Wang So

When he enters the lesson room, he know that soon it will be that time. The rain ritual. The ceremony that changed him from a cursed prince to a celebrated prince. But it was also the beginning of the serious attacks against him, case in point, the poisoning with Soo as a scapegoat. But in this new world, he had already changed his reputation in a small way with his relief actions. Not to mention the tales of what a loyal husband he was. He was already a target to the group of conspiracies, and no one could threaten him with a return to Shinju when he had a royal residence. As to the matter of his face, he hates his scar but he had learnt to accept it. His mask was now a choice rather than a necessity. He wonders if the so-called heavens will choose him again to lead in the rain ritual. It did not matter to him, all he wishes was the return of the rain, so the suffering of the people will lessen, so the noble's power over the people will lessen.

"Ji Mong, are you sure you need my name?" Eun-ah, of course he was scared of being made someone that had a huge responsibility. He was still a child who still played with toys. The rain last time also had gotten Eun married to his wife. He wish that it will happen again. It will be best for Eun if he left the main palace, so he will not be caught up in the upcoming bloodshed like he was before.

Jung was always curious, but also a bit weak in politics. But at least he knew that he had began to study books a little, though it was military strategy books. He did not want him to be a puppet for their mother, nor nor being able to read others or who held the power in the room. It was what had sent him away to the exile he had ordered. Jung questioning his rule, in addition to once again the pain of being cast aside as being a Cheonju Yoo.

Baek Ah was smart, and he knew people. He wishes that he could get Woo Hee to fall for him again. This brother of his truly deserved happiness, to have someone to come back home for. Not to mention, he needs to learn martial arts a bit more. He had already started his lessons along with Eun-ah, while on the trip. Now it was all about keeping him on that. Maybe let Baek Ah get beaten by Woo Hee, in order for his competitive side to emerge. It was a possible idea.

Won as always was a weasel in disguise that never kept any loyalty. Yo was consumed by his greed for the throne, and in this case to gain the recognition to promote himself as a more reliable Crown Prince, all for Eomoni's wish.

Wook was the puzzle. He could be the gentle person or the cunning man who had a hand in poisoning his elder brother, and killing his younger brother. It was a man that he was actually glad to have sent into exile, as he could not see his face without killing him when he had became king. Now, it was more like a great dislike. He had to make sure to not show his hostility but silently he hopes that Wook will never go after the throne, nor desire power, just be happy in his position as an advisor. But it all depended on what he did and this Wook in front of him right now was acting like the kind and understanding prince that he had been before power consumed him.

It was all up to others at the moment, all he could do was to make plans for every single possibility.

Woo Hee

In the short time that she knew her, Lady Soo, technically her sister-in-law due to her own adoption by her husband's family, never stop shocking her. This day, her first day in the Goryeo Palace was a surprise for her one after another, and all the surprises could be related back to her sister-in-law Hae Soo whom she was learning to call Soo, rather than Lady Soo.

First surprise was the morning meal. After dressing up in one of the hanboks she had found, with the help of the maids, she went to the room where Lady Soo takes her morning meal and sometimes tea, instead of her chamber. Imagine her surprise when she had saw the 4th Prince kissing his wife's cheek in farewell as she enters the room.

"Woo Hee-ah," quickly regaining her composure she gives a short bow of greeting to the Prince. "please remember this. You are now my younger sister, one of my people. No one has the right to disrespect you any longer. Look after Soo, and enjoy your day." then the Prince left to his lessons, but not before giving her and his wife a smile.

"Woo Hee-ah, come and have your breakfast. Let's plan what to do today." As the lady calls her over, she silently makes her way towards the other seat on the table, mentally adding that this couple were affectionate to each other openly in front of others, and the fact that the 4th Prince did look at her as a younger sister. Evident by the action of stating her position in the household in front of servants ensured that they knew her position in the household will be just below Lady Soo officially.

Second surprise, though perhaps it was just a lingering one. The surprise was that in a short amount of time, they were joined by Park Soon Deok. The only other female that was close to Lady Soo, another one that the lady was trying to convince to be informal with her. Once Deok-ah joined them, the Lady Soo starts her day, first with inspection of the household and the servants.

But the largest surprise that she had experienced today has to be this. The scene that was happening in front of her. She knew that Soon Deok, who was sitting besides her was equally surprised as her.

After a morning of household inspections, planning the meals, and inventory check, Lady Soo, no she had to start calling her Soo, Unni will be weird as they were the same age. She had gotten a maid to take out empty boxes and had them fill the box with wild plants and herbs in the storage, while Lady Soo sent her and Deok-ah to take out a box with the letter of tiger out from the luggage, which was on the other side of the storage. The box was made of a strong wood as it was very sturdy, and a bit heavy for her, but not for Soon Deok. After getting the two boxes, Soo had led her two female companions to what Woo Hee learnt was one of dressing rooms in the house. One room was exclusively for the 4th prince and Soo, while the room next to it was for other people.

After having them place the boxes down on the table, she asks them to take a seat on the chairs. What followed was a makeup session for both Soon Deok and her, right before their eyes, they turned into beauties, even more when they were offered the lady's jewels to select, while the lady went behind the screen, changing from her rather plain white top, blue shirt, with a pink belt hanbok, to a more elegant hanbok with the addition of a a longer pink with grey leaves pattern shirt with a parting on top of the white top from before. Then a maid was called to dress their hairs up in a more elaborate fashion, even Soon Deok and hers. When all of them were ready, they all were dressed in a fashion as if they were going to a celebration, but apparently they were going to have a tea with someone from the royal family, which Woo Hee had been informed before, then on their way back, they were going to pay a visit to the princes.

Someone from the royal family indeed, Soo did not tell her that she was going to have tea with the King. Her enemy. The target she was supposed to assassinate, but now here she was having tea with him. She knew that she will be meeting the King eventually, but a little warning would have been appreciated. From what Woo Hee remember, a tea with the King requires more preparations than just dressing well. It also required the presence of many servants. But this tea was not like that. With only two boxes in hand, that too which Soon Deok and she had carried over, along with Lady Soo had gotten another small box from her chamber before they had left Byul to their meeting with a royal, who happened to be the King.

Now here she was silently watching the interaction between Lady Soo and King Taejo in a secluded room in Damiwon, with only one in the room being three ladies, King, and Oh sanggung, who was serving the tea. The silent witness to the way that Lady Soo spoke so familiar with the King, telling him the tales from their travel. She notices that in the tales, Lady Soo was subtly giving the King, a true report on the people's condition in Silla and Hubaekje, as well as tales of what the princes had done. The King listens to the Lady with a soft smile, which Woo Hee thinks is a bit familiar to the smile that the 4th prince had given her this morning.

"Pyeha, I have brought some gifts for you." Lady Soo says that as she quietly takes the boxes that they had placed at their sides. "Here is a box of wild plants and herbs that is good for your health, you have to be careful of your health, as your strength is needed to bring rain." So the herbs were specially for the King. The king did not even check the contents of the box, just silently accept the gift. It was a gesture of trust that a powerful man was not suspicious of your gift in case it was a bribe. "Here are the soaps I made. It is a bathing aid full of oil that will help Pyeha's skin to shine." A bathing aid to the King as a gift. That was the content inside the small box that Lady Soo had carried herself, then what was in the heavy box with the tiger symbol.

Lady Soo lifts the box up herself, she was stronger than she looks, before forwarding the box to the king. "My husband and I did the same thing that Seol did. We had a hanbok made in the image of our parents. I am an orphan, so Pyeha you are like my father, and let me tell you that Your Highness does love you Pyeha. We sadly cannot do this for Queen Yoo yet, but I hope that you will accept this gift from us, and if it suits your taste, that you will wear it one day."

The face that she briefly witness on the king let her finally see this man as a human, not her personal monster. Like the 4th prince said, he was a lonely man who was already suffering, who was already full of regrets and pain. For in that moment, the king looked so surprised that there was someone who cared about him enough to make clothes for him. That his daughter-in-law actually considers him her father figure, but perhaps what convinced Woo Hee the most was that slight sign of teary eyes when the King heard that his son, the son that he had cast aside from the palace, actually loves him. This man, though she will never forgive him, now Woo Hee could stand to be in his presence without the feelings of guilt for not killing the enemy. No the king was not her enemy, her enemy was Minister Park that had betrayed their people for his own benefit.

Hae Soo

She saw the general today. The general that Lady Oh love, during that tea, he was just like the 4th prince who was so surprised to receive a declaration of love. Not to mention the hint of that same smile on the King's lips. She now had proof that inside the King, the general was still alive. The mistake that she made in the past with forgetting that Prince So was still inside King Gwangjong, now she knew that she will not make the same mistake again before she was able to see through her Gwangjong's father.

Now, if she could somehow grant happiness to the two women who had suffered along with her for them to gain their own prince in this new life, she will be happy. Soo knew that the rain ritual was coming up, though if the heavens will choose her husband once again was something she did not know, but a change will be arrive that will lead to more changes in the palace politics that is something obvious to her. If she could secure a future for both Eunie-nim and Baek Ah-nim before the politics becomes more messy than her wishes will be guaranteed.

As they were walking out of Damiwon, she saw Lady Oh at the end of the hallway, directing the maids, she didn't know why but suddenly a feeling of sadness overcomes her. But she could not cry, no not at this place, where so many maids were keeping an eye on her. She had to get out, for now she could hear sounds of a slaying sword, of water splashing as if someone was trying to not drown. The sounds of tragedy in Damiwon were in her head again, and she could feel her chest tighten, she quickly walks out of Damiwon and makes her way to the lotus pond. To that familiar pond where she might feel safe again.

But as soon as she nears the sound of the past, of her prince lying to her that he does not like her anymore, the sound of an arrow passing through the air, was all she could hear. She keeps on going walking faster and faster with each step. Till she finally she sees the prayer stones, her breathing was still stiff, but the voices in her head were decreasing. All she could hear was the sound of her husband proposing to her, confessing to her, and proclaiming her as his only queen.

The moment that she stood in front of the stones, now her vision changes and she could see as well hear. Instantly from spring to fall. She saw a royal figure standing in front of the prayer stones. The moment, she sees the back of that figure, Soo knew this was Gwangjong. Her king. Suddenly she hears a voice calling someone "Aboeji". Seol. It was Seol's voice, who else will be running towards the figure of King Gwangjong calling him father looking so similar to her than Seol. Her daughter who was all grown up wearing a white and blue hanbok, her peony hairpin in her hair, looking almost exactly like her but with her father's eyes and his jawline. She could feel herself collapsing into onto the ground, the tears in her eyes, the sobs in but all she could see in front of her was King Gwangjong and Seol standing together, father and daughter as the father pulls his daughter into a hug with a smile on his face. Her heart aches, her breaths are shallow but all she could feel were a mix of emotions. Agonizing pain. Unbelievable happiness. All-consuming love for the two figures that only see could see.