Soyoung

 

Jang Soyoung was dreaming.

 

In her dream, she was running, her mother Consort Hua’s hand in hers as she fled from the pursuit of soldiers sent by one of her brothers intent on taking the throne after her father’s death. 

 

Except this time, she was not the young 13 year old princess, but the 19 year old empress of Yuan. 

 

It was the same dream every time, one that recurred without fail, and yet each time it never failed to terrify Soyoung to her core.

 

“Hurry Mother!” Soyoung’s footsteps rushed along the dirt road as they ran through the forest path shrouded by trees. Her heart pounded in her chest from exertion, her breath coming in soft gasps, but Soyoung didn’t dare to stop. If she stopped, that would be the end. Mother and daughter broke through the forest path and into the early morning sunlight.

 

Surely, there will be someone to save us up ahead!

 

 Then, Soyoung skidded to a stop as they came to the edge of a cliff, barely stopping before they both tumbled over the edge. Her eyes were wide as she looked around desperately, but they were cornered. Behind them, the soldiers advanced, sensing that their prey was trapped. Soyoung reached for her sword, drawing the long blade out from its sheath at her side.

 

This time, surely this time, she could prevent the inevitable from happening!

 

Surely, this time, she could protect her mother!

 

But then, as the soldiers lunged at them, Soyoung tried to move and found that her feet were stuck to the ground. No matter how hard she tried to move, it was as if her feet weren’t her own, failing to listen to her no matter how she tried. Not only that, her sword also felt like it weighed a ton, its sharp tip glued to the ground as if held there by some strange force no matter how hard Soyoung pulled on it. 

 

One soldier lunged directly at Soyoung, his sword aimed directly for her heart. 

 

And then, once again as always, Consort Hua leapt in front of Soyoung, and the blade sunk deep into the older woman’s chest instead of Soyoung. Soyoung’s eyes widened in horror, her heart squeezing in terror. Her breath clogged in , so much that she could barely breathe. Consort Hua fell to the ground, and only then did Soyoung’s feet move from their place.

 

“No!” Her horrified, desperate plea echoed in the air as she fell to her knees next to her mother. Soyoung’s hands clasped in vain over the bleeding wound, blood rushing across her fingers. 

 

“No, not again!” She cried desperately, “Mother! Please, don’t leave me!” Tears fell unfettered down her face, her desperate sobs filling the air as she begged for Consort Hua to stay alive. 

 

“My daughter…” Consort Hua trailed one hand weakly down Soyoung’s face, “My precious daughter. You must...stay alive…” 

 

Then, her hand fell from Soyoung’s face, and her eyes closed in death. 

 

The only sound that could be heard in the air was a young woman’s anguished scream. 

 

“Mother!”

 

____________________________________________________________________________

“Soyoung! Soyoung!” The sound of an urgent voice calling her name and a gentle but urgent hand shaking her shoulder drew Soyoung from the grip of her nightmare, and her eyes flew open with a gasp. 

 

“Jang Soyoung!” The voice was familiar, so familiar. All around her, Soyoung saw the familiar golden sheets of her bed, darkened by the night hour. A tiny voice in her head reminded her that she was in her bedroom, that it was just a dream, but still the nightmare clung to the young empress. She could still feel the wet sticky blood on her fingers, the touch of her mother’s fingers on her cheek, and Consort Hua’s last whispers to her daughter. Soyoung’s chest still felt tight, her breath coming in short gasps as she struggled to pull herself from the depths of her nightmare. Something wet was running down her cheeks, although she couldn’t tell what it was in that moment. 

 

“Soyoung! Get a grip!” Warm hands were suddenly on her cheeks, large smooth fingers that sent warmth blooming slowly throughout her body. Slowly, Soyoung’s breathing calmed until it had become slow trembling gasps, her chest slowly easing. She swallowed hard, then blew out her breath one more time before looking up at the person sitting in front of her, his hands on her shoulders.

 

“Are you fully awake now?” The young man asked. Soyoung gazed at him for a long moment, her nightmare muddled brain slowly piecing together who was speaking to her. Slowly, her vision adjusted to the darkened room, and a familiar face formed in her vision.

 

“Jinyoung.” She breathed softly. The young prince nodded, his hands gently squeezing her shoulders.

 

“Did you have a nightmare?” He asked, “You were crying out in your sleep.” Soyoung blinked slowly, her cheeks starting to flame lightly as she realized Jinyoung had caught her completely frazzled by the nightmare.

 

How embarrassing!

 

Ever since she had met Jinyoung, she had only ever put forward the image of a well put together, calm and composed empress of Yuan. 

 

And now, that image was surely completely shattered. 

 

“I...I’m fine.” She said, ducking her head as she heard her voice trembling, “Just fine.” Her mind raced at a mile per hour, searching for anything she could do to get away from the mortification slowly settling into her. It wasn’t the first time she had dreamt of Consort Hua’s death, but each time she had been alone, so no one had ever seen her tears at the end of the dream before. Even Hyojun, she was sure, wasn’t aware of this at all. Soyoung quickly slipped her feet over the edge of the bed and half stumbled her way unceremoniously over to one of the windows. Pushing it open slightly, she let the cool winter air blow into the room and over her cheeks, but it did little to soothe the horror still constricting her chest. 

 

“Soyoung?” Soyoung gulped as she realized that Jinyoung had followed her, and she turned her head away from him. 

 

“Don’t look at me.” She said sharply, her tone coming out sharper than she had intended, “I’m fine.” She heard Jinyoung sigh softly.

 

“But you’re crying.” He noted. Soyoung swiped a finger across her cheeks at the comment, and realized that Jinyoung was right as she saw moisture coating her fingers. Thoroughly mortified, she scrubbed at her eyes to no avail. Tears continued to run down her cheeks unabated, urged by the fresh pain that her dream brought on every time she had it. She could feel her entire body shaking, and it certainly wasn’t from the chilly wind blowing into the room. Jinyoung sighed softly again, then reached out and closed the window. 

 

“Soyoung, look at me.” He said, tugging gently on her shoulder. Soyoung shook her head furiously.

 

“Absolutely not.” She said firmly.

 

I cannot possibly allow him to see me like this!

 

Jinyoung’s hand tightened on her shoulder.

 

“Jang Soyoung.” He said, “I have already seen you poisoned and vulnerable, in the weakest state possible. How could this be any worse? Now come and look at me, just for a moment.” When Soyoung refused to move, he sighed deeply.

 

“Very well then.” Soyoung’s eyes widened as Jinyoung stepped around to stand in front of her, then pulled her into his arms.

 

“Jinyoung?” Her voice came out sounding watery, barely able to hold back the complicated rush of emotions in her chest, “What are you…?” 

 

“Don’t move.” Jinyoung murmured softly. Soyoung froze as she felt Jinyoung began patting her gently on the back.

 

“I’m not going to force you to tell me if you don’t want to.” He said, “But if you want me to stand by doing nothing while you are clearly troubled by something to such an extent, that’s not something I can do. So let me do at least this, alright?” Instinct told Soyoung to push him away, to distance herself from the young Goryeo prince before he saw what a mess she looked like, before he saw this weakness of hers that few knew about. The further away he was, the better it was for both of them.

 

And yet, another side of her told her not to do that.

 

Jinyoung’s embrace was warm and soothing, just like it had been the day he had held her while she had been poisoned. The warmth that radiated from his arms drove away the fear that still lingered from the final traces of her nightmare, spreading from her chest down to the tips of her feet and calming her rapidly beating heart.

 

“Shh.” Jinyoung murmured as he patted her lightly on the back, “It was just a dream. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone has dreams like that.” He spoke as if he was speaking to a startled animal, gentle and calming. Normally, Soyoung would have been offended if someone spoke to her like that, but somehow, it felt different when it was Jinyoung. 

 

She wasn’t sure why, but something told her that if it was Jinyoung, then it would be alright.

 

“You don’t have to force yourself in front of me.” Jinyoung continued, “After all, I am your husband. Feelings aside, didn’t we promise to be more open with each other?” A deep sigh escaped Soyoung’s lips as she realized that Jinyoung was right. She had indeed promised to try and be more open with him, but in the mess that her mind had fallen into after her dream, the thought of depending on Jinyoung in that moment had completely gone out the window. Instead, her self defense mechanisms had kicked in, driving her to get away from him as soon as possible. Swallowing hard, she took a deep shuddering breath before wrapping her arms hesitantly around Jinyoung’s waist. Shutting her eyes, she rested her head against his shoulder in silent acceptance of his comfort.

 

It’s alright. If it’s Park Jinyoung, it’s alright.

 

Slowly, Soyoung felt her tears dry on her cheeks, her trembling body relaxing and her tense muscles finally unwinding. Taking a deep breath, Soyoung took a step back out of Jinyoung’s arms and rubbed at her eyes. Jinyoung looked down at her cautiously.

 

“Are you alright now?” He asked. Soyoung nodded silently, scrubbing at the dried tear marks on her cheeks.

 

“Thank you.” She mumbled at last, “And-” 

 

“Don’t tell anyone what happened, right?” Jinyoung said before she could finish her sentence, “I won’t.” Soyoung gazed at him, her lips parting slightly in surprise before a tiny smile crossed her face, barely visible under the faint moonlight.

 

“Thank you.” She repeated, “Husband.” Jinyoung carefully guided her back to their bed, one hand tapping a steady rhythm on her waist as Soyoung closed her eyes.

 

“I’m not a child.” She muttered softly. Her complaint was met with a soft chuckle.

 

“I never said you were.” Jinyoung replied. 

 

“Mm.” Soyoung grunted softly in response, but didn’t bother to push him away. Complain as she did, the steady warmth of Jinyoung’s hand on her waist was making her eyes heavy, her breathing unconsciously slowing to the steady beat of his fingers. Slowly, the peaceful depths of slumber closed in on Soyoung’s consciousness, and she fell back into a deep dreamless sleep. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

As Soyoung slipped back into the depths of slumber again, Jinyoung’s hand stilled on her back, and he carefully adjusted the pillow below her head. Keeping one arm gently on her hip, he gazed down at his sleeping wife. Her lashes were still slightly wet with tears, but for all intents and purposes, no one could have guessed what had just happened. Jinyoung sighed softly. He hadn’t asked Soyoung what her dream had been about, but it wasn’t particularly hard to guess. Remembering from his reading that Consort Hua had died protecting her twin children, he could only surmise from her cries that Soyoung had witnessed her mother’s death and had been powerless to stop it from happening. He never would have imagined that it had left such a mark on the young princess turned empress that she had nightmares about it though. 

 

My poor Soyoung.

 

The thought flickered across his mind before he realized it, and Jinyoung shook his head quickly.

 

What am I thinking?

 

Sighing softly, he looked down at his hand, which had unconsciously begun tapping a light rhythm on Soyoung’s hip again as she slept. He wasn’t sure why he had done what he did, but now it seemed to have been the best course of action. When he had seen the tears pooling in Soyoung’s eyes, a look of pure terror taking over her face when she awoke with a start, an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness and concern had bloomed in Jinyoung’s chest. He had moved on instinct, reaching out to gather the shaking young woman in his arms, intent on soothing away the fear in that slender body. Her slender frame had fit perfectly into his embrace, her head at just the right height to rest against his shoulder. At the same time, it was by far the most shocking thing he had experienced since he had come to Yuan. Soyoung was the infallible, untouchable empress of Yuan who had led an army to war multiple times before she had even reached the age of majority, ruling the country in prosperity without even a regent to guide her; nothing managed to shake Jang Soyoung.

 

And yet, the terrified look on her face and the way her body had shaken like a leaf had said otherwise. 

 

The way her hands had clenched at his back had screamed of desperation and fear, as if silently begging for someone to keep her from falling back into that terrifying dream she had been suffering from. The thought made Jinyoung’s chest tighten with an unfamiliar feeling, but he was distracted by Soyoung shifting slightly before he could put his finger on what it was. The soft tap of his hand on her hip lulled her back to sleep a few moments later, and Jinyoung sighed softly in relief before he laid back down on his side of the bed. 

 

Sleep well, Soyoung. I will be here with you.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

The rest of the night passed uninterrupted, and the royal couple awoke in the morning as if nothing had happened. Surprisingly, Soyoung slept later than Jinyoung did for the first time, barely moving until Jinyoung was done getting dressed and washed up for the day. Jinyoung watched as she sat up in bed, staring blankly forward with a bleary eyed expression on her face. Seeing her half asleep, the usual walls around her completely down, Jinyoung couldn’t help but smile as he took a plate of food from a maid and put it on the table in front of the bed. Soyoung was always the type to snap awake in an instant, her senses on high alert and her mind already thinking over what she had to do for that day. On the contrary, today’s half asleep expression made her seem like a younger version of herself, a more pure and innocent version of the young empress before she had taken the throne and placed the mental walls arounds herself in the face of the complicated royal court. 

 

Then, she shook her head, ran one hand through her slightly knotted hair, and the moment was gone as the sleepiness cleared from her dark eyes.

 

Jinyoung offered her a small smile.

 

“Did you sleep well?” He asked, carefully avoiding bringing up the events of the night before. Soyoung looked over at him and nodded. 

 

“Let me help you.” She offered, slipping off the side of the bed, “I didn’t mean to sleep longer today.” Jinyoung shook his head and instead turned her towards the dressing room with a wave of his hand at one of the maids.

 

“It’s fine.” He said, “Just go and get dressed. It’s rare that you don’t have to do morning court, so it’s only right that the busiest woman in the capital gets some rest. There’s still a lot of traveling that has to be done.” Today was the day they were scheduled to depart for the tribal grasslands. A fine layer of snow had fallen the night before after they had returned to sleep, certainly making travel harder than expected. Soyoung paused for a moment and then nodded silently before walking off to another part of the spacious royal chambers. After she returned, Jinyoung and Soyoung ate a light breakfast before going outside to make the final preparations for the trip to the grasslands. Jinyoung had little to check on his part; the maids and eunuchs had packed all his clothing for the trip there and back, so all he really needed to think about was which books he wanted to take to read. One chest in particular he had never seen had been placed on his designated caravan, but when he asked what was in it, the maids had informed him that they were under orders to not tell him. On the other hand, Soyoung was meticulous in everything, making sure to walk carefully around every caravan and checking every item packed onto the carts before moving onto the next. Sometimes, she would stop by the horses and carefully check their legs and hooves, a slight frown occasionally creasing her face before she would turn to a guard and tell him to switch the horse out for a different one. 

 

“She’s very careful, isn’t she?” A familiar voice spoke in his ear, and Jinyoung turned in surprise to see Wang Jia’er standing next to him.

 

“Jia’er!” He exclaimed, “What are you doing here?” His friend laughed and pointed at where his servants were putting his belongings on one of the empty caravans.

 

“What else?” He replied, “Her Majesty invited me to come along.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow. 

 

“But why would she do that?” He asked, puzzled. Jia’er was famous in the capital, but he was not a royal by any means, nor did he have ties to Soyoung. So why did she…? And then, as Soyoung turned and spotted Jia’er, who bowed politely in his ruler’s direction, Jinyoung suddenly realized what the reason was.

 

Oh.

 

It was for me, wasn’t it?

 

Although he and Soyoung had grown closer over the past few months, the trip to the grasslands was long. Once they were there, she would likely be busy with a multitude of official matters, which meant Jinyoung would be spending more time alone amongst people he had never met before. Rather than leaving him to fend for himself, it would be better if he had someone he knew and trusted by his side. A small smile turned up Jinyoung’s lips. 

 

She really does think of everything.

 

He snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a soft bump on his shoulder, and he turned to see Jia’er grinning at him.

 

“What are you smiling about?” He asked, feeling suspicious about the teasing glint in Jia’er’s eyes.

 

“It seems like your relationship is progressing quite well.” Jia’er noted, “I mean you and Her Majesty.” Jinyoung frowned in confusion.

 

“I mean, we have an amicable relationship, as far as arranged marriages go.” He replied quickly. Jia’er shook his head.

 

“‘I do not wish for him to be bored.’” He recited, “That is what the empress said when I asked why she was inviting me on such a grand event.” He leaned close and winked.

 

“She’s particularly careful when it comes to matters involving you.” He said with a grin, “That’s more than what a lot of people can ask for with their arranged wife.” Jinyoung sighed softly.

 

“That’s true.” He admitted, “But don’t let your mind wander too far off. I don’t want to hear strange rumors spreading everywhere.” Jia’er laughed.

 

“There’s no need for me to spread anything.” He said, “The two of you put on a good enough show as it is. The entire capital thinks the Empress and Prince Consort have a good relationship.” Jinyoung laughed awkwardly.

 

“Is that so?” He replied. Jia’er’s gaze was distracted by a slight flicker of movement, and Jinyoung followed his line of vision to see Han Yeojin walking towards Soyoung. She was dressed down today, having gone with a set of blue gray robes that had a simple skirt design which allowed for freedom of movement rather than her military uniform. Her gaze was still cautious as ever, however, leaving Jinyoung no doubt that the sword that was always in her hand would turn deadly in seconds if it became necessary. 

 

“Who is that?” Jia’er asked, “I’ve never seen that maiden before.”

 

“The woman next to the empress?” Jinyoung said, “That’s Han Yeojin, one of the top generals in the imperial army. She was just transferred back from guarding the borders recently.” A little smile turned up Jia’er’s lips, the same smile he always had when he spotted a new lady he intended to woo. 

 

“Is that so?” He said, “She seems quite charming. I’ve never seen a woman like her before, so graceful and yet reminding me of a protective wolf.” Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“I wouldn’t call her charming.” He warned, “Although I would say she’s rather accomplished. Soyoung trusts her a lot.” 

 

“How interesting.” Jia’er replied, “To gain Her Majesty’s trust is no simple task.” He snapped his fingers.

 

“I must get to know this young lady better!” He declared. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“Wang Jia’er, you did not just fall for the second most powerful woman in the entire empire.” He said in a warning tone, “She’s not one to be underestimated.” Jia’er grinned playfully.

 

“The harder it is, the more I want to try.” He replied before sauntering off towards Soyoung and Yeojin. Jinyoung groaned and chased after Jia’er, sensing that his friend’s current endeavour was not going to end well. Both women turned to look at them as they approached.

 

“Your Majesty.” Jia’er bowed, “Lady Han.” Soyoung smiled politely in response to his greeting.

 

“Young Master Wang.” She greeted, “You arrived on time today.” Jia’er grinned.

 

“I would not dare to be late for meeting Your Majesty’s invitation!” He declared, “And besides, if I was late, I would have missed the chance to meet such a beautiful lady.” His gaze slid slightly over to land on Yeojin. 

 

“Lady Han.” Jia’er greeted with a bow again, “My name is Wang Jia’er. I am the Prince Consort’s friend, and I run my own business in the capital. It is my honor to meet such a beautiful and accomplished woman.” Yeojin was silent for a long moment, her gaze unreadable as she crossed her arms and scrutinized the man in front of her. At last, she spoke.

 

“General.” She said simply. Jia’er stared at her, confused.

 

“Pardon?” He repeated, clearly not having expected such a response to his invitation to flirt.

 

“I am not a lady.” Han Yeojin replied coolly, “I am a general of the imperial army. Please use the proper title.” Jia’er blinked in surprise, and Jinyoung quickly turned his head to the side to hide a chuckle. In all his years of flirting and building up a reputation as the casanova of the capital city, surely Wang Jia’er had never received such a response to his opening flowery words that surely would have made any other lady blush and hide behind her embroidered fan by now. 

 

“M-my apologies.” Jia’er stammered, clearly flustered, “General Han.” 

 

“Mm.” Yeojin replied, “Wang Jia’er, was it?” Jia’er nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Yeojin interrupted before he could find the next flowery words to speak. 

 

“If you seek to woo a woman on this trip, you can save it for someone else.” She said smoothly, “I’m a very busy person and don’t have the time to listen to your flirtatious words.” Jia’er’s jaw dropped, shock evident over his handsome face as Han Yeojin saw through his goals before he had barely said two sentences. 

 

“Also.” Yeojin continued, “Please stay further away from His Highness, or else you will lead him into your improper ways as well. The Prince Consort cannot be a casanova.” Jinyoung let out an amused laugh, unable to hold it in any longer. Jia’er shot a glare at him, but Jinyoung ignored the flustered yet mortified expression on his friend’s face. 

 

“I apologize for taking up your time.” He finally managed to say, taking a step back. Yeojin pivoted neatly on one foot and bowed to Jinyoung.

 

“Your Highness, if you will excuse me, I still have matters to address with Her Majesty.” She said politely. Jinyoung nodded and waved her off.

 

“Go on.” He said, “I know there are many final preparations to be done.” Yeojin turned without a second look at Jia’er, and walked off to another caravan with Soyoung next to her. At last, once the two women were at a safe distance, Jinyoung burst out laughing, the crisp sound filling the air around him. Jia’er hit him lightly on the air.

 

“Stop it!” He grumbled, “It is not that funny!” Jinyoung shook his head, still laughing.

 

“It’s hilarious!” He declared, “I have never seen a woman refuse you so resolutely before!” 

 

“Jinyoung!” Jia’er hissed, “Do you want everyone to hear about this? Stop laughing!” Jinyoung grinned as his laughter died down, wiping at the amused tears that had risen to his eyes.

 

“I told you she wasn’t one to be underestimated.” He teased, “And yet, you didn’t believe me. It’s said that a scholar builds a city but a woman knocks it down. I think for you, it should instead be said that a flirtatious man builds his reputation but a strong woman knocks it down!” Jia’er gave him a light shove.

 

“Shut it!” He growled, “Don’t use your sayings to tease me!” Jia’er’s gaze narrowed as his eyes focused on Yeojin’s retreating figure.

 

“I have never had a woman say no to me before!” He said firmly, “And I will not let that start now! I will definitely woo Han Yeojin, just watch me!” Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“You might get hit if you try too hard.” He warned. Jia’er smirked. 

 

“With this handsome face? She wouldn’t be able to bring herself to do that.” He replied confidently. Jinyoung laughed and leaned towards his friend.

 

“Oh? Your handsome face didn’t stop her from rejecting you before you’d barely said a word just now, now did it?” He reminded. Jia’er groaned.

 

“Stop reminding me!” He protested. Jinyoung’s amused laughter filled the air again, and this time, Soyoung looked up from the horse she was inspecting. Her gaze fell on her laughing husband, his amused smile illuminated by the sunlight shining down on the preparing travelers. And then, although no one saw, a warm, amused smile flickered across her face for a few seconds before she turned back to what she had been doing.

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

The trip to the grasslands was long but uneventful. Soyoung and Jinyoung spent most of it making small talk, but Jinyoung was careful not to bring up the events of the night before their travels again. Occasionally, Soyoung would doze off while reading a petition, and after a few times Jinyoung found himself moving to sit next to her so her head would rest on his shoulder once she fell asleep. When she awoke, she would blink slightly in confusion, unused to having someone’s shoulder as a pillow, then rise from her position and give him a small smile before returning to what she had been reading. 

 

The trip was peaceful for the most part, save for the time Jia’er snuck over to Yeojin’s horse and attempted to surprise her, only to find himself flat on his back seconds later, a fist mere centimeters from his face. Jinyoung learned to appreciate the peace that had surrounded their travels once they arrived, however. The grassland territory was completely new to the young prince. Open land stretched for as far as he could see, empty save for the elaborate tents dotting the areas where the nomadic Mongols lived. The land was covered in a fresh layer of snow now, but Jinyoung could just imagine the beauty of the landscape during the spring, when the flowers were in full bloom and green grass covered the land.

 

What Jinyoung wanted to do most was sit down in his assigned tent and write poetry describing the beauty of the land or make paintings to keep it in his memory, but clearly everyone else had different ideas in mind. Before Jinyoung’s things were even fully unpacked, he found himself swept off into countless socialization events, bounced from one nobleman to another. All the high ranked members of the tribes were curious about the man that the empress had chosen to marry, and they constantly peppered Jinyoung with questions about background, his interests, and how he and Soyoung had met. Jinyoung did his best, but within a few days he found himself completely worn out by all the socializing. More than once, Soyoung had to personally come and pluck him from among the throng of men eager to speak with him, one stare from her dark eyes enough to shush their protests.

 

“You can say no, you know.” She noted one night after they retired to their tent, “You don’t have to force yourself to speak with them.” Jinyoung sighed as he fell back against his chair, worn out. Soyoung stepping forward had quelled the noblemen’s invitations, but the tribal leaders were another matter entirely. As Soyoung had anticipated, the tribal leaders were more interested in Jinyoung’s physical rather than intellectual capabilities, and before he knew it Jinyoung had found himself roped into showing off his archery capabilities the next day.

 

“No.” He said, “I do not want to hide behind you forever. It is difficult, but as Confucius said, a gem cannot be polished without friction nor a man without trials!” Soyoung chuckled softly in amusement.

 

“Only you would think of bringing up Confucius even at a time like this.” She said. 

 

“But of course!” Jinyoung replied, “Confucius also said-” He cut off as Soyoung held up one hand. 

 

“Please don’t.” She interrupted, “I do not need to hear it.” As Jinyoung wrinkled his nose at her interruption, Soyoung smirked and walked over to the bed.

 

“That’s right.” She noted as she lay down on her side of the pillows, “Don’t let the elders hold you at the archery tent for too long tomorrow. There will be a banquet and dance to welcome the beginning of the winter hunt, and it will take you some time to prepare for it.” 

 

Although Jinyoung was taken aback by the sudden announcement about a banquet, he was more curious about the way Soyoung had made the statement.

 

“Won’t you be there with me tomorrow?” He asked, “At archery I mean.” Soyoung looked over at him and shook her head.

 

“I have something to do before the banquet, so I’ll have to leave you alone for a little while.” She said, “I’m sure you will impress the elders nonetheless.” Jinyoung laughed awkwardly.

 

“You overestimate my abilities.” He replied modestly. Soyoung scoffed, then swung her legs off the side of the bed. Jinyoung’s eyes widened as his wife walked over to him, planted one hand on the table he was sitting next to, and leaned down close to him.

 

“Park Jinyoung, don’t forget who taught you how to shoot an arrow.” She said coolly, her dark eyes holding his gaze tightly in hers. Jinyoung gulped, his throat suddenly going dry. Although Soyoung was talking about him, her eyes radiated with confidence, her position smug and relaxed. Her long midnight black hair, freed from the many delicate hairpins that held it up during the day, flowed loosely down her back and shoulders. It was still slightly wet from the bath she had had just a little while ago, and Jinyoung could smell the light scent of flowers coming from her, likely whatever petals the maids had decided to throw into Soyoung’s bathwater today. 

 

And then suddenly, Jinyoung was jolted from his thoughts by the sharp sound of Soyoung’s fingers snapping in front of his face.

 

“Are you listening to me?” She asked. Jinyoung blinked, his cheeks flushing as he realized that his wife had been saying something to him. 

 

“Sorry, what did you say?” He asked. Soyoung sighed and crossed her arms.

 

“I said, just try your best tomorrow.” She repeated, “Don’t think too much about it and just relax. You won’t hit a single target if you’re trembling with nerves.” Jinyoung smiled slightly at her words.

 

“Is that a royal order?” He asked. Soyoung smirked slightly and straightened up.

 

“It’s advice to my husband.” She replied.

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

The next day, Soyoung left camp early in the morning with only Hyojun and Eunseong next to her. In the siblings’ hands, they held baskets of paper money and tulips, the flowers having been carefully preserved while the temperature was warm to keep them from wilting. The trio climbed slowly up the winding path that led up the nearby mountain, barely stopping until they reached the very top. There, Soyoung and Eunseong stood near the edge of the mountain cliff, and together they raised their arms to the sky and then bowed with both knees on the ground three times as Hyojun began setting fire to the paper money they had brought. After they were finished bowing, Soyoung reached into a basket of flowers and held them up in the air, lightly letting go allow the wind to pick up the blossom from her long fingers. She sighed quietly as she watched the flower bob on the winter wind before disappearing into the distance. 

 

“Mother always liked tulips best.” She mused softly, “And yet I never understood why.” Eunseong laughed softly as he also let the wind blow flowers from his hand. 

 

“Mother always said you never understood the things that girls should understand.” He said, “Rather than understanding the language of flowers, you were far more interested in archery or horseback riding.” Soyoung scoffed. 

 

“The language of flowers wasn’t going to keep any of us alive back then.” She replied, “I was only doing what I could do to protect our little family.” Eunseong sighed softly and nodded.

 

“That’s true.” He mused. The siblings stood quietly for a few moments before Eunseong sighed again.

 

“Time goes by fast.” He said, “It’s already been six years since that day.” Soyoung smiled, but there was a melancholic edge to the smile on her face.

 

“Indeed.” She replied, “Six years already.” Neither sibling specified what date they were referring to, but there was no need to. Both Soyoung and Eunseong were well aware of what they were thinking about without saying it aloud. 

 

Six years since Soyoung became the first female sovereign ruler of the Yuan empire. 

 

Six years since she had turned from a young child to the leader of a nation overnight. 

 

And six years since Consort Hua had been killed in front of Soyoung’s own eyes, killed to protect her children from rebels. 

 

And it had all happened on this very cliff. 

 

Since that day, Soyoung and Eunseong had made it a habit to pay respects to their mother every year before the annual winter hunt, on the day their mother had died. Soyoung had arranged for an elaborate mausoleum to be built for Consort Hua of course, but it just felt different to pay respects to her mother at the place where she had been killed.

 

Soyoung sighed as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly. The wind picked up her hair, letting it billow loosely behind her. Soyoung hadn’t bothered calling any maids that morning. She had tied a simply orange ribbon in her hair and left it like that, just the way Consort Hua liked it. Her mother had never been one to lust after extravagant things; that was one of the many things Soyoung’s father, the previous emperor, had liked about her. Behind the darkness of her closed eyes, Soyoung could still see the events of that fateful day play out in her mind, just as they had in her dreams the night before they set out for the grasslands. 

 

She heard the soft shuffle of boots, and she opened her eyes to see that Eunseong and Hyojun had switched places by her side. 

 

“I’m sure Her Royal Highness would be proud to see all that you have accomplished, Your Majesty.” Hyojun said softly, wrapping a fur lined cape around Soyoung’s shoulders. Soyoung laughed dryly.

 

“I’m sure she didn’t want her daughter to be ruling a country.” She said, “But it’s already been six years since I started down this path. There is no turning back anymore.” Hyojun took a step back and bowed to her, one arm over his chest.

 

“Your Majesty, I will stay by your side until the very end.” He swore. Soyoung chuckled softly.

 

“I know.” She said, “That day, you were the one who brought soldiers to this location. If not for you, Eunseong and I may not have survived the rebel attack.” Her gaze was warm as she pulled Hyojun up from his bow.

 

“And that is why I will always trust you, Im Hyojun.” She continued, “And it is also why I chose to keep you by my side.” An odd expression flickered through Hyojun’s eyes for a brief moment, but then it was gone, as if it had been blown away in the winter wind.

 

“I will always remember the grace you have shown me, Your Majesty.” He replied softly.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

The day moved by quickly for Jinyoung, as he was pulled once again from one social event to the next as the sun moved across the sky. While his archery skills were far from perfect, he reminded himself to simply relax as Soyoung had advised him to do, and he managed not to embarrass himself or his status as the empress’ husband. Soyoung, for her part, seemed to be occupied throughout the day. Jinyoung had felt her wake up early in the morning just as the sun had begun to rise, but she had tapped her hand gently on his shoulder to tell him to go back to sleep. When he awoke again hours later, she was nowhere to be seen in camp. It seemed that even outside of the palace, Soyoung was busy as ever. Before Jinyoung realized it, it was already late afternoon, and he was ushered off by servants to prepare for the dance and banquet that night. At last, the mysterious chest that had been placed along his belongings was opened, and Jinyoung’s jaw dropped as he watched the maids unfold the clothing that had been carefully wrapped inside.

 

The clothes inside were nothing like any that Jinyoung had seen in the Yuan palace before. It had been designed with a white and blue theme, with the edges and cuffs lined with a white patterns over blue cloth that reminded Jinyoung of flowing clouds. An elaborate design stretched from the neck and collarbone down to the chest and to the right, the two folds of the top held together by two sets of buttons. The belt that came with the robes were of the same color as the rest of the clothes, and accented by the sky blue gem that had been placed in the middle. Jinyoung gulped as he ran his fingers over the thick fabric. It was clear it had been designed for winter use, and Jinyoung was sure he wouldn’t be cold at the banquet if he wore these robes. He had only seen it in books before, but he was sure that this had been designed in the traditional Mongolian style, a nod to the Yuan dynasty’s lineage. 

 

“The empress wants me to wear this?” He asked, looking over at the maids and eunuchs gathered in front of him. The servants nodded in response to his question.

 

“Her Majesty said at a traditional event like this, it would be best for you to wear traditional clothing.” The eunuch in charge explained, “She has been preparing this since before you began traveling.” Jinyoung sighed as he ran his fingers over the elegant robes again. He had been slowly switching away from wearing a hanbok in the Yuan palace, but putting on traditional Mongol clothing was another thing altogether. After thinking for a few long moments, Jinyoung sighed and nodded. 

 

“Very well.” He said, “I will not put Her Majesty’s efforts to waste.” The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like the proper thing to do. While he was a little put off by the fact that Soyoung had, once again, moved without asking him first, he could see why she had ordered traditional robes made for him. She could have simply allowed him to dress however he wanted at the dance. On the other hand, allowing him, a foreign prince to dress the same way as they did, marked Jinyoung as one of her people rather than an outsider. In short, it was her acknowledgement of him, beyond merely holding the title of her husband in name alone. There was no need to rebuke her good intentions.

 

After Jinyoung had switched into the traditional robes, he was led outside to where a large bonfire had been built. All around the fire, he saw groups of people dancing while laughing, the sound of singing filling the air. There was nothing particularly elaborate about the whole thing, but everyone seemed delighted at the same time. Jinyoung cast his gaze around the attendees, but saw no sign of Soyoung among them. The only face he really recognized was Jia'er, who sat talking with some young ladies near the fire, and Eunseong, who was deep in conversation with some tribal physicians.

 

“Her Majesty said she will arrive later.” The eunuch next to him explained, catching onto Jinyoung’s gaze, “She told you to enjoy yourself in the meantime.” 

 

“Oh…” Jinyoung replied, feeling slightly disappointed for some reason. He hadn’t seen his wife all day, and it left an odd feeling in his chest. As Jinyoung stood hesitating, an unfamiliar young woman approached him. She was dressed in fine clothing, likely a noblewoman. Jinyoung had been caught up with speaking with the tribal men ever since he had arrived, but the young women had been kept away from him so he hadn’t met any of them.

 

“Hello!” She said cheerfully, “I have never seen you before! Are you new to the grasslands?” 

 

“How rude!” The attending eunuch interrupted, “Don’t you know that this is-?” Jinyoung shushed the older man quickly and waved his hand to send the eunuch off. If the girl didn’t know who he was, that was fine. He didn’t want to ruin everyone’s festive mood by announcing his official presence. At the moment, he was alright with simply being a normal attendee at the banquet. 

 

“I, um.” He floundered for a few moments as he thought of what to say, “I am a merchant simply traveling nearby.” The girl’s eyes lit up at his response.

 

“Then you have come just in time!” She exclaimed, “Today is our annual winter hunt banquet! If you are alone, then come dance with me!” Jinyoung froze, unsure of what to do. Quite frankly, he could be considered anything but alone at the moment. This woman was straightforward with her invitation, not unlike how Soyoung acted on a daily basis. He had long heard that Mongol women were far more forward and direct than Goryeo women, but this was truly taking him off guard.

 

“I…” He cleared his throat and stepped back, “Men and women should keep their distance.” The young woman laughed.

 

“You are such an interesting person!” She declared, “But there’s no need to worry about the rules that apply in the cities. In the grasslands, men and women don’t live as strictly as they do, especially on a night like this!” She took Jinyoung’s hand before he could say anything else, and before he knew it, Jinyoung found himself pulled over to the bonfire. Although he protested that he had no idea how to dance, the young woman was more than willing to teach him. Slowly, despite his initial reservations, Jinyoung found himself infected by the festive spirit that permeated the entire camp, and soon he was laughing and doing his best at dancing along with the other Mongol youths. 

 

In fact, he was so busy dancing that he failed to notice the arrival of a certain other person.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

Soyoung spent the day in a rather melancholic mood, although she did her best to push it away while she was working. Even away from the palace, there were different matters that had to be discussed with the tribal leaders. For instance, how much food their farming had yielded, how the safety of their borders looked, how much tribute they could give to the capital that year. The list went on and on. By the time late afternoon arrived, Soyoung was more than happy to just close her eyes and let her maids dress her in the traditional dress she had chosen for the banquet. Her dress had been made with a red and white theme, with elegant gold swirls decorating the edges and running down the center of the skirt.

 

“Did the prince wear the clothes that were prepared for him?” She asked.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The maid combing her hair replied, “The eunuchs attending him said he looked very handsome.” Soyoung scoffed at the comment but a small pleased smile turned up the corner of her lips nevertheless.

 

“Of course he did, I chose it for him.” She replied. When Soyoung was done getting dressed, she followed her servants to the large bonfire where her people were already dancing. As Soyoung drew closer, she cast her gaze around for her husband until her eyes fell on a swath of blue and white. Her lips began to turn upwards into a smile, but a few seconds later, her red painted lips turned downwards into a displeased frown. In the short time since he had arrived, Jinyoung had somehow gotten himself surrounded by young noblewomen. Not only that, but he also seemed to be conversing happily with them, a cheerful smile on his face as they danced together. Soyoung raised a hand to stop the eunuch from announcing her presence, her gaze focusing on the little group her husband was standing in. Soyoung knew her husband had been surrounded by noblemen during the time they had been at the grasslands, so she had expected he would be taken aback by the noblewomen when he met them, likely standing awkwardly near them or only speaking with the men while he waited for her to appear. 

 

But instead, everything was the complete opposite.

 

Jinyoung’s smile flashed in the firelight, warm and inviting as he conversed with the young women. It was clear that the noblewomen were completely captivated by Jinyoung, their eyes sparkling with delight at anything he said. They talked and laughed freely, as if they had known each other for years. Soyoung swallowed hard, her gaze narrowing dangerously. 

 

“Who are those girls near my husband?” She asked coldly.

 

“Looking at their clothing, it seems that they are the daughters of the various tribal leaders.” The eunuch beside her replied, “I have heard they have many young and talented unmarried daughters, who are well known for their beauty and fighting ability.” 

 

An ugly feeling crept up Soyoung’s chest and tightened around her heart like a fist as she gazed at her husband, who was still blissfully unaware of her presence. It was a feeling Soyoung had never felt before, but she didn’t like it one bit. The odd sensation made her feel like she had a rock in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She could hear a slight buzzing noise in her ears, as if a bee was fluttering nearby and refusing to leave. The sounds of cheering and clapping nearby seemed to fade away until Soyoung could only see Jinyoung offering his handsome smiling face to another woman.

 

“Your Majesty?” The eunuch’s voice broke through the haze settling over her mind, “Are you alright?” With a start, Soyoung realized her fingers had curled into a tight fist by her side, her jaw locking so much it sent a jolt of pain up her cheek. Slowly, she blew out her breath before plastering a smile on her face.

 

“I’m fine.” She replied, “I was just marveling at how well my husband is doing at socializing with all sorts of people here in the tribes.” She carefully straightened her back and folded her hands in front of her, the very epitome of a graceful but powerful ruler.

 

“You can leave.” Soyoung said, “I will go and join my husband now.” The eunuch backed away, and Soyoung began walking over to her laughing husband. Various nobles bowed as she passed, recognizing her face immediately from their many interactions over the past days, but she only bothered to give them each a polite nod. At last, she reached the little group surrounding Jinyoung.

 

“It seems like you’re enjoying yourself.” She said coolly, her voice easily breaking through the mostly female chatters, “Park Jinyoung.” Jinyoung looked over as she spoke, a smile breaking over his face.

 

“You’re here!” He exclaimed cheerfully. Then, Jinyoung finally seemed to notice the dark glowering expression on her face, and his smile faded immediately. 

 

“Is this your friend?” One young lady asked, tugging lightly on Jinyoung’s sleeve. Soyoung scoffed at the question before Jinyoung could answer. 

 

“That is one way to put it.” She replied flatly, crossing her arms. The young women around Jinyoung froze, seeming to finally pick up on the barely suppressed anger emanating off from Soyoung. They all looked to Jinyoung questioningly, and Jinyoung floundered for a few moments before speaking.

 

“I, uh...do allow me to introduce you to these nice young women who taught me how to dance.” He said quickly, and proceeded to quickly rattle off the names and family backgrounds of the young noblewomen around him. As expected, Soyoung recognized all of their families to be of high noble status, mostly daughters of tribal chiefs or military commanders. She plastered a polite smile over her face before responding.

 

“All ladies of noble status.” She said, her cold tone completely out of match with the smile on her face, “No wonder they have such good taste. Within minutes, they have all set their eyes on our husband.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, her tongue drawing out the royal “we” for  the first time in forever for emphasis. Soyoung made it a point not to use the royal “we” if she didn’t have to. Whenever her father used it, she had always felt like the simple word opened a large chasm between him and whoever he was speaking with, even if it was his own child. She wanted to be a magnanimous ruler, not someone who forced her wishes down on her subjects at every moment. 

 

But this time, she couldn’t help but use it.

 

The girls’ faces paled as they noticed the special word, and after a few long moments, one of them finally worked up the bravery to speak. 

 

“You are…?” She asked hesitantly. Soyoung scoffed at the question, then raised her right hand into the air without saying anything. The warm glow of the bonfire lit up the signet ring on her finger, the elegant one-of-a-kind design saying more than words could ever say. The girls’ faces paled, finally realizing what mistake they had made as they quickly fell to their knees.

 

“Greetings, Your Majesty!” They chorused. Barely giving them a glance, Soyoung stepped forward and held out her hand to Jinyoung. The young prince’s face looked pale, seeming to realize that he had done something he shouldn’t have. Although she didn’t know why, at that moment, Soyoung wanted to yell at him, to grab him by the collar and demand him explain what in the world he was doing.

 

But now wasn’t the time for that.

 

“The banquet will begin soon.” Soyoung said simply, “Shall we go sit down, Husband?” Jinyoung swallowed hard, then reached out and clasped his warm fingers around her hand.

 

“Yes, Wife.” He replied.