"Jiyong I love you, why do you doubt my love for you"? Seunghyun tighened his grip around Jiyong's wrist, tears threatening to pour out. "When you left, entire world came crashing down... I felt less of a man" Seunghyun knelt, cluctching to Jiyong's legs "I couldn't protect you" The tears poured out.

A baby, Nara, had been born into the Kim family. She was their first girl after three boys, just when they had given up all hope of ever having a girl. Although being in the Noron in the western party, Kim Yang Suk was widely known across the dynasty, which was why a celebration quickly followed in the Kim household. It was the hour of the Dog, and everyone had had his or her fill of refreshments, when a shaman walked boldly into the compound.

“A person of importance has been born into this household” The shaman screamed, her eyes fixed on the house where the baby slept peacefully. “She will become a queen,” the shaman continued. “But there shall be a person, far greater than her, who will try to defeat her. That baby will be born in a forth night, in the hour of the tiger” The crowd panicked at that.

“GET THAT WITCH OUT OF HERE”!! Kim Yang Suk barked at his guards, and they carried his order swiftly.  The shaman had been dragged out, but the crowed were in frenzy; whispers could be heard from all corners of the compound. The gathering soon came to a close, with everyone gone but some other officials remained.

“What are we going to do about this”? An official of the fourth rank asked. The western had been in the slumps since the crown prince had been promised to one of the daughters of a member of the Eastern party.

“We have to make her queen” An old Soron spoke; it’d been years since the western party was in power; they were a laughing stock in the kingdom. “Kim, with your daughter, we can become next in power, and you the father in law to the king” The eldest continued, and Kim nodded. People called him ruthless because he had always done whatever needed to be done in order to succeed, and he never cared. Being ruthless got him his current position, and he was sure it was going to get him the position of ‘Father of the queen’

“But what about this other child that is to be born”? Another higher official asked, “It has been a while since any baby was born in the hour of the Tiger”

They all sat quietly as they thought of a plan “We have to kill all babies are to be born in the hour of the Tiger”

THREE DAYS LATER

“Yeobo, you have to hold it in, please Yeobo” Kwon Jin Hee, a junior officer in the royal investigation bureau pleaded to his wife who was in labor. The west had been in a crazed state since word went round that babies were being killed, especially babies that were born anytime between the hour of the ox to the hour of the rabbit.

“Nari…. The men on horses heading this way” A slave girl from their household ran in to inform them.

“Na Eun, you have to push now. If you want to save your baby, you have to push as hard as you can” Sa Rang, the midwife said patiently. Sa Rang was a midwife to the Kwons, to whom she owed her life. While other midwives and friends would have betrayed them for fear of their lives, Sa Rang would never.

“Saranghe Yeobo” Na Eun said to her husband before pushing with all her strength, till she had no more, dying before she could hear the sound of her baby’s cry.

“Manim”!!! The slave girl cried.

Jin Hee lifted his wife’s lifeless body, hugging her as he wept. “Bianhe Yeobo..” he said repeatedly, as he ignored his wailing new born son. Sa Rang watched the heartbreaking scene before her as she cleaned the baby,

“Nari... we have to hide him,” she said in haste. The baby needed to be fed.

“Nara you have to take him and hide, please” Jin Hee came to his senses as he handed Sa Rang a bag he and his wife had originally packed for their escape. They were supposed to leave by boat earlier, but they missed it because he was held back.

“What about you, Nari.... they would kill you if they find out. Come with me”

Jin Hee took one more look at his wife laying on the floor “I can’t, I need to distract them. This is the only way he’ll be safe,” He said as he led her through the back door. “Take the back road, and run as fast as you can, make sure they don’t see you... when you get home, take your family and move somewhere far away. I will find you soon. He is a Kwon, he would have a round birthmark on his back”

Sa Rang was scared but she did as she was told, “What should I call him”? She asked one last time.

“Jiyong.... Kwon Jiyong.” Jin Hee said quickly before closing the door, and rushing back to his wife’s body. “Forgive Me,” He cried before he drew his sword and slashed . He could hear the guards outside, so he quickly stuffed his wife’s undergarment with clothes, and held her just before the guards entered. “I did not want you to do it, so I did it myself. I killed her before she had the chance to do have the baby”

“People saw a midwife sneaking in here earlier” One of the two men said suspiciously, while the other looked around. The slave girl was in the corner crying quietly.

“Yes... I made her leave when I realized what time the child was to be born” Jin Hee knew the men were not fooled but he went on with his story, it was the only way to ensure his son’s survival.

“The sound of a crying baby was heard from this house,” The same suspicious man asked.

“Do you know who I am”?! Jin Hee was enraged “I am Kwon Jin Hee, officer in the royal investigation bureau. State your name and rank”! He yelled.

“Sorry Sunbaenim” The two men apologized “But we are under strict orders”

Sa Rang hadn’t gone far from the house, there were guards everywhere and she was sure she wouldn’t make it far with Jiyong crying loudly “Please child, save me. Stop crying huh? Please help us survive,” She pleaded to the baby, and as if by magic, Jiyong stopped crying. “You’re a special one aren’t you”? She said softly before she raced to her house.

“Mother”! Her overly mature five-year-old son was alarmed when she walked in with the baby.

“Kwonnie, pack your bags” She was not going to take chances; she had a rich uncle who lived on the outskirts of town. She was going to live with him until the dust settled, with the neighbor's she had, she couldn’t be too careful.

Bags packed, Sa Rang took one last look at her house; the house where she had fallen in love, the house where she lived happily with her husband, the house were she had her son, the same where she lost her husband to the plague. She sighed as she walked away from her home. They were only few miles from her house when she heard horses coming their way. “Kwonnie keep this with you” She tucked a letter she had written earlier about Kwon Jin Hee and his wife. “Protect this letter with all your might, don’t open it, or show anyone. Keep it with you till Jiyong comes of age” She removed the bag hanging from her son’s shoulder. “Take him” She handed the sleeping child to her son. “Protect him okay? I love you my son” her voice choked as she looked at her son for the last time “He is a very lucky baby, treat him like your brother.... now go to your uncle’s, and tell him that Jiyong is not a slave but your brother”

“But where are you going? When can I go back home”? The boy asked innocently.

“Run my child, RUN! Go through the bushes” She urged him, and waited till she couldn’t see her son anymore. She took her time walking, praying that she wouldn’t be stopped when they caught up to her.

“Park Sa Rang”? A man riding on a horse approached her.

She stopped “Yes”?

“Your neighbors saw you leaving with a new born baby,” The men hopped down from their horses “Don’t think about running”

Sa Rang was scared “I don’t know what you’re talking about” She said before breaking in to a run in the opposite direction of the trail her son took, but didn’t make it make it far as she was killed by a sword instantly.

In the arms of the little crying little boy who’d just seen his mother murdered, was a stirring baby. Although he was told to go to his uncle’s, he’d walked a little further and hid by a tree till his mother walked her way. He wanted to wait for his mother till she was able to go with them.

“Check everywhere for a baby, she must have dropped it somewhere” One of the armed men barked, causing Kwon to hide behind the nearest tree. The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and the baby was starting to stir more.

“There’s nothing here, let’s go. If a baby was here, it would be crying by now,” A different man yelled from afar, causing the man who was closer to the boy turn away.

Kwon waited till no sounds were heard till he made his way quietly to his uncle’s house with tears in his eyes, and the image of his mother, covered in blood, etched in his mind forever.

On the other side of the kingdom, was a palace and in that palace, a five year old crown prince, Seunghyun.

“But I never want to get married”! Seunghyun yelled as he slammed his fist against the dinning table.

“You have to my child, you need to marry someone that would give you children, then you can have many more on the side, Man or Woman” The king said smiling to his son. Seunghyun, his only child had grown up into a fine young boy; although just six years of age, Seunghyun was already trained to defend himself.

“Fine. I will if I have to, but that’s all. I will marry someone to get my kids”

“Do whatever you so please, you still have a decade to decide on whom you want,” The king laughed; although he already had a child in mind for his son. A junior official by the name of Kwon, a brave official who he was going use to protect the crown prince. He remembered the young man mentioning that his wife was with child. He was determined to keep Seunghyun away from all the politics of all the four parties.

Hi readers: To those who know me from my other fics, I am trying out a new writing style. I most definitely love constructive criticisms, so please don't be shy. :)