Damiwon

Hae Soo's bedchamber

Jung sat on the edge of Soo's bed as he angrily pondered over So's behavior toward Soo. Why did she ever get involved with So? Why did Jeongjong abdicate to So? It didn't make sense when he could have chosen his son as Crown Prince. Ever since So returned to Songak nothing had been the same. He was bad luck. Yo had committed treason and nearly died at So's hands. Although, Yo had a cruel streak, he had never struck out at a brother before So's arrival. Even Wook had changed. And Hae Soo was always defending his fourth brother, but he couldn't believe that she wanted this.

Soo opened her eyes in confusion. "What happened?" she inquired as she raised her hand to her head. Was it a dream?

"Pyeha abdicated to Wang So." Jung frowned down at her. "Are you hurt?"

"No." Soo sat up slowly on the bed. It wasn't a dream. So will become Gwangjong. She felt her anxiety tie a knot in her stomach. What will happen to us? I must remain calm, fear will do no good, she told herself.

Jung watched the internal struggle in Soo's eyes. "Will you remain with him now?" he asked bitterly. "You never wanted to be a king's woman." He reminded her. "Our eighth brother could help you leave this place."

"No." She shook her head against any thoughts of Wook, she reached out, her hands resting on his sleeve. "Please, stop, Jung." she pleaded. "He needs you now. Please understand him."

"Why do you defend him?" he stubbornly demanded, concern filling his gaze. "What hold does he have over you? I can protect you from him. Trust me. Why are you always taking his side?"

Soo touched his face as she met his eyes, "I don't want to take sides, but the truth is that I love him. That is the only hold he has on me. He has stood by me even when doing so might have cost him his life. Even when no one else dared to do so."

"He abandoned you for two years." He spat out, standing up.

"He protected me from Pyeha for those two years." She gently countered.

"He killed Eun!"

Startled by his vehemence, Soo got to her feet not wanting to say anything that could end her friendship with Jung. Carefully, she replied. "There are so many things I want to take back and that day is one of them. So did only what the tenth prince requested of him that day." she grabbed Jung's forearm, frowning, trying to make him understand. "Please."

At a loss, Jung looked down at her, despair slipping over his features. "Please, Jung." She entreated. "We need you."

Without a backward glance, he stalked out of the room, not seeing his thirteenth brother standing near the door. "I cannot accept this." He growled through his tears as Baek Ah caught his shoulders, turning him around to face him.

"Jung, you should know better than anyone who she would choose." Baek Ah's voice seeping through the sorrow. "If you truly consider Soo to be a friend, then do not fight with your brother any longer. She has spent her life caught between all of us. She does not have the freedom to spend her life doing this or that. Knowing that, will you make Hae Soo even sadder?"

Jung pulled out of his brother's hold, tears spilling down his face. "Soo-ya."

"You don't actually..." Realization swept over Baek Ah, "How foolish of you." He softly said as Jung sobbed in his arms.

Soo stood outside her bed chamber witnessing the brothers. She felt a tug of guilt at not knowing how much Jung cared for her, but he would always be her younger brother. Her dear friend whom she trusted with her life. Too much had transpired, he had lost a king and brother he looked up to, and sadly the day was not over. She hoped he could learn to give that trust to So. Finally, could see his middle brother without the poison of his mother or Jeongjong blinding him.

Jung pulled away from Baek Ah when he saw her worried expression. "Soo-ya." He knelt in front of her. Baek Ah silently watched on as Jung continued, "I will always treat your life as my own. I will stand by you. And because it is for your sake, I will stand by my fourth brother. I give you my loyalty and my word, I will keep you and all that you hold dear safe and protect them with my life."

"Wangja-nim." She softly spoke as she attempted to bend down. Jung shook his head, stopping her, and got to his feet, clasping her hands in his. "Thank you."

"We must return to Cheondeokjeon to prepare for the burial ritual and for the coronation." Baek Ah reminded Jung, then he turned to Hae Soo. "Please remain here and rest. He would want to know you are taking care of yourself so he doesn't have to worry."

"I should be there for him." Soo gathered her wits together, preparing to go with the men. "He will need me."

"No, you stay here." Jung said firmly.

Baek Ah agreed, "You still look pale, Soo. I will let him know that you are resting. It will make him feel better if he knows you are safe. I will inform one of the court ladies to bring you some tea to help you sleep."

Soo was about to refuse. The need to be near So was making her anxious. A feeling of helplessness filled her as she realized there wasn't anything she could do for him. It was all so overwhelming. What will happen to us now that he has become king? Too many thoughts swirled around her mind but she smiled up at Baek Ah, hiding her unease, "Please go to him. I will call for Chae Ryung. I will be fine. I promise."

Later that evening, So sat on the edge of her bed as she slept, his amour and sword lay on the desk. Exhausted, he curled around Soo's warm body, pulling her close into his embrace. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead just as she opened her sleepy eyes. She touched his cheek with gentle concern, "Have you eaten?" She asked as she searched his eyes.

He smiled at the question. "Not yet. I just need to hold you." Brushing her hair behind her shoulder, he quietly said, "I need to make sure you are safe."

Hae Soo blushed, pulling back as she assured him. "I am not harmed...Pyeha." So tugged her back to him and shook his head, "I don't want to hear you call me that tonight."

"Wangja-nim?" Her eyes widened as he rolled her beneath him, peering down at her, heat reflected in his gaze. Butterflies of anticipation flitted around in the pit of her stomach as she let her eyes drop to his mouth. Soo sighed at the demanding kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands hiking up her chima, caressing the milky soft inner thighs before moving up to find her ready for him. Gently parting her legs, he untied the string at his pants and slid into her welcoming body. He left the day behind as Soo's moans of pleasure poured through him.

Later, a languid peace filled Soo as she curled up against his side, amazed at how much a necessary part of her life he had become over the years. His hair spread across the blanket as he slept, spent from having to deal with his brother's death and his upcoming coronation. Soo slowly disentangled herself from his arms and sat up, trying not to wake him. She sighed at the slight twinge in her knee, but determined that the pain was well worth the price. She couldn't say when he started to infiltrate her heart, but she knew now he was deeply imbedded there.

He hasn't eaten all day, I should get something from the kitchen and bring it back for him so he can eat when he wakes up, she thought. She slid to the edge of the bed, attempting to leave when she felt So's hand on her wrist. "I am just going to get some food for you."

The distant memory of Soo delivering food to him while he stayed with his eighth brother amused him as his thumb gently brushed over her tender flesh. "I'll come with you."

They roamed through the kitchen, laughing as she served him. Soo pushed the thought of the morning to the back of her mind. It could not be helped. Nothing could have stopped this day from coming. She knew he would be king. So reached across the table to smooth away the worry from her brow. "What's wrong?"

She smiled brightly at him. "Nothing."

"Tomorrow will take care of itself." So tenderly soothed, then he smiled mischievously as he caught her hand in his, pulling her to her feet. "Where are we going?" Soo queried as she nearly had to run to keep up. He laughed as he swept her up in his arms. "To the royal bath."

So set her on her feet at the foot of the stairs to the pool. "I've been curious why you dared to sneak in here to spy on us. Not once, but twice." He said as he tugged at the ribbon on her under garment, the white shirt slipping from her bare shoulders. Soo blushed as she faced the water, embarrassed by the memory. "It was so long ago." Not wanting to say she withdrew as she watched the steam rise from the water. She shivered as he brushed a kiss against the nape of her neck, the heat of his skin against hers, holding her close.

Leaning back, Soo nestled into So's embrace as she stared at the stones across from them. It all started there. Sorrowfully she thought of Eun and Soon Deok's last moments. "I'm sorry." A tear slipped down her cheek. "I thought I could save them. If I could help them escape." She turned around to meet his eyes. "I.."

"Stop, Hae Soo." So said, as he wiped the tears from her face. "There was nothing you could do. Won and Wook knew about the cave. Wook had guards waiting on the other side. Even if you had been successful in removing the stones from the entrance, they still would have been captured."

"I should have trusted you enough, but I tried to stop... I did trust you, but I sent the letter too late." she broke off.

"I know, Soo-ya. I know about the visions." He hushed her. Surprised, she stepped back, nearly tripping. "How?" She rasped out.

So caught her hand in his, "I learned about them when Taejo brought you back into the palace. I know you are like Ji Mong." He tilted his head to the side. "I'm sorry, Soo, he wanted to use you until the end." Soo tried to pull away from him. "No." he calmly commanded. "I know you saw me kill Eun in your vision and tried to stop it from occurring. It's all right, I know everything."

The room began to spin for Soo as she sank to the floor. So knelt with her, catching her in his arms, holding her against his chest. "I love you. It wasn't your fault." He crooned as she sobbed in relief. "Once I'm on the throne, I'll put their spirits to rest. I promise."

"What else do you know?" She quietly inquired as her tears abated.

"I know Wook was the one you meant when you said you had someone in your heart." His eyes narrowed. "Is he still in your heart?"

Soo sat up to face him, shaking her head. "I don't know if I really loved him or really knew him. We shared Lady Hae. I considered him family and his home was the only home I ever really knew. And I so desperately wanted to go home that I wanted to believe in his promises."

She nervously bit her lip, returning his gaze. "I would have married him to get away from the palace. I wanted to trust him and to be safe. Then the girl in me died with Lady Oh and you would not let me turn away from you. I tried to forget you when you left for Jin Dynasty, but you wouldn't let me. I begged Pyeha to send me far away from you. I didn't want to love you, but I couldn't stop it from happening."

Sighing, Soo touched his face, her lips meeting his. "Now, do you need to ask who is in my heart, Wangja-nim." So deepened the kiss as he hauled her into his arms. The hard heat of his body pushed against her sensitive skin causing her to issue a low moan. "So-ya." He pulled back, a knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. His eyes dark with passion.

Early the next morning, Soo blissfully stretched. Slowly opened her eyes, she awoke to the sight of So sitting in a pensive repose. She reached her hand to trace the deepest scar just under his shoulder blade, his strong muscles moved under his satiny flesh. Surprised, he turned around with a sweet smile. "Good morning." Desire hit her hard again as she sat up, crawling into his embrace. "Yes, Wangja-nim." she sighed against his neck, placing a kiss against the claw mark on his shoulder.

"Soo, we don't have time." He gave a painful laugh as she drew back with a disappointed pout. They looked out the window as the beginnings of the sun's rays touching Lake Donji, creating golden sparkles to dance on the surface. "Ji Mong will be here soon." So kissed her forehead as he stood up, slipping his arms through the sleeves of his shirt. Tying the ribbon, he strode to his amour and sword. "You will be at the coronation. I will have Chae Ryung bring in your dress. Baek Ah will come for you after you are dressed."

"Wangja-nim, I am a Court Lady, I shouldn't be there." Soo draped the coverlet over her as she got out of bed to argue with him. Her eyes following his movement as he buckled his amour in place, then she gasped as he purposely pulled her into his arms holding her against him. So gave her a knowing smile, "You are my woman and you will be where I say."

So dropped a kiss on her mouth as her eyes narrowed at the declaration. He enjoyed the view as the blanket slid down to bare her shoulders. Then he glanced up at the muffled sound coming from the doorway. Chae Ryung immediately dropped her eyes and bowed before him. "Pyeha." Four court ladies did the same as they filed into the bedchamber each carrying an ornate silk parcel.

So pulled the blanket up to cover Soo. "You are my person. You belong to me." He continued, brooking no argument. "And you will be my queen." Then he picked up his sword from the desk, passing the startled court ladies as he left the room. His movements slowed as Ji Mong approached the stairs, their eyes meeting as the astronomer stood waiting for him. As So strode down the steps and past him, Ji Mong respectfully followed behind him and out of the Damiwon where royal guards waited for him.

"Pyeha." Ji Mong began, lowering his head. "Lady Hae Soo must not be at the coronation."

So quirked his lips, "She was not born under the star of a queen, you mean." He sarcastically mocked, then rounded on Ji Mong with a low, threatening growl. "From here on out, we will make our own destiny. She will be known and remembered. And you will not stop me from saving her."