SOME DAY THAT BOY

"Mother." Seunghyeonjeong tenderly called his mother as she still lay in the bed.

Her eyes slowly twitched and it served best an indicator that she was regaining her consciousness sooner than any of them had expected.

"Where is your father?" She asked first before anything else.

"Father went out of town to tend to some business." Seunghyeonjeong was Swift to reply.

His tone was normal and unwavered, innocent that it was easy to convince his mother.

"Out of town?" She asked.

"It is Royal business My Lady." Mr. Song said.

"All of a sudden." Mrs. Han said.

"Yes." Mr. Song replied.

"That means he is unaware of what happened to me." Mrs. Han said.

"I'll send word to him." Mr. Song said.

"No, please don't." Mrs. Han replied.

"He shouldn't know this he might end up worrying and it could cause him to lose his focus, he needn't know about these things." Mrs. Han said.

"But the Doctor said that you need to remain bedridden for a while, three days he prescribed along with some medicines." Mr. Song said.

"Very well then that is of you boys promise me that you will not tell your father anything that happened to me." Mrs. Han said as she caressed her son's head.

"Yes mother." Seunghyeonjeong and his brothers replied in unison.

"We'll have to let you rest Ma'am." Mr. Song said as he escorted the boys outside the room.

Mrs. Han judging by the innocent look on her son's faces did not suspect anything and as she sat she ached at her chest.

"Where are all our guards?" Seunghyeonjeong asked Mr. Song as they walked towards the kitchen.

"They are there but standing down as of now, the imperial guards stand outside our residence at the moment." Mr. Song said.

"But why, my father did nothing wrong this time, I know him very well." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"It doesn't matter at the moment my child, at your age you know nothing at all, a treason plot does not weigh that simple an offence, it is greatly punishable.

If your father is indeed found guilty, you could all lose your lives, that is the worst consequence that could arise from a matter like this.

The reason why Imperial guards are outside is to make sure no other members of a resistance turn up and if they do, they are to be apprehended immediately." Mr. Song said.

"I can tolerate any other accusations but not those that say my father is a revolter." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"But there is nothing that you can do, in your position the best you can do is hope that it'll all be alright.

We can't risk doing anything or coming in contact with any unexpected people and those that we do not know.

We have to leave it to the authorities to be sorted out." Mr. Song said.

"Why would the King do this to my father?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"We do not know, we are not the King." Mr. Song said.

"But I can not do nothing while my father is away." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Do as your father said and stay out of the government's way. prevention is better than self indulgence in what could be a fatal mistake." Mr. Song said and he left Seunghyeonjeong standing outside near the porch.

Seunghyeonjeong watched as the old man vanished from his sight and then stares at the cresent moon that glowed in the dark night sky.

"There is one thing I can do to save my father." He thought to himself.

"Whether you approve of it or not I shall certainly not Change my mind." He concluded.

"Minister Han." Lord Geum said.

"Don't bother." Mr. Han said.

"Why shouldn't I when you are locked here and you are undergoing investigation?" Lord Geum asked.

"I am entrusting you with my life." Lord Han said.

"I'll do whatever I can." Lord Geum said.

"Get me a blank piece of paper." Lord Han said.

"What are you going to do with it?" Lord Geum asked

"You wait and you will see." Lord Han replied.

Minister Geum went and got a piece of paper as well as an ink brush with which he returned and handed it over to Lord Han.

Lord Han sat down at the wooden interrogation table in his cell and then wrote down two characters.

He then signed with his name and a thumb print to verify that it was indeed him who had written the letter.

"This letter is my life." Mr. Han said as he slowly folded it without Lord Geum clearly being able to read a single word.

"I am entrusting it to you in the hopes that you deliver it to it's rightful hands." Lord Han added.

"To whom do you write so casually at a time like this?" Lord Geum asked.

"The only person who can help me in this very situation." Lord Han replied.

"Who?" Lord Geum asked.

"The ring leaders of the treason plot." Lord Han replied with a smile on his face that left Lord Geum dumbfounded.

"I will deliver if it saves your life." Lord Geum said as he bowed his head while humbly taking possession of the letter.

He put it inside his robe and exited the place immediately.

Lord Han was left behind lost in deep thought as though trying to make everything out carefully.

The sooner that Lord Geum arrived outside the Office of the Inspector General, he pulled the letter out and opened it to read what was written inside.

"ACT ACCORDINGLY." the letter said.

"What could he possibly mean?" Lord Geum asked himself before he continued to walk his own way.

It was about 6:30am when the sun was towering above the capital.

Only a bright saffron sheet of light had touched the sky and the streets were slowly becoming busier with time.

As it had been almost every week of the Han family, the farmer that delivered the fresh pear tree leaves that were used to brew some of the best wine in the Kingdom arrived at the doorstep of the Han Manor.

He was a fairly old man who appeared to be in his late forties and he wore a very thick dark piece of cloth that was equally dirty.

He pulled around with him a wheel barrow with a trunk attached to the back where he carried Hay along with the wine leaves.

He knocked onto the door and he was helped inside by Mr. Song as the Royal guards stood and kept their eyes out around the road.

Always in a while stealing a glimpse of the people that could turn up nearby and some of them even occupying the surrounding restaurants and hotels, inns and shops as they kept watch of the gates.

After a while, the old man got out of the house escorted by Mr. Song until he eventually arrived at his wagon.

Mr. Song bowed his head to show his gratitude and respect and the man returned it with a smile and a similar kowtow.

The old man then eventually went and ceased the handles of his complex wagon and pulled it away as he continued down the streets.

Mr. Song who when returning into the Manor closed its doors and then went on to the rooms of each of the young masters.

As he approached Seunghyeonjeong's room, he caught sight of the young Master who was still looking like he was in a deep sleep.

He didn't seem bothered and headed straight to the kitchen to have breakfast prepared for the rest of the house along with the help of some of the servants.

After the cooks had done their job, Mr. Song started to survey all the dishes one by one to see if they had indeed been prepared very well.

"The Congee, rib bone soup, jeonyuhwa and jang all ready?" Mr. Song asked.

"Yes sir." one of the maids replied.

Mr. Song took the personal initiative to taste and it was in deed marvellous.

"That's good." Mr. Song said.

"Mr. Song, Mr. Song." He had someone call his name that he turned around to see Seungjae running and heading his way.

"Turu Nim?" Mr. Song called.

"What is the matter?" He asked.

The young boy out of breath first started to relax for a while to keep his breathing normal.

"It is Seunghyeonjeong." Seungjae replied.

"Why, what has happened to him." Mr. Song asked.

"He is not in his room." Seungjae replied.

"What?" Mr. Song said a so surprised that he decided to go and check it out himself.

He ran as fast as he possibly could despite his old age to Seunghyeonjeong's private chamber and was welcomed by total silence and a pillow that was being veiled under the blanket.

"Where could he possibly be?" Mr. Song asked.

"I do not know." Seungjae replied.

"Don't tell your mother about this, we need to look for him." Mr. Song said.

"What if something bad happens to him?" Seungjae asked.

"Nothing will, I shall have some of the best guards search for him around the city." Mr. Song replied.

The old man stopped at the entrance of the palace where a couple of Royal guards came and checked him.

"Where are you going?" They asked.

"I am here to deliver the pear tree leaves to the Royal household kitchen." the old man replied.

They went through his things until he was cleared.

At once, the gates of the palace were opened and the old man pulled his wagon inside.

He moved towards the kitchen as he passed by a number of guards and eventually he came to stop at the kitchen's courtyard.

Once there he walked right in to get people to come out and get the things as someone leaped from the back of the wagon where to he had been covered by the hay.

The young boy was Seunghyeonjeong who despite his noble status was dressed in a couple of rugs that nearly made him very difficult to notice.

Seunghyeonjeong stealthily made his way across the courtyard as he approached some of the hedges that were hidden in the palace compound.

When he got behind one of the hedges, he looked around and tried to see if anyone was watching until by accident something else caught his eye.

His gaze froze when it unexpectedly landed on someone who stood not so far away while looking at him.

He was perhaps a well off child and even perhaps a Prince or relative of the King.

He was dressed in clothes from which Seunghyeonjeong could tell were fine silk and he had that Royal headdress Princes wore on their heads.

He had a Jade pendant that hung from his waist and judging from his height Seunghyeonjeong could tell he was slightly older than he was.

Seunghyeonjeong's immediate reaction was to dunk behind the hedge once again and hold his breath.

"What?" He thought to himself.

"I hope that he did not find me suspicious." Seunghyeonjeong whispered to himself as he looked to the opposite end of the hedge.

Eventually, Seunghyeonjeong started to stealthily walk with his head down as he approached the other end when suddenly, someone strong caught his hand and pulled him up.

Seunghyeonjeong just seemed to go close without halting himself until the strange boy and his face were only inches apart.

There was a vast rush of emotions that he thought only he could feel as his heart started to beat faster and faster with time.

He was scared and yet at the same time safe staring into a pair of dark but lively eyes.

"Who are you?" The boy asked.

"Nobody." Seunghyeonjeong quickly replied.

"Of course you are a nobody, do you know you can instantly be beheaded for trespassing and entering into the palace uninvited?" the boy asked.

"I am here to see the King so let me go." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Why would a nobody just walk to the King's hall and see him without being summoned." The boy said.

"I said let me go." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You are a peasant so you must be a thief or if not an assassin." The boy said.

"Let me go." Seunghyeonjeong said .

Seunghyeonjeong spun around the Prince's arm and his own Jade pendant flew from where it was tucked and landed onto the ground.

Seunghyeonjeong watched as the Boy unintentionally stepped it while it and crushed it shattering it into half that he pushed the boy away.

When the Boy landed he looked around.

"Intruder." he shouted that Seunghyeonjeong got scared and not looking down picked up only half of his shattered Jade pendant and tucked it in.

Seunghyeonjeong turned to run away when the Prince got up and tried to reach for him but failed as the eight year old swiftly moved leaving behind the other half of the Jade pendant.

The Boy reached down and got hold of the pendant and ran after Seunghyeonjeong whom the guards had seen and we're starting to pursue him.

He ran passing through all of them as he looked around for the main palace searching for the King's hall.

The boy that ran after him was coming up close the moment that Seunghyeonjeong caught sight of one of the halls named GAESONGHUI HALL.

Seunghyeonjeong remembered that once his father had told him that that was the throne room and the place where the King normally stayed with his officials to discuss matters of the state.

Seunghyeonjeong made a quick turn and was headed to the entrance of the hall until one of the guards stood there spreading his hands and feet to catch him.

Seunghyeonjeong continued to ascend the stairs and then as the guard got closer, he slid through the legs of the guard and went straight inside the Hall where the King and Queen along with the Prime Minister happened to be.

Seunghyeonjeong then stood up and ran towards the King before he finally broke down and then knelt before him with his head down.

"Cease him." One of the guards said.

"Halt." the King said and they all stopped halfway.

"Jeonha." Seunghyeonjeong cried as he kowtowed to the King.

"Please, let my father go." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"And why should I?" King Gwangyang asked.

"My father is innocent, I know this, my father couldn't have indulged himself in a treason plot for anything in this world." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"But he was apprehended with proof." The King Gwangyang said.

"My father has been loyal to this house, what Kind of King repays the loyalty of his servants with death, which Kind of King watches as innocent people suffer every day.

A king that deprives the people of their joy is no fit to be a King whatsoever nor is a King who doesn't stand for his people when they need him the most." Seunghyeonjeong said as he looked up to the King coldly and yet in tears.

"Your Majesty, don't get offended, he is just a child who knows nothing, who knows little of issues such as these." The Queen Sunseong said in the little boy's defense.

"Let my father go, he is innocent." Seunghyeonjeong pleaded.

"I shall let your father go when he is proven innocent, as a King who is of the people I can not come to a final verdict until full proof is gathered.

That I hope you shall understand but as of today you broke into my residence, shortly after that you come into my presence uninvited." King Gwangyang said.

"I am in wrong your Majesty, that I am aware." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"And you went ahead?" King Gwangyang asked.

"Yes." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"Why?" The King asked.

"Because of my father, I know he is innocent and I can go to every extent for the sake of my family." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Very well then, as you came, you shall leave and my guards shall see you out." King Gwangyang said.

Seunghyeonjeong bowed and silently complied as he was escorted outside of the Throne room.

"Has he been in the palace before?" King Gwangyang asked his Queen.

"No." Queen Sunseong replied.

"How then could the little boy know where to find me and how come he speaks of such vigour and stares with that fire in his eyes?" King Gwangyang asked.

"I don't know Your Majesty, my apologies." Queen Sunseong said.

"What are you apologizing for?" King Gwangyang asked.

"I happen to know that boy, he is the son of Mrs. Han." Queen Sunseong replied.

"Never has a person spoken up to me so courageously like he has today." King Gwangyang said.

"Don't take it to heart Your Majesty, he is just paranoid and with time, that paranoia will dissipate." The Queen replied.

"Remarkable, what an extra ordinary boy he really is!" King Gwangyang exclaimed.

Seunghyeonjeong was being led to the gate while the boy from earlier own followed at a distance and watched him go.

He kept on looking at the half of the Jade pendant that he wished to return to him but for some reason, he was halted.

"I should give it, give it not, give it, give it not."He continuously debated.

"Give it." He eventually decided but before he could move further, someone called him.

"Daegun." He heard a female servant call his name and he turned around.

NOTE *Daegun means Grand Prince.*

"What is it?" The boy turned.

"Your brother is looking for you." The servant replied.

"Alright then, I shall be there." The boy said as he turned to look at Seunghyeonjeong who was out of the palace gates.

He took hold of the halved Jade pendant and folded it into his grip tightly.

"Lead the way." He ordered the maid.

"This way Grand Prince." she said and they left the courtyard.