-– Baek Ah –-

Ever since Baek Ah was little, when he'd woken one morning to find rice in his shoes and Jung and Eun kneeling in the courtyard with their arms raised, struggling to hold up large buckets of stones, Baek Ah had vowed to become good at keeping secrets. He'd always taken pride in being discreet, and for a time his brothers had even nicknamed him 'the mirror', for they often revealed more about themselves when talking to him than they ever got information back.

Soo's drunken revelations had come as a shock. She'd been living with Jung for almost a year, so naturally some feelings were bound to develop, but Baek Ah had seen the intensity of her love for So. Of all the relationships he'd seen over the years, Soo and So's had burned the brightest. Like a wildfire it had seemed unstoppable; all-consuming.

How could she move on from that?

Perhaps it wasn't that Soo's love for So had burned out. But there was a difference, Baek Ah knew, between loving someone and still having love for them. Baek Ah's own relationship with So had changed over the years. With Woo Hee's death, a part of Baek Ah that had always recognised the grace and beauty in others had died too. He no longer dared to stay close to the King, but he couldn't bring himself to fully turn away.

"So didn't even visit! " The anguish in Soo's voice had made Baek Ah's heart ache.

He pictured her wandering the halls of palace in the weeks after So's marriage, head held high, face inscrutable - beautiful, perhaps, to some - but with a vacancy that made him shiver. How had So not realised? She'd been withering like a flower in the frost.

At least Jung had noticed.

Baek Ah would never have picked his little brother as a suitable match. Jung was wild and coarse; reluctant to adhere to routine or etiquette, and naive when it came to matters of the heart. Still, there was a surprising softness in the way he interacted with Soo. It was as though all of Jung's previous energy was now being channelled in one direction, towards one purpose: making Soo happy. And Baek Ah had to give it to Jung; it seemed to be working.

There had been a moment yesterday, when Baek Ah had first rounded the corner of the stables, that he hadn't recognised the figure before him. With her shoulders back and knife raised, Soo had glowed with an energy worthy of great ballads.

So when Baek Ah saw his brother's grim expression at breakfast the next morning, he felt tempted, for the first time in his life, to reveal something that seemed obvious to the world, but was clearly still a secret to Jung.

You're married to the woman you love, and she, against all odds, somehow loves you back - what on earth is there to be miserable about?

Baek Ah opened his mouth to say as much, but a sudden thought held him back. Maybe something happened last night?

"It looks like it might rain later," Baek Ah said, deciding that a gentler approach would be needed.

"Hm." Jung was barely listening, lost deep down in some well of self-pity.

"Well I was just thinking, if you want to take Soo out riding and find out what's on her mind, it would be better to do so this morning."

"There's no need." Jung absently prodded the vegetables in his bowl. "I know why she's upset."

Baek Ah put down his chopsticks, giving Jung his full attention. "Really? How?"

"She told me."

Baek Ah could feel himself growing impatient. "Well? What is it?"

"She misses So."

Baek Ah sat back. It wasn't the news he'd been expecting. "Really? Are you sure?"

Jung nodded glumly. "When I was putting her to bed she said she missed him."

Baek Ah rubbed his temple, feeling lost. Soo had only just confessed she liked Jung. She wasn't one to waver so abruptly. "What were her exact words?"

"'I miss him. I miss him. Why won't he come? Did he forget about me? '" Jung's tone was bleak as he repeated Soo's words. "I thought she was happy to be back…"

No way…

Baek Ah recalled how blind-drunk Soo had been, referring to him by bizarre titles like 'Mr-Mozart-music-man' and spouting stories so outlandish they were either a sign of deep intelligence and impressive creativity, or troubling madness.

Was she trying to tell Jung her feelings? It suddenly didn't feel like Baek Ah's place to intervene.

"I wouldn't read much into that. She couldn't even find her nose by the end there… Anyway, why were you out so long?"

Jung shrugged. "Lord Lee invited me to dine. I couldn't say no."

Baek Ah sighed. "I thought as much. Did any women attend?"

"Just his wife and daughters. Oh, and a singer."

Baek Ah cringed. "Whatever happens, don't tell Soo."

"Why?"

"Well, I can't fully explain it," Baek Ah paused, scrambling for a reason that wasn't a complete lie, "but I think she's had a run-in with a singer at some point… Just don't mention the entertainer!"

Naturally, it was at that exact moment that Soo decided to grace them with her presence. Her small frame didn't take up much of the doorway, though she wobbled precariously over the threshold and almost bumped into the wall.

Baek Ah didn't know how much of the conversation she'd heard, but given the state of her, there was a good chance she hadn't processed any of it. Soo's hair was only half up, with a pin roughly jammed into a messy bun. Wisps were already beginning to escape from the top, forming a halo around her tired face.

She looks pale.

Baek Ah didn't feel so fit himself. It had been a while since he'd had that much to drink. Soo always seemed to spark an impulse in him to let loose, perhaps because he felt so comfortable in her presence. Whatever the case, they had pushed the limits too far last night and were now feeling the unfortunate side-effects.

"Good morning Soo, how are you feeling?" Baek Ah tried to get the conversation moving in a new direction.

Soo winced and held a finger to her lips. "Not so loud."

Baek Ah bit back a smile. She was like this when they drank. The reserved, hesitant court lady transformed into a completely different person, becoming outspoken and strangely informal. It was like witnessing a peacock morph into a duck. The peacock was elegant and noble, but the duck was somehow more endearing. He wondered if this was closer to Soo's true nature; how she acted behind closed doors.

Soo dragged her feet to the table and half-sat, half-fell onto one of the cushions Jung had liberated from the living room fortress. After taking a moment to gather herself, she picked up a cup of tea and drained its contents. Then she turned to Jung, eyes flashing, and asked in a somewhat loaded tone, "Was it fun?"

"Pardon?" Jung replied, clearly lost. He threw a helpless look at Baek Ah.

Oh, now you want a clue!

"The party you attended. Were there lots of nice people?" Casually worded, Soo's question seemed innocent enough. Jung blinked at her.

Baek Ah desperately tried to catch his brother's gaze. Don't mention the gisaeng!

Jung swallowed. "Mm-hmm. The Lees and their daughters were very hospitable."

Aish, did he have to phrase it that way? Baek Ah resisted the urge to kick Jung under the table. It's worse than I imagined.

"How nice." The change in Soo's demeanour was subtle and swift. She was now taking an unusual interest in the cutlery before her, a remote look in her eyes.

He doesn't have a chance…

Soo had always struck Baek Ah as a proud woman, and pride was a prickly substance. She wasn't the sort of person to make the first move, and Baek Ah suspected she'd rather grow old waiting than risk another blow to her ego.

They just need to talk to each other!

Baek Ah suddenly thought of a work-around. "Jung was telling me there's a beautiful spot in the forest, just a short way off. Maybe it's worth exploring?"

Jung stared at him, brow furrowed. Baek Ah pushed forward. "What do you say, Soo? You could take Nae-Cha. I'm sure she'd enjoy the exercise."

Soo glanced from Baek Ah to Jung, looking sceptical. A strand of hair had fallen over her face, poking at one of her eyes. She sighed and pushed it away. "That does sound nice. When shall we go?"

"How about after breakfast?" Baek Ah replied on Jung's behalf. "Before it rains."

Soo let out a deep breath. "Give me a moment," she said, pouring another cup of tea and gulping a large mouthful. "I think I'm still waking up."

-– Hae Soo –-

Soo felt like death. Her head was pounding, her mouth was dry, and she'd been rudely torn from sleep by a nightmare that even now, hours later, made her shiver.

In the dream Baek Ah had been standing on the edge of a bridge, high above a river, staring down into the churning blackness below. What worried her the most about the vision was not the height of the bridge or the precariousness of his footing, but the clothes he'd been wearing. A white shirt and black jeans. Her brain was mixing up timelines again. She wondered if it meant something, like a hairline crack in a vase that would ultimately spell disaster.

The night of excessive drinking certainly hadn't helped clear her mind. The only thing it had successfully cleared was her memory of events.

Was there a tower? She remembered feeling like a bird, high-up in a nest. And she had a vague recollection that she'd lectured Baek Ah on the merits of fiction writing. But things had gotten pretty murky after their toast to Nae-Cha.

When did Jung get home?

She had hoped he would be happy to see her, but he'd barely said hello since she walked through the door.

The breakfast before them made her stomach turn. All those vegetables, lovingly pickled; the omelettes, hand-made and delicately seasoned; fresh fruit and rice with barley - it was all healthy, to be sure. But god, she missed coffee.

"Do you want me to remove those? Or are you going to eat them?" Jung asked, gesturing to a plate of radishes she'd been frowning at for more than a few minutes.

"No." She didn't think she could manage more than rice. "Do you want them?"

"Jung hates radishes," Baek Ah said, plucking the plate from the table.

"Since when?" Soo gaped, remembering all the side dishes she'd requested for previous lunches.

"Since forever," Baek Ah replied, heaping a pile of radish into his bowl.

Soo turned to Jung, who was pushing a piece of omelette around his plate.

"But you never said anything! I would have stopped ordering them!" Soo was more shocked than upset. How hadn't she noticed?

Jung shrugged, "I knew you liked them."

The words hit her like an arrow, lodging deep in her chest. She generally thought of herself as a caring person, but here she was, living with this man for an entire year, and she didn't even know what food he liked?

What else have I missed?

She was still dwelling on her thoughtlessness an hour later when she bumped into Baek Ah. She had returned to her room to change clothes, and was now heading for the stables. Baek Ah was wearing a long travelling cloak, his zither hanging in a case over his shoulder.

"Why are you carrying that?" She nodded to his bag. "Aren't you coming with us to the forest?"

Baek Ah shook his head, giving her a peculiar smile. "It's better if I leave now."

Soo felt a burst of disappointment. "But you just got here! You've barely seen Jung!"

Baek Ah's smile stretched a little wider. "I came to see you, dummy. I'm glad you're doing better."

Soo felt her eyes prickle. Why was she always saying goodbye? "I'm sorry I was such a mess last night… Thanks for putting me to bed."

Baek Ah blinked, a sudden realisation dawning in his eyes. "Ah, I didn't. That was Jung."

Jung?

Soo opened and closed her mouth. She still couldn't remember that point of the evening. It seemed tragic that her brain had erased so many hours.

She thought of her dream and winced. Baek Ah was standing only a metre away, solid and healthy - a real person, not a hazy apparition. And yet she still had a bad feeling, like a chill passing across her skin.

When will I see him again?

He was one of her few friends. Before she could second-guess the propriety of her actions, she stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. "Stay safe," she told him, squeezing her arms tightly.

Baek Ah stood there, silent and unmoving, until she finally released her grip and stepped back.

"You're a good drinking buddy," she said. "I'll miss you."

Baek Ah opened his mouth, as though to tell her something, but then hesitated. A flicker of frustration crossed his face, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

He knows something.

Before she could ask what, Baek Ah shook his head and smiled. "Ah Soo-yah, you'll be fine. Just don't do anything dangerous. Only ride at day, don't - for the love of god - buy any more cushions, and remember: if you're ever in a fight - keep your eyes open."

The sound of hoofbeats did little to mask the awkward silence between them. Soo usually loved riding, but today the atmosphere was tense.

Jung had only said a few words since the start of their trek, muttering something about a clearing they were heading for.

The hangover wasn't helping. Soo's head was throbbing, making her patience shorter than usual, so when Jung still hadn't spoken after several miles, she felt compelled to break the silence.

"Baek Ah said you put me to bed," she started, "but I honestly can't remember. Did I say something awful?"

Jung took a while to reply, as though struggling to find a diplomatic response. "No. You were just upset."

"I was? Why? Did something happen?"

"You said you missed him."

Soo was watching Jung as he spoke, and noticed the way his shoulders hunched forward. She felt her mouth fall open in shock.

I said I missed So? That can't be right. Maybe he misheard?

"What else did I say?"

Jung sighed, his gaze fixed ahead. "A lot of it was hard to make out. There were some complaints about candles and the dark - you said you wanted to see more of the moon. What else…" He suddenly looked up with a curious expression. "Who's V?"

"V? " Soo spluttered. She only knew one V, and he was many, many centuries away from making an appearance.

"Yea, V. You said he had nice skin." The side of Jung's mouth twitched upwards as he spoke, and Soo had a feeling she wasn't getting the whole story.

"I would never!" She sat up straighter in the saddle. "I mean, he does have nice skin… But that doesn't sound like something I'd say."

"Well, you implied it. Was he someone you liked?"

Soo thought of all the millions of fans that would happily mow her down to get V's autograph and snorted.

"As if! There's no point in liking someone like that. He's on another level."

"Do you mean he's from a lower class?"

Soo bit her lip. "Well, not exactly… He's a singer. I used to like his music."

Jung was silent again.

He thinks I miss So and I'm obsessed with some musician's skin? Well, no wonder this is awkward…

"I used to listen to a lot of artists when I was younger," she said, trying to clear the misunderstanding. "I thought I'd forgotten all their songs, but a few came back to me last night. Shall I sing one?"

Jung became very still, head tilted slightly to one side.

I'll take that as a yes.

Despite her own assertions that she was not very talented, Soo had always loved singing. Her happiest memories of going out with friends had usually ended with them at karaoke, getting lost in love tunes. She reached into one of these memories now to pick out a song. It was a slow ballad called "Breathe", which had long been a favourite of hers. She took a deep breath and began to sing.

The sound of her voice echoing through the trees startled her at first. It was soft and lonely, like a solemn hymn. But as she got further through the lyrics, her confidence grew, and the forest seemed to fill with music from root to canopy.

By the time she finished the song, a deep calm had settled around them. The horses were picking their way over the loamy ground with quiet ease; the trail weaving playfully ahead. It was a beautiful part of the forest, with towering pines and gentle slopes. There were thin beams of light piercing the trees, catching the wings of little flying insects and making them shine.

Soo turned to Jung with a smile. "Did you like it?"

He didn't smile back.

Was I that bad?

But no, that couldn't explain the sudden static in the air.

Jung was staring in a way that made her skin grow hot. His eyes were dark, his lips slightly parted, and there was a pull in his gaze that made her feel both beautiful and dangerous; as though she alone could command that expression. Soo cleared her throat.

"Was that one of V's songs?" Jung asked quietly, as though afraid to hear the answer.

Is he jealous? The idea was in equal measures preposterous and appealing.

"No," Soo assured him. "That one was just for you."

"But it's not until next month." His words carried softly across the glen, but the meaning was lost on her.

"Hm?"

"My birthday," he said, eyes locked on hers.

He's joking.

Soo tried to ground herself, but her stomach was doing backflips. It was strange how one person could make you feel like the centre of the world.

"Oh dear," Soo shook her head with a look of mock sympathy, trying to keep her tone light. "I guess you'll have to sit through that ordeal twice this year."

He was still staring at her, even now. She was reluctant to let the conversation lapse. The air seemed to crackle with each silence. "I can sing something else next time. What's your favourite song?"

"That one," Jung said. "The one you just sang. That's my favourite."

Soo's first impulse was to laugh, but when she saw his expression the thought died away.

He's serious.

She'd never been good at reading Jung, but perhaps it was only that she hadn't been paying attention. In that moment, his thoughts seemed clearer than her own.

He likes me? The idea made Soo's heart skip a beat. He does. He must! No one looks at their friend like that... But among those cheerful, wildly exciting thoughts another part of her brain demanded caution. I can't be sure. He might just love music. Or be a really, really early Lee Hi fan. The songs of this era are pretty boring... Jung was still such a mystery. She thought back to that morning, and how she hadn't even known about his hatred of radishes.

"So you're a fan of that song - what else? What's your favourite food?"

Jung swallowed, trying to pull himself back to the present moment.

"Um, I guess rice cakes are my favourite."

"Sweet or savoury?"

"Both," Jung smiled. "But we had a cook growing up who would make them with red bean paste, and those were the best. Eun and I could never get enough. We'd stuff our pockets full so we had some for later."

Baram had pulled ahead on the track, obscuring Jung's face from view. Soo could only see his back now, but it wasn't a bad view. He always sat so straight, making him look even taller than he already was. The fabric of his jacket stretched tightly across his shoulders. "I can't imagine you as a child. You must have eaten a lot to grow so tall."

Jung laughed. "Oh, yes. We terrorised the cooks. Seven princes all going through growth spurts - they could never make enough."

Jung as a teenager was easier to imagine. He'd been nineteen when they'd first met. Hae Soo was only a year younger than Jung, though in her previous life as Ha Jin she'd been nearing thirty.

"Who was your first crush?" Soo asked, trying to sound nonchalant. She was dying to know what sort of woman Jung would fall for.

"'Crush'?" A cute furrow appeared between his eyebrows. "I'm not familiar with that term."

"You know, the first person you liked. The first girl that made your heart race."

Jung was silent for a moment. "She was a friend of Eun's."

"What made you fall for her?"

"She'd always put herself in danger to help others. One time she even broke the palace rules to keep me safe."

Soo felt a burst of jealousy imagining this dream woman. "She sounds reckless."

"She was brave."

"Did you court her?" The question slipped out before Soo could stop it.

"No," Jung sighed, "She was oblivious."

This discovery pleased Soo more than it should have. I don't just want him to be happy, she realised. I want him to be happy with me.

They rounded a final bend of the trail and entered a clearing ringed with oak and maple trees.

"Did someone plant these?" Soo asked, gesturing to the near-perfect circle of trunks.

"Yes, the villagers come up here to pray." Jung pointed to the other end of the clearing, where a wooden archway towered over a stone basin. There were small piles of stones heaped to each side of the arch, reminding Soo of the prayer towers she'd visited near the palace.

She swung herself off Nae-Cha and walked over to the basin, dipping her fingers in the water that was pooled there. Perhaps it was simply the coldness of the water, but a chill ran up her spine and made her stomach knot. She pressed her hands together and dropped her head.

Please let me stay by his side. It was the only thing she wanted now.

But if some higher beings were actually listening, the response they provided did not instil confidence. There was a flash of blue across the clearing, followed by a rumble of thunder in the distance.

She turned to Jung, her face scrunched in worry.

"We'd better head back," he said. "Or we'll be soaked."

Despite urging the horses to pick up the pace, they were still a few fields away from home when the first raindrops fell. The wind had picked up and was buffeting them from every side, and it wasn't long before the clouds tore open and a biblical amount of water descended.

Soo gasped as the droplets soaked through her jacket and slid down her back. Strands of hair were plastering her face, and the wind was howling in her ears, but the ever-nearing thunder was by far her biggest worry.

They sprinted the last mile. Huge puddles had emerged in the courtyard, causing the horses to kick up spray as they pulled to a halt. Soo clicked her tongue and Nae-Cha ducked under the roof of the stables. Finally out of the wind, Soo breathed a sigh of relief.

Jung had already unmounted. He came over to help.

"Here," he said, reaching up to hold her waist. Soo's heart stuttered as his fingers pressed into the wet fabric of her shirt, and she half-hopped, half-dropped to the ground before his grip was fully secure. She stumbled on the landing, putting her hands up in panic as she crashed into Jung's chest. Her right hand struck something solid beneath his jacket. It was a small, round object tucked just above his heart.

She looked up and Jung's face was only inches away. His expression was serious again, as though he were debating something, and she desperately hoped it was the same thing she was considering.

If I reach up just a little… She hadn't been this near to him in weeks, and she suddenly felt the urge to eliminate all space between them.

Jung's eyes were hooded, head tilted to one side, and his lips -

My god, his lips.

She was leaning in, millimetre by millimetre, pulled by an invisible thread, and soon she'd be past the point that any sane friend would venture.

Sorry, dear friendship.

Seconds from closing the gap, their trance was broken by the sound of bells.

Bells?! Are you kidding me?

Somewhere in the distance, real hear-ye-style metal bells were clanging.

Jung stepped back, eyes alert.

"What is it?" Soo asked.

"Trouble. Come on." He grabbed her hand and led her back to the house.

Min Jee was standing in the foyer, wringing her hands with a distressed look. "They found a body, Your Highness. It's Kim Sunja."

The name struck a note with Soo. "Mr Kim?" Wasn't he their neighbour down the road?

Jung turned to her. "You saw him yesterday?"

Soo nodded. "In that house by the river. He was going to help me find you. But he went back inside and then Baek Ah took me home." Her memory of events was hazy.

A shadow of fear crossed Jung's face. "Maybe the reports are wrong. I'll need to see for myself."

He went to his room to change, returning with a heavy cloak and thick boots. The sword hanging from his belt caused Soo's unease to grow. Rain was hammering the roof with relentless force.

"It's pouring out there," Soo said, trying to slow his departure.

"I have to go before the villagers move the body." Jung's tone was business-like, and he wasn't meeting her eyes.

What isn't he telling me?

Jung turned to Min Jee before opening the door. "I'll be back before nightfall. Don't let Soo-yah out of your sight."

And with those final words he was gone, leaving Soo with a deep, gnawing dread.

Soo had been pacing, trying to keep her eyes open, but at some point her hangover had won out and she'd fallen asleep with her head against the desk. When she woke the room was dim, but with rain clouds still covering the sky it was impossible to tell how late it was.

Is Jung home?

She'd tried to order her memories of the night before, but hadn't managed to come up with any new ones. The death of Mr Kim was a shock. She wanted to know what Jung had found at the scene, but if she had to be completely honest, her thoughts were not entirely focussed on the investigation. She also wanted to know what that moment in the stables had meant.

Did he feel it too?

It seemed like her emotions were super-charged. When she thought back to that morning her pulse quickened, and she was tense and anxious and excited all at once.

I need to see him.

It was hopeless trying to deny it. She kept thinking of the mystery girl Jung said he'd had a crush on. She couldn't go on like this, pining from afar while he remained oblivious. She'd have to find a way to tell him.

I can be brave, too.

She slipped into the hall, careful not to wake Min Jee in the bedroom next door, and made her way towards Jung's room.

Am I crazy? The thought nagged at her. Did I imagine that look?

She hesitated beside his door. Don't make things worse, the coward in her counselled. Go back to bed .

She began to turn away, but her foot struck something hard. She bent down and picked up the object, turning it over in her hands. The hallway was dark, but it seemed familiar somehow. If she held it up to the window she could just make out its shadowy shape: a silver shell with a long metal rod. A hairpin. It was one of hers, she was sure, but she hadn't seen it in years.

Not since that night at the palace…

The memory of So's manhunt came back to her.

"Step aside. I'll check it myself."

"It's the room of an unmarried girl. Instead of going through that shame - I'd rather die."

It was the pin she'd held to her throat.

Her thoughts flew back to the moment when she'd fallen against Jung and felt something under his shirt.

He kept it? All this time?

It seemed absurd, but now that the idea had taken root, she couldn't seem to shake it loose. With a dawning wonder her brain began to pull up other memories; Jung laughing at her lame jokes, entertaining her for hours on end, waking her from her nightmares. The memories all pointed to the same, unbelievable conclusion.

She was so lost in thought she didn't hear the door open.

"Soo-yah? Is everything alright?" Jung's voice was low.

She spun around, eyes wide in disbelief, and held out the pin. Her hand was trembling slightly. "The girl you had a crush on - was it me?" Her voice was higher than usual. She was desperate, suddenly, to know the truth, but the fear of being disappointed made her stomach twist.

There were dark circles under Jung's eyes. He tried to muster a half-smile, but it wasn't convincing. He looked pained.

"It's always been you, Soo-yah."

The drumming sound of the rain; the faint smell of woodfire and lilies; the outline of Jung's face in the shadowy darkness - all of Soo's senses were heightened in that moment.

Seven years. Jung had liked her all that time.

And how long had Soo waited for a love of that kind? Someone who would stay with her through the pain and hardship; see her at her lowest and still choose to be with her.

Her feet dragged her forward without further thought. She reached up a hand. Jung's lips were drawn together, expression guarded, but as her fingers touched his cheek she heard his breath catch. His eyelids fluttered closed for a heartbeat. When he opened them again it was as though a screen had been pulled away, and she could see clear as day how long he'd waited for this moment.

The gravity was inescapable. She stretched up and kissed him; a butterfly-soft kiss that lasted only a second. He pulled back sharply, as though he had been burnt.

"Don't," Jung said, voice strained. "I know you miss him."

Soo stiffened, shock mixing with disbelief. "But I don't. I haven't for a while…" The colour drained from her face. Is this about last night? She still couldn't remember what she'd said, but she knew without question that it wasn't So she'd been thinking of.

"I missed you!"

Did he believe her? Despite their proximity, she couldn't make out his reaction.

How can I convince him?

" Jung, I -"

But she didn't need to say it. Jung's hands were suddenly on her waist and he was pulling her in, cupping her face and kissing her; kissing her so deeply she thought she might combust.

It wasn't a stolen kiss, or one she felt she'd had to earn; it was a kiss shared by equals. She didn't have to hold back or tread lightly. This was Jung and she was safe. She felt a wonderful warmth unfurling in her stomach. She looped her arms around Jung's neck and pressed her body tighter, grinning as she heard him gasp.

This is crazy. A part of her mused. It's Jung! But a stronger feeling was soon drowning out those other thoughts.

The look on Jung's face wasn't helping. It was the expression of someone who'd been granted the deepest wish of their soul, and would happily risk hellfire before giving it up.

Soo pushed Jung through the doorway and they stumbled across the room, bumping into a table.

Between kisses she grabbed at his jacket, pulling it open and tugging up his shirt so she could run her hands over his stomach.

"Soo-yah!" Jung gripped her shoulders, sounding breathless. "Don't you think we should slow down?"

"We've been married almost a year," Soo said, gazing at the wonder of his exposed chest. "I think the time for dallying has passed." His skin felt like silk, she marvelled, running her hands across the contours of his abdomen.

She was half-leaning, half-sitting on the table by this point. In her haste to free Jung of his shirt, her elbow knocked a vase and it smashed to the ground.

"Oops," Soo whispered. "I hope that wasn't expensive."

Jung laughed, leaning his forehead against hers. "I never liked it anyway." His voice was uneven, as though he'd travelled very far, very fast.

Min Jee's voice rang out from the hall. "Your Highness? Master Jung? Is everything alright?"

Jung looked down at his state of semi-undress and then back up at Soo, eyes bright with amusement. He cleared his throat and said with surprising calmness, "I just bumped a vase, Min Jee. You can go back to bed."

Soo slid her fingers up his spine and watched his expression darken.

"You should have told her the truth," Soo whispered, biting her lip to stifle a laugh. "It would have made her year."

Jung tucked a strand of hair behind Soo's ear, cupping her face as reverently as one holding a crown. "You're so beautiful."

She gazed up at him, feeling impossibly happy. Jung was more than beautiful. He was everything. "I love you." The word slipped out. Had she said it too soon?

There was a subtle change in his eyes, adoration giving way to awe, and she realised no, there was never a wrong time to say it.

Jung leaned down again to kiss her, and Soo used the opportunity to wrap her legs around his waist, prompting another sharp intake of breath.

"Soo-yah, you're driving me crazy. I don't know how much longer I can fend off these advances."

"Jung," Soo replied, her breathing becoming considerably less even between kisses. "Enough with the talking." It wasn't the way a noblewoman of the Goryeo era would speak, and it certainly wasn't the way one would behave, but Soo was tired of putting on an act. Jung wouldn't mind, anyway. She turned her attention to his remaining clothes. Maybe, as a former soldier, he needed clear commandments. She didn't want to leave any doubt.

"I want this," she said, pushing herself off the table and into his arms. "I really, desperately want this."

The drumming rain was no match for the pounding of her heart.

"So stop holding back," she told him, "and make me your wife."