By the time the Fool becomes an adult, he has a strong identity and a certain mastery over himself. Through discipline and will-power, he has developed an inner control which allows him to triumph over his environment.
On Card 7, we see a proud, commanding figure riding victoriously through his world. He is in visible control of himself and all he surveys.
The Chariot represents the positive aspects of the ego. A healthy ego is one that is strong and self-assured. It knows what it wants and how to get it.
A message from Hae clan: Divorce 8th prince and come back home!
Hae Soo dumbfoundedly stared at the letter of her uncles delivered by 13th prince. That was how her life worked, how her marriage meant: manipulated, controlled, political purposes only... She had no power over this matter whatsoever.
Two families were having interest conflicts. Hae clan decided it would be better to cut the tie before the Hwangbo had the idea of keeping Hae Soo in SongAk as an hostage.
"It's for your safety" Baek Ah concluded after explaining for the girl what was going on.
What defined her safety? Would she be safe back her hometown or would she be sold to another person, another prince for Hae clan's interests.
Hae Soo bit her lips, holding back a bittersweet laugh, as she recalled 4th prince's proposal in the afternoon.
He had foreseen this after all.
"What if 8th prince doesn't agree?" Soo calmly asked. The marriage couldn't be dissolved only on her demand.
"Your uncles said everything was arranged already. You have all the rights to ask for a divorce and Wook hyungnim could do nothing but accept."
Soo's brows furrowed in deep thinking. What gave her all the rights to ask 8th prince for a divorce?
The question bothered the Hae girl until she found the answer from the most unexpected person: Princess Yeon Hwa. Walking back her quarter that evening, Hae Soo surprisingly saw the princess waiting before her room. After getting inside, Yeon Hwa immediately was on her knees, begging for forgiveness.
"You can punish me as much as you want, but please do not divorce my brother. It was all my fault and he had no idea about it. He truly respects and cares for you. It was all my wrongdoings, only me, not my brother, not my clan."
She looked at the princess in bewilderment before Chaerung whispered to her the story behind all of this.
Hae Soo felt sick, disgusted by a mere presence of her so-called sister-in-law. She didn't want to see that face anymore. Who could have known under such beautiful skin was a monster, ready to do anything to get what she wanted? Yeon Hwa still pleaded for her forgiveness when being ejected from the room.
Hae Soo cried in her room through the night, scared of this evil world, where no one could be trusted and the most beautiful face could bear the darkest soul.
8th prince stood outside of her room the whole night like a guardian, patiently, earnestly as he always was. Soo knew both of them were the victims of Yeon Hwa's plan but she didn't want to see him, not at that moment.
The King's punishment for Yeon Hwa was sending her back to Hwangju. The princess wouldn't be able to return to SongAk until the day she got married. She had to leave without 8th prince's pardon. But in the end, the sister had never truly asked for forgiveness, only asked for Hae Soo to not divorce her brother.
"Are you still upset about it, my Lady?" Chaerung asked while gently combing her hair "Nothing happened that night, didn't it? 4th prince would never do such thing to you. He had known Princess Yeon Hwa's plan in the beginning."
Had he truly known? Hae Soo sighed deeply, recalling the incident.
It wasn't sleeping potion that Yeon Hwa had put in the tea, but stimulant drug. The princess thought she could blackmail 4th prince for whatever she wanted if the prince had been caught on assaulting their sister-in-law.
Fortunately, things hadn't gone like what Yeon Hwa planned. But was it because of Soo intentionally breaking the tea pot or because 4th prince had known about it beforehand? She wasn't sure. At present, it only mattered that as long as the princess was at fault, the Lady had all the rights to divorce her husband.
Was this the arrangement of 4th prince or Hae clan? Or maybe both?
Soo heaved out another deep sigh.
4th prince Wang So, what did he want from her?
8th prince still waited for Hae Soo in front of her room. Until the door opened, she caught a sight of filer in his hands.
The atmosphere had never been that awkward between them when they sat together over divorce documents. Their marriage, their relationship had never had chance to start and now they were about to end everything.
The memory of her first day in SongAk when Prince Wook welcome her home was still vivid like yesterday. But it had been three years already.
"I can only say sorry on my sister's behalf" He broke the ice, which made Soo look up and catch a glimpse of sadness and regret in his eyes. "Sorry for not being a good husband. I don't deserve you. Please forgive me." He pushed the chair to stand up when Hae Soo found herself reaching out to grasp his hand.
It had always been her hands that he grasped. This time, she wanted it would be her turn. For once, she wanted to have control over her life. Not anyone else could take it away from her, even her husband.
Didn't wait for a response from Hae clan, Hae Soo made her own decision.
Just like 3 years ago, she climbed on a horse carriage. However, the carriage didn't bring her back Hae hometown but took the Lady to the palace where she was out of Hwangbo people's reach, yet still kept the title of 8th prince's wife.
Hae Soo wouldn't give up prince Wook, unless he betrayed her first.
And the most important thing, she wanted to learn and discover the world. Soo went to Damiwon to learn Art of tea from Court Lady Oh. The king had granted her this grand favour after all.
8th prince took her to greet the King, the Queens then finally led her to Damiwon where she met her enseignant, Court Lady Oh. He was thoughtful as ever when asking the court ladies in Damiwon to help his wife during her stay.
For the first time in their marriage, Hae Soo felt loved by her husband when he pulled her in a goodbye hug, whispering sweet words in her ears. He was grateful to her for not leaving him, promised to resolve all the problems between 2 families so that she could have a happy life together with him. And she couldn't help giving away a blissful smile, thinking about their bright future.
However, Soo's smile soon faded as Prince Wook was out of sight and slowly approaching her was the man she dreaded to meet, 4th prince Wang So.
It was a deserted narrow corridor that she couldn't change the path or find a third person to be her shield. Hae Soo felt panicky and breathless with each step the prince took toward her. It was ridiculous for her to be afraid of 4th prince, but after all the unpleasant experiences with him, the fear came naturally.
The Lady could do nothing but keep her head down, taking a small step asides, wishing the prince to just walk pass her, yet he didn't.
"I has underestimated you" Prince Wang So stopped right before her, but Hae Soo had no nerve to look up at him. "I don't like things getting out of my plan." So he did plan. He wanted her to divorce 8th prince "But I like how it's turning out. Because now you're in the palace" His fingers lifted her chin up so that their eyes met. Still those deep dark eyes and flawless handsome face made Soo hold her breath. "Closer to me than to Wook." His whisper was barely audible but managed to sent chill down her spine. Their intense moment lasted a second but felt like ages to Hae Soo.
Then all of sudden, the prince withdrew his hand, distanced himself from the Lady. Seconds later, a middle-aged man ran toward them and handed over the prince his mask.
"It's time to go to 9th prince's residence, your Highness"
Without a word, Wang So put his mask on then both the prince and his servant quickly left.
Hae Soo let out a long sigh of relief when finally she was in peace.
The head court lady of Damiwon gave Lady Hae Soo 3 days to settle herself down in the palace. Actually, Soo didn't need 3 days long but it took time for Chaerung to get passed all the security tests so that the young maid was allowed to live in the palace with her Lady.
Hae Soo was reserved a comfortable chamber in Damiwon but it seemed colder and emptier than her room in 8th prince's manor, especially without Chaerung.
At least Baek Ah came to her with another letter from Hae clan. They praised her for the wise move she had made. It appeared the relation between Hae clan and Hwangbo clan had been improved, which made Soo smile with pride.
In contrast, 13th prince seemed unhappy and wary. Had he also wanted her to break up with 8th prince? "It's not like your marriage based on love anyway. It's pure politics."
Soo pursed her lips in disapproval. Love could grow overtime. She believed that despite their rocky start, her marriage with prince Wook would soon bloom.
"It's been 3 years Soo. If you had meant to be in love with him, it must have happened already" But the hard head Hae Soo didn't listen to her best friend. "You might be better off with So hyungnim" 13th prince dropped the comment out of blue, which brought a grimace to Soo's face.
Baek Ah had never played the game of favourite. She knew her best friend was drifting away from his 8th brother since her marriage with him. But telling her to divorce 8th prince and better off with 4th prince was a little too much.
It was something totally ... un-Baek Ah.
Apparently, he had a huge bias toward Prince Wang So. The younger prince defended his 4th brother by all means, even when she told him how Wang So had verbally harassed her.
In the end, Soo just gave up, since she treasured her friendship with Baek Ah nim than a trivial matter which named 4th prince.
That night, cocooned in the warm blanket on her new bed in Damiwon, Hae Soo couldn't help thinking about Baek Ah's warning about living in the palace. It wasn't a simple place, the palace. She must be on alert all the time to stay away from trouble.
However easier said than done. Especially when it was troubles who came her way.
The royal herbal garden situated on a small mountain behind Damiwon. It was heaven for any physicians or herbalists in the country as grown there were most of the known herbs in Goryeo, from popular to rare ones, both domestic and foreign.
Undoubtably, the garden was guarded strictly. Only people with privilege card could get access to such place. And Hae Soo had to resist the urge to jump up and down in excitement when Court Lady Oh handed over her a golden card.
"Please spend your day identifying and taking notes about all the herbs you have known. Your knowledge must be tested"
Soo happily obliged the court lady by doing what was told. Her morning was spent on the field with fresh herbs when in the afternoon, she moved in the storage for the dried ones.
The vast chamber was perfumed with pleasant scent of dried herbs arranged orderly on shelves.
With a bright smile on her lips, Hae Soo immersed in her work and lost track of time. When the petite lady looked up, the sun had set and the court ladies, court physicians had left already. There was only her alone in the dimly lit room.
Pulling herself up, Soo found her way out to go back Damiwon when suddenly she caught a sight of a suspicious dark figure running in her direction. Quickly, she retreated back insides and hid behind the shelves.
Seconds later, heavy footsteps could be heard then harsh breaths and small whimpers, after that, was the noise of shelves of herbs being knocked down.
That person was looking for something.
Heart beating fast in the ribcage, Hae Soo grasped her mouth tightly so that no sound was made in her terrified state. Carefully glancing at the entrance which was also the only path of exit, she saw a trail of blood.
Everything clicked inside her head that the person was injured and looking for his treatment here.
More shelves were knocked down until that guy found what he wanted. Soo could hear the sound of him sliding down on the floor, hissing in pain as he using the herbs against his wound.
Soo thought she could wait until the man finished his treatment then left so that she would leave after him. But all of sudden!
"Get out" The man's low harsh voice broke the silence, which made all hairs on her body stand on their end. "Get out from where you're hiding" He knew her presence in the room.
Soo closed her eyes, thinking twice before finally standing up and leaving her spot. He was injured anyway. She could always run out and cry for help if he intended to harm her.
Both the lady and the man were in shock at the sight of each other.
But the man quickly recovered first.
"Leave." Wang So said in hard breaths "And say no word about you seeing me here"
Hae Soo still stood there, staring at him in horror. The prince was covered in blood with a lot of cuts on his arms, legs and torso. But his biggest injury was the cut-opened wound on his stomach, which despite applying the herb, still bled like a small stream of blood.
Who did that to him? Why didn't he go find a physician but come here and treat himself? And the biggest question must be how in the hell could he still run around with those serious wounds? The girl was deeply lost in her thoughts when the prince raised his voice again.
"Quickly leave" He seemed out of breath but still tried to tell her out.
Soo turned on her heel, facing the door then she heard a deep sigh from 4th prince.
However when she took her first step, a loud thud could be heard behind her back. Turning around, she saw the prince collapsing on the floor, unconscious.
Without a thought, Hae Soo rushed to him, lifted the prince up. Using her clean handkerchief and the herbs, she forcefully pushed the fabric against the big wound to stop the bleeding. It took a while for the herb to take effect, and for the cut to stop bleeding out. Keeping an eye on the prince, Soo hurriedly moved to find bandages nearby then returned to help him treating the wounds.
It was fortunate that Myung Hee was a good in-home physician and Hae Soo could learn one thing or two from her cousin.
Soo wouldn't call herself a good student but at least she was satisfied with the work performed on Wang So's wounds. He wasn't in great danger anymore but still needed to be treated by physicians.
Thinking about leaving and calling for help, the lady suddenly noticed the slightly broken mask on the prince's face. Hesitantly and carefully, her hands reached out to push his fringe back then pulled the mask off.
The second time in that night, Hae Soo went through another utter shock as under the mask there was not flawless face but a scarred one.
The scarred face she had seen before.
Engulfed by the shock, Soo wasn't aware that another person had appeared behind her back until a sharp blade was put on her neck.
She froze.
"Be still or I'll slit your throat in a second." The mystery man growled in a low voice. "Stand up then turn your back on him"
Hae Soo did exactly what she was ordered. As she moved, the man moved in sync with her so that he was always behind and the girl was unable to see his face.
"So, wake up" Without seeing but the girl could feel that the man was trying to bring the prince back from the unconsciousness. It was a good thing that he didn't come to kill him. Meanwhile, the sword never left her neck.
After a few calls, there was a small groan from 4th prince.
"How are you?" The man voice turned to concern. No verbal response from the prince so Soo guessed they exchanged looks and gestures with each other.
"She saw your scar" The lady was addressed once again in the conversation "Should I kill her?"
Soo's heart skipped a beat.
There was a pause. A too long pause for her interest.
That might be the longest wait in her 18 years of living.
Just one yes or even one nod from the prince could send her to the hand of Death.
"Go ahead!" Answered the prince.