Wang So

Sneaking inside the palace, and outside the palace. Truly, knowing the many hidden corners and routes in the palace was most useful at time like this. After coming back from the ceremonial grounds and once his younger brothers finally left Byul, not before making sure that Soo was comfortable, that she had everything she needed, not to mention the constantly fanning her to make sure that Soo did not feel hot. Seon Deok and Woo Hee were also there and he had personally seen the glances thrown towards Eun and Baek Ah respectively. Though it seems like neither of them had any interaction other than stolen glances and bickering, maybe their affection towards each other will develop soon.

While Soo was being tended to by the others, he had silently talked with the infirmary assistant of Doctor Hong, so it will be alright for Soo to be walking about, or to eat what she was craving. He did not wish the cold from Patingsu to have any effect with her daily tonic. Soo had chosen to drink the tonic like tea, which was well, as it was not a strange behaviour to drink tea in the morning and night.

After they were alone in Byul, he had quickly led his Soo towards their bedchamber where he had already laid out some plain clothes to change into. Instead of their ceremonial clothes, now they were both wearing their old clothes both wearing their hair down. He in his grey and silver, she in her blue and yellow (ep.4 picnic). They both had wore their rings in a chain, so that it will not draw attention. Once they have changed, they quickly sneaked out from the courtyard of Byul from the side door, and taking the paths that were hidden in the gardens, he led his wife towards Damiwon.

Silently, he had personally made sure that these paths did not have any hidden roots or any obstacles that could be the reason for an injury. His Soo was truly clumsy at worst possible moments, and he never want anything to hurt her. Looking at the face of his wife who had a small but bright smile on her face, he realized that this was perhaps the first time in a long while where they were outside alone, so why was he acting like there were people around them.

He stops just before the end of the path, and withdraws his hand from hers. At the puzzled look on Soo's face, he could once smile before quickly leaning into steal a peck. Her large surprised eyes with that deep red blush, made her look more beautiful, and without any hesitation, he grabs her waist and pull her body to his so her head was right next to his shoulders. Then he lifts his other hand to caress her cheek before lowering his lips to her lips. Kissing her under the darkness of the night without any fear of discovery, just holding his beloved Soo close to him and enclosing her small body with his large ones.

Court Lady Oh

She silently watches the interaction of the couple in front of him. The two members of the royal family who were perhaps not royals at all in some way. As a herbalist's daughter, it did not take long for her to know that lady was pregnant. The way her hand was frequently on her stomach, how she unconsciously turn her head away from heavy-scented herbs. The gestures she had also done in the past. Before that. Before she lost her child through tea. The one that her unable to enjoy the sight of children nor flower or fresh tea like she used to. Even if she knew it was not something she should do, she could not help but compare the couple in front of her, to what her reality had been.

The 4th prince's behaviour so reminded her of her courting with her general, the way he used to be with her. But also different. There was no air of formality between the couple in front of her, they were truly comfortable. Informal, laughing, happy in this silent poisonous palace. Not to mention the devotion of the 4th prince to his wife, was something to be envious about. In this time, forbidden to show any signs of lavish lifestyle, the prince still had begged the King from what she could find out to let his wife be allowed to enter secretly into Damiwon and have the dessert she was craving.

She was skeptical of royals, their greed, but she could not help but be more at ease with the 4th prince. The only prince that she had not personally witness his childhood, therefore one that she should be most wary of but instead this prince, rather being royalty, reminded her of a man. A simple man who wanted to do everything to keep his family happy, even if he had to take risks. But she will never trust him, no matter what. Trust was like a spiderweb that was so easily broken inside the palace. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Lady Hae Soo loudly exclaiming her delight over her Patingsu.

"Ummmm, Oh sanggung, you are truly the best. Hwangjanim, I want only Oh sanggung to make my desserts. Is that alright with you, sanggung?" Lady Hae Soo's enthusiasm not to mention her excited behaviour, brought flashes to her mind of how she used to be when she was young. When she was so naive, that a simple taste or sight of a pretty flower gave her joy.

"I will do my best to serve you, Lady Hae." She lightly bows her head. She could not think these thoughts such as how this behaviour maybe something her daughter could have displayed. It was already bittersweet, witnessing the sight of this married pair that reminded her of simple times. Before a man's greed for power ruined it.

"Oh sanggung, please don't be so formal with me. Please you do not need to bow to me either. All I need is this Patingsu, and for you to teach me how to make it." She truly did not know how to react to this lady, who remind her so much of her past self, not to mention how her husband, the 4th prince reminded her of her love.

"Soo-ya, do you need more? Or do you desire something else?" That look of genuine affection mixed with that look that seemed to be looking for reassurance was something so surprising to see, but she did not make any noise or acknowledgement. But in her mind, all she could think was how she wish that that genuine concern to take care of his wife on the prince's face will always be there.

"Hwangjanim, I am alright. This was exactly what I needed." Lady Hae Soo was still taking scoops of Patingsu. The look of relief on the prince's face was too much even for her mind. It was almost the exact image of the face that her general had on his face. This son of the King reminded her of her old lover the most. But did that mean that this prince also hid greed in his heart?

"Oh sanggung, may I please use an empty dressing room? I have to fix my face." the lady must have satisfied her craving and even from where she stood a little away from the table, she could see how spotless the bowl that held the Patingsu was. The lady's face of happiness while it made her happy, it was also too much for her as well. She could almost see the face of her younger self overlapping the lady's face. Silently, she bows her head and silently leads the way to the makeup room closeby. At the sound of utensils clicking, she turns her head to see that the 4th prince had stacked the bowl so it will be easy for her court ladies to clean up, before the 4th prince also starts to silently walk behind them.

She prays that her mind will stop thinking these deep thoughts soon. But she could not control her mind, who constantly look for signs of her lover in the face and actions of his son, and wish that this couple who reminded her of her own painful past will have a different future than what hers had been. At least they were married. Their union were recognized by everyone.

Hae Soo

She could not help the huge smile on her face. How could she, when she was here at this pond, surrounded by floating lanterns that now covered the entire muddy hole in the ground where the lake existed before. Before the citizens had start to use its water to survive the drought. But these lights of many floating candles left at this place was the people's prayer for the rain to come. For these candles to float again. Looking at the vast amount of candles that's when they realize exactly how much the citizens were praying for the rain. Those lights illuminated the night and the sight just left her breathless.

Smiling, she put her hands together to pray. Pray for a happy future, for people to accept her husband, for healthy babies, safe pregnancy, and for the other royals to live a long life and for them to not get consumed by hatred and paranoia this time around. Feeling the warmth surrounding her, as her body was pulled into a back hug, she simply closed her eyes and continue with her prayer. Always wishing that they could be like this, together and in peace.

Wang So

Walking through the night market as he gaze upon Soo's happy face, all he could be was happy. He did not know it was possible but ever since he had learnt that Soo was with child, she seem to glow. Glow from within and she truly seem to be like a goddess. It made him want to protect her even more, to surround her with those worthy to be graced by her beauty. Surprisingly, Soo had not protested much at the additional hidden guards that she will have from tomorrow, nor the food tester. He knew that she was thinking of their children's safety rather than her own, but as long as she will now be careful, the reason did not matter. Slightly squeezing her hand which he held in his grasp, he simply bask the bright smile she gave him and smile back at her.

"Those bastards!" That sudden yell from the nearby establishment was so loud that it feels the entire street. Now there were loud sobbing along with multitude of loud curses. Looking into the direction of the noise, he could not make out how many people were there, but the location was the local tavern.

"Hwangjanim," at that whisper from Soo, he turns to look back at her. , those sounds must have frightened her, but it seems like she was not feeling any chest pains. "Let's go look. Maybe we can help them." Of course Soo's kind heart that always wants to help. At least he was near with her, so he will be able to protect her. He felt for the presence of hidden knives in his body, in case this ended in a fight, making sure that Soo was pressed close to his body with her hand in his, before slowing crossing the street towards the tavern.

The closer he got to the tavern, the sound of people, a mix of angry yells and devastating sobs reach his ears. As he sees a large group of people gathered around a single large outdoor table, he was suddenly glad, that Soo had convinced him to take off his mask before going out tonight. Though he did not wear makeup, his bangs, which had grown enough to cover half his left eye will be enough to cover his scar. For he could recognize some of them as the citizens who had hit him with stones just this morning.

Not the ones that started that entire scene, but the ones who came after, who were throwing those things at him. But this scene of devastating grief, with females holding onto each other and crying loudly, and the man either drowning alcohol one cup after another or hitting the nearby tree with their fists, it was too much for a reaction to one failed rain ritual. But these people were capable of throwing objects at a prince, there was absolutely no reason that he will let his wife approach them till he knew it was safe, no not with her being pregnant.

"Are you satisfied? Are you happy now?" One of the females, looking at her hair and her body, she was most likely a mother, suddenly stop crying and was now yelling at the group of men in front of her, particularly at one of the man that was still chugging cups of alcohol. Even from this distance, So could recognize that mask on the man's face. Full of regrets, devastation and pain. The face he had seen in himself so often during those years on the throne.

"I told you. I told you to not trust them. I told you that to agree into committing a sin will not help us. Our Min Gu. Before you agreed to be the ones to throw stones, they took our son. Our young son as a hostage, and what did negotiations do? Our child will be safe as long as you throw stones today? You coward! Now our Min Gu, our Min Gu are in the hands of those thugs? What must they be doing to him? To your niece? To all the other children that was taken? You have made me a criminal, I am now a mother who had harmed a child. No, I just harmed someone, robbed off their pride of one of the only royals that actually came out of their palace to help. I know that it was his wife, his wife who had been sending doctors to attend to all of us. Now I have hurt her husband that too in front of her eyes, what for a couple silver? Is money more important than our son?"

The words of this woman, Min Gu's mother was so surprising, so unexpected that he could not left but take a step back in disbelief. It was not because of him. He was no longer a cursed being hated by everyone. This mother had looked at him and saw him worthy. These people were forced to do what they had done. Not for money but for the sake of their children held as hostage. He understood their reasons. He could understand these people. In front of him, following what this one mother had shouted, now the other mothers or fathers start to shout at the others. All the voices asking was it worth it to get money to harm a prince if they do not know when they will see their children again?

He felt his hand being squeezed and turn a little to see that Soo was now resting her head on his shoulder, always trying to comfort him. He release his hand from hers, now pulls her closer to him by her waist. He knew that this scene in front of him was reminding Soo of Seol, just as it was reminding him of her. Of all those missed chances, all the time that he could only be her father in secrecy. Soo and him were the ones that knew that nothing was worth it, if they were going to lose their heart and their child due to greed.

"Min Gu's father, Min Gu's father." another man dressed similar to the others in cotton hanbok rushes towards the group. It seems like he had news based on what he could see of his actions. But the fact that the man had signs of tears on his face, was actually still crying, meant that it was devastating news. "They….the 4th prince,,,,had not withdrawn from the ritual...nor disappeared from Songak….so the letter says...that our kids will be kept till the time the 4th prince does what they want….also they are not granting care or affection…...if you don't want to be send corpses of your children….you are to be ready for the ritual in two days…" The moment the man finish talking, the crowd of parents were once again in despair now.

"If you promise to not harm the 4th prince anymore, we can help to get your children back." Soo. Her eyes full of hidden tears were looking at him, and he had no intention of denying her what he was already going to do. Parents who loved their children, they did not deserve to be caught in the middle of the scheming of royals when they only wished to live a simple life. The crowd in the tavern was now looking around for the owner of the voice. With a nod and a small kiss on his beloved Soo's lips, he steps out of the shadow, right behind Soo who had stepped out first. To reveal themselves to the group of devastated parents.