DANGEROUS AFFAIRS

"I am trying to propose that you enter into my service." Baekban replied.

Seungman putting down her chopsticks she sighed.

"Don't you think that before you can do that I might have demands of my own, and how certain are you that I am very much interested in being someone's servant?" Seungman asked.

"Being a stranger here in Seoraebeol I doubt that everything in General Sokham's house can suit your full satiety.

On top of that what is there for him to offer to you?" Baekban asked as he continued eating his food.

"You certainly did a very good job knowing all that about me, you seem to be informed about my whereabouts and perhaps you are aware that I met with Princess Deokman." Seungman said as she reclined in her seat.

"You in deed are very smart." Baekban said.

"I might be someone from a rural area but I am quite rational as well." Seungman said.

"She could have some favourable terms for you but I think that I could have better." Baekban said.

"You are an upright official Baekban." Seungman said, "she is the Princess." She added.

"That's why you can have my word guaranteed and on the other hand I doubt that the same could go for her." Baekban replied.

"Enlighten me." Seungman said.

"You have only heard little of the power that Princess Deokman wields, you should know better than anyone that as the Princess she shall most likely get what she wants and of course alongside yourself there are a number of people that could be jockeying for her favour as well.

People are bound to make you look bad in her eyes and your enemies as well as the people who'll be envious of your shall keep on becoming many and many with each and every day that goes by.

She can use and then dismiss once exhausted but you can trust that my men I serve for eternity and those that die in my service I look after their families.

She has Yushin Rang and Alcheon Rang to begin with, she boasts the wrath of them all, with her beauty she has most of the courtiers tied to her fingers some of them looking up to hoping that she'd choose their sons as Royal son's in law.

She has in deed been popularised amongst the people but have you ever wondered why very many people fear her?" Baekban asked.

"No." Seungman replied.

"The one thing that she resents more than anything else are heroes." Baekban replied.

"Looking at me do you think I am one?" Seungman asked.

"If your talent is remarkable then she wishes to use you with restrictions to herself, because if you can be harmful to her enemies then on the other hand it is possible that you can be harmful to her as well." Baekban replied.

"Can't you suffer the same fate by making me one if your people?" Seungman asked.

"Unlike her I am but struggling to survive and for that each and every alliance that I make is a bargain of my own that I can't insure against.

For the Princess each and every alliance that she makes its a choice." Baekban replied.

"I sat down at a similar table like this one and I had a heart to heart talk with her as a woman which I'd very much expect her to have understood and in deed taken to heart.

On top of that in her face and in her eyes I draped myself with sincerity and humility because as she owns so much she is in the position to give.

I am a person that loves to battle and to fight, combat comes so natural to me like a talent that I have evolved into a hobby and if you can strive to make me a General I heard that History here in Shilla particularly holds a very special place that is designated to the Hwarang.

Being their Heavenly keeper it'd be quite easy for me to seat in that privilege and play my part to the country, if that is the best offer that the Princess could give me which one more exceeding than that is there for you on your side?" Seungman replied.

"You are new to Seoraebeol so it is natural that there are some things here that you don't know.

The Hwarang a not older than a century you should have heard but neither are they so young.

Any girl from around would enroll but the Hwarang particularly train the sons of a privileged caste of the Shilla dynasty that excludes those from a very humble background.

I to Begin with was a Hwarang but because my father The Crown Prince Dongrym was the son to King Jinheung who flourished them.

That makes me the King's uncle and that makes me a Prince of the Royal blood and even better on my side a pure Seonggol.

Yushin Rang was a descendant of the Gaya royalty but what qualified him to be a Hwarang was that on the side of the King, his mother was Lady Manmyeong who from a privileged caste was betrothed to a Gaya Prince after King Jinheung absorbed the whole of that confederation.

among the Greatest Mishil whom you could say was a female Hwarang that was distinuisghed, she was given the posthumous title Seju and rooted her power throughout Shilla because she was the holder of the Heavenly seal and on top of that a direct descendant of King Bopheung of Shilla.

She was a Jingol aristocrat by birth which qualified her to even be a Wonhwa and the Hwarang's favorite that the people believed in.

Her legacy however was tarnished by her weak and sentimental successors Nammo and Junjeong, and because of that the only position that could be held by women in the Hwarang was disbanded." Baekban replied.

"Mishil could have continued to survive as Seju but after them women could no longer be a part of the Hwarang." He added.

"There is a first time for everything." Seungman said. "Princess Deokman herself can also affirm that." She added.

"At least to compete you should have a solid privileged caste in Shilla to which you belong.

Forget about the Seonggol caste which as of now is too small to possess another, the Jingols are quite many but all of them are quite privileged being closer to the throne yet as I recall you said that your father is an ordinary farmer.

For all that I know whoever your master was from whom you inherited such distinguished skills his name can not help you if he was not a Gukseon or a Wonsanghwa.

Princess Deokman can promise but the only thing that she can give you is a trial while I wish to inquire that you are by far less privileged than nearly all the five thousand Hwarang in Seoraebeol dwelling.

Most of them could lack lands attached to their names because perhaps they are second and third bones and can not be Family successor they can only hope that their reputation being good in war shall sustain them they still have the honor of the blood in their veins.

Eventually all I can tell you is my people are equal and I reward them in abundance.

I could make you Shilla's first female General which is good enough but in addition to that I could give you charge over armies beyond your expectations and with your talent you can even be remembered greatly in the pages of History more than any other Hwarang." Baekban said.

"Your offer is good enough." Seungman said, "Everytime you keep talking you only make it more difficult for me to refuse." She added.

She sipped at some tea and then she looked at Baekban again with a smile on her face.

"I am humble and I do not know how to count wealth, only how to maintain it, I am innocent so once I choose to serve you you are confident you can lean on me for so long.

If I could face Yushin Rang for the first time in combat and register a victory while he on the other hand conceeded defeat as a Pungwolji your confident that one time my skills even in war could surpass his.

Me and him could never be on good terms perhaps as it shall seem in his eyes that I am competing for Princess Deokman's favour with him which to my advantage being a woman Princess Deokman would expect me to understand her.

The goal is that once you can be the mastermind behind my power initially I shall exist and with me in possession of the hearts of the soldiers then naturally you shall have them as well." Seungman said.

"You see." Baekban said.

"Forgive me for being impudent and perhaps I could have pried into your business too much but if a nobody like me rules the army a somebody like you can use it on my behalf.

As I have learnt from you being a brother of the King and a pure Seonggol then you also have a claim to the throne and you are pretty close.

One thing I might say now either you have thought about it or not, perhaps you are still in self denial or considering other factors you purposely don't wish to let it show." Seungman said.

Baekban looked curious.

"Wisdom could get one a lot of the treasures that belong to this world but at the same time too much of it could get someone killed so I wish to have a heart to heart conversation with you." Seungman said.

Baekban gulped reluctantly before he looked at Seungman in the eye.

"I suppose that I know what you are going to say." Baekban said.

"And I shall say it nevertheless, with the looks of it a courteous Official is in deed one who is humane in the hearts of the people.

Additionally, in his own natural he who is faithful to his servants gives them no reason to desert him in future.

You build the alliance with many knowing that as their solid support should they rise as you rise, your fall shall make theirs inevitable they'll in turn devote whatever it is that they can to protect you.

Forgive me if my words are too many but I shall tell you what I have analysed and I may not be politically enlightened but this is what my mind tells me.

Conclusively, everything that I have said gives you any form of qualification for the throne and being a male acceptable I am at last asking you in your face." Seungman said, "Don't you wish to be the King of this Heavenly kingdom of Shilla?" She asked.

Haek Ga who was not so far away drew out his sword and then pointed it at Seungman.

"I am a person of my word and one who is straightforward which is why I told you that let us have a heart to heart conversation.

Show me your goal and I can give you my devotion as well, I don't wish to follow someone in a direction that is indefinite without knowing the consequences that lie ahead, I can certainly not dig that grave for myself.

If you can come to a decision that is final you can formally invite me to another meal some time again and let me know because if it is to fight to my very last breath, I must know what I am fighting for." Seungman said as she stood up and looked at Haek Ga in the eye.

He stared back at her and walking closer while he maintained his sword right in front of her, she walked out leaving the two of them there.

"Your Excellency." Haek Ga said as he rushed over to Baekban's side.

"You have always known what it is that I have wanted better than anyone else." Baekban said.

"Your Excellency, no one in this world can understand your heart and mind like I do." Haek Ga replied.

"In my servants that I own and those that I have moulded your devotion to me is second to none." Baekban said.

"Even in the face of death, for all these years that we have walked together I shall never forsake you." Haek Ga said.

"Don't be too jealous of Seungman and in deed there is something utterly perturbing about her.

I had never imagined that with such a reason she has deemed my offer vague yet it does make sense because I can tell that by the looks of it she hasn't yet yielded to Princess Deokman as well." Baekban said.

"What are you going to do Your Excellency?" Haek Ga asked.

"For the first time I do not know but let us watch her closely.

Princess Deokman herself considering how smart Seungman is she must have also deployed people to follow her so she won't let her off either.

Seungman too is using the both of us to advantage and she is climbing both ladders to see which one is going to take her higher." Baekban said.

"She is only making things more and more complicated." Haek Ga said.

"And If Princess Deokman is suspicious of her then we shall use her to our advantage." Baekban said.

"What shall we do Your Excellency?" Haek Ga asked.

"The moment that she chooses to side with the Princess Deokman and not me then do whatever it takes to bury her " Baekban replied.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied and at that moment the two walked out of the restaurant.

Yushin who was outside had heard everything and he too headed out of the area without being seen.

"Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said as he bowed his head.

"What is it?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Everything went according to plan and in deed Baekban himself ordered spies to follow his brother to the Cheolwon Fortress." Alcheon Rang replied.

"That is very good then, I also had something that I wished to tell you about Seungman." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, did you find out about her father?" Alcheon asked.

"Right now I am at crossroads, I looked through the records of the Hwarang and there is no mention of that name which could mean that while he was in Seoraebeol he didn't use it so it isn't his original name.

Alternatively, it could have been his name as there was a paper that carrying the rest of the Kim's names was missing including my uncle Gukban's as well and whoever took it out did it carefully that it was hard for me to notice a missing page.

With all these coming into my mind, it is quite clear that Seungman's mother having died must have been linked to something big which could have been the reason that her father didn't want her to have connections with Seoraebeol hence we can't just go around openly asking questions which might arouse the suspicion of others.

However as I looked through all those records I came across something." Princess Deokman replied and there she pulled from her sleeve a piece of paper which Alcheon opened and read.

"THE SON OF MY FATHER THE BLOOD OF MY OWN, HEAVEN'S CALLING IS TO MOULD ON HIS SIDE FOR ME THE LAST CARRIER OF THE HALLOWED BONE, TO ATONE FOR A SIN SO VILE LIKE THIS, THE REBEL AND HIS HOUSE MUST CERTAINLY BE EXTINGUISHED"

"Your Highness, I do recall this Prophecy." Alcheon Rang said but at that time it wasn't something that we as the Hwarang took seriously however I do recall it was a matter that greatly shook the Courtiers including your father the King himself." Alcheon Rang said.

Princess Deokman was so surprised.

"Really?" She asked.

"I can assure you on that, in that day, rumours travelled about the land and all of them were foretelling the extinction of the Seonggols." Alcheon Rang replied.

"So it could have been related to my father." Princess Deokman said.

"It is very important that we find out what the rebel in this prophecy meant and whom it was, if my hint is right then it's possible that in this confusion Seungman's mother was attached." She added.

"Your Highness, what did you want me to do with this?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"Looking through the records it is cited that the Prophecy came from GOKHYEONWANGSA TEMPLE that's not so far in the North so I needed you to send someone that you can certainly trust to find out who it was that started that Prophecy.

If it was related to the King then most probably there must be a name attached to it, it's possible that if the person is not alive then they must have been executed.

Either way, just see to it that you find out no matter the cost." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said as he walked out of the room and left Princess Deokman wondering.

"Why do I keep getting bothersome at the thought of who you might be?" Princess Deokman asked.

She was still puzzled at that moment when Yushin Rang walked through the doors quickly and stopped right in front of him.

"Your Highness." Yushin said as he bowed his head.

"You seem to be so surprised it's like you've seen a ghost." Princess Deokman remarked, "what is it?" She asked.

"Your Highness." Yushin Rang said as he gasped for air, meanwhile, Princess Deokman patiently waited on his answer.

"It's Seungman." Yushin replied.

"Seungman, what happened to her?" Princess Deokman asked.

"She met with Galmunwang Baekban Your Highness." Yushin replied.

Princess Deokman hearing the news looked at him strangely before she suddenly smiled.

"Then it's a success." Princess Deokman remarked that Yushin himself was quite surprised hearing that.

"What do you mean by a success Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"I don't wish to hide anything from you but between me and Seungman things are quite complicated you'd just have to be patient with both her and me.

Baekban thinks that he is the only one who can scheme but even I can scheme as well and I know that he shall be wise by half he'll end up digging his own grave." Princess Deokman replied.

"If you are confident Your Highness then I shall trust you but I am worried as well." Yushin Rang said.

"Seungman should be worried the more because she is caught in between." Princess Deokman said, "I am certain that Baekban proposed an alliance to her so I am curious, did she agree?" Princess Deokman asked.

"No." Yushin replied.

"She really is determined to o get what she wants and she is doing excellently." Princess Deokman said.

"If Your Highness is pleased, I can not compare to your wisdom and your brilliance however even Baekban himself was quite hesitant to yield that it is clear he is very much afraid of Seungman." Yushin said.

"She is full of very many expectations and don't worry, she has proven that she can be trusted." Princess Deokman said.

"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Her bravery has surpassed that of any other woman that I have ever seen and since she has proven her loyalty then it is High time that I fulfilled my end of the bargain." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, is there something you are not telling me?" Yushin Rang asked.

"I am going to give her the chance of becoming a Hwarang." Princess Deokman replied and hearing that he recalled what Seungman had told Baekban while at the restaurant.

"So she was serious." Yushin said.

"Did you overhear her say it?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I thought that she was doing it because she was only trying to avoid an alliance with Baekban." Yushin said.

"I told you that she is extraordinary, she did not ask for a manor or a title, she didn't ask for a military rank or for money, all that she wanted to be was nothing more than a Hwarang and that was the reason that she came to Seoraebeol." Princess Deokman replied.

Yushin suddenly felt guilty.

"I now know why you trust her." Yushin Rang said.

"People like her are very hard to find and looking at her I can proudly say it that I see myself because like me she is the perfect reflection of undying love and devotion towards Shilla." Princess Deokman replied.

"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang said as he bowed his head.

At that very moment he walked out of the room and left Princess Deokman all alone inside.

Seungman walked into the manor and at that moment, as she approached her room she was halted when General Sokham blocked her path.

"Sir." She said as she bowed her head.

"There is no need for you to do that, I wish to have a brief talk with you." Sokham said.

"Yes Sir." Seungman replied as he pointed towards his study and the two of them walked inside and sat there.

"Is there anything that you wish to tell me Sir?" Seungman asked.

"Nothing much." Sokham replied, "I just want to know if you are comfortable here." He added.

"It's more than I could ever ask for Sir and I am very grateful, to be honest, I feel like I am imposing on you too often which is why I plan on leaving very soon." Seungman replied.

"Why?" Sokham asked, "If you leave where are you going to go to?" He added.

"I have always wanted that before I die, at least I should have done a good service for my country.

When I met with Princess Deokman in the Palace last time and the two of us talked to one another, I asked her if I too could join the Hwarang?" Seungman replied.

"That's impossible, women are forbidden and on top of that you aren't from any of the privileged castes of Shilla." Sokham said.

"I know that everyone thinks it is something that is ordurous but I also can't simply resign to that date of concluding the same without giving it a try." Seungman said.

"Aren't you at all afraid that what you want might not go as expected?" Sokham asked.

"Then I shall do whatever it takes and I won't give up, even if I have to stand against the whole world while they look down on me, it is simply because I am more than willing to get to my dream and become the person that I wish to be for this Shilla." Seungman replied.

"You'll always be welcome to work for me if you change your mind, it's the only way that you can repay my kindness, but whatever it is I do not wish to see the skill of the girl that I met back in my hometown die, rather I'd desire if you rid yourself of all the passions of this world and embrace it to make it something that shall become eternal in all our hearts." Sokham said.

"Yes Sir." Seungman replied as Sokham stood up to walk out of the room.

Seungman followed him and once they were on the doorway they halted and looked at each other.

Sokham couldn't help but feeling something strange about Seungman and inwardly he was debating with himself as he has decided to keep her under his roof that he was expecting to find out a thing about her but there was nothing at all.

His conviction was growing out of order but even Seungman he was unaware didn't know her real identity.

"Is there anything else that you wish to tell me Sir?" Seungman asked.

"No." Sokham replied, "You should go back first and if there is anything else then I shall call you." He added.

"Aye." Seungman replied as she walked further and further away from him.

"I am not stupid I can tell that there is in deed something strange going on in your mind." Seungman thought to herself, "It must have been easy for me in the beginning but I don't think that right now I can trust you any more." She added as she vanished into her room.

King Jinpyeong was seated in his throne room when all of a sudden the doors of the room were flung open and someone walked in.

There presence was not announced but Judging by the looks of it It was a woman.

She halted and at that moment the tired King feeling the presence of someone else he called out the name he didn't mean to.

"Maya." He whispered lightly.

"Your Majesty." He had a very soft voice calling him and at that moment he lifted his head to see who it was and was surprised when in front of him there was a very beautiful little girl who stood there.

She was only a couple of years older that Princess Deokman and she held her head High one would have thought her to be a very proud person.

However, contrary to her appearance the Emperor could tell that she was more modest and more womanly than any of his daughters.

"Who are you?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Pardon me Your Majesty for not introducing myself, but I am Lady Sungman." The woman replied.

"You mean to say that you are my...." King Jinpyeong said trying to find the most befitting phrase for her.

"Your Queen?" Lady Sungman said.

"My second Queen." King Jinpyeong said.

"It doesn't really matter of I am the first or the second, as long as me a Seonggol woman I have gotten the opportunity to serve right beside Your Majesty and make everything for you as easy as possible then I am very much satisfied with this life." Lady Sungman said.

"You are very young and I am very old, how could you be find of me when I am seeing you for the first time and on top of that, how could you say that you love me so dearly?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Whether as your wife or as a Consort, even as a maid within the palace and a servant within the Capital, for any girl in the service of you our good King it is more than any other privilege and greater than any other honour to die for you, after all it is the duty of all the ladies in the Kingdom." Lady Sungman said.

"I can barely remember when it was that the two of us were sworn to be with one another in Holy Matrimony, how can I dare say that I am befitting to be a husband.

All my life it has been only one woman that I have fervently cherished and kept closest to my mind and that was my Queen Maya, to love you is very difficult for me and as I am unwilling to give you this heart of mine do you think that it is fair and alright on your side?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Your Majesty, I do not know about you and you might not have any place for me in your heart, I can not demand for your affection because your love towards Shilla and your devotion towards it as well is something that you can not share with the love of a woman.

You don't need to love me but I must love only you, isn't that good enough to show you my heart?" Lady Seungman said.

"I can now see why of all people it could be only you at last, you are virtuous, diligent and tolerant but I fear that the inner court is something that is too violent for you.

I shall excuse you if that burden and you can live as my Queen, respect me and my privacy and your status shall not be revoked.

No matter how old my children are they are also yours but understanding that my daughters are quite sentimental if you can not win their hearts then it is best to leave them alone." King Jinpyeong said.

"Can you do this for me?" he asked.

"Yes Your Majesty." Lady Sungman.

"Tomorrow you shall be presented to the court and I shall bestow upon you the title of my Queen." King Jinpyeong said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Lady Sungman said as she bowed her head while she withdrew from the King's presence.

King Jinpyeong stood up from the throne where he was seated and he was supported by a Eunuch as he walked out back towards his Chambers.

Princess Deokman was walking towards the direction of her father when she halted after her path was blocked by another woman she'd never seen before.

She was dressed nobly in clothes that resembled her mother's and she was beautiful and followed by a group of ladies in waiting of her own.

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

Princess Deokman keenly studying her she bowed her head as well.

"Pardon me, but I don't seem to recall ever seeing you around the palace." Princess Deokman said.

"Of course you are seeing me for the first time Your Highness and I am seeing you for my first time as well, who hasn't heard about you, the ambitious, the intelligent and the smart Princess of Shilla?" The woman asked.

"Enlighten me, your tongue is quite interesting in deed that I feel I should know you much more." Princess Deokman said.

"I believe that from this point onwards you should refer to me as mother." The woman replied.

Princess Deokman smiled.

"Is there anything funny Your Highness?" Lady Sungman asked.

"No." Princess Deokman said, "At last I have seen for myself the Daring and the beautiful Lady Sungman that everyone has been talking about." She added.

"You'd be surprised." Sungman said.

"Tell me." Princess Deokman said. "What do you know about being a mother?" Princess Deokman asked.

"You are my children that I must love and I must cherish and I shall certainly respect you for as long as you respect me and not burden the King, I do believe that in these his few years that he has left with us I shall look after him well and I am here to accomplish the task that the former Queen couldn't so I hope that you all can cooperate." Lady Sungman replied.

Princess Deokman smiled again.

"Accomplish the task that the former Queen couldn't, and which one is that?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Giving the throne a legitimate make heir." Lady Sungman replied.

"What if I am unwilling to comply?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Then above all things you must be ready to become an Enemy of mine." Lady Sungman confidently replied.