Courtroom

The court was back in session. The celebrations had decreased, now it was time to run the country once again. The succession battle have become more complicated due to the rain ritual. The prince that gained the heaven's favor was the most despised prince, not to mention uncontrollable by many of the court ministers. It will be to their benefit if the court ministers could form an alliance with the 4th prince, but their pride will not allow them.

He was still the cursed prince, so what if he had shown his bare face in public at the rain ritual, it did not make any difference that he was still the wolf-dog. As the court official wait for the king and the crown prince to arrive, all they could think of was a way to improve the standing of the prince that they truly support, whether it was the Crown Prince, 3rd prince or for some the 8th prince.

Damiwon

The Damiwon was once again open to all, and all the ladies were busy. The royal ladies, concubines and queens who did not have a proper bath or tea in a long while were flocking over to Damiwon. It was in this crowded palace full of ladies, that the females in the palace first saw the blessed 4th prince out with his family.

The 4th prince was dressed in silver hanbok with lilac flowers, his hair rather than in a sangtu, was in a ponytail held together by a light purple ribbon. His face, which many had wished to see without a mask, was once again covered by a mask. A black mask with silver accents. Why was his face once again covered? The prince did not need the mask if his flawless skin that they had seen at the rain ritual was his true face.

His wife, Lady Hae Soo was dressed in similar colours as her husband. On top of silver long-sleeved full length hanbok, she had on a plum half-sleeved hanbok with silver stitches, all held together by a belt, the same ribbon as the one in her husband's hair at her waist. Her hair rather than being all put up was in a half updo of an elaborate bun with her hair left unbound at the bottom. She was wearing long silver earrings, and in her hair, she had a butterfly shaped plum hair pin at the back of her bun.

These two were expected, so the ladies just briefly glance at them, all of their attention shifts to the person that they all want to see. The one that many of them heard just this morning, right before the morning assembly starts. The toddler that was now a ward of the 4th prince and his wife. This prince had once again adopted someone into his family. Last time it was a young orphaned lady as his sister, now it was a toddler that was like his unofficial child, though the child only had his protection and name, but no claim to the royal family. That child was right in between the royal couple, holding onto the hand of lady in one, the prince's hand in one.

She was a small girl. Dressed in a pair of light and dark purple hanbok with the same ribbon that the royals, who were officially her guardians wore. Her hair was bound lightly with a braided band that start along her ears. But the one thing that everyone notice about that child more than everything else was the mask. The fabric mask that was silvery white with butterflies and peonies etched onto the fabric where the child's cheeks were. Immediately, the ladies concluded that the child while she was lovely, and from what they could see had wide, innocent eyes, she was scarred.

Another imperfection. And a girl that was not perfect was not likely to have a good future at all. It was just as well that she was taken in. That too by another person that bore a mask. The few palace maids who thought that they may gain favor by being favored by a new member of the royal family just let their expectations die. This child who hid her face was not likely to help them at all. Thus none of the maids approach this three individuals just silently bowing or nodding in greetings, as the three walk pass the various ladies to make their way to the gardens of Damiwon.

Hae Soo

She could not stop smiling even if she tried. Just like the day she had married the 4th prince, she could not stop the happiness. They were in the gardens of Damiwon, sitting together around a table eating cookies while drinking tea with her husband and her daughter. She did not like the masks covering their faces at all, not when they did not need it but that was just a tiny detail. The fact that they were here was enough for her.

Looking at the two, when they took a sip of their tea, she could not stop the laughter. They were both making the same face at the lemon tea. The slight sourness was just what they like and their eyes dance, and their body slightly relax. It was subtle and no one else was likely to notice but it was still there.

"Soo-ya, what happened? What's so funny?" Looking at the confused face of the 4th prince, all she could do was shake her head while shaking off her laughter as she takes a spoon of Patingsu in front of her. Maybe the coldness will stop the laughter from escaping .

"It's nothing. Seol-ah, what sweets do you like?" She was curious to know everything about her. Her likes and dislikes, her unique tastes. She knew about her life in another time, but now she will give her daughter a new life. Just full of love. And if she ever meet that man that had betrayed her daughter, well nothing will stop her from giving him the beating of his life, and she had no doubt that her prince will do the same. But that was another little detail. As Seol starts to list her favorites and dislikes, she just smiles and mentally take note of all of them.

Wang So

All the suffering, all the pain was nothing when he look at the scene in front of him. His one and only queen Hae Soo holdings hands with his dearest daughter Seol. He was walking a little behind them as they made their way to Cheondokjeon.

The king had requested an audience with them for a meal tonight. He did not know who was invited to this sudden meal but he knew that there will be plenty of ways to keep the attention off Seol, especially from his mother or the Hwangbos. He did not need anyone to know the truth of her heritage. Even if he did not like it, that fabric mask on his daughter's face successfully disguised her features that were so similar to Soo. Her eyes were the only thing similar, but he knew that the presence of a mask meant that hardly anyone will look at your face, rather they will shift away from you.

Hearing the laughter as the mother and daughter point out different things like a flower, a bird or even a cloud in the sky, he was just full of joy that he had been able to give happiness to the most important people for his soul. Not like before when all of this was robbed off because of so many things that all connected to that seat of power and human greed. Thinking of that past world, he could not stop his anger from rising once again, and was thankful that no one will be able to see his face, and the mask that he wore so that Seol will not be uncomfortable being the only one that was hiding their face, will also help to mask it.

That poor excuse of man, whom he had entrusted his precious Seol to, and allowed him to marry her. Last night, as a sleepy Seol silently confess to how exactly she ended up in this world, it was all he could do from hunting down that man's family and killing them with his own hands. That family had killed his grandchildren in secret and those boys that he had sent gifts for were not related to him at all. Not to mention sleeping around on his princess, having hidden mistresses from most likely the beginning of their marriage. He knew enough about men to know that those second and third wives must have been already pregnant when that boy had married them.

Of course his Seol had the good nature of her mother, and could not see the obvious signs of betrayal like he could. Perhaps it was unfair but when he encounters a member from that clan again in this world, they have already gained a silent foe and he will keep them in check. Wol Sung Kims. They will never know just what crimes they have done for him to oppose them.

"Hwangjanim!" At Seol's voice, he look ahead and sees that he is now really behind them, and there is Seol waving her arm at him, silently telling him to hurry up. He could not help the smile on his face, and forgetting about those thoughts of hatred as once again love filled his body. As he start to walk faster to where his precious treasures were, his eyes caught the sight on the bracelet on his princess's arm. The matching bracelets that Seol had given to them last night.

With blushing cheeks and obvious embarrassment as she had handed the silk pouch to them, then looking at them with a nervous look in her eyes as Soo had opened the pouch and both of them saw the three leather bracelets inside. She was truly adorable and more beautiful than anything in this cruel world. He could feel the slight weight on his left hand, where his leather band was tied. Just the same spot that Soo and Seol also had theirs. Tied there by his princess, and where Soo and him have tied to her wrist together. It was something that bond them together as a family, even if they could not call themselves a blood-related family. Him, a scarred man with a beautiful wife and an adorable daughter, and soon in about five months or so, joined by another two children. A family that he had finally gained, and the family that he will protect with his entire being.