The King's day was never a peaceful one. Listening to the ministers arguing and debating with each other about politics, governance issues and possible threats from other smaller nations around Goryeo, reading the up-to-date literacy books, practicing archery, being complained about having a wife by his mother; the Queen Dowager, having to sit through his brothers' antics; the list goes on and on. Not to mention the prying eyes of the ever loyal eunuchs who follow his every move like his own shadows. To say he suffocated in their presence is an understatement.

But he knew this was bound to happen once he ascended the throne. He knew the price of being a king and, as he liked to imagine, he accepted it with such grace. Even his mother thought so too. Although, he cannot say the say about his late father. His late father was a great King. A King loved and hated by many. Sure, like many great kings, he ruled the land with unquestionable wisdom and witty tactics, in which most of the solutions to problems Goryeo faced between divided nations were wars. During his late father's reign, Goryeo expanded in masses. Lands conquered, generals and soldiers were all well respected and the people of Goryeo lived harmoniously. Well, the rich people of Goryeo lived their lives well. The poor became even poorer, what with the rich dominating farming lands and business operations in the country. Basically, the formula of the socioeconomic status in Goryeo is simple; when a man becomes wealthier, another man becomes homeless. The unjust economic oppressions pressured the vagabonds and thieves to rebel against the monarchy. Of course, the late King handled the situation before the news spread to outside the country.

The current King of Goryeo remembered, the day his father took care of the situation was the day he first saw bloodshed in front of his eyes. He saw the grim on his father's face, the way his father clenched his fists so tight, his knuckles became white when he gave the orders to the generals to execute the rebels. The King was never really close to his father, but he knew, no matter how cold-blooded his father was, that was his way of protecting his divinity.

Strike the enemies first before they strike you. How? Leave no room for useless sympathy.

He never understood what the words meant back then. He could hardly say that he did now, but he liked to think he quite got the idea of it. In one of the books he had revised a few days after turning 14, there was a line that said, "...a lion became king not because of concern and good relationships among the other subjects of the jungle, he became king because of his selfishness to survive...".

He remembered the feeling he felt after letting the words sank in to his being. He read the line over and over again, making sure to understand whatever message or meaning the writer wanted to convey. Every time his eyes scanned the lines, his father's words rang in the back of his mind. Leave no room for useless sympathy.

The young King of Goryeo shook his head. Lately, his mind was clouded with so many things. His past, present problems and the future. Sure, the king was a very realistic person. He calculated his steps well and thoroughly. But, more often than not, he always felt like he was walking on thin ice. Anything, anything that he did was for the sake of the people and his divinity. What the people wished for, he gave. He would've grabbed the stars if they wanted to. Because he had observed his father's style of ruling, he knew and learnt. Through observations and eavesdrops sessions that almost caught him red-handed. 

His father may be merciless in guarding his throne and divinity, but he has a different means to meet the ends. Brutality isn't in his blood although he was birthed from the joining of his mother and father. A wise, strong, decisive king he will be, and he is now. The people of Goryeo were shocked and stunned but they applauded at his new reign. He will create history and Goryeo will be blessed forever more. 

But right now, he wished that he could rest his mind.

He thought not that he minded the debates between the ministers, he didn't find the long hours of reading official letters and books torturous (reading is his favourite pastime) and surely being around his brothers and mother kept his sanity in check, he tried to dismiss the restless questions of his non-existing wife, but the one thing that he found to be so irritating to the point of angering him was the mistrust of the few people of Goryeo on his credibility as a divine king. All his life, ever since he was a small child with a mind of sparing wooden swords with his brothers and a heart of only wanting to have friends, he was told that he will be king. "A great king do not make friends. A great king makes alliances, knows his enemies better than the enemies know themselves and rule the land with power and divinity." He has heard it so many times that they didn't even need to say it for him to know that they wanted to. They, his family and the royal courts had so much faith in him on becoming a great king but why do the people still plot ways to assisinate him. He was so annoyed by the lack of security of his people on his divinity and capability as king.

He knew that there will be a group of people who would disagree with his rulings but the very reason why Goryeo and its king were still facing threats was solely because the people of Goryeo itself. Goryeo didn't have any international affairs and dispute with other nations. Its internal affairs made Goryeo appear weaker each day. That sickened him. Had he not given them enough? Was the peace and secure land of Goryeo that made it safe for their children to go out and play not enough? Was the economic system shift in the country that holds no favour to only a certain group of people not beneficial to the majority? Was the wealth and endless resources of the country did not make their lives any easier? Oh only the Gods up in Heaven knew how he tried to secure a peaceful land for his people. How he wished for them to trust him to lead this prosperious country.

And also he wished for his mother to stop nagging him about having a wife. Divinity is what he seeks for the most, so with that mentality, he didn’t save a room for romanticism.

Also because he was a competitive child, growing up he wanted to be perfect. Anything lesser is deemed unworthy. Anything more than perfection... oh well; that is godliness. And it was this standard that he strived to achieve every single day—nothing lesser, maybe a little more but just right. Just the right kind of perfection.

And in his world, that perfection is divinity; something that he would never ever compromise. Any form of distraction that led him astray from that path towards his righteous divinity would be destroyed by him without hesitation. He’s a man of determination and quick thinking. Call him apathetic or heartless, but until his goals and dreams are in his hands, he rests not.

And so, a woman, or his mother likes to say; wife, would be nothing more than a mere useless unwanted distraction.

“Your Majesty,” the ringing voice of his highest ranking minister shook the king out of his reverie.

“There are words of mouths circling around that the royal family of Hubaekje wanted to break free from your reign. Even the generals and soldiers are talking about it. What are you going to do, Your Majesty?” the minister bowed his head awaiting his King’s reply.

The king sighed. His eyes down casted, his fingers twitched the slightest undetected by eyes, but his soul weary. The Baekje royal family never rested. Freedom they wanted. An independent ruling monarchy they dreamed of. Yet he cannot give them just that. He knew very well the consequences that will follow had he give in into their requests. The king was no fool; he isn’t. And so, with a mind knowing wars may be waged, he ordered the minister whose name was Kim Jeong Ho to remain silent and the fire of the rumours will soon die.

“I hope so too, Your Majesty. The land of Goryeo is blessed. To wage wars between nations at such peaceful times would be depressive,” depressive might not be the accurate adjective but war is one thing the King tried to avoid.

But to attain such greatness and divinity, wars have to be waged and blood has to be shed. This is no fairy tale. This is the real cruel world. Those legends and myths parents tell their children before they go to bed are only just fantasies that people wished had happened. But wishing is very different from reality. How many people go through their lives living inside their heads instead of in the physical vicious world that they are in now? Women wished for better husbands and more jewellery, men wished for fairer tinier girls and more alcohols, young girls daydreamed about tall princes on horses, young men drooled over fantasies while making lewd comments about the ladies they see on the streets and elderly people wishing time wouldn’t fly so fast. Wishful thinking gets no man to where they want to be. Nowhere.

You can say that the king snickered on such mentality, perhaps calling it absurd and utterly idiotic, but, as a subject of the great Goryeo, what could the King know of the life of a commoner. Has the King tasted the bitter life of starvation? Has the king wiped off salty sweat from his forehead after 8 hours of farming trying to earn a few gold and silvers to put food on the table? Has the King ever dressed himself, cook for himself, worry about bandits and tomorrows’ provisions? That’s right, the King always has people around him doing things for him, even combing his hair and making his bed. The King doesn’t need to lift his finger to do a chore, he only orders and he gets what he wants. How could he, the man who owns lands and young men and women, know of the fears and dangers of a mere commoner? How dare he, The King, snickered on the false hopes of commoners? With all due respect, how dare he?

But again, the nature of a man dictates the lifestyle he is in. Born a king, expect a good wealthy life. Born a beggar, expect starvation as a way of life. Beggars can’t be choosers. Kings can’t be weak. Just like the law of the jungle, the weak dies and the strong survives.

The King survives and the commoners die.

The King made his way to his bed chamber, wanting to get a good night sleep, when he sensed the arrival of his second brother, the first crown prince. Born tall and blessed with good looks, the King only towered his younger brother by mere inches, a trait that the first crown prince teased oh so joyously. Already knowing that his younger brother would randomly throw a complain at him, the king sighed a tired sigh, really wanting to retire to the waiting fluffiness and warmth of his majestic king sized bed whom he alone occupied.

“Brother, the moon is full glowing, the night sky is unusually radiant,” His Majesty the King rubbed his temples. Now isn’t the best time for such poetry.

“Young ladies of this blessed nation are waiting, for their King to make them the happiest of maidens,” the first crown prince teased. The said prince has this playful lopsided smirk painted across his porcelain face, which only served to increase the King’s annoyance.

“If you’re done practicing poetry, I’m going to go sleep,” there was an unmistakable agitation in the King’s voice that the prince cannot ignore. As much as he enjoyed teasing his older brother, he knew very well not to get on his bad moods. An angry king terrifies the nation.

Without even waiting for his brother’s reply, the King turned and walked on ahead to his chamber. Without properly dismissing the servants, he stepped inside and immediately took a lunge onto the bed, not even caring to change to more comfortable clothing. The servants knew well enough, after painful lessons, when and where to just bow their heads and let the King do as he pleases.

Over in Hubaekje, the King paced the floor restlessly. He wanted to own the whole land of Goryeo. He wanted power and divinity. He wanted the gold and the women. He wanted the respect and unquestionable authority that comes with it. He chuckled. Compared to the reigning King of Goryeo, the King of Hubaekje is much more experienced. He has become king for over 15 years. Compared to that young King of Goryeo, he's the master and the "immature" king is a mere disciple. 

But the monarchy has been going strong for centuries now. To overthrow the King means to end a great dynasty. When a great dynasty ends, there will be trouble and that trouble lingers on, clawing through spaces between walls, creeping in the shadows where the light does not reach. So he would have to be cautious and heedful. Every step that he makes may serve him well or bring him hell. There's no in between. But the King of Hubaekje knows this. He didn't become king and maintained his position for one and a half decade by mere luck or compassion for people. He protected his throne, his gold and his status by wielding fear in his people's hearts. He's experienced and played his games well. So if the King of Goryeo wants to break down his armor, he'll accept the challenge. And for someone who doesn't like to lose, he'll make sure he will win.

A/N:

So this is my first fanfiction after so many years of being inactive. This story is 100% fictional and not based on any historical events so please do not fret on the inaccuracy of the kings', queens', and generals' names in this story. I haven't been writing and as I was writing this chapter, I realized how rusty it has gotten. 

I really enjoy periodical dramas and movies. I read periodical Mangas, storybooks, novels etc. I guess I treat it as one of my many getaways from the real world. Funny, I know but it is fascinating, to me at least, to ponder how people of olden times live their lives with minimal technology and in such a concentrated political shift. Especially in Korea, I did a few researches, and to be honest I was really confused reading their history. So many Kings and so many events. To the students studying for Korean history, do not lose hope and keep fighting through. There will be lessons learned when you're reading histories, you just got to find one. 

As for the cast, I have always loved Park Hae Jin. I loved him since My Daughter, Seo Young, loved him even more in Cheese in Trap. As for Kim Ji Won, I was curious about her when I watched The Heirs and absolutely find her to be a great actress in Descendants of the Sun.

I knew straight away that I want Park Hae Jin as the King. As for the Queen, who is yet to be introduced, I found it hard to choose. Not because I had so many choices, but because I have a specific idea on how she looks and behaves like. I spent days going through the list of South Korean actresses, and I even considered Japanese and Chinese actresses. It is only when I watched scenes of Kim Ji Won and Jin Gu in Descendants of The Sun again (for the third or fourth time I cannot recall) that I made my decision. 

I knew I wanted Nam Joon Hyuk in this story, after watching Weightlifting Fairy and I decided on some creative character development for his role in this story as the first crown prince. It'll be interesting and I hope, when I do get to write his character a bit more in-depth, you'll enjoy it as much as I will.

I'm hoping to any of you who's reading this story will be interested in this story through and through. It'll be heavy with drama and slice of life (I really do not know what other terms I should use) and I do hope to add a few good icing of romance on the cake. So hopefully, as I will be continuing writing this story, my writing skills won't be so bad so that whatever I picture and idealizes in my mind can be translated into words that you can read and enjoy.

Have a great day!

(BTW I'm craving for some tasty wang mandu and bungeobbang!!!)