Hello everyone! I hope you like this update J Midterms/final season is coming around again, so I’ll try to post one more time before I disappear into my pile of notes, lecture slides, and unhealthy snacks. Please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

Also, I’m looking for a new drama to watch. Any recommendations? I’m still so heartbroken after Scarlet Heart and Goblin ended ;(

The night air was cold as Soo and So made their way secretly and quietly to the palace prisons. When Soo told So they were going to visit Yo, he seemed reluctant to go at first.

“Soo ya, why would he want to see me? I’m the reason why he’s going to die tomorrow morning.”

Soo couldn’t help but shake her head at So’s question. Typical So, always worrying about what others thought of him instead of worrying about himself.

“But would your conscience ever be at ease if you chose not to see him tonight?”

So remained silent as the candles continued to flicker, the flames swaying the shadows in the room. Soo stepped closer and reached out to touch his face.

“I know he may have never regarded you as a brother, and he may very well not want to see you tonight, but I know if you don’t see him off, it will haunt you forever.”

So took a shaky breath and tried to offer a smile, nodding his head in agreement.

“As always, you are right Soo ya. Come, let us leave quickly.”

And so the royal couple donned their black robes quickly and quietly before making their way to the prisons underneath the shadows of the night. When they arrived at the entrance, the guards seemed shocked to see two hooded figures and wielded their weapons immediately, moving to defend the entrance. However, So raised his hand and revealed his face from under his hood before any alarm could be made.

“I am the 4^th prince. Let my wife and I pass through.”

“We are under strict orders not to allow any visitors tonight, your highness.”

Soo saw So clench his fists and reached out to touch his hand reassuringly, before turning to face the guard who had addressed them.

“Please let us through. We will speak to the King about this, so you will not be punished.”

The guards seemed to hesitate, but upon seeing the 4^th princess’s earnest expression, they nodded in affirmation and stepped aside to let the royal couple pass.

“Thank you,” Soo said gratefully. “Please take care to not reveal our visit and you shall be rewarded.”

“As you wish, your highness,” the guards said before bowing.

So and Soo then walked through the entrance, and So led her further into the prison, making their way slowly past the cells.  The air was putrid with the odor of blood, sweat, and unwashed bodies. Even though Soo had spent many days in the prisons before, she was still unused to the smell, and tried to keep from wrinkling her nose at the sour smell.

They finally reached the cell at the very end where there were additional guards standing watch. At the sight of two of them, the guards gave a bow and So nodded before dismissing them, asking them to quietly return when they were called for.

When Soo and So finally stood in front of the cell, they could see a seated figure on top of the dirty hay. He had blood and scratches all over his face, and many areas on his white under robes which were stained with more blood and dirt. Strands of hair were loose from his sangtu, and it was clear that the 3^rd prince had seen better days.

Despite his impending fate the next morning, the figure sat calmly with his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees, shoulders straightened and eyes closed. When he heard them arrive in front of his cell, the 3^rd prince opened his eyes slowly.

“My own mother, the one I have been serving my entire life refuses to visit me, but my own brother, the one I have alienated his entire life is here to send me off. How fitting,” he said in an even tone.

Soo remained silent and looked over at So, who had his teeth clenched.

“Do you not have anything to say to me? Is that not why you are here? Or are you here to gloat?”

“There is nothing to goat about. I am the reason for your death tomorrow.”

Yo looked closely at his younger brother, scanning So’s distressed expression.

“You feel guilty,” he said almost surprisingly.

So stayed silent, and Yo continued to speak.

“I would not be surprised if you were here to gloat. You have finally succeeded in this life. Not only have you gotten rid of your scar, you are in favor with the King. Surely he will name you as his next heir.”

Yo shifted his gaze over to Soo, and she tried to keep her expression clear of any emotion.

“And you, Hae Soo, have chosen well.  I did not think much of you when you arrived at Wook’s residence. In fact, I thought you were unruly and clumsy for a noble girl. However, somehow you have survived your tribulations, and you now stand in front of me as the 4^th princess, future queen of Goryeo.”

“You should be careful of what you say, your highness. If anyone overheard us, one might think we are plotting treason with you,” Soo said seriously.

A smile broke out on Yo’s face, and it grew into a full laugh. So and Soo looked at each other before looking back at their 3^rd brother, who eventually was able to contain his mirth.

“I am to die tomorrow. Whatever I say will not matter. However, you will find that my words are correct. How soon it will happen, I do not know, but it will happen. So does have the star of a King after all.”

Their eyes widened upon hearing his words, and Soo had to keep her fear from rising. How did Yo know that? Did that also mean that Queen Yoo knew that as well? Was that the reason why she had So sent far away?

“How…how do you know that?” So asked in disbelief.

“I am good at hearing things I should not. I was merely 9 when I overheard the late King speak to Ji Mong about you. It was several months after they sent you to Shinju.”

“Does eomoni know about this?”

“If she does, she did not hear it from me, nor has she mentioned anything of the sort.”

Yo did not tell their mother about So’s star? But why would he do that? Surely he must have shared many things with his mother, especially if they had been plotting for the throne. Then again, if Queen Yoo had known that fact, there would have been no way she would have allowed So to live as long as he did.

“Why did you not tell her?” Soo asked suspiciously. She was still having a hard time wrapping her mind around Yo’s persona. Who was he, exactly?

“Although I have made it seem like I did not know about the origin of So’s scar, I was also there that night in the shadows when eomoni gave that scar to him.”

“You knew?” So asked incredulously.

“I did, but right after she did that, she told me you became cursed, that the heavens had punished you with that scar. She told me to disregard you as brother and to see you as a stranger instead. I, however, could not do that. How eomoni could do that to her own son, I could never understand. As the years passed, I learned to hide my true thoughts from her. I knew that if I revealed anything, she would grow angry. You know how her temper is.”

What was Yo trying to say? That he did not mean anything that he ever said or did to So? That he was simply following the orders of his mother, and what for? Did he even want to become King? Why did he not put his foot down earlier? If he had, maybe he would have avoided this situation. Soo saw Yo shift his gaze to her, and she met his gaze head on.

“You are thinking about why I have followed my mother up until now,” he said in a statement, rather than a question.

It amazed Soo how astute Yo was, but she merely nodded, confirming his words.

“I suppose I was weak. I did not know what to do if I was to defy her orders. Our mother is capable of many things, as you already know. If something does not go her way, she will go to the ends of the earth to change that, or to rid herself of the people she deems useless. After seeing what she did to So, I was scared of what she would do to me.”

The 3^rd prince let out a dry chuckle before he continued to speak.

“I suppose my fear was my downfall. Perhaps if I had reached out for help outside of eomoni’s circle, I would not be awaiting death right now.”

“Then what about all those times you were fighting So? Surely you did not mean to kill him?”

Soo could not help but ask that question. She had known about So’s feelings from fighting with his own brother. And the last time she saw Yo attack So, she saw the look in the 3^rd prince’s eyes. He seemed so intent on killing, didn’t he? Or did she see that wrong?

“Surely my 4^th brother is blessed by the heavens. Not only does he have the star of a King, he also has such a faithful and devoted wife.”

Soo felt So’s hand reach for hers, and she accepted it immediately, grateful for the warmth and support it provided.

“I never intended to kill So, although it may have seemed like so. I had to make sure my actions were consistent with what everyone expected of me. You would be surprised at how many eyes eomoni has. I am sure she has someone watching us now, but by the time she hears of this, I will already be gone.”

Yo shifted his gaze back to So and he smiled.

“Thank you for not killing me a year ago when we were on that cliff. The only thing I thought of as I fell through the water was that the heavens had allowed you to still regard me as a brother, even though I have never treated you as one. You could have grown to hate me, but you never did. Even when I attacked the palace for the second time, I knew that you would not willingly hurt me.”

“Why did you not use that chance to break away from your mother? Everyone thought you were dead. You could have started a new life outside the palace,” Soo asked.

Why did he plan another attack with Queen Yoo if he seemed to hate the idea so much? Unless, she found him first before he could escape?

“I would have, but my uncle found my injured body and hid me while I recovered my health. By the time I had fully healed, my mother had heard of my survival and at that point it was too late.”

Soo frowned. It seemed Yo had lived his entire life under Queen Yoo’s shadow. He was never able to do anything himself. He married the girl his mother wanted him to so he could strengthen his power for when he did vie for the throne. He committed horrible deeds because he was afraid of his mother’s wrath, all the while hiding his true intentions and feelings. Even if So had essentially been banished from the palace and was forced to live in Shinju, Soo supposed it was slightly better than being trapped in the palace. So had the kind of freedom Yo never had.

“If you found a way to escape, would you leave?”

So asked it so quietly that Soo almost didn’t hear him. However, Yo did and he shook his head.

“I have committed too many sins in this life. It is time that I pay for them. I do not think I can do that until I pass on from this life. My only regret is that I am leaving you to deal with eomoni alone. Perhaps if I had been stronger, we would not be in this situation.”

Suddenly one of the guards approached them and gave a quick bow.

“Your highnesses, the head investigator is arriving. I think it would be best if your highnesses left before he arrives.”

Soo and So looked at each other before nodding, but both could not help but turn back and look at their 3^rd brother, who still sat with a serene smile on his face.

“Leave now. It would be troublesome if the investigator knew you were here. My mother seems to have him wrapped around his fingers.”

Soo could see So’s internal conflict by looking at his face. She squeezed his hand and gave a little tug.

“So ya, it would be best if we left,” She said before looking over at Yo.

“Our 3^rd brother is sending us off now.”

Yo smiled upon hearing Soo refer to him as brother, and nodded.

“Leave, So ya and know that I hold no resentment towards you. I hope you can forgive everything I have done so I can pass onto then next life as peacefully as I can before I am forced to pay for my sins. Hae Soo, please take care of my brother. He tends to let his emotions overwhelm him sometimes.”

Soo couldn’t believe Yo could still joke at this point, but she gave a small smile and a nod. So could not say anything, simply nodding before he and Soo made their way quickly out of the prisons through a back exit.

They both had a restless sleep that night, and both ended up rising early because they could not sleep. As they both prepared for the day, a eunuch was announced before he stepped into the room with a somber look on his face, and a folded piece of parchment in his hands.

“Your highnesses,” he said with a bow before handing So the folded parchment.

So accepted it before the eunuch made his exit. Soo walked over to So as he unfolded the parchment and they both read the contents together.

By the time you receive this, I will have already received my punishment. Please do not be sad, for I am relieved and happy I get to leave this life behind to start anew. So ya, do not blame yourself. I am the sole cause of my death, and no one else. Please live on happily so my soul will be at peace.

Hae Soo, although I have not had the opportunity to know you, I know you are the right person for my 4^th brother. Please take care of him. Do not let him worry too much, and make sure he is healthy. If any hardships arise, I hope you will be his support.

Until we meet again, whether in my next life, or many lives from now,

The 3^rd prince, Wang Yo.

Soo could feel the tears coming forth from her eyes, and she looked up at So to see he too had accumulated tears of his own, which were now streaming down his face. His hands shook as they clenched the parchment, wrinkling the paper as he sank down to the floor with silent sobs. Soo knelt down and gathered him into her arms and held him tight, patting his back trying to offer him comfort. She knew it wouldn’t help all that much. Although she had comforted him last time after hearing news of Yo’s death, it was final this time around. There were no confounding variables to his death; Yo had truly passed on from this life, and So had to deal with the news and recover from it all over again.

However, Soo was thankful that the two brothers were able to reconcile before Yo passed away. They had spent their entire lives in discord, and Soo couldn’t help but feel her growing resentment against Queen Yoo for being the cause of that. How a person could be so manipulative and ignorant of such matters between siblings was unbelievable to Soo. Not just any siblings, but her own sons. But thinking back to all the things that Queen Yoo had done in the past, it wasn’t hard for Soo to see Queen Yoo for her true self. Going forward, Soo knew that she would have to be careful around her mother-in-law. One wrong step could be fatal.

There was no funeral held for Yo as he was deemed a traitor. As was custom of royal family members accused to being traitors, his body was taken to the nearby forest and left for the wild animals. However, Jung and So went to retrieve their eldest brother’s body before giving him a proper burial just outside the palace. It was an unmarked grave in that it did not have a tombstone, but the grave was right under a cherry tree so they could find it throughout the seasons when they came to visit. So, Jung, and Soo vowed that they would visit often, and the night after Yo was buried, Soo started a new prayer tower for him.

She prayed that his soul would pass on peacefully into the next life, and despite the many sins he committed in this life, she hoped the heavens would be merciful in his next life.

For the nth time, Soo found herself scared and wary of the palace life. She knew that she would have to be even more careful from now on if she wanted to survive. It was only now that she realized the importance of Court Lady Oh’s advice: to always tread carefully in the palace.