Jinyoung stared in shock at the newcomer, barely believing that this mysterious woman had appeared again. That woman that had saved his life last time, who had warned him about how he should carry himself as the Prince Consort...she was here yet again, saving his life once more. But how? How did she know he was here? Was it a mere coincidence? Byu’s mother and brother ducked into a corner of the little home at the sight of Ryu Soojin, seeming thrown off by the sudden turn of events.

There was no time to ask what was going on, however, as the lead assassin motioned to the other men.

“Ryu Soojin, even you cannot interfere with this matter today.” He growled, “I will not let you interrupt our plan!” Ryu Soojin laughed softly as she neatly tucked the bow behind her shoulder.

“On the contrary.” She replied, “There is nothing in this city that I cannot interfere with.”

“Get rid of her.” The lead assassin growled, motioning a hand towards the young woman. The other assassin lunged forward, and Ryu Soojin pulled her sword from its sheath.

“Don’t look, little prince.” She said, “This might get violent.” Despite her words, Jinyoung watched in shock as Soojin began to fight once more. Her movements were fast and precise, striking at each assailant with blows that struck straight to the most vital parts of their bodies. She moved with a sort of cat-like grace, each movement reminding Jinyoung more of a deadly dance than a battle. Before it was over, however, Jinyoung found himself forced to his feet by the lead assassin, the sword pressed tightly against his throat. Slowly, Jinyoung was pushed backwards by the assassin until he felt his back hit the brick wall that lined one side of the humble little home.

“Don’t say a word.” The assassin growled in his ear, and Jinyoung let his gaze slip to the side ever so slightly as he watched the man begin opening the window built into the wall. The temperatures had begun falling with the coming winter the previous night, and it seemed that the wood had constricted with the cold air, making it harder to open than usual. His heart pounded in terror in his chest, and even if he wanted to try saying anything, the fear in his chest clogged his voice and kept him from speaking. But at the same time, something told Jinyoung that if he did nothing at all, he would be shoved out that window and lost to the only woman who could save him at the moment. Said woman was currently preoccupied, her attention captured by the other assassins. Thinking quickly, Jinyoung looked to his right and saw that he was standing next to a table holding a few sparse houseware items, one of which was a clay jar used for carrying water from the nearby well. Before he could allow himself to hesitate, Jinyoung reached out and pushed the jar to the floor, where it shattered loudly into a thousand pieces. The sound immediately caught the attention of Ryu Soojin, and she paused just long enough to look over and take in Jinyoung’s situation. In that distracted moment however, one assassin managed to reach over and slash Soojin on the arm, sending the young woman stumbling back for a moment. Jinyoung let out a startled cry, but Soojin only scoffed softly. 

“A mere scratch.” She muttered before giving the offending assassin a sharp kick, the heel of her boot knocking into his chin with a loud crack and sending him tumbling to the ground, unmoving. Before Jinyoung could barely take in what was happening, Soojin pulled out one of the fallen assassin’s swords and threw it directly at the window, where it lodged with a loud thwack in the thick wood. Somehow, even from a distance, Soojin had managed to aim it perfectly at the window so that the sword was embedded perfectly into the edge between the two window panes, holding both firmly in place. The lead assassin cursed under his breath and drew his sword as he turned to glare at Ryu Soojin.

“I warned you not to interfere.” He growled, “And now you will pay for your actions.” Ryu Soojin smirked.

“We’ll see who is going to pay.” She replied, “I am your opponent today, not the little Goryeo prince.” The lead assassin lunged at Soojin, his sword glimmering in the moonlight. Although the man was easily twice her size, Soojin seemed barely fazed at all. She pivoted neatly on one foot to dodge the man’s attack, then slashed her own sword across the back of one of his knees. The man rolled and regained his balance quickly, then turned and lunged at Soojin again. She lifted her sword quickly to defend herself, the loud screech of sword against sword filling the air as their swords hit against each other in a metallic clang. For a moment, Jinyoung found himself growing concerned. Ryu Soojin was fast, but the assassin was quick on his feet and far more muscular than her. What if she lost? 

It seemed that Jinyoung was worrying too much, however, as Ryu Soojin quickly made use of her smaller frame to gain the advantage over her opponent. Before the assassin could overpower her, she pushed the weight of both their swords to the right while bending backwards at the waist to avoid being hit, then used the momentum to swing both swords back at the assassin. The motion threw the assassin off balance, and Soojin used the chance to throw the assassin into the corner of the home with a kick to the chest. Without pausing to let the man regain footing, Soojin grabbed Jinyoung by the hand and rushed out the door of the tiny home. Outside, the street was silent and empty save for the occasional chirping noise from a wild animal. Soojin turned her head slightly to look behind her as the sound of the assassin moving came from inside the home, and she quickly looped one arm around Jinyoung’s waist. 

“I hope you’re not afraid of heights.” She murmured in Jinyoung’s ear. Before he could ask her what she meant, Soojin tapped one foot on the ground and leapt smoothly from the ground onto the rooftop of the building next to them. Jinyoung yelped in surprise as he suddenly found himself weightless, the ground further away from him than it had ever been before. 

Qinggong?

He had often read about the martial arts world in the royal library, of the many tricks and movements that he could never bring himself to learn. That could be saved for the martial artists that traveled freely around the world, doing whatever they wished. Among those movements was a skill that allowed the user to move as if they had wings on their feet, jumping lightly from one place to the other as if they were flying and their bodies were weightless. Looking at the experience now, Jinyoung was more than grateful he had never tried to learn it himself.

“Quiet.” Soojin clapped one hand over Jinyoung’s mouth as they landed silently on the rooftop. She quickly pushed Jinyoung down so that he was lying flat on his stomach, safely out of sight from the ground behind the curved surface of the rooftop. A few moments later, the lead assassin stumbled out of the house and looked around the street. Seeing that Jinyoung and Soojin were nowhere to be seen, the man cursed and hurried off in one direction, intent on capturing them before they got too far away. Even when the man was out of sight, Soojin didn’t move, her sharp gaze scanning the ground carefully for any signs of further assailants. Jinyoung felt his cheeks flush as he noticed for the first time how close they were at the moment. Ryu Soojin’s arm lay tightly across his back, her other hand clapped over his mouth. Her body was pressed lightly against his, her face so close Jinyoung could slightly see the edges of a finely tuned jawline at the edge of her mask. His heart began to pound harder, but he wasn’t sure if it was due to the sudden flight to the rooftop or because of their proximity. Save for Soyoung, Jinyoung had never been so close to a woman before. At last, Soojin sighed quietly and let go of Jinyoung. 

“My apologies.” She said, “I had to make sure they couldn’t find us.” Jinyoung shook his head. 

“It’s alright.” He said quietly, turning his head away from her so she wouldn’t see how flushed his cheeks surely looked at the moment. Ryu Soojin was quiet for a moment, then she sat up and moved a little further away from him, as if sensing how shy he felt at the moment. Jinyoung fumbled for something to say before he finally settled on a simple, 

“Thank you.” Soojin scoffed softly.

“Forget it.” She said, “I was only doing my job.” 

“Your job?” Jinyoung asked curiously, “And what is that?” Soojin waved a hand as if generally referring to the entire capital city.

“Keeping this city and its inhabitants safe.” She replied vaguely. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

“That is not very specific.” He noted. Soojin laughed lightly, the sound reminding Jinyoung of the soft song of windchimes moving in the breeze.

“You have a lot of questions, don’t you, Your Highness?” She said. Jinyoung chuckled.

“So I’ve heard.” He said, recalling Soyoung saying about the same thing the night that she had been poisoned. Soojin tapped her finger lightly against her sword as she pondered over how to answer him.

“The empress is powerful and keeps the country in good condition.” She replied, “The people are living well thanks to her efforts. But for her, who lives in the grand palace and often has to take into consideration the intricate relationships that lie in the royal court and between this country and others, there are things that even she cannot directly intervene in. And in any event, the smaller things that happen among the people never reach her ears.” Her eyes glimmered slightly in the moonlight as she looked down at Jinyoung.

“And that, little prince, is where I intervene.” She said, “Once a week, I do what the empress cannot.” Jinyoung tilted his head curiously.

“You speak very boldly of the ruler of this country.” He said, “You are very brave.” Soojin scoffed lightly and tilted her head up towards the sky.

“I do not live restricted by the royal rules.” She replied, “I live by my own rules and have been doing so for three years already. As long as I am not wreaking havoc in the capital, the empress will not touch me.” 

“You speak as if you know Soyoung very well.” Jinyoung observed. Soojin paused for a moment, then chuckled.

“You could say that.” She replied. They fell into silence again before Jinyoung thought back to her appearance in the forest the first time they met.

“Then...what about last time?” He asked, “When you saved me the first time? Was that also part of your...job?” Soojin was quiet for a few moments before answering.

“Indeed.” She replied, “There are many eyes watching the first foreign prince to marry into the Yuan royal family. I thought it would be safer if I also kept an eye on you. It turned out that my intuition was right.” 

“And?” Jinyoung asked, “What have you seen from keeping an eye on me?” Soojin looked over at him, her gaze oddly pensive.

“You...still have many things to learn.” She replied at last, “It’s clear that you are inexperienced when it comes to politics. For instance…” She pointed a finger down at the little home they had escaped from.

“An experienced player in politics would have never allowed his guards to leave him all alone in that home, no matter how innocent its inhabitants may seem.” She said. Jinyoung ducked his head shyly and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I know I still have a lot to learn.” He muttered, “I never imagined I’d have to live my life like this.” Soojin laughed softly. 

“Even the empress wasn’t a master at this game from the very beginning. One day, you will become the empress’ greatest helper.”  She said, “I have a feeling that will come true.” Jinyoung gazed at the young woman next to him for a long moment, intrigued by the mysterious figure. The more she spoke, the more she gave off an air of familiarity to Jinyoung. The sharp tones that she spoke in when she fought, the dark eyed gaze that seemed to see right through him...it all felt like he had heard it before. And yet, this woman was only a little more than a stranger to him. 

“Just who are you?” He asked, “Why do you know so much?” Ryu Soojin chuckled.

“That’s hard to say.” She replied, “Some say that I’m an agent from Goryeo, some say I am a wanderer who upholds justice in the city wherever I see fit. And yet others say that I am an agent sent by the empress herself to do what she cannot do.” Jinyoung’s breath caught in his throat as Soojin leaned closer to him.

“What do you think I am, Prince Consort?” She asked. Jinyoung found his gaze locked with hers, the moonlight casting a silver glow through her dark eyes. A slight breeze blew through the air, pulling her mask to the left ever so slightly to reveal the edge of elegant red painted lips. Her question hung in the air between them, the slight view of her face only serving to pique Jinyoung’s curiosity even more. 

“I’d like to see for myself who you are.” He replied. On a whim, he reached out and attempted to grab the edge of the mask fluttering in the wind. Before he could get close however, he found his wrist firmly captured by long slender fingers, preventing him from moving forward. Ryu Soojin’s gaze narrowed, a dangerous look entering her eyes.

“You are getting too bold, little prince.” She warned, “Too much curiosity could be a dangerous thing.” Her grasp on him wasn’t painful, but tight nevertheless; no matter how Jinyoung tried, he couldn’t get his hand free. Still, he was caught offguard by how fast she had moved. He had only just reached out, but within mere seconds Ryu Soojin had captured his hand before he even so much as touched the edge of her mask. The message was clear.

You’re not supposed to know who I am.

“I’m sorry.” Jinyoung said quickly, realizing what he had almost done,  “I overstepped my boundaries.” The sound of running footsteps came from below, and both looked down to see a group of men running towards the little house. The moonlight illuminated the shining golden insignia on their armor, identifying the men as imperial soldiers. Ryu Soojin smirked slightly and let go of Jinyoung’s hand.

“It looks like your guards have come for you.” She said, “I will take my leave then. Don’t let anyone know I was here.” Before Jinyoung could say anything else, she turned and leapt neatly off the edge of the rooftop and disappeared into the night.

“Wait-!” Jinyoung tried to hiss after her, but she was gone. Jinyoung sighed and turned away as he took in the dizzying height below him.

How am I supposed to get down? 

Failing to come up with any other way, Jinyoung turned and looked down at the soldiers. 

Who sent them? Soyoung?

The darkness shrouded their faces, making it hard for Jinyoung to identify who they were. Then, the man standing at the front of the group turned in his direction, and Jinyoung’s eyes widened in relief as he recognized the man.

“Sir Hyojun!” He hissed loudly, hoping to grab the man’s attention. His voice carried on the wind, and Hyojun looked up at the sound of his voice.

“Your Highness!” He exclaimed, “What are you doing up there?” Jinyoung laughed awkwardly.

“I..uh...I climbed a tree.” He lied quickly, “I climbed to escape the assassins that came after me, you see.” Hyojun sighed.

“Well, I am glad you are safe.” He said, “Please jump. I will catch you.” Jinyoung hesitated for a moment, then clambered carefully over to the other side of the rooftop. Taking a deep breath, he slipped off the edge of the rooftop. For a moment, he felt weightless before Hyojun’s strong arms grabbed him lightly by the arms.

“Thank you.” Jinyoung said breathlessly, “But where did you go, Sir Hyojun? I called, but no one answered from outside.” Hyojun hesitated, his gaze looking away uncertainly before responding.

“I apologize, Your Highness.” He said, “I spotted a dark shadow darting away from the house and thought it might be an assassin. Before I had realized it, I had been drawn too far away from the house. Please punish  me.” Instead of answering, Jinyoung looked over at the gathered imperial guards. Based on the insignia on their uniform, he noticed that they were from the elite tier of the imperial guards, subject only to the orders of the empress and the top generals of the imperial army.

“But where did they come from?” He asked.

“Her Majesty received evidence that Byul and Lord Song were both from the same organization that attacked her while she was in Goryeo.” Hyojun replied, “So she sent soldiers to come assist you immediately, just in case you were in danger.” 

Jinyoung looked over the young guard carefully. Besides the slight hesitation at the beginning, he didn’t seem to be lying, and he didn’t have any reason to be lying. After all, breaking away from one’s duty was surely to subject him to punishment. Finally, Jinyoung smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s alright.” He said, “I understand. You came back in time anyway.” The carriage was brought over from where it had been stopped a few streets away, and Hyojun helped Jinyoung into the carriage. He carefully pulled down the flap across the front of the carriage and placed guards in a protective formation around the carriage.

“Set off!” He called. Jinyoung leaned back against the padded seat in the carriage and closed his eyes. It has been a long night, and he was tired but he knew he would still have to tell Soyoung what had happened before he could retire for the night. Cracking one eye open, he looked down at his hand as the carriage rattled along the dark streets. He could still feel the grasp of Ryu Soojin’s hand on his, her grip carefully tailored not to hurt him but strong enough to prevent him from moving at the same time. Her gaze had been sharp and cautious at the same time, and once again, Jinyoung felt a strange sense of deja vu as he recalled the young woman. Sighing, he shook his head and leaned back against the seat again.

Perhaps I am just thinking too much.

____________________________________________________________________________

Ryu Soojin’s foot tapped lightly against green grey rooftop tiles as she leapt nimbly from one building to another. Before long, the imperial palace stretched out in front of her, and she leapt down to the ground before running quickly to one side that she knew would be empty as the guards switched their shifts. In one quick fluid motion, she vaulted neatly over the tall golden wall and landed on the soft grass below. 

“That took you long enough.” Soojin looked up as a pair of white boots appeared in front of her, and she smiled as she rose to her feet.

“Thank you for waiting.” She replied. Han Yeojin smirked and tossed a set of clothing at her, which the young woman caught smoothly in one hand. 

“I was about to go and get you myself.” Yeojin grumbled, “What took you so long?” 

“I got caught up in conversation.” Soojin replied smoothly, stepping out of her green robes and slipping on the elegant lilac ones that Yeojin had brought her. Yeojin raised an eyebrow.

“With the prince?” She asked. A little grunt of affirmation confirmed the question as Soojin focused on doing the buttons on her dress. Yeojin was silent for a long moment as she crossed her arms and gazed at the other woman standing in front of her.

“You’ve grown softer towards him.” She noted, “Your Majesty.” The mask covering the young woman’s face slipped off as long slender fingers tugged the ribbon at the back free, and red painted lips turned upwards slightly in amusement. 

“He is my husband.” Jang Soyoung replied, “And I am the one who sent him directly into that trap. It is only right that I personally go to help him.” Yeojin sighed as she gathered up the discarded robes on the ground.

“And how long do you intend to keep up this little ruse of yours?” She asked, “It’s been a few years already.” Soyoung thought for a moment, then shook her head and focused on tying back her long flowing hair.

“Who knows.” She replied, “For as long as it is necessary, I suppose.” Yeojin laughed softly as she tossed Soyoung her official sword.

“Who would have ever imagined this.” She said, “The famous warrior empress of the Yuan empire spends one night every week going around the city, obtaining justice for the common folk whose concerns are overlooked by the court officials.” Soyoung smiled faintly.

“The day I took the throne, I swore I would keep this empire safe and happy to the best of my ability.” She replied, “I do not make such promises lightly.” Yeojin nodded as they walked along the stone paved path towards the empress’ chambers.

“And you’ve done very well, Soyoung.” She replied, “Truly.” Soyoung sighed softly, the satisfied smile on her uncle’s face from that morning flashing through her mind. 

“Not yet.” She mused quietly, “Not well enough yet.”

____________________________________________________________________________

A little while later, Soyoung sat on the edge of her bed, her arms crossed and her gaze stern as Hyojun knelt in front of her a few feet away. Jinyoung had returned shortly after she had, and Soyoung had quickly sent him to take a bath and have some food while she dealt with  Hyojun. Having been there herself, she had more or less guessed what had happened, but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to hear it from Hyojun herself.

“So what you are saying is, you saw a dark shadow dart away from the home of Byul’s family and gave chase, bringing all the guards with you, thus leaving Jinyoung alone in the house, after which he was attacked and nearly killed at the hands of assassins?” She stated, her gaze bearing down on the young guard. 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Hyojun replied, “I’m sorry, it was my error.” 

“Im Hyojun.” Soyoung’s voice was stern, “How long have you been serving me?” Hyojun swallowed nervously.

“Since before you took the throne, Your Majesty.” He replied. Soyoung nodded in agreement.

“Then, since you have been serving me for so long, how could you make such a juvenile mistake?” She demanded, “You have been by my side since I was in the imperial military. Surely, I do not need to teach you what it means to protect your master?” Hyojun hesitated before he looked up and responded.

“You are my only master, Your Majesty.” He said quietly. Soyoung’s gaze narrowed at his response. 

“Hyojun.” She said in a warning tone, “I may be your only master in name, but Park Jinyoung is my husband. A husband and wife are joined in both body and mind, which means he is your master as well. And even if he wasn’t, I think my orders to keep him safe were made very clear, were they not?” Hyojun bowed his head.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He admitted quietly. Soyoung sighed as she looked over her personal guard. There truly wasn’t much to complain about when it came to Hyojun. He had been perfectly loyal since the day he had begun protecting her in the imperial army, never hesitating even a moment to put his life on the line to keep her safe. He never questioned any of her orders, and did exactly as he was asked. 

So...just how could he have made a mistake that even the youngest guard in the imperial forces would not have made? 

The more Soyoung thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. At the same time, she didn’t want to suspect the man who had been nothing but loyal for over five years. Careful suspicion was always warranted for a stable regime, but too much questioning led to paranoid rulers who overthought everything. Finally, she sighed and shook her head.

Even monkeys fall from trees. Perhaps this really was just a rare slip on his part.

“Forget it.” She said at last, “Thankfully, the prince returned unharmed this time. However, I will not tolerate it if this happens again, do you understand?” Hyojun nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He replied. 

“Go and kneel in the training field for twenty four hours.” Soyoung ordered, “That is your punishment for lapsing in your duty. Reflect carefully on what you did wrong this time.” Hyojun bowed.

“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.” He said quietly. He rose to his feet and headed for the door, then paused and turned to look back at Soyoung.

“You have taken a liking to His Highness, Your Majesty.” He noted, “You have grown soft towards him.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow at the statement. For the second time that night, someone was making such an observation about her. 

“Why do you say that?” She asked. 

“In the past, you would have never sent your personal guard away for another person, not even for Grand Prince Eunseong. You wouldn’t have sent the best members of the elite forces to help a mere foreigner.” Hyojun replied, “Nor would you have punished me because of another person. And yet, this time…” 

“Imperial Guard Im Hyojun.” The four simple words hung in the air, the atmosphere growing tense with the sharp tone that they were spoken in. Soyoung’s gaze darkened, her eyes warning the young guard to say nothing more.

“Watch your tongue.” She said coldly. A conflicted mix of emotions flickered through Hyojun’s eyes, then he sighed quietly and bowed.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will take my leave.” 

___________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

Jinyoung grinned and stretched happily as he stepped out of the area of the royal chambers set off for bathing. The warm water had relaxed his tense muscles, the fragrant scents soothing the nerves still slightly frazzled by what had happened that night. Wrapped comfortably in simple creamy white robes, Jinyoung paused as he heard speaking from the main room.

“Watch your tongue.” It was Soyoung’s voice. She sounded cold and authoritative, even a little angry as she spoke. Jinyoung peered around the corner and saw Soyoung sitting on the edge of the large golden bed, her arms crossed as she glared over at Hyojun, who was standing by the door. An odd, conflicted look flickered across Hyojun’s features before he bowed.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will take my leave.” He said. Jinyoung watched as Hyojun left, then Soyoung sighed and absently rubbed a hand over her right shoulder. She seemed to be favoring her shoulder, as if she had injured it on the battlefield. For a moment, Jinyoung was reminded of the large cut that had been left on Ryu Soojin’s shoulder. They had been so busy talking that Jinyoung had completely forgotten about it until now.

I wonder if she got it treated already.

Soyoung paused and turned her head slightly towards Jinyoung’s direction.

“Come out.” She said, her tone softening, “I know you’re there.” Jinyoung laughed awkwardly as he stepped out.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.” He said, “I just happened to arrive just as you were finishing, and…” Soyoung waved a hand at him.

“It’s nothing you couldn’t hear.” She replied. 

“Erm…” Jinyoung scrambled for something to say.

“You punished Hyojun?” He finally asked, “You didn’t have to. I didn’t blame him, and I’m fine, aren’t I?” Soyoung shook her head.

“He may be my personal guard, but he broke away from his duties. If he is not punished, how will this be looked upon by his subordinates and my army?” She replied, “Before you know it, rumors will be flying everywhere that the empress is favoring her guard on purpose and he can do whatever he wants without being punished. No, there must be a sense of discipline among my people.” Jinyoung sighed softly.

“I didn’t think that far ahead to that possibility.” He replied. 

“Eventually you will.” Soyoung answered. Before Jinyoung could say anything else, she sat down on the bed and patted the pillow next to her.

“Don’t just stand there.” She said, “It’s late. You should get some rest.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow as Soyoung didn’t move from her position. Normally, she would have taken her sheets and gone to the sofa on the other side of the room already, but today she hadn’t moved. For all intents and purposes, she didn’t seem to intend to move at all. Jinyoung stared at Soyoung for a long moment before deciding to voice his questions.

“Do you...intend to share the bed with me tonight?” He asked. A light amused smile broke over the serious look that had been on Soyoung’s face, seeming to catch on to the cautious tone in Jinyoung’s voice.

“Indeed.” She replied simply, “I’ve decided that it would be alright for us to share the bed at night from now on.” Jinyoung stared at his wife in shock at the sudden declaration. The way she spoke had an air of finality to it, leaving no room for questions to be asked in the same way that she spoke when she was giving orders to her subordinates. 

“But...but...you never asked if I wanted that.” He stammered. Soyoung raised an eyebrow, then seemed to ponder for a moment before nodding.

“Are you against the idea?” She asked. Jinyoung swallowed hard. He supposed that Soyoung was giving him a little respect by asking now, albeit a little late, but how was he supposed to answer that? They were a legally married couple, and had spent the night before together in bed of course, but that had been an entirely different situation. To suddenly go from sleeping separately to spending the night in the same bed without any warning whatsoever…

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an unfamiliar laugh, and he looked over at Soyoung to see her turn her head away, one hand over to hide a barely discernible amused smile. Despite her eyes being averted from him, Jinyoung saw a slight sparkle in her dark eyes, the sign of pure amusement at his fumbling hesitation. It was an expression Jinyoung had never seen before, and for a moment he felt his heart flutter slightly.

“I’m not going to bite you, little poet.” Soyoung said, “But if it is that uncomfortable for you to share a bed with me then I won’t hold it against you.” 

“No, I-!” The words slipped out of Jinyoung’s mouth before he could think twice, and he sighed as Soyoung raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue.

“I don’t mind.” Jinyoung said at lasta, “It’s alright.” A light smile crossed Soyoung’s lips, and for a moment he thought he saw relief flicker through her dark eyes. 

“Don’t just stand there then.” She said, “Come here.” Jinyoung stepped over to the bed and slipped into his side of the golden sheets. His body was tense, his heart pounding in his chest for some unknown reason. 

“Relax.” Soyoung’s voice sounded from next to him, “We are merely sleeping, nothing more.” 

“R-right.” Jinyoung mumbled, but his thoughts were rushing through his head at miles per hour.

For a woman, she certainly sounds rather calm about this entire matter!

How am I going to sleep like this??

What am I going to do?

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

Soyoung closed her eyes and waited as Jinyoung tossed and turned for a while before his exhaustion finally got the best of him. At last, his breathing slowed and steadied and he stopped shifting as he finally drifted off to sleep. Opening her eyes again, Soyoung blew out her breath slowly as she leaned up on one elbow and looked down at her husband. Jinyoung was fast asleep, his lips parted ever so slightly, his fingers lightly clenched around his palm. A faint smile passed unconsciously over Soyoung’s lips.

“For all your concerns, you sure fell asleep quickly.” She whispered in amusement. Looking back on it now, she supposed that she had acted rather rashly in making this decision. Judging by the startled look on Jinyoung’s face, it would have been better to ask him for his opinion first. But after last night, Soyoung suddenly couldn’t imagine sleeping by herself on the sofa again. In a rare moment of childish behavior, Soyoung had decided that she had to have Jinyoung by her side if she wanted to rest well. And to do that, they had to share the bed, no questions asked. Sighing softly, she laid back down on her side of the bed and closed her eyes.

Good night, little poet.

_________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

When Jinyoung awoke in the morning, the other side of the bed was already empty, as he had expected. He sat up in bed slowly and rubbed one eye, peeking around the room for any sign of Soyoung’s presence. All things considered, he had slept quite well the night before despite Soyoung’s presence on the other side of the bed. The room was empty as it usually was at this hour, but Jinyoung spotted an unfamiliar object placed on the tea table in the center of the room. Padding slowly across the room, he realized that it was a bow and a quiver of arrows. A simple note had been placed next to it.

Get dressed and come to the archery field.

Confused but intrigued, Jinyoung did as he was told. The servants were already prepared with what resembled a hunting uniform, made mostly of silver cloth save for one layer which was made of black cloth which stretched down over his hands, leaving only the top of his fingers uncovered. Golden dragons had been embroidered over the robes, signaling its wearer as one close to the ruler of the empire. Long sleeves billowed out behind him along with a white cape that fluttered in the wind. Jinyoung’s hair was tied up in a tall ponytail, an elegant silver headdress placed on top to match his clothes. 

“I look like I’m about to go on a hunting expedition.” Jinyoung noted as he looked at himself in the mirror. Having spent most of his youth on scholarly pursuits, he had rarely participated in the annual hunting competitions that his father liked to hold. To suddenly dress like this...he found it new and surprisingly refreshing. 

“You look like a true prince of Yuan.” The eunuch next to him corrected. Jinyoung supposed that the old man was right. He had taken to wearing his hanboks from home for the most part since he had arrived in Yuan, which often drew stares from inhabitants of the palace and commoners outside in the city alike. It was more than obvious that he wasn’t originally from the Yuan empire. Now, however, it was unlikely that anyone could tell the difference. At the same time however, in the months following their marriage, Soyoung had never forced him to acclimate to the way her people lived, unlike many rulers who forced foreign concubines to take on their husbands’ cultures as soon as they arrived. That, among other things, was something that Jinyoung felt grateful about. 

Giving his clothes one last pat, Jinyoung turned towards the servants near him.

“Take me where I need to go.” He said.

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The sounds of men sparring filled the air, mixed with the sounds of weapon hitting against weapon. Jinyoung watched in amazement as he walked by the practicing soldiers. He had rarely stepped foot anywhere near anything military related in Goryeo, so everything here fascinated him. Further down the practice field, he saw rows of targets lined up on the far end, the red and white surface visible from a mile away. A loud thunk sounded in the air as an arrow burrowed itself directly into the center of one of the targets, and Jinyoung followed the direction it had come in before landing on a slender figure dressed in a red and white hunting uniform.

Soyoung.

The young empress stood perfectly poised on the other end of the field, one hand outstretched while holding the bow and the other smoothly notching a new arrow into the bow. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she aimed, her slender fingers holding the arrow in place. Then, she let go, and the arrow sliced neatly through the air before burrowing neatly into the center of the next target down. The wind picked up slightly, sending her hair fluttering in the breeze, and for a moment Jinyoung was struck by the way Soyoung looked. 

Xuannu.

The name of the Chinese goddess of war suddenly rose in Jinyoung’s mind, but there really was no other way to describe how Soyoung looked in that moment. Then, Soyoung looked over at Jinyoung as she heard their footsteps, and she smiled slightly as she saw him. 

“Did you sleep well?” She asked. Jinyoung smiled in return and nodded.

“Quite well.” He admitted honestly. Soyoung nodded, seeming to be satisfied with his answer. Then, she held out her hand to him.

“Take the bow and arrow and come here.” She said. Confused, Jinyoung did as he was told. Soyoung took his hand and wrapped his fingers tightly around the wooden part of the bow.

“Listen carefully, Park Jinyoung.” She said, “Because starting today, I’m going to be teaching you how to use a bow and arrow.” Jinyoung was so surprised he nearly dropped the bow as he gaped at his wife.

“Wait, what?” He spluttered, “Why?” Soyoung’s lips twitched, and for a moment it looked like she was trying to avoid laughing at his startled expression.

“There are two reasons.” She replied, “One, because of what happened last night. No one knows what will happen in the future. If you are attacked again, I want you to have a way to protect yourself even if no one is around.” She clasped Jinyoung’s hand back around the bow again as she continued.

“And second, the annual winter hunt is coming up soon.” She said, “We will be traveling to the grassland where many of my people still live nomadic lives and participate in the hunt together with them. It’s a longstanding tradition.” 

“But why do I have to learn?” Jinyoung asked, “I’ve never participated in these events even when I was in Goryeo.” Reaching into the quiver that a servant was holding, Soyoung pulled out an arrow and examined it as she spoke.

“Because you are no longer simply a little prince of Goryeo.” She replied, “You are my husband, Prince Consort of the great Yuan empire. Sitting on the sidelines is not an option. You must show your worth to them.” 

“Surely, I can do that without using a bow and arrow.” Jinyoung protested. Soyoung sighed softly and fixed her firm gaze on his. 

“Normally, I would allow you to do so.” She said, “But in front of the tribal elders, your intelligence will not be enough. You must at least try, Jinyoung.” Jinyoung sighed quietly, then turned his body in imitation of how he had seen Soyoung standing. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, nor was it what he liked to do. But, as he was learning, there were many situations where a member of the royal family had no option but to go forward. For him, this was certainly going to be one of them. Compared to what Soyoung faced on a daily basis, this would be nothing. 

“Alright.” He said, “I will do my best.”

The weeks passed by in a blur, each day merging into the next as Jinyoung fell into a new rhythm of sleeping, eating, reading, and practicing archery. Soyoung showed little mercy despite the fact that he was her husband and new at the concept of using arrows. Every day, she made sure that Jinyoung spent two hours on the practice field with her, steadily moving the targets further out as his aim improved. It was by far one of the hardest things that Jinyoung had ever done, perhaps even harder than his early attempts to memorize the great scholarly classics from the Goryeo library. Still, the more he worked at it, the easier it did become, although he knew that he was nowhere near Soyoung or Ryu Soojin’s level. Before Jinyoung knew it, temperatures had fallen once more, and winter settled across the Yuan empire. Practice was moved inside where it was much warmer, and Jinyoung often awoke to find frost coating the tree branches outside his room. Servants began bringing little heaters into the royal couple’s chambers, where Jinyoung and Soyoung often sat talking about the day’s events until one of them grew too tired. Sometimes, Soyoung would tell Jinyoung about what happened in court that morning and ask him for his opinion. Slowly, but surely, Jinyoung felt his relationship with the empress growing closer. It was far from the ideal affectionately married couple relationship; but at the very least, he felt that they were in an amicable relationship. 

Then, the night before they were scheduled to depart for the tribal grasslands, Jinyoung experienced something he thought he would never see in his lifetime. 

Jinyoung awoke to the feeling of Soyoung shifting in bed next to him, the movement sending a gentle rustling sound into the air. Normally, Jinyoung was a deep sleeper; he barely noticed when Soyoung left in the morning, nor did he ever notice the servants slipping in and out to prepare to serve their master in washing and dressing in the morning. But after months of sleeping in the same bed as Soyoung, Jinyoung had grown used to the way that Soyoung slept. She was a light but peaceful sleeper, never tossing and turning the way that Jinyoung knew he did. 

And so, Jinyoung was inevitably woken in surprise when he felt his wife moving around in bed next to him. He cracked open one eye, wondering if she was simply getting up early, but it was clear that she was still asleep. There was no hint of sunlight outside, signaling that it was still the middle of the night. 

“Soyoung?” He whispered softly, but he received no response. 

Instead, what he heard was the unfamiliar sound of a soft whimper from next to him. 

Jinyoung froze, his eyes widening slightly, all traces of sleep suddenly gone.

Am I imagining things?

Surely, he was still half dreaming. But as Jinyoung listened carefully, he realized that without a doubt, the sound was coming from the young empress lying next to him. Moonlight drifted in from the windows, illuminating Jang Soyoung’s face slightly. Jinyoung’s heart leapt into his throat at what he saw. 

Soyoung’s eyes were tightly shut, her brow furrowed deeply as if she was highly bothered about something. Her hands were clenched tightly around the blanket, almost as if she was desperately trying to hold onto something. Her breathing came in short bursts, alternating with the little whimpers that reminded Jinyoung of the injured animals that one of his younger brothers liked to take in and nurse back to health. Her lips opened slightly, and a single word escaped . 

“Mother…” Jinyoung frowned in confusion.

Consort Hua? 

Then, he realized what was going on.

She’s having a nightmare involving Consort Hua.

“Soyoung.” He laid one hand on her arm, shaking her gently, “Soyoung, wake up.” Whatever nightmare it was though, it seemed unwilling to let go of the young empress, as Jinyoung’s efforts to wake her were in vain. Instead, a soft sob broke free from Soyoung’s lips, and to Jinyoung’s shock, something wet and glittering silver under the moonlight rolled down her cheek. 

Tears.

Jinyoung felt like something was gripping his chest in a vise as he watched Jang Soyoung cry, tears running unfettered down her face as she suffered through what must have been a terrible nightmare. It was the most shocking and unexpected thing that Jinyoung had ever seen in his life. Jang Soyoung was known for her bravery on the battlefield and in the royal court, for being a woman unlike any other who had ever stepped foot into the Yuan royal palace, and for being calm and calculated in front of the male officials of the royal court.

And yet, whatever it was she was seeing, it was enough to bring the warrior empress to tears.

Just what is she dreaming about that could bring her to tears like this?

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Author's note: Tada! I said Chapter 13 was coming soon, didn't I? 

And yes, I know the chapter photo has a character and series name on it, I don't know how to crop it out. Anyways, all credits for photos go to their rightful owners.