[Using the powerful clans’ oppression as an excuse, Chi sent his two sisters to married off to Ju. Understanding Ju’s duty as a king, Seol agreed to let Hwangbo sisters married to him. Hwangbo Su who had always admired Seol, was taught by her with politics and decide to share their dream; the prosper the country with peace and no war.]

“…what?”

Chi remained his victorious smile. He then further told the king it was the only way to prevent the clashes of different clans. With gaining more supports from Hwangbo, the king will have more strength to bend the clans on his will.

“besides, without our support…who will protect the throne? Who will protect you?” Chi inquired as he raised his eyebrows.

Jung really wished he could behead this cursed child of his eighth brother but Baek-Ah managed to calm him. Cheon Chu-Jeon glared daggers at Chi as A-Ran did the same. Eighth prince’s son stood up and politely dismissed himself. He was about to leave until the door burst opened as queen Hunui Yoo Seol entered, much to his surprise. Everybody were tense at Seol and Chi’s silent presence. When she looked at Chi, she then spoke.

“You…” She pointed at him.

Princesses knew Seol’s tigress-like temper as much as Ju, Jung, Baek-Ah and Chu-Jeon was aware of.

“Get. Out.” Seol pronounced the word with icy tone.

Regained his composure and managed to hide the stricken expression, Chi bowed briefly then left the king’s chamber, followed by his wife Moon-Duk who could only gave her remorseful look. Seol approached to her family then.

“I’ve heard about the proposal from the official of Hwangju.”

Ju didn’t speak for a while. Sensing the anxiety, Seol sighed and gave them all her comforting smile as she sat beside her king.

“Your majesty,” Seol spoke with soothing voice, “please accept it.”

Ju frowned at her. Jung and Baek-Ah only looked down in guilt for they were unable to protect the two further. A-Ran’s eyes grew watery.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll always stay with you.”

Gyeongjong bit his lips. Seol slowly embraced him, letting her arms around his head. She gently patted his back with comfort.

“I’m very sorry, Ju…I couldn’t be strong enough to protect you.”

A-Ran silently cried in her husband’s arms. Jung and Baek-Ah only looked away in shame. The room was filled with tears and comfort as they were all looking at the grief-stricken king and his queen took in their arms for peace.

It’s been two days since the marriage between Ju and Hwangbo sisters. Two. Both Hwangbo Su and Hwangbo Seol. Everytime queen Hunui look at them, their eyes were filled with fear and anxiety. Chi was using them no doubt. Seol squeezed her fists as she think of their brother but regained her composure as she heard the announcement of two new queen’s arrival. She let them in and Hwangbo sisters bowed to her. Su was wearing a simple yet beautiful green and pink hanbok as her younger sister was wearing light purple and white ones. Even though Su was around Seol’s age, the youngest Hwangbo was still sixteen for heaven’s sake! Poor Hwangbo Seol was quivering out of fear towards the life of palace and its cruelty. With welcoming smile, Seol gestured them to sit down.

“It’s been a while, girls.”

They both merely nodded their head. In their eyes, Seol was more beautiful than the time she was wedded to Ju. In the sisters’ eyes, she was the graceful Snow Queen, or a Moon Goddess. For many years, they have admired the second queen for her rare willpower and her maternal love for her country. And they couldn’t bring themselves to compare with her. Su looked up with forlorn expression.

“Your majesty…”

“Enough with formality, Su. Just call me by my name when no one’s looking.” Seol smiled.

“…Seol…we’re scared,” Su continued, “my sister’s barely reached to seventeen and we don’t know about anything in palace…”

Seol was saddened at their distress. She could see that they were forced to become the queen against their will. Then as if she had an idea, Seol perked up with grin.

“If you don’t mind…then perhaps I could tell you or teach you about them.”

Hwangbo sisters looked up, hopeful.

“R—really?” Hwangbo Seol, Queen Hunjung asked with hopeful smile.

Seol nodded her head, promising.

“We may be queens, but you girls are always my sisters.”

“Thank you…,” Hwangbo Su, Queen Hunae muttered, “thank you so much.”

Even if Chi was planning on to harm them, Seol swore to protect her dear friends and help them how to defend themselves.

Another day passed and Seol was in Damiwon. She was making the cosmetics for the princesses until she heard the man calling out. She looked up and saw Wang Chi stood, bowed stiffly at her. Her smile transformed into a poised yet disdainful look as she stood up. When he was here, it meant his sisters were waiting for her. Even though she was looking forward to spend her time with her friends she kept her serene yet cold expression as she walked pass the Hwangju family. Her nose were up high, looking down at them with grace as she was either ignoring or unaware of Chi’s pained expression. She went outside and saw Hwangbo Su who was waiting anticipated. She also saw the man beside her.

“Su.”

Queen Hunae turned and her expression were brightened. Seol asked who’s the man behind her and Su introduced the stranger.

“He is Hwangju’s distant relative, Kim Chi-Yang, from Dongju.”

The man smiled as he bowed to the queen. Seol greeted him back and inspected the man. He was young, around their age or older. Judging by his clothes and hair, he was nobleman. His facial expression was genuinely polite and gentlemanly but Seol couldn’t help feel uneasy for Su.

“Let’s go to the tower bridge first, the sunrise is beautiful today.”

Su nodded her head and bid her goodbye to Chi-Yang who only smiled back with kindness and somewhat…intimate sense of emotion. Seol squinted her eyebrows but looked away as she led the way up to the palace.

Ju, Cheon Chu-Jeon, A-Ji, Jung, Baek-Ah and the princesses were watching two queens walking together at the tower bridge where they could see the view outside the palace. King Gyeongjong smiled as he saw both Seol and Su interacting as sisters. Two queens stopped as they were watching the sunrise as the light touched the grand surface, which it intrigued Su.

“Look afar, Su,” Seol began as she pointed at the ray of sunlight, “everything the sunlight reaches, is our home, our kingdom.”

Su could see the beautiful golden sunrise greets the sky as she could see the people aimlessly walking along with their family. The merchants were selling goods, children walking around, followed by their parents. The trees’ leaves were dancing alongside by the wind and flowers woken up by the kiss of sunlight and the water drop touched its petals. The third queen couldn’t help but glanced at them with awe.

“Like our great ruler Taejo, the kings’ and queens’ time as the parents rise and fall like the sun and the moon. One day, this sun and the moon will set our time and who knows, the new sun will rise with your son as the new king.” Seol smiled.

“Our home…,” Su mused with fascination, “we are the country’s mothers?”

“Yes…we are.” Queen Hunui replied with radiant grin.

Then they were going to their favorite lake Dongji. Su stopped as she saw the stone tower made by Ju for Seol’s mother Hae Soo. Both of them landed their stone above and gave it a brief prayer as they walked around.

“Everything we touch, see and hear has its delicate balance.” Seol explained.

“Oh, like Yin and Yang?” Hwangbo Su asked.

“Yes, as a mother of country we need to remember this. Our land was began with the land gods that guarded us. Granted us from grains to farming animals. Here, long ago whenever there was a war, we don’t bring gold along with us.”

“Then what did our ancestors got?” Su asked.

“They fetched their remained grains and rices. They needed the land to crop, raise their foods to survive and without them, the gold’s meaningless. As the time pass, we also need animals to farm and raise our food sources, thus we must respect our nation and people. But there are so many foreign lands that were after our kingdom. There are so many greedy men who wanted to own the most valuable lands and their greed, avarice, destroy all.”

“Khitan is still after Goryeo so we need more defenders to protect, right?”

“Correct. That’s why we have kings who could protect the lands from the ones who tried to dominate and corrupt. We need kings and queens like us to help our nation to balance this cycle of life. War will create the tragedy as much as the land need to protect from our enemies. Peace is the central association with the balance.”  

“King is the sun, the Yang, and Queen is the moon, the Yin.” 

“This is the balance of life.”

Seol and Su glanced at the beautiful lake where the lilies and leaves were waltzing around. The water reflects the gold of sunshine as the tree surrounds the mirror of the heaven. Hwangbo glanced at Seol whose expression was serene and delicate. She now realized why she was born with the star of the queen. Hwangbo Su wasn’t born with such but Ji-Mong once assured her she did have the dignity of becoming a queen. Her best friend Seol indicated once that if something might happen to her, it will be up to Su in order to protect their home.

Note:

New chapter and character came up!

Kim Chi-Yang: He is young governor and nobleman from Hwangbo’s distant relation. His household was Dongju. He was well-known for his intelligence and cunningness, became Iron Empress’s lover.

Chi-Yang will appear in my upcoming fanfic/sequels of "Snow White": "Game of Nations" triology.