A few days later, Soyoung

 

For the next few days, Soyoung did everything from her bed. Eunseong was firm with his orders, and although Soyoung had worked up a reputation as her brother’s most disobedient patient, she knew better than to go against his orders for bed rest this time. And so, whenever she needed to read anything, it was brought to her in bed. If any of the tribal leaders wanted to discuss anything, they spoke to her from the other side of a strategically placed pavilion. The next few days after Hyojun’s failed assassin attempt passed by relatively peacefully like that, and Soyoung began tentatively considering plans to return to the palace.

 

And that, of course, was when everything changed once more.

 

On the third night after Hyojun’s failed assassination attempt, Soyoung awoke to the feeling of a tight cramping in her lower abdomen. She froze for a few seconds as the feeling eased, then laid one hand on her stomach.

 

What’s going on?

 

She lay unmoving on bed for a moment, not wanting to disturb Jinyoung, who slumbered peacefully next to her. A few minutes later, the feeling returned, tightening slowly around her belly before disappearing again. Her unborn child shifted slightly in response to the movement, unused to the new sensation. The cramps weren’t as intense as the ones she had felt a few days ago, and instead appeared in steady intervals, tightening around her belly slightly before disappearing again.  Soyoung blew out her breath slowly, her mind quickly running through the possibilities of what was happening before settling on the most likely one. 

 

I’m in labor.

 

And the cramps she was feeling...what had Eunseong called it?

 

Ah yes.

 

Contractions.

 

Tight, cramping sensations that would increase in frequency until her body was ready to push the child out. 

 

Soyoung swallowed hard, her heart fluttering slightly with nerves. She wasn’t the type to panic, nor was she the type to fear pain. Years of being on the battlefield had beaten that fear out of her long ago. 

 

But still, there was supposed to be a few more weeks until the baby was due.

 

Soyoung wasn’t particularly surprised that labor had begun early, given all that had happened during the past few days. Eunseong had warned her that the child could very well arrive before she returned to the palace, and Soyoung herself had felt the child resting lower in her womb. But at the same time, Soyoung had heard far too many stories of harem concubines who had been frightened or poisoned into early labor due to plotting by other jealous concubines, and then delivered stillborn children as a result. Soyoung herself had lost more than a handful of siblings as she grew up that way. Soyoung sighed and shook her head to clear her mind.

 

Let’s not think about that.

 

Another cramp wrapped around her belly, harder and increasingly more painful than the last. Soyoung’s breath caught slightly as she breathed through the cramp, then carefully pushed Jinyoung’s arm away, which had been wrapped around her. For once, she was grateful that her husband was a deep sleeper. It would be a long while before he realized what was going on. 

 

Soyoung carefully swung her feet over the edge of the bed and sat still for a moment as she thought about what to do. Any other rational person at that moment would have summoned the midwives, or at least some maids, woken up her husband, and promptly sent him out of the room for propriety. Men were almost never allowed in the birthing chambers. 

 

And yet, as Soyoung sat there and thought over her options, she kept her lips firmly shut. 

 

No, she wasn’t going to call for any assistance. 

 

Hyojun’s betrayal is the final straw.

 

If Hyojun, the man who Soyoung had kept by her side for years since her childhood, could turn around and point his sword at her neck even while feeling conflicted in doing so, then it would be child’s play to bribe a midwife. Interfering with the birth, dragging it out so the child suffocated, switching the child out for a dead one...the possibilities were endless. The palace midwives were all well experienced women who had delivered countless royal children, and Soyoung was certain the same held for those in among the tribal nobles, but among the powerplay of money and political strength, nothing was impossible. 

 

It was a risk that Soyoung couldn’t risk taking, even if it put her own life on the line.

 

Soyoung rested one hand on her stomach and felt her child kick in response to her touch.

 

I will protect you.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

For the next few hours, Soyoung paced around the tent, careful to keep her footsteps soft to make sure she didn’t wake up Jinyoung too soon. Her contractions increased in both frequency and strength, eventually to a point where each new one was strong enough to take her breath away. 

 

It wouldn’t be long before the next stage arrived.

 

Soyoung sighed as she paused near one of the windows cut into the side of the tent. The moon hung in the cloudless sky, shining brightly and providing light for her otherwise unlit tent. Soyoung sighed deeply again, her teeth clenching together to keep from crying out as another contraction wrapped around her belly. She hated to admit it, but fear clenched her heart as she thought about what was going to happen. She wasn’t afraid of the pain, of course. 

 

But every time women gave birth, they stepped one foot into the gates of the underworld. 

 

If Soyoung died just like this…

 

The empire would fall into complete chaos.

 

And if the child died with her, then there would be no heir to the throne. The bloodshed that occurred when the previous emperor had died would certainly begin again. Even if the child lived, but she did not, the child would immediately become a pawn for power. Soyoung swallowed hard and gently rubbed one hand over her swollen stomach. 

 

“Little one, let’s make it through this together.” She murmured, “The fate of the empire rests with us tonight.” The baby gave a light kick from inside her in response to its mother’s voice, and Soyoung sighed softly. This child would be born with the weight of the empire’s future on its tiny shoulders. She could only hope that he would be able to take it. 

 

Such is the fate of being born into the royal family, and the eldest child of the next generation.

 

“Soyoung?” The young empress froze as she heard her husband’s voice behind her, still thick with sleep. She sighed and turned to see Jinyoung sitting up in bed, rubbing one hand over his eye sleepily.

 

“Nyoung-ah.” She said softly, smiling ruefully. Jinyoung tilted his head curiously as he gazed at her.

 

“What are you doing up?” He asked, “You need your rest.” Soyoung held out one hand to her husband.

 

“Come here.” She said softly, “Won’t you stay with me for a little while?” Jinyoung frowned at her sudden request, but slipped from the bed and came to stand at her side.

 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his fingers clasping reassuringly around her hand, his other hand cupping her cheek. His breath caught slightly as the moonlight shifted to illuminate Soyoung’s face.

 

“You’re breaking out in sweat!” He exclaimed, “Why do you look so pale? What’s wrong?” Soyoung opened to speak, but was cut off as a new contraction tightened around her belly. Her breath caught in at the new pain that the contraction brought with it, her hand tightly around the cloth of Jinyoung’s clothes. 

 

The time is getting closer.

 

“Young-ah!” Soyoung’s eyes widened as Jinyoung pressed his forehead against hers.

 

“Are you running a fever?” He asked, “What’s going on?” Soyoung smiled faintly as the contraction ebbed away and she gently pushed Jinyoung back.

 

“No, I’m not sick.” She said softly, squeezing his arm reassuringly. 

 

“Then what is it?” Jinyoung demanded, his eyes wide. Soyoung smiled, took his hand and laid it on her stomach.

 

“Your son,” She said softly, “Seems to be intent on making an early appearance.” Jinyoung’s eyes widened, his cheeks going pale.

 

“Soyoung.” He warned, “That is not something you should joke about.” Soyoung laughed, but then flinched as her stomach tightened again. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to keep herself from crying out.

 

“Does it seem like I’m joking?” She asked after the contraction passed. Jinyoung’s lips parted slightly in shock, finally seeming to realize the gravity of what was going on.

 

“But you’re not due yet!” He protested, “How could the baby be coming already?” Soyoung laughed softly.

 

“Try telling that to your son.” She replied, “Babies don’t like working on our adult timing, Park Jinyoung.” Jinyoung swallowed hard, a nervous look entering his eyes.

 

“Was it because of the attack?” He asked, “Your body was stressed into early labor?” Soyoung sighed and nodded.

 

“I believe so.” She replied, “I’ve heard of it happening before, but I never expected it to happen to me.” Jinyoung thought for a few moments, then squeezed Soyoung’s hands gently.

 

“I’ll go get the midwives.” He stated. Soyoung tightened her grasp on his hands as he started to move away.

 

“No!” She said urgently, tugging him to a stop, “You must not!” Jinyoung frowned, looking terribly confused. 

 

“But Soyoung!” He protested, “Surely you’re not thinking of…?” Soyoung bit her lip and nodded, and as her earnest gaze bore deeply into Jinyoung’s eyes, she knew that he could tell what she was thinking. Then, he shook his head.

 

“No Soyoung.” He said firmly, “I can listen to you in anything else. Anything but this.”

 

“Jinyoung-” Soyoung began wearily, but Jinyoung cut her off.

 

“No!” He said firmly, “I cannot possibly let you give birth alone, without a single person with medical knowledge to help you!” Soyoung swallowed hard. She had known it’d be hard to convince Jinyoung; that was why she had waited to wake him up. But now that he was awake and by her side, there was no time to waste. 

 

“Jinyoung, calm down and listen to me.” She said urgently, “I cannot let any of those midwives near me or our child. Not after what happened a few days ago.” Jinyoung took a deep breath and gazed at his wife for a few long moments. Soyoung could see him thinking carefully over what she said, analyzing each event that had happened during the past few days one by one. 

 

“You’re afraid they’ve been bribed?” He finally asked. Soyoung sighed in relief and nodded. 

“If Hyojun could betray me...I don’t know what could stop a mere midwife from doing the same.” She replied. If Jang Jaewon had really been the one controlling Hyojun, then it would be child’s play to manipulate a midwife, even all the way out here.

 

“Besides,” She added, “I won’t be alone. You’re here with me.” Jinyoung groaned.

 

“I know next to nothing about medicine, much less childbirth!” He grumbled, “At least let me get Eunseong.” Soyoung shook her head.

 

“The moment you step out of this tent, everyone will be alerted before you know it.” She stated, “There are eyes watching everywhere, Jinyoung. Don’t think that isn’t the case just because it’s nighttime.” Jinyoung sighed deeply.

 

“Then tell me, Soyoung-ah.” He said softly, pressing his forehead against hers, “What is it that you want? I will do my best to give it to you.” Soyoung smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

 

“Just...stay with me.” She said softly, “I know it’s not the most proper thing to do...but that is all I want right now. Can you do that?” Jinyoung looked startled for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

 

“I can.” He replied, taking her hands in his, “I won’t take a single step from your side.” Soyoung smiled and kissed him gently again, gently savoring what was going to be one of their last kisses before their family of two became a family of three. 

 

“Thank you.”

 

For hours, Soyoung held Jinyoung’s hand as they walked around the tent, chatting casually as they went to pass the time and keep Soyoung distracted from the pain of the contractions pushing their firstborn child closer towards the outside world. Soyoung could tell that Jinyoung was nervous, and she couldn’t blame him. They were both still young and inexperienced with young children, and this was their first child as well. More than their fair share of dangerous events had occurred since Soyoung had conceived; who knew what else the future would bring? And on top of it all, Soyoung couldn’t even trust any of the midwives enough to have them attend the birth of the first royal heir. She reached out and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

 

“We’ll make it through this together.” She said softly. Jinyoung sighed softly and nodded. The hours dragged on, and Soyoung began to be worried about the time. The contractions were becoming increasingly difficult to bear, but at the same time the child just wasn’t entirely ready to enter the world yet. She wasn’t particularly keeping track, but an occasional glance out of the window at the sky told her that the moon was steadily making its way across the dark night sky. Before long, the sun would rise and the sky would brighten, and the maids would arrive to help Soyoung and Jinyoung prepare for the day. If they walked in before the child was born…

 

Soyoung swallowed hard and rubbed her stomach gently.

 

Hurry up, little one.

 

As if the baby heard her silent pleas, Soyoung gasped as the next contraction hit her with full force, her grasp on Jinyoung’s shoulders tightening as it wrapped around her belly and nearly sent her toppling over. Her teeth crashed together as she forced herself not to cry out from the sudden increase in pain. 

 

“Soyoung!” Jinyoung’s gentle hands rubbed the small of her back, but it did little to ease the new pain in her abdomen. As Soyoung gasped for breath, she felt something pop inside of her, and her eyes widened as fluid rushed down her thighs. 

 

“Soyoung?” Jinyoung stared as Soyoung froze, his gaze slowly moving down to the growing puddle on the ground.

 

“What’s that?” He asked, his eyes wide. Soyoung’s heart pounded in her chest as she gazed up at her husband.

 

“My waters broke.” She gasped. Jinyoung’s jaw dropped. 

 

“Then...then that means…” His voice trailed off, but Soyoung could tell where his thoughts were going as she nodded. She groaned as a new feeling overtook her body, raw and unyielding.

 

“I have to push.” She gasped, her grip tightening once more on Jinyoung’s arms as she found herself unable to resist the newfound urge. Jinyoung froze at her statement.

 

“What should I do?” He asked, his voice trembling slightly. Soyoung groaned softly as the urge to push faded.

 

“Help me to the bed.” She ordered. Jinyoung gulped and did as he was told, carefully guiding his wife to their bed. As soon as Soyoung settled into the soft bedsheets, she groaned as she found herself pushing again. 

 

It hurts! It hurts so much! 

 

It almost felt like her body was being torn into two as the muscles in her body continued to force the child out of her. If she thought labor pains had hurt, this was on an entirely different level. Soyoung’s throat was going dry from trying her best to keep herself from crying out and drawing attention, and she could taste the salty taste of blood on her lip from where she had bitten too hard on it.

 

How much longer is this going to take?

 

As she gasped for breath, she turned to look at her husband. Jinyoung’s eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling as he gripped her hand. Although he tried to look calm, Soyoung could tell from the way he bit his lip and the uncertainty in his teary eyes that he was afraid. Soyoung could only imagine what thoughts were going through his mind at the moment. At that moment, she wanted to be able to reassure her husband that everything was going to be fine, but she knew she had to make sure Jinyoung knew what could lie ahead.

 

“Jinyoung.” She said softly as she squeezed his hand, “Why are you looking like that? I’m the one who has to push an entire new human being out of my body.” Jinyoung sniffled and tried to blink his tears away in vain.

 

“I...I just don’t like seeing you suffer this way.” He murmured, leaning his forehead against her hand, “It hurts so much to see you like this. I wish I could share some of your pain, even just a little.” Soyoung sighed softly, a soft grunt escaping her lips as she pushed once more before speaking. She didn’t want to think about the worst possible conclusions, but as the pain dragged on, her worries only continued to grow. Although she knew very well that Jinyoung was worried about her, there was something she had to say.

 

“Jinyoung, listen to me.” She said, “If anything should happen to me...raise our child well. I will leave both our child and the country in your hands. Once the child grows up, tell him all about me, and how his mother wanted to watch him grow up. Can you promise me that?” 

 

“No!” Jinyoung exclaimed, shaking his head furiously, “I never will promise such a thing!” Soyoung blinked in surprise at Jinyoung, startled by her husband’s decisiveness. 

 

“If you want to speak with our child, then you will have to do it yourself!” He declared, “I am not going to rule your country for you! You are the one who sits on the dragon throne.” He squeezed Soyoung’s hands tightly.

 

“We promised to spend the rest of our days together.” He said furiously, “And so, you must not die early, and you must not die before me! Do you understand?” Soyoung gazed at Jinyoung for a long moment, her chest warming as she took in her husband’s words. Then, she reached out carefully and cupped one hand around Jinyoung’s cheek.

 

“I promise.” She said softly, “I swear on my honor as the ruler of this country.” Jinyoung nodded and gently pressed a kiss to her hand. 

 

“Let’s meet our child.” He said gently, “I’ll be with you every step of the way.” Soyoung nodded as her body tensed again.

 

My child, I cannot wait to meet you.

_________________________________________________________________________

For what felt like an eternity, Soyoung fought to give birth to her child. Her mind went nearly blank, knowing to do nothing but to alternate between pushing and taking deep breaths to restore her strength in between the sharp contractions wracking her body. Something told her that Jinyoung’s hand was likely going to be crushed under her grip by the time it was all over, but Soyoung just had to hold onto something to get herself through the pain.

 

“I swear.” Soyoung heard herself growling to Jinyoung at some point, “If you want a second child, you can give birth to one yourself!” Jinyoung’s eyes had widened at her proposition, but the young prince had known better than to argue rationally back to her in that moment. And so, he had simply nodded in response to her angry statement, and Soyoung was soon too caught up in another push to snap at him again. As irritable as Soyoung felt, she was grateful that she had married a gentle and understanding husband. Despite her sharp tone, Jinyoung didn’t move an inch from her side, his free hand making gentle soothing circles on her shoulder as he murmured encouraging words in her ear. 

 

“Almost there,” Jinyoung would murmur softly, “You’re almost there, just a little more. You can do it!” 

 

His presence, and his warm voice, filled Soyoung with strength and gave her the power to keep going. In a way, she was almost grateful that she had gone into labor here on the grasslands. In addition to the danger that giving birth in the palace posed, Soyoung was certain that the process would have been far more chaotic. The room would have been filled with midwives and medicine maids, all surrounding the bed and filling Soyoung’s ears with their annoying voices as she struggled to bring her child into the world. In contrast, the tent was quiet and peaceful save for Soyoung’s ragged breaths, and Jinyoung’s presence was all that she could imagine wanting by her side at that moment. All she needed to focus on was breathing and pushing.

 

Of course, that didn’t decrease the pain that she was currently feeling.

 

How do women do this more than once?!

 

And then, just as she was thinking she surely didn’t have the strength to keep going anymore, Soyoung threw all she had into one last push, and finally felt something slip free from inside of her and onto the sheets below. At last, the painful contractions faded away, and Soyoung realized that it was over.

 

Soyoung gasped for breath as she fell back against Jinyoung’s shoulder, her energy completely spent. Her body felt completely exhausted, as if she had just been fighting a war against enemies at the border twice over. Her body felt incredibly sore, raw and dry from her muffled, barely suppressed cries. For a long moment, the entire tent remained silent save for Soyoung’s ragged breaths. Then, there was the sound of a small wet cough, followed by a loud wail that rapidly grew in volume. Unfamiliar as the sound was, the sound gripped Soyoung’s chest immediately, drawing her attention to the squirming little figure lying on the bed between her legs. The tiny thing screamed and kicked its legs, its cheeks turning a healthy pink as it protested loudly at the new world it had been quite literally pushed into.

 

My baby…!

 

Jinyoung’s gentle hand gripped her shoulder, the warmth of his presence providing her with a welcome sense of strength and security. 

 

“You did it.” He murmured softly with a laugh, “Soyoung, you’re so strong. You did so well!” Soyoung laughed softly despite her exhaustion. 

 

“No Jinyoung.” She said softly, “We did it together.” She pressed a gentle kiss to Jinyoung’s trembling fingers before reaching down and picking up the squirming newborn, cautiously tucking one hand under the infant’s neck and the other supporting its back as the midwives in the palace had taught her. It wasn’t quite what she had expected; Soyoung had seen more than her fair share of younger siblings when they were babies, but she had never seen them right after they were born. Her siblings had more or less resembled little porcelain dolls, swaddled carefully in golden cloth, leaving only their little faces peeking out from within. The child in Soyoung’s arms was anything else besides that. The little newborn was still wet from the birth, little tufts of black hair slick against its tiny head. It continued to wail in protest at being pushed into this new cold world so different from what it was used to, its tiny hands clenched into little fists. The baby’s eyes were still squeezed shut, as if unwilling to realize that it was already out of its mother’s safe womb.

 

And yet, despite it all, Soyoung found the child to be absolutely beautiful. 

 

Moving on instinct, Soyoung gently tucked the baby against her chest, mindful of the cord that still connected them. Still holding her breath slightly, Soyoung lightly ran a finger down her baby’s cheek, marveling at the newborn’s soft downy skin. No words could describe how she felt at that moment; the young empress had felt her fair share of emotions over the course of her life. Loneliness in her childhood, despair when her entire world came crashing down when she was barely thirteen years old, triumph when she had won battle after battle, and guarded satisfaction when she knew she could finally truly call the dragon throne hers. 

 

And yet, none of those feelings could quite describe her emotions as she gazed at her newborn child’s little face. 

 

The little baby in her arms was tiny, so tiny that Soyoung was almost afraid she’d hurt the baby if she held it too tightly. But tiny as it was, within minutes Soyoung knew that the little one had cemented a place for itself in her heart, taking up so much space that she couldn’t imagine loving anyone else, besides her husband, as much as she loved the tiny human being in her arms. Her chest grew warm as she gazed down at her firstborn, her mind barely daring to believe that this child, who was half of Jinyoung and half of her, was truly here at last. On top of it all, Soyoung could barely believe that the heavens which had taken so much from her had given her the tiny little blessing that was the child in her arms. Soyoung blew out her breath slowly, then leaned down and kissed the little baby on the forehead. As if recognizing its mother’s scent, the baby’s wails began to die down until it was only letting out the occasional cooing noise.

 

I’ll protect you, Soyoung swore silently, even if I have to place my life on the line to do it.

 

There would be many things for her to learn and get used to, Soyoung was certain of that. Raising a child was a completely different world from the world of politics and warfare that she had spent years living in. It was filled with unknowns that Soyoung couldn’t even begin to fathom. But as she took in the comforting warmth of Jinyoung behind her, she knew that she would be able to do it. 

 

Soyoung carefully examined the little infant in her arms, and then turned to smile at Jinyoung.

 

“We have a son.” She announced softly, “Prince Jinwoo.” Jinyoung smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

 

“Thank you, Soyoung.” He murmured softly, “Thank you.”

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

Baby Jinwoo’s loud cries soon drew the attention of servants and soldiers on the night shift, and along with it the attention of Eunseong and the other physicians that had come along on the trip. Eunseong promptly sent Jinyoung out of the tent, and he waited impatiently outside as the medical team cleaned up Soyoung and the baby. After what felt like an eternity, Eunseong stepped out with the nursemaids in tow.

 

“You can go inside now.” He said, clapping a hand on Jinyoung’s shoulder, “Thank you for being with her, Brother-in-law. The baby is healthy, and my sister is in good condition.” Jinyoung smiled warmly.

 

“It is what I should do.” He replied, “I am her husband after all.” He ducked back into the tent and hurried back to Soyoung’s side. The maids had completely changed the bedsheets and helped Soyoung dress in a simple white nightgown. Her long hair had been dried and tied neatly into a braid that flowed down her back. Her arms were wrapped slightly awkwardly, but carefully around a tiny bundle wrapped in golden cloth, and Jinyoung felt his heart beat faster as he realized what it was. Soyoung looked up as he approached, a tired smile on his face.

 

“Come and see him, Nyoung-ah.” She called softly, “He’s all cleaned up now.” Jinyoung swallowed hard, his heart hammering in his ears as he drew closer to his wife and child. 

 

Why am I so nervous? I already saw the baby earlier, why am I feeling so nervous?

 

He settled down carefully next to Soyoung, then looked down at the tiny bundle in her arms. His breath caught in his throat as he laid eyes properly on his son for the first time. Jinwoo had been small earlier, but now he looked even tinier, wrapped in a soft blanket like a tiny doll in Soyoung’s arms. His little eyes were closed, long lashes resting right above his little cheeks. Tiny tufts of black hair peeked out from under the golden wrapping, but Jinyoung knew that it would grow long before he knew it. The baby had a tiny rosebud mouth, his little pink lips parted slightly as he slept. A rush of mixed emotions ran through Jinyoung’s chest.

 

My son.

 

Even now, it was hard to believe that this little human was the child that he had felt kicking and watched growing in Soyoung’s womb over the past few months. He was the first physical sign of their union, half of each of his parents. And now, he was here. 

 

My...son…

 

It was a word unfamiliar to Jinyoung, who had barely even fathomed fatherhood for years. Even after he had realized Soyoung was pregnant, it had barely felt real. 

 

And now, the baby was finally here.

 

“Would you like to hold him?” Soyoung asked with an amused smile on her face, her voice drawing Jinyoung from his thoughts. Jinyoung looked up in surprise.

 

“Can I? I mean, I can? I mean…” Jinyoung spluttered nonsensically, unsure of how to respond to the sudden question. Soyoung laughed at the startled look on his face.

 

“Of course!” She replied, “You are his father, after all.” Jinyoung swallowed hard.

 

Right...father...I’m...a father now.

 

Soyoung carefully placed little Jinwoo into his arms, and Jinyoung’s chest swelled with emotion as the little baby settled into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. He carefully ran a finger across the child’s tiny fingers, marveling at the delicate fingers and tiny pink nails. Having stepped back from watching over younger siblings unlike Jaebeom, Jinyoung had rarely been around young children, much less newborns. He had never imagined that a little human could be just this...well, tiny. 

 

Oh!

 

His eyes widened as Jinwoo shifted and his tiny fingers wrapped around Jinyoung’s index finger. The little infant’s eyes opened, and Jinyoung froze as his son’s dark eyes met his for the first time. Jinwoo had inherited Soyoung’s eyes, the rich dark eyed gaze that captured you and made you fall deep into their depths. Except when she was looking at Jinyoung, Soyoung’s gaze was often cold, her eyes resembling a pair of delicately crafted ebony crystals. But Jinwoo was like a pure sheet of clean white paper, knowing nothing about the world or what his mother had gone through since she had taken the throne and even before that. The child’s gaze was warm and innocent, and as his gaze fell on his father for the first time, Jinwoo’s little pink lips turned up into a bright smile. 

 

And in that moment, Jinyoung knew his heart had been completely captured by the tiny newborn in his arms.

 

 He would do anything to make sure his son grew up safely and happily.

 

His vision began to blur slightly as he gazed in wonder at his son, and with a start Jinyoung realized there were tears running down his face. 

 

“Jinyoung?” Soyoung’s voice drew him out of the daze that Jinyoung found himself in, and he turned to see a perplexed look on his wife’s face.

 

“What’s wrong?” She asked, cupping his face in her hands. 

 

“Oh...I...I…” Jinyoung spluttered, unable to explain the emotions welling up inside of him, “I just…” He looked one more time down at Jinwoo in his arms, then burst into tears.

 

“He’s just so perfect!” Jinyoung wailed, “So perfect! Ten little perfect fingers, a perfect little face, an adorable smile! I just can’t believe he’s so perfect!” Soyoung stared at him for a long moment, then burst out laughing.

 

“Oh Jinyoung,” She said as she shook her head, “You’re so silly.” Jinyoung shook his head furiously.

 

“I’m serious!” He replied, “He’s so perfect!” Soyoung chuckled and pulled Jinyoung into a gentle hug.

 

“Come here, you big baby.” She said teasingly, “It looks like I have two babies, not just one.” Jinyoung sniffled. 

 

“Jinwoo, your mother is teasing me!” He complained. 

 

“Only because you deserve it.” Soyoung replied with a soft laugh. Jinwoo let out a little gurgle, drawing another laugh from Soyoung.

 

“See, the child agrees.” She noted. Jinyoung huffed softly in response. Soyoung chuckled and then cupped a hand around Jinyoung’s cheek.

 

“Jinyoung.” She said softly, “Thank you.” 

 

“For what?” Jinyoung asked. Soyoung smiled faintly, trailing one finger over Jinwoo’s soft cheek.

 

“For being here with me during the birth.” She replied, “And for giving me a family. And…” Jinyoung’s heart pounded in his chest as she leaned down and kissed him sweetly on the lips.

 

“Thank you for everything.” She said softly. Jinyoung’s gaze softened, and he pulled Soyoung in for another kiss.

 

“I am your husband.” He said softly, “And I swore that I’d love you for my entire life. Being with you through all this, is only a small portion of what I should do.” Jinyoung carefully balanced Jinwoo in one arm, and then reached out to grasp Soyoung’s hand in his. He heard his wife in her breath in surprise as Jinyoung pressed a soft kiss to her hand.

 

“Yeobo, promise me one thing.” He said softly, “What you said earlier about raising Jinwoo if anything happened to you...I never want to hear those words from your lips ever again. You must live a very long life, and raise our children with me, alright?” Even now, when both his wife and child were in his arms, Jinyoung could still hear Soyoung’s gasping plea to him as she feared for the worst.

 

Jinyoung, promise me! If anything should happen to me...raise our child well. I will leave both our child and the country in your hands. Once the child grows up, tell him all about me, and how his mother wanted to watch him grow up!

 

Just the thought of it was enough to tighten Jinyoung’s heart painfully. He could never imagine spending the rest of his life without Soyoung, much less raise Jinwoo alone.

 

Soyoung’s startled gaze softened at his words.

 

“I promise.” She said softly, a moved smile crossing her lips, “I won’t say things like that ever again. I will live a very long life, and we will be together until the ends of our hair turns white.” Jinyoung’s chest warmed in relief as Soyoung pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

 

“This is my oath.” She murmured softly, “Signed and sealed by the Empress’s seal.” Jinyoung chuckled softly.

 

“If this is how you seal matters, I wouldn’t mind renewing the seal a few more times.” He teased. Soyoung blinked and then hit him lightly on the arm.

 

“Park Jinyoung!” She protested. Jinyoung laughed.

 

“How else will we give Jinwoo a little sister?” He replied, “We have to start from somewhere.” Soyoung’s eyes widened as she recognized the implication of his words.

 

“Park Jinyoung!” She protested, “Jinwoo isn’t even one day old yet!” Jinyoung laughed and shook his head.

 

“It will happen eventually.” He teased. A deep blush spread across Soyoung’s face. 

 

“I’ll have to shut that mouth of yours.” She stated firmly. 

 

“Oh?” Jinyoung replied, “How so?” Soyoung smirked and pulled him in for another kiss, and Jinyoung was all too happy to oblige. 

__________________________________________________________________________

Grand Preceptor’s Manor

 

The sound of a messenger pigeon landing on the window drew Jang Jaewon’s attention from the map he had been looking at. Rising from his seat, he walked over to the window and plucked the little message from the bird’s leg before sending it back into the skies. 

 

“The Empress has safely given birth to a healthy baby prince.”

 

Jang Jaewon’s teeth grit in anger, and he let out an angry yell as he threw the note onto the ground. One of his highest ranked servants rushed in, his eyes wide.

 

“My Lord, what’s wrong?” He asked. 

 

“Summon Im Hyojun here immediately!” Jang Jaewon growled, “That useless man failed to take her life again! And now there is an heir to the throne!” The servant hesitated before answering.

 

“There has been no news from Sir Hyojun for a while now.” He answered, “None of us have been able to find him.” Jang Jaewon’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Do you mean to tell me that he has fled?” He demanded. 

 

“The Empress may have killed him herself.” The servant added. Jang Jaewon let out another frustrated growl as he punched his desk.

 

“No, she wouldn’t kill him.” He decided, “Hyojun is still important enough to her that she wouldn’t bring herself to kill him. But if that is the case, and he hasn’t returned to the capital, then the only possibility would be…”

 

He has fled.

 

“My Lord, the Empress is surely still weak now and the infant is merely a helpless newborn. Should I arrange for…?” The servant asked, moving one hand across his throat. Jang Jaewon sighed deeply and shook his head.

 

“No, don’t do that.” He said, “Anyone I send now will certainly fail. Soyoung is a careful person; Hyojun may have failed, but now she has already been alarmed. Her guard will certainly be up more than ever. I doubt she will even let the infant out of her sight.” He grit his teeth in irritation.

 

“I’ll have to hold back for now.” He decided, “Or else, there is a risk she’ll be able to trace something to me. And in the meantime, send our people to search for that bastard Im Hyojun. He will learn what the price is for turning his back to me.” The servant bowed.

 

“Yes, My Lord.” He answered. After the servant left, Jang Jaewon sat down at his desk, his hand clenching angrily around the papers scattered over the wooden surface.

 

You’ve won this time, little empress, but don’t be too happy yet. I will take back everything that you hold now, and more. Just watch me.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

For two weeks, Soyoung and Jinyoung remained at the grasslands longer than planned in order to allow Soyoung to rest. Although she was strong, Soyoung had to admit that the birth had taken quite the toll on her, and she was grateful for the opportunity to barely move beyond her bed for the entire week. As usual, whatever she needed to see or read was brought directly to her. Whenever she wasn’t working, she and Jinyoung spent most of their free time caring for little Jinwoo. Eunseong had offered to arrange for some servants to care for the infant, but Soyoung insisted on caring for the child herself, and Jinyoung had agreed. It was her firstborn child, and given all that had happened, Soyoung knew better than to let anyone else handle the baby even when there was work to be done. Even if there weren’t enemies all around her, Soyoung still wouldn’t have wanted to leave Jinwoo with servants. From the moment he had been born, Soyoung had been completely captured by her little son, and she wanted to be there for every step of his young life. The little boy thrived under his parents’ care; he nursed eagerly during every meal, his tiny hands often gripping Soyoung and Jinyoung’s fingers tightly. The new parents marveled at all the tiny changes that happened to their son every day, and the sound of their laughter could often be heard by anyone passing by the large tent. His small smiles were more than enough to lift Soyoung’s mood regardless of how tired she was whenever she finished working. At nighttime, Soyoung would lightly pat the little baby on the back while Jinyoung sung him a lullaby, her husband’s soft gentle voice never failing to lull the baby to sleep. In all the years that she had been alive, Soyoung had rarely felt this content.

 

“He’s looking more and more like you.” She mused softly one night as they watched Jinwoo drift off to sleep.

 

“You think so?” Jinyoung wondered, “He has your eyes.” Soyoung laughed softly.

 

“But Jinwoo has your nose and your face shape.” She added, “And your lips.” Jinyoung chuckled and took the opportunity to kiss his wife.

 

“He has your strength and temper.” He added teasingly, “I can see it when he cries.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“Why do you say that?” She asked. Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“He has the authority of an emperor already.” He said teasingly, “Whenever he’s hungry, he cries as if the whole world owes him everything. Jinwoo has a powerful set of lungs.” Soyoung scoffed.

 

“I’ll have to curb his temper in the future.” She decided, “My son cannot turn into a emperor who won’t accept anything besides having his way.” Jinyoung chuckled and pulled Soyoung closer.

 

“With our influence on him, I’m sure he’ll become a good ruler in the future.” He said softly. 

 

Of course, caring for a newborn was not without its challenges. 

 

As Soyoung was quickly finding out, children, particularly newborn babies, were quite needy little human beings. For one thing, Jinwoo worked on a completely different schedule from his parents. He slept on a timely basis, but woke up far more often during the night than neither Soyoung or Jinyoung did, usually at random unpredictable times. When he did wake up, he often would start making a fuss, his cries and whimpers drawing his parents from their slumber. Although they were tired, either Soyoung or Jinyoung would crawl out of bed and attend to their son’s needs, whether he was hungry, in need of a diaper change, or just needed a warm hug from his mother or father. Sometimes, Soyoung struggled to even figure out what Jinwoo needed. One time, she returned to their tent just in time to hear Jinwoo’s loud wails fill the air, paired with Jinyoung’s confused voice.

 

“Jinwoo-yah, what’s wrong?” He cooed as he lightly bounced the baby in his arms, “You just ate, so you can’t be hungry already. Come on, don’t cry. Shhh, Papa is here, don’t cry.” Still, even as Jinyoung softly sang a song to Jinwoo, the baby’s wails refused to die down. His little hands were curled into tight fists, his cheeks flushed from his loud sobs.

 

“Did you change his diaper?” Soyoung asked as she hurried over to Jinyoung. The young prince nodded, his face looking flustered.

 

“He’s been crying for a while now, but I don’t understand why.” He whined, “He just won’t stop!” Soyoung lightly plucked her son from Jinyoung’s arms and tried to soothe her child, but the boy’s wails refused to stop. The sound pulled at her heartstrings, and she gently cuddled the baby on her shoulder as she lightly patted him on the back to no avail. 

 

“He has too many layers of clothing on.” Eunseong’s voice came from the entrance, and the royal couple turned to see the Grand Prince standing in the doorway. Eunseong walked over to Soyoung, gently took his nephew from his sister’s arms, and laid the little baby down on the bed. Soyoung and Jinyoung watched in confusion as Eunseong gently slipped off the top layer of Jinwoo’s clothes and patted his little face with a handkerchief. Before long, Jinwoo’s wails died down, replaced by the comfortable cooing noise he made when he was comfortable. Eunseong sighed and crossed his arms as he turned to look at Soyoung and Jinyoung.

 

“Honestly.” He scolded, “Why did you two dress him in so many layers?” 

 

“Because it’s cold outside…” Soyoung muttered, feeling embarrassed by the juvenile mistake she had made. Eunseong shook his head.

 

“He should be swaddled carefully, but babies are more sensitive to everything, whether it be warmth or coldness.” He admonished, “It’s certainly warm enough inside this tent, are you trying to give him heatstroke? Jinwoo doesn’t need that many layers of clothing on. It’s no wonder he was making a fuss!” Soyoung and Jinyoung exchanged embarrassed glances before giving their thanks to Eunseong. 

 

After that incident, Eunseong declared that he would arrange for midwives to teach the new parents how to care for their child. Knowing better than to refuse, and knowing quite well that she had just been fumbling along the entire time, Soyoung accepted his help, on the condition that the midwives weren’t allowed to touch Jinwoo. Eunseong was careful to choose only older women who he had personally interacted with, and soon Soyoung found herself swept up into yet another learning phase. The midwives taught the royal couple everything, from how to bathe the child to how to properly swaddle the baby down to minor details like what position was most comfortable for a baby when being held by an adult. In her entire life, Soyoung had to admit that she had never been scolded so many times within a few hours.

 

“No, Your Majesty!” One midwife scolded as Jinyoung and Soyoung attempted to learn how to bathe a baby one day with little baby dolls, “You must use your fingers to plug the baby’s ears while still supporting its neck! Or else, the water will all seep into the baby’s ears! Even adults don’t like that, isn’t that right?” The midwife looked over at Jinyoung and tsked.

 

“And you, Your Highness!” She scolded, “You are going to drop the child that way! It is a miracle the little prince hasn’t been harmed yet, with the way you are holding that doll!” Jinyoung blushed in embarrassment and ducked his head as he fixed his grasp on the doll he was holding over the basin of water. Soyoung turned her head to hide a soft laugh, drawing an embarrassed glare from her husband.

 

“My apologies.” He muttered.

 

Tiring as it was to care for a newborn infant, Soyoung didn’t mind at all. When she grew tired, she would cast a look over at her son, and the sound of his happy giggles was enough to bring the smile back onto her face. 

 

Yes, it was all worth it.

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung and Jinyoung stayed at the grasslands with the attendees of the winter hunt for another week before Soyoung and Jinwoo were deemed fit for travel back to the palace. The trip back was rather uneventful, and went by quickly as Soyoung split her time between work and spending time with her newly enlarged family. Before she knew it, they had arrived back in the capital, and Jinwoo was presented to the imperial court for the first time. The court officials were all taken aback by the child’s unexpected early arrival of course, but they all followed the expected propriety and bowed to the boy who would likely become the next emperor of the Yuan empire. After a week of celebrations over the birth of an imperial heir, the royal couple was swept back into the busy daily routine that was their daily lives, except this time, they both had to put aside time for one more person. Even in the palace, Soyoung and Jinyoung took turns caring for little Jinwoo, barely letting the child out of their sight in order to keep him safe. When Soyoung was at court, Jinyoung kept watch over Jinwoo, and when Jinyoung had to leave the palace to take care of his new responsibilities in teaching the new arrivals from Jin, Soyoung took the baby into her personal library with her. No attempts were made on the baby’s life though, and the little prince grew quickly under the watchful eyes of his parents. 

 

The days passed relatively peacefully; save for small skirmishes among the border, no one attempted to attack the Yuan empire, and the spring harvest proved to be bountiful. To Soyoung’s amusement, the people started calling Jinwoo a prince blessed by the gods, a child who had brought good fortune to the country with his birth. Soyoung didn’t mind it though; the better the impression of her child, the better. 

 

Of course, with Jinwoo’s growth came new challenges in taking care of him. When he was just a little baby, he would be content with sitting in his crib, fumbling with one toy or another as Soyoung worked. He stopped waking up every few hours during the night, allowing his parents to get some proper rest after a long day of work. Jinwoo quickly learned to recognize the people who often appeared around him, and never failed to give his parents a bright smile whenever they appeared. The maids were completely besotted by the little prince, their squeals of delight filling the air whenever he so much as blinked at them. As he grew older though, and learned to move around by scooting around on his stomach, he stopped being content with being in his crib, and often whined for his parents to let him down onto the ground. In order to satisfy their little prince without giving him the chance to get into trouble, Soyoung and Jinyoung began taking him out for daily walks, taking turns holding the boy in their arms as they strolled around the gardens and pointed out new things to him. Jinwoo took in everything his parents showed him, his large eyes shining excitedly as he looked around at the world around him. Jinwoo proved to be a curious child, often picking up random things in his tiny hands and experimentally attempting to put it into his mouth to see what it was. Jinyoung was amused of course, and took it as a sign that Jinwoo had taken after his father’s intellectual curiosity, but Soyoung was more concerned about what her son would attempt to taste next. Eunseong told her it was normal for babies, as taste was the most direct way of seeing what something was, but Soyoung made sure to keep anything small that could make Jinwoo choke out of his reach no matter where they went.

 

As Jinwoo grew a little older, Jinyoung began reading books to Jinwoo while keeping the baby propped up on his lap, the sound of his voice often punctuated by Jinwoo’s giggles and amused clapping. Soyoung chided that Jinwoo was too young to understand Jinyoung’s books, but Jinyoung simply shrugged and said it was never too early to start exposing their son to the scholarly classics. Sometimes, Soyoung would simply stand near the doorway after she returned from practicing swordplay and smile as she gazed fondly at the two men who had completely captured her heart, marveling at how much little Jinwoo resembled his father.

 

Young as Jinwoo was, he quickly learned how to express his likes and dislikes, eagerly eating certain mashed foods while shaking his head at others. Soyoung began giving him bigger toys to play with, like small wooden swords and rocking horses. True to his Mongol bloodline, Jinwoo was obsessed with those toys, often entertaining himself for hours with just two toy soldiers as his nonsensical babbling filled the air. 

 

Jinwoo began attempting to walk at ten months old, first starting by wobbling to his feet before falling back down with a loud thump. Before long though, he had managed to walk a few hesitant steps before tumbling back down again. If one thing was clear though, it was that Jinwoo had inherited Soyoung’s stubborn persistent personality. Every time he fell, Jinwoo’s lip would only wobble slightly from the pain of falling before heaving himself to his feet to try again. Jinyoung fussed over him every time he fell, but Soyoung quickly learned not to make a big deal out of her son’s falls. 

 

“He’ll be fine.” She would remind her husband, “He’ll never learn if we don’t let him fall a few times. He’s a descendant of the great Mongol bloodline; a little fall like this is nothing.” She was protective over her son, but with some things, Soyoung knew she had to let nature take its own course. When Jinwoo’s steps grew more steady, Soyoung and Jinyoung took him to the gardens to practice, and stood a few feet away from their son to encourage him to walk forward. To their delight, the little boy always wobbled towards them with a grin on his little face, never giving up until his little hesitant steps took him into his mother or father’s arms. 

 

Soyoung marveled at how quickly her son was growing up. It seemed like just yesterday that Jinwoo had been born that tumultuous night in the grasslands, and  yet here he was, already learning how to walk and eagerly attempting to talk. It was incredible, and yet sometimes Soyoung found herself wishing her son would stay tiny just a little longer, where she could shield him from all the dangers of the world they lived in. Of course, she knew that could never happen, but that didn’t stop her from thinking about it. Sometimes at night, she would cuddle Jinwoo to her chest and fall asleep in her chair with the baby in her arms as she marveled over how much bigger he had gotten already, his soft breaths and clean baby scent soothing whatever worries she had in her heart from that day of work.

 

Jinwoo’s newfound ability to move around on his own though, brought with it its own troubles. Soyoung ree day from morning court to find Jinyoung searching around the library frantically, his voice filled with worry as he called out for Jinwoo.

 

“Jinwoo, where are you?” He called, “Hurry and come out!” Soyoung frowned as she looked around the library and quickly noticed that eleven month old Jinwoo was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Jinyoung.” She asked sharply, “Where is Jinwoo?” Jinyoung turned quickly at the sound of her voice, his eyes wide. 

 

“Soyoung!” He cried, “Jinwoo disappeared!” Soyoung felt her heart drop at Jinyoung’s words.

 

“What are you talking about?” She demanded, “Weren’t you keeping an eye on him?” 

 

“He was right here!” Jinyoung answered frantically, pointing to a tiny chair set out in front of his desk, “I turned around just for a moment to get a book and then he was gone!” Soyoung’s mind raced with a million thoughts as she looked around the room. There was no way anyone could have walked in and taken Jinwoo without Jinyoung noticing; the boy had been sitting too close for that to happen. The door had been closed when Soyoung walked in though, so the boy couldn’t have wandered out on his own either.

 

“He must still be in the library somewhere.” She decided, “He couldn’t have gone far with his small steps.” The imperial couple split up to search for their son, their voices joining together in the air as they called out for Jinwoo. Then, as Soyoung and Jinyoung hurried up the steps towards one of the unused corner offices, Soyoung heard the sound of a familiar giggle. Pushing open the door to the office, Soyoung cast her gaze around the room until it landed on a desk in the corner of the room, and Soyoung finally let herself breathe at last.

 

“Jinwoo!” The little boy looked up at the sound of his mother’s voice, then beamed as he saw his parents and let out a stream of unintelligible babbles. It seemed like the little prince had found quite a few things to entertain himself in the unused office. His soft cheeks were dotted with splotches of ink and paint, as were his tiny hands. His chubby fingers were wrapped around multiple sheets of writing paper, crinkled from his grasp. Other sheets of paper lay haphazardly near him, covered with handprints that Jinwoo had no doubt put there. Jinwoo picked up a brush he had found somewhere nearby and waved it happily before sticking the wooden end into his mouth, then spitting it back out again as he made a face at the wooden taste. His eyes sparkled happily as he waved the crinkled sheets of paper at his parents, seeming quite proud of the mess he had made.

 

Sighing in relief, Soyoung rushed forward and swept her baby into her arms, plucking the brush from his tiny hand. 

 

“Jinwoo!” She scolded sharply, “What are you doing here? Do you know how terrified you made Mama and Papa?” Jinyoung rubbed at Jinwoo’s hands with a handkerchief.

 

“Just how did he get into so much ink and paint?” He grumbled, “I’ll have to tell the maids to clean this place up better, and to keep a tight lid on the stored ink.” Jinwoo gazed at Soyoung for a long moment with his large eyes, his bottom lip trembling as he took in her stern gaze. 

 

“Don’t look at me like that.” Soyoung scolded, lightly hitting his tiny hand in punishment, “You were a very bad boy, do you know that? How could you run off like that? And this ink! Those aren’t your toys!” Jinwoo’s eyes filled with tears, his lip trembling some more before he burst into tears. Soyoung groaned as the baby’s wails filled the air. Jinwoo’s cries never failed to pull painfully at her heartstrings, but this time, she truly was angry at her son. He was still young and didn’t understand many things, she knew that; at the same time, if she gave in now, Jinwoo would never learn. Plunking the boy down on a nearby chair, Soyoung crossed her arms and turned around with a huff.

 

“You can cry all you want, but you are still a bad boy.” She declared. 

 

“Soyoung…” Jinyoung said softly, “You don’t have to be so sharp with him. He’s still a baby. A child has to be taught before he understands.”

 

“And if I hug him now, he’ll think it’s okay!” Soyoung replied sharply, “Don’t touch him now, Jinyoung. I don’t want him to think his tears will get him forgiveness for everything.” Jinyoung sighed, but stayed by Soyoung’s side as she had asked. Before long, Jinwoo’s sobs died down as he realized his parents weren’t looking at him, and eventually his cries faded into little hiccups. Sighing softly, Soyoung turned at last and knelt down in front of her son so they were eye level. 

 

“Jinwoo, Mama and Papa love you, but you cannot do things like that, do you understand?” She said, taking his hand and hitting it again lightly, “Jinwoo is a good boy, right?” Jinwoo gazed at her with his large eyes, still wet from his tears. Then, he held out his arms and gazed at her woefully, his gaze looking pitiful. Sighing again, Soyoung finally reached out and pulled her son into a hug, tucking his little head against her shoulder.

 

“Childrearing certainly is exhausting.” She said, exchanging a look with Jinyoung. 

 

“Particularly with a curious child like him.” Her husband agreed. Jinwoo lifted his head and sniffled again as he gazed at Soyoung.

 

“Mama.” He suddenly said, still blinking the last of his tears away. Soyoung’s eyes widened as she heard Jinwoo speak. Certain she had heard wrong, Soyoung reached out and cupped her son’s paint splotched cheek.

 

“Jinwoo-yah.” She said, “What did you just say?” Jinwoo blinked again before grinning.

 

“Mama.” He said, reaching out a tiny hand to pat Soyoung’s face, “Mama!” Soyoung froze as she stared at her son in shock, her lips parted slightly in surprise. Up until now, Jinwoo’s speech had been completely made up of unintelligible babbling, and Soyoung could only nod along and pretend for her son’s amusement that she understood what he was saying. This time though, it was clear that Jinwoo had just said a word clearly. 

 

His first word.

 

Soyoung looked over at her husband in disbelief, barely able to believe that Jinwoo had just said his first word. His eyes slightly wet with happy tears, Jinyoung nodded to confirm that she hadn’t heard him wrong. Laughing softly, Soyoung cuddled Jinwoo in her arms, an inexplicable emotion filling her chest.

 

“Yes, little one.” She murmured softly into his ear, “I am your mama. Good job, Jinwoo-yah.” The little boy snuggled against her neck, and Soyoung felt her heart melt as she tightened her embrace around her son. 

 

I love you, little one.

 

____________________________________________________________________________

Before Soyoung realized it, Jinwoo’s first birthday arrived. In order to celebrate the milestone event, Soyoung arranged for a lavish banquet to be held, inviting every court official who held even the smallest title under the imperial records. Jinwoo was dressed in traditional Mongol robes for the event, which he took better than Soyoung had expected. The birthday banquet lasted for two full days, and the entire capital was filled with celebration. On the second day, Jinyoung arranged for Jinwoo to play a little game, where various items were placed in front of the baby for him to choose his favorite. Supposedly, whatever the baby chose would determine what he would become in the future. While Soyoung was a little skeptical about its purposes, Jinyoung said it was a tradition in Goryeo, and so Soyoung decided to go along with it. After all, Jinwoo’s bloodline was half from Goryeo. The entire hall of attendees watched curiously as little Jinwoo wobbled towards the toys laid out for him before looking at each of them curiously. Then, Soyoung watched in surprise as Jinwoo picked up a toy bow, pushed aside the toy arrows that went with it, and picked up a toy ink brush instead. Putting the brush on top of the bow in place of the arrow, Jinwoo turned and beamed up at his parents, making it clear that his choice was made. Soyoung stared at her son in surprise for a long moment before starting to laugh, realizing what had just happened. 

 

“It seems that our son has taken after both of his parents!” She declared, “The future emperor of Yuan will be skilled in both literature and the military arts! It is a cause for celebration!” The hall erupted into laughter and celebration once more, and the imperial couple exchanged happy smiles before each drinking a cup of wine. Soyoung smiled as she gathered her son in her arms and gazed out at the festive scene in front of her. 

 

I wish...oh I so wish, that life could go on peacefully like this.

 

_________________________________________________________________________

As the saying went though, all good things were destined to come to an end. A few months after Jinwoo’s first birthday, Bambam suddenly requested to see Soyoung. Although she wasn’t sure what the younger man wanted, Soyoung granted his request. When Bambam arrived, he said nothing and instead handed a letter to Soyoung. 

 

“This was sent to me from my older brother.” Bambam said simply. Raising an eyebrow, Soyoung pulled the letter from the cream colored envelope and quickly read over the letter folded inside. Her eyes widened as she read over the simple lines of text on the letter.

 

Father has died. The peace agreement dies with him. Get out of the capital as soon as possible.

 

The sentences were short and the writer didn’t elaborate, but Soyoung was experienced enough to have a good guess as to what they meant.

 

If the former rebel chief has died, and the agreement dies with him...that means Jin truly intends to go to war.

 

The rebellion is going to begin anew.