A frown lingered on my face as I left the room of my sowon, of Kaia. A strange name but beautiful, just as she was. But things hadn’t gone to plan; I had given her the gift with anticipation and though her lips had smiled, the emotion hadn’t extended to her eyes. There had been wariness in her gaze, no bubbling delight like the way my mother’s used to when I had brought her similar offerings. I wanted to know what would make her truly happy, what expression she would show when a present touched her heart. Perhaps in her land, clothes weren’t acceptable things to give, but I had no knowledge of what the exotic woman could want.

A soldier rushed up towards me on the cobbled path, his eyes wide but no panic showing on the rest of his face though each step was in double-time. That was good, to show any emotion could mean losing a battle. I let him catch his breath and then leveled my gaze at him.

“Speak.” The man bowed to me before delivering his message.

“Park JuWon-ssi is here General, in your study. He awaits your attendance.” When I had nodded in understanding, the soldier bowed once again and quickly left. My frown deepened as I moved towards my rooms, the superfluous servants around me melting away the closer we came to the main residence. I waved away GiTae as well as I pulled open the screen door, shutting it firmly behind me.

Like the soldier had promised, my friend waited inside. Annoyingly enough, he had decided to wait while languishing in my personal chair, his long limbs spread out across seat.

“Don’t bother getting up,” I growled in a low tone, still feeling prickly from earlier. JuWon did nothing but grin, his outfit today consisting of a pale blue fabric over his white garment underneath, all of it gathered at his waist. A pendant tied everything together and he played with the heavy piece of metal as he told me his news.

“The king has successfully been poisoned.” His tone was neutral, but my face went stiff at his words and a question left my lips without conscious thought.

“Was it serious? Life-threatening?” At his head shake in the negative I could feel air seeping back into my lungs and I leaned against the wall, the cool wood chilling my heart once more.

“We knew that it would happen eventually, just not as soon as this,” JuWon pointed out and I nodded silently, gathering my thoughts. It wasn’t concern for my uncle that I felt, but that this would inevitably lead to more attacks and there was no telling who would be next.

“Is jeonha recovering from the poisoning?” I questioned him, my mind already racing with the implications.

“As well as can be expected. For now, he’s locked out everyone but his physicians from his rooms and will not come court. The crown prince is running it in his stead.” I paced around the study as I thought through JuWon’s information; there was no need to doubt the veracity of his intelligence, but we had to be cautious with what we did with it.

“WonJong can’t be seen as being too eager; remind him to watch his actions, to remain unmoved. Any more details you can tell me?”

“Nothing concrete as yet but I’m working on it.” I nodded my head, pleased enough that he knew as much as he did.

“While you’re at it, listen to what the commoners are saying about the assassination attempt. See if they have any doubts about the princes.” It wouldn’t do well to have the common people speculating about the royal family, and it could be even more dangerous if one of the princes were thought to have had a hand in their father’s poisoning; whether it was the truth or not, talk could get someone executed in the volatile court.

“And you, great General, what will you do?” JuWon sent me a slow wink and I suppressed the shudder that ran down my back. This friend of mine was spending way too much time in brothels.

“Me? Absolutely nothing on the surface. Any moves I make are being watched closely. I won’t leave my residence at all unless there’s something urgent.”

“I see you’re all set to live a life of leisure then. How was your sowon? Enchanting I’d imagine?” JuWon giggled delightedly and I felt my face heat at the innuendo in his words.

“You’ve been spying again!” I sputtered in rage and flew at the younger man who managed to nimbly escape my grasp.

“I didn’t,” he yelled laughing, running to get away from my hands. “The servants told me where you were.”

“My private affairs are my own,” I huffed in irritation, unwilling to give further chase. “You have your orders, get to work,” I demanded, and the insolent man finally left after rolling his eyes.

“Mutiny in the ranks,” I muttered to myself as I grabbed ink and a brush.

The military might of the kingdom majorly rested on the outside of the palace itself, the barracks of the several hundred thousand men scattered in various locations in the city and beyond. My own personal company, a mere thousand men, resided on my own extensive property, the majority fed and clothed from my own coffers. The king wanted to assure that no one man would have absolute power; while I could mobilize the larger forces in the name of the country, I was checked by the other generals whose job it was to oversee each smaller company of soldiers with each commanding around fifty thousand a piece. Though I had a grand title, it was nothing much more than a show of force. Thankfully my men were among the top generals, and they would for the most part keep to my direction.

I took my time drafting the letters that would go to MinJun and YongJu respectively so that they would not only understand the seriousness of what we were dealing with now, but to also exercise caution in the coming days. The princes having been regulated to their living quarters meant that they were under house arrest and that the king held them in suspicion; with a jeonha such as ours, this was a dangerous place to be. No mattered how favored, if a prince was found to have been trying to usurp the throne, he would be made an example of. My uncle had several sons besides my cousin; I doubted very much that he would mind getting rid of him, no matter how much potential he had.

After handing off the letters to waiting servant, I left my study and made my way to the other part of my property, following the outside path that had been well-worn by the soldiers who walked it daily as they left the barracks and made their way to the practice field. The sun was hanging lazily in the middle of the sky, just beginning to fall into its afternoon position. The weather was warm but not stifling and a delicate breeze blew through the trees that lined the trail, the smaller cherry blossoms having long since bloomed but still beautiful. I took my time as I went, the sword on my waist thumping gently against my thigh as I walked.

The goings-on in the palace were worrying but they could be managed; what really worried me was who could be playing this game of janggi. There were the obvious choices, an ambitious noble who wanted to support the prince of his choice into becoming crown prince and thus being in line for ascending the throne. WonJong’s older brother was the most likely suspect; though he was almost three years older than his younger brother, he was nowhere near as outstanding and had lost his automatic crown prince title when WonJong had reached the age of fourteen. It was no easy thing to lose to a younger sibling, much less when that losing meant he could forfeit control of a whole country.

As I thought of one scheme and then another that could be wrought against the current crown prince, I found myself gaining a headache, the peaceful meditation of my walk lost. I grumbled under my breath as I reached the training grounds and the clash of swords echoed in the distance, the sound irritating my now sensitive head. I took a deep, cleansing inhale and exhale to set my nerves back in order and walked further into the compound, the sharp tang of sweat redolently familiar. As men milled around, some in training and others performing their assigned tasks, my heart twinged at the comfort the scene brought me. The mechanizations of the palace were not things I enjoyed being a part of, the simplicity of a soldier’s life was more suited to my temperament.

As I went past soldiers bowed to me with respect, and the surprise in their eyes almost made a smile come to my lips. These people had been with me when I fell, they knew what a wound like mine could mean for a warring man. But I walked and better still I could hold my sword and move with relative ease. I was not in fighting condition, but I made my way to the sparring rings and watched the mock battles taking place, enjoying the skill of the fighters under me. Here were people I could trust, honest and open and honorable. There were so few of my acquaintance whom I could say were such, and even WonJong had been corrupted somewhat by his surroundings. Other than my friends I wondered who else I could trust, and a warm brown face came to mind, intelligent eyes watching my every move. Perhaps my sowon required another visit.

I wiped at my soaking brow, the sun having risen earlier this day than normal, and the heat affected how quickly I could move. Breathing harder than I wanted, I took the cup that GiTae held out to me, letting the water slip down my throat until the parched feeling went away. Intentionally slowing down my breathing, I forced my heartbeat to slow into a regular rhythm.

“GiTae, at what time does my sowon usually rise?” My steward bowed low to me and as usual his face was carefully blank.

“Reporting to the General, the jeongbu is already awake and being attended by her maids. Her morning meal should soon be served.”

“So soon?” I asked more sharply than I’d intended and GiTae bowed low in response, his gesture one of agreement. Different from what I had been told of the yangban women who graced the court; most of those ladies wouldn’t rise until almost noon on a daily basis, unless there were some happenings that required them to get out of bed earlier.

“Get my bathing water ready quickly and lay out my robes. I will dine with my sowon today.” I didn’t wait to see GiTae’s jerk of surprise, but I felt it as I swept past and made my way back to my rooms, intent on divesting myself of my soiled garments.

The water came quickly enough, and I bathed equally fast. My hair was still damp, but I had no time to dry it properly, as I had GiTae help me with my dress, the outfit less formal than the one I wore yesterday. I had been imposing the day before, perhaps that was why Kaia had been cautious. But I needed her to open up to me and more than that, I wanted her to. Something inexplicable drew me to her and I wanted to know what it was. Another thought came to mind as I walked towards her building; the food yesterday had been strange but delicious. I hoped that she had made more of her homeland’s dishes.

By the time I had made my way over, one of the maids was already standing by the door outside and announced my arrival to those within. Kaia’s personal maids were standing to one side of the small dining area, and by the table my sowon stood with her head bowed in my direction. She wore one of the outfits I’d given her yesterday, the light green fabric laying delicately and without the stiffness of a usual hanbok. Just as I’d thought, it looked lovely against her complexion, bringing the yellow undertones in her brown skin touch of freshness. Her hair was different this time; with her head bent I could see the individual winding strands had been left loose like they hadn’t been yesterday, and half of twisted pieces were pulled up and away from her face while the rest hung low around her shoulders. Wearing her hair loose in this way wouldn’t be acceptable outside, but here in her chambers and with only me as company, she could do as she pleased.

“Joeun achimibnida,” I greeted Kaia and she rose slowly from her bow, repeating the good morning phrase back to me. Those canny eyes were hidden beneath her lashes this morning and after I took my seat she gracefully sank onto her own pillow. Our meal was brought in just moments later, and I was disappointed to find that the fare was my usual table of dishes. I expressed no disappointment outwardly and instead picked up my chopsticks and said my thanks over the meal.

We ate quietly together, the silence not an uncomfortable one. I had been eating almost absently when Kaia gestured to one of the maids and the young girl refilled the tea in my cup. I shot a glance to my sowon who had resumed eating, her expression revealing nothing. I hadn’t thought she’d been paying attention, but somehow, she knew my cup was almost empty. I took a long drink of the cha, not tasting it but thinking of the woman who sat across from me. She had said little of her past and I wondered at her imprisonment and just how far she had come. Our trade lines extended into the far reaches outside of Joseon but most of our goods still came from Pyongnam. The busy port brought in all kinds of treasures; perhaps she had been brought along as well.

The morning continued on as we stayed in our thoughts, but soon enough we had both placed our chopsticks down. The food was removed from the table and as maids cleaned out the area I rose to my feet. For an instant, sharp pain radiated up through my thigh and into my hip, halting my movement. Clenching my teeth and drawing a deep breath through my nose and out again, it receded enough that I could think once more. I held out my hand to Kaia who looked at it for a long while before finally placing my hand in hers.

“GiTae,” I called out and my steward was there, already bowing. “Bring my desk and the accounts here, I will stay within my sowon’s rooms for today.” All movement around us stilled for a tense moment before everyone came awake again. I turned away to roll my eyes at their lack of decorum but GiTae was made of sterner stuff, though I knew he was probably just as shaken.

“It will be as you request General,” he intoned and waved a hand to send a servant away to fetch my things. Kaia’s suite was smaller than my own but not by much, her entire courtyard filled with trees and flowers that I knew would suit a woman’s tastes. As I looked around the personal reading room, I saw that no books lay on her table, only paper and ink and pieces of charcoal in various lengths and thicknesses. I helped her into her seat and soon my own was brought to me, along with the dreaded household scrolls. I had resigned myself to a day of monotonous tasks, but for some reason, I’d the notion that being next to my sowon while I completed them would make the task much more bearable.

Kaia didn’t say much and neither did I as we started our own work, my focus broken occasionally to look up to see what she was doing. As I thought, she drew several things, but most of it seemed to be scribbles, as if she tested the materials she worked with rather than creating anything. Eventually I fell fully immersed into the facts and figures before me and the rhythmic scratching that took place across the room faded gently into the background. I was able to concentrate better than I had in weeks, and sooner than I anticipated, I felt hunger coming again. My body was carefully regulated; it was indeed time for the midday meal, and I noted the position of the sun in the sky, not so late afternoon.

I had thought myself lost to my work, but Kaia was even more so than I. As I had looked up and around, Kaia’s maid tapped her shoulder gently until her gaze sharpened to take in the outside world once again. I rose to my feet, and this time the pain thankfully didn’t come. Kaia stretched her fingers and then massaged each digit one by one, the gentle rubbing done with easy familiarity. She stood with a small hop and hastily spread sand over what she had wrought.

“I was an artist among my people,” my sowon informed me in a wistful tone. “Take a look,” she asked but had already walked to me and placed her parchment into my hands. I took it carefully and studied the image she had fashioned with a simple brush and ink. Not overly detailed but realistic nonetheless, it was a beautiful rendering of the tree outside, somehow lonely but giving off an air of contentment. This woman held greater depths that she could capture such a likeness.

“It’s still not quite right; it’s hard to get it perfect with the brushes I have,” she murmured again almost to herself this time, her hands busily wiping away the black soot that lingered on her fingers.

So then, she required the tools of her trade. A smirk almost came to my lips, but I hastily managed my expression. I made a mental note to have GiTae inquire as to what someone with Kaia’s skills would need in order to continue her craft. Satisfaction filled me at having understood another piece of the puzzle that was my sowon.

The two of us ate another quiet meal together and then it was back to our separate pursuits. This time Kaia and her maids worked on her Hangul, the words she practiced having to do with various topics. She took notes in a language I didn’t understand, and my guess as to her writing abilities among her own people had been confirmed. So, then she’d had enough status to gain some type of education, but perhaps their society wasn’t like ours that required paying teachers for their knowledge to be spread. She stumbled over pronouncing the more difficult words, the increase in syllables having a direct impact on her mood. She was studying the Classic of Filial Piety each painstaking word at a time, referencing the simplified notes that were more than likely given by the tutor. At least the man was thorough, even if he was an , I mused to myself. I had gone through the Confucian classics as I child and I didn’t envy her the task she’d been set; suddenly the accounting books were looking much more appealing.

Night had begun to fall before we finished our work, but I wouldn’t eat my final meal in Kaia’s rooms, well-aware that I had incorporated myself into her entire day and it was better to take things slowly. Now that I’d had her company though, I was reluctant to leave it. My sowon saw that I had left my work on my desk and she placed her own brush down with relish, setting a hand on her neck that had been bent over for some time. My fingers itched to ease the tightness she must have been feeling, but her maid was there already, kneading gently at the muscles.

“I think I may be stuck in my work, but how does yours progress General?” she asked me, and I could tell from her small smile that she was sincere in asking.

“It goes well enough, though I have to admit I’m happier with my sword in hand than a brush.” Kaia thanked her maid and waved the young girl away, her eyes filled with interest.

“I remember seeing you out in the field. Do you always practice so early in the morning?” I nodded in response and she bit her lip thoughtfully.

“Physical work in the mornings and mental work throughout the day; you must have been quite bored General. Did you request jeonha for a concubine in order to better pass the time?”

I widened my eyes at her innocently asked question and the small gasps from her maids should have been enough to let her know she’d crossed over a line. But since she’d had the courage to ask, then I would be remiss if I didn’t answer.

“Just as you follow your tutor’s teachings, we all have masters that we must obey. You were given to me not as a plaything, but as a hindrance. I am of the royal line and I have the support of the army, of the people, and a good amount of the court. But I will not be Jeonha with a foreign concubine, much less a wife and my royal uncle knew this. You were used to stop my rise to power.” Kaia shifted her eyes to meet mine, her gaze piercing me with both surprise and something that may have been disappointment. The words I had meant to say next flew out of my head and instead my gaze went to , staring transfixed as a small pink tongue darted out to wet her lips.

“There are rumors everywhere saying that you risked your life on the battlefield in order to gain power. Is that what you really wanted all along?” Surprise flowed through me and I wondered who had told her of my exploits, and if the knowledge she had was in my favor or not.

“I did all that and I would do more for the sake of my country. But I never wanted the throne, I am a loyal subject under my uncle’s rule.” That was diplomatic enough; I had gone into the military to stay away from my uncle and his cruel nature, I had become a general out of my own need to make something of myself.

“Then did you ever tell the emperor that, that you wouldn’t support an uprising even if people rallied behind you?” She reasoned quickly, her question getting to the heart of the matter faster than I would have thought she might. Forthright then, a good thing, a thing I valued.

“He was aware of my feelings,” I stated stiffly, and my eyes shifted away, looking out into the courtyard. Cicadas chirruped loudly, the buzzing sounds entering in through the open door.

“And what did he say?” Kaia questioned on, I suppose needing to know where I stood, what she was to me. I wasn’t shocked anymore by how easily her mind moved, and I gave her a direct look. Her head ducked slightly under my gaze, but she didn’t back down, waiting to hear my response.  

“He gave me you,” I told her simply. “And though I could have refused and been given some other, equal burden, I wouldn’t have you in the palace alone.” I smiled a little at the flash of confusion that flew across her face but I didn’t clarify, wondering what she would think. Bowing to my sowon, I left her rooms, the sharp tang of ink and some sweet fragrance I didn’t recognize leaving my nose and becoming overtaken by the scent of nature. My thoughts lingered on our conversation and my steps were slow as I walked through the estate; perhaps Kaia could be more than just a concubine by my side, perhaps she already was.

A/N: Hello everyone! It's been forever since I updated, apologies in advance! I wrote this story and still had to read the last two chapters to remind myself where I was lol. But I was gone for a good cause, I released my second book on Amazon recently and it's still available for you guys to pick up here, a remake of my story Keys to Happiness which was basically completely rewritten,  Keys to Happiness It's discounted right now to a dollar guys, so I hope you all enjoy it! I really liked coming back to this story and hopefully with my new schedule, I'll be able more consistent releases, I finally can wake up decently early in the morning lol. Guys please enjoy and remember to UPVOTE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE for more content! Much love, <3!