THE CLASH
"What did he say?" Princess Deokman asked.
"He told me to master the support of the Hwarang, he asked me to lead them." Seungman replied.
Princess Deokman smiled.
"What do you think Your Highness?" Seungman asked.
"To prove that you are trustworthy enough, he has set this task up for you, if we withdraw quickly then it shall be a sign to him that you are on my side." Princess Deokman said.
"How Your Highness?" Seungman asked.
"I am making a bargain and giving you my Hwarang, beyond that it's for you to decide what to do with them." Princess Deokman replied.
"Your Highness, what are you doing?" Seungman asked.
"I am trusting you." Princess Deokman replied.
"How can I lead the Hwarang if they can not even accept me as a woman?" Seungman asked.
"With time they'll get used to you and with time they'll only get closer and closer with you, you'll have people right by your side but above them all remember that Shilla needs you.
What you have taken is a path of no return and either you accept to do his bidding and you survive or you turn him down and perish along with the very people that you hold so dear." Princess Deokman said.
"You are making a bargain with me and I am also making one with myself." Seungman replied.
"This is the only chance that he has given you to get closer to him and should we forfeit it then we shall have given the enemy of Shilla an opportunity to strike us down." Princess Deokman said.
"If you say so Your Highness." Seungman said.
"Now no longer for only your sake but mine and Shilla's, you must win this year's Hwarang games." Princess Deokman said.
"Yes Your Highness." Seungman replied and standing up, she turned around to walk out of the room.
She halted in her footsteps and Princess Deokman noticed that her hands were shivering.
"Are you alright?" Princess Deokman asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Seungman replied as she stepped out of the Princess' quarters.
She was walking outside when she caught sight of Alcheon Rang who was headed in her direction.
She halted at once while he stopped as well to look at her.
Seungman could see how good his mood was as he possessed a wide smile on his face.
Seungman returned the smile with a very small but innocent smirk and Alcheon Rang was displeased as he knew that there was something wrong with her.
He walked closer towards her while she set a single foot back.
He halted as he tried to stretch his hand but Seungman was making her way past him already that he was going to turn around and call her when he heard his name.
"Alcheon Rang?" Gopheung called as he walked up to him.
"What is it?" Alcheon Rang asked and Gopheung leaned over and he whispered something into his ear.
"What?" Alcheon Rang said.
"Yes." Gopheung nodded out of confirmation that the two of them looked at Princess Deokman's quarters.
"Take me there." Alcheon Rang said and Gopheung led the way.
Seungman had walked slowly and her mind was immersed in very many thoughts.
"I am trusting you." She recalled Princess Deokman saying to her.
"Just as you can never replace him in your heart I can never even once replace you in mine, for you I would take vows of chastity abd as long as you are where your heart belongs and you are happy it gives me joy because to me that's what love itself is, willingness to give up everything without expecting anything in return." She recalled Haesul's words
"With time they'll get used to you and with time they'll only get closer and closer with you, you'll have people right by your side but above them all remember that Shilla needs you." She recalled what Princess Deokman had spoken to her.
"I'd devote my life even if I had to give up the whole of it to live in those memories that you shall have given me, because to me nothing will be more precious." Haesul's words came back into her memory.
She stopped in her footsteps.
"How can I love you Haesul?" She asked herself, "How can I keep my promise Alcheon Rang?" She went ahead to say, "I am loyal that you trust me so much Your Highness." She said. "Now here I am in between Shilla and those Innocents." Seungman concluded.
At that point she heard someone move behind her that she unsheathed her sword right when another was coming from her back.
Seungman summersaulted backwards and landed while her attacker was at the front.
Looking at what he was wearing he was a Nangdo that was clad in the Knight Corps' uniform and Seungman launched herself towards him while he turned around and struck her sword.
He swiftly moved his feet in circles as he rotated about and before she would crash into the wall he ceased her left hand and he pulled her back.
Seungman rotated as the face of her attacker was eventually revealed to her eyes.
"Bidam Rang?" She said as the two of them halted and she pointed her sword at her neck.
Bidam let go of his and as it was landing on the ground he kicked it towards her but she slightly bent her left shoulder backwards and the sword flew past her landing into the wall behind her.
She was still face to face with him.
"You can't kill me." Bidam said as he smiled.
"I'm curious if I can't?" Seungman said.
"It's a rule of the Hwarang, you can not shed blood without a cause." Bidam said.
"I can plead self defense and being a woman I believe it will be quite easy for the rest to sympathise with me." Seungman replied.
"Nice moves." He joked.
"Thank you but shouldn't I be the one to ask the questions?" Seungman asked.
"I'm not stopping you." Bidam replied.
"Why did you attack me?" Seungman asked.
"No particular reason, since we met and looking at your skills during today's games and wanted to test how good you are at Combat." Bidam replied.
Seungman lowered her sword.
"What do you think?" She asked.
"You are as good as the rumours claim you to be." Bidam replied.
"Then I'll get going if that's it." Seungman said as she put her Sword into her sheath while he studied if seemingly noticing the presence of some engravings.
"Is it a family heirloom?" Bidam asked.
"I need to be alone." Seungman replied.
"I have been asked to watch you." Bidam replied.
"By who?" Seungman asked, "By the Princess?" she added.
"No." Bidam replied.
"General Sokham?" Seungman asked.
"No." Bidam replied.
"Don't keep me guessing at tell me who?" Seungman asked.
"By my father." Bidam replied.
"I don't know your father." Seungman replied as she started walking away towards the direction of her Chambers.
"Galmunwang Baekban." Bidam Rang replied and Seungman halted I'm her footsteps.
She turned around.
"What's with the trust that we put between us today?" Seungman asked.
"He sent me to help you." Bidam replied.
Seungman walked up to him and looked at him while he looked down on her a little considering the fact that she was shorter than him.
"He should trust my abilities after all they are my best capabilities." Seungman said.
"Except that to lead the Hwarang isn't something that you'll find yourself to do so easily you'll need my assistance more than anyone else." Bidam Rang said.
"How?" Seungman asked.
"You want to win the Hwarang games this year." Bidam Rang said.
"You are also in the competition to win them." Seungman said.
"No." Bidam Rang replied.
"Then why?" Seungman asked.
"I am here to make you win." Bidam Rang replied, "There's way too few Pungwoljis and I am here to make you one." Bidam Rang replied.
"It doesn't make sense, why don't you lead the Hwarang yourself if you are so capable?" Seungman asked.
"Because I am not as passionate as you are and as Your Devotion is to Shilla mine is to my own freedom." Bidam replied.
"You can not be too sure that you'll last long enough to meet me at the final." Seungman said.
"I have quite the skill?" Bidam Rang said.
"But do you have the brain and the heart?" Seungman asked as she turned around and walked away.
"You just wait and see for yourself." Bidam Rang yelled after her but she only turned s deaf ear and continued her own way.
Yushin Rang was hiding nearby and he had seemed to here the whole conversation so angrily he smacked the wall with his fist.
"I knew there had to be something suspicious about you Bidam Rang." Yushin said as he hurriedly turned around and then he walked away.
Bidam watched as Seungman vanished from his sight and then he turned around and he sighed as he wore a serious expression on his face.
"Do I have the brain and heart?" He asked himself as he walked up to his sword and he pulled it out of the wall.
"The Courageous have no hearts to be broken, the strong have brains to remain undefeated." He said as he returned his sword right into his scabbard and he walked away.
Seungman arrived inside her room and putting her sword on its holder she recalled the words that Bidam Rang had just told her.
"He sent me to help you." Bidam had said, "to lead the Hwarang isn't something that you'll find yourself to do so easily you'll need my assistance more than anyone else." He'd gone ahead to say so.
"You haven't lied to me Bidam Rang." Seungman said to herself, "You haven't told me the truth either." She added.
The Hwarang marched out of the Arena as everyone walked into a nearby field that was filled with nothing more than very tall grass.
Seungman had turned up to spectate along with the other Nangdos what was to happen to the other five pairs that were going to compete each individual for an opportunity of representing their teams.
There was a small square fence and within it, there was a sand bed.
Seungman watched among the rest as the other ten contenders walked onto the field with a couple of steeds in their possession.
They walked into the wooden ring as they were all followed by Ichan Chilsuk and Achan Seokpum who closed the door behind them.
All the ten of them inside moved to one corner where they congested themselves as Princess Deokman who was seated at a raised platform looked at them.
At that moment, before she would commence the games, she caught sight of a face that she wasn't expecting to see at all.
Queen Sungman had made her way onto the stage and Princess Deokman facing her she bowed her head.
"Your Highness." Princess Deokman said as she bowed her head.
"Princess?" Queen Sungman did the same to her.
"I am quite surprised to have received you here at this hour that I can't help but wonder why." Princess Deokman said.
"I understand that as keeper of the Hwarang of our Heavenly kingdom of Shilla you were quite busy and your father wished to join you but he is a little bit caught up right now.
I turned up to keep you company and also reside over the event in his stead." Queen Sungman replied.
"You don't have to really bother yourself so much Your Highness, I know that you aren't well versed with everything you can simply just sit by my side and watch because that is what we mostly do." Princess Deokman said.
"Very well then." Queen Sungman said as she humbly sat down in a seat that was right next to Princess Deokman.
Princess Deokman smiled as she walked up in front of the rest of the congregation.
"I welcome you all here today." Princess Deokman said, "We are all gathered here today for the second stage of this year's Hwarang games." She added and the Nangdos along with all the other spectators applauded her.
"We are also privileged this afternoon that much as his Majesty the King hasn't been able to share his presence with us, in his stead we are blessed to have Her Royal Highness our Queen." Princess Deokman said and Queen Seungman nodded her head with a smile from where she was seated.
"Wonsanghwa Chilsuk shall give you the guidelines of today's event." Princess Deokman said as she got a hold of the Union banner and she waved it with her hands.
Everyone was excited as Chilsuk Rang walked up to the front of everyone else.
"Fir today's activity of the Hwarang games, the contestants from the same team shall compete in pairs on horse riding combat.
The one that falls off his horse is the loser of the game and they shall be eliminated from the games until next year." Ichan Chilsuk said.
He was applauded by Nangdos and everyone else.
"Firstly, let's have Representing the KNIGHT CORPS, BIDAM RANG and HANGAE RANG." Ichan Chilsuk announced and the two mounted their steads as they were each given a very long spear.
They rode their horses to the centre where they all faced Princess Deokman and the Queen Sungman.
Bidam looked at Princess Deokman with s fairly fierce expression on his face that was accompanied with a simple smile as the two contestants bowed their heads.
The two Royal women nodded fir them to continue and they both rode into opposite directions as they turned their steads around and faced each other.
They looked at Seokpum Rang who waved his banner and the two riders charged towards one another.
Bidam's black stead seemed to go very wild as it charged faster and faster while he came into a very close range with his contender.
He swang his sword while Bowing his head backwards and the spearhead of his fellow missed him while his struck him right ok his lower abdomen that he flew off backwards and landed on the ground.
Bidam Rang made his horse stand on its two hind legs as he raised his spear and planting the spear in the ground right beside his foe, he had already covered his face as he conceded an immediate defeat.
Seungman looking at this was alarmed.
The other Nangdos of the KNIGHT CORPS applauded him for having wrested victory in such a very short while.
"The winner of the match is BIDAM RANG of the KNIGHT CORPS and he has advanced to the third stage of the Hwarang games this year as their representative." Ichan Chilsuk announced and Bidam faced the Princess and the Queen once again with a smile and he bowed his head.
He turned his stead around as he ride towards the corner and looking at Seungman who was amazed abd awed with the rest of the crowd, he smiled and winked at her.
"He sent me to help you." She recalled him saying and the next group of contestants was announced.
"For the second group of contenders we have the PHOENIX CORPS that is HAESUL RANG and JEONGEUM RANG." Ichan Chilsuk announced and the two were heavily applauded as they rode their steads onto the field.
Seungman was worried for Haesul who being new to the experience he was against one huge and very gigantic man.
He was quite skilled and he looked so energetic while Haesul on the other hand being of a fairly good build, the things that had qualified him to reach that far were his quick skills.
Seungman was certain that he had had some good fights with her but one thing that she wondered was if he had fought anyone other than his pesky friends, his father and herself in his entire life as she has met him when he wasn't so good at fighting so well.
The two riders halted in front of Princess Deokman and Queen Sungman and planting their spears in the ground, they put their hands together and they bowed their heads.
"Princess Deokman and Queen Sungman returned the salutation and the two picking up their spears once again they rode to opposite ends of the ring and looked at Seokpum Rang who was at the end right next to Chilsuk.
Haesul tightened the reins of his brown stead and the moment that Seokpum Rang waved the flag, the two of them charged towards one another as Jeongeum tightened his hand around his spear.
When the two came into close collision, they each swang their spears towards one another and making contact halfway, Haesul's greatly vibrated that everyone could see it violently shaking like a spring.
Jeongeum assured him that his was unwavered.
He swang it the second time and Haesul launched himself above his horse while the spear passed below.
He decides to make a landing with his spear vertically descending towards Jeongeum's head but he had seen it that he placed his horizontally and guarded it.
Haesul tried to push the spear lower onto him but he got angrier and gathered just enough strength to push his spear away and Haesul's stead stumbled backwards.
Jeongeum swang his spear once again and Haesul seeing it he bent his head over as the spear slightly bypassed his head.
He sat up and ceasing the reins of his horse he chose to ride it around Jeongeum's.
Jeongeum was forced to keep turning as Haesul tried to lay an attack on him but without any success as it seemed that the young rider was too professional.
Their spears clashed head to head and they both swang them in circles as Jeongeum tried using his force to penetrate Haesul but to no avail at all as Haesul himself was to quick in his deflection.
Eventually it appeared that Haesul was getting tired and Jeongeum ceased the opportunity to bring a side attack with his spear towards Haesul's face.
Haesul ceased his spear with both hands trying to guard against his gigantic force so when a loud collision happened, his wrist was twisted and he cried out loud.
Jeongeum was finally smiling ghastly as it seemed that his rival wasn't going to last any longer.
He brought an attack to try and topple his horse but With his one functioning right hand he pulled the reins and moved it out of the way and tightening his injured arm on the reins he twisted it as he smacked his stead on its thigh that it reacted by throwing a pair of hind kicks at Jeongeum's stead instead.
By then in very close proximity, a collision of the two was inevitable and by accident taking Jeongeum as a surprise, he dropped his spear as his horse toppled abd fell down with him landing in the sand.
Haesul had done it and Seungman herself was surprised.
He smiled as he planted his spear onto the ground and he rode his brown stead right in front of the Princess and the Queen where he bowed his head.
"The winner of the match is HAESUL RANG of the PHOENIX CORPS." Ichan Chilsuk announced and the Nangdos that were dressed in red applauded him as Jeongeum stood up from where he was fallen.
His face was overwhelmed with so much anger as he stared at Haesul who rode victoriously to the Victor's corner.
"For the next group of contenders of the SUN CORPS we have JAEJUNG RANG and KANGSAN RANG." Ichan Chilsuk announced and they also rode and halted right in front of Princess Deokman and Queen Sungman.
They placed their spears down and then they bowed their heads to the both of them.
The two of them nodded as their fight commenced.
"I always wondered what was it like to be the keeper of the Hwarang?" Queen Sungman asked.
"What do you think Your Highness?" Princess Deokman asked, "Do you find it boring?" She added.
"Sometimes to watch people clash in combat can be so pleasing." Queen Sungman replied.
"Except that there is so much more to that." Princess Deokman said.
"What more is there?" Queen Sungman asked.
"Haven't you noticed right now how they are all cheering their fellows?" Princess Deokman asked.
"The noise is very loud." Queen Sungman said.
"But that noise is music to my ears." Princess Deokman said.
"It's so awkward how you tend to love the things that men fervently cherish." Queen Sungman said.
"That's the difference between me and You Your Highness." Princess Deokman said.
"Perhaps I'd rather prefer to watch the sunset but like you I am in a position if desire." Queen Sungman said.
"Do you think that you can keep it longer?" Princess Deokman asked.
"And why wouldn't I your Highness?" Queen Sungman asked.
"It's because that there shall never be a man that shall ever love this Shilla like I have loved it." Princess Deokman replied.
"I came here hoping that I could convince you to be more lady like now that I head the inner Court." Queen Sungman said.
"You might be the head but I am a Princess of the blood." Princess Deokman replied.
"Then why do you respect me when you know that you can not bend to my will?" Queen Sungman asked.
"Why did you persist on asking me to do so when you know that I shall forever remain unyielding?" Princess Deokman replied.
"I could decide your fate in a single stroke once I give an heir to the throne." Queen Sungman replied as she turned and looked Princess Deokman in her eye.
"But could you Your Highness decide the fate for this Shilla?" Princess Deokman confidently asked with a smile.
"What makes you think that I can't?" Queen Sungman said.
"When I see the noise to me it is a sound of unity, when they bow their heads to me it is a sign of respect.
They choose to follow me it's a sign of their allegiance and their embrace, they believe in me as their keeper because I am the one who has made them.
From The North, to Sokham Fortress, Daeya, Cheolwon, Amak, Banwolseong, Dosal, Gangju, Danghang and Ulsan Gwanmun, I have taken them there.
The relationship between them and me is no different from the relationship between a mother and child and the relationship between me and Shilla is that of a husband and wife." Princess Deokman said.
"Tell me your Highness, between me and you, to whom do you think they'll be most willing to resign their fate ti for the rest of their lives?" She asked.
"Humans are schizophrenic in nature, they change like ocean tides and like fire itself can be both a good servant and a bad master they too in their so called purity tend to habour the most treacherous events.
As it is that there is not a single man on Earth and in heaven that is perfect they'll always despite all their good quality have flaws.
In all the people that are gathered with you here, please tell me that there is even one you share your most absolute Devotion, be it Yushin Rang or Alcheon Rang, there's always that one thing you'll keep hidden from them." Queen Sungman said.
"But after how long from now and in what future do you think that either of them shall betray me?" Princess Deokman asked.
"As you have said it Yourself Your Highness, there is nothing that you can possess permanently in this life." Queen Sungman replied.
"Does Her Highness perhaps wish to contend with my might?" Princess Deokman asked.
"Yes." Queen Sungman replied.
"Go ahead." Princess Deokman said.
"I believe that I shall give Shilla it's next ruler and you won't stop me, once I have born the Royal house a son, you shall watch and see for yourself how I take away each and everything from you slowly by slowly and I shall rule this land better than you would have ever done." Queen Sungman said.
"I won't stop you if you can raise an army even of a hundred thousand soldiers against me, should there be a day that I and yourself Your Highness shall clash in open war, you could take the palaces and the villas and the lands but you'll never possess Shilla.
To you it might be the area marked by the borders that separate us from Paekche and Gorguryeo but I'm sorry to tell you that in reality, Shilla is where the hearts of its own people reside." Princess Deokman replied as the fight ahead of the then had come to an end and the SUN CORPS' winner had emerged as JAEJUNG RANG.
He bowed his head to the both of them and he rode away.
"You see Your Highness." Princess Deokman said as they smiled.
"What?" Queen Sungman asked.
"Not to underestimate you but you are too graceful to be a Queen of Shilla that is surpassingly greater than me." Princess Deokman replied.
"Isn't that the definition of what a true Queen should be?" Queen Sungman asked.
"About devotion, about reign, for this our Heavenly kingdom of Shilla, all that we need is a not just a graceful Queen but rather a very strong one." Princess Deokman replied. "Tell me Your Highness, can that be the type of woman you shall become?" She asked.
Queen Sungman kept quiet.
"Of course not." Princess Deokman said. "Between us one has bigger dreams to cause the sun to rise up from the West and the other is unwilling like the river to flow upwards again." She added.
At last the Final Group was called.
"And from the DRAGON CORPS we have the two contenders that is JUNGHWAN RANG and ROWUN RANG." Ichan Chilsuk announced as the two rode into the field.
Seungman had her eyes pinned onto her training partner who was very much like another giant but his contender was not far from looking the same way that he looked.
They were both on tall and strong red male steads and planting their spears into the ground, they bowed their heads at Princess Deokman and Queen Sungman who smiled at them.
They picked up their spears and they rode onto the opposite ends of the ring as they turned around and faced each other again later.
Seokpum Rang waved his flag and the two charged towards themselves with their Spears firmly held within their grip.
Coming into contact with one another as they both waved their spears, they were totally shattered.
The two turned around and they faced one another again.
Chilsuk and Seokpum Rang tossed another set of Spears towards the two of them and possessing them once again they charged towards one another again.
The clashed the same time with even greater force than before and once again their spears shattered that everyone who was cheering on them halted as they tried to process the situation once again.
Rowun Rang was still seated on his stead when suddenly he touched his abdomen only to remove his hand and see that it was drenched in blood.