Ji Hyo sits inside her tent as the sky has darken. Holding her knees together, the words rings in her ears.

~Back to the night Ji Hyo met the figure from Chapter 44 after she saw Ara tending Jong Kook’s injury.

She stood before the fresh fire pit. A shadow walks towards her, stopping a few feet away.

“The Goryeo General really needs to upgrade his security on military grounds,” she mutters under her breath but loud enough for the shadowy figure to hear.

The shadowy figure takes off the hood and looks her way as the fire ignites and shows his face.

“You sure know well, xiao mei (little sister),” the husky voice sounds. Ji Hyo turns to him and they stare at each other.

The figure pulls own his hooded black cape, revealing his face.

“Why have you come Crown Prince of Yuan?”

“I see, you haven’t made a decision yet,” his voice cut through thin air.

“I did,”

Bolin frowns, tilting his head.

“My father is a minister of the Goryeo court. If you wish to accompany me back to Yuan, give me proof of my Yuan identity.”

Amused, he hands her a letter. “As expected, you are a meticulous person. Here, this letter was the agreement of your mother, the dethroned Princess-cousin of my Imperial Father.”

Ji Hyo glances at the letter and studies the seal. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

“If you are curious, go to Yuan.” He looked over at her seriously, “That is, if you want to clear your name and stop the traitorous rumors of your father.”

She looks up suspiciously. After a moment of silence, she threw the letter back at him, turning away.

“Give me 2 months, I need to cut off some loose ends.”

The crumpled medication that Ji Hyo held before was slowly burning, sizzling in the fire pit. As she walks away, Bolin covered his face again before disappearing into the shadows.

~Back to Present

She lied her head on her knees, holding it tight. Just when it’s almost time for her to leave, he just had to make her heart soften. She sighs.

No, he wouldn’t be lonely. He has Ara. Yet, Ji Hyo couldn’t disguise it. As much as she was sure Ara will accompany Jong Kook’s loneliness, she wouldn’t be able to fulfil his part in the military. Jong Kook needed someone who could help him stand strong in the court and battlefield.

Though she wasn’t sure of that, at least she knew Ara could provide him unending companionship.

Ji Hyo lies back on the mattress. The tent’s white drapes encircle around her.

He made her a promise. As much advantage that it had, it had its con too.

She closes her eyes, drifting asleep. Tonight, strangely, she felt so sleepy. Her eyelids harden and her body loosens.

It was so strange, like she was in ecstasy, the air smelled sweetly strange.

Pulling in and out of her drowsiness, she faintly heard a hissed. She tried to get up but she could barely move her fingers. The slit of her eyes peaked into the dim tent and tried to look for the faint hissed.

The slithering grew faintly louder and there. A black snake approaches her.

She panicked, desperately attempting to move her fingers but they only tremble on the sheets.

It came closer and closer.

She could see its fangs as it nears her hand. Ji Hyo felt a sharp sting seeped into her hand as the snake’s fangs sink in.

She instantly grabbed the snake with her other hand as she felt strength in her fingers again. The energy left as soon as it came. Ji Hyo stood up with the snake in her hand, but fell over.

The poison slowly spread through the veins on her hand and she felt a strike of ringing pain.

No, she can’t faint in here. So, she began to crawl. Clutching the snake with all her strength, she finally reaches the entrance of the tent.

With her hand reaching out, she felt immense pain running down her back.

It was then that she fainted.

Yoo was heading towards Ji Hyo’s tent, close by the center, when he saw an unmoving hand at the edge of the tent entrance. His pace quickens and he starts running, opening the thick drapes.

His eyes widen and grabs her. He notices the black snake struggling in her clutch. Seething in rage, he tightly pulls the snake out of her hand and squeezed it.

He was pushed away from her as Jong Kook shakes Ji Hyo.

“Call for a doctor!” Jong Kook takes Ji Hyo away in his arms.

Yoo watches him carry Ji Hyo away as he looks at the squirming snake in his hand. He turned around, feeling a presence.

Around the corner, he sees a hidden figure.

***

Jong Kook has the doctor examine Ji Hyo’s hand immediately.

“How is she now?”

“She was poisoned. The lady was intoxicated with sleeping powder and the bite of the snake counter the effects but caused poison to passed into her body. I have already detoxed her hand.”

He takes in a deep breath, “Thank you for your assistance, doctor.”

He sat beside as the doctor leaves his tent. Taking her hand, he lightly squeezed it. Annoyed with the constant danger this mysterious person was doing to Ji Hyo and him, he glowers.

Jong Kook has decided. From now on, Ji Hyo and he will share a bed, for the sake of their safety.

*

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2Tc54ByvA )

Ara hurried through the dusty road with the lighted torches making a path. An arm grasped hers tightly, pulling her around.

She was taken by surprise as she comes face to face with Yoo.

“L-Lieutenant Yoo,”

Holding up the bag of the snake, “It was you,”

She held her breath, ready to protest.

He lets go of her arm, anger fuming out his ears. “Did you forget what I told you last time?”

“Lieutenant-“

“Go Ara-ssi!” he yells and continues to raise his voice at her, “Leave Ji Hyo out of Jong Kook and your dispute. If you are going to stoop this low to get rid of her, you may have overestimated your privilege as Jong Kook’s supposedly-first wife.”

Tears burned in her eyes as she looks at Yoo.

“Don’t talk like you know me. You were born into a privilege home with status and rights. You’ll never understand how it feels like to be born as an illegitimate child.”

She turns to walk away.

“You’re not wrong.” He spoke. “But you’re not right either.”

He walks around to face her.

“You,” his eyes dart at her, “will never how it feels to be born as a legitimate child.”

Ara looks away.

“Because it’s not all flowers and wealth, everything comes with a price. This is the price of your desire for Jong Kook.”

Angry tears escape her eyes as she listens. She turns back to him, her face distorted into a determine expression.

“Lieutenant, do what you may but I won’t stop here. Everything that has happened until today is because of her. Until she is gone, I will not hesitate to back down and let her steal everything from me.”

Yoo’s face darkens and his hand grabs her scarred wrist, the one she cut, attempting to commit suicide, the ultimate reason Jong Kook decided to make her his official concubine.

“The next time I find you up to the same actions,” he tightens his grasp, causing Ara to groan, “I will not hesitate to strike you down, even if you are a woman.” His words raspy and threatening as he glares at her.

He lets go of her arm as he flings it away and turns around, leaving her trembling in anger.

***

Ji Hyo was still asleep as Jong Kook watches over her. She stayed in his arms motionlessly. She looked rather peaceful.

He could get used to it, sleeping with her in his arms. Just imagining Ji Hyo waking up and being shy and embarrass like the past made him chuckle. He leans down and leaves a peck on her lips.

It was like the first time they had kissed passionately at the palace. Having her in his arms, his adrenaline ran wild but he controlled himself.

Though he did calm down, the thought of her injury lingers. The poisonous snake was in her room and she was drugged. Was the assassin, Kenji closer than they thought? Is his uncle already on the move with his plans? He starts to worry endlessly.

Does this mean his wife will be in constant danger? His arms clutched around her tighter and he moves closer, sticking to her.

*

The next day, Jong Kook had lined up all the soldiers, ordering for a heighten security and report of any unusual movements.

Ji Hyo was fine and moving on her own but he refused to let her leave his side. Always making sure she was less than ten feet away, he would linger close like a puppy.

Ji Hyo was curious yet because of his persistence, excuse, of needing her help with the military inspection and new warfare system, she follows him everywhere.

There were times he would purposely take her hand in his,

“Why do you keep holding my hand, sire?” Ji Hyo looks around, embarrassed at the soldiers that sneaks at them then giggling behind them.

“Why~?” He questioned like a child, “I’m just checking to make sure the snake bite has healed.”

She tries to pull her hand away but he pulls back.

“I’m fine now.”

“Can’t I just hold your hand?”

Ji Hyo sighed and let him have his way. Sooner, she forgot and went along with it. There are times she would bump into him and cling onto his arm while pointing out her inspections.

They would fool around every so often, troubling themselves to get back to business.

***************************

Finally found my USB! Sorry for the short chapter even after my long hiatus. Thank you for commenting and messaging me. I hope you enjoy it. See ya bunnies!