Woohyun disguised in an Empire officer's uniform made his way quickly under moonlight through Woollim palace's East gardens to the old kitchens. At the kitchen windows, he found one window with a broken clasp. Opening it slowly, he slipped through and landed quietly on the stone floor inside. The map that Sunggyu had drawn playing in his mind, Woohyun quickly made his way past the kitchens, out of the servant quarters and into the marble floored corridors where the royal rooms were. All this time he kept a sharp lookout for any patrolling soldiers. To his surprise, he did not come across any. Finally he reached the last corner before the Viceroy's rooms. He peeped around the corner and saw three soldiers sitting on the floor playing cards and drinking beer. They were chatting loudly and looked a little drunk. Woohyun decided to take a chance and walked straight to them.

"What are you lot doing here?" said Woohyun with a commanding voice.

The three soldiers quickly scrambled to their feet and saluted Woohyun.

"The Viceroy said we needn't guard his doors anymore on account of our uniforms not matching the hall decor. It hurts his eyes, Captain sir!" said the tallest of the three.

You've got to be joking! He's that sort of person?! thought Woohyun. But what about the rest of the soldiers in the palace? The hallways here were just about deserted.

"Well then you should be joining the palace patrols instead of playing cards and getting DRUNK!" spat out Woohyun.

"Er...Captain sir, we were told most of the patrollers had to fill up the abandoned guard posts. While those who remained here have to guard the palace's main entrances and grounds. Didn't you know that, sir?" said the shortest one.

"How am I supposed to know? I just got here from the Empire! And just in time too looking at the sorry way this place is being run!" fired Woohyun. "Shouldn't you be helping the Viceroy prepare for the journey to the Empire?!"

"But the Viceroy didn't ask for any help, Captain sir!"

"Then you lot better get yourselves to the soldiers' quarters instead of messing about here! Now get!"

The three soldiers saluted smartly, collected their belongings and marched off as fast as they could. After making sure they were out of sight, Woohyun went on to the Viceroy's rooms. The entrance to the Viceroy's rooms were a pair of huge double doors covered with gold leaf and precious stones. He put his ear to the keyhole. It was completely silent inside. Then slowly opening one of the doors, he peeked inside and beheld a room filled with sculptures of different sizes, grand paintings depicting royal scenes and floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with expensively bound books. The furniture in the room was no less grand. Everything screamed royalty. There was another elaborate pair of double doors at the side of the room. Must be leading to the bedroom, thought Woohyun. He closed the door and made his way to his next destination.

Round another corner, another pair of double doors appeared. These were painted white and had patterns of skillfully painted flowers and leaves. They were very pretty doors. Woohyun put his ear to the keyhole again. This time he could hear someone singing. It was a lovely gentle voice singing an old folk song about the mountains and forests of Woollim. Woohyun was spellbound. Not wanting to shock the occupant inside, he knocked the door softly and spoke.

"Your Majesty, a message from the Viceroy. Permission to enter."

"Permission granted."

Woohyun opened the doors and closed them behind him. He saluted smartly and looked at the only occupant of the room. She was sitting wrapped in a large soft woolen shawl beside a fireplace. Much to Woohyun's own surprise, for the first time in his life, he could barely speak. She was not a drop dead beauty but still it was her face that caught Woohyun for she had the kindest expression yet her eyes had a mischievous glint to them. She gave a crinkled smile and looked at Woohyun with a question mark.

"Your Majesty, my apologies! I wanted to show this to you." Woohyun searched his coat pocket and brought out something that he had stolen from Sunggyu.

The Queen stood up with a small cry, her shawl falling to the ground. "Jungyeop! By Tenshi, how did you come by him? Does this mean Sunggyu is alive? Come here and tell me everything!"  She stretched out her hands.

Woohyun was surprised yet again for the Queen looked to be about seven months pregnant. He took hold of her small hands which were now shaking and gently led her to sit down in her arm chair. Then he deposited Jungyeop onto her lap and covered her shoulders with the shawl.

He knelt in front of her and held her hands again. Her face was going through so many emotions and tears were filling up her eyes.

"Your Majesty, Sunggyu is alive and well. Even now he is close by. I am part of his team. We are going to free the country!"

"Thank Tenshi, thank Tenshi!" she gave a small sob. "My heart broke after the news of his death came. If the King was not beside me at the time, I would have given up on life!"

Woohyun stilled. Did she did not know that King and Viceroy were one and the same?

"Now with that horrid Viceroy around, my dear husband hardly has time to spend with me! The Viceroy sends for him everyday! And questions him for hours. It's even worse now since the Viceroy ordered him to be part of his trip to the Empire! Thank Tenshi he is still holding on for me and our baby."  At this point, her eyes brightened through her tears.

Dear night, she still loves him. She is IN LOVE with him. Damn it. Damn it.

"Your Majesty, when are they leaving for the Empire?"

"In five days they will travel by land which will take them a week to reach the Empire."

The Queen continued.

"Do you know the King is finding a way to free the country too? If only we can get Sunggyu and the King together! Don't you feel the same?" she looked deeply into Woohyun's eyes.

Woohyun felt he was falling..he was falling so hard that there was no turning back. So this is my doom after all that playing around. His heart was starting to hurt.

"Your Majesty, this is very very important. You must not ever breathe a word about Sunggyu to anyone, not even the King. Sunggyu is on a dangerous mission and it would cause the whole plan to fail if the Viceroy should find out. Even the King might slip up through the many hours of questioning with the Viceroy. Please, I beg you."

"I give you my word. No one will hear of this."

The Queen's face had changed and and she had a strong determined look. She reminded Woohyun so much of Sunggyu at that time. He felt confident she would keep her promise.

"Your Majesty, I must go now. By the way, I better take Jungyeop back. Sunggyu holds him dear as a reminder of you."

"Oh definitely. I could never thank you enough for coming here." She slipped Jungyeop into his coat pocket. "Before you go, you must tell me your name."

Woohyun felt a blush coming on.

"My name is Woohyun, Your Majesty. Just Woohyun." he forced himself to speak without stammering.

"Thank you Mr.Woohyun, may the Tenshi light your way!" she smiled at him.

He smiled back and just looked at her.

"Mr Woohyun? You need to go now, correct?"

Woohyun was still kneeling and holding her hands.

"Eh? Ah..yes. I have to." He hurriedly got up and scooted to the doors hoping she hadn't noticed the blush he was sure was showing brightly on his face.

"Goodbye, Mr. Woohyun."

"Goodbye, Your Majesty.." he said quickly and slipped out the doors as fast as he could, his heart racing.

Later in the old royal gardeners shed where the team was hiding, Woohyun recounted everything about the guards and the planned date of the journey. After some discussion on the next stage, the team was dismissed. Woohyun then took Sunggyu aside and returned the hamster to him.

"What when why did you take Jungyeop?!"

"I took him when you were sleeping, o great General."

"You better have a good reason Woohyun!"

"I needed proof so that she would believe me. Sunggyu, I met your sister, I met the Queen."

Sunggyu stopped short, his face pale for a moment. He took a deep breath and his expression returned to its usual stern look.

"How is she? What did she say?" he asked quietly.

"She was overjoyed to hear that you were alive. Also, get ready, she's pregnant and from the looks of it, not very far from childbirth. The thing is Sunggyu, she does not know that the Viceroy and the King are the same person. The Viceroy has been playing her for a fool. He's been acting as the kind loving husband who is always called away by the Viceroy."

Sunggyu's hands were rolled tightly into fists, the only expression he allowed himself. Woohyun continued.

"But she's strong Sunggyu. She promised not to tell anything to the King or anyone else. She reminded me a little of you at the time!"

"She was always strong willed, in fact more hard headed than me. She made her own decisions all her life. Even when we advised her to wait first when she decided so fast to marry that man. No one could have stopped her. I need to get her out of there, Woohyun but I have to wait until we succeed. But when that happens, I don't know how to tell her the truth about him."

Woohyun looked at Sunggyu with a feeling of pity.

"Don't worry Sunggyu, if she is as strong willed as you said, I think she will be able to take it. But it'd be better to wait till after she has the baby."

"Maybe you are right. Well, we have no choice but to succeed. Woohyun, thank you."

Woohyun grinned at Sunggyu and left the shed. He needed sometime alone. Sunggyu did not know or could never know that he had fallen deeply for his sister. It would always be something he had to hide. Then her face and voice came into his mind and Woohyun gave up for a moment. Without thinking, he started to hum an old folk song about mountains and forests.