The Woodalchi missed their Healer and unlike their General, they were not afraid of voicing it.

"When is our Healer coming back?" was a question he heard often in the first week of her absence.

"She isn't" was his succinct answer every time. Eventually, they stopped asking yet her absence was like a physical cloud that hung over them. They were all too well trained to let it affect their duty but gone was the cheer and banter. There was no more light heartedness, no more stories to tell. Life in the barracks went back to what it was before she arrived and infused the very air with her optimism and liveliness. Duties were conducted in an efficient and timely manner but it was like the heart had gone out of their existence. None, however, felt the pain more deeply than their General. Eun Soo had been gone three weeks yet the brutal ache in Choi Young's heart refused to go away. He immersed himself into work with a demonic urgency as if he feared even a moment alone to allow himself to think would break him. He wanted to push all thoughts of her away till the time it longer had the power to affect him. But Eun Soo wouldn't allow it. She may have lost the first skirmish with him, but even sick as she was, she continued to wage war on him. With a determined persistence, her presence reached out to him even from a great distance away.

Choi Young had sent a solider to escort Eun Soo to Master Wen's home. His orders were to stay there a few days then return with a report on her condition. When he returned ten days later he went to give his report to his General. "The Healer was very sick on our journey. Young Master Wen had to pour medicines down her throat every two hours." The soldier's eyes dimmed in remembrance as he admitted honestly, "I thought she was certainly done for."

Choi Young listened impassively but her words, "I need you" reached out to him again. The soldier continued, "But once we reached there, the Older Master Wen took charge immediately. Our Healer was mending within a day. On the second day she was conscious enough to talk briefly. She, er," he said holding out a piece of paper to his General, "sent this for you. She said to tell you, she was too tired to write at length, but to expect more soon. Oh, and Old Master Wen said she will make a full recovery in a few weeks." Placing the missive in the inner pocket of his robes Choi Young dismissed the soldier then calmly went about his day fighting his acute awareness of the piece of paper he had tucked away. It wasn't until much later that night he allowed himself to pull it out. For long moments he stared at it, wondering what she would have written. He shook his head at his own foolishness. There was only one way to find out. Opening it, he read her message. The shaky letters told the story of how unwell she was when writing it. It was also brief, consisting of only one word. 'Coward'.

After that, the flurry of missives astounded him. It was as if every man journeying from Gyo Joo Do to Gaekyeong stopped at the Wen household first in order to deliver a message to him. Her letters took various tones, reflecting her mood when she wrote them. Some were cajoling and coaxing, some scolded and threw insults at him, and sometimes she used logic and reason with a skill that would put the court scholars to shame. The ones that tested him most were where she pleaded with him to see reason. He ignored them all. Despite what anyone said, he stubbornly held on to his conviction that it was what was best for her.

"How long are you going to carry on this way?" Lady Choi asked him.

"As long as it takes for her to understand."

"Do you understand yourself?" his Aunt asked derisively.

"What can I…"

Wearily Lady Choi cut him off. "I've heard your reasons and they do not make sense to me. That girl has given you her affection. You can't sleep for worrying about her then why are you sitting here and not with her?"

Choi Young sat silently for such a long while his Aunt assumed that he had once again shut her down. She was surprised when he finally said, "Why? What have I done to deserve it?"

Lady Choi sighed then she said, "When you get as old as me, you realize that some things in life do not have an explanation. Life is not the same as a money lender's ledger book where a credit gives you rewards and a debit punishes you. We don't always get what we deserve. The previous King was a dissolute wastrel yet he never had any opposition from his council or any problems with Yuan. From his perspective, it was an ideal rule. Our current King is good man yet he has had to face troubles that can weigh down even the most experienced rulers, leave alone one of his age. Ki Chul continues to thrive despite his evil deeds while people like Teacher Shin Do suffer when they try to do the right thing. We can only endure what is hard and when happiness comes our way, we can try to preserve it as well as we can. She has pledged herself to you. Why? It doesn't matter at all. In your attempt to shield her, you are only causing her more pain. Unless," she looked thoughtful, trying to give him the benefit of doubt, "you really don't hold any feeling other that what any soldier would feel towards someone weaker who might need his protection. In that case maybe you've done the right thing."

Through clenched jaws he asked, "How can you even ask me that?"

Standing up his Aunt said, "Then stop punishing yourself for what someone else did. Better still, stop punishing her."

"The evidence against Ki Chul is mounting" the King exclaimed in satisfaction one morning. "Soon we will have enough to negotiate with the Ambassador." Choi Young nodded as the King continued, "That man has eaten away at our core like a termite. His removal may not solve the problem with Yuan entirely but at least we will then have a fighting chance. When is Ha Na arriving with the evidence against the council member?"

"By the end of this week, Your Highness."

Taking in Choi Young's expression the King asked, "By the way General, how is our Healer doing? Has it already been seven weeks since she left?"

Seven weeks, three days and six hours, Choi Young silently counted in his head. "I hear she is doing well, Your Highness."

"Will she be returning with her sister?"

"No." She wouldn't be coming back. Not because she was ill, not because it wasn't safe and certainly not because she didn't want to. It was because he told her not to. His thoughts were confirmed when later that day he received yet another letter. It began in her characteristic manner. She didn't waste words with the formalities and dove straight in. It said,

"I am through trying to convince you."

This was what he was waiting for, yet now that it was here, the sadness suffocated him. It was further intensified when Ha Na arrived a few days later and gave him a look so cold he could have frozen on the spot.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She is well" came the curt response then seeing how terrible he looked she unbent a little. "The adjustment has been hard on her, but Lady Wen keeps her busy with wedding preparations to keep her mind off…things." She was then called away to give her report to the King.

"Your Highness, we have intercepted missives from Ki Chul to Councilman Myong Shik. They carry specific instructions along with his seal so there is no room for obfuscation. We also have a witness willing to testify and share previous correspondence specifically related to the attack on the Queen. There is also mention of the plot to steal your seal before you even left the palace. Once we arrest your councilman we should be able to prise that man's identity out of him."

"This witness. Who is it? And what does he want in exchange?" The King asked.

"She." Ha Na replied. "Myong Shik sorely mistreats his wife and daughter. She tolerated it for many years but now I hear he wants to marry his girl off to an old man with three existing wives as barter for mercantile favours. The wife is willing to give us her full cooperation in exchange for a position in the Queen's palace and an assurance of a good marriage for her daughter."

Once again the King was struck by how women could change the course of destiny if pushed too far. "Anything else?"

"Not at the moment Your Highness."

"I will speak to the Queen about this immediately."

The Queen agreed readily. "I will be happy to offer my support to that poor woman."

"Why don't they teach us this basic thing?" the King asked. "We men are taught so many things to prepare us as future leaders. But nobody ever teaches us to treat our women right. We persist in thinking of them as weak creatures of little or no value. How can we all live in such wilful ignorance?"

The Queen simply smiled, "I am grateful to them all. To this good woman, to Ha Na, to Eun Soo." Nodding the King said, "I will do my best by them."

Ha Na didn't think even for a minute that the General would misinterpret her words. She knew Eun Soo had been driving people daft with the number of letters she had sent to the General. She didn't know their contents else she would have stated very clearly whose wedding it was.

However, the General did misunderstand and if the day before he had thought he could have sunk no further he was wrong. Ha Na's words of a wedding catapulted him into a whirlpool of emotions. Eun Soo had said she was done with him. Did that mean she was moving on to a better life just like he told her to? And a better man? Young Master Wen kept telling her to come home. Had he offered to share his home with her permanently? Worse, had she accepted? He knew he had no right to, but he still felt betrayed. She had spent so many months trying to convince him of her affection. Was it so shallow? Or had she simply given up in the face of his stubbornness. Such thoughts continued to trouble him as he rode out with the palace guards to arrest the Councilman.

Back at the palace, Ha Na sought out Joo Seok. "I have to talk to you" she said. He led her to a quiet part of the barracks and sat down. She fidgeted a bit but didn't say anything. To ease the tension he asked her, "How is your Sister?"

Letting out a breath Ha Na said, "Physically she is fine. I stayed with her for a month till her health improved. She will live."

"That is good to hear."

Ha Na said, "She is heartbroken though."

"The General doesn't seem to be showing any signs of changing his mind. I don't understand why though."

"I understand," she said disjointedly. Choi Young didn't know it but if there was anyone at all who understood his twisted thinking, it was Ha Na. "He wants to keep her safe. There are things he needs to accomplish whether he likes it or not. If he kept her close, her importance to him makes her an easy target."

Perplexed Joo Seok said, "But how is that a better option? Staying apart and enduring heartache instead of accepting the time they could have together. Being alive is not the same as living."

Ha Na sat down next to him and looked determinedly at her fingers twisting in her lap. "The first month was very hard on Eun Soo. I watched helplessly as her faith wavered. As I watched her heart break bit by bit I realized, what the General is doing to her, I have done to you. And if I have ever caused you pain like that, I am so, so sorry." Her voice broke a little on the last word. "I keep pushing you away expecting you to give me your trust and understanding, but I have never returned the same. And I too used that useless excuse – that it was for your benefit. You were the only one to realize my value as a person when I was nothing more than a frivolous girl. And I never even told you how much that meant to me." Swiping at her eyes she turned to him determination in her eyes. Reaching out to hold his hands she said, "So I have come to give you my pledge. I want nothing more than to be by your side for as long as the fates will allow." He stared at her. When his response wasn't immediate Ha Na began to feel a little foolish and a whole lot afraid. She cursed that she had left it too late. She and the General really were the worst kinds of fools, weren't they? "I understand if you don't want to…" she said as she started to withdraw her hands but immediately he tightened his grip. Waiting till she looked at him Joo Seok said, "I would be honoured."

Choi Young returned with his prisoner that night. All was in preparation for the interrogation at first light. But at that moment his thoughts were full of Eun Soo. His mind warred with itself. Should he go to her? He desperately wanted to. But what would it achieve? If she had decided to move on with her life he would further cause needless pain. But he needed to see her. It had been so long. There were times he saw her smiling expression in his mind's eye. Sometimes he would see or hear something that was sure to amuse her and his first thought was always "She would like that" and when the realization came that he couldn't tell her, the pain took his breath away, every single time. That night, through the depths of his misery however, he could see Joo Seok had something on his mind as he gave his report. When he was done he continued to stand in front of his General. "Is something the matter?" He asked his Vice General

Joo Seok's chest puffed up in pride as he answered, "Ha Na has agreed to be my wife."

Trying to react like a normal human being he forced himself to say, "That is indeed good news.

"We agreed we would rather we face our challenges together than be unhappy apart."

"Even though it means you would constantly worry about her safety as long as Ki Chul is alive? And as a soldier's wife, every time you leave there is a chance you may not return?"

"I would trade my life for a week's happiness with her." Joo Seok said sincerity shimmering through from his very core.

The words sent a bolt of awareness thorough Choi Young. Forcing his mind back to his Vice General, he asked, "When is the happy occasion to be?"

"After the King's meeting with the Ambassador. Whatever the outcome, we will marry after that."

Nodding Choi Young said, "You will be missed."

Joo Seok looked at him in surprise, "I do not intend to leave the Woodalchi, General."

"Do you not think your time would be better spent protecting your family?" Choi Young asked genuinely curious.

"My destiny led me to the King's service. I believe I still have a purpose to fulfil here. But I will have another responsibility, one I take gladly. It is a big undertaking but I believe I can do full justice to both. I would, however, request your permission to find a house nearby."

Choi Young absently gave his permission. He sat in his room for hours deep in thought. His Vice General's words had found their mark. 'I would trade my life for a week's happiness with her.' It was simple really. She said she needed him. The truth was, he needed her more.

Eun Soo nerves were stretched thin. Not having received a single response to even one of her many letters, she was unsure of what her next step should be. Should she continue her written attack on him? Should she just go back to the capital and force a confrontation? She didn't know and she was growing increasingly annoyed with herself at her indecision. Young Master Wen's new bride was seated in the centre of the courtyard receiving gifts and blessings. Eun Soo fidgeted and pulled at the confining layers that Madam Wen had stuffed her into. She couldn't protest. After all that the Wen family had done for her the least she could do was to appear festive and not shame them in front of their guests. She even allowed Madam Wen's maid to pull her hair into some torturous updo with what seemed like a hundred pins sticking into her head. And as if that wasn't bad enough, she'd insisted on adding to the weight by putting on an enormous hair ornament.

For the last week, the Wen household had been overrun with wedding guests. Many were old friends of the family and were known to her. Person after person expressed their happiness at her return. "You must be happy to be home" was a constant refrain. It made her heart catch oddly every single time because at some point over the last so many months, home had become a small room within noisy barracks. It was waking up to clanging metal as soldiers trained accompanied with exuberant shouts for a job well done. It was sitting down to meals with over a hundred men, each one of whom called her Sister. It was Lady Choi and Uncle and Aunt. A place where she was valued as a person. All of which came courtesy of the one man who commanded their intense loyalty and affection. He truly believed he had nothing and no one to call his own. Couldn't he see how these people rallied around him and gave him their intense love and loyalty? And even as he tried to fool himself, they realized how much he treasured her and extended their warm circle to include her as well. As she looked around Master Wen's beautiful home surrounded by lush green mountains she regretfully admitted that she didn't belong there. Her heart was elsewhere and oh, how desperately she wanted to go home.

The old women all clucked over the bride. Two of the latest entrants, known gossips, gave her a large present and blessed her. Then they turned to Madam Wen and said, "Is everything alright?"

Confused, Madam Wen said, "Of course! What are you talking about?"

"There is an important looking soldier outside. Looks like he's come from the Capital. Maybe even the palace!" Her eyes shone with excitement.

"He couldn't be from the palace. They wear green I hear." The other one said, "This one was in black. It's nothing I suppose." She looked disappointed.

The blood rushed through Eun Soo ears. She took deep breaths and tried to calm down. Maybe he had sent one of the younger soliders. It was Dae Man, she told herself. Or maybe Dol Bae. "Red!" she exclaimed. The women gave her strange looks. "The palace guards wear red." Excusing herself, she got up and tried to walk slowly, simultaneously trying not to get her hopes up and preparing for crushing disappointment. She had barely taken two steps when her feet of their volition broke into a run.

Choi Young rode like a madman to get to the Wen home. Once he had conceded defeat in his inner battle, he was in a fever of impatience to see Eun Soo. Regardless of her arrangement with Young Master Wen, he had decided he would not allow her to deny him at least one conversation. Reaching his destination he found the place was bustling, almost like a festival. Was he too late? He believed he had come prepared, but the celebration was too much to bear. Besides, with this many people around, it may just be difficult to get to speak with her alone. He looked around and saw an older woman bossing the servants around with the ease and comfort of an old family retainer. Walking up to her, bold as you please, he asked to Eun Soo fully expecting to be told his expectation to see her on such a day was ridiculous. Regardless, he decided, he would tell anyone who cared to ask that he was on important palace business. Yes, that was a good reason. It would easily explain his presence. He was momentarily thrown when she readily agreed. "She would see me on such a day?" he asked despite himself then kicked himself for his stupidity when the maid gave him an odd look. "I will bring her," was all she said. The maid had just begun to walk towards the inner part of the house when he saw her. She came around a corner at a run. At the centre of the courtyard she stopped suddenly, her skirts swirling around her ankles as she searched the crowd. The old woman walked up and said something to her then turned to point at him.

When Eun Soo finally saw him, she simply stared. She closed her eyes then opened them again. Had her desperation become so great she had now begun to hallucinate as well? Someone greeted her, breaking her trance. Absently she returned the greeting then looked back to where he stood. He was still there. Slowly she walked towards him and when she got close enough, still disbelieving, she reached out her hand to touch his arm to make sure he was real.

"I need to talk to you," he said. When she heard his voice, the breath rushed out of her. He was here. And along with the relief that made her lightheaded came an intense anger. She nodded tightly then indicated for him to follow her. She led him out of the house and down the path, in the opposite direction of the village. A short distance away she veered upwards off the path and led him to a clearing. From there, they had a clear view of the Wen home down below. It was quiet and peaceful and incredibly beautiful, and completely at odds with Eun Soo's mood. With every step her anger grew. When she finally stopped to look at him, her expression so forbidding, Choi Young actually took a step back. Now that he had her here in front of him, all he could do was look at her. Just having seen her made him unsteady, he mocked himself that his senses couldn't possibly handle an actual conversation. Besides, he didn't know where to start so he said the first thing that came to his mind. "You look pretty."

Her eyes narrowed and she said in a voice dripping with disdain, "Did you ride four days just to tell me that?"

"I, err, no." Stalling, he asked, "Are you sure it is alright for you to be here at such a time?"

She looked at him uncomprehendingly. He blundered on, "I mean, Young Master Wen….today of all days…what I'm saying is that his bride…don't you need to…" At which point she cut him off saying, "Young Master Wen's bride is sitting inside with Madam Wen. I don't think he's too concerned about my whereabouts."

"You mean, you're not…." Choi Young trailed off. As understanding came over her, Eun Soo laughed shrilly. "Is that what you're here for? To make sure I cannot pester you anymore? Did you perchance bring a wedding present as well?"

He flinched a bit at the pain in her voice. He caused it, but he was so relieved to hear that he would have the chance to fix it.

"I came," he said in a voice heavy with regret, "to ask your forgiveness." His apology took the wind out of her sails. She sat down on a fallen log and looked up at him. There were no further angry retorts or sarcasm forthcoming so he took that as encouragement to continue.

"I was wrong. So wrong, to send you away."

Her eyes filled with tears. Immediately he knelt down in front of her. "I had my reasons and I truly believed them. Later we can take them on one by one and you can tell me how foolish I've been. But the only important thing I need you to know now is that I'm asking…no, I'm begging for you to allow me to be by your side."

It seemed like she'd waited forever to hear these words. Hearing them now overwhelmed her and she gave in to her tears. Ready to be comforted, she leaned forward and Choi Young wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap as he seated himself on the ground. He held her for long minutes as the tension and unhappiness of the last few months gained release through her tears. He felt lower than a worm knowing he caused this. He whispered words of comfort to her, gently rubbing her back trying to soothe her. When her sobs finally gave way to sniffles, he said, "Please forgive me."

"You hurt me so much," she whispered and once again he cursed his own stupidity for thinking his actions were for her wellbeing.

"I will do anything in my power to make it up to you. Please don't cry anymore."

"I can't help it," she hiccupped and a fresh wave of tears overtook her again. Finding her pain unbearable to witness, he put his hands around the back of her neck and pushed her jaw up with his thumbs so she was looking straight up at him. As tears ran down her face he said, "You will stop now" in his most commanding voice. Through her tears, Eun Soo snorted and said, "Am I one of your Woodalchi that you can order me to control my feelings."

Relieved at her show of annoyance he said with a mock sigh, "No, I have no real expectation I can order you to do anything. Even when you do listen you make me regret having given the order. The past two months have been the worst I have experienced in a long while. Do you know how terrible your letters made me feel?"

"Good," she said decisively and then finally she gave him her first real smile since he arrived. He had missed that smile so much it had become a physical ache and seeing it now made him lose his composure completely. This time when he kissed her it was with the firm belief that he was in his rightful place and with that knowledge came peace. He was where he belonged and he would do anything to make her life by his side wonderful. And he wouldn't have to do it all himself. She would be there to help as well.

When he broke away to look at her face Eun Soo glowed with happiness, "Are you going to do that every time you shout at me or hurt my feelings."

"Probably," he said, "Why? Shouldn't I?

"You should," she declared, "I really should have something to look forward to in exchange for putting up with your bluster and stubbornness." Her joy shone through her eyes and once again he pulled her to him, holding her close. It was as if, having given himself permission to not hold back anymore, he couldn't keep her close enough. Eun Soo sat in the circle of his arms utterly content. After a while he said, "You're sure? If you're not, tell me now. I won't let you take it back."

She marveled as she realized he didn't recognize his own worth. "I'm sure" she assured him quietly.

He wasn't done enumerating his many faults though. "I don't have very much. I mean I have some money. And after my mother died and I went into training my father sold the house in the capital, so all I have is a small house at the edge of the lake outside town but no one has lived there for years. And I don't know how long I can be a soldier anymore and…"

She laughed and said, "Stop! It doesn't matter. If you want to be a soldier, be one. If you want to leave, then leave. It doesn't matter where we live. As long as I am with you, I will be happy." Mischievously she looked at him, "Are you good with numbers?"

"I manage just fine. Why?"

"If you leave the Woodalchi and find yourself unemployed, you can take over the book keeping of my clinic if you must do something. You can help make the medicines too if you show enough aptitude."

"You would like that wouldn't you? Being my employer?"

"It has a certain appeal," she conceded.

"And if Ki Chul continues to be a threat to you?"

Impatiently she said, "Even if you stop being Woodalchi you're not going to forget how to use your sword will you? You may stop fighting for the King, but you're still going to do everything in your power to protect us aren't you?"

Smiling down at her he said, "You have an answer to everything."

"Just as you see problems in everything. Our life may not be perfect, but we will face our problems together."

He kissed the corner of her mouth sealing his vow as he repeated, "Together".