Previously....

(Soondeok points at the ground and to the couple’s surprise, they see another set of footprints all over the snow. Eun quickly lets Soondeok stands on the floor and pulls her behind him as if some danger would jump out at them any minute.)

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‘O…Oppa…’

‘I don’t remember this when we walked this way earlier today…’

(Eun stares at the strange footprints on the snow)

‘Oppa, I think someone’s hurt!’

(Soondeok bends down to study the footprints)

‘Oppa, we have to find this person! This person’s dragging himself! I know, Oppa, I’ve seen these many times! Oppa, soldiers leaving trails like this would die sooner or later!’

(Soondeok wants to follow the trail but Eun pulls her back at once.)

‘Honey, what do you think you’re doing?’

‘Someone needs our help, Oppa! This person could be wounded or something!!’

‘What if it’s not?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Deok ah, what if it’s a bandit? Or a thief? If you follow this person, he could kill you!’

‘But what if it’s an old man or a lady who needs our help?’

‘Balance of probability, honey. It’s too risky, I won’t allow you. Just think about what happened back at the river!’

‘So you’re saying that I should just watch people die?’

‘Deok ah, don’t jump to conclusion, we’re not even sure if this trail of footprints belongs to a person or not! And- Ya! Soondeok ah! Get back here! What’s wrong with you today?’

(Soondeok wouldn’t listen to her husband, from her experience, this is definitely a call for help – she can feel it. She follows the footprints deep into the woods, the footprints start to get more and more vague.)

‘This person’s dragging himself real bad…he’s really hurt…’

‘Deok ah, it’ll be dark soon, let’s get back.’

‘Any minute now, from this footprint, he’s about to collapse…’

(Sure enough, just behind the bush several feet away from where the couple’s standing, they see an old lady lying there, unconscious.)

‘Oppa! Look! Over there!’

(Soondeok runs over and feels for the pulse.)

‘Oppa! She’s still alive!! Can you hear me ma’am? Can you open your eyes for me ma’am?’

(No response.)

‘Oppa, her pulse is weak and her breathing is shallow, she could die any minute if she’s left out here in the cold. We need to bring her back.’

‘Bring her back? To where?’

‘To our place of course!’

(Soondeok takes off her coat and puts it on the old lady. Eun halts his wife.)

‘Honey, now wait a minute. Think about this, why would an old lady as frail as the one here be out here in the middle of nowhere?’

‘How am I supposed to know? It’s strange isn’t it?’

‘Exactly! That means someone could be after her! If we bring her back, who knows what’ll happen to us! Or maybe she’s got this contagious disease!’

‘I can’t let this poor old woman die here either, Oppa! Oppa, she too is someone’s family, someone’s mother or grandmother! If I’m the person here, would you save me?’

‘It’s…it’s different, Deok ah…’

(Soondeok wastes no time. She squats on the floor and signals Eun to help.)

‘Oppa, help her get on my back.’

‘What?’

‘I’ll carry her back.’

‘Deok ah!’

‘I can do it, Oppa! We don’t have time! Help her get on my back then you should run back to our place as fast as possible, send for a doctor immediately!’

‘But what if this old lady is-’

‘JUST DO IT OPPA!’

‘A…alright…’

(Soondeok gets back on her feet with the lady on her back.)

‘Oppa, I trust in you.’

‘You sure you’ll be fine?’

‘I’m sure. I promise.’

(Eun kisses Soondeok gently on her cheek)

‘Be careful, okay?’

‘I will. Go now. Hurry up, Oppa.’

(Eun nods then runs back as fast as he could, while Soondeok slowly carries the frail person back step by step.)

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‘How’s she?’

‘Her condition is stable now…I suppose…her pulse is getting stronger. I think she’ll make it. The doctor thinks she will…’

‘Deok ah, I still don’t feel right about this…I’ll have to go out.’

‘Where to, Oppa?’

‘To the market…I need to make sure she’s not someone on the wanted poster…I feel uneasy, that’s all.’

‘Oppa…’

‘I’ll be right back, don’t worry honey, the butler will take care of you. I don’t know about the other people working here, but the butler is definitely someone we can trust.’

‘Thanks. Be back soon.’

‘I will. Stay safe, Deok ah.’

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Soondeok’s diary

We found an old lady on the way back, it’s lucky that we’ve found her. If she had been left out there for a moment longer, I’m afraid she would be gone by now. Oh I hope she’ll be alright. Eun’s feeling uneasy about it, and maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m doing something crazy, maybe I’m actually doing something dangerous, but I’ve got to do what I’ve done, I can’t let a soul, a poor soul go like this. If there’s any way I can help her, then I will. I just hope she can wake up soon, the doctor said if she can’t wake up within 3 days, it’ll be impossible to wake her up afterwards. I can’t help but think about my own grandmother, and the prince’s. I’ve never met mine, both of my grandmothers passed away long before I was born. And Eun’s? I don’t know, I’ve never heard him mentioning her. Maybe he’s never met her as well. Oh, I think he’s back.

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‘Deok ah, I’m back.’

‘Oppa! Found anything?’

(Eun shakes his head, Soondeok sighs)

‘Thank goodness…’

‘Soondeok ah, we can get the maids to take care of her tonight, it’s getting late, you should sleep.’

‘No, Oppa, I’ll take care of her. I can’t entrust her to someone else…’

‘But honey.’

‘Besides, I…I’ve never got a chance to meet, let alone take care of my own grandmother…so…’

(Eun sighs after thinking quietly for a long time then pats her on the shoulder)

‘I understand. I support you, Deok ah. We’ll take turn sleeping tonight. You sleep first, I’ll take care of her.’

‘You sure you’ll be fine with that?’

‘Of course! Ya, I was the one who took care of you when you were sick, remember?’

‘I suppose you’re right…’

(Both of them looks at their unexpected guest)

‘Oppa, what’s your grandmother like?’

‘Why ask?’

‘Both of my grandmothers died before I was born…daddy never mentioned his mother and mum…well…I never got a chance to hear her stories of her own mother…’

‘Pretty much the same case for me. Father’s mother passed away way before father founded Goryeo. As for mother’s…well…all I know is that she was forced to marry my grandfather, she was his 5^th wife or something…that’s all I know.’

‘Oh…’

(Silence)

‘Deok ah, go to bed now, hm?’

(Soondeok nods obediently)

‘Good night, Oppa.’

(Soondeok gives Eun her goodnight kiss then goes to bed)

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(Eun gives Soondeok a hug from the back)

‘Good morning sweetie.’

‘Oppa, you’re awake?’

‘Yes…you can sleep now, I’ll take care of her.’

‘I’m fine, Oppa, it’s morning already, what’s the point of sleeping now?’

‘But honey…’

(Soondeok kisses his cheek)

‘Oppa, her clothes are over there. I helped her change into something warmer, would you mind folding those up for me?’

(Eun holds up the clothes from the other end of the bed)

‘D…Deok ah, you can barely call these clothes, they’re practically rags, they’re too worn out. What’s the point in folding these? Why don’t we just throw them away?’

‘Oppa, the clothes belong to the lady, we can’t do to it as we please.’

‘Fine…Oh? What’s this?’

(An envelope drops as Eun shakes a top out to fold them up)

‘Deok ah, is this yours?’

‘Hm? What’s mine?’

(Eun hands the envelope over to her)

‘This. It has your father’s name on it. See? “To Grand General Park” it reads.’

(Soondeok takes the envelope and reads it carefully)

‘Oppa!’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I have to go find dad.’

‘But honey-’

‘This cannot wait! Oppa, don’t let anyone know she’s here, okay?’

‘Honey-’

‘I’ll go and get ready now.’

(Without another word, Soondeok runs outside to prepare for her sudden trip)

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‘Oppa, make sure she stays warm, and the moment she wakes up, be sure to calm her down, tell her she’s in safe hands.’

(Soondeok said as she hurriedly gets changed, Eun grabs her wrist)

‘Honey, you need to stop for a moment and think this over. What do you think you’re doing?’

‘I need to bring this letter to my dad! It’s urgent!’

‘Then I’ll come with you.’

‘Oppa, I told you! I can’t entrust her to anyone here except to you! You’re the only one I can trust right now, Oppa.’

‘I can’t just let you travel all by yourself! It’s not just a day’s trip, honey, it’s 3-days’ trip! It’s too dangerous for you to go alone!’

‘Oppa, I’ll be fine, really! I’ve been on longer trips alone before.’

(Eun won’t let go of his wife, he starts to tear up.)

‘What if…what if something happens to you? What if…what if someone hurts you? What if…what if…Deok ah…let us go together…’

(Soondeok looks at her husband, she understands how he feels, she touches his hand)

‘I’ll be back, I promise.’

(Eun keeps his head low, tears falling down his cheeks)

‘Soondeok ah…’

(Soondeok wipes those tears away)

‘Oppa, listen to me. She could be someone who works for my dad outside the country, and the only possible reason she’s coming back to Goryeo is to bring him some news, very important news. Oppa, this could mean a plot against the king, against the country, start of a war…or much worse. People, could die if I don’t let daddy know about this sooner.’

‘Deok ah…’

‘Oppa, it’s not easy for me to leave you as well…but I’ll be back, I promise. When have I ever not come back, hm?’

(Eun smiles a bit)

‘I really wanted to lock you up now, Deok ah, you know that? But…I suppose you won’t be happy if I did that so…I know I should act my age, I know I should support you whatever you want to do but…this is so hard for me, honey. I know you want me to let you go to your dad, supporting you like I always did…yet this time…it’s really difficult for me to do so…I…I don’t want to lose you, Soondeok ah…Really…I…’

(Eun takes a deep breath)

‘Since you keep insisting, I’ll let you. I’ll pray for you, Deok ah…every second of the day. I suppose that’s what you’d like to hear from me, right?’

(Soondeok smiles, her husband really has grown up a lot.)

‘There there, Oppa, don’t cry…I really have to go now…aigoo…’

(Eun embraces Soondeok tightly, not wanting to let her go like a little kid)

‘Soondeok ah, promise me you’ll be back soon. Promise me.’

‘I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can. You’ll be good when I’m away, right?’

(Eun nods slightly)

‘Good boy.’

(Soondeok looks into Eun’s watery eyes then grins again)

‘Your Highness, I have something to give you, please keep it safe till I come back.’

(Eun sniffs hard and wipes his own tears away with his sleeves)

‘S-sure…what is it?’

‘You have to give it back when I return, okay?’

‘Alright, but what-’

(Soondeok kisses Eun on the lips, his eyes widened from this surprise, he stares at his wife then slowly closes his eyes. Eun responds this farewell kiss extra passionately today, it could be their last, who knows? At last, their lips part.)

‘Be sure to return it, Oppa.’

‘I’ll return it for sure Deok ah, double, no triple!’

(Soondeok touches Eun’s cheek as she bids farewell with her eyes)

‘I love you, Your Highness.’

‘I love you too, Deok ah, my dear wife…so very very much.’

(Soondeok pats him on his then walks out of the room)

‘Bye honey! I’ll be back soon!’

‘Stay safe Deok ah!’

(Eun keeps smiling as he sees her off, the moment she vanishes out of sight, his smile disappears. With heavy footsteps, he returns to their room, holding back his tears.)