Queen Inhyeon was taking a morning stroll when she suddenly encountered something unpleasant. Approaching her was Hye-bin and her entourage with a smug look manifested on her face. Prince Yeom, who was in his fifth year and the king's oldest son after Queen Inhyeon was excile in Frozen Palace and gave favor to Hye-bin, stood beside his mother with a blank look.

"Junjeonmama," the concubine greeted in a mocking, honeyed voice as she put a hand on her son's shoulder as if to show him off.

"Hye-bin," she answered indifferently giving her rival a nonchalant look.

"How are you faring, mama?" Hye-bin inquired with a closed-lip smile.

"Well enough," she answered in a stern voice."

And the princesses?"

"They are well."

"I see. Have you guessed whether your new one will be a prince or a princess?" asked Hye-bin in an indifferent tone looking straight into the queen's eyes.

"The King and I have come to believe it will be a prince," she said and smiled.

The wretched concubine smirked and walked up to Queen Inhyeon. Leaning closer towards the Queen, she whispered, "Don't think you have gained the heavens when you might once again gain the earth a fifth time for a simple mistake in your deduction, mama." there was no mistake that Hye-bin was referring to her four daughters, Princess Hyesun, Princess Jeonghyeon, Princess Jeong-an, and Princess Jeong-ui. Giving a smirk, the concubine then bowed and left while the Queen stood still in horrified embarrassment from her mocking comment. Clenching hert skirt, Queen Inhyeon took a deep breath and stalked back to her chambers.

Entering her room, she rests, mentally drained from Hye-bin's emotional torment. "Mama," Court Lady Choi replied with a worried look on her face. "Hye-bin should not have spoken in such a way to you. It's obvious how she shows her contempt towards you, as mother of the nation."

"I'd rather not discuss it, please," she said in a tired voice. "Geumpyeong!" she called out for her loyal bodyguard.

A man of an extraordinary tall height with a wizened face entered. He payed his respect's to his mistress. He carried himself as the very respected warrior he was. "Yes, jujeonmama?" Geumpyeong inquired.

"Keep a close eye on Hye-bin. I fear that the birth of the prince will be hindered by her schemes," she confessed. She looked away, her eyebrows knotted in worry upon her beautiful, round face. She knew without a doubt that Hye-bin was the cause of her last miscarriage.

"Don't worry, mama. I will do as you head," he said. "I will make sure that nothing happens so you may give birth in peace."

"Thank you, Geumpyeong," she said gratefully. He bowed and left. Turning to her court lady, she ordered, "Help me out of my clothes. I wish to rest."

On the day Queen Inhyeon was giving birth, her mother, Lady Yun, Court Lady Choi, and the midwives were all in the same bedchamber. For most of the day, the queen was in a painful labor. Out of all her pregnancies, she felt that this one was the most painful for her. Itwas until she could hear the loud cry of a new life that the knot in her chest vanished. "Mama!" cried out the ladies in excitement. Queen Inhyeon looked to her mother to see what the excitement was about.

With a prideful look manifested on her seasoned face, Lady Yun smiled. Dropping the formalism to show the intimacy of their relationship, she answered, "Daughter, you have given birth to a lovely son." she looked at her mother in shock and then a joyous sensation shook her being. She had done it. She had finally given birth to a son!

"Word has been sent to the King that a son was born," Court Lady Choi informed the queen. She smiled and nodded her head.

"I want to hold him," she said turning to her mother and holding out her hands.

"Yes, mama," Lady Yun obliged smiling. Turning to a midwife, she took the prince from her arms and was about to hand her grandson over to her daughter when she saw the queen's face contorted with pain.

Suddenly without warning, a terrible pain had seized Queen