hide the petals

by kaermenna

The fate of the flower was to be plucked from the ground, be coveted by its petals and placed in a precious jar to be observed from up close, as everyone waited for it to wither and die. Now, in order to bloom, Hae Soo will have to fight her destiny and break the dome of glass. – "You'll marry the 8th Prince in five days." – She'll grow thorns so she doesn't lose her roots.

9. THE CALM

A\N: OH GOD IT'S ALMOST OVER!

This chapter gained life. I don't know what happened, but the more I wrote, the more I had to write, and the more I had to write the longer I spent writing. I've had to rewrite after a point, because things were getting confused, and then I had to add one detail, then another, and then I sort of got lost on what was going on, I just kept writing.

And that's how you end up with a 14.5k chapter.

I hope it's a good chapter, but I didn't have the time to proofread and revise it - I'm working on the next chapter right now, because I still want to complete this work before 2020 is over! The good thing is, after everything that goes down on this one, the next - and last! - chapter will be much easier to deal with. But yes, since there's basically no editing, you may find typos, grammar errors, and a bit or two that might feel choppy and maybe out of place. I apologize for that in advance, and I'll be back later to fix it all.

Have a nice reading!

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It's a pitiful sight.

When he was a Prince, Wang Yo always had a high and proud stance. He always carried himself with an elegant and intimidating aura, his appearance constantly neat and polished, his movements careful and graceful. His eyes were always piercing and scrutinizing, shining in triumph at times, just like the one's of a predator cornering his prey. His voice, no matter which tone it took, always sent shivers down her spine, as she feared which sentence he would utter next. A prime example of a Machiavellian prince, a major player, and a major piece in the games of the court.

But now, as a king, Jeonjong is but a shadow of the man he once was. He sits sprawled out in his bed, struggling to keep himself up and sane, fighting against his own body to continue in a sitting posture; and against his own mind, to not meltdown in insanity again. His hair is unkept, probably untouched ever since he collapsed. He is dressed in his undergarments, which are already stained with a red liquid that Soo assumes to be spilled medicine. His eyes are constantly out of focus, and his voice is so weak and raspy that she had to move closer to him just to hear him properly.

He looks so pitiful at the end.

Queen Yoo didn't come to his side; she was too afraid of him. Jung was probably with her now, running around the palace and making sure that her clan wouldn't lose the throne. He had a wife and a son, but they weren't that close to attend to him nor to come to say goodbye.

Meanwhile, the man left for dead has a high fever and bloodshot eyes. He had ordered all the servants and ministers to leave him alone, even the physicians. And although he looks quite weak – just ready to fall and crumble – none dared to challenge his command.

None but Hae Soo.

Wook had left two days ago, and without his constant watch, it was easier for Soo to slip out of the Hwangbo home: she just had to mutter the word Damiwon and a couple of loyal servants (Myung Hee's) – In Hye and Na Ri – would have everything ready. The Cheondeokjeon was trickier to navigate, but she only had to carry the tray of tea for the King, and she would find many grateful court ladies eager to open the doors and guide the way for her.

And that's how Soo could hold a private meeting with the King.

(After all, even dying kings could be useful. And she had never been one to waste resources.)

Jeonjong didn't send her away. Actually, from the moment she walked into his room, she had his sole attention. He didn't say a thing either, just stared up at her expectantly, waiting to see which experience she would grant him today.

But instead of talking, Soo could only silently stare at the pitiful sight for a few moments.

"You're good at faking now," Wang Yo tries to smile, but it comes out looking more like a grimace of pain, "You don't even look glad by seeing me suffer."

Hae Soo sneers, finding it difficult to be intimidated by the decrepit king, who has already been abandoned by his own people.

She's not faking anything at all. Soo doesn't look glad because she's not glad. She's not sad, of course, but she's too entranced by the parallel her mind drew of him to be glad. Instead, the former Sanggung is in awe at how quick and how low (how fast) the man before her has sunk.

The picture is too bizarre, too odd; the two sides of the coin too opposite and contradicting. It's mesmerizing to look back and see just how much power he flaunted then and how pitiful he is now.

It's like watching a mighty tree fall.

(Like observing the ruins of past centuries.)

"I do not take joy in the suffering of others," Soo oversimplifies all that goes inside her mind, but Yo is not fooled.

"But this is different," he shrugs, still eager to get some interesting reaction out of her, "You despise me. You want me to die."

"Not as much as I despise my husband. But that's not the point."

Soo shrugs as well. Since today is the last day she comes here to see his face, she won't bother with adequate protocol nor with whatever expectations he has for her.

Today he has no power over her.

She sits down on the floor in front of his bed, just like she would in the house of a close friend. Then she casually pours two cups of tea, not minding her posture, not minding the fact that she wasn't allowed to drink something served to the King, let alone with the King himself.

Yo is too sick to care for any of that, anyway. And he even stretches himself a bit to grab the cup she was offering to him. His mind is a hazy delirium, and yet, he always craves a cup of tea.

They sit in silence for a while, composing yet another odd and contradictory picture. The oppressor and his victim, chilling in a quiet afternoon, drinking some tea, and relaxing in the cozy weather.

She would laugh if she wasn't living it.

"You know it's your fault, right?" Yo finally speaks, but his words only make Soo wonder if he finally lost it and is now completely mad, "Everything that happened to Wook, So and all of the others. Even me."

"What?"

"All of this started when you decided to cover his scar and allow him to rise to a place he shouldn't have." He puts the cup down heavily, letting it tumble down from his hand to the floor, "It started with you."

Soo waits for the moment he starts cackling, the explanation for whatever he is trying to get at, the exasperated sigh at her lack of reaction to his teasing, but he continues to stare at her with accusing eyes. She looks back at him warily, trying to decide if Yo was being serious, if he truly believes what he just said.

Then, when it's clear that yes, he does, she pities him for his poor mind, gone farther than she thought.

"You mean everything would be fine if I hadn't done anything? All of you would still be having meals together in the shade of the Damiwon, playing around and living like a happy family?" Soo scoffed, thinking of how that's what she wished for the most when she was still a child, "You've been blind, Pyeha. You are only angry because what I did shed some light on your and your family's actions, and you despise what you see. Isn't that so? Now you can see, and you can't stand it. None of it."

The King looks at her with those glinting eyes again, but this time, she notices, it's because of his tears.

He gulps down what's left of his tea, and his raspy voice sounds almost bitter when he speaks.

"My mother came here yesterday, begging me to name Jung as my heir. She had the paper and the pencil ready, I just had to sign it," his eyes are turned to her, but they are unfocused, undirected – probably still caught on the moment of rejection, "I guess for her I was just a tool all along. Now I think I know how you felt. All of you."

A lone tear falls, complementing the absurd view in front of Hae Soo, who never, in all of the years she had lived in Goryeo, had seen the 3rd Prince cry. A sign of the pain of rejection, so clear and so evident that it shocks her; it makes her remember how surprising it was to see a similar expression on his 4th brother's face so many years ago.

He makes a pitiful sight indeed, but Soo knows him too well to be moved that speech or by that tear.

"You're not trying to use that as an excuse, are you?"

"What did Wook do to you?" He complains exasperated, clicking his tongue, the tear still sliding down his cheek, "You're not fun to mess with anymore."

"Sorry for not entertaining you."

Soo raises her eyebrows in disdain, too petulant now, at the end. But Yo only shrugs, getting over the dejection and refusing to give up on teasing her.

"Why are you even here? Everyone who has a sliver of intelligence is keeping away of the palace, now that the King is about to die." He chuckles gesturing down to his state, the amused gaze returning little by little, "What? Do you think I can be of some protection to you, at this state? Or do you think you can use me to control the prince obsessed with you?"

"I came for the decree."

"Oh?"

A weak laugh rumbles inside his chest, but it's enough to make his eyes look livelier for a few seconds. It is enough to know that he got something from her, he found in her a source of entertainment, he pushed her into making a decision that would amuse him. And it's enough to annoy her, make her feel like a caged pet who just performed a few tricks.

Well, he did say he'd be having fun, no matter what was her choice.

Yo moves his hand, indicating the chest where he kept the decree he used to taunt Hae Soo, nodding along to give her permission to go ahead and take it.

(She would have taken it even if he didn't allow her to.)

Soo opens the small chest, holding her breath as she finally touches the scroll, feeling it heavy against her palm, although it's lighter than the tray she brought in sooner. She forces her mask to remain cold and detached, not to crack, not to break.

Not to move even when the King chirps behind her.

"So you chose the wolf-dog, after all!" Yo exclaims in excitement, pleased by the turn of events, "Why? Do you think you can tame him before he kills you for forcing him into a marriage?"

Soo turns around to face him, holding it all in. After a brief glance into his eyes, she opens it, checking its content, trying to convince herself that this is real, that this is happening. That she has it, and no one can take it from her.

I, Jeonjong, grant the lady Hae Soo with divorce permission, and that may she and the 8th Prince Wang Wook cease all of their marital bindings. And that may the lady Hae Soo be wed to the 4th Prince Wang So, with all the blessings and permissions of the crown.

Soo wants to hug that decree, but she forces herself to carry it with indifference as she walks back to her spot on the floor.

"I'm not going to actually use it. I just need it to threaten and control the 8th Prince," she shrugs, as if remaining married to Wook wasn't her most dreadful nightmare, and leaving to So's side wasn't the only thing she wanted to do right now, "He hates losing, especially to the 4th Prince. He'll do anything I ask so I do not go to him."

"And why don't you divorce him already? It's the best chance you're ever going to get."

Soo doesn't fear Yo anymore.

She doesn't fear him, but she doesn't fully lower her guard around him. She never lets any weakness show in front of the King, even though she's not worried about the protocol or him throwing a fit at her. She never drops the mask because she knows that, despite her brazen behavior, he's not entirely harmless.

He has the full authority – the power and the insanity – to withdraw what he said and what he wrote, to simply write a new decree that states the entire opposite of the one she has in hands. On a whim, just to see things getting interesting.

So she scoffs, just like he did before whenever she'd say something unexpected to him. And she rolls her eyes as if he just said the most ridiculous and stupid thing in the world. Then she explains calmly, half-amused, half-serious.

"More than anything else, I despise cowards and deserters. That's why I moved on from the 8th Prince to the 4th Prince, and that's why I decided to value only myself after So-Wangjanim left me behind.

"I do not wish to spend the rest of my life with Wook-Wangjanim, but in the palace, I'll vulnerable again," she continues, and caresses the scroll slightly, finally letting a tiny smile crack her tough façade, "With this decree, I will at least have enough power to still live in comfort, without sacrificing anything."

"So you'll make Wook become your tool, then?" He looks mesmerized at her, paying serious attention to her explanation. Then he laughs again, finding the twists in the plot amusing, "That's great. I knew you wouldn't make a lame decision and disappoint me. I just knew it." He leans in forward, supporting his chin with his hand, "Now, do humor me. Will you keep trying to gain more power and influence in the court? I know you have enough knowledge to orchestrate things in your favor."

Do I? Can I really do it?

She has been paying attention for sure. And yes, she had gained a considerable amount of knowledge during her time as the King's spy, which just added to the years of experience she accumulated as Sanggung. She had been watching the game closely, she had learned just how the pieces moved and could see the weak and strong points in each side. She knew where to hit and what to avoid.

But could she do it?

"Your family is a poison, Pyeha. That's why all of you are unhappy," Soo muses out loud as she realizes what sort of thoughts are lurking in her mind, and how the old Hae Soo would be abhorred by them, "Your father and your mother were the death of Oh Sanggung, and now you and your brothers will be mine."

Her eyes don't falter as she proclaims so, nor does Yo's as he hears it. On the other hand, after her words sink in, he falls into contemplation.

"My family is just another victim," he rebukes her in a low voice, and crumbles out of bed, muttering as he goes to the table where she used to put his tea and snacks on. Now there are a few papers, a brush that he grabs and dips in a slab of fresh ink, probably left behind by the Queen in her last visit. "My family is a victim. The throne is the poison, we're just too addicted to it that we can't escape. And now that I'm dying from it, I have to pass it down to another unfortunate brother. Who should it be?"

"Is that another trick question?"

"I'm just asking for some advice. My mind is foggy and I can't think straight," he nags, pointing the brush at her in a commanding attitude, "Who should be the next king, among all of my brothers? Should I name your husband and make you a queen? Or maybe Jung? Or Baek Ah?"

"The 4th Prince Wang So."

The answer comes out with no hesitation and is a miracle that she managed to keep a straight face and a detached voice when she said it. The question had come out of the blue, so she had to think fast, to muster every drop of disdain she had. And yet, the King's astonishment is not unexpected, as his eyes now glint with curiosity.

"Oh? Why?"

The King asking her to name an heir for him wasn't something she was expecting. Soo had only wanted to take the decree and make herself scarce, wait in the shadows until the next time she needed to move. But he had asked her, and a whole new range of possibilities was laid before her.

Soo leans back, supporting her body with one hand and savoring her tea with another. Quick-thinking. Yes, she has mastered quick-thinking, improvisation. She has mastered the art of lying through her teeth, of making stories up as she spoke. Yo could be more useful than she expected, but she'd have to be more convincing than ever for that.

So she speaks coldly, she let her eyelids fall and contorts her lips to form a disdainful look – a scornful gaze.

"He hates the throne and the palace. He would always ask me to marry him and leave Songak. Said he felt like he was a prisoner here. And the 8th Prince would be devastated, as being king is his ultimate goal," she sneers and scoffs, smirking as she explains her logic in a way that will both please and convince the King, "I want the man who left me imprisoned to be chained in a prison. I want the man who took all my will to lose his goal. Then I'll tell them I was the one who told you to do so, and they will know they shouldn't have underestimated me.

"They thought they could control me, I'll show them they were wrong," Soo laughs and offers him a toast, "Isn't that a fitting revenge for a tool?"

Yo nods. First slow, then fast – as fast as his tired muscles allow him to. He nods and grabs his own teacup, accepting her toast and finishing the rest of his drink in one gulp.

He finishes his drink and grabs the brush again, frantically writing down his last edict. His face shows the glee of a little rascal who has just learned a new trick. His expression reveals that he is happy, satisfied at this new rebellious posture, sure that he has just played and manipulated all the pieces around him.

Soo just watches with a somber look.

"Even tools get to retaliate, isn't that so? Even in their last breath they might revolt and crush you." Yo raises the piece of paper, and calmly reads the drying letters with a laugh, "The 4th Prince Wang So will be the next king, and I just hope I can live long enough to see how my dear mother will react to that."

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By the time Hae Soo leaves the King's side, there are guards standing guard just outside.

If she were still a servant, her presence would pass by almost unnoticed. But since she's the wife of a prince, she catches every single eye in the room. The guards stare at her, and she sees the questions forming in their minds, even though they won't ask. Even though they won't move.

They won't move unless their superior orders them to do so, and the General does not command anything for a long time. He just stares shocked at her, as he didn't even know she was inside. He tries to put on an uninterested face, to show that he's not taken aback. He tries, yes, but she knows him too well for him to fool her. And she knows he won't try to apprehend her.

The 14th Prince hesitates for a few seconds, the same questions that fill his men's heads apparent on his face. But then Hae Soo looks deep into his eyes, sending a silent request, and he snaps out of his stupor. Signalizing his men to stand still, he follows her to the side.

Jung is not pleased for seeing her there, that much is clear. But most of all, he is confused and worried, he wants answers and to make sure she is alright. So the questions come out rapidly, one drowning the other before she has the time to even form an answer.

"Are you crazy? Why have you come here? Are you aware of what's going on at the palace right now? Do you know if it weren't me doing the guard, you could be killed?"

The last question makes her scoff and almost roll her eyes, and it's only the fact that they are in public that makes her stick to decorum. And yet, she can't resist the use of sarcasm.

"As if the Queen would rest if it were anyone else doing the guard."

"Soo-yah..." Jung tries to argue, tries to be optimistic, tries to continue blind to the intrigues of the palace, tries to be only a soldier when he's actually a prince.

Well, Soo's not going to let him. Not anymore.

"She wants to put you on the throne, no matter who your third brother chooses," she says bluntly, just like she used to scold him when they were younger, "She'll fight for that, she might even plot to kill someone for that. She's capable of sacrificing her own grandson if it means she'll continue as Queen Mother."

The prince wants to deny, wants to say that that's not the case. Soo sees it in the way his lips twitch, in the way his hands clench.

"Eomonim can't do much..."

"She can do enough. Your clan's support will give her power to do so."

"Pyeha hasn't made his mind yet," he tries a different argument, tries to preserve his naïve hope, "He might..."

"He signed an edict. He has decided on an heir and signed an edict, and I'm to discreetly let the Astronomer know." Soo confides in him, knowing she won't be in danger if she tells him, "Pyeha will tell you when it's time, or you'll find out when he passes away."

"You know who it is."

Jung's eyes are accusatory and so is his tone. He sounds almost betrayed for her being involved in all of this, after years of condemning the actions of the people in the palace. His expression is even a bit hurt, and it reminds Soo of when he was young and pure, careless – when he didn't understand the tough reality.

"Yes," it's all she says, her mask still kind of in place, her position not receding one inch; she won't tell him anything further, even though she loves him like a brother, "That's why I know what your mother will do. What she'll ask you to do."

Then there's guilt in his eyes because Jung also knows what sort of person his mother is, even though he still loves her very much.

"Soo-yah, I..."

She puts a hand on his forearm to stop whatever excuse or apology he has. There's no time for that right now, not with Yo already on his deathbed.

"I know you're a good person and that you always mean well, so I'll trust you to do the right thing. I'll trust you to think of the country first." One quick glance around the hallway ensures her that they are alone, but Soo still lowers the tone of her voice and whispers her next words with the utmost care, "The 8th Prince Wang Wook is conspiring to be the next King, and he's willing to spill blood for that. Last time, you were too late. Don't be this time."

Jung's eyes darken, and all the hurt, blaming and naivety fade away. He turns around and walks a few steps back to the entrance of the King's chambers. His shoulders go rigid and his posture turns as solid as a rock when his voice resounds in the confined room.

"Captain! Fortify all of our external defenses, the King is too vulnerable right now. Expect armed conflict."

"Yes, sir." The man he addressed leaves with two other soldiers, no more questions asked. The few remaining men tense as they hear their General's words, and it reminds Soo of how convoluted were the last two shifts in power.

She has to be faster this time.

After they leave, Jung walks back to her in the discretion of the shadows, his eyes once again worried and confused.

"What about you? Can I do anything to help you?"

"Can you be a soldier before being a son?"

"I know my duty," Jung says after a second of hesitation, his eyes painfully determined, resigned.

"Then don't let your mother come close to the Cheondeokjeon. Don't even let her know about the new heir, for now." Soo takes a deep breath and then speaks on her big sister's voice, even though this time she's not trying to be bossy, just give him some advice, "I helped your father put your first brother on the throne. I'll do the same this time. Can you do what your 4th brother did then? Can you stand your ground?"

"I'm a General of the Royal Army," he declares, not an ounce of uncertainty on him, I'll serve the next king as I've always served before."

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.

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The vultures are surrounding the palace.

Hae Soo notices that she got lucky as soon as she reaches the outer area of the palace. There's no way no one could approach the King; not now, with all the soldiers that guard the place. So, although they are still from afar, the vultures are lurking and waiting for the time to make a move.

They want to make a move, but they also want information on the King's health. They are watching, surrounding the area, and they'll dive down on every single piece that comes near them.

In this analogy, Soo is the piece: the most credible source, the last one to see the King. And whatever she has to say may influence the scales on the fight for the throne. She knows this game very well, she played it once before. But back then she crawled hidden in the shadows, now she walks with a confident stride and a proud stance.

Let them come, it's what she tells herself.

Well, it doesn't take long for them to arrive.

Soo is stopped by five people on her way to the Damiwon, the wife of Lord Chai among them. They approach her with smiles and kind words, asking for news of her husband, sending regards to her mother-in-law, wondering what brings her to the palace that day.

She smiles back and is just as polite as them. She replies that her husband is in good health/had a severe fever a few days ago and that he'll back in town very soon/in a very long while. She thanks their well-wishes and guarantees that their kind words will be passed to the Queen that very night/in a few days. Also, she tells them that she had come to visit her mother-in-law/visit the Damiwon/have some fresh air.

She confuses them. The people who approach her with pleasantries aren't that influential in politics, they are only using her to ensure their own positions. They are trying to figure out who they are going to support, which standing will most advantageous for them. Her information may affect their moves and even their clan's status, but it won't change anything for the bigger and stronger clans.

The ones who come to talk to her after she arrives at her former home, are a whole different matter.

Soo has enough time to secretly slip a note to In Hye and whisper some instruction to her – as well as explain the way to the Astronomer Tower and what to say when she arrives there. And then he comes.

She is walking to a room to have some tea when Park Yeong Gyu greets her, making her stop to greet him according to the proper etiquette. And Soo smiles while doing so, holding back the urge to either ignore him or slap him for what he's done to Woo Hee.

"Since you're unaccompanied, it's best to be careful," his words sound like a piece of concerned advice, but his eyes are cold and empty, "These are dark days and no one is safe. I'm sure you know that, especially after you met the King, right?"

"Oh, I didn't meet the King," Soo replies in the same tone and matter, letting just a tiny amount of confusion slip to give some credibility to her lie, "I had a message to deliver to the 14th Prince, Grand General of the King's guard. He just happened to be stationed at Pyeha's quarters."

She has no way of knowing if Park Yeong Gyu believes her. But he has no proof that she talked to the King, no evidence that the man is close to death, nor that she has any privileged information. His comment was just an attempt to make her admit something, to lead her to accidentally leak some info.

He could hold his breath while he waited for that to happen.

"I'll be careful, my lord," Soo continues after the man keeps staring at her without saying another thing, "Although, I'm not exactly unaccompanied"

"Servants and court ladies aren't the types of company I meant, my lady," he rebukes, "I'm sure you know how easy it is to get rid of one of them."

"Why, my lord, yes," Soo smiles cynically, "Poison and blades are powerful enough to take down a minister, let alone a defenseless woman."

Park Yeong Gyu doesn't say anything, doesn't show any emotion on his face. He just turns around and leaves her, hopefully for good. And Soo continues her walk to the private room, already craving a hot drink and a rest for her tired legs.

She has barely sat when the door opens and another vulture hovers and lands on her.

"Lady Hae Soo."

"Lord Yoo Nam Seon."

The succinct greetings are followed by a long silence, as they both study and analyze the other. They haven't had much contact before – none, actually – so they're treading on unknown waters, evaluating just how deep, how violent this next current might be.

After the long day, Soo's tired. But she had expected this moment ever since she took the tray of medicinal tea for the King, and now that it has arrived, adrenaline is running high in her veins.

And yet, she doesn't let anything show when he approaches the table. She doesn't say anything when he takes the empty seat in front of her. She doesn't even blink and just waits for him to make his move.

"Well," he starts; his voice in a neutral tone, as if he's talking about the weather, "I heard you spoke with the King."

"The King's chambers are fortified with soldiers."

"And some soldiers are loyal to the Yoo clan, so you should know better than try to lie and say something about meeting the 14th Prince."

Soo raises an eyebrow, not impressed by his threat.

"If that is so, then you should ask them about the King's welfare. Better yet, go see Pyeha yourself. You're his kin, isn't that correct?"

Nam Seon takes a deep breath, his face finally letting some annoyance show.

"The Grand General has forbidden anyone from even approaching the King's chambers, and only the Royal Physician was allowed to enter into his private room. I'm sure you know that, right?"

"Yes, I know. I advised Jung Wangjanim to be careful with everyone."

Nam Seon's eyebrow twitches at her casual mention of his cousin's name, but he controls his temper.

"Why would you do so?"

"Do you think I'm plotting something, Lord Yoo? Do you think I corrupted the Prince to guarantee a successful coup?"

"Listen, girl," Nam Seon snaps, "Right now you're easy prey to every single clan in this palace. They'll pry you apart and ruin everything in your life if you keep playing this little game of yours. The Yoo clan can help you."

"Help?" Soo asks in a confused tone, a bit of insecurity showing in her voice, and Nam Seon nods vehemently, a patient smile replacing his irritated expression.

"You got married just last year, didn't you? Of course you fear what may come to your husband."

His condescending tone makes her cringe on the inside, but on the outside, she just blinks rapidly, batting her eyelashes as the (fake) tears threaten to come out.

She hates being vulnerable, but she finds the mask of the fragile girl quite resourceful when dealing with situations like this – when she wants to get rid of suspicion, when she wants people to underestimate her.

"He left days ago and didn't leave any instructions," she confesses with a weeping voice, "And now things are so chaotic."

"We will protect your husband."

"You will?"

"Of course," he reassures her with a fake smile, "He has been nothing but valuable to us."

Soo reigns in the laughter, letting out just the incredulous face she's been hiding behind the mask ever since the man started to speak. Because no matter how naïve she's pretending to be, there's no way he expects her to believe that.

And yet, that doesn't stop the man from repeating his argument.

"Look, the King wouldn't be in power if it wasn't for him. So it's obvious we are grateful to him. Surely your husband wishes to maintain his alliance with his brother."

"Yes, he does love his brothers."

"But you have to help us first," Nam Seon's tone gets more assertive and commanding, "Why is the King secluded? Why did you tell the 14th Prince not to let anyone come inside?"

Soo counts to five, making it look like she's hesitating and then gaining the courage to speak. Then she looks down at her hands, making an ashamed expression.

"I didn't tell him to do anything, he did it on his own."

That answer clearly wasn't what Yoo Nam Seon expected, so he gapes, taken by surprise.

"But why would he...? What did you tell him?"

"Nothing much, I swear," Soo replies immediately, her tone getting more urgent as his turns more impatient, "After I left the room, he took me aside to ask about the King's health. I know Jung Wangjanim cares deeply about his brother, so I told him that Pyeha was very ill and very near death. Then he ordered the Captain to fortify the defenses and asked me not to tell anyone about our conversation."

Nam Seon doesn't look satisfied, but she knows that it's because he wanted to get an answer from her, not more questions and doubts.

And it does bother Soo to throw Jung under the bus like that, but she only does that because she knows nothing will happen to him because of her lie. If anyone's getting hurt for telling him that the Grand General was acting suspicious, it was only herself. But that would only happen if Nam Seon had the means of confirming what she had just said, and she knows Jung well enough to be certain that the prince will tell nothing to his elder cousin.

So, all that Yoo Nam Seon is going to get by bothering her is confusion about Jung's actions and loyalty, and the certainty that their King is dying and they are very close to losing power.

"Thank you, Lady Hae," he does not sound grateful at all, "I'm sure you'll be blessed for helping us today."

"Really?" Soo asks eagerly, eyes shining a bit, although she still looks insecure, "How?"

"You'll understand when your husband arrives," Nam Seon mutters and leaves.

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Surprisingly, the next person she talks to does not approach her first.

Soo had managed to have the rest of her tea time in peace after Yoo Nam Seon left and was strolling around the Damiwon's garden when she saw him. It had been quite a while, so for a second, she could barely recognize her, even struggling a bit to associate the face with a name. But when does, she smiles internally.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here, uncle?"

She surprises the man and Hae Hong Ha Jin turns around and looks at her incredulously.

"Oh, so you remember me now?" His tone is not welcoming, but Soo goes to his side in the gazebo, standing with the man and watching the flowers.

Her actions are casual but her words are sour.

"Now, after you gave me away to the King? Definitely. Even though I haven't seen you in a while."

"Isn't that your fault, you ungrateful child?" He clicks his tongue, annoyed with her presence; but Soo's already used to be an undesired company, "I arranged for you to be the wife of a king, and what did you do? Dishonored our entire clan, that's what you did. Because of you, we were ashamed to show ourselves in the Capital all these years."

"I've been punished for that already, haven't I?"

She has. For that and more. For what she didn't even do as well. She has been punished far more than she deserved, she has taken the fall for people who still live high and untouched.

But that's not what she has come to talk about, and Hong Ha Jin knows as much.

"What do you want? You wouldn't have approached me with no reason."

Soo stalls a bit, gauging the depth before diving in.

"Have you chosen who you will support?"

"Whoever gets the throne." His voice is flat, his tone is resigned. The Hae clan may not have a strong influence in the shift of power, but they didn't rise to their current social standing by being fools, "We can't afford it; we don't have the money nor the armies to fight for a possible candidate. I just can't offend anyone."

If there's something she knows about vultures, is that they only approach their food when it's dead and presents no threat. They feast in corpses and carcasses, taking as much as they can. Hae Hong Ha Jin is a worm. As in he only comes later, when nobody else wants the food anymore.

Soo can't blame him for shaking his tail to whoever it is in power, for presenting no resistance as long as his well-being is secured. But she can despise him for being a coward parasite, who would give away a teenage niece to an elder, in the hopes that she would conceive a son. And then disown said girl, leaving her to fend for herself.

Not that she would return to him anyway, but that's not the point.

Honestly, she wouldn't really bother talking to the man, but if she gets him to cooperate, things will go much smoother for her. And since he has used her in the past, she'll retribute the favor now.

So Soo pulls out the scroll from the sleeve of her hanbok, the decree she had just got from the King, and hands it to him, signalizing for him to go ahead and read it. And she watches as his facial expressions change with each word.

"What's with you and weddings?" Hong Ha Jin's annoyance reaches a new level, almost turning into frustration, as he rolls the scroll closed, handing it back to her in an abrupt move, "Why are we going through this again?"

"We?" Soo scoffs, "You're not going through anything..."

"No? Then why show me this, huh?" Hae Hong Ha Jin smiles as well, sardonically questioning her, "You received this in private, or the entire palace would know of it already."

A worm, but a clever worm indeed.

"Let's help each other out," Soo offers, "Just this once."

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They wait in front of the doors of the Queen's chambers while the court lady goes inside to announce their presence. Along with them, three ministers who have close ties with Hae Hong Ha Jin. Soo doesn't know how close, nor why do they even have ties at all. Today, her uncle will finally contribute with something, and she's going to fully exploit his connections.

"Oh, while we're in there," she whispers to him hurriedly, as if the thought just crossed her mind, "It's best not to mention the 4th Prince at all. I took a beating from my husband for merely standing in his vicinity recently. Who knows what he'll do to you?"

Hae Hong Ha Jin turns his face to her, his brow furrowing in confusion, a few questions already forming on his lips. But before he can say anything the court lady is returning and telling them all to come in, that the Queen awaits them.

So Hong Ha Jin swallows his questions and leads the group inside. He can't afford to make a Queen wait for him either.

Soo was expecting Yeon Hwa to be there with her mother, especially after hearing the 8th Prince before he left the capital, but the Princess was nowhere in sight. However, the Queen's cousin, Hwangbo Seung Woo, is sitting beside her at the empty dinner table.

"Hello, Huanghu," Soo casually greets her mother-in-law, after her uncle takes too long to say anything, "I hope I'm not disturbing anything important."

"Not at all," the woman looks at her guests, all standing in the middle of the room, making a line, with Hae Hong Ha Jin between his niece and the other men. Her voice is inviting, but her eyes show that she's surprised and doesn't know where things are going, especially with the ministers in tow, "We're just having some family time, and as my daughter-in-law, you're more than welcome to join us."

"Actually, I have come with some news for you." She looks at her uncle pointedly and he turns his face to look at her.

"Are you sure you wish to proceed with this?" Hae Hong Ha Jin stares and asks in a low and annoyed voice, to which Soo answers with a determined nod. Her uncle sighs, most likely regretting his decision to accompany her, but he fulfills their deal; takes a step forward and says, "On behalf of the Lady Hae Soo, I carry a royal decree, which the ministers that accompany me have attested to be authentic and valid.

"I, Jeonjong," he begins reading in a slow tempo, making sure that the King's words are being understood, "Grant the lady Hae Soo with a divorce permission, and that may she and the 8th Prince Wang Wook cease all of their marital bindings."

Hong Ha Jin pauses, and Soo wonders if he'll be brazen enough to continue reading; if he'll ignore her warning and declare that the decree also proclaims a wedding. But, as expected, he stops and rolls the scroll closed, raising his hand and returning it to her.

He couldn't risk offending the 8th Prince, not even with the man on the other side of the country.

After he's done reading, however, there are long seconds of silence, as the two people who were the targets of the bomb Soo had dropped assimilate what just happened.

"Is that your doing, child?" Her mother-in-law asks incredulously and shocked, but a minister replies before Soo even opens her mouth.

"Is the decree of the King, Huanghu," he says in a harsh tone, "And the will of the King is the will of the Heavens."

The Queen and her cousin look at each other, uncertain of what exactly to do, as the unexpected matter unexpectedly came to them and at an unexpected time. Soo can see that they were focusing on the succession to the throne and that they are not sure of how to proceed.

As none of them dare to handle things, Shinjeong tries to evade and covertly propose a concession.

"This sort of issue has to be handled by me son, as he is currently in charge of clan matters."

"I know as much, but I figured it would be best if I came to you instead, for both our interests."

The two women stare deep into each other's eyes – ocean deep meeting ocean deep – as they try to dive deep enough to grasp the other's mind. It's a long silent moment of evasive confrontation, and after the Queen has weighted Soo's move and her own cards, she looks to her cousin and nods.

"We have acknowledged the decree of the King. You may leave us." Seung Woo says solemnly, and the present ministers bow before leaving. The room remains silent until the last of them is gone and the doors are closed; that's when Seung Woo opts to continue ignoring Soo's presence and addresses her uncle, "Lord Hae, am I to assume you'll be taking your niece back?"

"I'm here now today because I owe a debt to my late niece, Hae Myung Hee, nothing more. As for what happens to this ungrateful child, is of no concern for us Hae," Hong Ha Jin's tone is decisive, his decision as final as Soo's, "I tried to reason with her. I even told her we'd take her back in if she would be persuaded to remain married with the 8th Prince, but alas..."

That is a lie. Not the persuading part, the taking back part. He never once offered a refugee for her. His display of charity is a lie, as he just wants to make sure that the Hwangbo won't take offense against the clan once again because of her actions.

She lets him.

"Are you sure of this, Hae Soo-yah?" Shinjeong addresses her again, her calm eyes trying to convince her otherwise or to at least get Soo to talk more, "Things are about to change. This marriage is at least a chance of survival."

Hae Soo just smiles, sweet words slipping from her lips.

"I've been surviving on my own for a while. I'm sure I can handle it."

"The King won't remain King for long."

"His decree will continue valid," Soo rebukes Seung Woo's argument and counterattacks in a condescending tone, "Has the Hwangbo clan grown so mighty that they won't suffer any retaliation from opposing the late King's will?"

"A mad King who..."

"A King, nevertheless," she interrupts him and proceeds to ignore his presence, "Let's be honest, Huanghu. Even if the 8th Prince does become a hero to the people by defeating Jeonjong, the rest of the clan leaders won't see it that way, especially the Yoo and their allies. They also have potential candidates for the throne, and won't sit still until they can revoke the 8th Prince's claim. A disregarded royal decree? You would just be giving them more power to protest against his position.

"If you refuse to give me the divorce letter, I'm sure the 8th Prince won't hesitate before throwing this away." Soo raises the decree to make a point and continues her narrative, "He'll be stubborn and we'll continue married. He'll most likely refuse other wives in a feeble attempt to appease me. And I'll be stubborn too. I'll continue to refuse to bear his child, no matter how much he or the rest of you try to dissuade me." She pauses and sighs, starting to summarize it all in a numbered list, counting with her fingers to better illustrate her point, "A King with no children, no prospects of heirs, with a dubious claim to the throne, and still refuting the words of his predecessor... How long can you Hwangbo keep him in power?"

The Queen doesn't look happy, but again, she never does whenever Soo brings politics to the table. Seung Woo, on the other hand, only smiles and even scoffs after she's done speaking, a mocking expression.

"You spent a couple of years in the palace and now you're an expert on politics?"

"I just know that Kings die very easily around here, so you should tread carefully." Soo smiles as well; she's used to being mocked and she can mock others as well. "You have no reason to contest the decree and make me remain at your Prince's side. You want to get rid of me, and I want to get rid of him. If you ask him to divorce me, he'll ignore you. If I present the royal decree, he'll reject it. Even as a King he won't be safe and I won't be satisfied." She scoffs just like Seung Woo did, and continues with a patient tone, "It's a simple equation, really. No need to be an expert to understand the fundamentals and the basics."

The Queen looks at her with a piercing gaze. She doesn't see what Hae Soo plans to obtain by doing this, and she doubts the girl would go to this extent just to get rid of Wook. (Even though she would). But Hwangbo Seung Woo, on the other hand, doesn't take her for anything other than a fool. He's like her uncle in that aspect. He'll underestimate her. And he'll regret that later.

However, they have no arguments to rebuke her, and Soo also knows that they were dying for a chance to get rid of her as well. The opportunity presented in a silver plate is too timely to refuse, and yet...

"A King who lost his woman is not well seen either."

"Is that really your concern?" Soo questions Seung Woo impatiently, her tone nearing the insolence. And after the Queen and her relative stare at her in silence, she sighs, "Alright. I won't disclose it right away."

"How long?"

"How long do you think it will take for the 8th Prince to take the throne?"

They share a look again, and Soo makes sure that she doesn't look interested in whatever silent conversation they are having right now. She continues in the same position and maintains the same expression.

"Ten days." Shinjeong says at last, "You may disclose it in ten days, or when the next king has been crowned."

"Is that a condition?"

"Yes." Seung Woo's eyes are serious this time. "And Wook will be the least of your problems if you don't keep your end of the deal."

Soo nods, satisfied with their terms.

"After one year, ten days are like ten seconds," she says with a relieved smile.

"Also, it's best you do not return to the household."

"I thought you'd make such a request," she replies the Queen, "All my personal belongings fit in a small box. I've bought it with me already. You may burn everything else."

The Queen nods, also satisfied, and indicates the table with paper and ink on the side to her cousin. Seung Woo stands up, and in the heavy silence that sets in the room, begins working on the divorce letter.

All eyes are set on him, and Soo carefully watches the brush writing on the paper, feeling her heart lighter with each stroke.

"Lord Hae, Huanghu," he asks them after writing for a while, "Would you mind signing as witnesses?"

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"I can't believe you really did this." Her uncle mutters after they have left the Queen's chambers, handing the scroll to her.

"Not even after that first time?" Soo smiles, amused at his annoyed disposition, holding her freedom carefully in her hands.

"I suppose I just thought you'd learn something by now," he argues and then smiles back sardonically, "But some people are just too dumb, aren't they?"

"Come now, Lord Hae," she raises an eyebrow lightheartedly, even though he just insulted her in her face, "Maybe I'm actually plotting to put my champion on the throne, and this is just part of a larger scheme."

"If that what you wish to believe, child, by all means, do whatever you want," Hong Ha Jin stops smiling, "Just don't complain when the world falls down on you again. And don't come after me. Remember your words."

Soo nods, turning serious as well, as she repeats the terms of their deal solemnly.

"Yes, uncle. I'm never again to meddle with you Hae or your affairs, and you'll never bother to help me again. I assure you, my memory is quite good, although you reprove my intellect."

Hae Hong Ha Jin huffs and turns around, leaving her behind. His shoulders relaxing in relief, probably believing he just dodged a bullet.

Soo also let him believe whatever he wanted to. She had all she wanted already; she wouldn't bother with her birth family either.

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Hae Soo doesn't leave the palace afterwards.

Yes, she would very much like to go back to the Damiwon and just wait in safety until things are over and everyone is calm, but she still has one more thing to do.

Rather, one more person to talk to.

Soo's planning on how to approach the last one from her mental list, wondering which course of action would be better, when the person in question approaches her first.

The sunset is nearing, and she is hungry and tired. Now she can't return to the Hwangbo household for a meal, a warm bath, or even for a set of fresh clothes. And since she has agreed to not disclose her divorce, she can't even officially move to a new house.

(Poor In Hye should be worried, being sent back home without any further explanation for her. But Soo is still a bait and way too vulnerable in the palace, so she can't do anything for the woman to stay with her.)

She's homeless, sort of. The court ladies at the Damiwon provided her some comfort, and the Sanggung has also offered a hideout for her to spend the night if she wished so. But she has to leave very soon. She just has this one thing to deal with.

This one vulture.

"You too?" She groans when he intercepts her walk, cornering her in a secluded spot of the palace, expressing in a very clear manner that her patience has run thin.

"I take you had a long day," Shin Ju Kang jokes, not bothered by her aggressive reaction to his mere presence.

"Longer than most," she agrees, wincing, and then shakes her hands, urging him to hurry up, "So go ahead, ask away. Make me spill all the sordid secrets of the palace. What do you people even think I am?"

Her response only makes him chuckle.

"You're not afraid of getting hurt?"

"What else can they do to me?"

"You're bold. I like that," Shin Ju Kang nods approvingly and Soo fights the urge to gag, "You also don't bother playing little games. I like that too. So why don't you drop everything and just tell me about the King?"

"What do I gain with that?"

"The question is what do you have to lose?" he asks with a smile, amused at her temper, inciting her dismissive and frustrated posture, "Things will be changing very soon, whether you tell me everything or nothing. And your attempt to control things will gain you nothing. Why don't you just ignite a spark and watch it all burn down?"

Oh, how much Hae Soo loves those words.

Not only because, yes, a spark is exactly what she wishes to obtain. But also because of how ironic is his promise. The spark has already been ignited, and now she's watching as it consumes the wire of the bomb she has put in place; the domino effect is already in place, as she has already set up the pieces in the proper order. When the first one tumbles down, it will take all the others with it.

It will be beautiful to watch it happen, indeed.

She has to contain the victorious smile. If Shin Ju Kang is here, even attempting to manipulate her, it can only mean that he's also clueless about the mess she has made in the palace the entire day.

"Interesting." It's what she has to comment about his offer, "Watching it all burn down is exactly what I had in mind."

Shin Ju Kang doesn't hide his victorious smile, nor does he attempt to hide it. That only pleases Soo even more.

"So tell me," he brings the conversation back to the original topic, "How was he?"

"I don't know. He didn't speak much while I was there, so I didn't get enough to be certain," Soo furrows her brow, making a clear effort to remember things, "I mean, he looked tired and ill and all that, but he also had enough strength to walk around the room and write things."

"Write?" Shin Ju Kang's ears perk up.

"Yes," Soo nods, "Just before he asked me to leave, actually. He wrote something in a scroll and told me to get out. He looked ready to snap and lash at me, so I hurried away."

The man nods in silence for a while, probably already figuring out things that she didn't say, trying to see things she didn't notice. Too lost in the plotting to realize it's all a lie.

So he knows the King has chosen an heir, but not that Soo knows who he is, nor that it is the very adopted son of his clan. No, he'll only infer that it is either the King's son or the 14th Prince. And he'll have no other choice but to push harder for the 4th Prince to rise to the throne.

"You're a smart girl, indeed," he says after sulking in thoughts for a few seconds, "I assure you, not many may know this in the future, but today you have contributed largely to History."

"Oh, Lord Shin. I don't care about any sort of historical legacy," she puts on a grateful smile, "I just want to watch it all burn."

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Soo was at the kitchen of the Damiwon, having a refreshment when the young man approached her.

He did it discreetly, walking in with a sack of cucumbers, just like any other delivery man would do it. He didn't talk much and made himself busy, arranging the other sacks in the corner of the room. Only after he was sure that there was no one else in there – nor nearby – he spoke with her.

"Lady Hae Soo."

"Yes."

"Astronomer Choi Ji Mong apologizes for not coming in person." He raises his hand and offers a folded piece of paper to her, and she almost yanks it from his hand.

It's been a few hours since she sent her message through In Hye, and she was starting to feel worried about the lack of response. So yes, she's been feeling a bit anxious and it's eager to see what he has to say.

Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, the note doesn't say much. Not that Soo's didn't either for that matter, but she was hoping to get a few more details, have a few more information to move the pieces in the palace.

It only tells her to go to him. Yes, she understands it. Yes, she's up to the task. But still, she wanted to do more before she left to meet the 4th Prince. However, if Ji Mong had asked her to go, then that meant he had no one else. If she didn't leave, then things could get complicated.

Especially with the 8th Prince arriving in ten days.

However, ten days was what the Hwangbo Queen said. She could be very well putting a margin of error in her count... Actually, no, she definitely was. There's no way she would tell an outsider – especially one that had got recently divorced and held no love for her family – the exact day the 8th Prince was expected to return.

In this case, she can't waste time.

"What's your name?" She turns to the man suddenly, and he blinks surprised, freezing a bit before answering.

"Kim Do Yun, my lady."

"Did the Astronomer give you any further instruction?"

"I'm to take you to the 4th Prince's headquarters in safety."

Soo nods and rereads the note, trying to see if there's something else, another detail or secret message that she's missing. And when she's satisfied, she reaches for the closest candle, holds the paper in the flame until it turns to ashes in her hand.

"How long does it take for you to take me there?" She inquires, her mind already racing as she prepares herself for another race against time.

"One day and a half."

"And how long does it take if I pay you extra?"

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It took him one night.

Kim Do Yun kept saying he could make in less if he were leaving during the day and alone, but Soo had to depart immediately so he had to ride with extra baggage in the dark. It wasn't safe, he tried to argue at first, but was very eager to finish the job when Soo fetched some silver pieces from her hidden savings.

Soo left the rest of her money with the Sanggung, trusting the old court lady to lend her some simple clothes as well, then she set off with the Astronomer's messenger. Making short breaks along the way, changing horses in certain stops, not even paying attention to the stars she used to gaze at every night. Her mind is focused on her mission, and she won't be able to rest, nor to admire the beautiful things in life, until the 4th Prince is sitting on the throne.

They arrive at the camp at the ending of the night.

The barracks were set in the middle of a small abandoned village, and Soo soon notices that the men were using some of the old buildings as accommodations. She had been worrying about how she'd get to So amid all the people and the buildings at the camp. She had no idea of even where to start looking, but to her surprise, Do Yun guided his horse with expertise around the town.

But it was only when he stopped and helped her climb down the horse that it crossed her mind that Do Yun would know where the 4th Prince was. And it was only after he approached a house's door, and knocked a certain and precise pattern, that she was sure that he definitely had made that trip before.

There was no answer, but Do Yun slid the door open, then nodded for her to go inside. And ignoring the feeling that that could very well be a trap, Hae Soo entered the dark room.

Her eyes are already adjusted to the darkness, so it doesn't take long for her to notice him in the corner, reading something in the light of a sole candle. His hair is down, falling loose on his shoulders, and his face is bare of make-up. He doesn't look up from the scroll on his hands, so she takes a few seconds to admire him, a genuine and sincere smile spreading out on her lips.

It's a beautiful sight, and she's not ashamed to say she's breathless and on the verge of tears just by looking at him.

"Wangjanim," she calls him with a content sigh, her shoulders releasing the tension and her sore feet feeling as light as feathers when she all but ran to him.

His head snaps up, a shocked expression on his face, and he gets up just in time to catch her in his arms.

"Soo-yah? What are you doing here?" he asks in urgency, hands caressing her shoulders, her arms, her head, and her face, trying to see if she is fine, if she's hurt, "What happened? What did he do?"

"Nothing. It's nothing," she smiles, her own arms entangling around him, hugging his waist, "I'm just bringing a message from the palace."

Instead of relaying it, though, she tiptoes, reaching his lips with her own. She kisses him slowly, feeling the accumulated longing finally being satiated, tightening her hold on him just like she's been fantasizing about doing ever since she got that decree from the King. She kisses him with joy and relief, and after being reassured that she's fine, he complies, also eager to properly greet her, and they get lost in the kiss for a couple of minutes.

Then he pulls away, his brow furrowing with concern and reproval.

"You shouldn't be at the palace. Don't you know Yo is..."

"I know. I know, I was just here. But I had to go to the palace, and then I had to bring this message. It's urgent."

It's urgent, yes, but all worry and anxiety that had filled her entire day seem to dissolve at the sight of his face. It's urgent, yes, but a few minutes of properly reuniting with the love of her life won't matter. And that's why Soo leans in for another kiss, for another moment of utter bliss with this man she has missed more than anything. But he's back at scolding her before she has the chance.

"Why are you so reckless? What if something bad happened?"

"You'd save me," Soo smiles, hugging his waist tighter, "Take me away. Kidnap me."

His eyes narrow when she says that, as if he's really tempted by the offer, but is resisting it, as he has to be rational.

"You're still a married woman, aren't you?"

"Only until a few days ago." She giggles at his confused expression, then backs away to get the decree from under her robes.

So takes it with a curious look, his eyes going from the scroll to her face suspiciously before he even opens and reads it. And when he finally does, he has to reread it a couple of times before he looks back at her, his eyes now looking surprised.

"How?"

"The king wrote and signed it, and the ministers recognized it," Soo explains it, her smile a bit shy now that she's saying it out loud, "I am to divorce the 8th Prince and be wed to the 4th Prince. The Hwanbgo Queen was eager to cast me away, so I already have the divorce letter. Now there's only half decree left to fulfill."

He looks even more shocked and confused by her explanation.

"What are you saying?"

"Wangjanim, will you marry me?"

"Soo-yah, I..."

She doesn't feel rejected by his hesitation to answer. Especially because, even after reading it over and over again, he still looks dazed by the fact that such a decree exists and that it's right in his hands. It all still feels very unreal even for her, despite her knowing about the existence of the decree for months now. Heck, she's been carrying it for the whole day, and it hasn't quite dawned on her yet.

She is divorced, and yes, it still feels like a dream.

Everything is happening so fast; she just can't sit down to process it all, or she'll crash and go mad.

"I know I promised I would wait until you become King, but then I had the opportunity, and I..."

"What did you do?" He interrupts her, and she sees that his first tangible reaction is to worry about her. Again. "How did you get this?"

"Well, you know… I sort of walked around places and heard things, then I had to tell them to the King, or he would take my life. And in the end, I kind of manipulated him to give it to me," she admits reluctantly, scratching the back of her neck and adverting her eyes. But as soon as So breathes in to scold her again, she interrupts him, "Yes, I know it was dangerous, but he wrote it without my influence. He just wanted to tease me, play around with me. And then I started thinking about my scar, and how the decree could solve so many problems, so I just had to take it, and I don't care if it was risky. It was worth it. I'm single now, and we have permission to marry, it just makes it all easier."

"I don't care about your scar," he tells her with a comforting tone, cupping her face with one of his hands, the other still holding the scroll. Because, of course, that's the first thing he wants to clear up after that whole speech of hers, reassure her and erase any sort of insecurity he thinks she might have, "You know I don't mind it all, don't you?"

"Of course, I do." Her tone softens as she holds his face, caressing his scar with her thumb, looking deeply into his eyes. "But you know how everyone else could react to that. You're not that popular among the other candidates for the throne. If you insist on marrying a woman with a scar, they'll riot. Even your supporters won't have it."

"You think that could stop me?"

"It could stop me," she says and his eyes bulge, making her scoff before continuing, "What? You think I would happily accept a position that could jeopardize yours? That I would play lightly with your life?"

"You wouldn't be playing with anything. It's my decision to make..."

"Well, first of all, Wangjanim." She lets her hands fall and taps his chest with a pointed finger, "If it were you in my place, you'd do the same thing, so don't start. Second, it's your decision to become king, and it's my decision to support you, so I'll do anything to help you get there. And I'll continue doing it so you can remain in power," she pauses, suddenly realizing the solemn tone she took, and then reaffirms it as if it's an oath, "Anything."

The weight of her words silences him for a few moments, and she waits as his eyes go from worried to comprehensive, and then they start to shine as his lips open in a wide smile.

"I guess we're really together in this, right?"

"I don't know what will happen after you become king, but you can't go back on the late king's decree, can you?" Soo brings his attention away from her scar and back to the decree, smiling shyly once again "And if you were married before you were a King… Well, nobody could make you divorce me, could they?"

So sighs.

"You do realize you'll be a queen after all of this, don't you?"

"I'll deal with that when the time comes," Soo giggles again, finding that notion a bit hard to believe; that this is happening, that they're about to get married, and then he'll be crowned, "You do the same."

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Their wedding happens with too much of a rush to be a remarkable occasion. And yet, Soo feels on cloud nine.

After they were done greeting each other, So pulled on his outer robes and his mask, and tied his hair up into a ponytail. He told her to wait in there before going out in the dark. Half an hour later, he was back with three men, grinning like a boy who just got candy, ready to officialize their union.

Time is the essence, so they can't afford all the usual rites and traditions. One of the men was a priest, so he made sure to keep things simple and yet official. In contrast with her previous wedding, it's all over way faster, there are no guests, no gifts. She's wearing some spare clothes from the Damiwon and he's dressed in the closest thing he found. There's no elaborate make-up, hairdos, and jewelry. Papers are written and signed, candles are lit around the room, an improvised ceremony is held, and after around thirty minutes Wang So and Hae Soo are married. There's no loud acclamation after it's all over. There's no party, no celebration. And yet, this one is better in every single way.

Soo feels her chest lighter, her heart fluttering along with the butterflies in her stomach. And when she looks at him, he smiles at her, and she knows he feels the same.

Their companions congratulate them, wish them happiness and hurriedly leave the couple alone.

On another day, in another time, Soo could think of a majestic event, she could organize a party that would make their ancestors look back in admiration. But when So tightens the hold on her hands and brings her closer for a kiss, she knows that this – this man right here – is better than any party Kings and Queens could come up with.

But their moment has to end soon, because Choi Ji Mong didn't send her there to get secretly married. She has to tell him about his brother, she has to tell him what happened before she left Songak. Soo pulls away slowly and grudgingly, finding no resistance on his part. However, when she looks up to his eyes, he speaks up before she has the chance.

"This isn't a good place for you." He holds her shoulders tightly for a couple of seconds and steps back, walks away to his luggage, and begins to take his armor out. And that's when Hae Soo realizes that the dawn is already breaking, and So has to get ready to march again, "It's best if you go now. I'll see once I've taken over the palace."

"There won't be a battle," Soo says behind him and he turns around, yet again confused.

"What?"

"The King might be dead by now, but he wrote and signed his last will before I left the palace," Soo says with a serious expression and then smiles softly, "Actually, that was the message I came to give you before we got distracted. The guards are camping outside the palace, waiting for his heir to the throne. You just have to go to the palace and walk towards the gate. They will be opened for you."

The 4th Prince doesn't say anything for a while. He just gaps and looks at her with the same bulged eyes he had earlier after she showed him the decree. His expression is a mix of confusion, incredulity, shock, and anticipation.

"Soo-yah..."

"I wanted to be the first one to do this." Soo falls down to her knees, her smile so large that she feels her cheeks hurting. She's so excited that she sounds almost out of breath when her words come out, "Manse, Pyeha! Manse, manse, manmanse!"

It's not loud, but the chant seems to echo endlessly in the tiny dim room. It resounds through her chest, and her fluttering heart now seems to not be physical at all, it is light and it is warm. Because he made it, she made it. They made it, they are together and it's the dawn of a new day, and they are here and they are together.

She doesn't feel the seconds of silence passing, but she does feel his hands when he reaches her shoulders, pulling her up gently so that he can look into her eyes. So's eyes are now shining, shining even more than before when she was announced to be his wife. He's mystified, completely stunned. He's looking at her with a mix of admiration and reverence, and Soo feels tears coming out from her eyes as they both laugh.

"What have you been doing?" The scolding doesn't sound like a scolding when he smiles like that.

"I just made sure you'd shed as little blood as possible. I'll explain it all once you've claimed your position. Now go, you have to ready your troops."

She stands up, bringing him to his feet along with her. Then she rushes him, pushes him away lightly, guiding him to the door. She's excited, and her eagerness spreads to him, as he turns around and all but runs outside.

Before he steps out, however, he stops, turning back to her.

"Wait, what about you?"

"I'll be going first," she explains, smiling at her husband (Husband! It hasn't really dawned on her yet…) "I want to watch as you arrive."

.

.

.

.

Soo arrives back in Songak with the sunset.

Kim Do Yun was annoyed to be asked to make another long journey in a short time, and his lack of sleep was starting to reflect on his mood. She felt bad for him and his poor horses, so she gave the man a few more pieces of silver, and that was enough for him to become more willing.

"Should I take you to the Hwangbo household, my lady?" he offers with a large smile.

"No," Soo replies immediately, pointing a different direction, "There's a bathing area that way. Can you take me there?"

"Sure, my lady."

The young man doesn't ask further questions. He's smart enough to understand that the less he knows the better for him. Also, he's being paid by both Hae Soo and Choi Ji Mong to not be nosy. So he just takes her to where she wants to go, and doesn't even look unfazed when she climbs down in the deserted dark place. He doesn't even look back when he goes away.

Then she's alone again. And, despite her sore legs, she has to keep moving.

By then the sky is already dark, but the moon is bright enough for her to find a proper stick for a torch, and her years on the Damiwon have taught her how to make a flame with a fire stone. So soon she has light to illuminate her path through the rocks. Her path through the waters and the rocks, back to the first place she ever saw in Goryeo.

She knew she was taking a risk by trying to enter the palace through that secret passage. But she also knew that, in the two years she lived in the palace after Jeonjeong took over, the tunnel had never been resealed. It was most likely forgotten, so it was worth a shot. After all, the night would be long, and she knew, when she left Songak, that the new security measures would make it nearly impossible to enter the Cheondeokjeon.

Soo makes her way through the rocks with caution. Fast, as she does not want to be noticed by any passersby; slow, as she does not want to slip, fall and hurt her head again.

Remembering that one particular incident sets her on a trip through memory land. And her mind starts reminiscing the last time she had taken that same path in the middle of a similar night. Her intent was entirely different back then. She was still more Go Hajin than Hae Soo, and she felt as if her world was ending and that she was at her limit. She was homesick, feeling vulnerable and alone, desperate to get back home.

Desperate enough to climb those rocks with just a lantern and then drown herself in a thermal bath.

Oh, that was also the day I first saw his scar...

She arrives at the top and starts focusing on the present, before her mind starts replaying more painful memories. So she focuses on the path on the relief to find the way open. She braces herself for the possibility that either Won or Wook would leave some sort of trap or soldiers in there and walks with heavy steps. Carrying her small torch, she walks in slowly, carefully studying the stone walls.

It seemed to be untouched ever since the last time she had come in there.

She also tries not to think about that time.

After being sure that the place is safe, Soo puts her torch down, putting out some of the flames, so that the cave is in a cozy dimness. Then she lays down on her side, not minding the dirt that would smudge her clothes, hoping to catch some sleep before the storm crashed the palace tomorrow.

.

.

.

.

She didn't sleep a bit.

Soo just paced around the cave – sometimes sitting down, sometimes laying down – but her eyes don't close for one second. And when she saw the faint light of dawn coming from outside, she decided she had had enough rest.

The 4th Prince was arriving any moment today. She wouldn't wait for her husband in the shadows of a cave. She'd be in the gates and watch as he arrived.

.

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.

.

After changing clothes and sneaking out a few snacks from the kitchen, Soo hurries along the hallways of the palace. There is a larger number of soldiers than when she left, and people look a bit tenser. There is a heavy silence surrounding the place, the sort of silence that sets after someone has died.

Having expected as much, Soo takes a discreet route to the gates of the palace. And that's how she bumps into Yeon Hwa. Quite literally.

The Princess was also nearly running, just from a different direction. Both women were so focused that they only realized they weren't alone after they crashed into each other, stumbling a few steps back with the impact.

Yeon Hwa was about to apologize, Soo notices. She had most likely not realized who exactly she had bumped into, but she did right before she bowed her head. And when she did, she scowled.

Oh, that would be Yeon Hwa's worst nightmare: bowing her head to me!

Soo, on those few seconds of confusion, studied the other woman's behavior, her mind already calculating why she was in such a hurry, why she was heading to the gates as well. And by the time Yeon Hwa started scowling, Soo had already understood everything.

"Don't bother rushing to the gates," Soo chuckles at the woman's actions, "The owner of the house doesn't need permission to come in."

It's exhilarating for her to say those words, but Yeon Hwa only frowns – either in actual confusion or fake confusion.

"Have you lost your mind? This is a matter of life or death. Now move out of the way."

She doesn't move. On the contrary, she takes one step to close in the Princess, trapping her in place. Then Soo makes a (fake) confused expression and speaks in a (fake) confused tone.

"I really thought you'd fight more for the 8th Prince. His troops are moving as well, aren't they?"

"How silly you are," Yeon Hwa sneers, looking restless but still unaware of the bigger picture that surrounds her, "Sometimes, especially in moments of tension, we must make a few sacrifices in order to achieve the greater good."

"Sacrifice? Interesting word. So you'd kill your brother for your greater good?"

"That's not what I said. I'd never..."

"No? Did you forget what happened just three years ago?"

"How dare you?"

"How dare I what? Tell the truth? Remind you that you're responsible for Eun Wangjanim's death?" Soo pushes her finger at the woman's shoulders, makes her trip back once again, and continues speaking in an angry tone before the Princess tries to rebuke once again, "Gongjunim, you think of yourself first and your clan second. You won't hesitate. You never did."

Unable to deny any further, Yeon Hwa just huffs and stares at Soo, then snaps back into full authority.

"Out of the way."

Soo raises her hands and shrugs. And despite her mocking stance, she keeps the same serious – almost angry – expression on her face.

"I was actually doing you a favor. You know, in gratitude for your hospitality." She steps aside, making a flourish with her hand to indicate the free path, "But since you insist, go ahead and humiliate yourself in public."

Yeon Hwa doesn't move, her explosive mood seemingly calmed down after Soo's words. And Soo smirks, crossing her arms and leaning back to a column, before speaking in a patronizing voice.

"Curious, now? Well, here's what you think it's going to happen," she starts, knowing she has the Princess' full attention, despite the woman refusing to look at her, "You'll reunite a group of Hwangbo guards; you'll make a commotion, make a loud noise so that everyone can see and watch what you're doing. Then you'll drag all your men to the gates, you'll announce in a loud voice that you and your clan will stand with the 4th Prince and that you'll help him to take over the palace without violence. Then he'll be forced into a permanent debt to you. Who knows, you might still want to offer yourself to him later, right? Hold this moment of salvation against him, so you can get what you want. Am I right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, but here's where your little plan will fall," Soo continues, not bothering to play her game anymore, "First, helping him to conquer a palace won't be enough to convince So Wangjanim to marry you. Never. Especially if he despises you, which he does. Second, there won't be violence in any way." That makes Yeon Hwa turn to her with a surprised face, and, for that reaction, Soo smiles, "Instead, as soon as the 4th Prince steps on the courtyard, Ji Mong will pop up from somewhere and announce that he is the next King, named heir by Royal Decree. Then your entire commotion and your moving act will be seen exactly by what it is: an act. Nothing else."

Yeon Hwa's hands clench, her nails crave at her flesh and her face turns red with each sentence that comes from Hae Soo's mouth. She fumes and her face turns redder and redder, every single reaction to the accusatory statement clear as day on the Princess's body language.

And yet, she persists with denial.

"You really must be insane, and I'm wasting my time talking with you."

"Then why haven't you left yet?"

Yeon Hwa has no answer. But Soo wasn't expecting one.

Because the truth is, she has lost. She has lost a long time ago, and now it's too late for her to make any moves. She can only watch as the game unfolds and grasp at any driftwood that comes her way in hopes of surviving.

Her entire clan has lost.

A faint sound, coming from the towers of the Cheondeokjeon echoes through the courtyard, breaking the staredown between the two women.

"Oh, those are the bells. The King must be dead," Soo says casually, resuming her walk to the gates and already knowing that Yeon Hwa won't do the same. But still, she looks over her shoulder and adds excitedly, "Let's go greet the new King."

.

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.

She had run to the gates after parting ways with Yeon Hwa.

The army was already inside the palace, and from afar she saw her husband dashingly dressed in black, his hair pulled up in a ponytail, armor shining with the reflex of the sun. And she watched from a distance as Choi Ji Mong proclaimed the 4th Prince as the next king, and a crowd of people shouted in triumph.

Soo didn't go to him. She really wanted to, but many people were watching the arrival of the new king, and she still had the deal she made with the Hwangbo after all. She honors her deals. She won't disclose her divorce nor her new marriage as of yet.

Instead, she goes to the Astronomer, who after declaring the last will of the late King, stood aside and let the legitimate heir take hold of what is rightful his. Soo stands beside him, watching as the men enter the inner walls of the Cheondeokjeon.

"Now everything will be different," Choi Ji Mong says without looking at her.

He doesn't say anything further, offers no other explanation. And even though she understands what he's talking about, she's not sure how much he knows (about the past, present, or future).

"No, it won't. Everything will be alright." Soo also doesn't look at him, she's too focused on her husband. But her words don't falter nor does her conviction, "He has an official decree from the king before him, so his coronation won't be tumultuous. He'll have the military and political support already, so he won't need an alliance with the Hwangbo to steady himself. The 4th Prince is the next king as he should be. Some will continue to think of him as a cruel man, others will spread false rumors about him, but he won't shake, won't break.

"I'll make sure history doesn't collapse, Astronomer," Soo adds with a soft smile, watching as So climbs up the steps of the long staircase, "And my reward will be having the only thing I ever wanted."

The man stays in silence for a while, as the crowd acclaims their new king once again. And Soo can't grasp anything out of the man, can't understand a single expression on his face – it's all blank and void for her.

"Can you be sure that you won't let go until the end?"

Can I do it?

These past few days were so wild and vertiginous? Can I keep doing it for the rest of my life?

That was something she had started to ask herself more and more often ever since Jeonjong had asked her to be his spy. And although she proved to him – and herself – that she was efficient in her job, could she live with herself after that? After lying to people, after manipulating people's choices?

Could she keep doing that for the rest of her life?

"In the past, I couldn't. But now, I think I am ready for this poisonous place," Soo says with conviction. The answer had been found quite a while ago and she's not one to give up anything she commits herself to. Since she's not satisfied with the biased justice of that place, she'll stand up and be the voice of equity and righteousness. She'll break anyone who tries to oppose her from doing so, "I'll make sure everyone here regrets using others as tools."

---

Half of the names, events and places mentioned were found by reading the cast list and the subtitles of the Drama. The other half, I made up. Including, but not limited to how divorce and wedding procedures worked in Goryeo. I just made it all up, just to fit to my fantasy. At this point, I regret nothing, I did what I had to do. Also, it feels great, just great, to write Soo calling So her husband. I felt like a schoolgirl in love whenever I wrote the word. Now I think I should have written it more...

I really hope to be back in a couple days, but in case I do not: Happy New Year, everyone!

A P.S. to those who have watched Flower of Evil: Did y'all notice that the guy who plays Park Yeong Gyu (the dude who keeps harassing Woo Hee, and that she kills later) also plays Do Min Seok (Jung Gi's father in FoE)? Or you were like me and only found out when you were checking the cast list? Also, the creepy dude only showed up in here because of that. :D

...

mikanMD: Thank you so much for your comment! And yes, a storm basically just came and swept everything away! Hope you enjoyed it!

Beatriz: Mulher, ainda bem que tu achou minha fanfic, porque minha missão no mundo é fazer todos verem Wook por quem ele é! kkkkkkk Só não fique querendo me matar não, viu? A autora não suporta o homem desde o episódio 1 e não vai conseguir mudar por agora.

silkyjacob: Thank you very much! It was indeed, really difficult, but it's always reassuring to know that I'm doing something right. Yeah, I really don't like gratuitous violence, and I was afraid that Wook's action could be seen as OOC, but even though he doesn't come that far in the Drama, he does some really nasty stuff. About the politics... I sincerely hope it was at least good enough to be readable, it's stressing and complicated to understand and write, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D