Songak River

Market Place

Lantern Festival

The crisp autumn night air was filled with lively chatter in the distance as the carriage came to a halt. So dismounted from his horse, tossing the reins to the guard who climbed down from the carriage. Soo opened the curtain upon hearing the guard leave. She glanced down at So as he approached. He was handsome dressed as a nobleman in black and gold, his hair tied in a top knot and falling down his back, she thought, sighing with a smile.

He grinned up at her, holding his hand out to her. "Let's go." He said autocratically. A wave of nostalgia hit her at those words. A distant memory when they had stargazed as her birthday gift from him. She blinked back the tears, longing for that lost moment with him before it had gone so wrong. Damn, why do I have to cry at the drop of a hat, she fumed at herself as she placed her hands on his shoulders so he could lift her down.

"What about the carriage?" Soo inquired as she stepped back, letting go of his shoulders. She frowned as she peered down the lane back toward the palace.

So tied off the reins of the horse. The animal lowered his head to chomp on the grass surrounding the tree-lined lake. "I can drive us back. The guards will give us until the last gong of the night."

Soo nodded, then asked while watching every move he made. "Pyeha, since we are going incognito tonight, just what should I call you?"

"In co ne to?" So frowned at the foreign word, sounding it out.

"It's Latin from Rome. It means 'to be in disguise'." She grinned, tilting her head up at him.

He raised a brow as he grinned down at her. He leaned in closer and whispered. "Have you ever been to this Rome?"

"No, but I have always wanted to visit there." She said wistfully, her eyes held a dreamy, far away gaze to them.

So glanced over her shoulder in the direction of Cheondeokjeon. "Would you run away with me if I asked it of you, Soo-ya?"

Soo gave him a hopeless sigh. "We can't, So." She touched the side of his face. "I regret not running away with you that day by the sea shore. But now you are king and I'm pregnant. We wouldn't get far."

He gently gripped her hand, kissing the palm. "It's just a thought."

"Back to the matter at hand, Pyeha." Soo shook her head at him, serious. "We don't want anyone knowing you are the king, so what should I call you tonight?"

"Ju-in-ui nampyeon." So replied seriously.

"But we're not married." Soo blinked, taken by surprise.

"We are in every manner that counts, Hae Soo." He said as he caressed the side of her belly then took her other hand in his. "Tonight is for you, my wife."

"So-ya." She whispered as her free hand settled over his. Her eyes widened as she felt a slight flutter as light as butterfly wings inside her. So stared down at her in awe as Soo's face split into a grin. "Did you feel her move?"

He closed his eyes in reverence as he placed his forehead against hers. "Yes." He breathed, brushing a gentle kiss across her lips. He raised his head up. "Let me know when you need to rest, wife." Soo giggled as they headed toward the lanterns glowing from the water and the voices coming from the market place.

They leisurely walked along the trail near the river. "It doesn't feel like it was that long ago when we first met." Soo said pensively as they passed by the smooth boulders around the jumping carp lantern. "I remember seeing you sitting there. You looked so troubled. I wanted to say something, but thought better of it."

"Soo-ya?" So inquired, confused as they stopped to take in the view. The lantern turned the darkness into living gold light with its shining paper scales. Slowly the memory seeped back into his mind. It was the night he had decided to protect his mother by covering up her sins. Who knew that night would have so many repercussions. Or that it would lead him to fall in love with Hae Soo. "You never cease to amaze me."

He had gone to his mother's quarters the next night covered in the blood of her assassins, hoping she would understand him. Trusting that if she saw the evidence of what he did for her, she would accept him as her son.

Queen Yoo sat up, started awake. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Mother." So calmly approached her from the shadows. She moved away from him in fear, gasping. "How dare you come in here!"

He smiled at her shocked expression as her eyes fell to the blood staining his sword then up to his face. "Why are you here?"

With a mirthless laugh, he thought, I've killed for you. "Do you know what I've done for you? I made sure no one could kill you. I erased all traces of you."

All anger left her face as she gently asked. "What are you saying? I cannot understand you at all."

"I burned it all down. Nothing will lead back you, Mother." So replied eager for her praise.

"You didn't kill them all, did you?" She breathlessly inquired as she furiously took in this unexpected windfall.

"They only lived because of you." He happily confirmed, shaking his head. "They will not hold it against you that they died for you."

"Oh!" Relaxing within the knowledge of her salvation, she slowly gazed upon him disdainfully. This foolish boy thinks I will praise him now. "Did you think I would tell you did a good job? Did you want me to ask if you had injured yourself?" The smile withered from his face as she mocked him with her tirade. "You are like an animal. Leave!"

The abandoned child within So broke that night under her haughty ridicule. He raged at her, leaving her with a threat that he would make her see him. His would be the last face she saw before she died. Remembering the terrified look on her face when she died in Jung's arms, maybe his face was the only one she saw when she took her last breath.

Soo stood reverently before the paper fish. Closing her eyes, she clapped her hands twice in prayer. So smiled as he watched her, mesmerized by her beauty. A chill shot through him as he thought about that encounter with his mother so many years ago. What would I be now if she had praised me? Deep inside he knew there would be no Soo in his life if Queen Yoo had accepted him back as her son. He stood by Soo and prayed to the spirit of his mother.

Thank you for Soo, Mother. If you had not driven me to the brink of madness that night, I might not have ever really seen her or been loved by her. May your spirit be at peace. So suddenly wrapped his arms around Soo from behind, kissing her soft rosy cheek. Soo opened her eyes and grinned as she turned her head toward him.

Taking So's hand, Soo pulled him along, 'ohhing' over the lanterns strewn about. She pointed at the lotus lanterns floating in the water, grinning as she remembered Princess Yeon Hwa sending her to stir the glue for the lanterns on her second day in Goryeo. Which happened to be the first day she had met So. She should have known their destinies were tied together, she mused.

She flitted from stall to stall, taking in the merchandise. So laughed as she grinned around a sweet rice cake, munching happily on the treat. She picked up another cake from the vendor who nodded at So as he paid the man.

"Nae nampyeon." Blushing, Soo said as she held the cake up to his mouth.

"Ne, nae anae." So chuckled as he took a bite of the soft treat, then kissed the sweetness from her finger tips as she shrieked out his name while laughing and tried to pull her hand away. They made their way to the next stand which held a display of intricately designed hairpins. Soo ran her hands over a couple.

"I think this hair pin would be perfect for my lady." The young woman behind the cart smiled at Soo as she handed her an ebony hairpin with a jade peony delicately perched near the base of a carved leaf. A lean young man appeared next the woman.

"It's lovely." Soo said as she accepted the hair pin. Placing it into the edge of her bun, she turned to So. "What do you think?"

"That you are beautiful." So replied as he paid for the hair pin. Soo huffed at him as she returned her attention to the woman noticing that she was pregnant too.

"Oh, when are you due?" Soo asked the woman, eyeing her curiously.

"By late winter or early spring." She replied with a sigh, rubbing her stomach. Both men glanced at each other as the women began chatting about their commonalities, comparing notes. The young man frowned softly in recognition. So shook his head at him. Soo bent down as a girl of around five beamed up at her and handed her a flower.

"It was made for my lady." The young woman said after she bid farewell to Soo when she and So headed down the lane. "She was very nice for a noblewoman." Eun Ji sighed up at her husband, Do Yun.

"Yes, they were nice." He said causally, not wanting to startle her with the knowledge that they were just visited by the king. He remembered the last time he had seen Gwangjong. At that time, he was not the king, but Wang So, the fourth prince. The slaves did not know what to think of the man they were told was an animal who would kill them as soon as look at them. Instead of a wolf, Do Yun had met a man who was not that different from the very slaves who were forced to build the new palace in Seokyeong.

"Is there someone you left behind, Wangjanim?" Do Yun had asked So one night as both men stared up at the stars.

So closed his eyes in longing, then gazed up at the constellations, wondering if Soo was doing the same. "I wonder if she would understand."

"If she loves you, she will." Do Yun replied before turning to leave the prince to thoughts of Soo and the stars.

Apparently, she understood you very well, Pyeha. Do Yun thought, watching the retreating royal couple. He placed his arm around his wife's expanded waist as she chatted with the next patron.

"It's time to head back to the palace, Soo-ya." So said as he led her back toward the carriage. "I don't want you to overdo it tonight."

"It was so nice. I hope we can do this again." Soo sighed as they held hands, slowly strolling along the moonlit trail. In the distance the horse neighed, reminding her that they had to return to the reality of the palace. Nearing the tree line, So came to a halt, turning Soo to face him. "Hae Soo, I want you to be my wife. My only queen."

"So?" Soo whispered, staring up at him, stunned by the sudden proposal.

"Marry me." He said.

"But the ministers won't allow it." She frowned at him.

"I'll kill every last one of them who stands in my way!" He fiercely declared.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you?" Soo sighed as she wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his heart. She grunted as he held her tight against him.

"I mean it, Soo." He growled in her ear. She shivered against him as a small smile curved her lips. She knew he could do it if pushed. However, she was fairly certain she could talk sense into him before it came to that extreme. "I already have the decree ready, Soo. All I need from you is for you to agree."

"Really?" She squeaked out, leaning her head back to peer up at him.

"Yes, really." He confirmed as he brushed her bangs back from her forehead, kissing her temple. "Let's finally get married."

Tears blurred her vision as she emphatically nodded. "Yes."