(The royal court, Songak)

~Geolha's POV~

As usual, I was expected to go to the Princess' residence as soon as I had finished my lunch. On the way, I passed by Pyongso Residence which was the home of the astronomer Choi Jimong, and it was also where the 4th Prince So was staying at, for now. It was still unknown if His Highness would have to go back to Shinju, or if King Taejo would allow him to stay at Court.

Speaking of, the 4th Prince himself was just exiting Pyongso Residence. I bowed at him and greeted him.

"I remember you," he said coolly but not callously. "You're Lord An Geolha."

"I am honored, Your Highness," I replied. "It has been a while since we had last met."

"We would have had the chance to talk, but you were in such a hurry last time when I saw you at the stables," he stated, almost in curiosity.

I frowned slightly. "I'm afraid I don't recall, my Prince." The last time I was at the stables had to be because I needed to get out of the palace, and I'd only do that because...I needed to meet Moongeum. Crap. I was in such a rush that I hadn't even noticed Prince So's presence.

"Never mind," he said brusquely. I'd better just let him think that I must've had some urgent business to attend to. "Anyway, I've been to the mortuary to inspect the corpses of the assassins. I've discovered a clue, and I find it most strange that all of them had their tongues cut out. Literally silencing them and preventing them from telling a soul who'd hired them to do this."

"What?!" I almost exclaimed. "I fail to see why any gang would do that to its members," I shook my head, but was hit by an epiphany. "Unless...unless they're monks."

"Monks?" Prince So eyed me skeptically.

I nodded. "Or at least they used to be, but they broke their vows, and therefore had their tongues removed as punishment," I explained. "But that's just my guess, Your Highness. It's an outmoded practice. Maybe monks don't do that anymore."

He seemed to believe me. Even though half of his face was covered, I could still see it in his eyes that he was desperately hoping that my conjecture was not the only explanation. He even looked as if he'd had a revelation of his own too, but then his face then contorted in anger.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" I inquired cautiously. Did I say something wrong?

My eyes widened as he got even angrier. He said nothing to me, and instead stormed off.

"Your Highness?" I called out, but he ignored me.

I sighed lightly, but had to get on with what I was supposed to do, and soon reached Yeondeok Palace. What I saw and who I saw right at the courtyard, however, had shocked me.

(Yeondeok Palace, Songak)

~Yeonhwa's POV~

My 3rd brother had swung by my residence again today. I had intended to receive him indoors so we could sit down comfortably in the vestibule, but he just refused, and dragged me outside, adamantly and aggressively. What did he want from me?

"What important thing did you need to talk to me about?" I demanded in exasperation and wriggled free from his grasp. I didn't like the feeling of his hand firm around my wrist.

"You," he said sternly, but he actually looked earnest, which had me even more addled, as it was not congruent with the way he was raised to be. "Just come to me."

"...what?" I remained stoic, albeit slightly perturbed. Where was this even coming from?

"You could be the Queen of Goryeo," he stated, his tone strong and resolute as befitted him. "But the lady of a powerful household?" He huffed sardonically. "I can't bear to see that."

Ah, I knew that sincerity was a façade; how ironic! I gave him just as fake a smile in return. "Then...how high do your dreams go?"

"My dreams?" He replied, sounding fascinated but also belittling. "You want to argue that even in your desperate situation." He had the audacity to laugh, but that had surprised me no longer. "My dream," he revealed, with certainty, "is Goryeo."

I chuckled. "You are very fearless."

He, of course, knew that wasn't a compliment. "I know you'd prefer Wook on the throne. But even if he becomes King, you are still only a Princess. Will you really be content with that?" He challenged. "However, if your husband is a king, that changes things, doesn't it?"

"It most certainly does, 3rd brother," I said slyly. "However, I would not be a first wife, so I cannot be a queen," I added. "Can you give up your past marriages for me?"

Even if he could take the throne, it would be his first wife and the mother of his children who'd become Queen. He simply could not give me what I wanted. And then after Lady Park, there was still his concubine, Lady Jo, who had to be someone he really valued and treasured. Otherwise there was no way he'd deign to marry her. She had commoner roots but that had in no way made her a common girl.

He gave me a scornful look, partnered with a unequivocal rebuff. "I won't give up what is mine in order to gain a girl."

"Might I remind you I'm not just any girl," I stated, quick to refute and correct him. "It must have slipped your mind that I am considered to be the most qualified candidate for the future Queen of Goryeo."

He didn't stop glowering at me, which was why his next move had taken me off guard even though I had seldom ever allowed myself to be startled like this. Only my 3rd brother would have the guts to do this. He had grabbed my waist and pulled me in abruptly. Alarmed, I glared at him as if that could get him to back off.

"Let go," I demanded, and tried to used my free hand to try to push him away, but he only used more force and I realized that there was truly no escape.

"Do you have another choice besides me?" He retorted. I felt as if my feet couldn't even touch the floor as I tried to rid myself of his touch, but he was much stronger than I could've expected. What was he doing? Why was he leaning in? Goodness, was he trying to...kiss me?

"Your Highnesses…?"

Both of us turned to face the person who had — thank the heavens — stepped in. Yo let go of me and I was thankful that I no longer had to tolerate feeling his breath on my face. He was that close. But I didn't dare exhale just yet. I saw the chance to untangle him from me and I took it without second thoughts, making sure to stay a few feet away from him so he couldn't try anything again.

I was sure he was enraged, but he just looked unimpressed as he eyed Lord Geolha and enquired acidly, "is this your better option, Yeonhwa?"

I suppressed the urge to scowl and forced myself to remain composed. Of course marrying Lord Geolha would not make me Queen, but at least His Lordship would not make such unwelcome advances.

"Am I...interrupting something?" Geolha asked awkwardly.

Yo ignored him completely and said inexorably to me, "we'll talk later." Swiftly, he had turned on his heel and exited my residence.

I turned to Geolha, still feeling uneasy. "Thank you," I uttered.

He looked surprised not so much by what he'd just walked in on but rather by what I had said.

"I am capable of gratitude, you know," I added.

"But never of showing it, I thought," he countered.

I sighed inwardly and led him indoors so we could sit down and talk. "Why did you do it?" I inquired unemotionally. "Why did you step in? You could have just let him go ahead with it."

"Well, Your Highness…" He was surprised, again, that he was expected to explain himself. "I could see that you were in a position that you didn't want to be in. You looked very uncomfortable. I didn't have the time to think what His Highness could be coercing you into; my instinct was just to prevent it."

"You mean...you just did it out of...kindness?" A slight frown had crept onto my face for a brief moment.

He sighed. "You think everybody has an agenda, some sort of ulterior motive, just because you do. If you ask me, Princess, it's pathetic, really. Sad."

"I don't want your pity," I stated, adding a smile so I wouldn't sound curt. "There are a few things I want from you, but pity is not one of them."

"There are a lot of things Your Highness wants," he replied drawly. "But I'm afraid you won't be able to get them from the 3rd Prince."

Smiling instead of scoffing, I said, "if you're going to give me that advice, my Lord, show me a better option."

"Whoa, hold on, Princess Yeonhwa," he said hastily yet seriously. "I'm not in the position to give you advice, Your Highness."

"Really?" I said. I could've huffed, but I didn't. "You're in the position to give advice to a future King. Why not to a future Queen?" I questioned. It must sound sweet and flattering. "Ah, that's right. It's because you don't serve anybody but the Crown Prince."

"My advice. Is that one of the things that you want from me, Princess?" He enquired, as if he was tempted. But I couldn't trust his counsel if I was not the only one that he was loyal to. "I can't and won't give Your Highness anything more than what I'm required to. Especially since I'm not getting anything in return," he grumbled.

"You want something in return?" I raised my eyebrows, but expelled the skepticism and replaced it with a beguiling smile. "I suppose anyone would agree that you do deserve something in return, after saving the damsel in distress out of a kind heart."

"This isn't a bedtime story for children, Princess Yeonhwa. I'm not going to defeat the evil overlord, rescue you, and ride off into the sunset to have our happily ever after," he said bitterly. "There is literally nothing about this courtship that makes me want to stay. You and me, we couldn't be more different if we tried."

"There has to be something we have in common," I insisted. He'd be much easier to deal with if I could remind him of a mutual goal, or something along those lines.

"Are you sure, Your Highness? Because last time I checked, all you want is power, but all I want is love," he argued, losing his patience.

"Don't you know that love makes you weak?!" I seethed, losing my temper too. How in the world was I supposed to deal with this fool?! I could not tolerate his silly ideals any longer. With that mindset, how was he even able to survive at the royal court? It was a mystery to me. Normally, with everybody else, I could just plaster a smile across my face and sugarcoat my words and get what I want. But this was near impossible with Geolha. None of my facades got me what I wanted when I was dealing with him. It was an understatement to say that I was frustrated. I had had a lot of practice with concealing my emotions, but all of that had failed me when I was in his presence. How come?

"No!" He proclaimed, loudly and defiantly. "You're wrong, Princess!" He gritted his teeth. "Love makes us strong. Love gives us the courage to protect the ones we love, and the strength to protect those who love us."

"Protect?!" I exclaimed. This was ridiculous. I hardly ever raised my voice because I was a Princess and ought to be mindful of decorum, but this?! I just couldn't believe that his mind could be full of such fallacies. My sweaty palms and quickening breath did little to aid me in staying calm and collected. "What, exactly, do you think you're going to use to protect your love if you don't have power?!"

He could be roaring at me if he got any angrier. But then he had suddenly calmed down, and the indignant expression on his face had vanished. Instead, he just looked astonished.

"That's it," he uttered, with his eyes wide. "Protection," he explained quietly. "We want the same thing. We just seek to do it by different means."

This argument was so heated that I was sweating, but in that instant I shivered because I realized that he had a point. He was right! That was indeed our common ground.

"Then, we're not so different," I replied, gradually cooling off from our intense quarrel too. "We don't have to be at each other's throats, or constantly try to prove the other person wrong. We can be allies," I said with one big breath, exhaling in relief.

"Allies, yes," he nodded willingly. "We can work together," he said softly, but sounded determined. "For sure, Princess Yeonhwa, this will make our courtship a more functional one."

"A more meaningful one, too," I added in genuine agreement and understanding, sentiments I never thought were necessary to the maintenance of our relationship. We were finding a much more compelling reason to work with each other. This was beyond my father the King's original intention of having Lord Geolha court me. What an unexpected turn our conversation had taken.

A/n: Do you think Yeonhwa and Geolha can move past their differences and work together? :DDDD