The Queen surmises that today will be a pretty normal day. Ladies-in-waiting scurried about in the room, helping her prepare for her court attire. As they finished inserting the last pins and knotting a few ribbons, Soo took a good look at herself in front of the mirror for one last time. She drew an audible sigh. Yes, today should be a normal court day, attending a few ministers and meeting some guests. But today was also the day that they had to meet a certain princess who also happened to be technically the first wife of her husband.

I should be happy, right? Soo thought. She has not seen the child for almost seven years now. She used to occasionally take care of King Hyejong's child back when she was a court lady. A part of her misses the princess, who had the same manner of humility and kindness that her father had. But a part of Soo is also apprehensive. She should not feel anything negative, and yet, her possessive side is surfacing without her consent.

"I'm being silly," she whispered to herself before fixing her skirt to walk out of their quarters.

Soo scurried on the palace grounds towards chondeokjeon before one of her attendants caught her attention.

"Hwanghu-nim!" one of her court ladies yelled. "Please slow down! His Majesty would be unhappy knowing you are walking too fast. The baby..."

"Oh, right." Soo immediately stopped her tracks. She grinned and innocently looked at her court ladies, who all looked positively exasperated. Soo proceeded walking slowly towards the throne hall, absentmindedly touching her belly which was now around four months.

Upon reaching the front door of the throne room, she sighed one more time, trying to erase the feelings of uneasiness inside her. The eunuch announced her arrival, and as the doors opened, she sees her husband the King studying some scrolls carefully. Soo walked in front of the throne to greet So. He raised his head as she did so, and he beamed at her. The lines and worries on his face seemed to go away the moment he saw his wife.

"Soo-ya," he went down from the platform to help his pregnant Queen up the throne. The two of them sat down, and So fixed a few pillows beside Soo to help her sit comfortably. "I'm sorry I went out earlier today without waking you up. There was so much to do and you were sleeping like a log." he grinned.

Soo curled her lips in annoyance at his teasing, "Ya! Is this how you treat your pregnant wife? It's my right to be indulged!"

"Hmm? But I treat you like a queen," So shot back. The underlying jokes and sarcasm always present in their conversations. Soo just smiled with a crunched nose. These lighthearted conversations always fill her day with warmness.

"Oh, by the way," the King suddenly interjected. "We're going to receive several people in court today, some new military officials, provincial officials, and also my niece."

So enumerated calmly. Soo did not reply, instead, she looked at him closely. She tried looking for signs of any apprehensiveness, but there was none. It would seem like So didn't mind seeing his 'first wife'. He even referred to her as 'his niece'.

I'm being silly again! Of course he will always think of the princess as his niece more than anything else. Besides, the princess is kind and timid from what I remember, she thought to herself.

The imperial couple's schedule went by without much ado. Although the Queen was more fussy than normal, they were still able to receive the officials well. Soo was pretty relaxed. Of course, up until the appearance of the late King Hyejong's daughter.

"Princess Gyeonghwagung of Gaetaesa Nonsan!," the head eunuch announced later that afternoon.

The doors of the throne room opened, and a petite girl in a white and cream hanbok entered with her head bowed down. She slowly walked to the front of the throne to pay her respects to the monarchs. Evidences of not being raised in the palace were subtly seen in the way she bowed and the way she placed her hands. As Princess Gyeonghwagung raised her head, Soo suddenly saw it, her extreme likeness to the late king. She was lanky, tall for her age, but also small in build. Just like her father, her face emanated a certain meekness.

Her eyes were downcast and she remained kneeling after greeting the King and Queen. Soo noticed how uneasy and nervous she was by the stance of her shoulders and the slight shivering of her fingers. It was understandable, of course. Growing up, all she has seen was the inside of a Buddhist temple. She must only have vague memories of being a princess.

"Gongju," Soo called out first. "I'm pleased to see you again. How are you?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have been well. The monks and nuns were kind to me, and Gaetaesa Temple is a good place." She replied softly.

"I will arrange for tea tomorrow in Damiwon with His Majesty. Alright?," Soo smiled at her with an air of assurance. She wanted to take away all her fright by taking her some place else, not the throne room which was wide and cold. All her worries seemed to disappear the moment she saw the child.

"Hyeon-ah, you can go back to your old quarters in Gyeonghwa palace. The attendants have cleaned it up," So finally spoke. "I'm glad to see you again as well. Your family has missed you."

"Thank you, Pyeha."


The King and Queen's walk back to their quarters was swift and quiet. They held each other's hands as they always do, but none of them dared to speak during the walk. Inside their quarters, their dinner was already prepared for them. As they sat down in front of the dining table, Soo still held the thoughtful expression that she has been holding ever since their return to their quarters.

"Soo-ya, what is it?," So finally asked, curious why his wife was acting so pensive.

Soo poured out some tea first for her husband before replying, "After meeting your niece, what came to your mind?"

She noticed how a shade of mournfulness suddenly covered his usually serene face. So looked at his hands which were currently tinkering his chopsticks absentmindedly.

"My thoughts immediately went to my hyung-nim." So said, hints of bitterness in his words. He sipped a cup of Soo's tea before continuing. "Hyeon-ah already left for Gaetaesa when King Hyejong died. I can't imagine what she must have felt upon hearing the news."

"She still does not know the details of his death, right?"

So shook his head gently and looked down at the still untouched food on the table. "She was a child then... She's still a child now. The letter I sent her many years ago was not detailed, and it was addressed to the head monk of Gaetaesa."

The details of the incident regarding the late King Hyejong have only come to light quite recently. The realization that it was fratricide was a big blow to the royal family. Remembering this, So and Soo could not help but be pained, what more for Hyeon Gongju? 'your uncle killed your father' isn't exactly the best conversation starter in the world. Soo decided not to pursue the issue further. It was marred by pain, blood, and betrayal; something a secluded teenage royal would know nothing about.

"Um well," Soo trailed. She bit her lips in uncertainty, an action So is very familiar with.

"Do you have another question, Soo-ya?"

"Yes, well, I..." I sigh escaped her lips. "Princess Gyeonghwagung... She's technically your consort, right?"

Soo finally asked her long-awaited question. She didn't look at So, as she was highly embarrassed by her thoughts. As a Queen an a citizen of Goryeo for many years now, Soo knows the rules of the royal family. So can take as many wives as he wants, just like his father and brothers, and the kings before him. Yet, he expressed no desires to do so, not for the strengthening of his powers, nor for his worldly desires. His loyalty was a rose among the thorns, and it was something Soo was incredibly thankful for. But she could not deny the fact that he got married seven years ago to his own niece.

"That's what's been bothering you?," So curbed his desire to grin, but his amusement was so evident that Soo couldn't help but show annoyance. He released a toothy laugh before shaking his head.

"No, Hyeon-ah isn't my wife anymore. Hwanghu-nim, you should know these rules." he said in a stern albeit joking manner.

"W-what?," dumbfounding relief flooded Soo's senses. She immediately poured herself some tea in order to control her facial muscles that wanted to unrelentingly smile.

"Consummation did not take place. After that, Hyeon-ah completed the rites to becoming a Buddhist nun in Gaetaesa. She has to abide by the precepts of Buddhism, which includes celibacy and total devotion to the teachings. Right? The marriage was basically null." So said matter-of-factly while finally eating a chunk of beef.

A small sound escaped Soo's throat after learning these information, yet she was too shocked and relieved to actually say anything. I should read more, she thought.

"Then, why did she suddenly want to come home?," the thought came to her mind.

"That's what we're going to find out tomorrow."


The entrance of a certain room in Damiwon was being blocked by a number of bowed court ladies who were serving the King and Queen. Princess Gyeonghwagung just arrived, and has finished kowtowing to So and Soo. She was modestly dressed, much unlike the usual attire of royals; a testament of her Buddhist background. Hyeon had to admit, she was feeling incredibly anxious. Her return to Songak must have stirred a lot of rumors, one that she is not akin to anymore. She had her reasons for coming, but mostly she wanted to visit the mausoleum of her father... Among other things.

"Pyeha, Hwanghu-nim, thank you." she raised a tea cup in front of her imperial uncle and aunt, drinking its contents until the last drop. She hopes her gratitude will reach them through this.

"Much has changed within the family, Hyeon-ah. I guess you will no longer recognize most of your uncles, aunts, and cousins," the King looked out the window in a reflective mood. The garden of Damiwon mirrored the fertility of the season. Plum blossoms, which have finally budded, are starting to greet the king in its pale roseate form.

"Seasons change, Pyeha. But the hope of a lush spring after the dead winter is something that we can always expect," Princess Gyeonghwagung has almost no knowledge of the happenings in the palace, but she is aware of the burdens the King and Queen bear. She glimpsed it through her grandfather, and she saw it in her father.

"Hyeon Gongju, I'm glad that you are wise for your age." Soo smelled her tea before touching its brims through her lips and sipping its contents. Hyeon refilled the ceramic cups of the King and Queen before putting some tea in her own.

The princess shyly smiled at the compliment of Soo. "Most of these can be credited to my mentors in Gaetaesa, Hwanghu-nim. I just hope what I learned is enough for my other relatives to accept me."

"You mean," Soo raised her brows in interest. "You're going to stay here from now on?"

"I- Well... If Your Majesties allow it..." Hyeon trailed, pursing her lips and laying her hands on her lap.

"I have not heard of this, or anything from the temple. When did you decide this?," So's eyebrows knit together.

There was a moment of deafening silence when the princess did not answer immediately. She bit her lower lips, thinking of what to do or what to say. Suddenly, she stood up in haste, knocking her wooden stool aside. She dropped to her knees and bowed fully; her forehead touching the floor.

"F-forgive me, Your Majesties." the princess squeaked. "I have not been entirely honest..."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I..." her small voice whimpered. As she raised her head slightly, So and Soo could see the apprehension on her eyes and lips. "I was actually asked to leave the temple."

"They kicked you out?," Soo's voice raised.

"No! No, my Queen!," Hyeon quickly repressed unnecessary anger from Soo. She raised her head and body, now only kneeling on the floor. Hyeon put her hands together, squeezing them until they turned white. "Some things happened and I... They said I cannot be a nun anymore."

"What are these things?," the King asked, his curiosity and nervousness now full-blown. He squinted his eyes to his niece, who refused to gaze at the couple in front of her, and instead, drew her attention on the uninteresting wooden floor. "Come now, child. Tell me. I'm bound to know anyway."

Hyeon finally managed to look at So and Soo, but only for a moment before looking away and replying in an abnormally small voice, "Someone... Is... I-"

Although the lack of reply from the nervous girl was understandable, it was still frustrating nonetheless. The couple observed stopped pressing her on, and instead decided to let her say whatever it was that she needed to say in her own pace. However, as Soo looked at her, she saw something else other than nervousness and shame. Hyeon's cheeks were growing a light pink, she was constantly biting her lower lips, and there was something fluttering about her, but Soo couldn't pinpoint the exact reason. Not until...

"There's a boy." Soo declared. It wasn't an inquiry, a guess, or an empty sentence. It was a statement of certainty.

The other two people in the room looked at her, of course, albeit both in a different manner. Whereas So was clouded with surprise and curiosity, Hyeon was absolutely mortified. Ah yes, the big eyes, the slightly agape mouth, and the now looser grip on her hands... An indication of the truth.

So looked away at his wife after locking eyes with her for a few seconds. It's true, "Hyeon-ah..."

"I'm sorry, Pyeha." An empty statement. It neither confirmed nor deny what Soo said. "He is... He's a magistrate's son. He's asked to court me officially. Nothing bad happened, it's just that the monks thought it would be best for me to go back to Songak." Hyeon bowed low once more.

Thereafter, she told the story of a boy her age who went to the temple on the fifth day of the New Year with his father. They stayed for a week to pray and fast for their great grandmother who was on her deathbed. Hyeon was the one who assisted them in their daily rituals. It was inevitable for her and the magistrate's son to become friends. For Hyeon, friendship and the general gist of a relationship was an unknown reality. But for the boy, her presence was a heartwarming experience. He sent her letters afterwards, and Hyeon slowly realized that after all, she is a girl.

So and Soo were speechless, to say the least. This kind of development was far from their minds. But since it brought their niece back, they were ready to welcome it.

"You are not yet of proper marrying age, Hyeon-ah. You'll need to wait for at least two years,"

"And we need to meet this boy!," Soo protectively declared.

"We're going to terrify the child, Soo-ya..."

"As we should! Anyone who dares marry a royal must either be extremely brave or sadistic." she pouted jokingly, side-glancing to her husband who scoffed in an indignant manner. "By the way, can we increase Hyeon Gongju's dowry?"

"I'm afraid we can't, Soo-ya." So set down the ceramic cup he was holding. "We're not her parents." He tried not to say it out loud, he didn't want Hyeon to remember her orphan status.

"Eh? Then why don't we adopt Hyeon?" Soo said without thinking, as if it were so simple. She wasn't sure if it was the hormones talking or if she just really wanted a big happy family but, "Another child wouldn't be so bad, right?"


Author's Notes: This idea came to my mind while episode 14 just aired and I read somewhere that it's okay for them if So married the little princess. They (So and Soo) could take care of her and take her as their child LOL. I just couldn't get it out of my head that's why I had to write it.

Regarding the names, I read that Princess Gyeonghwagung is also "Lady Gyeonghwa" of the Im clan. Now, I'm guessing "Gyeonghwagung" means princess of the Gyeonghwa Palace (Gung/Goong). That's how her cousins were also named (Yo's son). So it's a title. That's why I gave her a name. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I only have a small understanding of the Korean language hahahaha

Oh and the extensive conversation in this chapter was inspired by Nirvana in Fire which I personally think is the best written and executed drama I've ever watched.