THE DARK NIGHT

"Thank you for coming." Minister Han and his wife said in unison as they bid the guests farewell.

Seunghyeonjeong remained in the backyard looking at the stars and the moon hovering above in the sky.

There was silence and even Shin Ji was not present.

All that was going through his head was a series of thoughts and feelings some of which he was unable to comprehend.

It had been a wonderful night and that had perhaps been the best Lantern festival that he had ever had in his entire life as he couldn't help but think about what went through most ministers' heads at the moment.

"Could I have perhaps offended them or did I clear out all their doubts about my father's usurpation?" Seunghyeonjeong asked himself.

The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong had roamed around most of the Han household looking for the young man and as he happened to pass by the corridor that stood between the main house and the servant quarters, he caught sight of something in the dark.

Compared to what he was wearing, he was rather attracted by the mild glow of the ornaments that Seunghyeonjeong wore along with the bright rose red and sky blue hanbok that adorned his complexion.

The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong was certain that he had made no mistake as his memory of what Seunghyeonjeong was wearing was vivid in his head.

He walked up almost confidently with the absent minded Seunghyeonjeong unable to even recognize the presence of someone else.

When the Crown Prince was standing slightly next to him and a couple of metres behind, he called out to Seunghyeonjeong.

"Excuse me." He said loud and clearly that Seunghyeonjeong heard and turned at once to see who it was.

"Your Royal Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said suddenly while bowing his head after noticing that it was the Crown Prince who had called out to him.

"You." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said trying to create the impression that he was surprised to see that Seunghyeonjeong was there.

"Are you lost perhaps?" Seunghyeonjeong asked immediately as he stood up straight in front of the Crown Prince.

"Lost, perhaps." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"Just as I thought, what would you be doing at this part of the manor if not in the main courtyard with the other guests." Seunghyeonjeong said as he turned around.

"But come to think of it, it really isn't that bad that I got lost actually." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said as he stepped closer to Seunghyeonjeong and they were positioned side by side.

"Why do you say so your Highness?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"I am quite delighted to meet you here in person, I wanted to really commend you for the performance that you put on a while ago." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"No need to thank me your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"No, a good deed and a wonderful talent is to be praised for it's goodness and perfection, I must say that I was deeply enchanted and never had I seen even a single performance better than that." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"I am flattered and yet grateful at the same time your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Alright, you just tell me though, what are you doing here all alone when every one else is in the courtyard?" The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong asked.

"What more is there to celebrate, need I forget even on such an important day to look at the moon and the stars high above in the night sky?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"So you admire the stars, quite thoughtful of you, I never thought that for someone as intelligent and charming as yourself you are a star gazer." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"There are quite many things that I love to do, astronomy is one of them." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You can divine using stars?" The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong asked.

"I may not be accurate but at least I can try, if I can know your zodiac sign." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"The Ram." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Quite not well versed but if I can see the position of the stars, very soon I can tell you that some things will work in your favour and others won't." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"How can you possibly tell, isn't that a probability in every one's day life?" The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"It varies depending on the seasons just like I can tell there is a lot you have planned ahead but quite much will be disappointing." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"There is but one thing that I want the most, as long as I have it I wouldn't really care about the rest." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Then I wish you the best, I have heard a saying quite a number of times that you don't always get what you wish for the most." Seunghyeonjeong said.

The Crown Prince smiled at Seunghyeonjeong that he became curious.

"What is funny your Highness?" Seunghyeonjeong asked.

"Sometimes, it is all about fighting hard enough for it, I am not the type to stop until I eventually get what I want." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

His tone was quite serious much as he tried to keep it so casual be between the both of them.

"You are very brave and in deed I am awed and marvelled by your courage, I will support you where I can and I wish that all works out in your favour." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"That means so much to me." The Crown Prince said as he seemed to smile genuinely all of a sudden moved by the words Seunghyeonjeong had said.

The Crown Prince caught inside his clothes and then he pulled out the blue sachet that Seunghyeonjeong had given him that time at the market.

"You remember this?" The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong asked as he brought it into view.

"Yes your Highness, how could I forget my promise to you?" Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"I asked you to give this sachet to the person that you love the most." Seunghyeonjeong added.

"I carry it to remind me though that you owe me, you had promised to make up to me for last time." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Much as I am now not certain though if I have already met the most important person in my life, It is someone I really want to live with first before I can offer then this sachet." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong added.

"You can keep it as long as you want, you might not know that most important person could be your daughter or a lost childhood friend your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"Hmmm." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong muttered.

"Anyway, I still have to make it to you sometime your Highness and I will, as of now I suppose we should get back to the others.

After all you are the Crown Prince and I am the birthday boy, if we both vanished especially now that our families are bidding farewell it might only impart fear in them on this wonderful day." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"You have a point." The Crown Prince said.

"Then let's go." Seunghyeonjeong said as he led the way.

The Crown Prince looked at him going away and he couldn't help it but smile as he pocketed the sachet once again and followed Seunghyeonjeong afterwards.

They arrived where the guests were and it was just in time for the Crown Prince Gyeongjeong to depart.

Queen Sunseong and her second son Prince Gyeongseongmun were having some final words with Minister Han.

"I must say that your son looked splendid and takes after the both of you so we'll, you didn't disappoint us at all." Queen Sunseong said.

"Thank you so much for your Kind Grace your Majesty." Minister Han and his wife said as they bowed their heads.

"No need, I should be thankful, the palace is rather boring and you are like my sister and brother as well.

When I am here to enjoy a feast or a celebration I feel better and more comfortable, I feel no less than a homely atmosphere." Queen Sunseong said.

"Your Majesty, mother, father, your Highness." Seunghyeonjeong said as he bowed his head down to all four of them.

His eyes caught sight of the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun's briefly before he broke the contact.

"There he is the birthday boy, I suppose we couldn't be less proud of him." Minister Han said.

"You are really one kind of a child." Queen Sunseong said.

"Thank you so much your Majesty." Seunghyeonjeong said as he bowed his head.

"There is no need for that, I hadn't really seen you in a long time since you were little and seeing you today I feel pleased seeing the very fine young and charming man you have become." Queen Sunseong said.

"Mother and father should be the ones to take the credit for raising me this way." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"That's in deed right, I hope that you too could visit me in the palace with your mother sometime." Queen Sunseong said.

"Of course your Majesty, I certainly will make time for you and won't let you down." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I'd better get going before the palace curfew starts but it has been wonderful, you are not many years apart with my son here so I hope that the both of you could get along really well and at least be good friends." Queen Sunseong said as she got hold of the Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun's hand.

"I'll think about it your Majesty and my answer would be yes." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"I suppose it's time, we'll see you around." Queen Sunseong said as she walked out with her second son and then left the Han residence at once.

A short while later, the Crown Prince Gyeongjeong followed with some of his own servants.

"Your Highness." Minister Han and his wife said as they bowed their heads.

"I should be grateful but at the moment I am caught up with something much as I would very much appreciate an audience with you Minister Han sometime as casual people." Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"I shall certainly tell you your Highness when my schedule is free and we'll meet up and dine with fine alcohol and meals." Minister Han said.

"Farewell." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said as he walked out of the doorway with the rest of the guests and the ceremony had come to an end.

Mr. Oh the head Eunuch was in his personal Chambers when there was a knock on his door.

"Come on in." Mr. Oh said as his bedroom door was slid open and one of the palace guards walked right in on him.

"Excuse me Sir." The Royal Guard said.

"What is the matter?" Mr. Oh asked, " What is it that brought you here today at this hour?" he added.

"His Majesty is calling for you right now." The guard replied.

"You must go there to him at once." The guard added.

Mr. Oh got out at once and escorted by the guard they headed straight into the King's personal chamber.

The doors of the chamber were opened and right at that very moment and Mr. Oh walked straight to the King's bedside.

"Your Majesty." Mr. Oh said as he bowed his head and offered his respect to the King.

The King was laying in his bed a little bit earlier than usual when all of a sudden he started to cough and holding the cloth that veiled his mouth, he pulled it into the light and it was blood on it.

"Your Majesty, should I call the Royal doctor?" Mr. Oh asked.

"Don't even bother if you still call me your King, this matter should be kept between the both of us that is why I called you here to be alone with me." King Gwangyang said.

"Your Majesty." Mr. Oh replied.

"You serve me and you are loyal to me, these eighteen years that I have been on the throne you have been faithful and you have protected me." King Gwangyang said.

"I am yours and yours alone your Majesty." Mr. Oh said.

"Very good, I know it very well that at this very moment my time on this Earth is now limited, I know I don't have much time to live that is why I called for you because you and I have to finish what we started." King Gwangyang said as he sat up.

"Yes your Majesty, I know what I must do very well." Mr. Oh said.

"At this moment, we strike and first of all, have all the rights collected and handed over to Minister Lee." King Gwangyang said.

"Yes your Majesty." Mr. Oh said, " I'll do it right away." Mr. Oh said.

"We need to act fast." King Gwangyang added as he looked at the cloth in his hand and then fully crumpled it as he tightened his hand into a fist.