Author's note: I'm marking this chapter as PG-13 because of a steamy-ish scene near the middle. Nothing to the level of M rated, but I thought I'd put a warning just in case.

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Soyoung

 

The sound of a male’s cry of pain echoed in Soyoung’s ears as her arms tightened around the young prince in her arms. Her body froze, her eyes widened as she took in the sight in front of her. At the last minute, Jinyoung had thrown himself between Soyoung and the wolf, his arms wrapped around her tightly. 

 

And so, the animal’s fangs had sunk into Jinyoung’s shoulder instead of her neck. 

 

Soyoung felt her body go numb as her gaze fixated on the wolf’s sharp teeth buried deep into Jinyoung’s shoulder. Red blood blossomed out from the wound, quickly turning the soft cloth of his hunting clothes a dangerous mix of red and dark brown. The color slowly seemed to seep from Soyoung’s vision at the same time as blood was seeping from Jinyoug’s wound, until all she could process was the red dyeing her husband’s clothes. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, and a ringing sound seemed to echo in Soyoung’s ears. Her hands gripped Jinyoung’s waist tightly, a thousand words rushing to her lips but none of them managing to make it off her tongue. Only a single thought echoed repeatedly in her head.

 

Not again.

 

Was someone going to sacrifice themselves for her, once again, on this very mountain, just like Consort Hua had six years ago?

 

No. I won’t allow it!

 

Something seemed to snap inside Soyoung, and a furious yell broke free from her lips as adrenaline rushed through her veins, pushing aside the ice that had settled there from the shock of what had just happened. In one swift motion, Soyoung pulled the red jewel flower hairpin from her hair and shoved it into the attacking wolf’s neck, allowing the sharp end of the pin to sink directly into the most fatal spot. As she had expected, the wolf let Jinyoung go and snarled at the attack, but the effects of Soyoung’s attack moved in before it could do anything. With a sharp kick, Soyoung sent the animal flying away from them, the force of her kick sending it sprawling unmoving a short distance away. 

 

“Jinyoung.” Soyoung returned her attention to her husband, one hand cupping his face while the other pressed hard on the bleeding wound on his shoulder, “Jinyoung look at me. Hey, look at me!” Jinyoung’s eyes were wide with shock, his body trembling under her grasp. 

 

“Soyoung…” He whispered, “I feel...numb.” Soyoung felt panic tear through her chest at the comment. Was his body already starting to shut down? It wasn’t impossible; they were in the middle of a forest covered in snow, and he had a deep wound on his shoulder that hadn’t stopped bleeding. 

 

“Park Jinyoung, don’t you dare fall asleep!” She growled, slapping his cheek lightly with her hand, “You must stay awake, do you understand?” Jinyoung smiled faintly.

 

“Is that a royal order?” He asked. Soyoung sighed.

 

“Yes.” She said firmly, “So don’t you dare disobey me this time.” Laying Jinyoung’s hand over his shoulder, she lightly leaned him against the tree. Behind her, she could hear the sound of pawsteps once more as the rest of the wolfpack appeared, drawn by the scent of blood and the sounds of fighting. As she backed away, Soyoung quickly did a mental estimate of how many members of the pack had arrived and realized there was no way she could fight her way out of all of them. There were more of them than she had imagined. Even if she managed to break through an opening, there was no way she could flee from the wolves and make it down the path with Jinyoung’s current condition without even a horse to help them move quickly. Then, her gaze flickered over to the cliff a short distance away. Near the cliff was a large tree, and from the looks of it, it had been growing there for some time. Long thick vines had grown off the side of the tree, the unkept vines stretching down past the edge of the cliff and off beyond Soyoung’s vision.

 

And then, Soyoung had an idea, one that could potentially get them away alive. Moving slowly to avoid inciting another wolf attack before she was ready, Soyoung leaned down and looped an arm around her husband’s waist and pulled him to his feet.

 

“What are you doing?” He asked dazedly. 

 

“Park Jinyoung, do you trust me?” Soyoung asked softly. Jinyoung gazed at her for a long moment, then chuckled lightly.

 

“What would I be if I didn’t even trust my own wife?” He asked, “I made you a promise, didn’t I?” Soyoug’s lips parted slightly as she gazed at him, slightly surprised by his answer. Then, a slight smile turned up the corner of her lips. 

 

“Close your eyes.” She said, “You might get dizzy otherwise.” For once, Jinyoung did as she asked without asking why, and Soyoung leveled her gaze at the wolf standing closest to her. Slowly, she let her calm gaze fall from her face, a low growl of her own rising from .

 

“Come on.” She snarled, “I’m not afraid of you.” Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, numbing the pain from her own wounds that would surely show themselves later, but for now, Soyoung could care less about that. All that mattered was getting out of here alive. Spurred by the tone underlying her words, the wolves attacked. Soyoung moved as quickly as she could, her footsteps dancing nimbly past the animals despite her injured ankle and Jinyoung’s weight taking up her left arm. Her hand clenched her sword tightly, the sharp blade cutting deeply into any animal that so much as got close to her and Jinyoung. At last, Soyoung broke through the wall of wolves that had surrounded them, and she dragged her half stumbling husband to the large tree at the edge of the cliff.

 

“What are you doing?” Jinyoung gasped as Soyoung reached out and tied a long thick vine around his waist before tying another one around her free wrist. 

 

“I hope you’re not afraid of heights.” Soyoung replied simply, throwing one look over her shoulder to see that the wolves had regrouped and were heading straight in their direction.

 

“Wait, what-?” Without letting Jinyoung ask anything else, Soyoung tugged on her vine to test its strength one more time. Then, without further warning, she tightened her grip around Jinyoung’s waist and leapt directly off the edge of the cliff.

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

Jinyoung’s startled scream filled the air as he suddenly found himself weightless, the ground falling away from his feet without so much as a warning from the woman holding him. All he could do was grip tightly onto Soyoung, hoping with all his might that Soyoung hadn’t banked everything on free falling from the edge of the cliff. The cold wind blowing past them slapped painfully against his cheeks and made his shoulder feel like it was on fire. Finally, they were yanked to a stop as the tree vine ran its length. Soyoung’s grip tightened around Jinyoung as they were knocked against the cliff face by the sudden stop. Jinyoung heard Soyoung in her breath as she took the brunt of the impact from hitting the cliff, and he remembered how she had been thrown against the tree not too long ago.

 

She must be injured as well.

 

Still, the young empress showed no other signs of weakness, her grip steady and firm on him as they waited for the vine to stop moving. At last, she let out her breath and spoke.

 

“I’m going to let go now.” She said. 

 

“Let go?” Jinyoung hissed, “What for?” Soyoung chuckled softly at his obvious panic.

 

“Look below you.” She said, “There’s solid ground right there.” Jinyoung gulped and took a deep breath before looking down as she had suggested. Sure enough, a sizable rock path jutted out from the cliff face a few feet below them. And towards Soyoung’s left, Jinyoung saw the entrance to a large cave. Feeling his body relax slightly, Soyoung untied the vine around Jinyoung’s waist and loosened her grip on her own vine, allowing both of them to slip carefully down to the rock path below. Still keeping an arm around Jinyoung, Soyoung guided him into the cave and sat him down inside. 

 

“Stay here.” She said, “I’ll be right back.” 

 

“You knew there was a cave here?” Jinyoung couldn’t help but ask as the young empress stood up again. Soyoung paused, then thought for a moment before responding. 

 

“I had a good hunch there would be one.” She replied. Jinyoung’s jaw dropped at her answer. 

 

“You mean you leapt down from the cliff on a whim?” He demanded, and attempted to sit up before a bolt of pain up his right shoulder sent him tumbling back down into his seat.

 

“It was more than a whim.” Soyoung scoffed, “I spent more of my childhood here than you’d think. Now be quiet and wait for me to come back.” As Jinyoung watched her walk to the opening to the cave, he couldn’t help but notice a slight limp to her step, and recalled that the wolf had first attacked her by grabbing her ankle.

 

“Soyoung.” He said, “Are you alright?” Soyoung turned her head slightly, and he thought he saw a grimace on her face before she smiled slightly towards him.

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked, then walked out of sight.

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung 

 

Soyoung tilted her head up as she walked out of the cliff, her gaze searching for two things. One, to see if the wolves had managed to follow them, although she doubted that they would be able to. Wolves were incredibly agile animals, and were known to run up and down the mountainside with barely any issues. But given how steep the cliff was, she doubted even a wolf would make it down safely. And second, there was an herb that she was searching for. Her gaze traveled across the cliff face, then a light smile turned up her lips as she spotted a tall narrow stem topped by a cluster of little white flowers.

 

There it is.

 

Soyoung looked down at her ankle and tapped her foot experimentally against the ground. A slight pain trembled across her foot, but otherwise it seemed alright, at least for now. Taking a few steps back, Soyoung tapped into the skills she usually reserved for her other self, the bandit Ryu Soojin who worked tirelessly during the night to protect the people of the city. Within a few minutes, she had plucked the necessary herbs off the mountainside and returned to the cave where Jinyoung was waiting. Despite the pain he was clearly in, the young prince looked at her curiously as she took a rock and neatly ground the herbs she had picked from the cliff.

 

“What is that?” He asked. 

 

“Shepherd’s purse.” Soyoung replied, barely looking up from her task, “It’s an herb that stops bleeding. This will help your shoulder.” 

 

“You know about medicinal herbs too?” Jinyoung asked, sounding surprised. Soyoung chuckled softly.

 

“I am a warrior. I wouldn’t be able to survive if I didn’t know about at least a few basic herbs. Besides, Eunseong was more than happy to teach me.” She replied, “This mountain is full of different beneficial herbs. That is why I chose this place to be the imperial hunting grounds every year.”

 

“You are...very careful with these matters.” Jinyoung observed. Soyoung laughed softly.

 

“Of course.” She replied, “Arrows and swords have no eyes. Something is bound to go wrong at least once every year, and I, for one, do not intend for anyone to lose their life under my watch.” She finished grinding the herbs and packed the results neatly into her hands.

 

“Now, take off your clothes.” She said. Jinyoung’s eyes widened, and Soyoung saw his cheeks flush a bright red.

 

“T-that is very forward of you to say.” He stammered, “Men and women should keep their distance.” Soyoung sighed, rolled her eyes, and walked over to kneel next to him.

 

“Park Jinyoung.” She said, “There are a few things you should take note of. One, we are husband and wife. In theory, there is no need to maintain whatever proprietary distance you had in mind. Second, I am not sure where your mind was going, but what I meant was for you to take off enough so I can pack this onto your shoulder. I don’t intend to watch you bleed to death.” Jinyoung blinked, then flushed harder as he realized what she had actually meant.

 

“Oh.” He mumbled quietly before clumsily rushing to do what he had been told. Soyoung moved closer as he loosened his robes enough to reveal his back to her, and her breath caught in as she saw the extent of the damage the wolf had done to his shoulder. 

 

“This might hurt.” She mumbled quietly before carefully packing the crushed herbs onto Jinyoung’s wound. It wouldn’t do much in terms of healing, but at least it would stop the bleeding until someone found their hiding spot. Jinyoung’s body tensed as she treated the wound, and by his trembles she could tell that he was using all his strength to keep from crying out. Her fingers moved quickly despite the cold temperatures, and soon she was finished.

 

“All done.” She said, tugging the edge of Jinyoung’s robe back over his shoulders.

 

“Thank you.” Jinyoung mumbled quietly as he settled against the cave wall again. 

 

“Open your mouth.” Soyoung ordered, taking out a few berries from her pocket that she had picked on her way back from picking the herbs.

 

“What-?” Jinyoung started to ask, but Soyoung shoved the berries unceremoniously into his mouth, cutting off his question. He coughed and choked in surprise at the sudden assault on his mouth, and Soyoung patted him lightly on the back until he swallowed. 

 

“What was that?” He asked. 

 

“Berries to improve the blood.” Soyoung replied simply, crossing her arms, “Your body is weak from blood loss.” 

 

“Oh.” Jinyoung replied simply, scrubbing lightly at the side of his mouth. Soyoung reached out and laid a hand gently over his forehead.

 

“You have a slight fever.” She said softly, “We’ll have to get you back soon.” 

 

“And you?” Jinyoung asked quietly, raising his eyes to meet hers, “Aren’t you injured too?” Soyoung looked at him in surprise, startled that he had noticed. In truth, her back was starting to ache as the adrenaline from the fight faded away, and she was sure that the impact of being thrown against the tree had at least fractured a bone or two. Still, there was no need to worry Jinyoung about that now.

 

“I’m fine.” She lied smoothly, “It’s nothing.”

 

“Oh.” Jinyoung mumbled quietly as Soyoung sat down next to him, and the two lapsed into an awkward silence.

 

“Can I...ask you something?” Jinyoung asked a few moments later. 

 

“Go ahead.” Soyoung replied softly. 

 

“Why did you get so angry during the banquet?” Jinyoung asked. Soyoung froze at the question, taken aback by the sudden inquiry. She had thought Jinyoung would just forget about the whole thing and let the matter pass as if it had never happened.

 

“Why do you ask?” She replied, “Is it because it seemed like I was picking on your little lady friend?” She couldn’t help but let a bitter tone slip into the end of her question, irritation again rising in her chest at the thought of Jinyoung being protective of Altansarnai.

 

“No, of course not!” Jinyoung said quickly, his gaze switching over to her in a panic, “I never thought such a thing. It’s just...I’d never seen you act that way before. And...it was cold that night, and I didn’t like it.” Soyoung tilted her head slightly as she tried to unpack what her husband was saying.

 

Cold?

 

Oh.

 

It was true that she had ignored him the entire night, barely so much as turning in his direction. She thought he hadn’t noticed, but now it seemed like he had. The thought sent a slight flutter through her chest, her lips almost turning up in a smile before she pressed it back down again.

 

“I...do not know why.” She admitted honestly, “The minute I saw you dancing with those other noblewomen, all I could feel in my chest was anger and irritation. All I wanted to do was take your hand and drag you away from there, but I couldn’t because of my status. My chest was tight, and I found it hard to breathe.” Soyoung stopped and let her voice trail off, turning her head away as she realized she was beginning to ramble. 

 

“Why am I saying all this…” She muttered. Soyoung felt a light tug on her sleeve and she turned to see Jinyoung looking directly at her.

 

“Is that...what Jia’er calls jealousy?” He asked softly, “That’s what he said you were feeling, and why you were so angry.” Soyoung stared at him in surprise, then scoffed as she tried to ignore the fluttering in her chest that had started again.

 

“Park Jinyoung, I don’t think you’re supposed to ask a woman that question so directly.” She warned. Jinyoung blinked in surprise and looked away with a light blush over his cheeks.

 

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled. Soyoung sighed softly, then seriously thought over his question before responding.

 

“Perhaps it was.” She admitted quietly, “I do not have much experience with emotions like that, Jinyoung. Feelings like jealousy are only invoked when something gets too close to someone who is important to the feeler, and I cannot say I value that many people at that level.” 

 

“Then...have I become one of those people?” Jinyoung asked quietly, looking up at her. There was an earnest, curious expression in the Goryeo prince’s eyes, one that told Soyoung she couldn’t get away with avoiding his question. Although something told Soyoung that she knew what the answer should be, she just couldn’t form the right words to express it. 

 

“Tell me why you jumped in front of the wolf for me.” She said instead, “Your body is far weaker than mine. That wolf could have taken off your arm or worse, you could have been killed, didn’t you know that?” Jinyoung looked slightly surprised by her sudden change in topic, but considered her question anyway. As he pondered over her query, Soyoung wondered how he would respond. Knowing him, he would probably respond with some old scholarly quote, something deep that she wouldn’t even understand or want to understand. Then, he finally answered her question.

 

“Because I am your husband.” Jinyoung said simply, “A husband has a duty to protect his wife, doesn’t he?” Soyoung’s lips parted slightly in surprise.

 

“What?” She asked, wondering if she had heard wrong.

 

“I don’t mean you are incapable of protecting yourself.” Jinyoung added quickly, “But even though you are a strong warrior in your own right, I am still your husband, and I have a duty to help you in any way I can. And that includes protecting you when it becomes necessary, even with my own body, does it not? Just like how you help me, I want to help you too.” Soyoung stared at him, dumbfounded by his answer. There had been many men in the past who had tried to woo her, tried to make her seem like a woman who needed to be coddled like a flower whose petals couldn’t be broken off even when she was clearly the complete opposite. Then, after she had become the empress, everyone had acknowledged that she was capable of physically protecting herself. Hyojun’s presence was always nearby, but everyone knew he was only additional help, rather than the person Soyoung depended on for protection. No one would think that Jang Soyoung, of all people, would truly need someone to protect her. But sometimes, although it didn’t happen that often, Soyoung would feel herself grow exhausted by her nonstop duties, and occasionally wish that there was someone, just anyone, she could fall back on, someone she didn’t have to put up a strong front for and know that that person would catch her when she fell.

 

Looking at what Jinyoung had said, it was clear that this man was that person she had been waiting for. 

 

Soyoung’s vision grew blurry, and with a start she realized that tears had begun pooling in her eyes. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, an inexplicable emotion welling up in her chest.

 

“Soyoung?” Jinyoung asked, surprised by the look on her face. Soyoung swallowed hard, then reached out and cupped a hand against Jinyoung’s cheek.

 

“You dummy.” She whispered softly. 

 

Then, she leaned forward, and claimed his lips with her own.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

Jinyoung froze as Jang Soyoung kissed him.

 

Her lips were soft and warm, her hesitant touch making it clear that she had never done this before. There had been more than one time when Jinyoung had wondered what it would feel like to kiss his wife, but he had never imagined their first kiss would take place under the current circumstances. The cave was cold and wet, and he could faintly hear the sound of the winter wind howling outside. His shoulder throbbed despite the herbs packed carefully onto it, and his cheeks felt hot from an oncoming fever.

 

And yet, his chest felt warm, and he was more than certain it wasn’t from the fever.

 

The warmth that bloomed in his chest spread to the tips of his hands and feet, chasing away the cold that had settled there from the winter weather outside. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, and he could hear the blood roaring in his ears as he returned the kiss, his body eagerly responding to her touch. Soyoung’s touch chased away the yearning he had felt all night as she had stayed away from him, satisfying what he wanted and yet causing him to feel like he wanted more. The anxiety that had taken over him eased, a surprising sense of joy filling his chest.

 

I missed her, so much.

 

Then, Soyoung’s warmth suddenly disappeared as she pulled away from him. Jinyoung gazed at his wife as he caught his breath. She looked just as flustered as he felt, an odd look on the ever calm and composed empress of yuan. Her lips were slightly parted as she caught her breath, her cheeks slightly flushed. 

 

“Sorry.” She said softly. Jinyoung gazed at her for another long moment, then knew what he wanted to say next.

 

“Don’t be.” He replied, the simple two words coming out like a low growl in his throat. Jinyoung’s arm snagged around Soyoung’s waist as he pulled her back to him, their lips meeting once more in a deep kiss that was more passionate than the last. Jinyoung felt like his body was on fire, a fire that Soyoung’s kisses stoked even higher. And yet, if this fire was because of her, Jinyoung could care less. His free hand moved up to her head and pulled out the hairpin holding her hair in a ponytail, allowing the long locks to fall down her back like a waterfall. The soft scent of roses filled the air, the smell that had become associated with her because her maids always placed rose petals in her bath water. Jinyoung couldn’t help but smile through the flurry of kisses as he pulled Soyoung neatly into his lap.

 

Just what spell has this woman placed on me? I feel terrible if she ignores me for even one day.

 

Just what has happened to me?

 

Then, as Jinyoung’s grip tightened around Soyoung’s back, he heard her gasp softly and in her breath, breaking away from the kiss. He looked over at her in confusion before his question died on his lips as he took in the look on her face. Soyoung’s cheeks were flushed an uncharacteristic pink, her breathing slightly ragged as air rushed into her lungs. Her hair looked slightly mussed from his fingers running through it a moment earlier. Her lips looked slightly swollen from the strength of their kisses, her lipstick smeared slightly at the corner of . 

 

That was all fine and well, but it was the look in her eyes that caused Jinyoung’s heart to squeeze in his chest.

 

Her eyes still looked slightly watery, but there was another emotion mixed in along with the flustered expression on her face.

 

Pain.

 

Although she tried to hide it, there was no mistaking the look that was flashing through her eyes.

 

“Soyoung?” Jinyoung squeezed her shoulder gently, “What’s wrong?” Soyoung shook her head and ran a hand through her hair.

 

“It’s fine.” She insisted as she closed her eyes briefly, “Just a scratch.” Jinyoung frowned.

 

“Didn’t you promise to be more open with me?” He asked. When Soyoung didn’t respond, Jinyoung experimentally reached out and tapped her back lightly. Soyoung in her breath sharply, one hand slapping his hand away.

 

“Jinyoung!” She protested. Jinyoung sighed.

 

“Tell me the truth.” He said, “You’re injured, aren’t you? From the fight earlier?” Soyoung hesitated for another moment, then sighed.

 

“I think I fractured a couple bones when I hit the tree.” She said quietly. Jinyoung’s eyes widened, panic running through his chest. He attempted to get up in a panic, almost forgetting that Soyoung was still sitting in his lap, and promptly fell back down as pain shot up his shoulder. Soyoung yelped as she almost fell off his lap, her hands resting near his collar to steady himself.

 

“Park Jinyoung!” She scolded. 

 

“I’m sorry!” Jinyoung said quickly, his hand resting on her back in concern, “Did I hurt you?” Soyoung gazed at him for a few seconds before reaching out and pinching his cheek lightly.

 

“Don’t look so worried.” She said, “I’ve experienced worse before. Something like this isn’t going to kill me.” Jinyoung frowned.

 

“That’s not something to be proud of.” He grumbled. Soyoung shrugged lightly.

 

“I’m only stating the facts.” She replied simply. Then, she sighed softly as she tilted her head and gazed at him with a tiny smile on her face. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“What is it?” He asked. Soyoung laughed softly and shook her head.

 

“Nothing.” She replied, “I just thought...having someone concerned about you does feel nice.” Jinyoung’s lips parted slightly in surprise at the statement. Then, he smiled faintly. It was clear why she had said that; for years she had been almost completely alone, with only a few close friends to open her heart to. While he had been coddled in the Goryeo palace, she had done most of the caring rather than being cared for. The thought made his heart clench painfully, and he squeezed her hand gently.

 

“From now on.” He promised, “I will do my best to consider your thoughts and feelings whenever I do anything. I won’t forget that I am not just a prince, but your husband as well. Don’t just be open to me, but rely on me as well.” Soyoung smiled faintly at his words, the expression in her eyes telling him that his words had hit home. 

 

“I look forward to it.” She replied simply. They sat in silence for a few moments, the only audible sound the fluttering of wind and snow outside and the light tap of Soyoung’s fingers against Jinyoung’s palm. Then, despite the concern in his chest, Jinyoung couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

 

“Who knew that the empress of Yuan could make a high pitched yelp like that?” He teased. Soyoung stared at him for a long moment, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Park Jinyoung.” She said in a warning tone, “You are getting quite bold.” Jinyoung grinned, the joy that had rushed through him at Soyoung’s presence emboldening him further.

 

“I just kissed the warrior empress of Yuan.” He said cheekily, “I feel like I can do anything.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk turning up the corner of her lips.

 

“Don’t make me stop you from talking.” She warned. 

 

“Oh?” Jinyoung asked, “How do you intend to do that?” Soyoung smiled faintly and leaned closer to him.

 

“Stay still.” She ordered, “I don’t want to jostle the wound.” Then, she leaned forward to kiss him gently, and Jinyoung was more than happy to oblige.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

The sound of a hawk’s caw broke through the sound of Soyoung’s heart beating loudly in her chest. She pulled away from Jinyoung and looked over at the entrance to the cave, her gaze falling on a very familiar bird standing there. Smiling in relief, she held out her arm as she recognized her hunting hawk, whistling softly the way she always did when she summoned her hunting hawk. The bird landed swiftly on her arm, and Soyoung ruffled its feathers gently. 

 

“I just knew you would be the first to find me.” She said softly, “It seems I didn’t train you in vain.” The hawk leaned into her touch, preening as if it understood what she was saying. 

 

“How did your hawk find us?” Jinyoung asked, staring at the bird curiously. Soyoung chuckled.

“I’ve trained this hawk since it was just a baby.” She said, “It knows not only the smell of animals but also the scent of its master. It was only a matter of time before it picked up my scent after I left the main hunting party.” Then, an idea came to Soyoung’s mind. If her hawk knew her scent and could find its way back to Yeojin…

 

Soyoung took the norigae Jinyoung had dropped and let the bird take it in its beak.

 

“Find Yeojin.” She said to the hawk, gently ruffling its feathers, “You can do that, right? I’ll have a treat for you after we get back home.” The bird flapped its wings, let out a soft caw, then took off. Soyoung watched as the bird disappeared into the distance, a soft sigh escaping her lips. 

 

Please find Yeojin.

 

Hyojun would have been another option, but her hawk had continuously shown its dislike for her personal guard. Anytime Hyojun tried to get close, it would nip at his hands and refuse to eat anything that he held out. In any event, Yeojin probably had more people with her, so it was better to get her attention rather than Hyojun.

 

“Are you sure your hawk can find someone?” Jinyoung asked. Soyoung chuckled.

 

“He’s smarter than you think.” She replied, “And in any event, look at us now. I have fractured ribs and an injured ankle, and you have a wolf bite on your shoulder. Do you think it’d be wise to go up there while wolves are likely waiting to make a meal out of us? Even though I can fight, I am only human. I’m not invincible, Park Jinyoung.” Jinyoung thought over her words and seemed to decide that she was right.

 

“I will follow your decisions, Wife.” He said with a smile. Soyoung raised an eyebrow as she moved to slip off his lap, only to find his arms locked around her waist. 

 

“You are being quite obedient today, Husband.” She noted. Jinyoung laughed awkwardly, realizing he’d been caught.

 

“I’d like to earn your forgiveness.” He said quietly. Soyoung gazed at her husband for a long moment, slowly processing what he was saying. In truth, he did look miserable as he recalled the events of the day before, just as he had looked all morning when she had barely said a word to him. In that moment, he reminded Soyoung of a cute little puppy, its ears flopping downwards as it was scolded for something it shouldn’t have done. She sighed softly.

 

“I’m not a petty woman.” She said quietly.

 

Well, maybe a little, but that’s not the point.

 

Jinyoung looked up at her hopefully. 

 

“Then…?” He said. 

 

“I forgive you, Park Jinyoung.” Soyoung said softly, “I think you’ve earned it. No, more than earned it.” She held up a finger as Jinyoung’s eyes lit up.

 

“But, if I ever see you dancing happily with another noblewoman again…” She warned. Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“I’ll only dance with you, Wife.” He promised. 

 

“Also!” Soyoung grumbled, “I still haven’t scolded you for running off to the forbidden part of teh hunting grounds yet! If I was just a little late, what would have happened to you?”

 

“I thought you would forgive me if I caught something impressive.” Jinyoung mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Soyoung sighed.

 

“What nonsense.” She muttered, “Am I the type of woman who gives in because of superficial things like that?” Jinyoung hesitated for a moment, then, instead of answering, he lightly pushed her towards him so that her entire body was leaning against him.

 

“Your shoulder!” Soyoung protested, but Jinyoung shook his head.

 

“I’m not leaning on it.” He promised, “Just let me hold you, alright?” Soyoung sighed softly, knowing she couldn’t make herself refuse. 

 

“Just for a little bit.” She said. She sighed softly as she closed her eyes. If she was being truthful to herself, she knew she couldn’t have stayed mad at Jinyoung for long, even if she tried. It wasn’t entirely his fault, but the raw emotions eating at her had taken over Soyoung’s instincts from the moment she had seen him dancing with those noblewomen. It was strange; all her life Soyoung had made sure she acted rationally and carefully in whatever she did, never letting the heat of the battlefield or the heated emotions that arose in the royal court take over and control her thinking.

 

And yet, this man, this little poet from Goryeo, was single handedly capable of making her lose all sense of rationality and causing her to act completely out of character. 

 

Soyoung hid a small smile on her lips as she leaned her head against Jinyoung’s uninjured shoulder, her mind recalling what Eunseong had said to her right after the banquet.

 

Perhaps I was a little jealous.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung and Jinyoung spent the night hidden away safely in the cave, Soyoung tucked comfortably in Jinyoung’s embrace. Although it was cold and snowy outside, the royal couple barely noticed with the warmth that emanated from their intertwined bodies. When the sun arose in the morning, the royal hunting party arrived at last, drawn by Soyoung’s hunting hawk that had made its way back to them. Soyoung and Jinyoung were quickly rushed back to the main camp, where they both recuperated from their injuries for a week before they all set off to return to the Yuan palace. On the surface, it seemed like nothing had changed between the royal couple; Soyoung attended to her duties from her bed, her tone and attitude cordial but attentive towards her husband as always. But, if one looked closer, they would have noticed a few smaller differences in the behavior between the empress and her husband. It wasn’t expressed in words. Rather, it was expressed in a light brush of their hands as they walked past each other, a small smile that Jinyoung would give his wife, the light sparkle in Soyoung’s eyes that had never been seen before. 

 

Something had certainly changed between the royal couple, even though neither of them could really put a finger on what it was even if someone did notice.

 

After they returned home to the Yuan palace, a dark figure slipped through the night, out of the palace and to the Royal Preceptor’s manor located just a few streets down from the royal palace. The young man dressed in black slipped unnoticed over the tall ornate walls surrounding the elaborate mansion, his footsteps light as he made his way over to Jang Jaewon’s chambers. 

 

“So, you have finally returned.” The Royal Preceptor said, barely even looking up as the young man slipped in, “Tell me, what happened between the empress and that husband of hers that you couldn’t send the news by messenger pigeon?” The young man bowed his head.

 

“Please forgive me for being late with this report.” He said, “But I thought it would be better to tell you in person.” He seemed to hesitate before speaking.

 

“It seems that the empress and the prince consort have grown closer during the royal hunting trip.” He said at last. At this, Jang Jaewon looked up at the unexpected statement.

“Oh?” He said, “Do you mean they have developed feelings for each other?” The young man shook his head.

 

“Not entirely.” He replied, “But the empress seems to be much more open to him than she had been before. In fact, the moment she heard that he was potentially in danger, she went to save him even though he had wandered straight into wolf pack territory and was injured in the process. Many people can bear witness to that.” Jang Jaewon tapped his fingers lightly against the polished wood desk he was sitting behind. Then, an amused chuckle filled the air. The young man peeked at his master, startled by the older man’s reaction.

 

“My Lord?” He asked, “What is so hilarious?” Jang Jaewon shook his head.

 

“I never imagined that that child, a girl who had spent her childhood fighting to survive in the harsh Mongolian military camps while her siblings lived in pure luxury, a girl who taught herself to hide her feelings deep within her heart, would one day come to treat someone from outside the royal family as precious as a rare jewel.” He replied, “It seems that this Park Jinyoung has had quite the influence on my young niece.”

 

“The Prince Consort is an intelligent and caring person.” The young man replied, “In the short time he has been married to the empress, he has helped her with many potential points of crisis. It is only natural that she would slowly become attracted to him.” Jang Jaewon nodded in agreement.

 

“That boy has become more helpful to my niece than I anticipated.” He mused. 

 

“Should I find an opportunity to get rid of him?” The young man asked. Jang Jaewon shook his head.

 

“There have been too many failed attempts on the prince’s life already.” He replied, “At this point, not only does Jang Soyoung have her eye on him, but so does Ryu Soojin. No matter where you take him, one of them will surely appear to defend the prince.” 

 

“Then...does My Lord have another plan in mind?” The young man asked, “If I could be of assistance…” Jang Jaewon shook his head.

 

“Not yet.” He replied, “It’s not time for you to reveal your identity yet. Return to the palace and continue keeping an eye on Soyoung for me. There will be someone else that I will send into the palace soon to get rid of Park Jinyoung.” 

 

“But My Lord, wouldn’t it be easier if I took his life?” The young man protested, “Surely I could find a simpler way to do it.” Jang Jaewon shook his head.

 

“Foolish boy.” He said, “Whoever said I was going to take the little prince’s life already? There would be no fun in doing that.” The young man frowned in confusion.

 

“Then, My Lord intends to…?” He let the sentence trail off questioningly. Jang Jaewon smirked.

 

“Remind Jang Soyoung why it is never a good idea to be too open with your emotions.” He replied.

 

___________________________________________________________________________

One month passed smoothly after Jinyoung and Soyoung returned to the palace. The royal couple fell back into their respective duties, and Soyoung began letting go of more things for Jinyoung to deal with. Soon, the young prince found himself knee deep in trade discussions with foreign dignitaries, often meeting with them late into the night. He didn’t mind though. The foreign emissaries brought with them tales of far off lands he had only ever read about, and he eagerly devoured whatever new information they could provide him with. On the other hand, the tradesmen were impressed with the wealth of information that Jinyoung held, and they often exchanged thoughts and opinions on the differences between their respective countries. Soyoung was more than satisfied with her husband’s progress, and he often brought home deals that were highly favorable to Yuan. The balance of work between the empress and her husband brought with it more balance in their lifestyles, leaving more time for Soyoung to relax during the night, often dozing off in Jinyoung’s arms as he rambled on about the new book he had read that morning or the new information he had learned from a foreign dignitary over a meal that afternoon. 

 

Of course, Soyoung’s newfound free time meant she had more time to think about other things that hadn’t crossed her mind in the past.

 

For instance, the inevitable need to provide an heir to the empire. 

 

Soyoung had never thought of herself as particularly motherly; she had grown up fighting alongside young men, and the amount of women she knew were limited to less than five. She had younger siblings of course, but had spent her youth away from the palace and so had never really needed to care for them. Eunseong was her age, and her mother had never given birth to any other children. Soyoung had never really put much effort into learning feminine pursuits either; holding a sword wasn’t an issue, but sewing with a needle or cooking with a ladle in her hand was out of the question. The one time she had attempted to make something for Eunseong, she had nearly set the kitchen on fire and had been unofficially banned from the royal kitchens since then. In any event, it wasn’t like food in the military camps required the same standard as the dishes in the royal palace. And if Soyoung needed clothes, she would simply tell the royal tailors to make something for her; there was never a need to make clothes on her own.

 

In short, she was likely the least equipped woman in the capitol to have a child.

 

But on the other hand, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t have any children.

 

Soyoung had held off on the idea for some time, finding her work too busy or the circumstances too risky to even risk conceiving a child.

 

But, after the incident with the wolf pack, the need to have an heir had risen in her mind once more. 

 

Soyoung and Jinyoung had survived, but it had been merely by chance. If they hadn’t been near a cliff, if Soyoung hadn’t found the strength to fight through those wolves, if Jinyoung hadn’t taken that attack for her...it could have easily turned out the other way, and then the chaos that had reigned before she had taken the throne would have rece more.

 

No, it was better to have a child of her legitimate bloodline sooner, rather than later. The empire had been relatively peaceful; the harvests had been good, the weather had been normal, and no one had dared to rebel ever since Soyoung had crushed the Tibetan army. If they timed it right, then perhaps the child would be born before anything relatively major rose up again.

 

Finally having made up her mind, Soyoung brought up the idea to her husband one night as they lay in bed after a long day of work.

 

“Jinyoung.” She said softly, “I’ve been thinking about something.” 

 

“Mm?” Jinyoung asked, cracking one eye open sleepily, “What is it?” Taking a deep breath, Soyoung propped herself up on one elbow, then looked directly down at her husband.

 

“Let’s have a child.” She declared.

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

“Let’s have a child.” Jinyoung, who had been half asleep as his hand made light circles on Soyoung’s shoulder, nearly bolted upright as he heard his wife’s declaration. All sense of sleepiness cleared from his mind in an instant, he turned in surprise to look at Soyoung.

 

“Come again?” He asked after spluttering incoherently for a few moments. Soyoung’s expression was as calm as if she had just announced what she wanted for a midnight snack.

 

“I said,” She repeated, “Let’s have a child. That is, if you don’t mind.” Jinyoung stared at his wife, flabbergasted.

 

“Are you feeling alright?” He asked, reaching out to touch her forehead, “Are your injuries acting up again?” Soyoung huffed and lightly pushed his hand away. 

 

“I am doing quite fine, thank you.” She said firmly, “I am quite aware of what I just said.” Jinyoung felt his throat grow dry as he stared at Soyoung.

 

“I...I…” He felt his cheeks grow hot as his mind started wandering. To have a child, that meant…

 

“Park Jinyoung!” Soyoung’s light slap on his chest snapped his mind back to attention, “Where is your mind going?” Jinyoung blinked and slapped his cheeks lightly.

 

“Nowhere.” He lied quickly, “Nowhere at all.” He cleared his throat before Soyoung saw through his lie.

 

“Wh-why did you suddenly think about having a child?” He asked, “You seemed against it before.” Soyoung rolled over onto her back, one hand under her head.

 

“I just thought...if we had both died that day on the hunting grounds, what would happen to the country?” She replied, “Eunseong isn’t cut out to be an emperor, and my younger sisters are all married. If I died, then the throne would go to either my uncle or a distant relative, neither of which are preferable.” Jinyoung gulped as he recalled the sinister aura that he had often felt whenever he was near Jang Jaewon and agreed silently that the throne was better off out of his hands.

 

“So you thought it would be better to have a child of our bloodline sit as heir apparent?” He asked, “That way, even if something happened to you, that child would be in the line of direct succession and a fight over the throne would be less likely to occur.” 

 

“Mm.” Soyoung replied as she looked over at him, “Of course, if you don’t want to yet, I won’t force the matter. Having a child is something that requires both of us, of course.” Jinyoung blinked, then smiled faintly as he realized what Soyoung was doing. Ever since they were married, she had often made decisions on her own without asking him first, a habit built up from sitting on the throne for years. But this time, she was asking for his opinion first.

 

Something really did change after we survived the wolf attack together.

 

Of course, that didn’t make answering her suggestion any easier.

 

Jinyoung had never really thought about being a father; his attention had been mostly captivated by books and studies, and he had never had to care for his younger siblings. Children were cute, of course. He had often played with a few in the marketplace when he wandered outside to meet with his friends. But having one of his own...that was an entirely different matter.

 

Jinyoung sighed softly.

 

“I’ll think about it.” He replied at last, “It’s not something I can answer right away.” Soyoung smiled faintly and nodded.

 

“I’ll be waiting for your answer.” She replied. 

___________________________________________________________________________

Next day, Jinyoung

 

Wang Jia’er nearly spit out his tea as Jinyoung whispered into his ear what the empress had said to him the night before.

 

“Her Majesty-?!” Jinyoung clapped a hand over his friend’s mouth before he informed the entire teahouse about the empress’ private matters.

 

“Not so loud!” He shushed, “Do you want the entire world to hear about this?” Jia’er slapped his hand away.

 

“This is so exciting!” He exclaimed, “I can’t believe she brought up the matter to you herself! But wait, does that mean you two haven’t…?” Jinyoung felt his cheeks flush as he clapped a hand over his friend’s mouth again.

“Shut up.” He muttered, “It’s not like we knew each other very well when we first became married.” Jia’er sighed and pushed his friend’s hand away again.

 

“So? Do you intend to have a child with her then?” He asked, lowering his voice. Jinyoung sighed.

 

“I don’t know yet.” He admitted, “I can’t imagine having children with anyone else, but that’s completely different from having one in reality. And besides, isn’t the man supposed to take the lead with these things? I don’t even have the faintest clue on how to be more...intimate with women. The most we’ve ever done is hugging.”

 

And kissing, he added silently, but there wasn’t a need for Jia’er to know about that part. Jia’er chuckled and patted Jinyoung on the shoulder. 

 

“You, my friend, are too innocent.” He declared, “But thankfully, you have me. I know just the place to teach you more about women and how to be romantic and intimate with them.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“Do I want to know what place you are referring to?” He asked. Jia’er grinned.

 

“Trust me.” He said, “It’s the perfect place.”