Another Chance, Time & World

Return

Hae Soo

When she open her eyes, she could see a ceiling. A forgotten but very familiar ceiling of her room in the 8th prince's residence. She was back at the same place once again. But she didn't remember how she got here, so she has to assume that the princes have gotten her home then help to carry her to her room. That was the only explanation, since she did not remember anything past falling asleep due to exhaustion and relief when she was on Baek Ah-nim's horse.

Looking down at her body, she was in a clean pair of her sleeping hanbok. That means someone had touched her body. If they had touched her, then....frantically she lifts her hands towards her neck and felt for the presence of her chain. Thankfully it was there still beneath her clothes. Taking it out, she stare at their rings once again. His, diamonds and platinum. Hers, diamonds, platinum and sapphires. Hearing footsteps, she quickly hid the chain again, no one was going to see them if she can help it and certainly no one will touch them except for them.

The sliding door in the room opened, and there was Chae Ryung with a tray in her hands followed closely by Unni. Two people who she missed out of many. Though it was hard for her to look at Chae Ryung without remembering her death or the countless betrayals. With a smile on her face, she called out a greeting, and personally saw the surprised but happy expressions on both of them before they rush towards her. Asking her if she was alright, do you know how worried they have been and never do that agains. Smiling the entire time, she just enjoyed the fussing. She still was too tired to protest much anyway.

Palace

The two royal doctors who had been personally overseeing the 4th prince's condition had been ordered to see the King in his private chambers with Astronomer Choi in attendance. The king personally wanted the full detailed report of the 4th's condition. It has now been in a week since the prince's collapse in the courtroom.

While the palace was no longer silent, the investigation into the poisoning was fully being done in complete secrecy. All the other palace occupants knew was that the 4th prince had been poisoned with a strong poison by the same group who attacked at the exorcism rite. All the culprits had been executed and no mastermind has been found. In truth, the alive assassins had been taken into custody, and while they could not speak, they were still tortured for any information. The assassins who confessed something through writing had been granted a quick and painless death while those who did not were still being interrogated.

Back to the doctors, all they could collectively think was how it was a miracle that the 4th prince was still alive, and they said as much to the King.

"Pheya, based on what we could find out after examining the 4th prince and hearing about Lady Hae Soo's condition, we can truly say that it was the heavens that saved them. While the lady may have ingested less of the poison, she was just as deadly sick as the prince. We think that she had drank the poison before it was completely mixed thus she had a faster reaction to the poison unlike the prince who collapsed almost half-day after her. She coughed up blood and kept on coughing blood for three days, along with chest pains and leg pains. She also experience a high fever but that fever changed to a cold fever more quickly than 4th prince's fever. Her cold fever seemed to have lasted longer but once she was over that, she had seemed to have recovered. We have told her cousin, Lady Hae that all Lady Soo now needs is to rest and only drink simple food with no spices and to drink honey daily." As one doctor finished his report, the other doctor began but the Astronomer Choi interrupts him.

"As you know Pheya, the 4th prince collapsed later than the Lady. We think that the prince drank more of the poison than the Lady and more of the deadly combination. From what the 10th and 13th princes could find out through the Lady's letter as well as what she said in her sleepy state when they questioned her, it was the Lady that discovered about the poison first. Because she knew that she had no proof about the poisoning, all she could think was to separate from her servant and following behind her cousin to enter the palace then head to where all the utensils were at Damiwon. She must have poured a tea into each of the prince's teacup before drinking it. As everyone was at the rite, no one knew that she was there. The 4th prince must have stumbled upon her during her act of drinking the numerous teas and must have questioned her. And rather than letting Lady Soo drink all the poison with her fragile body, the 4th prince must have drank the tea from the cups that she had not drank from yet, before sending her away. I expect that 4th prince was suspicious of all the other utensils as well, and drank from all of them as well, before attending the rite. The prince must have thought that the poisoning was a lie since he did not get sick but must have realized the truth in the the audience chamber so that is why he said what he did. At the night of the exorcism rite, apparently Lady Soo was held hostage in front of the 4th prince before the 8th prince arrived with the guards. I suspect some exchange happened between the 4th prince and the lady in the forest that let those people know that they knew their poisoning plot, thus the kidnapping. They did not expect the prince to be strong enough to fight them off, and the prince must have suspected the danger so that is why he went towards the 8th prince's residence. Royal Doctor, how is 4th prince now?"