FOES AND ALLIES

He hadn't gone far when he heard the neighing of a horse and even Yushin Rang whose eyes were looking down looked up immediately to see who it was.

He'd known that stead anywhere and so had Gopheung so it was automatic who the rider was and coming up to them he halted and he looked at them as well.

"Alcheon Rang." Yushin said barely believing his eyes.

"Yes." Alcheon replied.

Yushin rushed over to Alcheon as he unmounted his stead and then turned around and looked at him.

Yushin hugged him and Alcheon also embraced it for a while until the two pulled apart.

"I knew that you'd return." Yushin said.

"We were sworn brothers, I could abandon my life but never would I abandon Shilla." Alcheon replied.

"We cleared them out like a flood that we'd avenge you, we turned them upside down, we baptised the land of Shilla with their bodies and we even quenched our swords and drowned them in their blood." Yushin added.

"I heard of your victory." Alcheon said.

"Where were you all these days that have gone by?" Gopheung asked.

"After you left I led the men of Gorguryeo into the rocks, unexpectedly the path that I followed came to an end when ahead of me there was a cliff.

They shot me with an arrow on my right chest but nevertheless I fought them with all of my might still unable to vanquish them.

A boy and a girl turned up to my aid and taking me in, they nursed my wound until I completely recovered, having done so I decided to come back to Seoraebeol today." Alcheon replied.

"It doesn't matter who saved your life, you are back and that's all that matters for now." Yushin said.

"How is the Princess?" Alcheon asked.

"She has always been quite worried and she'd barely found peace knowing that you could have perished.

The King is suck as well so she is handling most of his political duties." Yushin replied.

"It must have been tough on all of you." Alcheon said as the two started walking into the City.

"We all knew that rather than dying in the hands of the enemy you would take your own life and when the Victory was ours, we searched around for your body but didn't find you which gave me some hope that you might return." Yushin said.

"I was quite isolated from the world, feeling so far away from home without coming back, at some point I was held back." Alcheon said.

"Why?" Yushin asked.

"I don't know, even I am confused in my heart, can there be two people longing to be together but in this life they can never realize that dream." Alcheon asked.

"I'm a soldier, it's hard for me to understand the language of the heart." Yushin said.

"Just as your heart is filled with devotion towards Princess Deokman, mine is filled with devotion to Seungman." Alcheon replied.

"Who is Seungman?" Yushin asked. "Is she the girl that saved your life?" He added.

"Yes." Alcheon replied. "And she did not stop at that." He added.

"She showed me the beauty that Shilla itself possesses and perhaps she reminded me so much about the art of a true warrior." Alcheon replied.

"Don't flatter her that much." Yushin said. "For a girl that is Rural and you who is a true bone aristocrat, is impossible." He added.

"She might be rural but at least she is the most loyal, the bravest and the most true." Alcheon replied.

The two continued and eventually they entered into the Palace.

Princess Deokman was seated inside and looking at a couple of books and documents right when one of her maid servants walked in.

"Your Highness." She said as she bowed her head.

"What's it Eun Hye?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Yushin Rang is here." Eun Hye replied.

"What for?" She asked as she continued to look through the writings.

"He's here with Kim Alcheon." Eun Hye replied and Princess Deokman raised her eyes and looked at her.

"Alcheon Rang?" She asked.

"Yes." Eun Hye replied.

"Let them in." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes." Eun Hye replied as she bowed her head and then walked out of the room returning a while later with Yushin and Alcheon.

"Your Highness." They said in unison.

"Please sit down." Princess Deokman said and the two complied and lowered themselves in the two chairs that were stationed around her table.

"Alcheon Rang." She called.

"Yes Your Highness?" Alcheon replied.

"Where had you been all these days?" She asked.

"I was injured by the Gorguryeo soldiers and I was rescued by a certain family that live in the North Eastern Hills where I have been recuperating." Alcheon replied.

"I am grateful that you have returned, all the more I am thankful to heaven that has ensured that our brave soldier stayed alive." Princess Deokman said with a smile on her face.

"How are you Your Highness, I heard that you are quite busy these days since the King is not doing well." Alcheon inquired.

"Father's health is not stable and I filled in for him, but seeing that you have finally made it here I am very much happy and my spirits have been lifted." Princess Deokman replied.

"I'm grateful Your Highness." Alcheon said.

"You and Yushin are my pillars and my wings, you are the very people that I can rely on to survive this political turmoil that is headed my way.

Not so long I have noticed that within the Imperial court there is instability as someone supposedly tried to frame my uncle Galmunwang Gukban for illegally possessing military weaponry." Princess Deokman said.

"Why?" Alcheon asked.

"My Uncle's influence in the country is growing and some people believe that him being a male he has a more legitimate right to inherit the throne." Princess Deokman said.

"That would put you in a more difficult position." Yushin said.

"Yes." Princess Deokman said.

"Do you trust your uncle?" Alcheon asked.

"From a keen point of view I have known my uncle very well and come to think of it if someone framed him then they intended to turn the both of us into enemies because on one hand, it would seem that he's threatening my power and in retaliation I'd have to contend him.

He isn't a man with very many enemies either my reaction of suppressing him would make his allies including he himself that I am purposely trying to oust him out of the political circle." Princess Deokman replied.

"Then who could possibly want you to do that and who would benefit from you and your Uncle becoming enemies?" Yushin asked.

"That's what I am trying to find out because family is power but at the same time there are people that are willing to forsake their own blood to see to it that the fulfilment of their selfish desires comes to pass." Princess Deokman replied.

"We are here to help you Your Highness." Yushin said.

"Mishil was just as powerful her influence was rooted throughout Shilla in her strife to become Queen.

Let us not watch and foster like her another contender for the throne that could hamper everything that we tirelessly devouted ourselves to working for." Princess Deokman said.

Seungman was seated at the table with Moo Mak as they were eating food.

Her mind had already wandered away as she dived into the memories of the things that she had done with Alcheon.

She could not stop thinking about him and Moo Mak noticed soon enough that she was already absent minded .

"Seungman." He called the first time but she did not react at all.

"Seungman." He called a second time but there was still no reaction that was coming from her.

Eventually he held her by her shoulder and then shook her as he called her name.

"Yes father." Seungman replied readily noticing that she'd barely eaten anything.

"What's on your mind?" He asked. "You aren't yourself no matter how hard you try to be." He added.

"Nothing father, perhaps I am not feeling well right now." Seungman said.

"Is it something that I should know?" Moo Mak asked.

"No." Seungman replied looking her father in the eye, "It's nothing so serious." She added as she dug into her plate so fast while she recalled how she'd walked away from Alcheon.

When she was done she walked up to her bed and then she stopped there and looked at it.

"You imbecile." She scolded. "Why can't you get out of my head?" She added.

"I have tried everything that I possibly could to forget you but it only seems like the harder I try, the more and more difficult it is for me." She said as she sat down on the bed and recalled the time when Alcheon had been lying their and she was pressing his wound.

"All these memories that are stuck in my head only make it harder and harder for me to move on from you.

I can not do anything because I am only reminded of the time that we had together, our fights and everything that we did.

I can no longer admire the sunset because it reminds me of you and now here I am unable to sleep on my bed because I see you lying their too." She said.

Moo Mak was leaning against her door and he was listening to everything that she was saying.

"I wish to abandon Shilla and live like any other ordinary rural girl.

You make it hard for me because Everytime, you only make me realize that my place is on the battlefield fighting right by your side and that my place is in Seoraebeol training with the Hwarang." Seungman said.

Moo Mak opened the door at once and at that moment, Seungman looking up at her father was totally frightened when her father walked up to her.

"Tell me Seungman." He said.

"Father." She called.

"Am I not enough for you?" Moo Mak asked.

"Father." She called again.

"Answer me." Moo Mak shouted with so much fury. "Are me, Damhyeong, Aunt Namwon and Uncle Pyeonghwa not enough for you?" He asked.

"You are father." Seungman replied.

"Then why are you here obsessing over him, why are you here obsessing over Shilla, why are you here obsessing over the Hwarang and then army and why are you here obsessing over Seoraebeol?" Moo Mak asked.

Seungman kept quiet.

"What has Seoraebeol and what has Shilla given you because as far as I know those two have robbed you of so much more than you deserve.

They have taken everything that you owned a d deprived you of a normal childhood." Moo Mak said.

"And hating them father is not going to change anything, hating them won't give me a piece of mind or retribution.

You shall hate Seoraebeol and you shall hate Shilla but what more shall come from it? After all I am but a very young and insignificant girl." Seungman said.

"I have suppressed my passions knowing that I can never be like any other ordinary girl, I have suppressed my ideas knowing that while others prefer to play with dolls and weave my fate is within the sword and only and only then when I am wielding it can I find my piece.

I had entirely locked away my happiness just so that I could make you happy but you are also making that very difficult for me Father and I admit that I also wish to forget him but the reason that I keep remembering him is because he taught me that I could be so much more.

He told me that my love for you and my respect as my father there is nothing that is more Filial than fighting to protect this country that houses you." Seungman added.

"I don't wish to deprive you of the right to fight but I also hate the thought of having to bury you." Moo Mak said.

"But I have faith in everything that you have taught me." Seungman said.

"But that'll never be enough because even as a warrior I was never the best and no matter how I tried there was more than two and three there were about ten people ahead of me." Moo Mak said.

"When the armour weighs down on me, I can always fight in my own clothes." Seungman said.

"Don't be too disrespectful towards me or else you might hate me later Seungman but I shall say this once and I have no intention of repeating myself." Moo Mak said. "Even though your heart is unwilling find ways to force it to abstain from Alcheon and abstain from Seoraebeol because as long as I am here, I'll never ever let you go." He added.

Furiously, he strode out of the room and shit the door behind him.

"Forgive me father." Seungman said. "Even I don't know what is happening to me." Seungman said as she tightly held her head and thought a couple of things.

Moo Mak ran out and he stood under the starry sky.

"Why do you have to make it hard for me Master?" He said. "Seungman bas already grown up into a young woman she'd forsake the advice that I give her.

She no longer listens when I talk to her and when I try hard and hard enough to suppress her desire of going down to Seoraebeol, it only seems to grow more and more." He added.

He knelt down on the ground as he looked at the earth beneath him.

"I regret why I taught her to wield the sword all those years ago, had it not been for that awful idea Shilla would have never Bewitched her." He said and looking up at the moon and the stars that were shining high above he saw a shooting star.

At once, the moonlight seemed to intensify as it was cast on the cottage and that being the case Moo Mak recalled the same incident with the moon seventeen years ago.

"No." Moo Mak said as he stood up and at that moment the door of the house was opened and Seungman walked out of it as the moonlight showered her.

She did not look the same as absolute grace had befallen her and at last he envisioned her wearing the Crown of the same tree motif that he'd never hoped to see all his life.

The moonlight became wan and everything turned to normal while Moo Mak froze with his eyes wide open Seungman was only wondering what had happened to him.

"Father." she called.

"What is it that my eyes have beheld, am I too old to see the impossible and am I too foolish to think the unthinkable?" He muttered under his breath as Seungman didn't catch it as she was standing at a distance.

She walked up to her father and then he looked down at him.

"Choose." Moo Mak said. "It's either me or Shilla." He added.

"What?" Seungman said.

"I have asked you to choose, either you embrace Shilla and forsake me or you forsake Shilla and embrace me." Moo Mak replied.

"Should it be the latter then I shall take you far and far away from it but should it be the former then on that day I shall forget that I ever had a daughter." Moo Mak added.

"Father." Seungman said. "What are you saying?" She asked.

"You can never have everything and to keep something you must pay the price of sacrificing another.

I am your father and I can't just watch you stray from the path that is safe for you I am only saving you from yourself and perhaps if you are not content you have one whole week to give me that answer.

At the end of the week we shall leave and depart from Shilla for good and I'll take you far away even if it means living in the Takla Makhan or Tang." Moo Mak replied as he walked past Seungman and left her standing there as she raised her eyes and looked up at the stars in the sky.

Alcheon Rang was seated at the top of his roof and he was similarly gazing at the moon while he recalled how he and Seungman had watched the sunset on the Hilltop and it had felt most peaceful.

He drank some liquor as he watched the beautiful spectacle and just as he was admiring it, he caught sight of someone who was dressed in plain black clothes sneaking out of Hwarang Academy.

Alcheon holding his sword flew down and decided to tail the person as the person walked away and eventually arrived at the fence where he jumped over.

Alcheon jumped over and looking around he saw his target negotiating a corner around a nearby building and he chose to persist and he followed them until they eventually entered an alley that was right next to a nearby inn.

He hid himself behind the wall and he watched within the alley as the person removed the veil on his face and it was one of the Hwarangs that was very close to Gopheung.

"Soseok Rang?" Alcheon asked himself as he recalled very well that that Hwarang warrior ride with him as they went to scout in the North.

He jumped through the window of the inn and Alcheon Rang followed him as he walked up to the window and peeped to see where Soseok Rang was.

Eventually he caught sight of him not so far but speaking to someone whose back he was seeing.

"How is everything?" The stranger asked.

"Everything is in order." Soseok replied, "but Alcheon Rang has returned to Seoraebeol." He added.

"What?" The stranger asked.

"I'm surprised that they did not kill him as he claims to have been somehow saved by a strange boy and girl from the North." Soseok replied.

"The Presence of Alcheon Rang here in Seoraebeol is but a hindrance to us, unlike Yushin who is a Royal descendant of Gaya he is from a wealthy aristocratic family of Shilla and not to mention his father is a Hallowed bone.

He could be just a Jingol but with his help Princess Deokman shall wield just as immense power and that will not be at our master's advantage." The stranger.

"I have tried to get close to Princess Deokman and know her thoughts but her security is tight within the Palace and unlike other people, she trusts Alcheon Rang and Yushin Rang more they are the only people that can know her thoughts." Soseok said.

"If you can not penetrate her security then at least get us a guard or two that can be moles." The man said

"It'll be quite difficult because a number of the Royal guards that watch the Princess' residence are very loyal to her." Soseok said.

"Wrong." the stranger refuted. "Loyalty comes with a price." He added.

"We'll offer twenty taels of Silver to the best candidate who is willing to do for us the job." The stranger said.

"Alright, I'll see to it." Soseok said.

"I know that you will." The stranger said. "but don't stop at anything until you have eventually found out Her Highness' next move." The stranger said.

"Yes Sir." Soseok Rang said.

"She is the first thing we must tackle if we intend to weaken the Crown and if Mishil went ahead just like that, I believe it is no coincidence she is the other we must strike at the root this time." The stranger said.

"Yes." Soseok said and having realized that they had concluded their conversation, Alcheon hurriedly walked out of the Alley and he stood right around the corner near a group of female prostitutes.

Soseok arrived from the Inn but he couldn't see Alcheon as he walked past him and went on as Alcheon watched him continuing towards the Hwarang Academy.

He hurriedly walked back as well and reaching inside he entered Yushin's compartment.

He sneaked past a series of sleeping Nangdos and he knocked onto Yushin's door.

Yushin waking up he walked towards the door and opened it but Alcheon Rang pushed him back inside as he shut the door behind them.

"What's the matter?" Yushin asked.

"Sshhh."Alcheon said as he walked to a nearby table and picked a piece of paper with a brush which he dipped in ink and started to write something.

"Walls have ears." He wrote and Yushin understanding the statement walked up to him and took the brush as well.

"What brings you here at this late hour?" Yushin asked.

"It's about the Princess." Alcheon replied.

"What about her?" Yushin Rang asked and Alcheon wrote down one word on the piece of paper which was a name that they were all well acquainted with.

"MISHIL." Yushin read and he hurriedly ceased the piece of paper in his possession and then placed it on top of a candle to burn to complete ashes.

"We must inform Princess Deokman at once." Alcheon said.

"We'll see her tomorrow." Yushin replied and a while later, Alcheon got out of the room as he recalled everything that he'd seen and heard for himself.

He still couldn't believe it that Soseok was a mole and as he walked past one of the hallways he bumped into someone.

"My apologies." The person said and as Alcheon's eyes travelled up, he noticed at that moment the person that was standing right in front of him was Soseok.

"Alcheon Rang." Soseok said.

"Soseok Rang." Alcheon said.

"What are you doing up this late at night?" Soseok asked.

"Nothing much, I am unable to sleep so I stayed up a bit longer, I was actually just on my way back to sleep." Alcheon replied.

"Sorry if I bothered you." Soseok said.

"No you didn't." Alcheon replied. "By the way, what are you still doing up at this late hour as well?" Alcheon asked.

"Also like you I couldn't seem to sleep much earlier on." Soseok replied.

"I suppose you were also going back." Alcheon said.

"Yes." Soseok said.

"See you tomorrow." Alcheon said as he patted Soseok on his shoulder and then he continued his way careful not to make him suspicious of him.

Soseok sighed as he watched him vanish from his sight.

"It's good that he is suspicious and he didn't get me." Soseok though to himself as he pulled from behind him a pair of black clothes that he'd been holding at the back.

Gukban was seated in his study as he seemed to recall everything that had happened earlier in the day, he remembered what it was that the Officer Lee had accused him of and as he immersed himself in thought his wife walked into the room while Damju bowed his head.

"Milady." He said.

"I wish to have a word with my husband in private." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Yes Milady." Damju said as he walked out if the room leaving Gukban and his wife.

She sat right in front of him.

"I heard everything my dear." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"You must have." Gukban said.

"Why would they come up with such an accusation?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"They were true." Gukban replied.

Lady Wolmyeong was surprised by her husband's words.

"I illegally possessed military weaponry." Gukban added.

"Why?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"Someone made it happen and they delivered trunks at the site of GANGLYEOGHAN PALACE that we are constructing." Gukban replied.

"They intended to to frame you what for?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"It's self explanatory what their ulterior motive was and it was generally to see to it that my good relationship with the King is crumbled." Gukban replied.

"And you knew?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"I did, all that I had to do was to beat them at their own game." Gukban replied.

"This was the reason that I wanted us to go far away from Seoraebeol, returning here was staking our lives which are the last thing that we have left and hold dear." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Do you thinking I am blind that I do not notice how hurting you are ever since our daughter perished in that fire?" Gukban asked.

"Vengeance won't bring her back to us." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Then why do you see to it that you see her as many dresses, all these years have passed by but you've made more than one hundred dresses that she couldn't even where from her baby clothes, you celebrate her death day as her birthday as though she is still alive.

As your husband I understand Best the pain that you carry while you are lifting every needle and thread and I can not rest until I have sent to hell the very men that wished for my daughter to die." Gukban said.

"I understand that I can not persuade you to turn away from this path that you have taken but nevertheless I shall continue to be by your side, at least confine in me which person would have plotted such a scheme to frame you.

"I don't know." Gukban said. "I have no idea as well who my primary foe is." Gukban replied.

"Certainly it must be someone who can benefit from an I'll relationship between you and the King." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"I know that very well but if that was my worry then I would have long found out who that person is." Gukban said.

"What do you mean by that?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"I wish to know who was aware of the birth of our child and sent assassins to kill us.

The fact that there were Imperial troops that were sent to our aid means that the King was aware but him being aware and coming to our defense means that someone that is equally powerful knew it before." Gukban said.

"I am lost." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Whoever it is that wanted me dead seventeen years ago is the same person that wished to frame me and put me against the King.

If he had failed to take matters into his own hands, he was going to see to it that he finds a justifiable cause to turn me against the King." Gukban replied.

"Who could it be?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"I know you might not believe me when I tell you this." Gukban said. "but one of my brothers certainly wants me dead." Gukban added.

"Why?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"There was first the prophecy of our child being the last Carrier of the Hallowed bone and for ages, the ruling dynasty of Shilla has always been based on the existence of the Hallowed bone.

According to the prophecy, it threatens the existence of the last few Seonggols so one one end, the King could have sent the assassins to kill the child and then the Imperial guards coming in to save us was to cover up for his crime.

Additionally my influence in the Royal court many could believe it threatens the King's.

All his sons have died and all that he has left are daughters one of which is married to King Mu of Paekche gives him the fear that upon those grounds in the future after he dies Shilla would be engulfed and annexed by her.

Deokman could have a legitimate claim to the throne but a number of Courtiers and officials are reluctant to have her wield the reins of power.

The most plausible successor would be me who being a male and also a true blood descendant of King Jinheung and Crown Prince Dongrym, I'm a flawless Seonggol." Gukban said.

"So you would contend with Princess Deokman for the Crown." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Yes." Gukban said "and with the support of the official majority, I might as well take over quite easily with a coup being one of the people in charge of Shilla's military affairs yet Royals have always been forbidden from having direct control in the politics of the country." He added.

"And what's the other possibility?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"My brother Galmunwang Baekban could envy me for the King's favour and perhaps he too could have ambitions of gaining the Crown." Gukban said.

"Then why would he do that?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"He is older than me but awfully sad he can not have children of his own, originally while I had exiled myself to Chopalhye his influence in the politics of the country had grown, something that was hindered upon my return." Gukban replied.

"Then if not any of your brothers who are you going to trust?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"No one." Gukban replied. "In this fight we are here not only to avenge our daughter but we must survive from the very assassins that wanted her dead to begin with." He added.

"You can't be hasty though while doing anything." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"I understand that very well but all these seventeen years that I have prepared myself I believe that now is the right time for us to exploit all the power and the influence that we have gained." Gukban said.

"My dear, what are you going to do now?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"This first move that the enemy has made is a declaration of war and as it is, it now rests with us to see to it that we are victorious because the time for preparing is over right now our schemes are only going to collide." Gukban replied.

"Going against such powerful people, you might have the power but after what happened today you can clearly see that this fight could mean that you might lose your life." Lady Wolmyeong pleaded.

"I don't care if I died today or tomorrow, but if I must go to hell then I'll drag all my daughter's murderers and Assassins down with me." Gukban confidently replied.