7 MONTHS LATER

“If that is all for now, I will take my leave” Kwon bowed before Seunghyun. They had been together all day inspecting the new army recruits; a job Seunghyun decided to take part in. “Kwon..” Seunghyun stopped Kwon before he left, “Are you on your way to see him”?. Jiyong’s name did not need to be called for Kwon to know.

“No... He practically chased me out the last time I saw him, so I will make him miss me before I go”

“So later then”? Seunghyun asked, and Kwon nodded, as they both laughed. “You are so lucky you get to see him whenever you want to”

Kwon walked back to where Seunghyun was seated, “What is the use when I am not the one he wants to see”?

“How is the search coming along”? Seunghyun changed the conversation; even talking about Jiyong was disheartening; every day and night, he had to stop himself from going to visit him. 

“Jin Hee nari is still trying to find the man who sold the poison. There are only several people who sell foxglove in the kingdom”

“Did Jin Hee get a hold of him yet”?

“Not yet, one of the men who usually sells it recently closed his shop and left the kingdom and we think he was the one that sold the poison”

   Seunghyun laughed sadly, “7 months and we are still nowhere”

“Your highness please don’t talk like that, I will never give up” Kwon said n barely a whisper.

“How is he... is he eating…. Is he sleeping well”?

“He is glowing” Kwon said smiling, it seemed like Seunghyun had no idea that he asked the same question about Jiyong everyday.

“Of course he is, he is with his father everyday.. and I only have you” Seunghyun sighed, “You who is so stiff”.

“I like you too your highness, shouldn’t we just get married”? Kwon joked.

“Just a while ago, you had a sword to my neck... I don’t easily forgive Kwon-ah”

Kwon suddenly fell on his knees, and took Seunghyun’s hand “Forgive me your highness, I love you”

“I love you too but....” Seunghyun stopped at someone’s grunt behind them, “Your highness”? It was Jong In. “Kwon nari?.... what...”

Seunghyun quickly pushed Kwon away and they both rose to their feet. “Your highness, I thought I was the one you loved” Jong In cried out.

“Yah”! Seunghyun scolded both Kwon and Jong In, “Jiyong is the only one I love,” he laughed. He really was grateful that the people around him kept him smiling.

“YOUR HIGHNESS, THE QUEEN IS HERE TO SEE YOU” A guard announced from outside.

“I will take my leave” Kwon bowed, it was his cue to take his leave.

“Kwon..”

“Sleep well your highness” Kwon bowed again before walking out. For months, he had been avoiding Nara. He still felt sorry for what he said to her a while back when he thought Jiyong was going to be killed.

He was making his way out when they bumped into each other, “Kwon Nari” Nara bowed to the man before her, her heart racing.

“Your highness” Kwon bowed back, she still looked so beautiful even with her sad eyes. “I hope you are well”? This and a few stolen glances were all he could afford now; he always found himself stealing glances at her whenever she showed up while she was with Seunghyun.

“Do you still hate me that much”? She suddenly asked after holding it in for so long. “You wouldn’t even look at me...even though I only look at you”

“I don’t hate you” he still did not face her.

“Then I hate you, for making me suffer like this... I HATE YOU” She screamed as she hit his chest continually. “I hate you so much. You never should have agreed to be my friend”

“Yes never should have asked me to”

“Because I am your enemy’s daughter”? She finally stopped hitting him.

“No, because then I would have to feel so useless” He then bowed, “Sleep well your highness” He turned away from her again.

“They announced your entry a while back, why are you just coming in now”? Seunghyun asked when Nara entered his chamber, “Was it Kwon”?

“AH” She laughed nervously, “NO... Of course not”

“Nara...”

“Did they find anything new”? She avoided Seunghyun’s gaze. “Is there anything that can help Jiyong return to the palace”?

“No, nothing” Seunghyun shook his head, “Nara, you look like you haven’t been resting properly”

“Resting is all I do, my king” she smiled, “I should say the same about you, you look like a grandfather”

“How did we all end up here; one day I met this girly boy that I couldn’t stop thinking about, and even though I remained friends with him, I was sure that I was in love with a bride that I had not even seen before” Seunghyun laid his head on Nara’s lap, “This is all Jiyong’s fault, I will be sure to punish him when he returns to the palace”

“Yes please do. I will punish him also; if he hadn’t suggested to my maid for them both to cook for me, then all this would not have happened”

“Your maid” Seunghyun lifted his head, it was a little fact that they had all ignored “Where is she, did she get in trouble”?

“No... She is fine, she only entered the palace because my father sent her so she had no trouble”

“Your father”? ‘Jiyong is definitely protecting someone’ he remembered Kwon’s words from months ago. ‘I am keeping an eye for Yang Suk, his actions should never be underestimated’ he also remembered Jin Hee’s words. No, it cannot be. He sighed before placing his head back on Nara’s  laps. “I just want the four of us to live happily, why can’t that happen”?

“The four of us”?

“Jiyong and I, you and Kwon”

“Your highness..”!!!

“Nara I am sleepy, let me sleep.” He got comfortable, “Scold me in the morning”

                                                                                                              ***

“Are you here to kill me”? Jiyong asked the man before him. His father was in court, Woo Bin was at the market, and he had just sent Bit Na home to get some rest, he was left by himself with some guards but they were nowhere to be found.

“Are you sick, why are you covered up so much? And I hear you barely ever leave this room” Jung Il asked.

“You have been watching me”?

“How could I not” Jung Il reached out for Jiyong, but Jiyong pulled back, “Jiyong I would never hurt you, never again”

“Okay, just leave please” Jiyong got a bit scared, he had no way of defending himself.

“I will...I just wanted to apologize. I am sorry Jiyong; I felt so useless when you kept choosing other men instead of me.. JUST WHAT EXACTLY DID I LACK”? He cried out, “You turned me into scum of the earth, Jiyong... I can’t even breathe properly anymore knowing what my jealously made me do”

“For what you did at the cliff, I forgive you.... I forgave you a while back” Jiyong said calmly, praying silently for the man to leave.

“If it scares you so much, I will take my leave....” Jung Il rose up to leave when Jiyong spoke again, “There was a time when I really liked you Jung Il hyungnim, then you when you were an intelligent scholar... but something happened to you, you started walking in you fathers footsteps so the stars I had for you fell out of my eyes”

Jung Il remembered the moment when it all changed for him, the night his father gave him the talk about what it meant to become a man, “I..”

“I don’t blame you, nor do I blame Nara. After all, we don’t choose our parents”

“You know don’t you... what happened, how Nara got poisoned”

“Of course I know, I have always known”

“You know and yet you chose to suffer like this”?

“You, Nara, and your entire family would be dead by now if I had spoken; the king would be so blinded by rage...I would not have your family’s blood on my hands, neither will I allow Seunghyun be the king that orders such execution”

“Coming here was a mistake” Jung Il said before walking out. Why I did come here? He paced back and forth, his guilt eating him away; he felt sorry to Jiyong but he mostly felt sorry toward Nara. “Woo Bin-shi, are you back..I think we need to check....” he heard Jiyong saying when he barged into help. “Ji..Jiyong...why are you like this”? All the clothes that had been covering him before were on the floor. “Jiyong” He fell to his knees.

“Jung Il hyungnim please don’t...”

“If you are like this, you should not be here. Does the king know”? Jung Il cried, he really felt like dirt, “He left you like this”?

“He does not know, and he cannot know” Jiyong got on his knees and pleaded.

“This wouldn’t do, I am going to get you out of here” Jung Il rose up, “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t tell my father about today. I will protect you this time Jiyong, this is the only way I can repent of my sins”.

                                                                                                       ***

Seunghyun, Kwon, and Jin He were under the palace gazebo; Seunghyun was informing him about the suspicious maid. “She has not been found since” Jin Hee responded.

“Something is really fishy, both the maid and the person who we think sold the poison left the kingdom”.

“How do we even begin if we don’t know where they went exactly”? Seunghyun asked, clearly getting impatient.

“Your highness, Jung Il the Queen’s brother is requesting your presence” A guard informed them. “Jung Il”? Seunghyun was confused.

“Isn’t he the same person that stabbed Jiyong”? Jin Hee asked, his guards up.

“Yes, send him in” Seunghyun said while Kwon attained the position of a royal official, and Jin Hee moved father away from Seunghyun.

“YOUR HIGHNESS” Jung Il in and knelt by Seunghyun’s feet crying, causing the other men in the room to eye themselves in shock, “Your highness we cannot leave Jiyong like that, we have to save him”

“Excuse me, Jung Il shi.....”

“I know what happened, I will tell you but we have to save Jiyong first” Jung Il pleaded. “How could you live him like that”?

“Jung Il, why are you like this”? Seunghyun reached down to Jung Il.

“How can you be calm when he is with child, do you not know how dangerous that is”?. It was Seunghyun’s turn to give both Kwon and Jin Hee questioning gazes.

“Who is with child”? He asked Jung Il.

“Did you really not know, Jiy... Suk Won is with child.. I..I just saw him, it must be soon since he is very big”

“ You two... how could keep this from me”? Seunghyun burned with rage, “HOW COULD YOU”?!  He yelled at the two men who were already on their knees begging for forgiveness.

“He made us promise not...”

“Once again, you people have turned me into a foolish king” Seunghyun swore under his breath. “How could this happen, he drank the tonic”

“The doctor said he was already pregnant before he left the palace” Jin Hee said quickly, “The king of China seemed to be an old friend of Jiyong and he sent one of the best doctors from China to help”

“You all kept all this from me, even the king of China knew”? Seunghyun laughed like he was about to go mad. “Your highness, Jiyong did not want you to be bothered by it”

Seunghyun shook his head, “This does not make sense, the infertility tonic should.....”

“My father had someone switch the tonic” Jung Il finally spoke, “He wanted Jiyong to die of natural causes so that no one would suspect”

“KIM YANG SUK”! Jin Hee closed his eyes tightly, “He has been trying to kill my son since, before his birth”

“Jiyong is your son”? Jung Il asked.

“Why are you only coming forward now, is this some kind of trap”? Kwon pulled out his sword.

“You think you are the only one that loves Jiyong”? Jung Il yelled back,.

“Love”? Kwon scoffed, “YOU TRIED TO KILL HIM, YOU INGRATE”!! Those words made Jung Il back down, “Yes I tried to kill him, which is why I am going to confess now.. I don’t care what you do to me, just protect me from my father”.

“We will, just tell us everything” Jin Hee pressured, and Jung Il did; he told them everything.

“How can a person be so evil... to his own daughter” It all became clear to Seunghyun, “No wonder Jiyong stayed quiet”

“Jiyong has been protecting my family for too long, I cannot let him suffer any longer”

“We should get Yang Suk now” Kwon charged, “He cannot ruin people’s lives any longer”

“We have to come up with a smart plan, Yang Suk would never let himself be taken like that” Jin Hee interjected. “I have known him the longest, and he is a smart man”

“Hyungnim, where are we going? I cannot let people see me like this”! Jiyong complained; as usual, Kwon had used his mother to guilt trip him into taking a trip. “Hyungnim, what if someone see’s me, and they find out”

“No one can see who is inside so shut up” Kwon snapped.

“YAH YAH YAH.... How dare you tell the suk won to shut up”! Jiyong snapped back. They bickered although they couldn’t see each other; Jiyong was inside the covered palanquin while Kwon escorted. “TREASON”!

Jiyong’s outburst suddenly made Kwon laugh, “Treason... you are not even royalty anymore, and I am head palace official who answers to the king”

“Well the king loves me”. That ended it.

“But Jiyong, isn’t this baby making you a bit aggressive. You’ve become so scary” Kwon said as he nodded his way into the palace; if the guards had searched, Jiyong would have know where they were and protested. He couldn’t let that happen.

“What is making me aggressive my size. I look like a house”.

“Yes you do, a rat house” Kwon rolled his eyes as he mouthed goodluck to Seunghyun, confusing Seunghyun.

“YAH”!.

“Aigoo, so aggressive”, Kwon shrugged before walking away with the guards who carried the palanquin, leaving Jiyong in the palanquin and Seunghyun standing in front.

“I am so happy Seunghyun cannot see me right now” Jiyong sighed.

“I don’t know, I would still think you look divine” Seunghyun said and Jiyong gulped. “Hyungnim”?

“My love” Seunghyun squatted and lifted the thick cotton that was covering the palanquin face, “Just as I thought, still so beautiful”

Jiyong was too stunned to speak; it really was Seunghyun. His Seunghyun, “I have finally brought you back to your rightful place” Seunghyun stretched his hand toward Jiyong to help him out, “I have missed you so dearly”

“Seunghyun, I..I...” Jiyong stammered as he took Seunghyun’s hand and stepped out. “How”? He asked before Seunghyun pulled him in for a hug.

“How could hide this from me”? Seunghyun placed both palms on Jiyong’s protruding stomach, “Why did you”?

Jiyong placed a “Would you have stayed away”?, he smiled as he noticed tears pour out of Seunghyun’s eyes. He was originally scared that Seunghyun might reject the child or hate him but what he saw in Seunghyun’s eyes was the opposite, he saw love. “Nonsense, I would have brought you back to the palace immediately” Seunghyun led Jiyong into his chambers, and they kissed deeper. “I” kiss, “Have” kiss, “missed” kiss “you” kiss “so much” Seunghyun said as poured kisses over Jiyong’s face. “Seunghyun... are you still scared about me carrying this baby”?

“Very” Seunghyun nodded, “I am but I am going to have faith in you” He knelt before jiyong, bared Jiyong’s stomach. “Woah”

“Big right”? Jiyong giggled.

“Yes” Seunghyun placed kisses on Jiyong’s stomach also, “But I like it”

For Jiyong it still seemed like a dream until a sudden realization made him wake up, “WAIT....if I am here, the you have found the person who...” he stopped and shook his head, “Nara”

“Jiyong she doesn’t know, no one does... we are going to catch Yang Suk tonight”

“Seunghyun you can’t....ah” he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. “I am okay, it has just been happening more frequently recently” he answered when Seunghyun was about getting too worried. He was finally sitting “Seunghyun you cannot”

“How long would you continue to protect Nara like this”? Seunghyun was still a bit worried about Jiyong’s health, “Yang Suk is an evil man, the type of man who would poison his own daughter just to get what he wants”

“He was doing what he thought best”

“Best?... He killed the man who sold the poison, and the maid who framed you. In an attempt to kill you as a child, he killed dozens of babies and some mothers included.... I would need a whole day to list the wrongs of Yang Suk, but I will not leave him be, not this time”

“She is dead”? Jiyong was referring to the maid, “I thought I was protecting her too”

“I love you for your naive compassion for people but your silence has done nothing good; we are apart, I was unaware that we were having a child, Nara’s guilt is eating her away, and....”

Jiyong shook his head vigorously “If he gets caught and all his crimes are exposed, then she be exiled, or even worse killed. You know the laws of this kingdom; the sins of the father are paid in full by his children”

“I give you my word... no such thing would happen to Nara, I will protect her too”. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about what might happen to his wife when he planned to catch Yang Suk, he did.

Jiyong was still unsure but he had no choice, Yang Suk had to pay “How are you going to catch him”?

“Jung Il is going to lure him here, and while they are here....Jung Il is going to confess everything in front of the other court members” Seunghyun proudly, he seriously needed a pat on the shoulder, he was indeed the best king, he thought, but Jiyong hissed, “Is that something to be proud about”?

“Of course” Seunghyun smiled, “Ahhh, have I always been this smart, or did you bring it out in me”?

“You are still not smart if Jung Il did all the work” Jiyong said with raised eyebrows, “Jung Il is my hero not you... he is even giving up his life for me”

“WHOA” Seunghyun stood to his feet, “Then go to him...Kwon said you were now scary. He was right” he was hurt.

They bickered back and for a while before ending up entangled in each other’s arms again. “You missed me that much”? Jiyong asked blushing.

“Even more, I even left a part of my heart with you”. They kissed for what seemed like forever.

                                              ***

“What do you mean by Jiyong is Kwon Jin Hee’s lost son”? Yang Suk asked calmly. He was about having supper when Jung Il ran in with the ridiculous news.

“Well, it turns out that Jin Hee gave his son to a woman to hide, and that woman was Jo Kwon’s mother who gave up her life for Jiyong to be saved so they both grew up as brothers”

“DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE”!! Yang Suk screamed, knocking over the items on the stool before him, “How is this possible”?

“They found each other by a birthmark, and Jo Kwon’s knowledge of his own mother..... They have even been living together in exile” Jung Il cried convincingly.

“So Jiyong is indeed the person that the shaman spoke about...it does not matter, he is exiled and I am father in law to the king” Yang Suk calmed a bit. He someone that could never be conquered, he made his won destiny.

“But father, they are living together and they have been planning Jiyong’s return to the palace.. jiyong is also with child and is about to give birth, and I heard he is in the palace right now”.

Yang Suk would have laughed, but he had never seen Jung Il so serious about anything, “He is pregnant? But he drank the infertility tonic”

“You did not change it”?

“No I did not, it was already too late... Jung Il-ah, if I catch Jiyong in the palace disobeying the laws of the land then he will be put to death surely” Yang Suk rose to his feet, “Let us go to the palace”

“Father...” For once Jung Il wished his father wouldn’t be so evil.

“This time, I will laugh in his face as I lead him to his death” Yang Suk laughed.

                                              ***

“Jiyong I am so happy that you are back here” Nara swung Jiyong’s arms when as they walked to Jiyong’s chambers together; they had spent the whole day together. “I did not want to ask but.. are you scared”? She asked eyeing Jiyong’s stomach.

“I am, but I am more excited than scared” Jiyong rubbed his stomach, “I am putting all my hopes in the doctors from China”

“I already jealous of the child, he will have two fathers and a mother that would love him”

“Three fathers, and a mother” Jiyong smiled, “Kwon hyungnim” he noticed Nara’s expression changed, he wanted to ask her but he decided not to. They walked silently for a while before Nara decided to speak, “Jiy....”

“JIYONG”! Yang Suk’s loud voice scared them a little, “Back to the palace I see” he smirked.

“Father, he..” Nara stepped between Jiyong and her father only to be pushed aside, “SHUT UP” He screamed at Nara before returning his attention back to Jiyong, “I should have done it all myself; I should have ensured your death when you were born, I should have rejected Nara’s plea and made you into a chamber servant. Instead of sending Jung Il to kill you, I should have done it MYSELF”! he raised his voice.

“Please stop” Nara pleaded.

“Instead of listening to yet another Nara’s plea, I should have killed you when you returned. I EVEN POISONED MY OWN DAUGHTER TO HAVE YOU KILLED”. Nara froze, “You did what”? She asked, while Jiyong kept his head down. It was all out of the bag, and Nara was hurt. “YES I DID IT, and I will do it again if I had to but this time, I will make sure you drink that poison even if I have to force you to”

“Kim Yang Suk, Nari” Kwon approached the oblivious Yang Suk who was still raising his voice at Jiyong with Seunghyun and the other officials behind him, having heard the entire conversation.

“You...” Yang Suk stopped when he turned to see the audience he had. “What is this”?

“How could a person be so evil”? One of the officials asked as the others shook their heads. Seunghyun smirked, “I thought you were a smart man, but it turns out that you are a fool”

“I am here to take you away for questioning” Kwon could barely contain his happiness; the man before him was the only reason Jiyong had been unhappy, and it was about to be an end, and most importantly, he got his mother’s true killer.

“NEVER. HE SHOULD BE THE ONE LEAD AWAY” He was referring to Jiyong, “This is all his fault” He pulled out his sword, and in a single strike, he plunged it toward Jiyong’s protruding belly.

It all happened so fast, even Jiyong had closed in eyes in anticipation of the pain, but was enveloped in Nara’s arms instead, “Are you okay”? She asked before collapsing to the floor.

“NARA”! “YOUR HIGHNESS”! “JIYONG”! could be heard from all directions. It took a while for Jiyong to process what was happening; guards had suddenly pinned the screaming Yang Suk to the floor. “Get her to the infirmary” Seunghyun’s voice stood out, “Jiyong...Jiyong...My love” Seunghyun was suddenly shaking him. He felt wetness around him; he looked down to see blood all around him. “Jiyong come to your senses…. HE IS INJURED” he heard Seunghyun shout before he was enveloped by darkness.