"Father?" Ayu came to see his father, but he was too late. He always visited Tahwan to tell him stories so that Tahwan won't feel alone in his chambers.

Ayu looked at my crying face, then to his father's resting position, and understood what had happened.

"No... Father..." Ayu could barely hold his tears. he ran towards us and embraced his father.

"No.. You promised... you promised that we'd go out the palace together, with mother.. you promised."

"Taeja.."

"Mother, why is father not waking up?" he looked at me, with the eyes that cannot accept Tahwan's passing, the same eyes as mine. "He looked fine earlier, when I said my morning greetings—"

"Ayu ya," I hugged my son. My prince... he's still an adolescent. i can't imagine the burden he'll carry after this. "Your father only wished one thing from us, our safety. He was willing to die for it, and now that he's gone, we need to fulfill that promise of his... right?"

"What are you talking about mother?"

"Daesaengsang," should I tell him? " He.. he tried to protect us, but the rebels were too strong. We have to leave the palace because it's no longer safe here."

"Daesaengsang... why did he?" he continued to sob.

"Taeja, it's just you and me now, we need to protect each other. We need to survive, for Yuan's future..."

Ayu stopped crying. He looked at his father and hugged him for the last time and then he looked at me straight in the eyes. "Mother, I'll protect you. I promise we'll ge through this, I promise we'll survive."

After we held the burial ceremony of Tahwan, we immediately prepared for our departure. My orders were to empty the palace and head north, to where Sabumnim told us to go. i can already sense a long journey ahead.

"Hwanghu mama," Commander Park arranged the soldiers who will accompany us in our trip, "Everything is ready, we need to go now."

I nodded then I turned to Hongdan, "Go find the prince, tell His Highness it's time to leave."

"Yes Hwanghu mama," she hurriedly left to go to Ayu.

~~끝

Epilogue:

"Sabumnim... promise me one thing, Return."

"Your orders are to stay alive..."

Hwanghu mama... Ayu Taeja...

"Meet us there, and that's an order."

I will come for you... just like I promised.