One week later

Soyoung stood at the front of the large military ship she and the Yuan soldiers had boarded, her eyes still as she gazed out at the wide ocean in front of her, her sharp careful gaze watching for any signs of danger on the horizon. The weather had been more than cooperative since she and the soldiers had boarded the ship at the Khanbaliq port; the skies were blue and there was barely a cloud in sight. Before her, the light blue ocean sparkled in the sunlight, the sound of waves gently lapping against the ship beating a soothing rhythm against the boat’s lacquered wooden surface. A light breeze blew against Soyoung’s cheeks, lifting her hair slightly off her shoulders and sending it fluttering in the wind behind her. Soyoung closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. It wasn’t the first time she had personally led soldiers on a campaign, whether it was to attack or to rescue their own people, but for some reason she couldn’t help but feel slightly anxious this time. 

“Your Majesty?” Soyoung turned as a voice called out to her, and she smiled faintly as she saw Hyojun approach her.

“Hyojun.” She greeted, “How is everything looking down below?” 

“Everything is well settled.” Hyojun replied, “Thanks to your training, the soldiers are balancing well and very few are finding it uncomfortable to travel by ship.” Soyoung nodded in approval.

“Good.” She said, turning her attention back to the ocean in front of her.

“Is something bothering you?” Hyojun asked. Soyoung was silent for a long moment, then sighed. 

“Something just feels...off.” She mused, “But I can’t quite put my finger on what it is.” The general who had been cornered, Yeojin, was far from inexperienced. Han Yeojin had trained with Soyoung since their childhood, and had been by Soyoung’s side in every battle when rebellions had risen against Soyoung’s rule. In short, Yeojin was not the foolish type that could be cornered easily. Each movement she made was carefully strategized and well thought out. The only reason she could have been cornered was…

There is a spy among her soldiers.

And given the current situation, that spy had already been there for some time.

It wasn’t entirely surprising; Soyoung and Yeojin had made it a habit to periodically check for spies among their soldiers, and wasted no time to remove them when they were found. But this time, the spy had chosen to make a move now, and there was only one reason why.

Whoever is behind this attack on Yeojin, they’re trying to throw me off.

It was the perfect time, really. There was much disagreement with Soyoung’s choice for a husband, and historically speaking, the best time to begin eroding at a sovereign’s power was when there were many voices speaking against them, often because of their choice of spouse. Soyoung knew there were already rumors going around the palace that Jinyoung was a useless husband, creating trouble for his wife left and right but failing to be of any help. If Soyoung lost Yeojin and Jinyoung proved to be useless, then it would be a large blow to her reign.

No, failure on either part was not an option. 

Soyoung turned and cast her gaze around the men scattered across the ship. She knew each of them by name, rank, and family history, having hand picked each of them to join her elite forces. Soyoung truly hoped in her heart that none of them had broken the trust she had placed in them, but she knew that a human’s heart was the most difficult thing to guess in this world. There were no absolutes in this world, particularly if there was a weakness for her enemies at court to exploit. And to have put a spy among the elites that made up Han Yeojin’s soldiers...that person was definitely a strong player at court. Soyoung stood thinking for another long moment, then turned to the man next to her.

“Hyojun.” She ordered, “Bring me a map.”

__________________________________________________________________________

One week later, Jinyoung

Jinyoung sighed as he stared blankly out the window, a book dangling untouched from his hands. All around him, patrons of the teashop milled about, some eating food and some just browsing the store’s products. Before she had left, Soyoung had given Jinyoung permission to go in and out of the palace as he wished, and Jinyoung had made good use of it by often going outside to explore the capital incognito or to meet with Jia’er. But today, Jinyoung just couldn’t focus. It wasn’t that he didn’t find his book interesting; the Yuan royal library was filled with more than enough books to satisfy his curiosity, but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to read more than a few lines. There was the soft sound of a hand rapping against the wooden table Jinyoung was sitting at, and the young prince looked up to see Jia’er standing in front of him.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?” The young noble teased. Jinyoung shook his head.

“Just waiting for you.” He replied. The two young men had agreed to meet outside once a week, particularly because Jia’er knew almost everything there was to know about the capital city. Jia’er raised an eyebrow at Jinyoung’s response.

“Oh?” He said as he took a seat, “You weren’t thinking about the Empress?” Jinyoung’s eyes widened as he slammed his book shut.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He exclaimed, “Why would I be daydreaming about her?” Jia’er laughed.

“You don’t have to react like that.” He teased, “I wouldn’t have been surprised if you’d developed feelings for her by now.”

“We’ve barely been married for two months!” Jinyoung protested.

“So?” Jia’er replied, “The empress is beautiful and talented, a rare sovereign who has captured the people’s hearts at a young age. She is one of few girls who survived the Mongol army’s strict training methods and rose to the top of her age group. If she had been born a male, she would have been chosen as Crown Prince for sure. Before you appeared, many countries were fighting to marry their princes to her. With a woman like that near you, is your heart really not moved at all?” He leaned in closer to Jinyoung and winked playfully.

“It’s as they say: affection can be cultivated. There’s already some discussion among the people about when the first royal heir will be born.” He added. Jinyoung’s eyes widened, his cheeks flushing hot. 

“Wang Jia’er!” He protested, giving his friend a light shove, “It is far too soon to think of that now.” He knew that eventually, at least one child will have to be borne from him and the empress. But his royal wife seemed far from ready to bear a child at this point, and Jinyoung himself had no desire to be a father yet. There was no need to rush, they were both still young after all. Jia’er grinned and shook his head in amusement at his friend’s embarrassment. 

“Anyways, what have you been doing since Her Majesty left on the military expedition?” He asked, pouring himself some tea, “It must be boring since she isn’t there.” 

“I have plenty of things to do.” Jinyoung grumbled, “I am not a harem concubine whose life only revolves around the emperor.” Jia’er held up his hands in a playful surrender.

“I never said you were.” He replied, “But the empress is essentially your tie to the rest of the palace, isn’t she? There probably isn’t much you have to do since she didn’t arrange an official position for you in court yet.” Jinyoung had to admit his friend had a point. Besides the one time he had taken the initiative, Soyoung had barely given anything for him to do. Rather, she let him do as he wanted in the palace. There were more than a few times where Jinyoung had spent the entire day in the library and she hadn’t said a single word about it when he had returned for dinner. While Jinyoung enjoyed the freedom his wife gave him, he found it strange. 

It also meant that there really was little for him to do while Soyoung was out on her military expedition.

Without knowing when it had happened, Jinyoung had realized in the past weeks that he had grown used to the young empress’ presence in his life during the past two months. Her presence wasn’t much, but his body had become used to the times she returned from her daily scheduled events, his ears accustomed to hearing the soft shuffle of slippered feet or the steady thump of boots against the hard floor before the attending eunuch even announced her arrival. Jang Soyoung was far from the gentle demure women that Jinyoung had seen in the palace; in fact, she was quite the opposite. She was frank and straightforward when she wanted to be, but rarely let her thoughts show on her face otherwise. But occasionally, the mask on her face would slip as she was talking to him, and Jinyoung would catch the slightest hint of an amused smile turn up the corner of her lips. It was far from the loving relationship that many expected the royal couple to share, but at least it meant Jinyoung wasn’t constantly surrounded by strangers. Jang Soyoung gave him the respect and space he needed, and he appreciated that about her. And although it had only been two months, her sudden disappearance from his everyday routine had admittedly thrown Jinyoung off. He had caught himself more than once looking up around noon when he expected to hear the soft sounds of Soyoung’s slippered feet approaching, only to remember that she wasn’t in the palace when he was greeted by silence. Their large and spacious bedroom felt oddly large and empty at night, devoid of the silent presence of the young empress lying on the sofa on the other side of the room. 

“Jinyoung?” The young prince was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Jia’er’s voice, and he looked up to see his friend staring at him, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Thinking about Her Majesty?” Jia’er teased, “You must miss her.” Jinyoung blushed as he realized he had been caught, then shook his head furiously.

“No, I...was just thinking of the book that I forgot I was supposed to read yesterday!” He blurted quickly. Jia’er scoffed.

“If you think that is going to convince me, you are sorely mistaken.” Jia’er replied. Jinyoung’s flustered mind raced to think of something to counter his friend, but before he could think of something, a young man walked up to him and bowed politely before leaning down to speak softly in Jinyoung’s ear. While Jia’er began to stand up in alarm, Jinyoung waved his friend back down into his seat. The  young man was a palace guard, one of the soldiers Soyoung had personally chosen to stay by Jinyoung’s side when he was out of the palace.

“Your Highness.” The young man reported quietly, “His Grace the Grand Preceptor is at the palace asking for an audience with you.” Jinyoung frowned in confusion.

“Royal Uncle wants to meet with me?” He repeated, feeling perplexed, “But why? I don’t have any reason to speak with him.” The young guard shook his head.

“I am not sure.” He replied, “I can send a message to send him away, if you would not like to see him.” JInyoung thought for a long moment, one finger tapping lightly against the table. When they had first met, Soyoug had warned him to stay away from Jang Jaewon, but hadn’t been clear on why. So far, it didn’t seem like he had made any moves against Jinyoung. The only time he had spoken against the young prince was when Jinyoung had offered to help Soyoung come up with a plan to rescue her trapped soldiers. So what did the Grand Preceptor want with Jinyoung now, before the empress even returned to the palace? 

Well, I’m not going to find out by sitting here.

Jinyoung rose to his feet.

“I will go meet with him.” He stated, “Send a message ahead that I am on my way back.” The guard nodded and ducked out of the shop to wait for Jinyoung. Jia’er looked up at Jinyoung with a frown.

“Didn’t the Empress…?” His voice trailed off questioningly, and Jinyoug nodded.

“She did.” He replied, “But I know next to nothing about this man besides what is written in the books. I’m not going to get a good feel for what this person is like unless I interact with him directly. Her Majesty can scold me all she wants when she gets back.” 

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung hesitated briefly as his carriage came to a stop at the palace gates, his heart suddenly starting to pound nervously. He was the one who had decided to meet with Jang Jaewon, but now that he had arrived back at the palace, he could feel his heart waver at the thought of going forward with his decision. Whatever it was this man wanted, was Jinyoung really ready to meet it head on? Or instead, would he make a fool of himself in front of one of the most powerful men in the country? Jinyoung blew out his breath slowly.

Just stay calm, Jinyoung. 

Just like how Jang Soyoung remained calm when he was accused of committing murder, he would remain calm in front of this mysterious character that even the empress seemed wary of. Taking another deep breath, Jinyoung stepped out of the carriage with the help of a eunuch nearby and headed into the palace.

Jang Soyoung, I wonder what you are doing now.

___________________________________________________________________________

On the edges of Tibetan and Mongol territory, the sound of waves lapping against the shoreline could be heard in the morning air, a soothing steady beat that overlapped with the sounds of birds landing along the shoreline. Along the shoreline today however, stood a large group of soldiers, their horses snorting and pawing at the ground as they waited for the command to move. The unique feathered helmet on their heads marked the soldiers as members of the Tibetan military. The soldiers were on high alert, their gazes fixed on the shoreline in front of them. 

“My Lord.” The Tibetan lieutenant general looked over at his leader hesitantly, “Will the Mongol forces really come this way? The Yuan are not known for fighting a war using ships. Even the talented Empress Soyoung has yet to use a ship to prove her abilities.” The general sitting on top of a majestic horse in the front of the group laughed.

“But of course.” He replied, “The source we received this news from has never been wrong. Why would they be wrong now?” He laughed as he thought about the possibilities.

“The great Empress of Yuan walking to the gates of the underworld herself!” He crowed, “This is more than I could ever wish for! That woman has always thought of herself as one of the greatest warriors in Yuan. Well, I will take her head and bring it to our king himself!” As he laughed again at the prospect of success, one of the soldiers behind him let out a shout and pointed in front of them.

“Lord General! Look!” The soldier yelled. A large warship appeared out of the mist covering the water in front of them, it’s sails billowing in the light wind. The mist shrouded the ship’s deck from view, but there was no question that this was the Yuan warship that the Tibetan general had been told carried the Empress of Yuan and her soldiers. The general held up one hand, signaling the archers to prepare. He waited for a moment to allow the ship to draw closer, then made a quick motion forward.

“Fire!” Arrows sailed over the soldiers from the archers behind them and over to the ship, the loud thunk of metal against wood filling the air as the arrows hit their target. Then, the air was silent again, save for the sound of water lapping against the shoreline. The Tibetan general frowned. He hadn’t expected a particularly large reaction, but he was increasingly finding it strange that despite the volley of arrows, most of which had surely landed on the ship, there was absolutely no reaction from the warship nor its occupants. 

It was almost as if...there was no one onboard. 

“My Lord...what is going on?” His lieutenant general asked from behind him. The general mused for a long moment, pondering over the same question.

“It couldn’t be that the news we received was wrong...could it?” He wondered out loud. Then, all of a sudden, the sound of an arrow cutting cleanly through the air reached the man’s ears, and the lieutenant general next to him let out a cry as an arrow burrowed itself directly into his chest, the force knocking the man cleanly off his horse. The Tibetan general turned quickly in the direction the arrow had come, his eyes wide in shock.

Who…?

“My Lord! It’s the Empress!” A soldier yelled from the back, his voice tinged with fear. 

“Impossible!” The Tibetan general exclaimed, “That is absolutely impossible! How could the Empress be…?” His voice trailed off as the sound of horse hooves reached his ears, and suddenly, from the trees that lined the road behind the Tibetan army, he saw a large group of soldiers on horseback headed directly for him. In the front, a figure dressed in glistening silver armor led the soldiers, the helmet on her head doing little to hide the glowering look in her eyes. There was no question as to who it was.

Jang Soyoung, the warrior Empress of Yuan.

________________________________________________________________________

A small smirk lifted up the corner of Soyoung’s lips as she took in the horrified look on the Tibetan military general’s face as soon as her arrow had struck the lieutenant next to him. As she had predicted, someone had given her plan of attack to the Tibetan army, and they had been waiting for the warship when it arrived. 

And that, precisely, was the concern that had led Soyoung to change her plans last minute. 

While the route Jinyoung suggested had provided the most direct path to the territory where Yeojin was cornered, a further look at the map showed that a smaller river path would lead to the same area with a few extra days of travel. If she took the army on that alternate route, then Soyoung would be able to ambush the Tibetan army from the back. It was too narrow for a warship to travel, but a merchant trading ship would fit perfectly. And so, upon spotting a few Yuan merchant ships traveling near them, Soyoung had ordered that they allow the royal army to borrow their ships for a short period of time. Splitting up her army into two, she had left half with Hyojun and took half onto the merchant ships under her command. Whether the Tibetan army knew what she was doing or not, they would be caught completely off guard. It was a risky move, that was for sure. There was always a risk that rumors about her sudden movements would spread to the nearby cities and reach the Tibetan army before she did, but it had felt like a safer move than blindly following the original course of action.

And now, reality was showing that Soyoung’s caution had been right.

The Tibetan soldiers began to panic as they saw the Empress approach them from behind. 

“Men, do not panic!” The Tibetan general yelled, “She barely has any soldiers with her!” Soyoung smirked under her helmet.

So he thinks.

Slipping a signal flare from within the folds of her armor, Soyoung lifted it into the air and let the crimson red flare crackle into the air, exploding into a rain of light in the sky above them. As the light filled the air, Soyoung heard the sound of footsteps rushing from the shoreline, and smiled as Hyojun appeared, leading his group of soldiers behind him. Hyojun’s soldiers had been hidden within the ship when the Tibetan army had fired their arrows, creating the false image that no one was aboard the ship. 

And now, the Tibetan army was surrounded. 

“Your Majesty!” Hyojun called, “What should we do with these bastards who dared to corner our best general?” Soyoung let her glare settle on the frozen Tibetan general, her gaze making him squirm uncomfortably.

“Show no mercy.” She replied.

___________________________________________________________________________

A short while later, border between Tibet and Mongolia

On the outskirts of Mongol territory, a well built military barrack sat strategically located on the border between the two ever feuding countries. A tall red flag fluttered in the wind high above the fortress, the symbol of the Mongol empire visible to travelers for miles. Inside, the air was thick with tension, the same way it had been for weeks already. In the largest tent in the middle of the camp, a slender young woman sat silently at her desk. Her gaze, sharp like an eagle despite the wounds crossing her body, glared at the two burly soldiers standing near the door before moving to the imposing man standing guard in front of her. 

“General Han, there is no need to look at me like that.” The man, a high ranked commander in the Tibetan army, replied, “I have my orders.” Han Yeojin, the sole female general in the entire Yuan empire, scoffed.

“You truly believe that your petty general can take my Empress off guard?” She replied, “Jang Soyoung is not a fool.” Her guard only laughed.

“Sometimes, it is better not to be too sure of yourself, General.” He replied, “Shall we bet on whether your warrior Empress will win or if our general will be victorious?” Han Yeojin was about to reply when she suddenly heard the sound of hoofbeats coming from outside the military barracks, followed by the loud crackle of a signal flare exploding in the sky. Her gaze flickered slightly to the window cut into the tent’s thick material, and a small smile turned up her lips as she noticed the crimson red flare exploding in the sky.

There was only one person in the entire country who used a crimson red signal flare. 

“There is no need to make a bet.” She replied, “Because I already know who will emerge victorious.” Her guard looked puzzled for a long moment before a soldier rushed in, gasping for breath. Outside, the sound of men yelling in fear was beginning to fill the air, paired with the unmistakable sound of weapons clashing against one another.

“My Lord!” He gasped to the Tibetan commander, “The Empress has come to attack us!” The Tibetan commander’s eyes widened in shock.

“How is that possible?” He demanded, “It was the most perfect plan! There is no way the Empress could have escaped!” 

“I do not-!” The soldier’s response was cut short as an arrow sailed through the air and pierced him directly in the back, sending him falling lifelessly to the ground. The Tibetan commander took a step back in shock, but before he could even pull out his sword, he found himself on the end of a sharp glistening sword. A tall figure strode into the tent, the sword’s handle clasped tightly in her hand. Her gaze was cold and dangerous as she regarded the man at the end of her sword, leaving little question that she had not come to be merciless. 

“E-Empress!” The Tibetan commander exclaimed in shock. Han Yeojin smiled for the second time in weeks as she recognized her sovereign ruler standing at the front of the tent. The two burly guards by the entrance started to move towards her, but froze as Soyoung flicked the edge of her blade closer to the Tibetan commander’s neck.

“You may move if you wish to see your commander die immediately.” She stated coldly, “And then you may join him in the underworld.” The two guards froze, unsure of what to do.

“Hyojun.” Soyoung called, and her personal guard appeared at the sound of her voice. Outside, the sound of fighting had begun to fade, signaling the end of the abrupt counter attack on the Tibetan forces. 

“Your Majesty, the Tibetan force has either been killed or suppressed.” Hyojun reported, “Every single one of them.” Soyoung smirked.

“Well done.” She replied. With another flick of her sword, she pivoted on one foot and let the blade cut directly across both of the guard’s knees, sending them tumbling on the ground within seconds before the blade returned to its original spot next to the Tibetan commander’s neck. 

“If you will deal with those two as well, Hyojun, I would be much obliged.” She said. Hyojun bowed and did as he was told. Soyoung regarded the remaining man on the edge of her sword coldly.

“Now, Yeojin, what should I do with this one?” She asked, “Let him live? Taking his life seems too merciful for a man who dared to touch one of my closest confidantes.” 

“Let him serve as a warning to the others in Tibet still hoping to take your throne, Your Majesty.” Yeojin suggested after a moment’s thought. Soyoung thought for a moment, then smiled in approval.

“That is exactly what I thought.” She replied. With one swift , her sword cut through the air, taking the Tibetan commander’s right arm completely off. The man howled in pain as he fell to the ground, his clothes rapidly turning red with his blood. 

“That will be your punishment for laying a hand on my general. Go back and warn your king that if he desires anything that I have, he can come attack me directly.” Soyoung growled, “There is no need to use such underhanded tactics as attacking my soldiers. I will gladly meet his challenge at any time.” A few Yuan soldiers appeared at the tent entrance, and with a wave of Soyoung’s hand, they reached down and dragged the Tibetan commander away. When they were finally alone, Han Yeojin rose from her seat and bowed before Soyoung.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” She said, “Please punish this subject for failing to fulfill my duties.” Soyoung sheathed her sword and quickly raised the other woman to her feet with a light tap below her arms.

“Don’t say that, Yeojin.” Soyoung replied, the cold gaze in her eyes softening, “You have faithfully guarded our borders for years.” 

“I should have been more careful.” Yeojin replied, “One of my lieutenants had turned to the Tibetan side, and I did not even notice until we were under attack. Please punish me.” Soyoung paused for a moment as she regarded the young general, one of her closest friends. Then, she reached out and flicked her friend lightly on the forehead.

“Your Majesty?” Yeojin gasped in surprise, her hands flying to her forehead. Soyoung laughed softly.

“That will be your punishment.” She stated, “And in addition, I will be taking you back to the capital with  me.” Yeojin opened to protest, but Soyoung raised a hand to silence her.

“You have been out here for years.” She said, “It is time you come home. Your soldiers are worn out from being held hostage with their supplies cut off as well. I will send another capable general to take over your duties here.” Yeojin gazed at her sovereign for a long moment and sensed that the young empress had already made up her mind.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She said, bowing in acceptance of the empress’ order. Soyoung smiled and patted her friend lightly on the shoulder.

“Go and get some rest now.” She said, “I brought some physicians with me as well. They will tend to your injuries, as well as your men.” Yeojin bowed as Soyoung turned and left the tent.

“Goodbye, Your Majesty.” She said politely. Soyoung paused as she stepped outside of Yeojin’s tent and lifted her head to the sky, taking in a breath of fresh air. At last, this military expedition had come to a successful end. All that was left was to make the trip home. A faint amused smile turned up Soyoung’s lips as Park Jinyoung came to mind.

Little poet, what are you doing now? You must have read many more books by now. Will your eyes be sparkling again as you tell me about the many wonderful things you have read?

____________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

Jinyoung took a deep breath as he reached the doors to the empress’ library.

Here goes nothing.

He pushed open the elegant paper and wood doors, and saw a flicker of movement in response as Jang Jaewon turned to greet him.

“Your Highness.” He greeted. Jinyoung swallowed hard and bowed in return.

“Royal Uncle.” He replied, “Have you been well? What brings you here today?” Jang Jaewon motioned towards Soyoung’s desk, and Jinyoung frowned in confusion as he noted the stacks of gold colored petitions placed neatly on top of the polished wood surface.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jinyoung asked. Jang Jaewon smiled ever so slightly, although Jinyoung felt a shiver run down his back. The man seemed intent on putting up a friendly front, but Jinyoung always found something unnerving about the way he smiled and the look in his eyes. 

“Your Highness, these are the petitions that have been submitted for the Empress in the past few weeks.” Jang Jaewon replied. Jinyoung frowned.

“And?” He asked, starting to get a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. 

“The lords of the court have discussed this, and we have decided it would be best for Your Highness to address these petitions while the Empress is gone.” Jang Jaewon replied, “So many new things come in every day, there is no way Soyoung can address them all once she has returned. I am sure she would be grateful for your help, don’t you think?” Jinyoung looked at the stack of golden petitions, then stepped over to the table to pick one up. He had rarely taken a close look at any of the petitions that the empress spent hours reading every day. There was no need to, after all. He had never asked to see them, and Soyoung had never told him to read them. He had to admit that the Grand Preceptor had a point. Given all the work that was piling up, there was no question that Soyoung would be swamped by the time she came back from her military expedition. It was normal to think that a wife would be grateful for her husband’s help.

And yet, Jinyoung hesitated as one finger pushed open the corner of one petition ever so slightly.

No.

“What was that?” Jinyoung jumped as he realized he had given voice to his thoughts without realizing it. Clearing his throat, he turned and looked at the Grand Preceptor.

“No.” He repeated, “I will not take care of Her Majesty’s affairs for her.” 

“Your Highness, a husband should share his wife’s burdens.” Jang  Jaewon replied, “Particularly when your wife is the empress!” Jinyoung shook his head.

“No.” He said, “As the great sages of old have said time and again, one must know their place in life. I will not desire nor exercise power that I have not been given. Until Soyoung gives me regency power to decide matters while she is away, I will not step foot into this library again without her permission, much less decide petitions that involve the country’s matters on my own accord.” Seeing that Soyoung’s uncle still stood there unmoving, Jinyoug called to mind the image of his brother Jaebeom when the Crown Prince wanted to exercise his authority to get what he wanted. He straightened his back the way Jaebeom often did, pushed back his shoulders, clasped his hands behind his back, and steadied his gaze to look at Jang Jaewon.

“Jang Soyoung is the one who sits on the dragon throne, not me.” He stated, “And I shall have it no other way.” On a whim, Jinyoung slammed the petition in his hand down on the table with a loud thud for emphasis.

“You are dismissed, Royal Uncle.” He finished. Jang Jaewon looked taken aback by Jinyoung’s attitude for a moment. Then, sensing that there was nothing else he could say to convince the young prince at the moment, he bowed.

“I shall take my leave.” He intoned, and backed his way out of the royal library. As soon as Jang Jaewon was out of sight, Jinyoung felt his legs grow weak and he slumped against the desk.

“That was close.” He mumbled to no one in particular. For a moment, he had to admit that he had wavered. Helping the sovereign ruler share his or her burdens surely seemed like something that would earn him merit. But on the other hand, it could easily cut the other way. Foolishly exercising more power than he had been given ran the risk of offending Soyoung, particularly because she was a woman. It was very likely that she, and many others, would see it as a man’s grab for sovereign power, an attempt to control the woman who sat on the dragon throne. Even when a man was on the throne, historically many princes had fallen from favor, some even stripped of royal status for actions that seemed like a grab for more power than they had. Jinyoung was less experienced in political matters, but he wasn’t a fool that would act without thinking.

He was not going to let Jang Jaewon make a fool of him, and his country through him.  

Taking another deep breath, Jinyoung walked out of the empress’ library and closed the doors behind him. Jang Soyoung was right; one really had to be careful around Jang Jaewon. The moment he let his guard down around the older man, he would be in trouble.

Please come back soon, Jang Soyoung.

_______________________________________________________________________

The sounds of cheering and music could be heard all around the newly freed military camp as the soldiers celebrated another successful military expedition. Soldiers sat in groups and danced around the large bonfire that had been stoked in the middle of the camp, game of various types roasting on spits nearby. Soyoung poured herself a cup of wine and stood up from her seat.

“Soldiers!” She declared, holding the cup in the air, “Thanks to all of your efforts, we have emerged victorious once again! I will drink this cup to all of you!” The soldiers cheered in delight as Soyoung downed her cup of wine, happy cries filling the air.

“May the Empress live forever!” They cheered.

“Tonight, we will celebrate our victory!” Soyoung proclaimed, “And tomorrow, I will bring all of you home to your families! That is my promise to you!” The sound of cheering grew stronger at the announcement. 

“For tonight, drink to your hearts’ delight!” Soyoung finished before sitting down again. 

“Thank you Your Majesty!” The soldiers roared in delight. Soon, the celebration was in full swing again, and Soyoung returned to her seat next to Yeojin. 

“You are spoiling them.” Yeojin teased. Soyoung grinned.

“They have all worked hard.” She replied, “It is only right that I give them a reward. There will be many things they must do once we return to the capital.” Yeojin grinned teasingly.

“Speaking of the capital,” She replied, “I heard you got married recently. I’ll be curious to see which fortunate young man stole the heart of our beloved empress.” Soyoung scoffed and gave her friend a light shove.

“You know I did not marry him out of love.” She scoffed, “I merely did what I was supposed to.” Yeojin laughed.

“Knowing you, you wouldn’t have picked a prince that didn’t have characteristics that you admire.” The young general responded, “That is where many relationships begin.”

“You speak as if you have plenty of experience.” Soyoung replied with a smirk. Yeojin responded to the comment with a light smirk.

“Please.” She replied, “I am destined to spend my life with men who are like brothers to me. What time do I have to fall in love?” Soyoug smiled and lifted her cup to Yeojin.

“Cheers.” She said, “For two people who have no time in their lives for love.” Yeojin grinned and clinked her cup against Soyoung’s.

“Cheers.” She replied. Still, as the cool wine touched her lips and chilled her tongue, Soyoung couldn’t help but draw up the image of Park Jinyoung in her mind. If he saw the way she was now, laughing and drinking with men all around her, he would likely tsk and give her an earful about something the great sages had said many years ago. Despite it all, Soyoung felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips.

Have you been holding up in the palace by yourself, little poet?