At the palace gates

The horses and the soldiers were all ready at the palace gates for the 4th prince's trip to Silla and Hubaekje. As the royals, more like the 4th prince, want to have an easier time on the road, they had decided to head out as soon as the sunlight touches all of the palace. The guards for the trip along with Park Soon Deok were Yong, the fast runner and with him there were Heok, Jin, San and Tae. Unlike other royals, the 4th prince was known to prefer fast and efficient thus there was no carriages in the group, only horses. There were three horses that had been fitted to carry a cart behind them, another one of Astronomer's invention, that had all the rations that were going to be distributed to the citizens of both Silla and Hubaekje. Then all the other horses had on their back a few chests of personal luggage of its rider or riders. The 4th prince was also quite punctual for he had brought all of the travellers on time just as it was almost time for departure. Silently the 4th prince assess the preparations then signal everyone to mount their horses. Then in no time at all, while the rest of Songak was still covered in darkness, the entourage leaves the palace and onwards to the most direct route to Silla.

Woo Hee

Last night as soon as she had entered Byul, she had been escorted to what she learnt to be her room so that she could rest. The 4th prince's party was going to set off very early in the morning thus the prince and his wife had already retired to their chambers. As she had not slept on a bed in so long, she did not complain and after a quick change into her sleepwear, she fell asleep.

In particularly no time at all, Woo Hee was woken up by servants. Apparently when Jae Hee told her early, it meant dawn. But even that couple of hours gave her a refreshing sleep for her so she was content and quickly wears her travelling hanbok, then follows the servant called Chae Ryung to the front entrance where the 4th prince and his wife was apparently waiting.

As the sky starts to lighten with the approaching dawn, Woo Hee catches the first proper look at the royal couple. The 4th prince was dressed in a brown half-sleeve hanbok on top of his black hanbok (ep.8 boat scene). His hair rather than unbound, it was up in a ponytail and she could see that he had on a mask on the left side of his face. A black mask with gold accents. As the room in the Gyobang had such limited light, she had not been able to even see the prince's face with clarity. Now that she could see, she could see the reason that he was called a cruel man. What with his appearance of sharp eyes accented by kohl, mask, with his preference for black. He may be seen like a grim reaper to some. Now Woo Hee turn her head towards his wife.

Lady Hae Soo who had gained the favor of the King so easily after her marriage. People had told rumors that she must be such a calculating woman with a great beauty that had been able to have the 4th prince, the prince with two powerful families and a fearsome reputation take an orphan like her to be his first wife. Then as soon as her engagement was set, she had the support of the three unmarried young princes, and soon had the Grand General's daughter as a close friend, not to mention how both the King and the Crown Prince actually treats her as their relative with affection, not just with civility. But that was not what Woo Hee saw when she look at Lady Hae Soo as her husband hands her a red cape to wear.

The lady was not calculating nor a deadly beauty, she was a pure being of light that shone like the moon and stars. Lady Hae was around the same age as Woo Hee but unlike her tired and strained face, she shine with a glow, she seem like an innocent child next to the fearsome 4th prince. But together they blend well together like day and night or light and dark. Lady Hae wore a white short shirt and she had on a slim dark red skirt, in a style similar to that of a court lady will wear, with a red belt on top of the white. As she dons the cape and the 4th prince raises the hood up, it covers her hair which was set in a simple bun (birthday party style). Rather than an ambitious woman, Lady Hae Soo seems to be an unforgettable beautiful treasure whom people either wants to protect or taint.

Her presence, most like her stare must have been noticed, as now the 4th prince was looking straight at her and silently beckons her forward. So she walks forward to where they were standing.

"Soo-ya, meet your newest sister-in-law." That's it. She was shocked that was the only thing that the 4th prince said to his wife without any other form of explanation. But the lack of surprise on the lady's face shows that she knew about this beforehand. Woo Hee silently bows her head in greeting to the royals, but she is surprised once again when Lady Hae steps forward and hug her. Hug her with a strength that no one would think capable from such a tiny lady.

"Woo Hee-ya," her voice had happiness and relief in it like she was so glad that Woo Hee, someone that could be a spy and have different loyalties, was here. "I am so glad that I can call you my sister. Please never be formal with me, just call me Soo or if that is hard for you then Agasshi like Soon Deok does through I wish you wouldn't." Then the lady release her from her hug with such a big smile on her face, which she now turns towards her husband. "Hwangjanim, let's go. We have to get the others and depart."

"As you wish, my Soo-buin." Then the 4th prince offers his wife, his arm for her to take, and Lady Soo takes Woo Hee's hand and drags her along. Lady Soo walking so fast to reach the palace gate, but not before throwing a goodbye to the servants that have gathered to see them off.

The royal guard

For the five guards chosen, it was a great recognition of their skills to be assigned to this trip. As they were the only guards expected to protect four princes, one royal wife, and an adopted sister. Wasn't that a shock, apparently the Crown Prince had wished to gift the 4th prince something from when the 4th prince had stood in his place at the exorcism rite. The rumour says, apparently a niece of someone that the 4th prince owed a debt had recently been orphaned and had been sold off by her remaining relatives. The 4th prince wanted to adopt the niece into his small family as his little sister. The Crown Prince had granted the wish, and the adoption had been made official just yesterday, and Lady Hae did not wish to leave her new sister-in-law alone so the 4th prince had agreed to let his new sister join them.

As soon as the entourage had walked out of the palace doors with the 4th prince in the lead, the guards take up defensive position at the side and back of the entourage. The 4th prince had requested to keep the front unguarded as the 4th prince and 14th prince could handle that side. The royal guards were there to make sure that the rations were well protected.

Heok

One observation that Heok, more of the academically inclined royal guard had made had to do with the ladies in the group. The adopted sister of 4th prince, apparently named Woo Hee, seemed to have peak the 13th prince's fancy as he is constantly observing her and trying to make her look at him. But Lady Woo Hee was not paying him much attention or maybe avoiding him and she concentrated on the road. Park Soon Deok was obviously in love with the 10th prince as she constantly stole glances at the 10th prince who rather than noticing her was happily conversing with the 14th prince on the horse next to him. Third was that rather than riding on her own horse, Lady Hae was riding together with her husband, and you could see how much the lady trust her husband by the fact that rather than holding onto the reins or even the horse, the lady seems to have lean against her husband, and from what he could see, she was talking constantly not caring about the fact that they were currently on a rather tricky road with plenty of hidden roots. The fact that even the young princes were keeping a close eye on the carts attached to their horses, and how much care the princes were using on how they are riding, Heok was glad that even the young royals knew the importance of those rations.

"So-hyungnim, where are we stopping to eat?" It was the 10th Prince that asks the question. Everyone was wondering when they could eat, but no one so far had dared to ask the leader of the trip, except of course his younger brother.

"There is a beach right before the border of Silla, we will eat there. It is right at the end of this path." The 4th prince answers immediately. So there were near a place to eat but they had not know yet. 4th prince had planned the routes well, as the beach meant water for everyone and Heok knew from a map that there was a freshwater spring nearby for the horses to drink from. Before they knew it, they were at the beach, and what a sight it was.

The large coast with the softly crashing waves of water that was sparkling like jewels under the sun. There was also a pleasant breeze around the sight. Without a single word, the 4th prince jumps off his horse.

"Guards, check the rations and the wheels of the cart. After that join us for the meal. Deok-ah, Woo Hee-ah, you get the food ready today with Soo-buin. You three, you are coming with me for perimeter search as well as to feed the horses." The 4th Prince simply issued the orders before he carefully lifts his wife off the horse and unties her cape himself before draping the cape on the horse's back. At the same time Soo-buin takes one of the pack luggage tied at the back of their house, then with a quick smile at her husband, she walks away calling the two ladies to follow her. Since the leader has spoken, everyone starts to do what they were assigned.

The two ladies dismount and starts to quickly make their way towards where Soo-buin was on the shore, laying out a sheet on the floor. Heok and his fellow guards carefully got the cart separated from the horses before starting to carefully check the many chests and boxes full of medicines and dried foods, not to mention the rice. The guards also piled up all of their luggages near the cart after taking them off the horses. The princes each took the reins of horses around them and slowly starts to guide them towards the spring where they could drink some water once again with the 4th prince in the lead.