THE STARS COLLIDE

Seungman was seated inside her room when the doors were opened and Princess Deokman walked in.

Turning around and noticing her presence, she stood up at once.

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

"Congratulations." Princess Deokman replied.

"Thank you." Seungman replied.

"I came here and I brought someone along with me." Princess Deokman said as a very old man walked through the doors of the room and joined them.

Yushin and Alcheon Rang were present as well and Boyeong stood right outside with the rest of the Princess' Palace maids.

The man had some grey hair and even despite his age he looked quite mascular, a fairly long beard graced the tip of his chin and a thick moustache as well.

His eyes were brown and his face round with his cheeks bony and his forehead wide with sharp temples.

His nose was hooked and his lips looked purple and dry and the wrinkles around his face weren't as thick but moderate in their appearance.

"Your Highness, who is this?" Seungman Asked.

"I told you about the blacksmith." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes." Seungman replied.

"This is KYUNGHWA." Princess Deokman said, "He is the blacksmith that I told you about." She added.

"Greetings." Kyunghwa said as he bowed his head and Seungman did the same.

"Sir." Princess Deokman called.

"Yes Your Highness." Kyunghwa replied.

"I heard that you know all your swords nearly by name and there is something that I wish you could try and help me verify." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Kyunghwa replied as Seungman walked over to the rack and picked up her sword.

She brought it and handed it over to the old man who took it into his possession and studied its sheath.

"Whoever gave it such a wonderful appearance must be a talented blacksmith." He said as he ceased the handle and then he pulled it out of its sheath.

He studied the sword very well and he read what was engraved on it.

"PROTECT YOUR HONOUR, FIGHT WITH ALL YOUR LIFE, KIM." He read.

"Who gave this sword to you?" Kyunghwa asked.

"My father." Seungman replied.

"What was your fathers' name?" Kyunghwa asked.

Seungman was hesitant to reply but she knew she couldn't lie because Alcheon Rang who knew it very well was with him and she was certain already that Princess Deokman knew it.

"Moo Mak." Seungman replied, "Kim Moo Mak." She added.

"I have this sword to no such person." Kyunghwa replied.

"What do you mean Sir?" Seungman asked.

"You look like an ordinary person so you should know best that this sword Is stolen." Kyunghwa replied.

"What you are saying doesn't make sense, my father is not a thief." Seungman defended.

"There must be a misunderstanding here." Princess Deokman said.

"There is none, I may be too old but my sight can not fool me, I remember this sword very well as though it were my child because it was personally myself who skillfully made it with my own hands there is none like it.

This very blade was sharpened by me and the words that are written on it were also written by me." Kyunghwa said.

"How can it be, my father said that it was a family sword." Seungman said.

"It is a family sword perhaps and I might not know who you are but I think that you should all know this including Your Highness, this sword was made by me close to seventy years ago." Kyunghwa replied.

"For whom Sir?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I made this sword at the request of King Jinheung for his own son the Crown Prince Dongryun." Kyunghwa replied.

"What?" Seungman Asked.

"Yes." Kyunghwa replied, "It's the only sword of it's kind." He added.

Seungman felt so powerless that she sat down onto a nearby chair.

"Are you sure Sir?" Princess Deokman asked.

The man tilted the sword and showed her the initials that had been written at the edge.

"This can not be." Seungman said.

"Thank you Sir." Princess Deokman said, "You may show him out." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang said as he walked out with the old man and left the Princess and Alcheon Rang inside.

"Who am I?" Seungman asked, "Everything that I keep finding out makes things more and more complicated." She added.

"I can't understand as well." Princess Deokman said, "What's your relationship with the Royal family?" She asked.

"I think this is getting more and more difficult for me because I am starting to see that there must have been an even bigger reason for my father resenting Seoraebeol.

I can't understand why he tried all his life to keep me away from Seoraebeol, who my mother really was and why she died.

When I keep thinking of all of this my head only hurts knowing that I could be living a life that is full of lies." Seungman said.

"What was your mother's name?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Even I don't know, I won't tell a lie, I thought that naturally if I asked my father he would have felt so awful I didn't wish to bring back awful memories or scratch healing wounds.

I later thought that he would come around and tell me but I knew that despite the normal childhood that he tried to give me he was putting on a show because I noticed how every night he watched the stars but only too gloomy I couldn't find the courage to meddle with his emotions I had to give him the impression that I was only content to have him." Seungman said.

"Your Highness, do you think that this is related to everything that happened at Gokhyeonwangsa?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"It must be." Princess Deokman said.

"But who was I?" Seungman asked.

"Your mother couldn't have been an ordinary person and perhaps your father as well of the sword belonged to my Grandfather the Crown Prince Dongryun then who was your mother to him?" Princess Deokman asked.

"What's my relationship with you?" Seungman asked.

"I don't know." Princess Deokman said, "We need to know everyone at least who came in possession of the sword." She added.

"How Your Highness?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"I could indirectly ask my father but I don't wish to arouse his suspicions any time soon." Princess Deokman replied.

"Could it be that there is something that his Majesty knows?" Seungman asked.

"Father was the oldest surviving son of Grandfather and if this sword in deed belonged to my Grandfather then he must have known a thing or two, what could have happened, who could have gotten it or when Grandfather lost it." Princess Deokman replied.

"I believe her Highness is right." Alcheon Rang said.

"But to ask about a sword anonymously, don't you think that he'd wish to know why?" Seungman asked.

"I'll be indirect with him and a couple of days ago I confronted him and we weren't on good terms at all, what I'll do is I'll see him later and we'll both find out for ourselves." Princess Deokman said.

"Please Your Highness, I am afraid of finding out what really happened and I fear that ai might only be heartbroken, you don't have to stress yourself because of me." Seungman said.

"It's important that we know who you are because if someone else does before us your life might end up being in grave danger and I don't think that is something that we can all comfortably live with." Princess Deokman said.

"Alright Your Highness." Seungman said.

"Just prepare yourself for the Hwarang games." Princess Deokman said.

"I shall Your Highness." Seungman replied as Princess Deokman turned around and walked out leaving Alcheon Rang inside.

Seungman was looking at her hands and Alcheon wanted to walk up to her but he halted as he turned around to follow the Princess.

"Do you stand by your words?" Seungman suddenly asked.

"My promise still stands." Alcheon Rang replied.

"I fear that who I am might not allow us to be." Seungman said.

"It doesn't matter to me." Alcheon Rang said, "Whether as a rebel or a hero, even if you found someone else I'd still stand by your side because even as your devotion towards me may waver or never stand by force, mine shall forever prevail." Alcheon Rang replied as he walked out of the room.

Seungman held the Jade pendant that was around her neck.

"Please mother, right now I need you more than I ever did in my entire life." She whispered to herself, "Who were you mother and who was I really?" She asked as she stared keenly at it and studied its intricate floral patterns and designs.

Princess Deokman was on her way to her Chambers when she suddenly recalled the words of the blacksmith.

"I made this sword at the request of King Jinheung for his own son the Crown Prince Dongryun." Kyunghwa had said.

"What's my relationship with you?" She recalled Seungman's Question and as they continued Yushin Rang noticed how absent minded she was.

"Your Highness." Yushin Rang called.

"Yes." Princess Deokman replied.

"Don't think too much about it." Yushin Rang replied.

"I can't help it." Princess Deokman said.

"You still have the Hwarang games, adding this to yourself shall only have a toll on your mental health." Yushin Rang said.

"This stress is something that I myself I am used to." Princess Deokman said.

"You might not care about yourself Your Highness but I do." Yushin Rang said as they continued to walk.

"Perhaps you are very right Yushin Rang but I also keep constantly thinking that there is much more to Seungman than her exquisite fighting skills, I can't help but feel an unspoken degree of attachment towards her and I am very much like her in most aspects just as she is very much like me in some." Princess Deokman said.

"You are both intelligent women but one is smarter than the other, you can wield a bow and an arrow but on the other hand as well she can wield much more than that." Yushin Rang said.

"You are right to say that she is deficient in some fields but for us strong women to exist in the same age I believe is no coincidence but it must entirely be the work of fate." Princess Deokman said.

"If it is troubling you Your Highness then allow me to help you conduct the investigation." Yushin Rang said.

"It's alright." Princess Deokman said, "I won't wear myself out over that matter as we have a lot more things to do." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang said.

"After the Hwarang games we shall resume everything, we just need to be more wary of the Queen and all those other Courtiers, moreso among the Hwarang, please be careful with Bidam Rang." Princess Deokman said.

"Why Your Highness, are you suspicious of him?" Yushin Rang asked.

"Bidam Rang is someone who can not be underestimated, compared to everyone else I believe that he is someone I should be most careful around because he is very hard to read." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, you have a good foresight of seeing through people." Yushin Rang said.

"Exactly." Princess Deokman affirmed, "It's just that with Bidam Rang, it's more and more difficult it leaves me with great uncertainty." she said.

"Very well Your Highness." Yushin Rang replied.

Alcheon Rang who was walking behind the both of them was absent minded as well as he recalled the very words that he'd one time said to Seungman.

"Why must life be this difficult for the both of us?" He asked himself inwardly. "Before I thought that I was perhaps deficient in our relationship, I later thought that perhaps I was weak, I thought that I was by far too indirect with you and now I noticed that more than anything else, it feels like my will to protect you is inadequate." He doubted.

"Seungman, can I bear to lose you?" He asked himself.

The Hwarang had gathered in the arena and Princess Deokman stood in front of the four contenders.

"Welcome to the next stage of the Hwarang Games." She said and at once the Nangdos bowed their heads.

"Long Live Your Highness." They said.

"For the Fifth stage the candidates shall be required to capture a flag and you shall have to penetrate all the way into the General's tent in the outside the Eastern part of the woods beyond the city.

Three flags stand there and the last shall naturally be eliminated and as long as you can return the flag here in the Arena then you shall advance to the semi final stage of the Hwarang games." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highness." The contenders said in unison as they bowed their heads.

"The General's tent is stationed within the centre of the military camp, he is expecting you but none of the soldiers patrolling outside are so if they see you getting in and out then you are as good as dead unless you fight to defend yourself." Princess Deokman said.

"However if you choose to surrender and give in to being arrested by the soldiers then naturally from this competition you'll be eliminated even if it's all of you." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." The Competitors said in unison.

"You shall mount on your horses and then you shall ride until you feel you are safe, beyond that we do. not have you in our care but you are in the care of yourselves." She added.

"Yes Your Highness." They all said in unison.

"Let the challenge begin." Princess Deokman said as she held the Union banner and she flew it.

The Candidates strode out if the Arena towards the stables and there they picked up steads.

Princess Deokman walked out of the Arena while all the other Hwarang dispersed as well.

So soon enough, Junghwan Rang led the four as they were set on the rode outside the City and Princess Deokman arriving at her Chambers she found Kim Chunchu waiting outside.

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

"Chunchu?" Princess Deokman said quite surprised to see him.

"The two of them entered and they sat inside at her table.

"Considering the fact that you came to see me then it must be something urgent." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes." Chunchu replied.

"Go ahead and tell me then." Princess Deokman said.

"It's been a long while since I talked to Galmunwang Baekban." Chunchu replied.

"And what is it that you are curious to know about from him?" Princess Deokman said.

"It can only mean that he is either very suspicious of me or if not that there is something else that is going on in his mind." Chunchu said.

"You don't want to show him how desperate you are, he is also cautious as it is that blood is thicker than water, he fears that I might as well be suspicious of you or perhaps the time for him to use you is not yet at hand." Princess Deokman said.

"Which of these should I consider?" Chunchu asked.

"All of them." Princess Deokman replied.

"What if I can't?" Chunchu asked.

"Take a gamble." Princess Deokman replied.

"How confident?" Chunchu remarked.

"That's the reality of life." Princess Deokman said.

"Why?" Chunchu asked.

"Uncle is smart but for one who is smart he is also very cautious, he knows that you are smart but dies he know how smart you are?" Princess Deokman asked.

"No." Chunchu replied.

"What about your ambition?" Princess Deokman asked.

"He doesn't." Chunchu replied.

"Use that." Princess Deokman replied.

"Everything on his side is slowly starting to fall in place and when I look around myself as well, I notice that just as I am waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike he has also been doing the same and even worse for us he's been planning this a very long time." She added.

"The Queen is with Child right now and I am certain that perhaps to him I have become useless." Chunchu said.

"Do you think that is all it takes to rule?" Princess Deokman asked, "Do you even dare to think that it is enough for you to only scheme and in turn posses the Crown?" She added.

"No." Chunchu replied.

"Mishil had a very big brain and he was very good at scheming but she never lived to see the Crown sit and grace her brow. If I too were to just lean on that then failure would be my certain fate." Princess Deokman said.

"Why do you think I possesed the Hwarang, my Uncle, Sangdaedeung Ichan Seulbu and those other lowly Courtiers and high Aristocrats?" She said.

"Because if you had good plans but you were deficient of enough people to support you there would be no revolution." Chunchu replied.

"Uncle needs people, he also needs Royals, he needs the Queen, peers and peeresses of the Imperial Crown so do you think that you are useless to him?" Princess Deokman asked.

"No." Chunchu replied.

"Let me enlighten you, to a rider a horse can be a carrier and also a transporter, it can be his wheels and at the same time it can be harvest." Princess Deokman said, "If you can not support him then he could in turn keep you as his scapegoat." She added.

"Thank you for your counsel, you have opened my eyes." Chunchu said.

"That wasn't your question you only wished to confirm if what was your sight was mine as well." Princess Deokman said.

"And indeed you know me too well Your Highness." Chunchu said.

"Must you always test my wisdom?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Is it wrong for me?" Chunchu asked.

"No." Princess Deokman replied.

"That leaves only one option for me." Chunchu said.

"Patience and Silence." They both said in unison.

"As long as you and I can become distant then he might have a reason to pull you close enough however if you give him a sight of your ambition then don't show him that you are in deed to wise.

Wait when he calls on you and even if once be Keen to show him your unwavering devotion and Loyalty in your words, thoughts and action.

When at last the ultimate purpose has been set for you and to us it is known, very well the both of us shall spell the very walls that shall hamper him." Princess Deokman said.

"I understand." Chunchu said.

"Very well." Princess Deokman replied.

"What are you going to do about the Queen?" Chunchu asked.

"We must show our concern and our suspicion along with every bit of understanding towards their game, that way, they won't be too suspicious that we plan to throw a surprise attack on them." Princess Deokman said.

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

To him the Princess smiled.

Seungman was already in the woods and she had already lost her colleagues.

She was sneaking up behind the trees and there she surveyed the area.

"The camp was up ahead and she could see the soldiers loitering around from one place to another.

They were very many in number and there were others that were standing on top of the wooden fence that surrounded the hideout.

She could see a number of them looking about the place and she studied the situation before hand.

She suddenly noticed that one of the soldiers was walking out of the camp and headed towards the woods.

She closely followed him behind and eventually he stopped at a distance and he was whistling as he eased himself.

Seungman sneaked closer to him until he had eventually finished when she struck his pressure point and then he passed out.

She dragged him deeper into the woods abd there as they approached a thick tree, she first removed his armour and then she tied him to it.

She tore a piece of her attire and she tied his mouth so that he wouldn't make any sound and standing up, on top of her uniform she wore his armour and picked up his spear.

Slowly she treaded through the woods and as she kept her head slightly down, she approached the gates and raised her right hand as waved her thumb while she walked in.

The moment that she set foot inside, she wasn't welcomed by any stare as everyone seemed to be busy doing their own thing.

She walked about the camp as she passed a series of tents until she eventually caught sight of the very large tent that was stationed right in the centre.

She smiled as she looked at it and she slowly started walking towards it.

"You?" She suddenly heard someone say before she would get any closer that she was forced to look around.

She caught sight of one of the soldiers who was wearing a head band on his head.

She pointed at herself trying to inquire if they were calling her.

"Who else is looking at me?" The man asked.

Seungman hurriedly rushed over to him and reaching their she bowed her head.

"Do I know you?" The man asked.

Seungman nodded her head.

"How come, you look so familiar?" The man asked.

"I'm talking to you Sir for the first time." Seungman said faking a very deep accent she seemed to get away with it.

"Of course." The man said, "I don't recall talking to a boy." The man said.

"Yes." Seungman agreed.

"Come with me." The man said as he led the way into the General's tent.

"Do you realise that it is an honour for you to come in here." The man said.

"Yes Sir." Seungman replied.

"Now that you are in here I want you to help me with something." The man said.

"Yes Sir." Seungman said again.

The man led the way and they eventually halted at his table.

"There are too many of these books here, I needed a helping hand to arrange them for me." The men said.

"Yes Sir." Seungman said as she placed her spear to rest against one of the racks that were inside and she walked up to him.

She looked at all the books that were stationed on the table and one in particular caught her eye.

"The Art of War." She said.

"Yes." The man replied.

"Pardon me Sir, can I have a look?" Seungman requested.

"Sure." The man replied freely with a smile on her face that Seungman thought he must have been a carefree person.

She hadn't taken the liberty to look around the room but the book itself was quite intriguing that she opened it and looked at some of the techniques that were inside.

"The Divine Spear." Seungman said.

"It's my favourite." The man replied.

"Why would you share with me such a technique, I am not even a commander?" Seungman asked.

"Do you need to command the wrath of an entire army to know how to fight?" The man asked.

"No." Seungman replied.

"Thank you." The man said, "No one knows how long we have left until another war breaks out, for Seoraebeol to remain in the hands of it's people the best techniques must be devoted to its own security." The man said.

"You can not always command the troops." Seungman said.

"Anyone can command when the situation is out of hand, it could be you as long as you possess the knowledge there is to fight a battle then you are in the position of winning it." The man said.

"I see." Seungman said.

"Come with me." He said as Seungman followed him to the battlefield blueprint and there he showed him a map of the area.

"Here with me is a battlefield and you are caught in between the PASA MOUNTAIN FORTRESS and the SADO FORTRESS." the man said.

The Enemy is Paekche or Gorguryeo and they are resting in between here." The man said as he moved a series of small action figures with the valley.

"Yes." Seungman said.

"The Divine Spear is a technique that counters the army at it's strongest point." The man said.

"A full force attack?" Seungman asked.

"Not really." The man replied, "It may seem so but secretly, it's known as the strike and scatter." He added.

He got another set of troops.

"If this is the army what happens is that you make a straight attack towards the entrance of the valley." The man said.

"Once the attack is launched the enemy is expected to retaliate but our intention isn't to lure away but to defend the second body of the army." The man said.

"But how do you attack and defend at the same time?" Seungman asked.

Our troops fight to penetrate into the centre of the enemy and once inside, we explode and fight outwards." The man replied.

"But you can't hold on the enemy for so long." Seungman replied.

"That's where the second body of the arny comes in." The man said as he moved them around the valley.

"You can imagine what happens when you surround from outside and you are fighting from inside." the General said.

"The Enemy is compressed from within." Seungman said.

"At this point your target should be the General that is commanding the troops, when the General or the Commander falls then naturally the troops fall into disorder." The man said.

"Yes." Seungman replied.

"When you have made the biggest attack on the enemy and they have consequently weakened then the soldiers shall be demoralised they'd either surrender or they would sacrifice themselves.

In either way do not be too merciful and just focus on trying your level best to vanquish anyone that stands in your way except at the order of your General or a commander.

"How well is this move known?" Seungman asked.

"Barely." The man replied.

"It's very Excellent." Seungman said.

"In deed." The man replied.

"How many times have you used it against Paekche and Gorguryeo?" Seungman asked.

"About three times for them both." The man replied.

"I love it." Seungman said, "However there is one question that I have." Seungman said.

"Which one is it?" The man asked.

"It is very excellent." Seungman remarked, "I just wish to know the best possible way of countering it." She added.

"There is only one." The man replied.

"Which one is it Sir?" Seungman asked.

"The trident." The man replied as he reorganized the field.

"Can I?" Seungman asked.

"Yes." The man replied as she walked up to the blueprint

"When the first body attacks you send a counter body of yhr army nearly the same in size.

The second body breaks into two to scatter outside the valley." Seungman said as she moved them both.

"You are on track." The man complimented.

"Withdraw and lure the first body of the enemy army into the valley and send the other two forces ahead to cut off the enemy from behind.

Split into two and fight off both side while the second body is surrounded and crush it, in case the enemy is provoked then close in on them but however to win the war depends on how well the soldiers fight because the Divine Spear takes so much time to counter the chances of casualties in any attempt to counter it is always very high." Seungman said.

"You have all the knowledge." The man said.

"You have over praised me." Seungman said.

"You deserve it." The man said.

The two walked back towards the military books and Seungman remembering to look around at that time she caught sight of the three flags that had been placed in the center of the room.

They were about 180cm tall and they were all red in colour.

The man didn't seem to notice that Seungman's attention had been already captured until they came to the table.

"Young Man?" The man called her.

"Yes?" Seungman replied as she turned around and looked at him.

"Do you love the flags?" He asked.

"I was wondering what they were doing in here?" Seungman replied.

"You needn't." The man said, "They have people that they are waiting for to collect them." The man said.

"Uhmmm." Seungman muttered as she nodded her head.

Galmunwang Gukban was seated in his own study when Damju walked in.

"Your Excellency." He said.

"Yes?" Gukban replied.

"There is someone here to see you." Damju said.

"Let them in." Gukban said.

"Yes." Damju replied as he bowed his head and he walked out of the room.

A while later, the doors were slid open and Ichan Seulbu walked in.

"Your Excellency." Gukban said as she stood up from where he was seated.

"There's no need for formalities." Ichan Seulbu said.

"Please have a seat." Gukban said as she pointed at the chair that was right next to him and Ichan Seulbu complied.

"To what do I owe your unexpected visit Your Excellency?" Gukban asked.

"I'm only here to have a small talk with you as I have very many questions that are on my mind." Ichan Seulbu replied.

"Please go ahead Your Excellency." Gukban said.

"How did you know that the Queen is working with your brother?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

Gukban smiled.

"Is that it?" he asked.

"Yes." Ichan Seulbu replied.

"I'll be frank with you." Gukban said, "I didn't know." He added.

"You expect me to believe that?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"I only took a gamble as it was a gut feeling." Gukban replied, "There were a number of opportunities that the King had to have the Queen replaced and why did it have to be recently that he took it into consideration.

Why was Princess Deokman designated as the Crown Princess until now to put her position at risk unless there was fear that she'd not take in a groom to defend her claim for the Crown?" He asked.

"All these were questions that I asked myself but compared to all these there was one that I certainly asked myself over and over again." Gukban said.

"Which one is it?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Why was she so readily available at the time of utmost need?" Gukban replied.