It is here, the end. I feel like I have to say something wise and profound, but words escape me. All I can say that I'm happy to have shared this journey with the readers. I was truly touched and even tearful at the comments and will try my best to continue writing in a way that makes the characters come to life.
Ending the series with this story - I'm at peace.
And if I may, I hope to hear from you guys in the reviews for my other stories that I'm currently working on. (The next chapter for A Matter of Marriage is coming out tonight!) And if you are interested and have not had a chance to look at the short 1-2 chapter stories I posted in the past, I'm inviting everybody to check them out and also leave your thoughts.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND COMPASSION TOWARD CHOI YOUNG AND HIS LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEY TILL THE VERY END.
GROUP HUG!
THOSE ON THE SIDELINES
Part 2
The golden autumn scenery dazzled the travelers with bright colors. Crimson reds and deep golds surrounded the winding mountain road to the temple. Beautiful autumn foliage lined their path as nature's carpet, made of the rich array of splendid colors. As they arrived to the gates, the doors opened and a scenic courtyard welcomed them; the undamaged natural habitat offered weary visitors a measure of serenity and peace. Even Choi Young was moved by the beauty of the temple's grounds.
"General, I'd like to introduce the man whom we have come to meet."
The monk appeared from a small doorway, his silent footsteps made Choi Young uncomfortable. He was not sure he could trust a man, who did not want to be heard coming.
"You Majesty, is he the one you told me about?" spoke the man to her with a dose of casual familiarity.
"Yes, master, he is," and the Queen respectfully bowed to the man.
Choi Young's right hand moved to the sword, he carried tucked in his belt, in indignation, he can barely control himself from seizing the monk by the scruff of the neck with his left hand, forcing him to kneel in front of the Queen. What just occurred in front of his eyes was wrong, this was completely backwards.
The monk, after accepting the bow, gently lifted the young woman by her elbow and then turned to Choi Young.
"General, welcome. I'm very honored to have made your acquaintance," and bowed to him.
Choi Young almost lost his speech. The old man was out of his mind completely – bowing to him, and treating the Queen like a commoner.
"Please, follow me, I will show you to your room," and again he respectfully extended his hand with a half bow.
"Your Majesty, may I speak with you in private?" inquired Choi Young, who needed clarification right away. He felt like he entered an alternative mirror universe, where monks revered generals and where queens were no longer acknowledged as royalty.
"After we attend the prayer. We came just on time, they follow a strict schedule here", and she gave him a smile of reassurance.
Not very comforted, Choi Young followed the monk along a darkened corridor into a small room, with a bed, a small table with the writing implements and a seating pillow. There was a jar of water and a glass on the table, and a rolled towel on the bed. The room was dark and he did not see any candles to light.
"I apologize for such humble accommodations. We believe that needs of the body should be met at bare minimum, but the focus is always on one's soul and mind. We have found that the more sparse the accommodations are, the better they are suited for quiet meditation and contemplation."
"Where can I find candles?"
"If there is no light from the heavens, than we are meant to be in the dark."
Choi Young hated this place, he hated this man, and began to worry about the Queen's safety. This whole trip seemed like a carefully planned sham to lure a naive and unsuspecting queen into this secluded temple, possibly with the intent of harming her. Last time she was kidnapped when she went for a prayer. He was glad he came with her, but wondered why would the monk insist on his presence if they intended to go after the Queen. This was not logical or practical: nobody would invite along a warrior, who can protect her, if they went through the trouble of setting up such an elaborate plan to have her come willingly and in trust.
"How should I address you, sir?" Choi Young's tone was calm, but the pitch betrayed the anger hiding behind the simple words.
"You can call me master, just like your companion."
"My companion? Did you mean Her Highness?"
"Yes, the young lady who came with you."
"Are you not aware of who she is? I heard you call her "Your Majesty" when we first arrived. Explain yourself," he demanded.
"In the eyes of the Buddha all are equal, man or woman, royal or commoner, we are all made out of the same ingredients: flesh, mind and soul."
"Then why would you treat me differently, with more respect?"
"Because you are a man touched by the grace of Buddha. We are truly blessed to have you here," and he bowed again.
"What is it you are saying, master?" Choi Young was completely perplexed.
"The Queen is a very wise woman, she herself has known the beauty of love; but you and the one you seek appear to possess something that is beyond usual human feelings and desires. What you and The High Doctor have, transcends time and defies confines of space, for you both exist in a dimension of its own and whatever binds you together fuels the very fabric of universe, allowing you to be together at all times, inseparable, whether you are physically together or not."
Astounded and overwhelmed with a very strong emotion, Choi Young's face softened and his eyes glistened with feeling, he slowly sat on the bed, staring at the man.
"I know what I has just said may not be easy to comprehend to the one who has not devoted himself to a life long study, but in all of my time and all the times before us, none of the scripts ever described a love like that, unless it was of the heavenly genesis."
"Master," he asked very softly, his voice is barely heard, "if what you said is true, does it mean that the High Doctor and I, what we are, we are meant to be together again, in this lifetime? Is that what you believe?"
"You are favored by Buddah, both of you. Your meeting was predestined by the Heavens, as much as your separation. Whatever happens next depends solely on both of you."
"Tell me master, what should I do to bring her back to me sooner? I know she will come back, but waiting for her has gotten harder and harder with each passing year."
"Come, join us for a prayer. We will have time to talk later."
The prayer was conducted outside; the setting was strangely freeing and uplifting and each person present was urged to find a spot they liked. Choi Young's eye landed on a boulder, placed next to a small pond, right under a wide oak tree. Maybe, it reminded him of the "Tree of hope", but that place felt right. The Mater led the prayer with a rhythmic chant, and the other monks, along with the general and the Queen repeated after him. At first, it was hard for Choi Young to clear his mind, but the more he repeated the words, the more relaxed his mind became and the less he actually heard the words themselves, rather his senses heightened: the sounds and the sights of nature were crystal clear. Soon, he could distinguish between the rustles of leaves on different trees as well as the movement created by the water of the pond from the touch of the wind or from the flower that landed on it.
"High Doctor." He heard a distinct voice of the monk, very nearby, and repeated after him as if it was a part of the prayer. "Think about her."
"Think about her," echoed Choi Young, deeply in a meditative trance.
Eun Soo's face appeared in front of him, her eyes smiling, not sad, her hand reached out to him and touched his cheek, running a finger along his jaw, tracing the outline of his lips, and he opened his mouth, placing a kiss on the tip of her finger.
"I have missed you so much, Imja," he uttered. She just smiled, calmly, he felt love as if it has materialized, he could actually experience it enveloping his body and through her eyes he was able to feel what she was feeling: the firm belief in him, the certitude in his ability to bring her back, the confidence in her ability to return, no doubt, only certainty.
"General, I think I'm ready for you now." The voice again sounded and as if waking up from a long dream, Choi Young opened his eyes – the courtyard was empty, it was dark and the only light was from the moon, reflecting on the surface of the water.
"What is happening to me?"
"Come, we don't have much time."
He followed the monk to a small chamber on the side of the building, more of an alcove, situated so that the moon could light the area.
"Tell me your name, general."
"It is Choi Young."
"The name of the High Doctor."
"Yoo Eun Soo."
"I need you to write both names for me here," and the monk gave him a piece of the red fabric and a brush. The ink was golden, and as Choi Young steadied his hand and started writing, the gold was absorbed into the scroll, the letters shining and dancing under the moonlight. It was somewhat magical.
"Here." He handed the scroll to the Master.
"Good, good, good," he muttered, taking the scroll carefully into his hands and disappeared into the darkness with his steps silent as always.
Choi Young was left waiting, not understanding anything and strangely hopeful for something, whatever it was.
The monk returned in about half an hour.
"The talisman – I need you to write it with your own hand."
"What should I write?"
"FAITH."
"Faith?"
"This is the meaning derived from your names that you have put in your writing. I'm a mere interpreter. The prayer, the meditation, the trance – they are just a conduit to help you zero on the word that holds the key to everything. And when you used the golden ink, the gold is an excellent conductor for the thoughts to materialize. Well, this is what I have read."
"I still don't understand."
"The talisman will only work if it is created by the person who is intended to use it. And you, general, have done it. At this point, there is nothing else I can do for you. Place it next to your heart. Carry it with you at all times. Go, find the woman you were meant to love. I wish you the best of luck."
"Master, I wish to express my gratitude. Anything, anything at all…"
"If you ever to wed, I would like to officiate the ceremony. I would like to meet the Heavenly Doctor myself. That is all I ask."
Still pretty shaken up, Choi Young tried to understand what happened. The heightened spiritual state he was able to achieve so easily seemed to always be within his reach, laying dormant inside of him all the time. Yet, it only came to be in his conscious awareness as Imja's image entered his mind. He realized, finally after all the turmoil and desperation, that he was the only one who built and guarded the wall of resistance and uncertainty. Tonight, this monolith cracked, all doubt and fear crumbled, now mere dust in the wind as he stands tall, a free spirit to desire anything and to love with everything that he is. Proud to be touched by this enlightened feeling, he was tremendously humbled, a devoted warrior and a man, utterly in love.
The wise monk waved them goodbye, watching the general's back, he wondered:
Would this amazing human being ever truly understand that there is no magic talisman? It is merely a piece of cloth, symbolizing his love and faith, it is him, who makes it real. That the only way the power of transcending undying feelings could ever materialize was at his own hand, thus him carrying the talisman is not important, but it his new state of mind that he needs to take with him to the Hwata's gate.
"You are very quiet, general, you have not said a word since the departure", gently probed the Queen.
"Your Majesty, I am afraid to talk. The noise of conversation makes it harder for me to listen to what's inside. I want to hold on to this special sense, the feeling, I cannot describe in words… I'm a changed man now, forever. And for that I'm grateful to you, as if not for your wisdom and persistence, I would not have had a chance to experience what I did at the temple, not on my own, for sure."
"Choi Young," she dropped the honorifics and spoke to him like he was family, "what you are talking about is the power of acceptance. Once you know it, it does not leave. I see in you a confident spirit, faith written all over you, on the inside and on the outside. My friend, this is the meaning of the talisman, the other name of it is FAITH." Her warm hand cupped his face, which held a gentle expression, so rare to be witnessed by anybody, but Eun Soo, yet he showed it to the Queen, allowing serenity he gained to shine through his eyes, touched by the High Doctor's loving spirit.
After they returned back to the palace safely, Choi Young departed shortly to the Hwata's gate. Whether it was the Queen's grace or Buddha's, it turned out to be the last trip he ever needed to take.