Dae Wong's heart skipped a thousand beat in shock. All hell broke loose when he heard about the former Grand Marshal's confession. His thoughts crumbled into pieces, making it hard for him to get all his senses back.
"Wh-what did you say? Shun is Sae Yoo?"
"You heard me right. He is Prince Sae Joo's twin brother, royal blood—a Seonggol."
The minister could not understand everything that he heard. The whole gist of Chil Yook's statement was as blurry as misty dawn in the winter. For the past fifteen years, he believed that the Prince had died when the Prime Minister had fallen in that cliff. However, it turned out that another version of the story just emerged.
"This does not make sense. Prince Sae Yoo is dead!"
Chil Yook closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, he is not. When I woke up after that deadly ambush, I discovered that it was indeed the Prime Minister who was behind everything. Yes, you are right. He was the one who ordered those bandits to attack us, but his reason was for my safety. Little did I know that he had a different plan. I was shocked as well when I found out that the Prince was with him. I have no idea what happened in that cliff that you just said. All I knew was that baby Sae Yoo was with him. He handed me the baby, telling me that I should take care of him for a while, away from the capital. He even arranged me a trip to Ulleung Island—to hide there, to raise the baby according to his principles, brainwash him. By the time the Prince is fifteen, he will come back and take him... to use him against the King and Prince Sae Joo."
Dae Wong's first rolled into a ball, gritting his teeth. "Jung Ho! You are really despicable!"
"He really is. He is too powerful. His works were always clean and stainless. He has many connections. He could do almost anything because the nobles and other high-ranking government official support him."
Crossing his arms, Dae Wong asked, "Why did you decide not to follow his order?"
A heavy load of a deep-sea exhale surfaced out from the ill man's lips. "It was because of Lady Jang. She was the one who convinced me to do the right thing, not to be blinded by the Prime Minister. I was thunderstruck by her words, and also by Prince Sae Yoo's angelic face." he smiled, reminiscing his borrowed son's innocent smile when he was an infant.
"You did the right thing, Chil Yook. Thank you."
"So, what are you going to do now?" asked the old man.
"You are aware of the prophecy, are you not? The twins were born on the same day as the eclipse. Their fates have already been cursed by the Heavens, and they should never ever cross paths. One of them will be Silla's destroyer, and one of them will be Silla's savior. There is no way to tell for now who is who, but since they had already met, I am certain that their inevitable fate will happen," explained Dae Wong.
"I know that. So, what are we going to do?"
"No one should ever know Shun's real identity, especially the King and the Prime Minister—or else his life might be in danger." Dae Wong's eyes widened out, gluing them to Chil Yook.
He resumed, "Leave him! Leave Sae Yoo."
"What? Why? No! I will not leave my son!"
"Correction—the King's son. Do you not realize that this is for Sae Yoo and your safety?"
Chil Yook's nose blazed up, boiling blood rushed into his head. His thick eyebrows assembled in a dark stare. "How is this for Shun and my safety, huh? Answer me!"
"Leave Shun to me. I will be his guardian. I could protect him if he is close to me. No one will suspect about him since he is just considered as the Prince's acquaintance... There will be upcoming recruitment of additional nangdos from the provinces. I can endorse him since Prince Sae Joo wants him to become his personal bodyguard as well."
Hearing the minister's proposal, Chil Yook could not help but to snap out. "No! I thought you are worried about the prophecy, that they should not cross paths. What you are doing will just make them closer. Besides, he will be interacting with the King and the Prime Minister whether we like it or not... Shun and I will go home! We will go back to our province, away from the capital. In that way, he will be safe."
"Think Chil Yook, think! Do you think you could protect the Prince with your current condition? You cannot even raise yourself up from bed without help. Hide? What if the Prime Minister finds you? Do you think he will not kill you and Shun? If you really want to protect your son, leave him to me. I will protect Prince Sae Yoo! And just in case you are worried about the prophecy, I will try to delay that by keeping Shun's identity a secret forever. We need to prepare for this one. Once Shun's identity got exposed, the wrath of the Heavens will surely devour the entire kingdom."
"Dae Wong, I am afraid of this. Thinking that the Prime Minister will see him every day gives me the creeps. Please, Dae Wong, just let us leave."
With a raised brow, the minister's eyes locked on Chil Yook's. "If you really want to protect Shun, do as I say. I am more capable of protecting the Prince more than you. Do your sacrifice for your son. I will give you some time to bond with him for the last time. Think about what I have said. Leave Shun—leave Prince Sae Yoo."
Just as when Dae Wong was about to stand, the door suddenly slid open. Standing by the door was Shun, together with Deok Cheol, who were chasing their breaths—panting and leaning by the doorcase. Shun got surprised upon seeing the minister talking to his father. He walked closer as he spoke, "The market place was a disaster. Looking for these medicines was a pain in the back. Oh, by the way, Lord Dae Wong, what brings you here?"
Dae Wong stole a swift glance to Chil Yook before responding, "Uh, I have heard from the Prince that your father is a blacksmith. So, I was just asking if he could make me a dagger when he recovers." he cackled.
"Excellent choice, Your Lordship! My father is the best blacksmith who ever walked on earth! His products are not just weapons; they are art! Would you mind making one for him, Father?" the boy turned to the old man.
"Err, of course, why not? It would be a pleasure." Chil Yook answered.
Clearing his throat, Dae Wong stood and bid his farewell words to them. "I shall go. The King is probably looking for me. Mister Muhyuk, please consider my offer." Dae Wong's eyes widened out, lips carving into a contemptuous smile.
"Take care, Lord Dae Wong," said Shun.
The minister smiled and left.
While waiting for the doctor to come back, the two boys placed the medicines on top of the table, beside Chil Yook's bed. The weak man asked Deok Cheol to give them some private moment for a while because he needed to speak with his son. After a low, courteous bow, Deok Cheol left the room, leaving the two inside in a heavy atmosphere.
Shun sat beside his father and held his hand. "I know that I am at fault, Father. I lied. But why did you even follow me here?"
With a grimace in his face, Chil Yook responded, forcing the right volume of voice to come out from his tired body. "I was just worried about you, Shun. I do not want you to be associated in this place."
"Why Father? Why do you have this irrational grudge in this place? What did the capital ever do to you? I do not understand. Do you mind telling me the reason behind your action?"
"Shun, I want to go home already. My life is getting fragile every second I breathe. I can feel my body weaken. I know that my time is near." a loud, scratchy cough unleashed from Chil Yook's windpipe.
"Hush now, Father. Your tone makes me feel uncomfortable. I know that you will get over with this. I have faith in the Heavens... and to you as well."
"No, Shun. I can feel it. I am becoming weaker and weaker. When the last leaf of my tree fell, promise me that you will never leave the place where you had your first sight of me. Take care of our house, our memories."
Shaking his head, Shun's eyes became heavier—a pearl of tears ran along his white face. "Father, no! Please do not say that. I do not know how I would go on without you."
Chil Yook's soft deep eyes sincerely caressed his son's weeping window. He held his hands even tighter. "I know you can. You are strong. Do not forget what I have told you, Shun. Live your life with a good heart for everyone."
No words bloomed out of Shun's lips. Tear tracks on his face reflected pain and denial. The thought that his father could die any moment never had space on his mind. All he hoped was that the first and only man he truly loved would live with him for the rest of his life. Never he could fathom how he could live without the father who took care of him for the past fifteen years, the man who loved him unconditionally even if they were not connected by the chain of blood.
The ill man let his son's hand go, telling him that he wanted to go back to sleep again. "I am a bit tired, Shun. I will sleep first."
"Please do so while waiting for the doctor. I will be here by your side."
~~•~~
While waiting for the doctor's arrival, Shun just stayed beside his father. As things went relatively idle and quiet in that room; back in the palace, Sae Joo's peace and serenity was disrupted by court ladies while he was playing kayagum in a gazebo floor, near his mother's garden.
"Your Highness, the King summons you to the main hall," said a young court lady.
The Prince lay the string instrument on the floor and responded, "Hmm, I wonder what this is about... Alright, I will be there." he then ordered some of his court ladies to fix all of his musical instruments.
Soon after, he went to the main hall, and the guards opened the door for him. The eunuch announced his presence, and he walked down the yellow carpet, going to his throne. All council members were inside, alongside with some hwarangdos. Fixing the long outer sleeves of his indigo cloak, he asked the King about the topic of the meeting.
"Sire, may I ask what this assemblage is all about?"
"This is about your position as the head of the Hwarangs. I know that we have talked about this before—that you will just ascend to the position if the Head Priestess' prediction about you turned out to be positive. However, mass recruitment for future nangdos is coming near. I need you to do your observation for a while."
Scanning the awaiting faces of the council members inside, Sae Joo's heart raced a bit as his breath became shallower and slower. He slowly turned his head back to his father and bowed his head. "I understand, Your Majesty."
Jung Ho grinned and butted in, eyes striking mockery to the Prince. "Wangja-nim, if you do not wish to participate, you can just observe on the side while Lord Jung Min does the ceremony."
"No, Prime Minister. I-I will do it. It would be just a plain ceremony, right? I think I could do that. Besides, I am the rightful leader, am I not?"
A curl in the Prime Minister's forehead, alongside with a shallow frown and a fake smile flashed in front of the Prince. "Of course, Your Highness."
Sae Joo's quivering lips showed fear and hesitation for his decisions, but his trembling fist, hidden under his huge sleeves definitely manifested the slow build up of vigilance towards his uncle. The words of Shun and Jung Min about dealing with hidden enemies played repeatedly on his head. He had decided to start being strong if he wanted to stay alive inside the palace. He realized that he could not remain warm and naive forever. Little by little, the fear that he was feeling towards his uncle started to evaporate as they were overpowered by a small furnace of mistrust. Bit by bit, the thought of the word, 'politics', which was a vague concept for him in the past, began to make sense. In politics, people could turn into beasts when they eagerly desired to get what they wanted.
The Prince then asked the King again, "Is this all, Father? I am interested in learning the basic things of leadership. I should start with the hwarangs."
Jae Joong smiled, seeing that his son was beginning to change. "Sure, Prince. The Prime Minister could definitely help you with that. Do you not agree, Prime Minister?"
Jung Ho raised a brow and smirked. "Yes, Your Majesty. It would be my pleasure."
"By the way, how was the invitation for a bilateral talk I propose with Tang?"
Jung Ho smiled and bowed lowly, "It is done, Your Majesty. I think they will be here in fifteen days."
"Great. Now, we need to finalize the details about the Prince's upcoming birthday. It would be in two days time. The Prince wants a simple celebration. Just a private banquet with the nobles, province governors, and other high-ranking officials may do. Are all invitations done?"
Yoo Min stepped regally forward, "Yes, Your Majesty. Everything is prepared. We are just waiting for the big day."
"Good. This is a special occasion for the Prince. I want everything to be perfect," reminded the King.
He continued, "Meeting adjourned."
After the meeting, the Prime Minister went to the main shrine of the palace. Strolling down the brick floor, he passed through the small stands with candles on top. The fragrant scent of the incense attempted to titillate his nasal canals but they failed miserably, for it seemed like tension and heavy aura surrounded his entire body. He stopped at the end of the shrine, reaching the praying area, where there were five tall pillars encircling a small circular spot and a small altar with food offerings on top. Constellation drawings by the wall illuminated, giving off its royal blue light—representing the stars in the universe.
At the center, sitting at the circle spot, a woman in her early thirties was praying as Jung Ho stood at her back. The white robe with black motives on the sleeves and the jade pin by her braided hair symbolized that she was the new Head Priestess. She was one of Lady Jang's protegee. Being skillful and passionate about her deity-given talent, she was the one who filled in the position when the former Head Priestess was exiled, fifteen years back. Her character remained a mystery for everyone because she did not present herself the way Lady Jang did before. Everyone had noticed that she had not involved herself in any of the political parties. One could say that she was neutral in a way.
"What brings you here, Prime Minister?" her dark, mezzo-soprano voice resounded in the walls.
Jung Ho moved closer to her. "You know why I am here."
"No, I do not."
"This is about the prediction about Prince Sae Joo's fate. His birthday will be in two days. The certainty of his succession to the throne depends hugely on you. The fate of our clan depends on you as well. Consider my offer. I will make your position higher—connections wider."
The Head Priestess sniggered contemptuously. "For a low-ranking person like me, being the Head Priestess is the pinnacle of my luck. I can never be higher, Your Excellency. Regarding the Prince's fate, if it was the Heaven's will to let him rule, no human can intercept that. No one is higher than the mandate of Heavens." she faced the altar again, closed her eyes and prayed for the second time.
Being insulted by the Head Priestess, Jung Ho grabbed her arm and clenched it, nails digging deeply on her pearl-like skin. His fiery glare shot right through the Head Priestess's eyes, but it seemed like the latter's cold and icy almond gate of sight did not bother at all. The blazing intensity of Jung Ho's glower was instantly extinguished when the Head Priestess spoke. "Do you remember what I have said before? You will never be a king. No one in your blood will rule Silla. Even if you kill me, that will never change. You are not higher than Heaven's mandate, Your Excellency."
"Why are you so full of yourself? Is it because the King is on your side? You do not find me terrifying?"
The Head Priestess slowly pushed the Prime Minister's arm, shoving the filthy skin out of her arm. "I serve no politician, Your Lordship. I serve the truth. So, if you will excuse me, I have a big prediction to prepare."
Jung Ho arched an eyebrow, grinning. "Your attitude is interesting. I actually like it. But know this: learn to recognize who you are bumping into... Have a good day."
Leaving with nothing but elevated blood pressure and flaring nostrils, Jung Ho walked down the palace courtyard, going back to his chambers. As he was pacing down, he saw Sae Joo and Jung Min talking from quite a distance. A sly smile just came out from his lips, realizing that his son was now doing his job properly. He continued walking and acted like he did not see them.
~~•~~
Sae Joo and Jung Min were once talking about the upcoming selection of nangdos in the kingdom when the topic suddenly shifted to the Crown Prince's succession.
"Your Highness, did the thought of a negative vision to you ever crossed your mind?"
Confused with the random swerving of the topic, Sae Joo frowned and murmured. "Uh, yes. The thing about my succession is that it is not absolute. Many things could happen. Why are you suddenly interested?"
"Nothing, Your Highness."
"Hyung, spill it out. I know that you would not ask that random question for anything. Is it because you are expecting that my result would be negative and with that, you would have the chance to rule this kingdom?"
The older cousin did not respond—guilt was seen across his eyes.
Sae Joo continued. "You know what, hyung, as a matter of fact, my priority does not lie with this succession. I know that I am just being prepared just in case something bad happens to my father, but this is too big for me to handle... How about you? Do you really want to rule?"
"No... not now."
"So, your answer was still a yes... Come with me."
Jung Min became baffled with Sae Joo's strange actions. His childish cousin seemed to be replaced by an unknown stranger. "Where?"
"Just come with me. We will settle this once and for all."
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