"Judging from your looks, I can notice that this is not what you've expected."
Minister Dae Wong walked slowly to Chil Yook. Like a wild animal trying to catch his prey, Chil Yook looked ferociously to the Minister; furious by the fact that he was tricked and no matter what he do, it's the dead end already.
"You're a coward!" Chil Yook roared.
The Minister raised a brow with what he heard. "What? Did my ears just deceive me? You're telling me that I am a coward?"
"If there is a better description than the word 'coward', I will say it. You're deceiving the people of Silla... Why?" he paused and smirked.
"You are afraid that once the people knew about the twins, they would rebel against the royal family?" his eyes widened.
Minister Dae Wong's eyed widened. He bit his trembling lips and clenched his fit. His anger was slowly covered by denial regarding what he heard. "Was he right?... Maybe, we are coward, yes, but I believe this cowardice will save the whole kingdom."
----
"Sire, this is the last part of our plan. We need to make sure that the twins will be born safely and to do that, we must keep them away from the Prime Minister the most."
"Yes, you are right. Continue," the King nodded.
"The Prime Minister cannot move properly without his henchman, so first thing to do is get rid of Chil Yook."
"What do you mean?"
"Sire, he must be kept away from the palace while the Queen delivers the twins. In this case, we need a decoy to pose as a Queen. We must make it appear that the Queen will give birth outside the palace. In this case, we need someone to pose as a Queen. I will wait in the house near Daeya with some hwarangs. I know that Chil Yook will try to kill everyone and bring the twins in the palace. Everything is prepared Sire."
----
"Surrender now, Chil Yook. You lost. You are arrested for killing all hwarangs outside without an acceptable reason. Here, I have an official order sealed by the King," the Minister smirked.
"I will not surrender without a fight," he slightly bent his body backwards and placed his left foot forward. He held his sword with two hands and pulled it towards his head. The Minister raised a brow and signaled one of the hwarangs at Chil Yook's back.
"Yahh!" Just as when Chil Yook was about to hit Minister Dae Wong, he frozed and his eyes widened. He put his hand on his neck with a pain on his face. With slow, moderated breaths, he tried to looked at his back and saw a hwarang holding a blowdart near his mouth. He smirked as he felt a bit groggy. His sword dropped clanking on the wooden floor and his body followed.
----
Nurses started to rush to the Queen's birthing chamber in the Queen's Pavilion. They are seen to be wearing a full white robe with white cloth covering their nose and mouth for sanitary purposes. The distressed Queen wears a simple white robe, her hair undone and her hands wrapped upward in a hanging white cloth in the ceiling. In addition, a yellow silk cloth covers her upper body up to the lower body which serves like a tunnel to her birth canal. With beads of sweats coming out from her whole body due to labor pains and controlled yelps, two nurses assisted her head and placed a white cloth in her mouth.
"It's time." Dong Hee went inside the yellow cloth and checked the baby.
"Push!" A muffled scream came out from the Queen's mouth. "Again, Your Grace. Push! I can see the head already!" The delivery did not last that long. With just a couple of screams, the first twin was born. Dong Hee held the baby upside down, spank its butt and a loud cry was heard all over the chamber. She wiped the blood around the baby; put it in a maroon silk cloth with the baby's name embroidered on it. She handed the baby to the Queen.
"Here you go, Your Grace; your handsome first born Prince." Dong Hee smiled.
The Queen's heart fluttered in joy. She felt like she's soaring above in the endless sky. Words are not even enough to describe how joyful she was. She held the small hands of the baby, looked at his small eyes and a tear flowed from her left eye. "My Prince, you have no idea how happy I am to finally see you," she softly uttered.
"What is her name, Your Grace?" the Queen smiled and gazed sweetly at her baby.
"Sae Joo, his name is Sae Joo and like a bird he will soar high above the clouds and become a great person."
"Prince Sae Joo, what a great name, Your Grace. Let me have him first, please. I will wash him up."
Dong Hee left the Queen's birthing chamber. She walked shortly in the corridor, checking if there are people that can see her. Confident that no one's around, she entered another room. When she came out, she's already pushing a cart covered with white cloth. She went out through the back of the pavilion and saw a lot of hwarangs guarding the whole vicinity of the pavilion. Two of them blocked her and asked to open the cart. "It's the Prime Minister's order. Open the cart for inspection." Her hands were shaking and she avoided eye contact with them. They opened the cart and found compartments filled with assorted color cloths, tea leaves and some seeds. "Alright, cleared."
A heavy sighed escaped from her lips and she continued pushing the cart while remembering what the King said that those could be the Prime Minister's hwarangs. She paused and was bothered because the whole palace seems to be on high alert. She didn't expect what she saw. There were hwarangs on the corners of other pavilions and there were troops roaming around.
She continued pushing her cart up to the south gate. She saw two guards with their spears crossed blocking it. She raised a brow thinking that it must be another checkpoint, but weirdly, as she gets closer to the gate, the two hwarangs uncrossed their spears making her to pass freely. "What? Why are they letting me pass easily?" She felt strange but chose to ignore it thinking that the second twin might come out any minute from now.
She passed through a residential place consists of houses of noble men. When she was in an ample distance away from the eyes of the guards and the palace people, she removed the cloth quickly and slid the first layer of the cart revealing the baby Prince sleeping like a rock.
"Thank Heavens for your cooperation, Prince... Now let's go before you get awaken."
While covering the cart, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw a silhouette that moved to an alleyway behind her. Scared that someone might be following her, she gathered her strength and pushed the cart away quickly. She turned right upon reaching a branched road.
"Goodness! I hope that went well," she looked around while catching her breath.
----
Minister Dae Wong's house is guarded by yellow grouped hwarangs outside a tall wooden gate and brick walls. She announced her presence and the hwarangs let her in, revealing a wide bungalow type house with intricate designs. She continued pushing the cart slowly while looking at the beautiful garden landscapes. She asked permission to enter the house while she gets the baby inside the cart. She slid the door and a distressed King wearing a black robe and woven black hat, walking back and forth repeatedly, welcomed her sight.
"Sire, here's the first born Prince. His name is Sae Joo," Dong Hee handed the baby to the King.
He gasped, "Dong Hee," His eyes brightened and quickly approached her. His heart melted upon looking at the baby. "Is this real? Am I really holding my son?" the King's body was trembling in extreme joy.
"Indeed, Sire. But I really need to go back. The second twin might come out any minute from now."
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
The King nodded, "Dong Hee, remember our plan." His joyful eyes turned serious. "Yes, Sire." Dong Hee softly replied and bowed her head.
When Dong Hee turned around, she paused as she remembered the strange thing that happened a while ago. She turned back and reported it to the King.
"Sire, I noticed something strange a while ago. The guards in the south gate let me pass without doing an inspection."
"What? That's indeed strange. Do you think you were tailed?" the King's eyes narrowed.
"I am not sure, Sire. I saw a moving shadow behind me a while ago."
The King gritted his teeth, "Alright, you have to re-route. Perhaps, the Prime Minister was thinking that I would entrust the babies to Minister Dae Wong through you. Of course, he might be thinking that you will pass through the south gate to get here because that's the shortest route to his house."
"Where shall I re-route, Sire?"
"Hmmm, when you go back to the palace, pass through the southeast gate. That's the most ideal path because its relatively nearer compared to the other gates but it will still take time."
"Alright, Sire... but I have a question. Would I be able to reach the Ojin Hill faster through the southeast gate?"
"What about the Ojin Hill? It's quite far from here."
"I am planning to meet my husband and my sister-in-law there together with your..." she paused and looked down.
"I see. Unfortunately, no. The Ojin Hill is relatively closer to the south gate, but it's more dangerous passing there considering that you will carry my second son."
"Alright, Sire. I will pass through the southeast gate."
"Off you go, take care and... my son."
----
The King ordered everyone to get ready as he is planning to leave the Minister's house. He woke his nephew up and his royal maid who are sleeping in the same room.
"Sire... What is happening?" Jung Min yawned and rubbed his eyes.
"No questions, Jung Min. We are getting out of here!"
Jung Min's eyes widened upon seeing the baby and it seems like his drowsiness disappeared. "Who is he?"
"Oh, say hello to your cousin. His name is Sae Joo," the King smiled.
"May I touch him, Sire?"
"Yes, of course"
Jung Min held the baby's hands and kissed its forehead. "Sae Joo, please grow up fast. I want to have a little brother and a friend," Jung Min smiled.
"Congratulations Sire for your heir," Lady Seo grinned.
The King looked awkwardly at her and chuckled.
----
A loud scream echoed in the birthing chamber. "Where is Dong Hee? Where is sh... Ahhh!" the Queen exclaimed in pain. Nurses started to panic and pointed each other to assist the Queen. In the middle of their arguments, the door slid open and Dong Hee ran to the Queen. She was sweating and looked haggard. Dried bloodstains were seen on her robe tainting its white color. "Where have you been? You said that you will just clean my baby, my second child will come out... Ahhh!" Dong Hee inserted the white cloth back to the Queen's mouth.
"Push, Your Grace!"
"Push!" The delivery of the second baby is a little bit harder because the baby's head is moving slow.
"Again, Your Grace, push!" The Queen gathered her strength and pushed more. She was breathing heavily and her sweats got even bigger. She tried her best for a couple of times but the baby is not yet coming out.
"One more time, Your Grace. One, two, three... Push!"
The indescribable pain continued to consume her whole body. Every minute feels like forever. For every attempt that she did, the pain gets worse. The nurses in the room started to panic. "What are we going to do? It's not yet coming out. If this continues, we might even lose the Queen," one nurse said.
"Do not say that! The Prince will come out alive and the Queen will be safe," Dong Hee shouted.
"One more time, Your Grace. At the count of three, please push. One, two, three!"
"Ahh!"
The baby came out successfully but the Queen passed out. Dong Hee gasped and her eyes widened in disbelief. Nurses ran to her and tapped her repeatedly, "Your Grace, Your Grace!" She placed the baby in a table for a while and check the Queen, "Spread, spread!" She checked the pulse and the airways of the Queen and ordered the nurses to get out and get some herbs, "Her pulse is very weak. Stay with us, Your Grace."
She flinched as she remembered the baby. She went to the table and checked the second twin. "Strange, why is he not crying?" she started to feel nervous. Just like what she did to the first Prince, she spanked the butt repeatedly but there was no response. She gulped, "Oh, no! This is not part of the plan. You are supposed to be proclaimed as dead, but that does not mean that you will be dead for real."
She pumped the baby's chest lightly using her fingers. Then, she pressed her mouth against the baby's mouth to give some air. She did those things a couple of times but the baby didn't respond. Tears started to fall from her eyes. She was distracted when the nurses came back. She faced the nurses with swollen eyes and shook her head. Everyone gasped. She found a blue silk cloth beside the Queen, which she assumed to be for the second Prince. She saw a name embroidered it.
"Sae Yoo... his name was Sae Yoo," the nurses started crying. With tears falling from her eyes, she wrapped the baby on the blue cloth and carried it. "Watch over the Queen, I will bring the Prince to the King."
She walked out of the room and walked in the corridor. "Why did the Heavens let this happen? You poor, innocent soul." she touched the baby's hands and caressed its face. While passing through the hallway, she felt a twitch. Unsure about what she felt, she checked the baby and was surprised to see his hands moved. "My goodness, you're alive," she exclaimed in a muffled tone. The baby started to whimper and she panicked a bit, "Hush, little baby"
----
Chil Yook woke up in the underground dungeon. He opened his eyes slowly and squinted due to the light coming from the torches. Just like Lady Jang, his hands and feet are tied in a wooden chair. He noticed that Minister Dae Wong is in front of him.
"Oh, you're awake. It has been an hour since you were sleeping like a Princess... Sounds familiar, right?" the Minister scoffed.
"Come on Minister, don't make me laugh," Chil Yook's eyes rolled.
The Minister placed his hands on his back and walked around. "I guess this won't make you laugh... The King wants your head." Chil Yook glared at the Minister.
"For what grounds?"
"A lot, but all of them just summarizes into treason!" the Minister turned around and looked seriously at Chil Yook.
"You are making this personal. I am just following orders. If you want to punish me, punish the one that gave me all of those orders. Punish the Prime Minister!" Minister Dae Wong paused, his lips slightly parted and his eyes narrowed.
Chil Yook chuckled, "Oh, you can't... Surely, you can't. You bunch of cowards."
The Minister walked closely and glued his eyes to Chil Yook, "Why do you serve the Prime Minister?"
There was silence for a few seconds. Chil Yook cleared his throat and started to speak, "Why not? I believe that he's a great man. He's skillful, decisive, smart and most of all, he loves this kingdom very much... How about you? Why do you serve your King?"
"One answer, Chil Yook... I must say that he's not as skillful, decisive, or smart as the Prime Minister but do you know what sets him above the Prime Minister?" Chil Yook raised a brow.
"It's his character. He has a good heart for everyone. He believes that everyone could be trusted."
"Nonsense! Now what did that so called good heart do to the kingdom?" he spat out of rage.
"You, poor soul. You will get my point later on. One thing you need to realize is that the Prime Minister is a poison to this kingdom." the Minister looked straight at Chil Yook's eyes with a strong conviction. He smiled and left.
Chil Yook roared, "Hey! Come back here! Release me!"
----
Minister Dae Wong went to his house and noticed that the King is making the final preparation to leave the house.
"Sire, what is happening?" the Minister asked out of curiosity.
"We are leaving right now. Dong Hee has been tailed. We need to get back to the palace right now. By the way, how is Chil Yook?"
"He is at the prison already, Sire. Everything is ready. We need to make sure that Dong Hee gets out safely at the palace before we announce the Prince to the entire palace."
"Yes, she's currently assissting the Queen right now. She might come out any minute from now. She said that she will go to Ojin Hill to meet her family."
----
Dong Hee's husband, Yong Woo and his sister Eun Jung prepared all their things necessary for their moving. They loaded their carts with their personal and house stuff. Eun Jung carried her nephew, Il Woo and gave it to her brother. "Orabeoni (오라버니) (Older brother), go now. I will catch up later. I have few things to do here."
"Alright, but hurry up Dong Hee might be there any moment from now." Eun Jung nodded. Yong Woo saddled the horse and started moving.
The night was mesmerizing. The fresh cold wind kissed his face while passing through a grassland going to the valley. Yong Woo looked up to the stars and held his baby's hands.
"Il Woo, this will be our new life. You will be the best village doctor and I will be the best blacksmith."
----
The Prime Minister was in his dim-lit chamber thinking very deeply. He was disrupted when Lady Min announced her presence. He lifted a brow and asked what is it about.
"My Lord, it is ready."
"Really? Alright. I will welcome them."
----
Dong Hee went through the southeast gate with a pounding heart and anxiety inside her. She slowly pushed the cart until she reached the guards. This time, the guards opened the cart and saw the compartments of assorted stuff. They returned the cloth and let her passed. When she's outside the palace already, passing through a small village, she went to an alley and get the baby. She left the cart and ran quickly. She ran as fast as he could, until she reached the Ojin Hill.
While at the foot of the hill, she looked around expecting that her husband will arrive any moment. The cold wind blew and slapped her face. She pressed the baby harder to her chest to keep it warm. "Yong Woo, where are you?" she was biting her lip and hysterically stomping her feet at place. A few moments later, she saw a small crimson colored palanquin carried by red grouped hwarangs going to her direction. Her eyes narrowed trying to recognize the palanquin. As the palanquin gets closer, her heart started to throb faster. The palanquin stopped near her and the hwarangs dropped it slowly.
To her horror, she saw the Prime Minister got off the palanquin holding a baby. The Prime Minister walked slowly towards her with an evil grin.
"What a beautiful night," the Prime Minister said.
She gasped and froze upon recognizing the baby.
"Il Woo! No!"