SOMEDAY THAT GIRL

Damhyeong gained consciousness and there he studied where he was as he tried to remember everything that had happened a long while ago.

He looked at himself and he was tied with thick nylon ropes to one of the pillars that supported the Kim's small cottage on the hilltop.

Suddenly, he seemed to stay recalling everything that had Happened ago.

"I'm coming with you." Damhyeong had said.

"No." Seungman had replied.

"Where you go I'll go, where you stay I'll stay, where you move I'll move, I won't quit following you." Damhyeong he'd pleaded.

Seungman's face lit up and she pulled Damhyeong into an embrace.

"Thank you so much." Seungman appreciated.

"What for?" Damhyeong had asked.

"For believing in my dream." Seungman had replied.

"It's nothing." Damhyeong had said.

"I'm so sorry." Seungman had added.

"What for?" Damhyeong had asked.

"I can't let you leaves Aunt Namwon and Uncle Pyeonghwa because of me." Seungman had added as she struck Damhyeong on his pressure points and he fainted instantly.

That's all he could recall and everything went black.

For a moment he was still trying to process everything that had. happened and he still had some hope even if it was thin that Seungman was still somewhere around.

"Seungman?" He screamed and called his name.

"Seungman?" He went ahead to say as he struggled to break free from the pillar but to no avail.

"Seungman." He cried as a few years rolled down his eyes.

"Seungman." He called once more as he violently tried everything that he possibly could but all was but a useless effort.

Eventually, he seemed to calm down and at that moment the only thing that he had to keep him company were the memories of everything that he had done with Seungman.

"No " He said to himself. "You can not do this to me." He added.

"Why would you wish to protect me, I did not even try asking for it?" Damhyeong said as he turned around and looked at the doors he could see the places where he had run with her since young as they both grew and turned old.

"You were one girl that made my heart feel so special, you were the only girl in my childhood with whom I felt I could come close to, those days we were out playing in the fields and the way that we loved to watch the skies.

When we practiced every moment I tried to beat you, not to just show you that I am strong but to rid myself of every flaw that would make you think I couldn't protect you.

You were nearly everything that I had to live for and I thought that I could simply love you as a sister but that alone was a lie I kept on telling myself because I knew it deep down I was loving you so much more." He said.

After a while he laughed at himself.

"Here I am now talking to walls, chairs and tables." He teased. "But at least they can listen because unlike you who is not here to listen they won't even tell anyone a word." He added as he looked down at the ropes that were binding him.

"What makes you think that you are protecting all of us that you call the people that you love when you keep on leaving us.

Instead of mending the gap between us you seem to only make the distance grow further apart.

I am a man that couldn't grow around other boys because I wanted to know and understand you, I was a boy who couldn't find it in my heart to stop staring at your house the moment that you left it." He said as he lifted his head and looked at the door while envisioning how she could have walked through.

"Why Seungman, why Seungman?" He asked himself

"Why did you forsake us all for Shilla?" He added as he seemed to recollect his senses at that moment and he realized something.

"No." Damhyeong said as he continued to shake himself while shouting and calling out for help.

"Mom, dad." He screamed hoping that they would hear him from down being a couple of metres away from the cottage.

"I'll get out of here Seungman, and even if it means turning the whole of Shilla Upside down, I'll find you." He thought to himself as he continued to shout louder and louder each and every time.

Seungman had traversed with the soldiers for a while and it was nearing the break of dawn they were all tired but she persisted nevertheless.

At that point as she continued to walk, the soldiers continued while she branched off in a nearby village, she trusted she was close to Seoraebeol given that it had already been a day and this village compared to their was far more beautiful and developed.

The roads weren't at all that bad a d the buildings there were quite colourful, the people roaming around weren't entirely in rugs, in fact, Seungman appeared to be the only one that was present in awfully bad clothes.

She felt embarrassed that she decided to tighten the cloak that was covering her face as she pulled Ammal her stead at some point the people looked at the stranger who possesed nearly one of the finest horses they had ever seen.

An old man walked up to me.

"Excuse me Sir." He said, "At what price are you willing to offer for that fine stead for?" He asked supposedly thinking that Seungman was a merchant.

"It's not for sale." Seungman said said her voice a little bit deeper than usual.

"Come on young Man, you please tell me, I am willing to offer that price." The Old man said.

Seungman angrily removed her cape and looked at the man as she held out her Sword and pointed it at him.

"I said it's not for sale?" She shouted and everyone listening that time and looking at her they realized that much as she wasn't wearing a dress she wasn't a woman either.

The old man bad been startled that he staggered and fell backwards and the people their slowly distanced themselves from her.

"What a wild rascal!" They started to exclaim amongst themselves.

"Perhaps she is mad." Others said.

"That poor thing looks so destitute." A few defended.

"She is a rafian." Others went ahead to abuse.

"Where has she come from?" Others were wondering and at that instant all those questions were driving her crazy she was on the brink of exploding.

She sheathed her Sword as the old man stood up and at that moment a couple of men rushed in to his aid as they called him by name.

"Elder Soo, Elder Soo." They said as they cleaned him up and one of the men there looked to be just as young as Seungman was she was certain that they belonged to the same age bracket.

He came and he positioned himself in front of Seungman.

"Stupid girl, what did you do that for?" He said as he pushed her and Seungman staggered backwards but regained her equilibrium.

"I'm sorry." She quickly apologized and turned around to go only to notice that she had been surrounded.

"You can't just come and go as you please." The boy said.

"Halt there." Elder Soo said.

"No Elder Soo, we can't just let this unruly girl go without getting punished." The boy persisted as he along with a couple of other boys closed in on her that she unsheathed her sword once again.

Her grip on it was stiff and she looked so determined.

"Please just let me go, I do not wish to hurt anyone." Seungman said.

The boys halted and then they laughed out loud at her even the women themselves and the girls in the village that had gathered did the same.

"She is as good as dead." Seungman heard the others say.

"My dear, because you are holding a sword it doesn't mean that we are afraid of you." The boy continued to say.

"It's Haesul." She heard one of the girls say, "He's like a champion within this village, how dare she hurt his uncle." The girls persisted and it felt as though they were intentionally bragging about him to discourage her.

Seungman did not say a word as she still held onto her sword.

"Don't worry." Haesul said. "I promise you that since you are a girl we won't be hard on you." He added as he unsheathed his own Sword and on his order, the boys all charged towards Seungman.

She turned around and with a spinning kick she struck the two boys that were behind her and they fell back and everyone was shocked as she dashed into the direction of the other two she bent backwards as she slid right underneath them before she stood on her feet again and hit them with her fists they fell face flat on the ground.

She heard Haesul swinging his sword and she turned around and guarded herself with hers as he passed by and looked her in the eye right when she struck him with her elbow on the back that he lost his stamina.

Everyone was surprised and the five boys stood up and looked at each other as it seemed to them that they were not going to subdue the little girl with ease.

Seungman appeared to have a natural way with the sword in her possession but that was not enough for the boys they weren't willing to concede defeat either.

They launched themselves at her once again and Seungman chose to make an example of them all, she ceased the first two boys by their fists and then she span them around and used them as a shield against their fellows.

When their fellows punched them, she kicked them and they all collided with one another except for Haesul who attacked her with all his might.

She noticed his presence and didn't move from that place as Haesul crashed down on her with the sword but she held hers tightly as they were forcing her to the ground.

"Admit defeat you girl." Haesul demanded. "I have already beaten you and you can not possibly defeat me." He added.

"I never admit defeat." Seungman said as she gathered all her strength and pushed Haesul away she went ahead and jumped as she landed a double kick he guarded with his sword but was still strong enough to send him a few feet back.

Haesul looked at Seungman who came closer and while the other victims in the battle refrained from an attack, they let the two collided with their swords.

The fight seemed to get more and more violent and at that moment when Uncle Soo stared at all the positions of the girl, he could help but find all of them familiar.

She gathered all her might after the fight hand intensified and aggressed Seungman had apparently lost control that she struck Haesul away and he landed on the ground right when another man stepped out from the crowd and then he positioned himself behind Seungman.

Haesul and all the other boys shrieked in fear and even Seungman could clearly tell that it wasn't because of her but because of someone else.

She was certain at that moment that there was someone who was standing behind her that she turned around at once to see a man that she had never seen before.

"General Sokham." She heard the people call his name and at that time as he unsheathed his sword the first thing that came to mind was that he was going to slay her.

Angrily and also our of self defence, she conjured so much energy and power with herself and struck the General's sword with all her might that it totally shattered to pieces and every one was surprised.

Looking at that girl and witnessing such an alarming scene the first picture that came to Sokham's mind was that of Gukban when he was a very strong and able man that was fighting on the battlefield.

He wasn't called THE SWORD BREAKER for no reason and realizing what the girl in front of him had just done with so much ease a number of questions came to her mind.

Seungman hurriedly sheathed her sword as the man turned around and looked at her while he walked closer and closer to her.

"General." A few of his guards came hoping to hold the girl but he halted them all.

"Wait." He said that everyone that was surprised was forced to look at him and wonder what it was that was going on in their General's mind.

Seungman herself quite surprised seemed to calm down after experiencing such remedy and at once the man asked her what her name was.

"Who are you?" He said.

"Kim Seungman." She confidently replied.

"Who is your father?" He asked and at that point thinking through quickly, she knew herself better than anyone else that she couldn't trust anyone so the last thing to do was to give him fake information.

"Kim Pyeonghwa." She replied. "He is an ordinary farmer in the North and he died a couple of days ago." Seungman added.

The people seemed to start sympathising with her but Sokham didn't seem content with her story.

"Who taught you how to fight?" He asked.

"My master." Seungman replied.

"Who is your Master?" Sokham seemed to become more and more desperate that she noticed if she did not convince him then her freedom was as good as impossible.

"I didn't know his name because he never mentioned it, I only understood that he was once a monk at Yereum temple in Gorguryeo and he never wanted anyone to mention it." Seungman replied.

"Your skills are you excellent." The man said as she seemed to calm down.

"Why were you asking?" Seungman asked.

"Don't worry." Sokham said. "I thought you would be someone that I know." The man replied.

"I didn't mean to bother you or the old man." Seungman said as she bowed her head.

"He is quite sickly and he suffers from forgetfulness most of the time, he must have been quite a bother." Sokham replied.

Haesul stood up with his friends.

"Father, what are you doing?" He asked and before he had finished Seungman noticed that if she didn't become soft against all those people then she wouldn't have their sympathy so she fell onto her knees in front of all of them as she bowed her head in front of Haesul.

"Forgive me for I am a stranger in this place and I didn't mean to distort your peace, I understand better than anyone else that I have wrong you all much as I tried to defend myself.

I am quite sentimental that my master died along with my parents in a fire and I am all alone in this world with no place to go, if I could wander perhaps I would find peace of mind I only wish that you would all let me go." She said softly as she forced a couple of fake tears from her eyes and she looked up at General Sokham.

He could see himself kneeling down in front of Galmunwang Gukban very many years back nearly the same age asking to be his disciple and follower.

Seungman stood up after some silence even the people themselves touching their faces and nodding their heads paved way for her.

She moved past Haesul who at that moment was taken aback to the conversation that he had briefly shared with her.

"Admit defeat you girl." Haesul had demanded. "I have already beaten you and you can not possibly defeat me." He had went ahead to say.

"I never admit defeat." Seungman had replied but looking back at her while she ceased the reins of her stead and walked with it she had clearly done that.

"I lost." He eventually said when it hit him and Sokham coming back to his senses turned around and looked at the girl as he shouted at her.

"Halt." He said and at once Seungman stopped within her tracks.

She didn't want another strife to erupt she had realised that she needed to be as compliant as possible if she wished for any survival beyond there so she turned around and looked at the man and his son.

"You have nowhere to go?" Sokham asked.

"I was going to Seoraebeol." Seungman replied.

"Why?" Sokham asked.

"I am but a wanderer and on top of that a rural girl, I have never set my eyes on the city of gold everyone praises and I was hoping to live there for a while and start a life." Seungman replied.

"How can you start a life without people to help you adjust?" Sokham asked.

"I am sorry?" Seungman said.

"For a girl you are a great fighter and I must say I am so impressed by your skills and your talents.

I can tell that much as you were violent back then it was to protect yourself and you are pitiful yet with virtue and grace." Sokham replied.

"I never grew up like any other proper girl, I'm not used to wearing dresses or gowns that are so long." Seungman said.

"You don't have to suffer either and considering the fact that I unexpectedly came across someone that is as talented as yourself then it must be fate." Sokham said.

"Thank you Sir for your kind words." Seungman said.

"I was going to Seoraebeol tomorrow." Sokham said. "If you are willing then why don't you be my guest for tonight?" He added.

Seungman looked at him quite surprised and she did not want to decline the offer a d yet she still maintained her humility.

"Thank you so much sir but I do not wish to impose on you, I mourn my people and I might destroy your mood while on top of that I am not accustomed to any of your norms and traditions, you and me have just met how could you possibly trust me?" Seungman asked.

"Because you care well to apologise and you are quite Filial a daughter, you were a victim of circumstance and I am concerned given that you are in the area where I run.

Trusting you is a bet that I am making with my life and I am only clinging on hope that you are not the wrong person to get it and that I am not doing something that I shall not regret for the rest of my life." Sokham replied.

"Thank you Sir." Seungman said as she bowed her head and at that point, she was led into the grand Manor.

She gazed about the compound and it was just far more beautiful than she had ever expected it to be.

The walls were all covered in beautiful paints and there were a number of servants that loitered and roamed about the place.

The moment that they went ahead into the courtyard, Seungman saw a cheerful girl that looked to be younger than her headed her way.

"Father, father?" She called as General Sokham walked on ahead of her leaving her and Haesul behind and he hugged his daughter.

"Cheongye." Sokham said as his daughter pulled away from him and then she went on to hug her older brother.

"Haesul?" She said.

"Noona." Haesul sweetly replied as the girl turned around and then she looked at Seungman who was just as shocked to see a girl that small and in such a fancy dress.

The girl seemed surprised as well looking at her fellow girl so tall but dressed in something that was complicated and she had never laid her eyes on in her entire life.

Seungman knew that. even the maids in that homestead were dressed much better than she was.

Cheongye looked at Haesul and then she looked back at Seungman.

Eventually she smiled.

"Father." She said. "Big Brother Haesul has brought home his girlfriend." She added.

Sokham was so surprised.

"What?" Haesul asked. "No." He added as he tried to chase the young girl.

Seungman automatically found herself trying to protect her and she stepped in between them as she put the girl right behind herself and their Haesul realized just how close his face was to Seungman.

He stared into her dark eyes as they seemed to be glittering with curiosity while Seungman cursed inside while all the strange boys she came in contact with gave her the same curiously lustful look.

"Eww." Cheongye said. "Dad they are looking at each other just like you always look at mom." She added and Haesul at that moment looked away and turned to her sister.

Cheongye ran away as Haesul chased after her into the manor while Seungman looked puzzled at the sight she had never in her life seen before.

"Don't worry about that." Sokham said. "Pretend nothing happened." He added.

"Hmm." Seungman reluctantly muttered as she nodded her head.

"This way please." Sokham said as he led Seungman further inside the manor.

Princess Deokman walked into her mother's Chambers and finding her seated right there she bowed her head as she greeted her.

"Mother." She said. "I heard that you wished to see me." Princess Deokman said.

"It's a very hard and complicated matter so the story could be quite long, would you please have a seat?" Queen Maya said.

Deokman without hesitation sat down and looked at her mother.

"I am sorry if I bothered you, I know that by now you must be quite busy running the state now that your father is not doing very well." Queen Maya said.

"What Happened to father?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Your father woke up eventually and he could talk and me and him talked somethings through." Queen Maya replied as she started to narrate everything that had happened from her memory.

King Jinpyeong was seated in his bed right next to Queen Maya.

"Your Majesty." Queen Maya said as King Jinpyeong handed over a piece of paper to her.

"What is this?" Queen Maya asked.

"Read it." King Jinpyeong said and Queen Maya took it into her possession and she unfolded it as she read.

Her expression immediately changed as she was overwhelmed by grief but she said nothing more and nothing less.

"I understand Your Majesty." Queen Maya said.

"This too isn't my will." King Jinpyeong said.

"But you had given Deokman our daughter the chance to prove that she is worthy." Queen Maya said.

"I'd hoped that she'd change her mind and I even planned to bestow the honour of the Hallowed bone to Alcheon Rang who unlike Yushin her close ally would be a believable holder in the eyes of the people and co ruler of Shilla." King Jinpyeong said.

"Deokman is my daughter and seeing her growing up she can never be like any other girl." Queen Maya said.

"That is not for her to decide any more as I fear that even if I would entrust her with Shilla what would become of this domain.

I fear that she could be a smart woman but it takes more than that to rule, I can't guarantee that she is that powerful politically." King Jinpyeong said.

"Do you think that she wishes to declare herself King?" Queen Maya asked.

"Yes." King Jinpyeong replied. "Let alone that all the women in Shilla from the privileged aristocratic classes might desire just as much influence.

It never was in the times of Bak Hyeokgyeose then why should it be now?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"There is something else that you are afraid of." Queen Maya said.

"Perhaps I am." King Jinpyeong replied.

"Confide in me your Majesty at least if not as your wife but as your Queen and tell me what it is?" Queen Maya asked.

"I woke up today to the rumours that I in deed found to be too alarming myself." King Jinpyeong said.

"What is it?" Queen Maya asked.

"Perhaps you have forgotten but I am sure you are very much aware of the News that is going around about the Princess." King Jinpyeong said.

Queen Maya looked down and the King knew it that he had hinted on it.

"More than ever I feel on tension yet Deokman that girl even being unique from her sisters she is remarkable she ran the state well while I decided to look after you." Queen Maya said.

"There is a good reason that she can not be ignored as the heiress to my throne but then there is another that the aristocratic families fear more than anything else." King Jinpyeong said.

"But why does it have to be Deokman and now especially when she has proven to be competent, what more are you asking her to do?" Queen Maya asked.

"If only Deokman were born a boy then perhaps this weight on my shoulders wouldn't have been too great." King Jinpyeong said.

"We all as it is remember the calamity of Mishil and even I personally including you yourself can't ever forget it." He added.

"But Deokman is different." Queen Maya said.

"We might believe that but how many of the Courtiers will?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Then at least you tell me on whose order was it that at least Your Majesty decides to send me off to a nunnery?" Queen Maya asked.

"Mine." King Jinpyeong replied.

"Why?" Queen Maya asked.

"Deokman was the daughter that I raised a d unlike Cheonmyeong who is soft and kind hearted and Seonhwa who is diligent yet not as smart, she is the only one who although a Princess is entirely surrounded by the aura of a great ruler." King Jinpyeong said.

"I'll comply as a scapegoat but also because in marrying you Your Majesty I had decided that I would entirely devoute my life to sharing each one of your burdens as though they were my own." Queen Maya said.

"Ichan Seulbu found this girl who is a Seonggol woman though very distant from the throne, she is a descendant of our great grandfather King Bopheung and she is also from a respectable family at that." King Jinpyeong said.

"We'll she be your new Queen?" Queen Maya asked.

"I am to old and I can not survive long enough to have another child turn into an adult let alone I can not always be there to teach him to be the Crown Prince and next King of Shilla and be unfair to Deokman who has devoted her entire life.

If I were to die when there is an infant King on the throne, Lady SUNGMAN wouldn't be in the position to play the effective regent without any political enlightenment she might as well crumble everything me and my ancestors built.

The Court is full of greedy Courtiers that wish to have power all for themselves and none of them would realize our dream of a UNIFIED SAMHAN that is strengthened and prosperous.

Because I do not want to remember the tragedies of Jan, I don't wish to rewrite a dark fate for this country and I believe that through making Sungman my Queen I will not only divert the attention of the Courtiers but I'll also protect the position of my daughter Deokman because in my eyes just as I wish Shilla would see, no man is more deserving to run as King like she is." King Jinpyeong replied.

***THIS IS A SMALL NOTE, HISTORICALLY KING JINPYEONG HAD TWO QUEENS AND COINCIDENTALLY ONE OF THEM WAS CALLED QUEEN SEUNGMAN WHO IS SHARING THE SAME NAME AS OUR BELOVED SEUNGMAN, TO CREATE A DISTINCTION FOR YOU READERS ABD NOT CONFUSE YOU, KING JINPYEONG'S SECOND QUEEN WILL BE LADY SUNGMAN AND OUR MAIN FEMALE LEAD WILL RETAIN HER NAME SEUNGMAN FOR A WHILE, I APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE BUT NO WORRIES IT IS SOMETHING THAT WONT TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.****

"I am your wife your Highness and I shall reserve myself even in the nunnery and return to send you off into the afterlife." Queen Maya said.

"I understand that Deokman is quite stubborn but unlike me, you are closer to her and she can understand you, tell her this and I rest assured, she'll also understand my position as the King and as her father." King Jinpyeong said.

Queen Maya narrated the whole incident to her daughter and Deokman listening was stood up.

"They are impeaching you and deposing you as Queen." Princess Deokman said.

"Consider it as though I was retiring." Queen Maya said.

"That's practically what is trying to be done here." Princess Deokman said. "Don't try to protect them." She added.

"It's all my fault and put your father into consideration and how he must certainly feel." Queen Maya said.

"What about you?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I failed in my duty as a Queen, perhaps I was unfortunate that none of mg sons would ever survive infancy or perhaps it's your bad luck that you were born a girl and not a boy." Queen Maya replied.

"Mother why?" She asked.

"Please understand your father and besides at least of not for me accept that woman as your father's Queen." Queen Maya said.

"How can we be too Certain, you do not know how cunning women can be, I am not going to relive the fate of Mishil should she give the throne male heirs." Princess Deokman said.

"No." She rebuked, "I shall not simply watch while Shilla falls at the hands of those idiots and those hypocritic fools and commanding the wrath of the Hwarang I won't hesitate to raise an army and rebel for if they wish to use guise to threaten my position as the Crown Princess then I shall use force and Gore." Princess Deokman said.

"At least if you do not trust that woman please trust your father." Queen Maya said.

Princess Deokman seemed to calm down for a while she looked vulnerable once again.

"You are all that I have left to lean on, why do you like all the others also mean to forsake me?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I am not forsaking you but I am protecting you my child." Queen Maya said. "You are old enough, very smart and also very intelligent." she added.

"Mother, I'll do all that it takes to bring you back." Princess Deokman said.

"No." Queen Maya replied. "Remember the pain of parting with me on this day and it should be that pain that you should hold onto for eternity.

Don't you ever try to stop even once like this and do whatever it takes and posses that Crown, seat on that throne of our forefathers, the throne of Bak Hyeokgyeose and Naemul." Queen Maya said.

"Don't you dare worry mother." Princess Deokman said.

"Do whatever it takes and never stop until you are ruling Shilla not only behind the curtains but also in name." Queen Maya said.

"Yes." Princess Deokman replied and her face was overwhelmed with immense courage both in her words and in her stature she looked ready.

"I will take Shilla." she said to herself again. "I am going to rule it." she added.