QUESTIONS AND CONSPIRACIES

"Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said but Princess Deokman raised her hand and she halted him.

"Something doesn't add up properly." Princess Deokman said.

"I think so too Your Highness " Gopheung said.

"About seventeen years ago there is something that we are missing out but I can not crack my brain to find out what it was." Princess Deokman said.

"There must be something in the Royal records about what happened in the court during that year." Gopheung said.

"There must have been but surprisingly I couldn't find a thing as it seems most of those records were tampered with." Princess Deokman said.

"Why?" Gopheung asked.

"Perhaps there was something that they were intending to hide." Alcheon Rang said.

"When I come to think it I am perturbed as now it is difficult for us to tell who the rebel was in the prophecy.

For all that we know, it could have been in a way related Seungman because if her father really resented Seoraebeol that much then there must have been a reason perhaps connected to that same event." Princess Deokman said.

"We can't just come to conclusions Your Highness, as it seems to me that anything could have happened that year." Alcheon Rang said.

"The people who tend to bear the longest grudges are either relatives of rebels or those that are innocent victims.

Seungman being someone that looks to be sincere there should have been a reason that her father disapproved of her coming to Seoraebeol.

If he was most likely a Hwarang but denies it there must have been a series of treacherous events that could have conspired.

It could have been related to Mishil one way or another except that for the case of Mishil her surrender was without a cause of bloodshed so it is unlikely.

Additionally, Mishil's power was entirely uprooted and her descendants were reduced to practically nothing.

The most dramatic event however that was hidden from us all was the Massacre and if my guess is right, since it didn't reach the King's ears then that means that a whole lot of Courtiers are unworthy so this is something that we can not consult about but secretly investigate on our own.

It could have been said that the person who announced and started the rumour was murdered but given the fact that he was taken away then that means it's most likely that no one was sure about what happened to him." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, in my opinion this prophecy was directly aiming for someone." Alcheon Rang said.

"That bring the case we are still unable to find out who it was." Princess Deokman said.

"Anyone can be a rebel but we should think it through that it pertaining to the bane of the Seonggols, we can not conclude who it was as the Seonggols were still fairly many at the time including Kim Yongsu and King Jinji's other descendants." She added.

"What should we do?" Gopheung asked.

"Do you know the name of the Grandmaster who started the rumor?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"His name was Grandmaster Sal Su." Gopheung replied.

"It isn't that useful for us and even if it was, if he was taken away he could have been killed seventeen years ago, if he is alive then he could be bearing another name and identity which makes him hard to trace.

Imagine if it was possible for him to survive this long then there should have been something valuable that he had in his possession that others didn't to survive beyond that massacre." Princess Deokman said.

"Like a talent or reputation?" Alcheon Rang said.

"Exactly." Princess Deokman replied.

"I do remember something." Gopheung said.

"What is it?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"Master Gopheung was an excellent astronomer on top of being a Buddhist priest." Gopheung said.

"There are a number of Astronomers in Shilla." Princess Deokman said.

"Natively he was from Gaya where he developed a passion for studying astronomy and I heard that it was so great that he went to as far as Sui and afterwards he became one of the proteges of a Tang Grandmaster in Astronomy, he even travelled to Qara Hoja, Mongolia and even in the lands of the jurchens.

His knowledge increased that he was at one point not only able to foretell the future but on top of that, he also started to forecast seasons and weather conditions." Gopheung said.

"Now that you say it he boasts quite the most remarkable retinue of astronomical talents that is unheard of." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, from my point of view someone with him in their possession could have that knowledge as well and worse if he was in the wrong hands they could use it to their advantage." Alcheon Rang said.

"But at this rate, conclusively our scope has only been widened." Princess Deokman said.

"It seems so." Gopheung agreed, "Galmunwang Baekban hasn't done that much lately which makes us more suspicious, Ichan Seulbu who would have sensed the threat of Grandmaster Sal Su is foresighted as well and he could know better than anyone else that Grandmaster Sal Su would be useful in the future.

It could also be anyone as there are a number of ambitious politicians and Courtiers now that the King has no males to inherit the throne and not very many would think of that idea of Your Highness...." Alcheon Rang said.

"Yes." Princess Deokman said.

"I think there is one person though that seems to be strangely excluded from this conversation." Gopheung said.

Princess Deokman thought.

"Galmunwang Gukban?" She asked.

"Yes Your Highness." Gopheung replied.

"He wasn't in Seoraebeol seventeen years ago." Alcheon Rang said.

"But why did he come back when he had abandoned the battlefield and politics?" Gopheung asked.

"He came back for revenge." Princess Deokman said, "But that is something that was between me and him as it was he was a victim of a Royal dispute." She added.

"I see." Alcheon Rang said.

"Wait." Princess Deokman said.

"What is it Your Highness?" Gopheung asked.

"I don't really know what happened to his family?" Princess Deokman said, "Whatever it was, it must have been something that was very serious." She added.

"Come to think of it Your Highness." Alcheon Rang said.

"But it's possible that that couldn't be the real reason or even if it was there was something else behind that he never told me." Princess Deokman said.

"It's possible that he lied." Gopheung said.

"I never really trusted my uncle and I do not trust the both of them, Galmunwang Gukban is only supporting me because he doesn't have a choice and it's the only way of protecting himself from the others." Princess Deokman said.

"For him to step out of the political sphere and return successfully he must have had some support, he wouldn't have succeeded had it been something baseless." Alcheon Rang said.

"Whatever it is Alcheon Rang, I want you to find out which events transpired in the court upon his return and get me those who were his supporters and those that paralleled that issue." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Alcheon replied.

"Gopheung Rang, you on the other hand I trust you can at least still find something on the secret Royal investigations that were done that year so do everything that you can and get me the lists of all Officials that handled the cases that transpired and the cases prior to the massacre and after it." Princess Deokman ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Gopheung replied as he bowed his head.

"If the both of you come across Yushin Rang tell him that I need to see him because there is something urgent that he must do for me." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." They both said in unison as they stood up and bowed their heads before walking out of the room leaving the Princess seated inside alone.

Seungman faced Junghwan with her sword right in front of her while the two walked around in circles.

Seungman made a straight attack but Junghwan turned around and moved to the side as she missed.

He ceased her by her collar and dragged her backwards while she staggered away.

Junghwan made his attack with his sword but Seungman guarded with her own and pushing his while bending, she passed right under his arm and positioned herself behind him.

Junghwan turned around to look at her and she looked at him as well as they rotated around again.

The others that were practicing first halted as they watched the two who clashed once again and their swords grew louder and louder.

Seungman swang her Sword towards Junghwan who summersaulted and attacked Seungman as she bent backwards as it passed over her.

Junghwan brought it downwards and Seungman span to the side as the sword landed on the ground.

Junghwan turned it and brought it towards Seungman who leaped into the air with a spinning kick.

Junghwan seeing her foot headed for his head bent down.

Seungman then descended her leg but Junghwan put his right hand and guarded this head.

He pushed Seungman away and she staggered backwards before she regained her equilibrium.

She shifted her Sword into her left hand and she launched herself towards Junghwan as she span her sword in circles from the top.

Clashing with Junghwan's, they both rotated their swords for a while as Seungman hit Junghwan's out of his grip she moved towards his abdomen but Junghwan clapped and ceased the sword in his palms.

Seungman was unable to move as Junghwan let go and she went ahead to nearly landed on her face until she felt a very strong hand gripping her right hand.

Pulling her and turning her around before he'd hold her close to himself, Seungman laid a fist on his chest which parted the both of them and they were separated once again.

Ichan Chilsuk at that moment had chosen to spectate as Junghwan picked up both Seungman's and his own sword.

Seungman was unarmed that she just clenched her fists as they moved around in circles.

She leaped towards Junghwan who also made his attack, jumping from side to side, Chilsuk knew that movement to be quite familiar as Junghwan on the other hand was puzzled.

By the time that he laid his sword down, Seungman was on his left wing.

She gripped him and they using him as a pivot she grabbed the sword in his right hand as she positioned herself right in front of him.

She stretched out her sword but he had equally reacted and the two were pointing at each other's necks.

Everyone was marvelled that they gulped while Seungman and Junghwan looked each other in the eye.

The centre of attraction being them even Chilsuk was trying so hard to identify who it was that had such a clean resemblance to Seungman's moves but the name was still lost somewhere in his Brain.

The two lowered their swords down.

"Nice fight." Seungman said.

Junghwan just kept quiet as he turned around and walked away.

"You.....?" She wanted to shout and call him but she noticed that at that moment everyone had halted in their training and they were looking at her.

"Have they never seen a girl who is too good at combat?" She muttered under her breath as she sighed before she walked away as well.

Seokpum looked at her going and he felt that there was something that was in deed strange about Seungman's aura.

"She does have the skill." Some Nangdos murmured.

"She has quite the figure." Another one joked.

"Too bad even her face is beautiful I would have married her if the world would easily tell who's the husband and who's the wife." One said and the three collectively laughed that Seokpum walked up to them.

"You?" He said angrily.

"We're sorry." They said as they bowed their heads.

"Instead of training you are here gossiping and backbiting like old women." He said.

"Pardon us." They said in unison.

"Ten laps around the arena, now." Seokpum Rang ordered.

"Yes." The three said and they hurriedly jogged away.

Seokpum looked at Seungman as she vanished around the corner and went.

"Where's she going to?" He asked himself before he turned back around to the training.

Yushin Rang walked into the Princess' quarters and there he found her waiting.

"Your Highness." Yushin Rang said, "I had that you called for me." He added.

"Yes." Princess Deokman replied.

"How may I help you Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"I want you to help me find out about someone." Princess Deokman replied.

"Who your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Grandmaster Sal Su." Princess Deokman replied.

"Grandmaster Sal Su?" Yushin Rang asked.

"He is a Gaya descendant, additionally, he was one of the best Gaya Astronomers, you know better, at least I believe there is something that you can find.

There could be people amongst the descendants of Gaya that could at least know about him or those that still keep records about your people." Princess Deokman said.

"What you are asking of me Your Highness is something that is not that easy and in my power.

The descendants of Gaya were quite many and it's been more than fifty years so it's natural that some of those records are lost and some could be destroyed." Yushin Rang said.

"You're right." Princess Deokman said, "what was I thinking?" She said.

"Your Highness, you should calm down." Yushin Rang said. "Why did you even wish to know in the first place?" He asked

"As it is there is something that I need to find out." Princess Deokman said.

"What is it Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"A lot of things happen at that time here in Shilla and I do believe that the Courtiers were already split into factions.

The prophecy that foretold the bane of the Seonggols was allegedly started by Grandmaster Sal Su and he was taken as a hostage.

We're trying to figure out who it was that was responsible for a Massacre at Gokhyeonwangsa Temple but we have too many suspects and surprisingly none of the news concerning that incident ever reached Seoraebeol which means that either that news was intercepted or it was a secret Opera that was carried out.

If it was kept a secret I believe that there must have been a very important reason behind it and that's what I am trying to figure out." Princess Deokman said.

"At the begining it felt as though there was some progress on this case but right now it feels like my back is against a wall." She added.

Yushin Rang moved closer and sat down right next to Princess Deokman,

Slowly, he raised his right hand to try and hold hers but then he stopped halfway as he seemed to realise that she was a Princess.

He clenched his fist instead.

"I'm sorry." Yushin said.

"You shouldn't be." Princess Deokman said.

"I am quite forgetful." Yushin said.

"It's a price that I must pay." Princess Deokman said.

"I fervently wish that I could be that person that you can rely on the most your Highness." Yushin Rang said.

"Sadly my duty outruns me and I can only devote every last bit of strength to catch up to it. I feel like I have always staked everything of mine and right now I feel so inadequate that I have strained myself so much." Princess Deokman said.

"Like the stars never forsake the sky for the sea and like flowers blossom in each and everyone of the four seasons, when you chose to be the ruler of Shilla I decided to follow you not because you were the strongest and the best but because despite everything that this world hurled against you you still had a reason to keep fighting and you persisted for it.

Even if I was the last man that was left in the world to stand with you I'd gladly do so because despite everything if I can not shed my blood for you then I can shed it for no one else." Yushin Rang said.

"Thank you so much." Princess Deokman said with a gentle smile on her Face.

"Can I make a suggestion Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Yes." Princess Deokman said.

"What if instead of tracing the problem from the cause why don't you trace it from the result?" Yushin Rang replied.

Princess Deokman seemed to think about it.

"Trace it from the result." She muttered, "That's it." She added.

"Your Highness." Yushin Rang called, "has anything come to mind?" He asked.

"We have been trying to find out what other people would have done and who needed Grandmaster Sal Su the most but we forgot to find out how everyone individually reacted to the prophecy." Princess Deokman replied.

"I see your Highness." Yushin Rang said.

"At least all those Courtiers must have reacted in one way or another but the question of the rebel must have at least been debated about." Princess Deokman said.

"How are we supposed to learn how everyone reacted?" Yushin Rang asked.

"A prophecy like that must have certainly caused some to be fearful and the others could have felt nothing. There are Courtiers that could have sided with one another to find the rebel and there are those that simply ignored it." Princess Deokman replied.

"If there were any that were in deed so cautious then they were the ones that were responsible and if there were those that weren't rather than meddling in the affairs of state they were rather not ambitious." She added.

"You are saying that whoever took master Sal Su was someone who would have become more cautious of the news that was spreading?" Yushin said.

"All the Courtiers have different ambitions, if my guess is right the two suspects that we have are the Sangdaedeung Ichan Seulbu and My Uncle Galmunwang Baekban." Princess Deokman said.

"What do you want me to do For you Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Do whatever you can and send your best men through the whole of Seoraebeol, I wish to know between the whereabouts of each and everyone of the two and the people that they come into contact with." Princess Deokman said, "If my guess is Right Grandmaster Sal Su is someone whose talents would best be used if he was in the Capital or near it." She added.

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

He was walking away but he was halted by Princess Deokman.

"Yushin Rang." She called that he turned around and looked at her.

"Yes Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Thank you." Princess Deokman replied as she smiled at him heartily.

"You're welcome your Highness, because there is nothing in this world that gives me peace than knowing that your mind is at ease." Yushin Rang said as he walked out of the room.

Seungman had walked about the arena until she arrived the Eastern end which was very isolated.

There were small rooms about the place and as she tightly held onto her sword she entered one of the rooms which was already tidy.

It had a simple small bed and table, a cheap tea set and narrow cupboard for clothes.

The windows were very small and the walls too thin and from her point of view she would still see the most beautiful part of the Palace which was the King's Chambers.

As she stared there her mind seemed to find peace while she sat down on her bed which though being hard was a little bit comfortable.

"It's not the best but I hope that you can get used to it." She heard a soft and familiar voice that she was forced to turn around and see who it was.

Princess Deokman darkened the doorway and she smiled at her with very few guards.

"Your Highness." Seungman said as she stood up and bowed her head.

"It's alright." Princess Deokman said as she walked over to Seungman and the two sat down on the bed.

"Pardon me Your Highness but I am curious to know why you had to come here in person when you would have instead summoned me to come and see you." Seungman said.

"I don't know where I can begin from." Princess Deokman said, "Perhaps I was concerned about you." She added.

"Thank you so much your Highness, things might not be easy but I am fine and I am already getting used to this." Seungman said.

"I am sorry if I was quite hard on you with the questions." Princess Deokman said.

"You shouldn't be Your Highness." Seungman said, "In fact I should be thankful that it was my chance to prove myself worthy for that Honour." She added.

"For us women the world can never be something that is very easy." Princess Deokman said.

"I agree with you Your Highness." Seungman said.

"Men always think us to be inferior, that there is no strength for us to master, we'll always be weak and defenseless, unwise and unfit for the tasks that they deem to be the jobs of only men." Princess Deokman said.

"You wish to be a ruler Your Highness yet in my humble background I wish to be a warrior." Seungman said.

"These are two parallel callings and yet at the same time they are quite similar." Princess Deokman said.

"I understand." Seungman said.

"All my life the people that have shown devotion to following me have been men and yet even in their sincerity at times I am too complicated for them to understand." Princess Deokman said.

"I also grew up around boys and men, where other girls had dolls to play with and learnt how to spin and see I chose to learn to wield the sword and dreamed to be a god of war." Seungman said.

"Which is why compared to everyone else I feel that when I look at you I am seeing myself." Princess Deokman said.

"The world is an easy for the both of us and it was why I chose to follow you." Seungman said.

"Thank you so much." Princess Deokman said, "But I noticed that above all things bone thing that makes us more than sisters is our passion for Shilla." Princess Deokman added.

"It came natural to me ever since I was a girl much as it was a dream that my father greatly despised." Seungman said.

"The same was for me, growing up I had seen for myself what life outside the Palace looked like, the Courtiers knew no misery compared to the commons and my country was so greatly divided as it is factions against each other trying to compete for power." Princess Deokman said.

"To rule them all won't be easy for you." Seungman said.

"To love them all is much harder." Princess Deokman said.

"But you are very wise Your Highness." Seungman said.

"That's what complicates it all." Princess Deokman said, "heaven having bestowed upon you way too many eyes it only becomes more and more difficult for you to trust people and no matter how hard that you try to forsake that fear in turn it comes so natural to you like breathing and makes it harder and harder for you to love." She added.

"Me and you are no different." Seungman said, "my life may be simple bags very many people can love me but because of my lowly status I simply can't be with the man that I love." She added.

"But at least you have a chance." Princess Deokman said.

"I only hope that in fighting, becoming great I can match up to that status of becoming his wife but I am burdened when I am uncertain if he can wait that long to marry me." Seungman said.

"This is our river." Princess Deokman said, "Let's just forget about the future and focus on right now." She added.

"Yes." Seungman replied.

"Has He contacted you?" Princess Deokman asked.

"No." Seungman replied.

"That's quite strange." Princess Deokman said.

"He could be reluctant now that I have become a Hwarang." Seungman said.

"Perhaps rarely I'd see you like this." Princess Deokman said, "I just wanted to tell you that before the eyes of the world I can no more treat you friendly and I am forced to make life hard for you." She added.

"I understand that it's the only way there is that is left for Galmunwang Baekban to use me and as you have given me a glimpse of my dream I should also return the favour." Seungman said.

"I trust you but you must be careful Everytime that you are working with Galmunwang Baekban because he is very cunning and he won't trust you much as you must prove to him that you are no for either." Princess Deokman said.

"I understand it very well Your Highness." Seungman replied, "I assure you that not in a thousand years will he see me coming for him " She added.

"If you say so then in you I am most confident." Princess Deokman said as she held Seungman's hands.

"Your Excellency." Haek Ga said as he bowed down his head.

"Did you find out who it was that was in contact with my brother?" Galmunwang Baekban asked.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied with a smile on his face.

"Who was it?" Baekban asked.

"He was in touch with the General of Cheolwon Fortress, GENERAL ILSAN." Haek Ga replied.

"GENERAL ILSAN?" Baekban said.

"It was said that he walked into the Fortress with a small trunk but he didn't leave with it which I greatly believe was the same trunk from that day that he got from the Princess." Haek Ga said.

"There's two likely scenarios and the first being that the trunk he took with himself was empty or bore something totally different from what he was given.

The second is that he took whatever he was given from Seoraebeol intentionally as he must have been asked by the Princess probably because outside Seoraebeol it is safe." Baekban said.

"Which is which Your Excellency?" Haek Ga asked.

"It's very difficult for us to get into his Manor because firstly, we shall have alerted him that we are in deed suspicious and for all that we know it could be part of an even bigger ploy.

Given the fact that he left the trunk in Cheolwon Mountain Fortress it's possible that Princess Deokman was working with the General so he probably knows what is inside and that's why she chose to send him there in the first place.

The only way that we can possibly find out what Princess Deokman us thinking of at the moment is if we knew what was in that box." Baekban replied.

"Your Highness, Cheolwon Fortress is quite fortified and for our moles to get to whatever is in that trunk it shall be very difficult because if it is something that is very crucial then it shall be guarded heavily." Haek Ga said.

"I understand that but one can never be too careful and it's possible for guards to fall asleep in the middle of the night" Baekban said.

"I understand Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.

"Remember that their task is to find out what is hidden in the trunk and not to steal it. If we can know better than anyone else then we'd in the end play along with Princess Deokman and beat her at her own game." Baekban replied.

"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga said as he bowed his head.

"By the way." Baekban said, "Did you get in touch with Seungman?" He asked.

"I have just received the news as well that she got up quite early this morning and went to the Hwarang Arena, she used her wit and forced Princess Deokman to make her a Hwarang on Condition that she won the Hwarang Games that the Princess herself had announced would take place." Haek Ga said.

"She used the excuse of Princess Deokman's announcement having failed to specify a gender qualification when it ordered for those who are interested to enrol as well and the Princess for the sake of her reputation was unwilling to break the promise and surprisingly the issue was without a Royal seal." He added.

"She is quite smart exploiting each and every situation to her own advantage." Baekban said.

"In my point of view I think that her background being unclear Princess Deokman didn't trust her at all so she was very much determined to not to admit her.

Had she not been smart enough she wouldn't have become a Hwarang on her own." Haek Ga said.

"You are quite right and as it is Princess Deokman might feel her to greatly be a threat though I am curious, as long as the announcement didn't have a Royal Seal attached to it she would have reversed the Issue." Baekban said.

"A number of people had already read it, it wouldn't make sense to change anything to create confusion." Haek Ga said.

"That's not a sufficient reason." Baekban said.

"Is there anything else on Your mind Your Excellency?" Haek Ga asked.

"She'd exempt girls from joining in a single stroke of ink and not a single person would complain considering the fact that it is widely known that even if a gender distinction is not necessarily made, the demand is for clearly males with females excluded." Baekban replied.

"I didn't think that far ahead." Haek Ga said.

"Perhaps there is something that Princess Deokman is hiding." Baekban said.

"Whatever the case is Your Highness, can we still use Seungman or we should get rid of her?" Haek Ga asked.

"I have changed my mind because considering the reaction of the Princess she'll have no choice but to turn to us later.

Additionally, having her in the Hwarang is better on our side because we need to make immediate preparations for another student that shall enrol this time around." Baekban replied with a ghastly smile.