A few minutes later, Wang So found himself looking through his brother’s drawing while the artist waxed poetic about the love of his life. Baek Ah was such a good artist; So was rather jealous of his talent. Underneath his hand the world was recreated on paper and So looked at drawings of dancing girls, old women hanging their laundry, farmers working in their fields. A rabbit ran across a road on one page while an owl sat in a tree on another.

He turned a page and there was a girl in a flower garden. Baek Ah must have been watching him because he broke off his narrative.

“There she is. My Myung Hee. Isn’t she beautiful?”

So looked at her with a critical eye, wanting to know what it was about this girl that would make his brother want to risk throwing his life away to have her, but while he could admit that she was pretty, it was no more so than plenty of other women he’d seen at the palace.

“She is pretty, but…” he started, but his brother reached over and turned the page.

“Look at her here.” Baek Ah said, and So saw the same girl in an absolute fury. Hands on her hips, there was so much more animation on her face. More than that, she beginning to look a little familiar to So.

“She’s beautiful when she’s angry.” The lovesick artist sighed, but So was already turning the page. There she was again, but more to his interest was the person she was with. The two girls were laughing, and the expression on the younger one’s face was so familiar, it brought a surge of memory back to him.

“This is…”

“Hae Soo, her sister.” There was a tone in Baek Ah’s voice that made So look up to see his brother smirking at him. Okay, there was a wealth of knowledge in that smirk and So just knew that he and Hae Soo had talked. Soo….yes, it was years ago and they were both children, but he could not forget the girl who had invaded his pool and talked back to him like he wasn’t a prince. Even when she found out who he was her manners didn’t change. She’d even seen his scar and acted like she didn’t care. When his own family couldn’t bear to look at him, only Soo was just looked right at him and didn’t flinch.

That week the Haes spent in Shinju was one of the best times of his life. For years afterward when it rained he would curl up in the library with a book, listen to the rain, and pretend that if he looked up he would be able to see Soo sitting nearby. But life went on and intruded on the brief sweet moments of his memory. The tree they’d played in, his favorite, he’d had to burn it to save his own life when the Kangs literally threw him to the wolves. And when it rained, no matter how much he might want it to be otherwise, when he went to that library he was always alone.

Any memory of the good that had happened did not make up for the cruelty that occurred before or after that week, so when So finally left Shinju for the last time it was with few regrets. He’d hoped to make a fresh start in Songak and get reacquainted with his family, but the time he’d spent here showed him that nothing was changed. His mother despised him, and one brother thought him an animal while the other was afraid of him. The only people who treated him with any real decency were Mu, Ji Mong and Baek Ah.  The others were courteous but wary, as if expecting him to strike at any moment.

It made him miss Baek Ah while he was gone, and now he was back only to tell him that he wanted to leave again; not only that but he wanted So to help him do something that would surely bring the wrath of the King down on them both if they were caught.

“Yes, we’ve met. The General brought his family with him once when he visited Shinju.” So spoke offhandedly, like it wasn’t that big of a deal, but he was still looking at the drawing. There was still the same joy in Soo’s face that he could remember from when they were children, and if he drew upon memory he could probably still hear her laughter. But the little girl who’d thrown acorns at him when he laughed at her for almost falling out of his tree was now a beautiful young woman.

“When we go back to the Hae estate you two should talk again.” Baek Ah was saying, but So shook his head, his eyes not leaving the page.

The fact that Baek Ah knew about their meeting showed that Soo did remember him, but what would she think of him now? That week he played with her was one of the last innocent times of his life. Since then he’d had to fight and kill to stay alive; he was no longer the boy she knew. There was blood on his hands. He could still remember the monks dying silently in the temple. He was used to men screaming when they died but because these men had their tongues removed and so when they fell it was without a sound and he found that disturbing.

He could still remember the disgust on his mother’s face when he told her what he’d done for her. No gratitude, no pride, just hatred for the son she’d wounded and thrown away. Furious, he’d returned to Wook’s home and unable to take out his rage and pain on the one who hurt him, he’d destroyed a prayer tower in the garden. It was put there by Lady Hwangbo for her children, but seeing it only made him angry. Why were Wook and Yeon Hwa loved and prayed for when he was left alone in the cold? He remembered sitting among the scattered stones, wondering who would pray for him. He was not cruel, he did not kill others out of pleasure, but still he was treated like an animal.

No, he could not show himself to Hae Soo now. Let her keep her happy memories of their childhood. He should not spoil them with the reality of who he was now.

“We? What’s this we business? I haven’t said I would help you. If you want to get your head chopped off going against Father’s orders, you’re on your own. Don’t drag me down with you.” So said, pushing the pile of drawings away.

“Brother, please.” Baek Ah said, sitting down next to him. “I love her. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and if I have to watch her marry our Eighth brother I don’t think I could go on. If they marry I will not spend my years watching them together and living in regret. I will leave Songak and not come back. Do you really want to drive me away?”

“But if you do what you’re planning you can never return anyway. Or the King catches you and you get killed. Either way I never see you again.”

Baek Ah shook his head. “But if you help me we have a chance of succeeding. And then you will have family to go to if you decide you’re tired of life in the palace.”

Family. It was something that So had always sought, but never been able to find. Lady Kang had only tried to be family when the insanity brought on by her grief made her think he was her lost son. The rest of the time she despised him as a worthless, damaged substitute. And when he’d returned to the palace in the hopes of finding family here, those who should have loved him turned up their noses at him.

But Baek Ah was family, maybe his only true family. Should he not help his brother then? So may not be able to have happiness, but if he could help Baek Ah find his own then it would be okay. His Thirteenth brother was a good, gentle man. He deserved some joy. So few in the palace had that, and no one had any freedom. So decided he wanted his brother to have both, even if it meant that they’d never see each other again.

So sighed. “Okay. What do you want me to do?”

They talked for the rest of the afternoon, and by the time Baek Ah got up to leave to have dinner with his mother, So was feeling better about the whole idea, even a little hopeful. His memory of Hae Myung Hee was vague; he recalled a kind but reserved girl who didn’t seem to have the adventurous spirit that her sister did. If Baek Ah was able to bring that out in her though, then he would be doing both of them a favor by helping his younger brother take her away from a life that could only make her miserable. And Soo would be pleased to have her sister happy…

“Wook wants to go back right away, but I don’t think Father will let him leave until at least next week, to give Ji Mong time to find an auspicious date for the wedding.” Baek Ah said. “This will give you time to practice anyway. I think Soo wants to pay you back for those acorns you threw at her.” 

So closed his eyes and lay back in his chair. “Pfffft. She started it.” He said.

Baek Ah just laughed as he headed back down the stairs.

0-o-o-o-0

That evening Baek Ah watched as a servant refilled his wine before retreating to the side of the room. At the other end of the small table his mother, Lady Kim, placed some meat onto his rice.

“You should eat more.” She said before picking up her own bowl. “It must be a hard life travelling; you’ve gotten thin.”

Baek Ah smiled affectionately at his mother. “I was never fat. Yes, there were some hard times while I was on the road. But the good times outweighed them.”

As they ate, he told her stories of his life while travelling. The old storyteller who taught him songs that had been passed down for generations in his family. The geese who woke him up one morning in the barn he was sleeping in and then chased him out of the yard, biting at his legs. The peace of waking up before dawn and watching the sun rise over a field of grain while birds sang in the trees overhead. The snowball fight he’d gotten into with a group of children on his way to the Hae estate.  

There were many things he didn’t tell her; the pain and suffering he saw in the eyes of the poorest people and the cruelty that men committed against each other. But in her life Baek Ah knew that his mother had seen these things as well and probably knew them better than he did, so he did not remind her.

After dinner the servants brought them tea and he watched as Lady Kim looked at the drawings he’d made of his journey.

“It looked like you stayed with General Hae for some time.” She said at last, finishing her perusal of the last of his pictures, all of which were done at the Hae estate. There were several pictures of Myung Hee and Soo, and Baek Ah could almost feel her curiosity.

“Yes. The General and his family were kind enough to let me spend the winter with them, and I made many friends there.” He paused, then plunged ahead.

“Mother, if I were to do something that would anger Father, could you forgive me?”

Lady Kim looked at him with sharp eyes, and Baek Ah caught a glimpse of what she must have been before her marriage to Taejo relegated her to being just another of his many wives, and a minor one at that.

“Leave us.” She commanded to her servants, and the ladies scuttled out of the room, not used to the harsh tone from their normally kind mistress.

“You speak dangerous words, my son.” Lady Kim told her son once they were finally alone. “To anger His Majesty could cost a person his life.”

“It is never my wish to do so.” Baek Ah replied quietly. “But there are some things worse than death. If life brings such a choice, can you forgive me choosing for myself?”

He couldn’t tell her. His mother was suspicious enough as it was, and given the way gossip spread around the palace she had to be aware already of Wook’s upcoming marriage. What he was going to do was going to create an uproar regardless of whether he succeeded or not, and what Lady Kim didn’t know couldn’t be tortured out of her. Things were going to be hard enough for her as it was.

“My only wish will always be for my son to have health and happiness. There is no forgiveness needed if you have that.”

She’d not had an easy life, Baek Ah knew that. Forced to watch the fall of her family’s rule and then bound in marriage to King Taejo, she’d spent most of her life on the sidelines, useful only for her family name and the birth of a son to add to the King’s collection. Things would not be easy for her after this. That she was willing to let him go and do what he needed made him love her more than ever, and he sank to his knees and bowed low to her in his gratitude.

“Thank you Mother.” He said.

“Get up, get up.” Lady Kim told him, a tone of annoyance to her voice but when he stood he could see the shimmer of tears in her eyes.

“What are you thanking me for? I haven’t done anything. And you aren’t going to do anything.”

“No, of course not. Why would I do anything? I never do.” Baek Ah said, and bent to kiss his mother’s cheek.

“Charmer.” She scoffed, but she looked pleased. Calling one of her servants, Lady Kim whispered to the woman, who bowed and left the room. She came back a little while later with a small bag, which she handed to her mistress before leaving again.

Lady Kim gave the bag to her son. “I think you will be leaving again to travel, am I right?”

Baek Ah opened the bag to see that it was filled with money. “Mother…”

“I don’t have much to give you, but I want you to be comfortable on your journeys. No more sleeping in barns with vicious geese, do you hear me?”

He smiled in gratitude. “Yes Mother.”

“And come back when you can. I want to hear more of your adventures.”

“Of course Mother.” Baek Ah said, but his smile faded. They both knew that he likely could never return to Songak after this; he would probably never be able to see her again. It hurt because he truly loved his mother, but he couldn’t do anything else and live with himself afterwards.

0-o-o-o-0

They left the following week. So had expected Wook to be surprised at his wanting to come along, but apparently Baek Ah had dropped hints to him about So’s past with Hae Soo and the two were going to try to be matchmakers. He rolled his eyes at their attempts and mainly remained quiet as they rode. He was willing to let them talk about it if it helped Baek Ah. From what he’d seen it was obvious that Wook had fallen for Hae Myung Hee, and things would not go well if he suspected that Baek Ah had designs on her as well. Better to let their Eighth brother think that Baek Ah was coming along to facilitate a marriage between So and Hae Soo.

Did So want to see Soo again? To be honest, yes. But he thought that Baek Ah was imagining things if he thought something could happen between the two of them. General Hae could do much better than marrying his younger daughter off to him. Yes, he was the Fourth Prince, and a child of Queen Yoo, but his mother would give him no support and would be more likely to try to sabotage things if such a proposal was even suggested.

It was a sunny afternoon when they arrived at the Hae estate. The General came out to greet them, followed by his daughters. Hae Myung Hee was even more lovely than her drawing, and if So had paid attention he would have noticed a little gleam of joy in her eyes when she bowed to Baek Ah that wasn’t there when she greeted her fiancé, but his eyes were mainly on Hae Soo.

The little girl he’d chased and played with as a child was slender and delicate looking, but So wasn’t fooled. He remembered her deadly aim with acorns and Baek Ah had told him of the times she’d hit him when he played pranks on her. Her big eyes were wide with surprise and wonder as she gazed back at him, and she didn’t bow.

A playfulness he’d not felt in a long time emerged, and So smirked. “I see nothing’s changed. You still don’t know how to greet a prince properly.” He said.

“Hae Soo! Remember your manners!” General Hae scolded her, and Soo bowed.

“And you’re as haughty as ever.” So heard her mumble.

“Forgive my youngest daughter, Your Highness.” General Hae said. “As you can see I spoil her, as a result of which she lacks propriety.”

As Soo rose he could see a flush on her cheeks, and he thought it adorable. Could it be, that time had not changed her? She had changed in some ways, sure. The years had turned the body of a child into the curves of a woman, and she still had the mouth of someone to whom smiling came easily. She wasn’t smiling now, but So had seen the pictures and knew that she could do it well. Her face still showed her emotions clearly as well. It was something he would never want to change, in this world where too many people could hide their every feeling.

“I will forgive her this time, General.” So said magnanimously. Soo frowned at this, clearly looking like she wanted to say something, but So saw Myung Hee grab her sister’s hand and squeeze it tightly.

“Thank you Your Highness.” She said sweetly. Another squeeze of her hand had her sister responding as well.

“Thank you Your Highness.” Hae Soo said, but So could tell she didn’t really mean it.

“Come, let’s bring our guests inside so they can refresh themselves.” General Hae said, and he walked along with Wook into the house while So and Baek Ah went behind them, followed by the two girls.

This was going to be an interesting trip, So couldn’t help but think, and not just for Baek Ah’s sake.

0-o-o-o-0

At the head of the table that night at dinner, her father and Prince Wang Wook were toasting each other and cheering their good fortune at coming together as a family, but Soo barely heard it. Her attention was caught up in not paying attention to Wang So. Despite Baek Ah’s teasing, she had not expected him to return with the Fourth Prince in tow.

When the servants had announced that the princes arrived, she’d rushed out, happy to see Baek Ah again and hoping to hear good news that the marriage between Myung Hee and Wook wouldn’t happen. But when he’d shook his head a little from where he stood behind Wook and mouthed the word ‘later’, she knew something had gone wrong. She could tell Myung Hee knew it too; the glow in her eyes from greeting the man she loved faded upon seeing that.

Soo was hurt and disappointed, but this faded when she finally noticed the man standing with them. She looked to see a man whose dark gaze looked right into her own.

So…

The mask was a little different, darker and more ornate than what he’d worn as a child, but that wasn’t the only thing. The boy she’d argued and played with had grown into an almost painfully beautiful man. His features had sharpened from the soft cheeks of the child he was; now he was all lean angles, a frame for eyes that held her and kept her frozen in place.

And of course, it figured that he would know just how to embarrass her in front of her family. Her cheeks burned with it, both at being mocked and at being caught staring. Baek Ah would never let her hear the end of it, she just knew. Why did he bring So here? Boy, wait until she got hold of that vagabond prince later. She’d get him for setting her up for embarrassment like that. He could at least have warned her that he’d bring So back with him, so she could prepare herself.

Now Soo sat at dinner and ate, pointedly not looking in the direction where he was. But she knew he was looking at her. She could feel his gaze on her. It was strange, making her feel warm in a way she’d not felt before. She wanted to turn and tell him to knock it off, but she couldn’t talk that way to a prince, at least not in front of her father. It was obvious that he remembered her; but was it on his own or prodding from Baek Ah?

But her father was commanding their attention now, and raised his glass. “We will have a party the day after tomorrow, to celebrate the engagement.” He announced, a proud smile on his face. “I’ve already sent out invitations to our neighbors. It will be a grand occasion, as is only fitting for our Myung Hee’s good fortune.”

The others at the table, which included her father’s most trusted men and those who served under Wang Wook, raised their glasses and cheered. Soo raised her glass as well, but she remained silent and barely tasted the liquid that touched her lips, reminded of the reason they were all together, but it was no occasion to rejoice.

Later on Soo was in the garden, watching as Wang Wook took her sister on a walk. Her hands fisted at her sides, she wanted to tear them apart and tell him that he needed to go back to the palace because there was nothing for him here, certainly not a wife, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know what had happened when Baek Ah was at Songak. He’d not had a chance to talk to her yet, and the curiosity was eating her alive.

“You look like you’re ready to beat him up.”  Came a voice from behind her, and Soo turned to see Wang So leaning against a tree, watching her.

“I wouldn’t advise it, even if you probably could hold your own against him. I’d just hate to see Lady Hae’s wedding ruined by a funeral. There’s laws against hitting princes, you know.” He paused. “Oh wait, you obviously don’t know. I seem to remember…”

Soo snorted. “I was ten, and acorns don’t count.”

Wang So raised one elegant eyebrow. “How do you know? Did you ever learn to read?”

“Yes, I learned to read, and why would someone write a law making it illegal to hit princes with acorns?”

He shrugged. “Maybe they could see the future.”

Soo scowled, looking back to glare at the engaged couple. “If my funeral would stop that wedding, go ahead and arrest me.” She muttered. Given the way Baek Ah talked about his brother, and their own friendship years ago, she felt safe revealing her true feelings about the situation to So.

“As amusing as it might be to watch you confess your crimes, maybe we won’t have to go that far.” So said. “Get up at daybreak tomorrow and come riding with us. We have a lot to talk about. There might be a way out of this that won’t involve chopping your head off.”

“That would be nice.” Soo admitted.

They were silent for a few minutes, and she watched moths flutter around the torches set up in the garden.

“It’s good to see you again, Your Highness.” She said at last. “Have you been well?”

Wang So was silent, and when she finally glanced at him she saw a gentle confusion on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…I’m not used to people being happy to see me.” Wang So admitted quietly, and from the look on his face Soo thought she knew the answer to her question.

“Baek Ah and I are people, and we’re happy to see you.” Soo knew when talking to Baek Ah that it was obvious he loved his brother So very much.

“Ah, but Baek Ah is too good, and your governess said you were very sick as a child, so obviously you have lingering mental damage.”

Soo narrowed her eyes at him. “You know what? You haven’t changed at all. You’re still weird.” She remembered back in Shinju, after that second meeting, the next time she’d visited the hot spring there was a sign put up in front of it. When she asked So what it said, he’d informed her proudly that it said ‘Wang So’s Pool’, and now that his name really was on it, she’d have to ask him for permission to go swimming.

Naturally that just made her throw the sign into the woods and go swimming anyway.

A yawn that nearly split her face made her realize how tired she was, and covering with her hand, she heard Wang So chuckle.

“Why don’t you go to sleep; I’ll make sure he doesn’t keep your sister out too late. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Too tired to argue, Soo nodded. As she started to leave the garden though, she felt something small and hard hit her on the behind. Looking down at the ground, she saw it was an acorn, and she raised her head at the sound of So’s laughter. It was just as she remembered it from when she was a child, and the smile on his face was both wicked and wonderful.

“I’ve been practicing.” He grinned.