle's hypothetical death so clearly?"

"Well, I studied medicine.."

Wook smiled.

Later.

He would ask them later.

So looked around nervously, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants, and trying to control his breathing.

He was finally meeting her.

Without anyone to interfere.

Soo had discreetly handed him a note before she'd left the gathering earlier, asking for him to wait for her in the forest near Wook's house, where she'd originally tried to save Jung. So had tried really hard to control his expression as he'd read the note.

She remembered!

A slight sound from his left interrupted his musings.

He looked up.

And there she was.

She looked like a goddess in the moonlight, her pale skin glowing, and her hair flowing freely down her back, swishing as she gracefully approached him.

So heart threatened to jump out of his chest.

They were standing close, looking each other in the eyes, and losing themselves. Before he could lose himself completely, So caught himself.

Maintaining eye-contact, he slowly lowered himself to one knee.

Hae Soo blinked in surprise, before she covered her mouth which had dropped open as soon as she realized what he was about to do.

So smiled.

"Hae Soo...it may be a bit late, or a bit too early, depending on how you see this...But I don't care. You're the only one for me. I have been waiting for you for more than a hundred years...maybe even a thousand."

So paused, trying to control his emotions. Hae Soo was crying silently, two perfect tears falling down her smooth cheeks. So wanted nothing more than to wipe them away, but he had to do this.

"And everyday without you was torture. All I could hope was to see you again in the next life...but that day, when I saw you crying in the museum, it was already too late." So let a lone tear fall, and Hae Soo looked shocked. Maybe she hadn't expected him to suffer through the modern times? So ignored it and went on.

"I was a king, a doctor, a general, a soldier, a politician, a president, and a prince yet again. Yet not one of these titles could distract me from the void that you'd created when you left. So, I will ask you again, Hae Soo. Will you marry me?"

Hae Soo looked at him for what felt like a long time, and So's heart sank.

Maybe she'd moved on.

Maybe this was too late.

Maybe she hated him.

He was about to get up when she launched herself into his arms, making both of them fall down on the forest floor.

"Yes, yes, yes..." she chanted as she cried into his shoulder, and hung onto him for dear life.

So's heart, which had just sunken to the underground soared.

"Soo-yah, if you'd move a bit..." Hae Soo reluctantly let go of her prince and let him get up while she sat in his lap. So smiled at her, and held her hips in place.

He fished out a small box from his robe, and opened it, fishing out the ring, and giving it to Hae Soo. She smiled at him, and then admired the ring. It was white gold, studded with amethysts and diamonds. Hae Soo eagerly put it on her left ring-finger. So grinned.

It fit just right.

Hae Soo smiled widely and pecked him on his lips, surprising him.

She chuckled at his expression and was about to make a run for it, but So fortunately managed to regain his senses. He trapped her in his arms, not letting her go as she struggled halfheartedly.

He kissed her cheeks.

Then her nose.

Then her chin.

Then her eyes.

Then her forehead.

He looked her in the eyes, and her pupils seemed blown. Her lips were slightly parted, waiting for his attention.

He kissed the edge of her mouth, and she made a whining noise.

He smiled, and lowered his head so his lips could reach hers.

He was about to descend on those lovely, rose-petal like lips...

Suddenly someone cleared their throat.

Wang So felt the urge to bring the apocalypse on whoever who'd dared to interfere. Hae Soo had a vaguely irritated expression on her face.

They both turned to face the poor soul who'd interrupted their first kiss in millennia.

"Erhm...it's pretty late, you know, and it's not appropiate for a Lady in waiting to be out at this time..." A blushing Wang Wook stuttered out as he looked anywhere but at them. So let out a sigh, but smiled roguishly at Hae Soo, who was blushing, but glaring at Wook simultaneously.

Wook decided that he definitely had his answer for his question.

AN: Happy New Year! Well, sorry for the wait, but I'm finding romance a bit hard to write. I'm pretty sure I cringed through the last part of the chapter. Regret awaits me tomorrow.

Review if you want me to cringe through another romantic scene.

-iamAdisco