THE FIGHT FOR THE KINGDOM

Seungman walked out of the room and she found Haesul standing outside right next to Alcheon.

She had fixed the small chest inside her clothes and she walked out quite surprised by the Princess' reaction.

"Seungman?" Haesul called.

"We should go." Seungman said as she was ready to set her foot outside when she felt someone tightly holding her hand.

Looking back at the person that was holding her she realized that it was Alcheon.

"Seungman?" He called that even Haesul himself was surprised.

"Alcheon Rang." Seungman said.

"I'm sorry." Alcheon said.

"What for?" Seungman asked.

"Did you leave your home because of me?" Alcheon asked.

"There is no such thing." Seungman replied.

"I know that something bad should have happened to your father." Alcheon said.

"Because to you my will is frail and it can be broken, I certainly can't desire one thing for myself in this life even if that one thing is you." Seungman said.

"It's not that way." Alcheon said.

"Then how is it?" Seungman asked.

"Who is this?" Haesul asked.

"Someone that owes me a favour " Seungman replied. "Unlike you I saved his life." Seungman replied as she prepared to walk away.

"Seungman?" Alcheon Rang called.

"You told me yourself that there are things that we love and we must protect, I am just as surprised that despite the fact that you were right there in that Arena I still fought and felt alone.

And now my will is not broken but I have father's words to remind me that you were like everyone else, before duty you'll always be willing to bend even if it means to forsake your own love." Seungman said.

"Even you know better that before Shilla you are willing to bend." Alcheon Rang said.

"Because I told you who Shilla us to me and Shilla was never Alcheon Rang, it can not be anymore, you had promised that even I could be Shilla for you." Seungman replied as she walked away.

"It would be better Alcheon Rang if we'd act more like strangers, the path that I have taken being around you yet I desire only the best for the both of us I can not implicate you.

It would be very awful having to survive in this chaotic world when I know that people will talk behind your back for knowing that woman that challenged the Hwarang.

Your loyalty is also with Princess Deokman I can not let her doubt your good service and mistrust you for the passion that you bear towards me." Seungman thought to herself as she walked with Haesul further and further away.

Yushin Rang walked into Princess Deokman's Chambers and there he sat down right in front of her.

"Your Highness." He said.

"Yushin Rang." She called him too softly.

"You must be wondering what it is that's going through my mind." Princess Deokman said.

"But I can not question your wisdom, your power and your might." Yushin said.

"Because you are afraid that I shall punish you?" Princess Deokman asked.

"No." Yushin rebuked. "Because I know better than anyone else that you know I chose to serve you with all my life." Yushin replied.

"Your loyalty is second to none." Princess Deokman said. "Just as Sadaham was devoted to Mishil even if she was the one woman he couldn't marry but dearly loved your devotion is no different from his." Princess Deokman said.

"And it's that devotion that gives me the will to fight for Shilla." Yushin said.

"You are a married man." Princess Deokman said.

"Because you'd asked me, because duty is weightless if the order is from you Your Highness.

You held such grandiose dreams for Shilla since you were a very little girl even in Manno County, you gave me a direction to follow when unlike the Kings before not even once did you resent my people of Gaya but you made them yours.

Hope was lost and beyond any redemption the world deserted me, people feared me but you were the only one that stood there to understand me." Yushin said.

"Even sometimes looking at you makes me feel no different from Mishil, at some point I get jealous of Cheonmyeong who can marry and love any man that she wants freely.

On the other hand what have I not done, even when some pledge allegiance to me unlike you I am with them most reluctant to trust." Princess Deokman said.

"I told you that as long as it is Shilla in your heart it doesn't matter to me, I shall protect you along with it if I have to because in my heart even when pushed apart by the world there is only you." Yushin said.

"Did you know what you are saying can get you killed?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I know." Yushin said, "But the only reason that I chose to wield a sword and slay anyone be it in Gorguryeo or Paekche was because one day when you of all people become King I shall have protected you.

When the burden of the Crown weighs on your head and becomes uneasy, at least you can sleep through the night without being haunted by the cries of those you shall have slain because there won't be any." He added.

"Thank you." Princess Deokman said.

"About that girl Seungman." Yushin Rang said.

"She is quite a talent." Princess Deokman said.

"I could tell, her skill is so unique." Yushin Rang said.

"Then so is her Master whom according to Alcheon it must be her Father." Princess Deokman said.

"How does Alcheon know her?" Yushin asked.

"I had given up on the possibility of Alcheon having survived, you are in luck and all of us should be thankful that perhaps it is feet for us to meet like this because she was the one who saved his life." Princess Deokman replied.

"I see." Yushin said. "With her skills she must have done well to frighten those men of Gorguryeo." He added.

"I agree with you." Princess Deokman said. "Her simple act of charity to a stranger that I myself did not know gives me some hope in her.

She is very fierce yet at the same time compassionate and I had never thought that I'd see someone as devoted and intelligent as she is." Princess Deokman said.

"What shall you do with her Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"I intend to make her one of my people and it's only if I can trust her fully." Princess Deokman replied.

"Why do you have doubts about her Your Highness?" Yushin asked.

"This is a fact that everyone in power has to face, you must never mistrust someone and you must never show any fault in them.

She like me is a very ambitious girl moreover for a woman she is a warrior, he intelligence and charisma arouse my caution because much as people like her are very good to associate with, they are the most difficult people to trust." Princess Deokman replied.

"I see Your Highness." Yushin said.

"I shall bestow upon her great privileges and at the same time confine her, depending on how she most certainly shall react she will define our relationship in the future." Princess Deokman added.

Seungman and Haesul returned to the manor and there they found General Sokham waiting earnestly for the both of them.

"You two." He said angrily as he turned to Haesul. "You were supposed to temporarily look after her." He scolded.

"My apologies Sir." Seungman said as she bowed her head. "He wasn't at fault, I was just too excited that I walked out despite not knowing the place and Haesul only looked around for me." She added.

"Fine then, I'll forgive him this once if you say so." Sokham said.

"Thank you." Seungman said with a smile on her face.

"By the way, where did he find you?" Sokham asked Seungman.

"At the Hwarang Arena." Haesul replied immediately and Seungman who had been reluctant to reply had no choice but to prepare for any questions that they were about to fire her.

"Really?" Sokham asked.

"Yes." Seungman replied hesitantly.

"What happened there, did anyone see you?" Sokham asked a little bit worried.

"They did more than that." Haesul replied. "You should have seen how she made an example of all those Nangdos, she crushed them all." He added and Sokham was frightened.

"How could she?" Sokham asked.

"It was the Princess' inspection and there is also Ichan Chilsuk who is a very stern and rude man." Sokham added.

"No worries Sir." Seungman eventually intervened in the conversation.

"How can I not worry when you are in my care?" Sokham asked.

"I already talked with Princess Deokman and everything was sorted out well." Seungman replied as Sokham sighed in relief.

"Never do that again, Seoraebeol is full of rules and regulations that could get you killed." Sokham said.

"I just learnt, I only started now to feel that I was a free bird that jumped from one small cage and flew into another bigger one." She said.

"I'm sure that you'll make find good fortune, few people rarely talk with the Princesses and considering that you did it on your first day here then it is in deed an act that is meritable." Sokham said.

"Yes." Seungman said.

"Let's go inside." Sokham added as he walked ahead of the two of them and they entered the Manor.

Baekban was seated in his room and he listened to the sound of the flute which was being skillfully played by a female musician.

Haek Ga walked in and finding his master caught up in the music he decided to halt for a while.

Baekban though closing his eyes was able to feel another presence within the room that he decided to open one of his eyes and see who it was.

He raised his hand once and the female musician seeing his signal halted as she stood up from where she was seated.

Bowing her head, she walked out as Haek Ga ceased that opportunity to walk up into the presence of his master.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head and then he greeted him.

"Considering the fact that you have turned up in my leisure time when I least expected you then there must be something on your mind or something must have happened that you wish to tell me." Baekban said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.

"Go ahead." Baekban said.

"Your Excellency, I bring alarming news from the Palace." Haek Ga said.

"What is it?" Baekban asked.

"Someone disrupted the Princess Deokman's Hwarang inspection." Haek Ga replied and Baekban who was closing his eyes opened them up.

"It's natural, mistakes happen." Baekban said as he closed his eyes again and savored the fresh air that was around him.

"Recently, those chrysanthemums smell so good when placed all over my quarters." He added.

"Your Excellency, you needn't take this very lightly." Haek Ga said. "The disorganizer was a woman who looked nearly a couple of years younger than the Princess Deokman herself." He added and at once, Baekban opened his eyes widely and looked at Haek Ga.

"A woman?" He asked.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied.

"Impossible." Baekban said. "Women that are not palace maids or may be cleaning staff are forbidden from entering the Arena.

On top of that the Inspection has always been something so important for decades, once disrupted it is indirectly an insult to both the Hwarang and their keeper." He added.

"That's why I wanted to report it Your Excellency." Haek Ga said. "Surprisingly Princess Deokman bring aware of everything even after asking the Wonsanghwa to mention every crime that the girl had committed, she in the end did nothing and spared her life after asking her a few questions." He added.

"She must have been extra ordinary to attract Princess Deokman's attention." Baekban said.

"Of course your Excellency, she made an example of the Nangdos and a few of their seniors, when Yushin Rang stepped onto the Arena he was practically the one most of them were counting on but even that Pungwolji lost to her though he was successful at least in landing some strikes on her." Haek Ga replied.

"If there is someone other than Chilsuk that can beat Yushin then they are quite special and valuable." Baekban said.

"Yushin Rang on the other side pretended as though nothing has happened." Haek Ga said.

"You know him very well, but his devotion to Princess Deokman is second to none, the Princess herself was quite wise to notice such a talent before I could, honestly, I am intrigued and I wish to know and see for myself who this girl is." Baekban said.

"Her name as much as I have heard is KIM SEUNGMAN." Haek Ga said.

"KIM SEUNGMAN?" Baekban said.

"Yes." Haek Ga replied.

"I see." Baekban said, "But I know better than anyone else that Princess Deokman is quite quick witted she won't trust her that easily." He added.

"Why Your Excellency?" Haek Ga asked.

"Imagine it, a girl who is a very good warrior turns out of nowhere, in most cases the most mysterious people are those that turn up on occasions when they are least expected." Baekban said.

"Then Your Excellency, do you have any plans for her?" Haek Ga asked.

"I need to know how much Princess Deokman trusts her and I also need to see if she is so remarkable for me to use as part of my retinue." Baekban replied.

"I heard that she resides in General Sokham's Manor." Haek Ga said.

"It isn't hard for me to get her on my own alone." Baekban said. "Could you see to that?" He asked.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied as he withdrew from Baekban's presence and left him intrigued on his own inside.

Seungman walked into her room furiously as Haesul followed closely behind her.

"Seungman?" He called but she ignored him that eventually, he was fed up and ceased her by her right hand and forced her to look him in the eye.

"What?" Seungman asked.

"You tell me." Haesul said.

"You can't always tell anyone everything that you see, that only puts you in danger." Seungman said.

"He's not anyone, he is my father and either way through his connections at some point he would eventually find out." Haesul said.

"Is it really that hard for people here in Seoraebeol at least to keep one things to themselves?" Seungman asked.

"Even is just struggling to survive and knowing one another is our way of being social." Haesul said.

"Alright fine, you do things differently here." Seungman said.

"And now that you came with time you shall adjust, there are Courtiers literally everywhere here in the city that keep doing what they want.

There's eyes and ears for them everywhere that in a matter of time, you shall have become famous." Haesul said.

"I didn't know that life here was that complicated, where I was from everyone kept their business to themselves.

Considering what you have said, here in Seoraebeol it seems that one's business is everyone's business." Seungman said as she sat down at a table that was inside her room while Haesul helped himself and sat right next to him.

"Aren't you going to go and spend time with some of your friends here?" Seungman asked a little bit surprised.

"We have been friends for most of our lives, I am sure they wouldn't mind and on top of that, hanging out with you is much better because since I met you you are more interesting to be around than them." Haesul said.

"Don't flatter me." Seungman declined, "You were nearly apprehended because of me." She added.

"It is much better to be in trouble with you, that alone shall make each and every moment that I spend with you unforgettable." Haesul said.

"You are saying nonsense, honestly, I must say that I am quite used to being followed by trouble." Seungman said.

"You don't realize how memorable you make every day right next to you for me." Haesul said.

"Forget it." Seungman said, "I have to tend to the bruises that Yushin Rang gave me." She added.

"I can help you with that." Haesul said.

"That's a violation of human rights, I am a girl and you are a boy." Seungman said.

"I was just kidding." Haesul said with a plastic smile on his face as he looked at Seungman and she seemed to buy it and take it in very good faith.

"Ny the way." Haesul said as he leaned against the table with his elbows and brought his head closer to Seungman. "What did both you and Princess Deokman talk about for that long?" He asked.

"Nothing much." Seungman replied. "I must say that she flattered me so much." She added.

"Who can not stand flattering you?" Haesul asked.

"For the first time the both of us talked, I couldn't believe my luck and she seemed to be open towards me for some strange reason." Seungman replied.

"It's probably because like her you are also a woman." Haesul said.

"May be, she'd very much expect me to understand her much better than anyone else." Seungman said.

"What type of person is she?" Haesul asked, "Is she better than you?" He added.

"I must say that she is in deed very smart just as the rumours I have heard about her claim she is.

She has a very quick eye to notice talent and she strives to have the best people by her side, she is beautiful and graceful, intelligent and humbled.

Her speech weighs heavier than ordinary talk she has the tongue that is good at moving you in the end, you feel you are like a mirror that she is looking into.

She could not fight like me perhaps but I do see a similar hint of my ambition drawn in her eyes and perhaps even better." Seungman replied.

"You were able to see each one of those sides with her?" Haesul asked.

"It's just as I told you, she felt so open with me." Seungman said.

"It does not really matter." Haesul said.

"Why?" Seungman asked. "have you already established who amongst the both of us is better?" She added.

"In the little time that I have known you, I feel so close and I haven't even felt an ounce of distance between me and you.

You might not be more intelligent than she easy and perhaps her grace and ambition could be greater than yours but in my sight that doesn't make her more perfect than you." Haesul said.

"The way that he was looking at Seungman got her feeling a series of things that she was unable to explain.

"Thank you." She said trying to forget everything that he had done but she couldn't feel normal, only uncomfortable.

"Also about that man." Haesul said.

"Which one?" Seungman asked.

"The one that held your hand before you left the palace." Haesul replied.

"Alcheon Rang?" Seungman asked.

"Yes." Haesul replied.

"He is just an acquaintance." Seungman lied.

"How did the two of you meet?" Haesul asked.

"He was a soldier that was ambushed by men from Gorguryeo and I happened to be around with another friend of mine.

At that point, I along with his help decided to help him as he had been injured and we fought off all the soldiers and took him to our home.

He stayed there until he recuperated and when he was done, he left the place." Seungman replied.

"There is that much kindness in your heart to help a stranger?" Haesul asked.

"Isn't it the same thing that your father did to me, at some point it feels like helping him was my karma because in the end, I was also helped I start to feel as grateful as he felt and I get to live like I have never lived in my life before." Seungman replied.

"That's true." Haesul said.

"I have seen a number of people in this manor but I haven't yet seen your mother." Seungman said and she seemed to touch Haesul's weak point.

He was instantly overwhelmed by gloom and she noticed that the change in her mood was unfavourable.

"You can choose to keep quiet of you do not want to talk about it." Seungman said.

"My mother passed away while she was giving birth to Cheongye." Haesul replied.

"I am sorry " Seungman said upon realizing that the memory was something that to Haesul could have been something unbearable.

"You shouldn't be, you didn't kill her." Haesul said.

"I can see from both you and Cheongye's personalities that you take after her playfulness." Seungman said.

"The manor was always lively with her around, at this point in time, the only one that I have to remind me of her is Cheongye, she makes laughing worthwhile and I find her to be quite pitiful she has never felt the love of a mother." Haesul said.

"She is quite pitiful." Seungman said. "Perhaps even just as pitiful as me." she added.

Haesul curiously craned his neck.

"Why?" He asked.

"I wasn't fortunate as well and perhaps the very same goes for me." Seungman replied.

"You mean to say that....?" Haesul asked.

"Yes." Seungman replied. "I also lost my mother the day that I was Born, in fact, for my case she died protecting me as there were people that killed her and thankfully my father protected me." She added.

"Why would they wish to kill you?" Haesul asked and at that moment it occurred to Seungman that she had never really paid that much attention to the circumstance itself.

"I don't know." She replied.

"Impossible." Haesul said, "There must have been a reason as to why they tried to kill you " Haesul said.

"What makes you say so, for all that I know my father was a soldier and a Shilla warrior who fought in wars." Seungman replied

"It's natural that at least with his skills he wouldn't have at least been an ordinary warrior." She thought as she seemed to remember how he had denied even knowing about the Hwarang and yet most of the words that she had grown up knowing and hearing him say were part of the Song of the Hwarang.

"There must have been something happened for your mother to get killed." Haesul said.

"I always ignored that possibility and now that you talk about it I have come to realize that there's more to the story of my mother's death." Seungman said.

"Do you have any idea who killed her?" Haesul asked.

"Not at all." Seungman replied, "The only thing that my father told me was that those people were from Seoraebeol." She added.

"And none of that news surfaced then it is possible that someone from the privileged castes and powerful enough was responsible.

Your father could have told you that for a reason, initially if your mother witnessed something then perhaps you would have been spared but if according to your father she died protecting you then there must have been something special about you." Haesul said.

"But it doesn't seem that way." Seungman said.

"I also don't know but this is an assumption, I feel that something strange happened back then and its possible that your father either didn't tell you the whole truth or there are things that he didn't know himself." Haesul said.

Chunchu was seated at the YELLOW PAVILION TEA HOUSE as the letter that he'd received three days ago had requested him.

He was in a small isolated compartment and there he was patiently waiting for the presence of someone else to see him.

After waiting for a very long while someone walked up to him and then he sat down right in front of him.

Looking at the person that was in front of him he smiles.

"Galmunwang Baekban?" He said.

"Your Highness." Baekban said as he bowed his head to him.

"No one acknowledges me that much as a prince any more considering the fact that my father was stripped of the honor of the Sacred bone which made me a true born aristocrat in the end." Chunchu said.

"But you are the son of Princess Cheonmyeong." Baekban said.

"And so?" Chunchu asked.

"You know very well what I am here for." Baekban said.

"I am someone who is so silent and a little bit too childish." Chunchu said.

"Don't underestimate yourself Your Highness, there are a few people that can see behind that mask that you are wearing, it isn't that difficult to take a peek at the real Chunchu who is smart and non-existent." Baekban said.

"You have said it yourself that I am non existent." Chunchu said.

"But you don't have to be that way for all your life." Baekban said.

"And why would you propose and Alliance?" Chunchu asked.

"I know that above all people you are afraid that Princess Deokman's marriage to give Shilla a Royal Son in law could jeopardize your claim for the throne which is already poor given that you are a Jingol and ate no longer of the Seonggol rank." Baekban said.

"What difference will it make if I join your side, it can not turn me into a Seonggol once again." Chunchu said.

"Who said?" Baekban asked, "The honour of the Hallowed bone though being something hereditary can be restored just as much as it can be revoked." He added.

"By the King " Chunchu said.

"Of course." Baekban replied. "And I intend to make you that King." He added and at once Chunchu laughed.

"Forgive me if I sound so funny or perhaps it is my wishful thinking." Baekban said.

"Everyone is aware that since my grandfather is unable to have make heirs of his own to inherit the throne and he is reluctant to name a successor as the decision has not yet come to mind, the battle for the throne has just started and that puts all of you his brothers on the side of suspect." Chunchu said.

"There is the wise you, you have finally revealed your true self to me." Baekban said.

"I would believe that you are planning to use me as a justification to your cause and I must say that you are quite shallow when thinking of Princess Deokman.

You of all people are aware that you were the very person that took my father's power in the court and you expect me to forge an alliance with you!" Chunchu asked.

"Do you have a choice?" Baekban asked.

"You wish that I turn into a rebel?" Chunchu asked.

"Of course." Baekban replied. "You said it yourself that the battle for the throne and the Kingdom has just started." He added.

"Should it fail then I am certain that you are aware of the fate that has been laid ahead of you." Chunchu said.

"But everyone is taking risks and I am sure that you have heard about the impeachment of Queen Maya so that the King can have a male heirs with another woman.

That as well has put Princess Deokman in a tough position because should that come to happen then as the Crown Princess it would have jeopardized her position.

Initially, she is also preparing for the worst and if it means to rebel then she is also going to be willing to do that." Baekban said.

"She has a claim, she is a Seonggol, you can also possess a claim as you are of the Seonggol rank as well." Chunchu said.

"As they sat blood is thicker than water as I am from the same womb as the King and Gukban.

You on the other hand aren't from the same womb as Princess Deokman and on top of that I can tell your ambition to have the throne and the Crown all to yourself.

I don't want there in our midst to emerge another Mishil because so many of my generation and your mother's can testify to her might and how it happened the internal success of Shilla.

All the talents died, she pushed us to wore, even to the extent of King's ruling at her invitation, we can all tell what happens when women are in power.

Queens Ji Soo and Sado though being competent regents in the end favoured their clans and they nurtured the dreams of Mishil including her herself. " Baekban said.

"You are really patriotic towards Shilla." Chunchu said.

"Just look around your Highness, you would rely on the help of Mishil's supporters but ever since she fell marrying her granddaughter became the greatest loss of your life.

Their influence in the court and in the military was uprooted and their daughters can do nothing but contribute to the domestic baggage of the households they married into.

Some have lived worse because they are thought to be as ambitious as their mother was and it's impossible to tell those that were legitimate and those that were not given the fact that she had sons in all the men she married." Baekban replied.

"Princess Deokman has the Hwarang, she has Ichan Seulbu the Sangdaedeung, now even her uncle Galmunwang Gukban is on her side and for me on top of it being the advent of another Mishil or even worse, I can't stop asking myself who is on your side, the male third generation blood of two Kings descended from our forefather King Jinheung." He added.

"You have stretched your point but why do you think that I stand a chance against the all powerful Princess Deokman and why do you think that I would forsake my peace for your alliance?" Chunchu asked.

"To begin with you are the one thing that Princess Deokman was unlucky to not be born as." Baekban replied.

"A man?" Chunchu asked.

"A Prince." Baekban replied.