After their wedding, plans were made to set off on their travels. Although Soo and So had wanted to set off right away, they knew they had to plan everything out for efficiency and safety. It took them several weeks before everything could be finalized. Soo had imagined their honeymoon with just the two of them, but she realized that being part of the royal family now meant they had to take along guards, and enough provisions to cover for their entire entourage. Although the Crown Prince had insisted on 15 guards, Soo had convinced him to reduce it down to 5. She did not want to draw attention during their travels, and planned to dress in disguise so as to blend in with the people. She knew that dressing extravagantly would do little in their goal in helping the people. The more she looked like them, the more willing they would be to converse with her, and to tell her the state of the kingdom at their level.

 

So also agreed to her request for as little guards as possible, but took it upon himself to teach her basic defense skills in case she was put in a dire situation. Although it was difficult, Soo was glad that she would no longer be left completely defenseless. Furthermore, So had gifted her with a small dagger, one that he told her she could use to gather herbs or fruits. However, he also added that if it was necessary, she could use it to defend herself, advising that only if her life was in danger should she wield it against another person.

 

“I do not want the blood of others on your hands, as they are on mine,” he said simply.

“You only did what you had to do, So ya. The heavens will be kind on you.”

 

He smiled at her, reaching out to caress her cheek before a guard called him to inspect a cart for their travels. After he left, Soo turned around to see Baek Ah, Eun, and Jung.

 

“It is a pleasure to see you all, your highness,” she said before giving a bow.

“Soo ya, are you leaving soon?” Eun asked albeit a bit sadly. “I will miss having you around the palace.”

“I will be leaving in an hour or so, your highness. But do not worry, I will be back before you know it!”

 

Eun smiled and nodded. She knew that he had former feelings for her, but he had grown to love his wife Seon Deok. Who wouldn’t fall in love with someone who loved you so ardently, and catered to your every whim and fancy? Despite not being able to see the 10^th prince very often after his marriage, it was always a nice surprise to see him when he visited.

 

“Soo ya, please take care of yourself. Do not go running off without So or any of the guards,” Baek Ah told her.

“I am not a child, your highness. I may have a big curiosity, but even then I know that running off by myself is not a wise thing to do.”

“Says the girl who snuck off on her own to Damiwon at night,” Baek Ah teased.

“It has been years since that incident. Surely you are not going to keep holding that against me?”

 

They both chuckled before Jung stepped forward and handed her a package. She looked up at him questioningly, before accepting the package.

 

“It is more medicine, for your knee. I know it has gotten better, but you need to maintain it, Noonie,” Jung said gruffly.

 

She smiled and nodded. It was only recently that Soo figured out Jung’s feelings for her. Coupled with his dislike of his older brother, she could see why he was so withdrawn when it came to her now. Although he still cared, he knew he would be overstepping boundaries if he did anything more to show his affections, especially since Soo was married to So now.

 

“Thank you, your highness. I will do my best to take care of my health.”

“Soo ya, what is that you have there?”

 

The three princes all bowed in greeting at the presence of their older brother, and Soo turned to him with a smile, holding up the package Jung had gifted.

 

“Jung ah gave me medicine for my knee. Isn’t he considerate?”

 

So smiled and looked over at Jung, who was averting his gaze.

 

“Yes, it is. Thank you Jung ah. I appreciate your concern for my wife.”

“I did it for her, not you,” he said tersely before turning around and walking briskly away.

 

Everyone else looked at each other, clearing their throats at the awkward atmosphere. However. Soo saw to rectify that.

 

“I am sure he is just hiding his sadness at the thought of us leaving. Jung has always been easy to read.”

 

The princes chuckled and nodded, deciding to forget the recent incident. The rest of the time was spent making final inspections on their supplies and horses. Baek Ah and Eun kept the atmosphere lively with their antics, and were the ones who sent them off. King Hyejong had sent his wishes beforehand, and as they rode away, Soo kept looking back at the figures of the princes until they couldn’t be seen anymore.

 

“If you keep turning your head like that, you will fall off the horse, Soo ya,” So said amusedly.

“I trust you to keep me upright on this horse; that is why I keep looking,” she said cheekily. He chuckled and placed a chaste kiss on her temple.

 

She and So were sharing a horse for the journey, and they brought an extra horse to switch out when the current one grew tired. So promised that he would continue to teach her how to ride during the duration of their trip. Although he had been teaching her, she wasn’t quite comfortable with riding on her own. For now, she was happy with leaning against the warm and strong chest of her husband as they rode, one arm placed securely over her waist as his other hand held the reins of their steed.

 

“Are we going to the beach you took me to last time?”

“Yes, you said you wanted to return there, right?”

“I did say that. It was a beautiful sight, with the sun sparkling on the waves. Hopefully the weather will be nice enough later his afternoon for us to see that.”

“What else do you want to see?”

 

And that question set Soo off on a series of ramblings, all of which So listened to with an amused smile on his face. Here and there, he would interject about a certain place he had in mind, and tell her about what he had seen. The only served to make Soo even more excited, setting her off on another series of rambles. She was glad that So had told the guards to keep a distance in front and behind them, so they could get some privacy.

 

They rode for several hours before arriving at the beach. After So dismounted and helped Soo down from their horse, she turned to look at the vast sea, seeing the waves crash against the rocks and the sun shining on the water like jewels.

 

“It’s as beautiful as I remembered it.”

“But not as beautiful as you,” So remarked, and Soo turned to him with a grin on her face.

“You might need to find new way to flatter me, So ya. That line is getting a bit old.”

 

He shook his head before bringing her hand to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of her palm.

 

“It will never get old, because I will always be stating the truth.”

“Are you sure you aren’t being biased?”

 

He shook his head and led her towards the shore.

 

“Come, we can get closer to the water. I think there are some small creatures you can see in the shallow pools.”

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the beach, with So and Soo taking a stroll along the shore. Occasionally, Soo would stop to pick up shells or sea glass that had washed upon the sand, tucking them into the pouch on her waist. Eventually, Soo convinced So to step into the water, and even dared to splash water on him. After catching him completely off guard with one particularly large splash of sea water, his eyes turned mischievous as he picked her up bridal style and threatened to throw her into the water. Although she squealed in fear, and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, she knew he would never do that to her.

 

“Lies, you would sooner drink poison than throw me into the sea.”

 

He smiled and retreated to dry land before setting her down on her feet, and pulling her close as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

 

“It is because I love you that much.”

 

Soo felt a warm feeling spread across her after hearing his declaration again, and before she could stop to think, she spoke.

 

“I love you too.”

“You do not have to say that.”

“I did not say it to simply say it. I mean it.”

 

He looked at her wordlessly, searching her face with his eyes.

 

“Unless…you don’t believe me?”

“No! It is not that!”

 

She was startled at his response but chuckled after recovering.

 

“Then what?”

“I have been waiting for so long. I did not think I would ever hear those words from you.”

“Well, don’t forget them then. I will be saying them a lot from now on, So ya.”

 

She stood on her toes to match his height as best as she could, though he still was still half a head taller than her.

 

“I love you, So ya,” she said before leaning in for a kiss. Although So was hesitant at first, he quickly recovered and poured his feelings into the kiss, one that Soo returned with equal intensity.

 

They spent the rest of the day basking in the sun and breathing in the salty sea air. It was decided that they would make camp near the beach, and after retreating from the shore, their guards had found a nice clearing at the edge of the woods that would serve as a good place to set up camp. After tying their horses to the branches of trees, and feeding them, two guards went to gather firewood while the rest of them helped unpack food and supplies for the night. Make-shift tents were pitched and water brought to a boil to cook their dinner.

 

As they all sat around the fire after preparing their meal, Soo asked for the names of the men guarding them. They were taken aback at the idea of a royal lady asking for their names, and about their families no less, but at the nod of the 4^th prince, each man introduced himself and answered any questions Soo had for them.

 

In truth, all 5 men were a bit afraid of traveling with the 4^th prince, having only heard rumors about his reputation, and they were unsure about his wife, having never met her before either. They had assumed she would be standoffish and spoiled, as many other ladies they had encountered.

 

However, after that day, all of the guards agreed that rumors were just rumors, and they could see that despite the 4^th prince’s reputation as a “wolf-dog”, it was clear he was anything but, especially when he was with his wife. All they could see was a doting husband who had an infinite amount of love for his wife. Princess Soo on the other hand was nothing like the selfish lady they had expected. On the contrary, she was genuine in her curiosity about their lives and well-being, and was not afraid to help set up camp, even willingly getting her hands dirty as she helped them gather wood for the fire, or when preparing the dinner.

 

They witnessed a moment between the 4^th prince and his wife, where he had tried to convince her to stop working so as to keep her knee from being injured again. However, after hearing her say a few eloquently worded lines, they could see him give into his wife, but only after making sure she took care of herself. After seeing how hard the couple worked, the guards knew that the King had picked the right people for his ambassador mission, and they could not imagine anyone else aside from the 4^th prince and Princess Soo, who would have the compassion and desire to make sure the citizens of their country were doing well.

 

After dinner, the 5 guards decided on their night watch shifts, and concluded that three people would stay with the royal couple as the other two guarded the perimeter of their camp. Two people would sleep at camp while the remaining person stayed awake to guard the couple, and they would rotate shifts every three hours so everyone would get some sleep. After the guards had settled in their positions, Soo and Soo went into their tent to sleep. However, their excitement due to their first day of travel kept them up, and they decided to talk before going to sleep. Once So laid out their blankets and took Soo into his arms, as he was accustomed to doing ever since their first night sleeping together, Soo finally asked a question that popped into her mind.

 

“So ya.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember the first time you brought me to this beach?”

“What about it?”

“The night before, you came to me distraught and forced a kiss on me. Why did you do that?”

 

She heard him let out a sigh before hugging her closer.

 

“I am sorry, Soo ya, for doing that. I may have told you I would not apologize for my actions that night, but in truth I felt very sorry. I did not mean to force you, but I must admit I was not in my right mind at the time.”

“What happened?”

“That was the night my mother invited me to dinner in her chambers with the rest of my brothers.”

“The night she told you to kill the Crown Prince?”

“Yes, and when I refused, all her pretenses dropped and I could see her true self. She was never a doting mother to me, only a woman who scorned a scarred child. I had hoped so fervently that she had changed, but my hopes were crushed.”

“I’m sorry too, So ya. I was wrong that night too. I should not have pushed you away. I should not have feared you like I did.”

“I had wondered about that as well. What made you so scared of me? I was surprised, especially after how you had treated me prior to that.”

 

She tucked her head under his chin and scooted closer to him, if that was even possible. Playing with the edge of his collar, she wondered if it would be okay for her to tell him about her visions.

 

“Soo ya?”

“I’m not sure if you will believe me, or think I am crazy.”

“You have to tell me first, and I will be the judge of that. Although, if it makes you feel better, I already think you are a little crazy sometimes.”

“Wang So!”

 

He chuckled and placed a kiss on the crown of her head.

 

“I am jesting. You do not have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I had a vision of you that day.”

“A vision?”

“It was a vision of you…killing.”

 

He kept silent at her confession. She waited to see his reaction, and when he did, she braced herself.

 

“Who did I kill?”

“It was….”

“Tell me, Soo ya.”
“It was Eunie…”

“Why was I doing that?”

“I don’t know, I just saw you swinging your sword.”

“Have you ever had any visions before this one?”

“I saw you dressed in the robes of a king, and standing at the entrance of the throne room.”

“Was this why you kept asking me about becoming king?”

 

She nodded silently, still waiting to see how he truly felt about her visions.

 

“Then nothing you have seen has come true?”

“No, nothing. Though this is the first time I have ever had visions. The first time I saw them I was terrified that it would be the future. At first I didn’t know what to do, and I shied away from you. It was the worst thing I could have done, and I’m sorry for that.”

“It is not your fault, Soo ya. Anyone would be afraid if they saw what you saw. And it would not be the first time anyone has been afraid of me.”

“So ya…”

“I am not ignorant to how people view me. There is a reason why people have called me a “wolf-dog”. However, it was surprising to see you scared of me, especially when you boldly declared that you were no longer afraid of me long before that night. I had wondered what made you change so drastically. And I know why now.”

“I had a vision of you on the steps of the throne room again recently.”

“You did?”

“But it changed. You were smiling now, and you were calling someone Queen.”

“It must have been you.”

 

She pulled back to look at his face in bewilderment.

 

“Ehh? Me queen? Surely you’re joking about that.”

“You are a princess now through marriage. It would not be unreasonable for you to become Queen. Furthermore, I will not take a second wife. So who else would it have been except for you?”

 

She slapped his chest lightly in response.

 

“Stop it. Weren’t you the one who told me before to not talk about treasonous things?”

“Well, we are talking about your visions, in which I happen to be King. That alone was treasonous enough, so there is no point in going back now.”

“So you believe me?”

“Of course I do, why would I not?”

 

She shrugged, focusing on the fabric of his robe before he reached down to lift her chin up, so he could see her face properly.

 

“Soo ya, I know you would not lie to me about something like this. And it explains a lot about your actions in the past. I can understand now, and I do not hold anything against you. I can only hope you will do the same for me.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” she said softly.

“Have you told anyone else about these visions?”

“No, no one else. I did not dare.”

 

She felting him her hair, playing with the ends as he kept silent. It was a while before he spoke again.

 

“Do you know why your vision changed?”

“I’m not sure…it happened after I accepted your proposal.”

“Your vision changed after you agreed to marry me?”

“I think so. Although it is still treasonous to imagine you as King, at least it was no longer a bad vision.”

“And to think you refused my proposal at first. We could have resolved this all earlier if you did not hesitate.”

“So ya!”

 

He chuckled and placed a kiss on her forehead before snuggling closer.

 

“No matter what happens, we will go through it together. We will help each other grow into better people, and I know that I will not kill Eunie. If your decision to marry me changed one of your visions, it will change others. Although I do not know much about visions, I am at least confident about that.”

 

Soo was relieved that So had believed her when she revealed to him her visions. And he had a point, if her first vision changed with her decision to marry him, then why couldn’t her other visions change? She had yet to see them, but she knew that when the time was right, she would.

 

“You are right.”

“Of course I am. When have I ever been wrong?”

“Well, let me see…how about the day we first met and you shoved me off your horse.”

“I..well..you see…”

“That was pretty wrong of you.”

“I know, and I…”

“That hurt too. What would have happened if I had been severely injured?”

“Soo ya, please stop making me feel worse than I already do.”

“Though you did save me from dying. I would have fallen into the river if it hadn’t been for you. How on earth did you pick me up with one arm?! And on a galloping horse at that.”

 

She reached out to poke his arm muscle, and was surprised to see how firm it was. How did she not notice it before?

 

“Wow, you must have worked out a lot, didn’t you?”

“Soo ya…”

 

She looked at his face and smiled to see his look of embarrassment. It was quite fun to husband, even if she wasn’t really mad. It seemed like she would have to do this more often if it elicited such expressions from him. She snuggled back into his embrace and closed her eyes.

 

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Maybe a little bit.”

“I am sorry Soo ya. I was out of my mind! I should not have treated you in such a manner…”

“You seem to be out of your mind a lot. No wonder we are together. We make quite a pair, don’t you think?”

 

And so the rest of the night was spent with her teasing So, and him getting flustered while he tried to think of comebacks. Eventually they both drifted off to sleep, and the last thing Soo remembered was how lucky she was to have So as her husband. She had made the right decision in marrying him, and she knew without a doubt that she would not regret it. Not one bit.

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Thank you so much for reading everyone! Please comment and share if you can :)

I also want to make an announcement. I know I have already mentioned this to several readers, but I will be taking a two week hiatus to study for my final exams. Once those are over, you can expect regular updates again. Please be patient with me, and wish me luck on my exams :) Thank you again for your support on this story!