Chapter twelve. It's been a week since the war, since the gruesome attack on the general. It's been a week and Taeyeon was still not responding to any treatment, even more she'd slipped into coma. The royal physicians had stated that the poison was unlike anything they’d seen before and it would take weeks to study and find an antidote for it, and Taeyeon doesn't have weeks, she'd barely managed to survive a week. The princess has been busy on her side, trying to find the antidote that would save her wife. She'd set out to different places in search of it, and still there was no luck. She doesn't eat, neither does she sleep, she'd taken over the library, researching through all the medical materials available. Her concern mother came by a few times to encourage her to eat and have some rest but Sooyeon sternly told her she doesn't have time to waste on resting and eating when her wife is laying there, fighting for her life. The Empress would insist she eats even if it's just a little fruit and that's what have been sustaining her these past days. Aunt Soojung had dedicated her own time helping her niece in her quest to finding the cure, she would coax the princess into taking some time off to be with her wife as she continued the search, those were the only times Sooyeon got to see her wife and stay by her side. ~~ "How is she doing?" The princess asked Yoon ah as she sat on the chair facing her wife, taking the basin of water from her, setting it on the floor. There was a washcloth floating like a dead fish in the water, the princess wringed it out and proceeded to wipe her wife's face gently.  “No improvement. The physician thinks your research could be a lost cause at this rate. She’s sweating profusely and her fever isn’t going down any time soon.” Yoon ah stated in a matter of fact tone. "They need to dunk her into ice cold water, I’ve read that in a book and I'm sure it will help with the fever." Sooyeon said taking Taeyeon's numb hand in hers. Yoon ah stared at her for a moment before nodding her head in silent agreement to let the physicians know about this. "How are you so calm?" She asked after a beat. Despite her detached tone her face does crumple with emotion and Sooyeon realized that she is just as hurt as everyone else. “I’m not calm. I’m screaming on the inside. I want to cut Yun ho into pieces for causing this and feed him to the dogs right now but if I focus my time and energy on plotting revenge or panicking, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything. So I’m just shoving all of my emotions and burying them as far deep down as possible until I can find a cure for her." “You’re right, princess,” Yoon ah cleared from all the emotion that had also been bottled up inside her. “I’ll go let the physicians know about the ice bath right away." Yoon ah placed her hand on Sooyeon's shoulder as a reassuring gesture. ~~~ Two days later! "The arrow’s poison is spreading and her temperature isn’t coming down, I'm afraid her health is deteriorating quickly, I’m sorry,” The physician hanged his head in shame. The usual herbs weren’t working and they still hadn’t found a way to create an antidote, they don't even know what the antidote might be. “No, you need to keep trying, please!” Sooyeon cried out. Luckily Taeyeon's mother and her aunt were there to hold her down. “This can’t be happening! We need to bring in someone who can find a way,” she pleads with him. “Your highness, I apologize, but even if we manage to find someone who could successfully cure her, it’d take days for them to get here. All the best doctors of the nation are working towards a cure, but there’s just nothing we can do.” The man explained regretfully. The general was a great hero and he along with all the people of Joseon would miss her dearly if she were to pass away. But as much as it pained him he just couldn’t find a way. Upon the news of the general's poisoning, nearly all of Joseon had taken to march to the royal palace and stand outside in wait of the good news, but how was he to tell everyone that he and several others had failed? "Sooyeon, I think I know someone who can help Taeyeon." Taeyeon's mother said after a long thought. Sooyeon stood abruptly, making everyone jump at the sudden movement. "What? who could that person be?" The princess eagerly asked. "Taeyeon's grandfather. I think he will be able to do something." "Why didn't you mention him before, mother? You left your daughter suffering day and night." "I'm sorry dearest, I have thought of him at first but then thought the antidote would be found sooner, I didn't really take it into consideration but now that the antidote is hard to come by, I think he might be our only hope, problem is he's not here at the moment." "Where is he? I can have him brought here." The princess said eagerly. "He's not any where near this city, as a shaman, he's traveled to sansingak for prayers, I've calculated the dates and he should be returning in three nights. But rest assured, he will be able to help her when he gets home." Sooyeon nods in tears of joy as she hugged her mother in-law. "And I'm sorry once again, if I knew the antidote will be hard to find, I would have told you about him sooner, I love my daughter and I will never want any harm come her way, she's my only child." "I know mother, but do you think she could hold up until grandpa is here?" The princess glanced at her wife sadly. She wish she could take her pain and suffering away, she desperately wish she was the one on that sick bed in place of Taeyeon. "I hope so," the woman hugged her again as they cried together. Aunt Soojung who was watching them walked up to them and patted her niece's shoulder to comfort her. "I should inform the Empress of this great news, as you all know she has been restless also." "Yes, you should." Taeyeon's mother nod her head in agreement and Soojung went to relay the news to her sister. ~~~ Three days later. The door to the the royal infirmary burst wide open and into the room entered an old man who looked like someone was following him to kill or hurt him. "Taeyeon, heaven's what happened to my precious girl?" "Abeonim, thank goodness you are here." Taeyeon's mother jumped to her feet and walked up to him, she took his hand and guided him towards Taeyeon's bed. "I came as soon as I heard, how is she?" He asked taking her hand in his to examine her. "Taeyeon's really sick Abeonim, someone tried to kill her on a battle field and since then she has been like this. All medicines didn't work, but now that you are here, I'm sure she'll be healthy again." Taeyeon's mother said hopefully. "Let me have a look at the arrow's head, I need to know what kind of poison we are dealing with." Sooyeon nods and turned to the cabinet, she brought out the arrow and handed it to him. Glancing up, he stared into her eyes then broke into a warm smile. "You are so beautiful dear, Taeyeon is lucky to have you, I'm sorry I wasn't there for your wedding." He said and patted her head softly. "I'm glad you are here now, hal-abeoji." Sooyeon smiled shyly and briefly, she stood straight and watched, waiting for what he had to say as he sniffed at the arrow she just gave him. "Taeyeon was shot with this?" He asked perplexed. "Yes." Sooyeon answered. "Who did this? How did they even find this?" "It was my cousin, but he's been arrested." Sooyeon said a little confused at his reaction. "Spirits." The old man swayed then slumped back into his chair, he would have fallen if the chair wasn't behind him. "Abeonim, what's the matter?" His daughter in law asked, her heart beat intensening by the look of terror in the old man's eyes. He glanced at her stricken and for a long while silence ruled in the room. "This poison is very rare, so as it