“How did you come to find me?” 

    “Wangja-nim of course.” Clutching her fingers together tightly, she eyed the man who she called comrade. 

    “I see.”

    “He will come to you. Just be patient.”

    “Why?” 

    “Why? Why what?”

    “Why did you follow his orders? Why didn’t you try to convince him to let me go?” The man frowned at her questions but eventually relaxed his features, handsome and charming otherwise. 

    “Had it been Hae…I believe he would have done the same thing.” She let that fact dwell in her mind for the briefest moment. 

    “Can you be so sure? This after all is the man by whom Hae-ah is bound to by law. Do you not resent him for taking your woman when he so chooses?” At that, he laughed some, the action shocking her. 

    “Have you no faith in the man you love?” She eyed him as he sat back comfortably against some cushions. 

    “I’ve known Wangja-nim for a short while now. In that time, I’ve seen that he has a heart for people. For those in need. For his country.” She swallowed thickly as Yoo-shik continued, 

    “He and I are more alike than you’d think.” Looking down at his hands, he opened the palm of his hand and looked at it.

    “He does not intend to hurt me by bedding Hae. She and I both know that his hands are tied just as much as hers are. It is not my place to object or intervene. Besides, it is not her heart or her body he desires. It is yours. Of that I am certain.” Feeling her cheeks warm, she looked away. Lifting his eyes, he fixed an intense stare on her. 

    “He loves you and he will do whatever he must to keep you by his side. Of that I too am certain.” She licked her lips but gave a little nod which brought a smile to his face. 

    “You trust me on the battle field. You think you can find it within yourself to trust me on home land too?” He asked with a laugh. Pursing her lips playfully, she sucked her teeth. 

    “Hm. Well…I thank you for coming to save me. I appreciate it.” The two paused at the sound of the door opening. Her heart beat faster as she was met with another set of eyes. His eyes. 

    “Are these the people you seek to find sir?” The inn keeper asked beside him. 

    “Yes. Thank you.” Butterflies danced in her stomach as he approached, lowering a hand over and across her braids. 

    “There you are eolin-i.” She brought his hand to rest upon her cheek, overcome with sudden emotion. Her eyes watered and her chin trembled but she didn’t withdraw her gaze. 

    “Here I am.” Throat tight, he turned eyes onto Yoo-shik who upon witnessing the scene before him smirked with his arms crossed.   

    “Thank you.” 

    “You’ve no need to thank me…Cheol-su-ah.” Slowly standing, he brushed imaginary dust from his clothes. 

    “I suppose I should make it back to the Palace now.” 

    “It’s dangerous to venture back to Gaeseong at this hour. Stay with us until morning. ” He looked between them. 

    “You sure I would not get in the way of your…evening?” His cheeks grew a lively pink but he smiled in a friendly way. 

    “Not at all. Come, sit down once more hm?” 

    “As you wish.” 

*** 

    Eyes watched as she slept, warm and soft. The light from the dim candlelight created relaxed shadows on the walls and doors and the inn was quiet. 

    “What will you do? Will you return to the Palace?” Turning towards Yoo-shik, he sighed quietly. 

    “My brother seeks to dismantle our entire family structure. The discord within the inner courts is just as terrifying as the panic on the street.” 

    “Mm. This I have heard.”

    “What are they saying Yoo-shik? The men you call your comrades?” The man swallowed thickly, letting his eyes fall again to the sleeping woman. 

    “They say that the Mongols rest on our heels, Goryeo in their hungry sight.”

    “Hm.”

    “They demolished Song. You’ve heard. I know you have.”

    “Yes.”

    “And what will you do with her? Tiye?” 

    “Need I do anything?” Lifting fingers to his hair, his friend tucked some strays behind his ear. 

    “I presume you will use her to fight should the time come.”

    “Tiye will fight because she wants to. There will be no force involved.”

    “But you will be the motivating factor behind her actions.” Now, it was his turn to swallow. Unbeknownst to his father, he had indeed been planning… plotting…thinking. The wheels turned over and over in his head and as the time grew and waned, so many ideas had been cast aside in frustration. 

    “Will she be enough? Will our two women be enough?” 

    “I will request additional aid.”

    “From where?” He smiled to himself as he glanced back to his sleeping little one. 

    “You shall see.” Snorting, Yoo-shik blew out the candle and laid down on his mat. 

    “Whatever it is you are planning my friend… I hope it will succeed. I hope you return to us safely. You are after all the only hope that I have left for this damned country.” 

*** 

    When the fire lit the sky ablaze, she was awakened. 

    “Come eolin-i. Wake up.” Pouting, she slowly got up, reaching up to scratch her scalp. 

    “What time is it?”

    “Just after 6 in the morning.” 

    “Why so early?” She asked with a yawn, opening her eyes, the two men in sight. 

    “It is time for me to go back to the palace.” Yoo-shik said with a small grin as she lifted her arms upward in a stretch. 

    “And you Wangja-nim? Why have you awakened me this early?” His grin was wider than Yoo-shik’s and his eyes twinkled with a slight case of mischief. 

    “That my dear will be a surprise.”

    “Hm.” Both men laughed at her obvious displeasure and found themselves attacked with a pillow each. 

    “I’ll take that as my sign to go now.”

    “Mm.”

    “Stay out of trouble Tiye-ah. For Wangja-nim’s sake.” 

    “Hm..” He lifted a hand and the two men clasped each other by the forearm. 

    “Stay safe Wangja-nim. Stay well.”

    “You too. Keep that woman of yours in line.” 

    “God knows what she will do without this one here.”

    “Yah! You needn’t worry about us. Worry about yourselves!” Tiye shot back with a suck of her teeth. Yoo-shik smirked and placed his gat on his head. 

    “Good luck Wangja-nim.” And like that he left the two of them alone. 

    He came in front of her and let his fingers breeze across her braids. 

    “Why don’t you bathe and get dressed? We’ll find something to eat after that.” She reached up and gripped his forearm, lifting her chin up. Smiling, he leaned down and gave her what she silently requested, a sweet little kiss. 

*** 

    “The little shit.”

    “He is our brother.”

    “I don’t give two fucks about that. Not after what he pulled today.”

    “Well…didn’t anyone tell you to try to assassinate him.” Shrewd eyes blinked, taking in his little sister.     

    “How do you…know about that? Who told you?”

    “I won’t expose my informants.” 

    “Little brat. You’re a cunning little chit.” The young woman didn’t reply, only pursed her lips. 

    “What’d he do, go and get the bitch?” 

    “I don’t know where he went. I would assume so since he hasn’t been back yet.” 

    “Bastard. Let him throw his temper tantrum. He’ll be back.”At that, she gave a nod, bringing her eyes towards him. 

    “Oppa-nim…”

    “What?”

    “Is it true that you and his consort are seeing each other?” 

    “Is it true that you and the stable boy are fucking?” At that, her eyes grew wide. 

    “What?” 

    “What?”

    “Why would you ever think that I would do something as dirty and disgusting as that?” 

    “You didn’t answer the question Mishil.”

    “The answer is a solid no Oppa-nim. I’m insulted that you would even ask such a vile thing.” The man laid across large plush pillows and lifted a pipe to his lips, soon blowing cloudy white smoke into the air. 

    “Rumors are funny aren’t they?” 

    “Indeed.” Turning to glance out of the window, she sighed. Soon, the opium would ignite his blood stream and he would be lost to the world, instead  existing in one of his own. Her question to him unanswered but known anyway. And as for her other brother, only the Gods knew when he’d return. Something told her it would be a while before she saw him again. 

*** 

    It wasn’t everyday that she got to see him in civilian clothes and the sight took her breath away. In a simple black hanbok, a plain white jeogori and hair tied back from his face in a topknot he stood tall, firm and confident as he spoke to another commoner. He glanced at her and winked, turning away to focus once more on the man. Heart set ablaze, she felt her cheeks grow warm. Soon, however, their conversation ended and he came back to the table, just as the serving girl had refilled their bowls with more jjigae and cups with more makgeolli. 

    “Thank you.” She said with a friendly smile and the girl managed one back even though it was tight. 

    “Were you waiting for me to start eating?” He asked, small grin on his face as he sat down. 

    “Lucky you I was. Only you I might add.” Laughing softly, he helped himself to some of the kimchi and bap. 

    “What are you up to?” She asked, pursing her lips. 

    “Why do I have to be up to something?” He asked, mouth full. 

    “Because we haven’t gone back. It’s as if you’re avoiding the return.” 

    “I really can’t get anything past you. Damn.” He complained with a sigh. 

    “Start talking.”

    “After you’ve eaten.” He teased, motioning towards her food with his jeotgarak. Biting the inside of her cheek, she ate some obediently, suspicious eyes making him smirk. 

    “Don’t look at me like that Tiye. You’ll like what I’ve planned.”

    “Oh?”

    “Yes my sweet. You will.” 

*** 

    She was as astute as ever and it never failed to impress him. He watched as she finished up her breakfast, taking another sip of makgeolli. Smirking to himself, he watched as she took a few more. Any more and his little one would be drunk before noon. 

    “Alright, I think I’m as full as I’m going to get.” She said softly, patting her belly. Sitting back, she smiled at the full stomach and her eyes thanked him. 

    “Now will you tell me what you’re up to?” He chuckled at her rosy cheeks and gave a nod. As promised, he would. 

    “Come. It’s better that I show you.” Getting up, he placed some coin on the table and nodded towards the girl who had served them and soon they were in the hustle and bustle of the city. 

    “I assume you know. How this all happened.” He looked down at her as they walked amongst the bodies, animals and filth. 

    “Yes. I know.” He answered, lifting a hand to pull her closer by the waist against him. 

    “And what will you do about it?” He didn’t say much… at first. The stench of the centre of the city was dizzying… nauseating and he wanted to get her closer to the water. She was quiet as he led her lead her away from the people, the hawking and the dirt covered children and shitty animals.  At her intake of breath, he bit his lip in a smirk. 

    “Cheol-su…” Turning, he took her hand and led her down the secluded docks, the lap of the water against the banks intoxicating. 

    “I will reveal that at a later date eolin-i. For now…something else is at hand.” Her eyes grew watery and she tightened her grip on his fingers as he drew her closer and closer to a docked boat. 

    “My promise…my reward…” He brushed fingers against her cheek. 

    “You know what my desires are for my country. What I seek to put in place.”

    “Yes…” She agreed, eyes fluttering closed. 

    “I’ve revealed the first role you are serving.”

    “Friend.” Pulling her closer, he brushed lips against hers, teasing them. 

    “And now lover.” Taking her lips finally in sweet captivity, she leaned into him. 

    “So much more yet to come sarang.” He breathed, gently taking her flesh into his mouth. She hummed softly and felt as though her knees would collapse should he proceed any further. Thanking the Gods when he withdrew, she felt her heart flutter as he turned to meet an approaching small crew of men, three or four of them. 

    “Gwi-ah, you’ve come.” She knit her eyebrows at the name they addressed him as but quickly fell relaxed. Of course he couldn’t have them know that it was to the Crown Prince of Goryeo they spoke to.  He smiled at them with a nod. 

    “Yes, just as I’ve agreed with your captain.”

    “Is that the girl you wish to return?” They all looked at her. 

    “She is.” He grinned proudly as he gazed upon her. 

    “She was brought by force into our land. It is only right that she be given the opportunity to go home.”

    “Ah.”

    “How long do you think we’ll be at sea?”

    “Give or take a month’s time. It’s a long voyage but it is one that will be beauteous to behold.”

    “Da Hwi, you’ve ventured there before?”

    “Of course I have! Being a sailor takes you everywhere… one reason I cannot leave her… the sea.” 

    “Should we get a good start, I think we’ll make good ground come dusk. Get into good waters.”

    “Agreed.”

    “Do you and the girl have everything you wish to bring with you? We’ll likely be stopping at many ports on our way. Have you clothes, money?”

    “I’ve got everything covered. Don’t worry about it.” He replied confidently, winking at her once more. 

    “Well then, shall we prepare to set sail?” The men all watched with curiosity and slight discomfort as he came to her lifting her gaze by way of his hands on her cheeks. 

    “Are you ready Tiye?” Chin trembling, she lifted hands to press against his chest. 

    “I’m ready.”