It is quite embarrassing how late this update is. Long story short, a lot of things happened after my exam, all of which I didn’t prepare for. Not bad things, but I just got a lot busier with school and applications.

And of course after all that were holidays, and interviews rolling in. It’s safe to say that I didn’t have a lot of down time to really write.

However, now that the holidays are over, and I have some time, I decided to go back to this and hopefully keep updating until the end. I think it’s about time I do that. You all deserve to know how this ends.

Please enjoy this overdue chapter J

When the two of them finally rose to greet the day, Soo tried to quell her nervousness as she got ready. After sending So off to court and making sure that Seol was taken care of, Soo sat down at her desk to take care of some book-keeping. Ever since Seol was born, Soo wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, and it was decided that Soo would do most of the work from her chambers while Arang and Eun Bi supervised the court ladies at Damiwon. Several times a week, Soo would go in herself to check on things while Arang or Eun Bi took watch over Seol.

Today was one of those days Soo would work from her chambers, but after a few attempts at calculating the supplies for the week, Soo decided that her mind was too occupied with today’s potential events. Instead, she pulled out her blue silk-bound journal with peonies on it to write down her thoughts.

Ever since she had received the journal as a gift, Soo decided that it would be her personal journal. She only ever wrote in Hangeul, wary of prying eyes that would look upon her thoughts. Despite writing in Hangeul, she took care to keep the journal away from anyone’s eyes, excluding her husband’s. She knew that if people saw she could write in a different language, they would suspect her. Dipping her brush into the ink, Soo began to write.

When I first arrived in Goryeo, I would have never thought it would come to this. Granted, I never thought anything could be possible until I arrived here. Still, the idea that I am married to a prince who is in direct line for the throne is still hard to believe.

So already went to court, and I'm left to stew here in our quarters. The King has told me he would reveal his heir today, and the thought of him becoming king….

That means I would be a queen? I'm sure every girl dreams of being a princess but a queen? I don't have the proper training and there aren't many people who can teach me. Asking my mother-in-law is out of the question.

I know I am worrying needlessly. I know that So will help me as much as he can, but I can't ignore the fact that he will be even busier as king. Perhaps there are some books I can read to help me prepare. Though I should be careful about such inquiries before anything has been announced. I can only imagine the looks of the scholars and librarians when I ask for books on how to be a queen. Could you just imagine the scandal? Or perhaps it wouldn’t be called a scandal here; it would be called treason.

Sometimes I wonder how it will be if I had gone back to the future. Or if I was able to go back. Would I have been able to save Lady Oh’s life? Would history have stayed the same?

Do I regret living here? Perhaps there have been things I wished didn't happen. If Lady Oh was still alive, I would probably be living outside the palace now, wouldn’t I? I wouldn’t be in this situation, nor have any chance of marrying So. For all I know, I could have died of old age as a random girl in the village with no family.

However, I don't regret loving So. He has changed my life in so many ways. I couldn't imagine going back and finding another person. There would be no one like him in the future. Literally and figuratively.

I do miss my parents and the modern conveniences of technology but I've learned to adapt. Some things I can never get used to though, like the thought of being royalty. Sometimes I wake up and forget I'm married to a prince whose brother is the current king.

Ahh, it seems that Seol has woken up from her sleep. I will go and tend to her. Until next time.

Soo waited for the ink to dry before closing up her journal, and made her way to her daughter who was now awake on the bed. She carefully picked her up and started to feed her. Eventually Seol fell back asleep and Soo looked at her daughter.

“How would you feel if your father was King, Seol ah?”

Seol continued to sleep and Soo chuckled quietly.

“I suppose you wouldn't know what that means yet. You are so small and so innocent. I wonder how it will be when you are older? I suppose these were the types of thoughts that ran through your grandma's head when she had me.”

Seol squirmed slightly in her sleep and snuggled closer to Soo’s chest.

“Seol ah, I hope I can be strong for the both of us. We still have a lot to go through, and your father too.

Soo heard the doors open to their chamber and her head snapped up to see So entering through the doors. She registered the grim look on his face immediately, and she dreaded the news that he brought.

“So ya, is everything all right?”

“There is much opposition to the announcement of the heir, as I suspected.”

“What are they saying?”

“Things that I have heard my entire life, though those comments are not what bother me the most.”

So took a seat at the table and held his head in his hands, frustration rolling off him in waves. Soo gently laid Seol down on the bed before standing up and making her way over to her husband. Pulling his hands away from his face, she brought him in for a hug and his hair softly.

“What did they say about me?”

“Things I do not wish to repeat.”

“Was it that bad?”

“It was the first time in a while that I wanted to truly act like the rumored “cursed prince”.

“And how did the King respond?”

“He was calm and stayed quite firm in his decision.”

“Do you think they will petition the king?”

Soo felt him sigh.

“They have already started.”

“We must stay strong, So ya.”

He looked up from her embrace, surprised at her words.

“We committed to this, and we shall see it through the end. There is no use being weak now after making it this far.”

“And to think I was ever worried about you, Soo ya.”

He stood up and pulled her into his embrace this time around.

“Still, we should tread with caution from now on. Now that others know we are the named heirs, this would be their prime time to attack.”

The only problem was that they didn’t have many guards they trusted. Granted, all servants around their private quarters were trusted by So and Soo, but only to a certain extent. The only other people they trusted where the 10^th, 13^th, and 14^th princes, with Jung being the most proficient in swordsmanship. Of course, the princes couldn’t help guard them at all times, so that was out of the question.

Luckily, So had been training all of them during his free time, so everyone was proficient in defense, and some forms of attack. Soo hoped that they wouldn’t have to put it to use though.

The next few days were spent in tip-toeing around their adversaries, smiling while hiding weapons under their robes. This was meant figuratively, but it could have also meant literally. Only the heavens knew.

About a week had passed and the ministers continued to petition outside the King’s quarters.

However, it was during today’s meeting that representatives of the Hwangbo faction spoke up.

“Your majesty, if we could suggest a solution to this problem.”

The arguments slowly quieted in the room as the rest of the ministers caught on.

“What solution are you speaking of?” King Hye Jong asked. “I was not aware that we had a problem to resolve. Unless you mean your bickering, in which case you must not know what fear is to oppose the King so blantly.”

So could practically hear pins drop in the room at the King’s words. Keeping his head bowed, he glanced around to see the ministers look at each other nervously.

“Well, you said you had a solution. Are we going to hear it?” King Hye Jong asked tiredly.

The lead Hwangbo looked around slightly before speaking up.

“We will accept your decision to name Prince So as your heir on one condition: that he marry Princess Yeon Hwa before ascending the throne.”

“Are you suggesting I take a second wife?!”

So could barely contain his anger as he spit out his question.

“No your highness, we suggest that you divorce your first wife and make Princess Yeon Hwa your queen instead.”

“And why on earth would I do that?”

“To gain support from the Hwangbo clan, and among those who are allied with us. It would be of great asset to you, your highness. Your reputation is not exactly a secret.”

“You should be careful of your words, minister.”

At So’s words, the lead Hwangbo closed his mouth. However, murmurs began to circulate around the room, with some nodding in agreement at the proposal. Due to So’s continuous refusal, the court meeting was adjourned and the ministers sent away, leaving only So, King Hye Jong, and Ji Mong.

“I know you are displeased with their proposal, So ya.”

“Displeased would be putting it nicely, your majesty.”

“So what have you decided to do, your highness,” Ji Mong asked.

“I plan to find a way to stop this.”

“Are you planning to investigate the incident that happened years ago?” King Hye Jong asked.

The three men in the room knew what King Hye Jong was referring to. But the problem was just that: it had been years ago. It would be extremely hard to find any witnesses, if any. And if they did find witnesses, the chances of them admitting in front of court would be slim, in fear that their life would be taken in secret once no one was looking.

“I have to, your highness. There is no other way to prevent this marriage from happening. It seems the ministers are quite adamant on this. It is surprising they all agree for once.”

Ji Mong nodded.

“It is quite rare to see all of them agree.”

So remembered looking over at Wook when the leader of the Hwangbo spoke of the proposal. For whatever reason, he seemed meeker than how he had been carrying himself in the past. No longer was there an air of confidence; only uncertainty remained.

If Wook had been vying for the throne, then the proposal had thrown his plans off on a loop. There was no way he could gain the throne if So married Yeon Hwa. Wook would be expected to support his sister from behind, and any thoughts of overthrowing her were unheard of.

Wook must have objected to that plan, but he must have been shot down by the clan elders.

“Perhaps they were threatened,” So suggested.

“Or bribed. Those would not be unusual predictions,” King Hye Jong added. “However, I am worried about one thing.”

“What is that, your highness?” Ji Mong asked.

“When Soo ya hears about this.”

Silence filled the room as everyone thought about ruining the mood of their beloved princess. She had done nothing but help them ever since she arrived at the palace, and to tell her the entire royal court proposed for her to divorce So, was a difficult task for the three of them.

Unbeknownst to them, Soo was already outside the throne room doors, and she had accidently heard the last part of their conversation. She decided to visit with Seol since King Hye Jong had not seen her for a while.

However, what was this that she was hearing about re-investigating the poisoning case concerning Yeon Hwa?

Granted, she remembered the King talking about storing that fact away in the past, but for what reason did they have to investigate now?

Did it have something to do with So becoming heir?

Shaking her head, Soo decided to stop questioning things, especially when she had accidentally eavesdropped on their conversation.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded to the guard to announce her presence before stepping into the room.

She knew that even if the news was hard to deliver, So and King Hye Jong would tell her the truth.

Even if the truth was hard to swallow, she knew that she would find a way to overcome anything and everything.

She had to.