Hae Soo

There was something special about being in your own bed. She loved the trip but sometimes it was nice to just lie down and relax in your own bed. Not to mention, she could actually cuddle with her prince here. She had truly missed sleeping in his arms wrapped around his body's warmth surrounded by the natural musk of her wolf prince. Not to mention this special time is when they could talk or lazily kiss one another. She wraps her arms tighter around her prince's waist and squeeze her body to his.

"Soo-ya," at the quiet whisper she simply make a noise of acknowledgement as she lifts her head up to see her husband's face. His eyes was dark, dark with promise of passion to come, and involuntarily the blush on her face deepens. She didn't protest when his lips and hands start to move over her body, just simply surrender to the fire of their love.

Woo Hee

The two weeks of travel had truly let her mind start to feel at ease. She had observed many things, not to mention she had a chance to actually see the faces of her own people. When they were in Hubaekje, she recognized that some of the citizens figured out her identity, and perhaps they would have started a fight with the Goryeo royals, but they had stopped when they had noticed how she was treated so kindly and respectfully by the others. She even had one grandmother told her that it was nice to see that she was being taken care of, that her parents will be happy that she chose to live her life rather than being consumed by revenge. In a way it had reassured her that she had made the right decision by not continuing to support the plans to assassinate Taejo.

During the trip, she had observed two people the most, 4th prince Wang So now her adopted older brother, and his wife Hae Soo. The older prince that rather than openly show his affection through words, silently protects all of them in the darkness. The lady who had openly said that to Woo Hee that she wants them to close like sisters whom had constantly reminded her that there was no need for formality between them. There were other things that she had noted for both of them, individually as well as when they were together.

The 4th prince wore a mask and his face hardly changes, but she had noticed that it was his eyes that showed his emotion as well as his lips. The slight lift of his lips with a soft look in his eyes means amusement and fondness, a look that he wore when he looks at the young princes. A sharp look with a lip lift is a beginning of an angry sneer. The sneer he had shown to a vulgar man that spoke to Woo Hee in one of the large villages, right before he had put the man down through his remarks and a twist to the man's arm. His skills in martial arts was deadly and he was a predator, though it was normally restrained to a great degree. Woo Hee had heard from the 14th prince, that while the prince was being poisoned during the exorcism rite, he had still fought and killed around 50 assassins while he had still been coughing up blood. In essence, her adopted older brother was a man that was both a practical and kind man but also a killing machine.

Lady Hae Soo was more of a contradiction. She was innocent like a small child but she was also wise in the matter of human interaction. She ran around playing with the children in the villages but she turns into a mother when someone one was hurt, comforting them. Hae Soo was a woman that was kind to a fault, very caring but she still was practical in her own way. Both of them were full of faults and contradictions, and Woo Hee could see why they were a good match for each other.

But she realized that for the 4th prince and his wife, it was more than that. They truly desire each other though it was hidden in front of others but it was evident in the night. Both of them always knew where the other was, the 4th prince's eyes constantly follow his wife's movements similar to how his wife's eyes follow his black-clothed figure. They behave with civil affection when it was daylight, but as soon as the night falls, they embrace each other and basically stays connected through their hands, leading on each other's body or by hugging each other. She also noticed that both of them seem to be very interested in the stories of Seol-halmoni that she had told over the fire. Perhaps they just wanted to know more about the namesake of their unborn daughter, if they were blessed with a daughter.

But at least she knew that these two trust each other, and they were not looking for power. No they just needed enough power to protect themselves which they already had in a sense. Being granted a royal residence by the 1st king of Goryeo meant none of his successors could take back his order so they will always have a place to live and their marriage and the position of Lady Soo as the 4th prince's principal wife was also something that Taejo had approved in writing. This security as well as their lack of lust for power was the fact that brought her mind to ease over her decision. Now, today will be the first day she will be in the palace, and apparently she will be introduced to an elder royal family member today, as Lady Soo had an invitation for tea from this royal. It was going to be an interesting day for her in the Goryeo Palace.

The royal guards

Coming back to the strict routines of the palace after all of that travelling was difficult but it was also a thing of relief to come back to a familiar environment. The trip that they thought will be just like any other entourage mission turned out to be so different than each of them expected.

Yong

Yong had resolved that he needed to upgrade his training. He was the fastest one among the guard but when he was almost out-walk by women, the damage that it did to his pride was no laughing matter. He had been asked to stay with Lady Soo and Woo Hee Agasshi after they have finished their distribution. It would be an easy thing as the ladies were simply walking through the marketplace. He did not expect that a thief will appear and steal Woo Hee agassi's charm. He had to run after the thief but not beat him up if the instructions he received from Lady Soo was to be believed, but he simply started to run after them. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that Lady Soo and her adopted sister-in-law were catching up with him. In the end, the charm was recovered, but the fact that two ladies could keep up with his speed meant that he had to increase his training on his speed, not to mention his sword skills. He did not forget how quickly the 4th prince took him out during the selection.

Heok

Heok was impressed at all the knowledge he had acquired on this trip, but perhaps what he resolved to do was to learn more languages. On a village, they met a foreign merchant and he had a pair of knives that would be an excellent weapon, sadly he could not understand couple of the explanation. Who arrived there but the 4th prince out on a stroll with his wife? Lady Soo seem to understand the merchant and were conversing fluently with him, perhaps her hometown had traders from foreign nations visit often, he knew that it was close to the border of Khitan. Imagine his surprise, and by the look on her face, Lady Soo's surprise when the 4th prince also start to talk in the same foreign language. After making the purchase, Heok had followed behind the couple. Though he could not hear it clearly, apparently the 4th prince learnt the language because it was a way for time to pass as he grew old. Heok knows that Shinju while a vast territory did not have much in form of distraction besides hunting, most likely the 4th prince had studied foreign languages to pass the time. If the 4th prince had learnt the language, as one of the guards it will be a weakness if he could not understand the language.

San

San knew he was physically strong. Not to mention he had pretty very good reflexes. But he had never seen the type of training that the 4th prince had put his younger brother 14th prince through when he had requested to learn from his older brother on how to increase his observation skills. The training was one of the most weirdest training. The 14th prince had to stand still with his eyes closed. The rest was up to his mind was what the 4th said, before he had picked up a rag and threw it at his brother. It was a training that looked kind of ridiculous but San saw the merit. What use was his strength, if he could not accurately predict where an attack was coming from? He will convince the other four guards to train together with him. After all, after witnessing how quickly Lady Soo could disappear from sight or reappear, it will be a great idea for them to refine their reflexes. He had a feeling that they will be assigned often to guard the 4th prince's family due to the fact that they had went on this trip with them.

Jin

Jin was quiet person but his curiosity was endless. He didn't know why but Lady Soo seemed like a very curious person to him, which was proven through the tales that he heard over the trip as well instances that occurred during the trip. He didn't know but Lady Soo was someone who could rival him in curiosity. He witnessed while chasing after the lady throughout the trip, chasing an interesting bird she found not knowing it was a flesh-eating eagle, or relentlessly hunting down for a single piece of paper because it was rumored to be scented. Jin realized that the lady was quite similar to him. What Jin was so surprised about was the reaction of the 4th prince, Lady Soo's husband. Jin knew that such loud actions were not ones that a royal will want in their spouses, and knew that Lady Soo will have to learn to control her curious nature. Jin knew that this was reality, but he had hoped that there will be a lady who could at least be a little free to explore.

He remembered his own surprise when the 4th prince did the opposite of what any husband would do. Instead of a reprimand for her behaviour, the prince had simply look at his wife and told her to be careful when she is exploring and just to not do anything dangerous. Lady Soo was free to act natural, all the prince had asked was that she is accompanied by someone, either a maid, servant even another lady.

At that moment, Jin realized that though he did not know what will happen in the future, if the 4th prince's behaviour towards his wife's curious nature did not change, then he would gladly follow under his command in the army, with pride and not just duty. How he wishes that they were more men with the same views as the 4th prince, not be like his father who had restricted his mother's movements so much after their marriage, that she was like a bird in a cage.

Tae

Tae knew that he was powerful and he could be deadly, but he prefer defending against attacking. As the middle son of the apothestery, Tae recognized the two plants he had been collecting. A watergrass of Silla that had restorative qualities that prevents any injury from accelerating or sometimes even prevent the damage from happening in the first place. The flower bud from Hubaekje that was known to promote better blood flow and if mixed together with Silla watergrass, it was particularly good for the heart. He knew that this relief mission had an alternate motive the moment he recognized the two plants. They were collecting such a bundle of the two plants for a reason, and that too without letting anyone know the true motive.

Were these plants for the King? Maybe one of his Queens or concubines? Or was the 4th prince collecting these plants for someone else? He just hoped that that 4th prince was not like his 3rd brother who would use this plant to bribe ministers or exploit the people. It was by chance that he found out the intended person for these plants.

It was on the return trip back from Hubaekje, en route to Songak, while they were all supposed to be sleeping in the woods. Tae's eyes had opened for some reason, and rather than the expected quiet, he could hear voices. Making sure that his heartbeat nor his breathing changes, he concentrated on his hearing. It was the 4th prince and his wife. They were speaking so softly, but the wind at the moment carried their words to him very easily. It was Lady Soo.

Lady Soo, the lady who unlike anyone he had witnessed, who had such passion for a woman, no ambition despite her many connections that she had gained. A lady at ease with both slaves and royals with no obvious change in her behaviour. Such a kind lady, a type of lady that Tae wishes exist more, but she was in danger of losing her life to a disease, just like her sixth cousin. His admiration for the lady gave Tae more reason to look after Lady Soo in the future.

She was a lady that reminded him of his mother, and he believes that she is the only one who can control the temper of her husband. He had witnessed the skills of the 4th prince, had experienced it himself, he truly did not wish to be someone that released his brutal side. Now that Tae thinks about it, when the 4th prince was kidnapped by the tongueless ones, Lady Soo was also kidnapped. If the 4th prince already cared about the lady so much back then, the brutal murder of those assassins made sense. To the 4th prince who truly was like an animal in some way, hurting his potential mate would have lead to him losing control. Thus the carnage, the dead killed in a brutal and efficient manner. Those who lived but were left to bleed out had suffered a painful death. Those that were saved, Tae could guess were being secretly tortured even now to find the mastermind behind the assassins, who Tae knew had now have also attacked the King and Lady Soo with arrows.