The Prime Minister's question resounded on the King's head repeatedly, while tottering down the palace grounds. His sinister grin and scathing eyes seeped through the King's bones. The hwarangs and the court ladies behind him got worried upon seeing his blank face and wobbly movements. He finally lost balance and tripped on the ground.
A hwarangdo quickly held his arm, "Forgive my insolence, Sire. Are you all right?"
"Yes, I am. People are watching. I can walk to my bedchambers."
The hwarangdo let his arm go, and he continued walked towards his chambers, thinking about his twin's fate now that the Prime Minister knew everything.
He sat down at the table, hung his head and placed his hands on top of it. The voice of the lady-in-waiting distracted him, "Sire, Minister Dae Wong wants to have a word with you."
"Let him in," he responded softly.
Minister Dae Wong noticed the King's troubled face. He asked him what was wrong, and the King explained everything that happened between him and the Prime Minister. Minister Dae Wong was not totally surprised. He expected that this day might come considering there were many eyes and ears in the palace. Aside from birds, news are also winged creatures that can travel as quick as a lightning bolt. No secrets can be kept in the palace forever, especially to the Prime Minister.
"What shall we do? I am pretty sure that he will target my sons the moment they were born on the day of the eclipse."
The King stood and walked back and forth. He was very anxious and hysterical at the same time. Minister Dae Wong leaned an elbow on the table, rubbing his temple. He was distracted when the King snapped his fingers as an idea popped out of his mind.
"We need to hide the Queen! I will send her to a faraway place to deliver the babies. After that, no one can discover that we had twins."
Minister Dae Wong had a second thought about what the King mentioned. His pupils dilated, and he exclaimed, "Sire I have a better idea. We will plan this ahead!"
The King etched a smile on his lips. Minister Dae Wong interrupted the moment and proceeded with his main concern, "Sire, regarding the..."
"Oh yes! Now, how was it? Was there any information regarding the almanac and Lady Jang's whereabouts?"
The King's eyes widened.
Minister Dae Wong took a black covered book from his sleeve, "Here you go, Sire. I already have the almanac that she used to predict the solar eclipse."
"How did you get it?"
The minister smiled, reminiscing what he did.
----
"I went to the royal library to look for any books with a plain black cover. Then, I went straight back to the temple, hoping to find Lady Jang there. The monks said that she might finish the ritual and go somewhere else after two hours. That is why I waited outside the temple until she got out. Luckily, I saw her getting out, carrying a lot of stuff, piling up on her arms. I saw the book that you described. I instructed one of my nangdos to bump her intentionally in order for her things to scatter on the floor. He secretly switched the books hidden in his sleeve with the black book on the floor."
----
"Wait, did she not even check the book?" the King asked.
"I doubt, Your Highness. She seemed to be in a hurry at that time. There is a little possibility that she will randomly open that book."
He paused for a while and gazed straight into the King's eyes, "Unless, she will give it to someone else."
"That was very good! Very clever! So, did you open the almanac?"
"Yes Sire, but I cannot comprehend even a single word. It was written in a strange language. I have a feeling that it is like a combination of... Göktürks and Tang handwriting, just like what you have told me."
"We need to find someone who could read this," the King firmly said.
"Ah! One more thing, Sire. I ordered two nangdos to follow her. They might be here any moment from now."
A few moments later, two nangdos with yellow headbands, fitted robes, and loose pants came to the King's chambers. They were panting like a running dog. The King frowned in disgust upon seeing their bodies sweating excessively. Minister Dae Wong asked them for any reports about Lady Jang. They have discovered that she was meeting with Lady Min in her house.
The Minister jerked his fist, "I knew it!"
"Sire, this might be it! There is a huge possibility that Lady Jang works for the Prime Minister!"
The King's eyebrows met, and he rolled his palm into a ball of a fist. He ordered Minister Dae Wong and the two nangdos to go to Lady Min's house.
"Yes, Sire. We will report anything suspicious, and I will make sure to get the black book back before they discover that it was fake."
----
Minister Dae Wong and his two nangdos saddled their horses and went outside the palace, going to Lady Min's house. Her house was located about fifteen ri away from the palace gates; in the woods beside a river. The house was average sized with a thatched roof made of hays. It was a bit elevated, supported by four timbers rooted in the ground and a wooden platform on the perimeter. Upon reaching the house premises, Minister Dae Wong's group hid on the trees about a few meters away from the house.
"My Lord, look! The Grand Marshall!"
The Minister frowned when he saw Chil Yook got down from his horse. The Grand Marshall walked towards the house and paused.
"Everyone, hide properly!" the Minister whispered. The nangdos turned around and leaned against the tall trunks.
As the gust of cold wind nipped Chil Yook's face, he looked around and observed the graceful swaying of the leaves and branches in the woods. He cleared his throat and entered the house. After a few moments, Minister Dae Wong tiptoed towards the house, leaving his nangdos as lookouts. With regulated breaths and rhythms of his toes, he managed to crawl to the small three-leveled steps going to the platform. He crept silently towards the main door and leaned his head slowly towards it.
----
"I am sorry for coming over late. The Prime Minister ordered me to finish some errands."
Chil Yook sat down on the floor and crossed his arms on the roundtable. He noticed Lady Jang biting her lips and tapping her fingers on the table while her other hand was on top of a pile of books, "Lady Jang, is something bothering you?"
Lady Jang's face was ghastly pale. Like traveling towards the complete path of oblivion, she seemed to hear nothing, see nothing, or think nothing. Ignoring Chil Yook's presence, she continued tapping her fingers, making him raise his voice a bit, "Lady Jang!"
She turned her head slowly, her face as blank as a white scroll, "Yes? What is it?"
Chil Yook shook his head, "It seems like you are not in a good condition."
Jerking her hands to the pile of books on the table, she quickly pulled out a black book and handed it over to Chil Yook, leaving him in surprise, "What is this?"
"The almanac that the Prime Minister gave to me about two weeks ago."
"Why did you give this to me?"
"Please give that book back to the Prime Minister firsthand."
Lady Min approached them and poured teas on their cups, cutting in and asked, "Why?"
"The King is starting to doubt me. He asked me to explain all the things that I use to predict the eclipse. I have no choice but to comply."
Chil Yook raised a brow and asked, "Did he believe you?"
Lady Jang did not respond. In fact, she did not know how to read the almanac. The Prime Minister delivered it to her through a messenger when he was still in Tang. With her title and connections, he believed that there is a high chance that she can find someone who can interpret the almanac. But, as the moons passed by and the days went by, she found nothing. Despite her vigorous efforts asking all abbots and monks all over Silla, she failed to uncover the secrets of the mighty almanac from the Göktürks and Tang.
Certainly, her time was running too fast. Once the King found out the truth inside the almanac, it will be her end. The moment that the King discovered the true date and time of the eclipse, unfathomable death punishment will be bestowed upon her.
"So you are telling us that you do not have an idea on how to read this? Why? What language was written in there anyways?" Lady Min asked.
"I am not sure. Judging the strokes of the writings, I think there are elements of Göktürks and Tang's calligraphy in there."
"Hmm, Göktürks and Tang? I think I know someone who could read those characters. He is an abbot in a small temple, deep in the forest of Anju Village, Jinhae District. I accidentally met him and had a chit-chat with him when I visited a cousin. Though, I am not sure if he still lives there," Lady Min shared.
Lady Jang gasped upon hearing her story. She hoped that the abbot could be her lifesaver, "Is that true? There is a monk in Anju? Thank Heavens! I spent my time searching through the Northern side of the kingdom. I did not know that the answer to my problem might be living in the most remote area in Silla."
Curious as he, Chil Yook butted in, flipping the book trying to figure out any written words on the cover, "May I open this book?"
Lady Jang nodded, and she permitted Chil Yook to open the almanac. Just as when Chil Yook was about to open the book, he suddenly felt strange towards the door. He raised a brow and gave a sideward glare to the door on his left.
"Wait, stop!" he ordered.
The two ladies were shocked, throwing glances with each other. Chil Yook stood quickly and unsheathed his sword.
----
Minister Dae Wong heard footsteps approaching the door. There was only a couple of seconds left before Chil Yook opens the door. Panicking, he rubbed his temple and looked around. He quickly jumped from the platform and crawled into a small space under the house.
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When Chil Yook opened the door, he prowled down the four corners of the house, pointing swords in each of them. He went back to the front door and jumped off the platform. He walked slowly on the ground, scanning the surroundings delicately. He pressed his lips into a thin line and twitched the sword. Turning around, he walked back towards the direction of the front door.
Upon seeing Chil Yook's legs moving towards his direction, Minister Dae Wong pressed his palm hardly to his mouth, trapping any possible breaths that could come out. His other palm formed into a fist, digging its nails to it.
When Chil Yook was near the steps going to the platform, he slowly bent his body forward, turning his head left. Minister Dae Wong bit his lips and closed his eyes, thinking that Chil Yook might catch him shortly. He quickly thought of any possible scenarios that could happen, maybe he would pull him out of the gap, expose him, and worse, kill him.
"Hey are we not going to help the Minister?" one nangdo asked, stomping hysterically in place from afar.
"Stay put. Prepare your sword. We shall attack when he got caught," another one whispered.
Just as when Chil Yook's line of sight was about to meet the hiding Minister, Lady Min came out and asked what happened. Chil Yook raised a brow and smirked, retracting from his position. He blatantly reported that everything was all right, and he saw no one around the house premises. He went up back to the small steps and entered the house. Upon hearing the sliding door, Minister Dae Wong opened his eyes, and a shaky sigh of relief came out from his mouth. He quickly went back to the front door, and he leaned his head on it to listen to their conversation again.
"Well, so where were we again? The almanac?" Chil Yook asked in an overreacting manner while standing at the front door.
The two ladies were confused with Chil Yook's sudden loudness of voice.
"Yes, the almanac. I told you to..."
Lady Jang did not have the chance to continue because Chil Yook suddenly re-opened the door, revealing the stumbled Minister. The two ladies' eyes widened, and their jaws dropped. Minister Dae Wong stood quickly, flabbergasted upon seeing the three inside.
"Aha! What are you doing here?"
Chil Yook drew his sword to the Minister's neck. Anchoring his aghast eyes to the sharp edge of the sword, beads of sweats came out from the Minister's forehead. He thought that he needed to retrieve the vanishing thread of his courage inside him. He did not want the insolent people in front of him to think that a council member was daunted by a mere sword.
He gathered his strength and stroke a blazing glare to Chil Yook, "You bunch of insolent people! How dare you do this to a council member?"
"Enough with your blabbing, Minister. You are not inside the palace. With just one slash, your blood will squirt continuously until your last breath, and anyone can declare that your death was an accident. You are alone! We are three!"
"I was alone?" the Minister chortled.
Suddenly, the two nangdos drew their swords and dashed towards the house. Chil Yook retracted his sword from the Minister's neck and jumped out of the platform. He whirled his sword preparing to launch an attack to the two nangdos standing in fighting position. Concerned with their safety, Lady Min yelled to Chil Yook, "Stop!"
Annoyed as he, Chil Yook closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, "Why?"
"Come back here... Now!"
He unsheathed his sword and walked back to the front door, "What was that about? I could have killed those two and eventually, this minister here."
Lady Min shook his head, "You were not thinking. What if there were other hwarangs hiding out there? What if Lady Jang and I got injured? Would you be fully responsible?"
Hearing those sharp rebuke, Chil Yook hung his head, feeling ashamed of his harsh actions.
Lady Min confronted the Minister, "So tell us, Minister Dae Wong. What do you want? Your eavesdropping should have an acceptable explanation."
Minister Dae Wong stretched an arm and opened his palm, "Give me the almanac."
Lady Jang gasped in surprise upon hearing the Minister's demand. Chil Yook shot a glance at her, and he stretched his arms sidewards blocking her from the Minister, "No, you will not get it."
Picking a scroll from his sleeve, the Minister revealed an order from the King, demanding for the almanac, "This is a royal order. Non-compliance spells death."
The three looked at each other, sending signals through their eyes. Chil Yook and Lady Jang were shaking their heads, while Lady Jang was biting her lips and nodding. She came closer to Chil Yook's ear and whispered something, making him grit his teeth. Having no other option aside from death, Chil Yook picked the black book from his sleeve and handed it fiercely.
"I know you would follow. By the way, how many hwarangs do you think are lurking on those woods right now? More importantly, what do you think did they bring with them? Crossbows? Fire arrows? Or poison arrows?" the Minister asked, his eyes deriding them. He turned around and ran away with his men.
Feeling powerless, Chil Yook dug his nails into his palm, glaring to the Minister getting away with the almanac, "Now, what are we going to do?"
"I think it will be best to go back to the Prime Minister and confess everything to him," Lady Min replied.
"How easy for you to say that? It is not you who will be reprimanded the most. It is Lady Jang."
Lady Jang's body trembled in fear. Her lips were shaking, and her hands were cold as ice. Lady Min comforted her, not to worry that much because they will help her reason out to the Prime Minister. Chil Yook ranted again about not killing the nangdos. Lady Min frowned upon hearing his stupid idea again, "Did you not realize how perilous the situation was? Undoubtedly, you are the best hwarang. No one can ever contend your mighty swordsmanship, but our presence made the situation more complicated. What if the Minister was right? You could have killed him, but that does not guarantee our safety..."
"Sometimes, strength is not the key to survival. Oftentimes, it is sagacity."
Her deep, serious tone left a stake on Chil Yook's heart, leaving him dumbfounded.
"Now, let us go back to the Prime Minister's chambers!" she ordered.
----
At the King's chambers, Minister Dae Wong narrated what happened at Lady Min's house enthusiastically. Proud of his acting skills, he successfully played with their emotions like staging a puppet play.
"So, you were telling me that Lady Jang does not know how to read the almanac?"
The King's eyes narrowed, his eyes in askance.
"Certainly, Sire. I heard it during their conversation."
"We need to find someone who could read this."
The Minister snapped his fingers, remembering what he heard about an abbot who can possibly read the almanac. Hearing what the Minister reported, the King decided to deploy Minister Dae Wong into a very crucial mission. He must find that monk at all cost and come back to the palace before the ceremony with the correct information from the almanac.
"Please take care. Do your best for the kingdom and be back before the ceremony."
"Yes, Sire."
"Ah, before I forget, what shall I do if you did not make it before the ceremony?"
The Minister turned around and convinced the King to do a perilous wager with the Heavens. He must announce the non-occurrence of the eclipse and let the Heavens do the rest. He believed that it was a better strategy than promising a definite date and time to the people.
"What about... the twins? Remember what we have talked about?"
"First things first, Sire. You should talk to the Head Nurse, Jung Dong Hee."
The King nodded obediently, "I understand. That was it for now. Go."
----
Fear seeped through Lady Jang's deepest bones, like a shadow of death devouring the last strand of her courage. Kneeling before the Prime Minister, the three hung their heads and did not attempt to look at him. They did not know what his eyes looked like for there was silence for almost one gak after they entered. Lady Jang's body was trembling in extreme fear. If she was afraid of the King, she was definitely ten times more frightened of the Prime Minister. Contrary to her, Chil Yook and Lady Min were emotionless and seemed to have no sense of fear in them.
"So you were telling me that the King has the almanac already."
His lips moved upwards in a grin, but his eyes were full of disdain.
"My apologies, My Lord. I should have..."
The Prime Minister bent forward, and his fingers ran smoothly through Lady Jang's face, caressing her cheekbones, down to her jaws and chin.
"Shh, I know. I know," he whispered, his warm breath oozing to Lady Jang's skin.
She closed her eyes, her lips trembling with fear, and tears fell down silently from her eyes.
"Look at me."
His soft tone sent shiver down her entire spine. She opened her eyes and felt the tightening grip of the Prime Minister in her neck. She started to feel suffocated, feeling the gradual constriction of her windpipes. Each attempt to breathe became cumbersome.
"Did you not know that the almanac was an authentic one? That was my only token to ruin the King's image. I was a fool when I trusted you. I should never have trusted you that almanac. I made you, Lady Jang. Is this your way to prove yourself to me, you ingrate?"
The Prime Minister did not yell or shouted. His calm voice paired with scorching hot glare was more than enough to frighten Lady Jang the best way he can. Upon noticing Lady Jang's ghastly pale face and iris moving up to her head, he decided to let her neck go.
Her energy was drained, making her faint on the floor. The other two gasped in shock, stealing glances with each other. They were rooted to their position, not daring to make a single step because they might be the next target of the Prime Minister.
Frowning in Lady Jang's unconsciousness, the Prime Minister stood and asked the two for any statements. Chil Yook apologized for what happened. He blamed himself and wanted to take responsibility for being a lenient Gukseon.
"Oh, yes. You conceited man. You always think that you are the best hwarang. Because of your negligence, the King has the almanac already. Now, what are you going to do?"
Chil Yook did not respond. He was sincerely ashamed for what he did. He felt sorry for what happened to Lady Jang, hoping that she would be all right. That moment, he realized that the Prime Minister and Lady Jang were right. Acknowledging his skills does not mean neglecting others'.
"Anyone out there?" the Prime Minister yelled out of nowhere. Two purple group nangdos slid the door and came inside.
"Detain Lady Jang now!"
Everyone was shocked upon hearing the Prime Minister's order. They would understand detaining a retaliating criminal or even a conscious person at least. But detaining an almost lifeless, unconscious, and helpless person was way behind comprehension. Chil Yook felt very powerless at that moment. He could not do anything because it was his master's orders. His face puckered in a mixture of anger to himself and mercy towards Lady Jang. Trying to console him, Lady Min held his hand tightly like a mother ready to protect her son from dangerous people.
"What are you standing there? Detain Lady Jang now!"
As the two nangdos carried Lady Jang, Chil Yook did not have the chance to look at her for the last time. He was completely uncertain whether she will live or not, for the Prime Minister was always unpredictable, more than the weather and the seasons.
----
Dong Hee, the Queen's Head Nurse lived with Yong Woo, her scrawny husband who happened to be a blacksmith, and Eun Jung, her chubby sister-in-law who was two years younger than her husband. They lived in a small village outside the palace. In the middle of the night, after eating dinner, they drank their teas at their dinner table, while savoring the scent of the newly grown spring flowers on their garden. Dong Hee consulted her dilemma about the Queen's favor.
"That was indeed a problem, Unni. What shall you do?" Eun Jung asked.
"I do not know. That is why I am asking for your opinions."
Grimacing at the two girls talking, Yong Woo cut in and asked about the connection of the eclipse to the royal twins. Dong Hee explained everything about the prophecy. His husband raised a brow and blatantly expressed his opinion. He believed that a prophecy cannot determine one's fate entirely. It still depends on the persons' action.
He stood and went to his baby who was sleeping in a wooden cradle, "Look at Il Woo. He is such an innocent sweet baby. My wife, I do understand your point, but please do not be too attached to your job. We have our own son in here. I do not want him to live a life full of complications."
Dong Hee stood and followed her husband to her son. Everyone was distracted hearing loud knocks on the door.
Eun Jung frowned in annoyance, "Who could it be in this belated juncture?"
"Jung Dong Hee. We are palace hwarangs. The King demands your presence in the palace. It is urgent."
"Coming!"
She quickly put her purple cloak on and prepared her wooden herbal box. Before leaving, she pecked her sleeping son and asked his husband where shall they meet after the Queen gave birth.
"Dear, meet us at the foot of Ojin Hill, a small hill in the southern part of Seorabeol. By the way, at what time will the Queen finish her delivery?"
"Around Jungsi... All right, I will meet you there."
----
Sipping his Jasmine tea, the King patiently waited for Dong Hee to report to his chambers. The lady-in-waiting announced her presence, and he let her in. Dong Hee awkwardly stood near the door upon closing it. She avoided the King's eyes, hugging her herbal box.
"Come on. Sit with me. I cannot wait forever."
She walked slowly as if her body was submerged in a muddy pit. Moving the chair slowly, she sat down and placed the herbal box on top of the table, "Sire, I have brought the Queen's medicine. What is her case this time?"
"It was not about the Queen. I want to talk to you personally."
She hung her head, "What is that about, Sire?"
"You do know about the prophecy about the royal twins, do you not?"
Gulping in surprise, she replied softly, "Yes, Sire... I am... aware of that."
The King smiled, "Very well, now we have something to discuss."
__________
NOTES:
Ri (리) - Silla's expression of long distances. 1 ri = 350 meters.
Anju Village (안주) - fictional village in Silla.
Jinhae District (진해) - a district in Modern day Changwon City, South Korea.
Unni (언니) - a female's honorific endearment to an older female or sister.
Ojin Hill (오진) - fictional hill on Southern Seorabeol.
Jungsi (정시) - fictional depiction of time between 11 p.m. and 12 m.n.
n [https://em.wattpad.com/0e233555657dedccbc337bc629b983445b33cdcc/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f48316c762d4977327347527869413d3d2d373830323837372e3135343163326430363834386534326233383933343437353636382e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]