Hae Soo

When she open her eyes, she could see a ceiling. A forgotten but very familiar ceiling of her room in the 8th prince's residence. She was back at the same place once again. But she didn't remember how she got here, so she has to assume that the princes have gotten her home then help to carry her to her room. That was the only explanation, since she did not remember anything past falling asleep due to exhaustion and relief when she was on Baek Ah-nim's horse.

Looking down at her body, she was in a clean pair of her sleeping hanbok. That means someone had touched her body. If they had touched her, then….frantically she lifts her hands towards her neck and felt for the presence of her chain. Thankfully it was there still beneath her clothes. Taking it out, she stare at their rings once again. His, diamonds and platinum. Hers, diamonds, platinum and sapphires. Hearing footsteps, she quickly hid the chain again, no one was going to see them if she can help it and certainly no one will touch them except for them.

The sliding door in the room opened, and there was Chae Ryung with a tray in her hands followed closely by Unni. Two people who she missed out of many. Though it was hard for her to look at Chae Ryung without remembering her death or the countless betrayals. With a smile on her face, she called out a greeting, and personally saw the surprised but happy expressions on both of them before they rush towards her. Asking her if she was alright, do you know how worried they have been and never do that again. Smiling the entire time, she just enjoyed the fussing. She still was too tired to protest much anyway.

Palace

The two royal doctors who had been personally overseeing the 4th prince's condition had been ordered to see the King in his private chambers with Astronomer Choi in attendance. The king personally wanted the full detailed report of the 4th's condition. It has now been in a week since the prince's collapse in the courtroom.

While the palace was no longer silent, the investigation into the poisoning was fully being done in complete secrecy. All the other palace occupants knew was that the 4th prince had been poisoned with a strong poison by the same group who attacked at the exorcism rite. All the culprits had been executed and no mastermind has been found. In truth, the alive assassins had been taken into custody, and while they could not speak, they were still tortured for any information. The assassins who confessed something through writing had been granted a quick and painless death while those who did not were still being interrogated.

Back to the doctors, all they could collectively think was how it was a miracle that the 4th prince was still alive, and they said as much to the King.

"Pyeha, based on what we could find out after examining the 4th prince and hearing about Lady Hae Soo's condition, we can truly say that it was the heavens that saved them. While the lady may have ingested less of the poison, she was just as deadly sick as the prince. We think that she had drank the poison before it was completely mixed thus she had a faster reaction to the poison unlike the prince who collapsed almost half-day after her. She coughed up blood and kept on coughing blood for three days, along with chest pains and leg pains. She also experience a high fever but that fever changed to a cold fever more quickly than 4th prince's fever. Her cold fever seemed to have lasted longer but once she was over that, she had seemed to have recovered. We have told her cousin, Lady Hae that all Lady Soo now needs is to rest and only drink simple food with no spices and to drink honey daily." As one doctor finished his report, the other doctor began but the Astronomer Choi interrupts him.

"As you know Pyeha, the 4th prince collapsed later than the Lady. We think that the prince drank more of the poison than the Lady and more of the deadly combination. From what the 10th and 13th princes could find out through the Lady's letter as well as what she said in her sleepy state when they questioned her, it was the Lady that discovered about the poison first. Because she knew that she had no proof about the poisoning, all she could think was to separate from her servant and following behind her cousin to enter the palace then head to where all the utensils were at Damiwon. She must have poured a tea into each of the prince's teacup before drinking it. As everyone was at the rite, no one knew that she was there. The 4th prince must have stumbled upon her during her act of drinking the numerous teas and must have questioned her. And rather than letting Lady Soo drink all the poison with her fragile body, the 4th prince must have drank the tea from the cups that she had not drank from yet, before sending her away. I expect that 4th prince was suspicious of all the other utensils as well, and drank from all of them as well, before attending the rite. The prince must have thought that the poisoning was a lie since he did not get sick but must have realized the truth in the the audience chamber so that is why he said what he did. At the night of the exorcism rite, apparently Lady Soo was held hostage in front of the 4th prince before the 8th prince arrived with the guards. I suspect some exchange happened between the 4th prince and the lady in the forest that let those people know that they knew their poisoning plot, thus the kidnapping. They did not expect the prince to be strong enough to fight them off, and the prince must have suspected the danger so that is why he went towards the 8th prince's residence. Royal Doctor, how is 4th prince now?"

"Ah, yes. As you know after the three days of vomiting blood with fevers and chest pains we had thought he was on the road of recovery before he was kidnapped. The forced movement of fighting multiple times had led to his condition declining again thus now he is going through all the sickness once again but this time in much higher intensity. I now have one of my assistants with the prince constantly to keep an eye on his condition. But I believe that if he will get over this bout of cold fever and inflammation, he will be able to recover fully. Though it may take a while before his body will be at the same strength as before as he had almost lost all the blood in his body through the endless vomiting and his muscles are also very weak." Before the King could start to reply back to his subjects, a knock sounded at the door and a court eunuch rushed in the room.

"My apologies, Your Majesty but I have news. The 4th prince had awaken, his fevers are gone and the doctors are requested to hurry back to him to examine him. The 10th, 13th and 14th princes are with the 4th prince right now waiting in his chamber." The moment the eunuch finished speaking, the King stood up from his chair and exited his room walking behind him as fast as they could was the doctors and Ji Mong.

Wang So

He could hear voices. A familiar and a dearly missed voice of his younger brother. Eun-ah. He was telling him stories about something he did. He felt no pain in his body, only bone-tiring exhaustion as if he had gone through several battlefield fighting for his life without a rest in the middle. But Eun-ah was near him. So either he had survived that painful test sent by the so-called fate and he was in another world, or he was in the afterlife. Only way to find out was through opening his eyes, so that is what he did.

He could see the ceiling, the ceiling of his royal prince's quarters that he hardly used. The light was too strong so he had to close his eyes again before he could survey his surroundings. He was in his prince's quarter. He had not been able to see the stars of Goryeo from this room so he had moved to the tower, the tower where he could sleep with the stars right above him. He was back. His younger body had not let him down, it had survived 50 years of pain. All for an another chance. Another chance to be with his love. His Hae Soo. His one and only queen. His lifeline.

But the last thing he remembered was her scream. Hae Soo on the ground looking up as she screamed. He remembered moving his body and taking the sword to the neck of the one in front of her. Thinking that he missed one asssassin. After he had gotten on the horse with Soo in his arms, he remember fighting the assassins from on top of the horse. He had fought the chasing assassins one by one, taking them down, not worrying if he had wounded them or killed them, just took down the ones who had prevented him from bringing Soo to safety.

Since he was back in the palace, the royal guards must have found him. He remember also seeing his eldest brother, Baek Ah, Eun-ah and Jumong also in that hut. So they must be safe but what about Soo. He did not know if she was alright, if she had any injuries or not. Her knees, her heart, all those things that had caused her to be so ill and the sickness that worsen through her pregnancy with Seol. Eun-ah may know about Soo. He needs to ask them so he focus on making a voice through his dry throat.

"Eun-ah.." That was all he could get out before his body was heaving with coughs. His throat hurting even more. He could hear people surrounding him. So it was not only Eun-ah in the room. Baek-Ah's voice crying for the doctor. He was here too then. He felt someone supporting him to sit up, and then there was someone helping him drink water. The pain in his throat finally seem to calm down with the water and So knew that he could speak now. "Soo..how is she?"

"Soo is fine, Hyungnim. She is walking about and everything." That was Baek-Ah.

"I just saw her. Soo is really alright." That was Eun-ah. Clearing his throat, he focused on opening his eyes again, but just a little bit was painful so he closed it again. At least he seemed to be able to talk so that is what he will do.

The 4th prince's chamber

The 3 princes and the medical assistant was surprised when the sick prince has suddenly awaken. When they heard his voice, they rushed forward to the prince. Baek-Ah loudly asking the assistant to hurry and get the doctors, before going towards the bed where the 4th prince was now violently coughing. Seeing that Jung was just standing there, Baek-Ah gestured for him to get water, before together with Eun, Baek-Ah helped his 4th brother sit up by putting their arms around him. Taking the cup of water from Jung's hands, Baek-Ah helped So drink water. When the prince asked after the lady that he had saved, 10th and 14th hurried to reassure him.

Eventually the 4th prince had finished all the water, and his body just slump back onto the combined arms of 10th and 13th behind him. Then the 4th start to talk to them in low whispers, with his younger brothers around him, answering his questions or just listening to him.

So: "Who's here?"

Baek-ah "It's Baek-Ah, Hyungnim. Eunnie-Hyungnim and Jung-ah is here too."

So: "Eun-ah, the stories?"

Eun: "You heard them, Hyungnim? The doctor said that you could hear and that you need something happy around you so I told you lots of them."

So: "Eun-ah. Stay here and tell me stories again till I get better."

Eun: "Of course, Hyungnim. And Hyungnim, I'm really sorry about talking bad about you, calling you a wolf and…"

So: "It's fine. I don't care about that."

Baek-Ah: "But, you should care about it Hyungnim, after what you did."

So: "What I did?"

Jung: "Apparently you drank poisoned tea intended for all of us."

So: "Jung-ah is here too, hehh. Why will I not protect my brothers?"

Baek-Ah: "But still, care a little about your health. Do you know worried Pyeha was?"

So: "Why? I was going to survive this. Pyeha should have focused on the nation and arresting those traitors rather than worrying about me."

Eun: "But, Hyungnim, Pyeha was really worried about you. Ji Mong came so often to check upon you, and I heard he sent some soldier to hunt down a very rare herb that will cure you."

So: "Really? Who else came?"

Baek-Ah: "That is…"

So: "Tell me the truth."

Baek-Ah: "Yes. Eunnie-Hyungnim and I came everyday. Ji Mong was here everyday at least once. Sometimes Pyeha will also visit. Jung-nie will come when he could. The Crown Prince was also here everyday. The other brothers came once on the first day then not after that. No Queens came. Soo has been asking about you every-time we see her asking us to tell you to be strong, to take your medicines, to not move around too much."

So: "Her and her lectures. Jung-ah, you hate me don't you? I know that you don't like how Eomoni or Yo-hyungnim change in front of me. Rather than staying here by forcing yourself, tell Eomoni that her son had survived. The son that she shot arrows at to kill had survived once again"

Jung: "If that is what you want," then with a bow, the 14th prince left, his other older brothers just staring after him as he left.

So: "In the end, in the palace, the brothers who care about me is Baek-Ah, Eun-Ah, and the Crown Prince."

Eun: "That's not true. Jung-ah is just confused right now, he did come visit you I'm sure he needs more time."

So: "Eun-ah, you are truly pure and innocent. Never change." But then the 4th prince starts to cough again, and his brothers quickly got another glass of water.

Baek-Ah: "Hyungnim, don't talk too much. The doctors should be here soon."

"Eun-ah, stories tell me some." With that the 4th prince fell silent, but he moved his hands and held the hand of each younger brother into his. Forcing himself to be cheerful, 10th start to tell his brother's funny stories, hiding how much it hurt him to see his untouchable brother so powerless, and how much people did not care about him. Especially Jung-ah, he left without even protesting the claim that he hated his older blood brother. Baek-Ah, stayed as still as he could as to not bother his older brother gripping tightly to the hand in his palm. Trying to be a support to him as much as he can.

The king's entourage

When the king reached the room of his 4th son, he just stop in front of the door. It was easy to hide his love for his child for so many years. His anger over the past week can be explained away that he was concerned about all of his children being almost poisoned. Because to hide his love and make him hidden was the only way for his 4th to be safe. He could still remember the unmasked face of his 4th son covered in blood calling him "Aboji." Perhaps he will never forget, just as he could never forget that night, the funeral night of his 2nd son Tae. But the moment, he enters the room in front of him, he will once again come face to face with the reality that his son was only alive due to a miracle. But he did not become a king to hide, so he took a step forward, but before he could touch the door, the footsteps were heard from both sides of the corridors. On one side, was Ji Mong and the royal doctors, on the other hand, was the Crown Prince Mu running towards them. Waiting a second till everyone was present, ignoring the heaving breathe of people around him, he opens the door step into the room.

The sight that greeted these men were so different than what you see in the palace, but it was also beautiful. On the bed were three brothers, it did not matter if they were only half-brothers,and that their mothers had never gotten along. The three brothers were united. The sick and deadly pale 4th prince was in the middle, leaning back into both the 10th and 13th prince's shoulders. His right hand held the 10th hand, while his left hand was in the 13th hand. Both younger brothers were gripping their older brother's hands tightly. The 10th was telling humorous tales about the citizens and the palace occupants with the 13th chiming in. The 4th was listening to it all with a small smile on his face, eyes firmly closed. The 14th prince that was supposed to be here was nowhere in sight. Ji Mong was the first one to get his senses back and step forward.

"Hwangja-nim."

"Ji Mong !" Both the younger princes turn towards him with an excited smile.

"Ji Mong, So-hyungnim woke up. He talk to us."

"Ji Mong, where's the doctor? Is he not here yet? So-hyungnim is still not well, he can't open his eyes and…."

"He is still coughing. We gave him water but he is still coughing."

"Eun-ah, Baek-Ah-ya, calm down. The doctor are here."

"Crown Prince. So-hyungnim will be glad that you are here."

"Yes, hyungnim. So-hyungnim will be happy. But before that the doctors.."

"What are you doing? Hurry and attend to the 4th prince."

"Yes, Crown Prince." With that the two doctors step out from behind the silent king and make their ways towards the bed. Once the doctors were nearby, the princes tried to move, but were told to stay by the doctors. The patient being in an upright position was easier for the examination. One of the doctor took the prince's hands out of the 13th prince and checked his pulse. While the other one start to inspect the prince's face and his facial muscles. Once they were done that, the doctors start to check the legs and arms of the prince.

"What is the condition of the 4th prince, doctors?"

"Your Majesty," everyone bowed, though the 10th and 13th could only bow sitting down as they could not move from their position, without making the 4th prince fall. The king just nodded his head acknowledging the bows, before stepping closer to the bed and standing near where Ji Mong and Crown Prince was standing. "Doctor?"

"Yes, Pyeha. The prince's pulse is getting stronger though it is a bit weak sometimes. But, he has recovered from the poisoning, Pheya. All he needs now is rest and to only eat plain food."

"Pyeha, the prince's muscles have become weak so it may take a bit of time before he can move around efficiently."

"Why can't he open his eyes then, and his coughing?"

"10th prince, 4th prince had been lying in bed suffering from blood loss and fevers. He just needs to drink plenty of water and tea. I suspect the lights in this room is a bit bright, I'm sure that he will be open his eyes once it gets dark."

"Are you sure, doctors?"

"Yes, Astronomer Choi. The prince just needs to rest to gain back his strength."

"Pyeha, with your permission, we would like to leave to get the medicine ready, we will also give the instructions for the prince's care to Damiwon Court Lady Oh." When the king nodded his permission, the doctors bowed and left the room.

"I'm so glad. Hyungnim is going to be alright. Right, Pheya?"

"Yes Eun-ah. That is good news. Has he said anything about the poisoning?"

"I don't think he remembers it clearly Pyeha. But he did say that it was an obvious thing for him to do to protect his brothers."

"And he also said for Pheya to not worry. To focus of the nation and its traitors rather than worry about him. But he also said…."

"What did he say, 10th prince?"

"Hyungnim said it didn't matter what people called him. As long as we were ok. He also said to Jung-ah to deliver a message to his mother that the son...she shot arrows at...the one that she wanted to kill...has survived. Pyeha, is it true? Did So-hyung-nim's mother really do that?"

"10th prince…" but as Ji Mong start to talk, the 4th prince start to move again restlessly moving his head back and forth. Forgetting the conversation, the princes rush forward to their brother's side as Ji Mong quickly takes the 4th wrist to take his pulse. The king also step closer to the bed. The moment, Ji Mong's hand touch the 4th hand, his eyes flew open. "4th Hwangja-nim."

"Ji Mong you are here. Crown Prince you are alright, why are you kneeling? Pyeha, why are you?," that's all the 4th prince could say before he starts to cough again. Ji Mong quickly went to the side of the room to get water. The 13th prince took the cup from Ji Mong's hand and with the 10th prince get the cup near the 4th's lips so he could drink the water. After the prince finish drinking the water, he once again start to talk. "Crown Prince did you capture the culprits? I'm sorry that I could not catch the poisoner."

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about. I'm just glad that you are alright. As my thanks, I will give you anything that you want on top of your original wish."

"I do not wish for anything yet, Hyungnim. But I will let you know. Ji Mong, the poison what was in it?"

"All we could find was that it had ingredients from all regions of Goryeo."

"Of course, all of them wanted to kill me. But what about Hae Soo? Is that child alright?"

"Yes, 4th Prince. She is fine. The royal doctor had also attended to her and all she has to do is to take it easy. Similar to what you have to do."

"What exactly did the doctor say?"

"Hyung-nim, you have to rest. You can't move around as much. Don't worry I will visit you often and tell you stories so you won't be bored."

"Thank you, Eun-ah. Baek Ah-ya, could you make sure to let Soo know that I am fine that she does not have to worry. This much of poison is nothing to me ."

"The poison is nothing. Are you kidding me, Hyungnim? You were close to death for days. But I will make sure to tell her that."

"Thank you. Pyeha, I am fine. You do not need to worry. Please take care of the nation and its people so they will not be harmed. All of you do not worry, I will be fine." Then with a smile on his face, the 4th prince once again fell asleep. Being careful not to move his body too much, all the princes help to put the 4th to bed, before exiting the room after offering their bows to the king. Leaving Ji Mong and the King in the room with the sleeping 4th prince.

"Ji Mong…" the king spoke as he sat on the bed, staring at his child on the bed.

"Ye, Pyeha."

"This child. Is he ready now?"

"He has been ready for a while, Pyeha. His star has risen over Songak."

"Is that so? Then spread the word that from this day onwards 4th Prince Wang So of Goryeo will live in Songak. Also as a reward for his service to the royal family, he will be granted a private compound of his choosing in the palace."

"I will follow your orders, Pyeha." With that Ji Mong bows and also leave the room. Now it was only the father and the son left in the room.

Lifting his hands, the king reached up and untie the mask on his son's face. Setting the mask he gifted him down on the bed, his hand brushes the hair aside from his child's face. Finally, after 15 years, the unhidden face of his son was revealed to him. Brushing his fingers over the star on his son's face, the king allowed himself to turn into a father for a moment. The 4th prince's lips moved at that moment, and just let out a soft whisper of "Abonim" fall. Smiling through teary eyes, Wang Geon softly thank his son for surviving. For even though he was the son of King Taejo, the king knew that this child was also the son of Wang Geon at the same time, and no matter how much he had been ruthless and cruel to him, he truly loved his son So, the "bright sun."