VICTORS AND LOSERS
The Shilla troops that lined the battlements of Sokham Fortress and those that were within the valley shouted in a very loud cheer as they stood above the Paekcheans who had turned the soil soggy with their blood.
Crows and Ravens started flying above with the Shillans in absolute Cheer, Seungman was seated on her stead with her mast entirely drenched in blood along with some Hwarang.
In a short while nearly five hundred Soldiers walked in being led by Princess Deokman who was walking with Alcheon Rang by her side.
She held up her dress as she jumped over all the corpses that had been scattered about the place.
Seungman and the others seeing the Princess they unmounted their horses and those who were already standing only moved closer to her following Seungman's lead.
Seungman planted her mast into the soil and slowly she went down into her knees with all the rest while Princess Deokman was watching her keenly.
"Your Highness." Seungman said.
"What is it?" Princess Deokman asked.
"We have done it Your Highness, we have all done it." Seungman replied, "At last, against Paekche, Shilla has emerged Victorious." She added as she smiled her entire face covered in blood and her hair only being supported by a small cotton band.
"Yes You have done it." Princess Deokman said, "Against Paekche you have all made Shilla emerge Victorious." She added confidently.
"Rise up." She said and Seungman standing onto her feet Alcheon Rang noticed that she wasn't stable.
Seungman touched her forehead underneath the very hot sun that scorched her and she had a sharp headache while some dizziness set in for her.
Alcheon Rang walked past the Princess right when she was about to fall onto the ground.
He put himself as a support and Seungman felt a very strong grip around her but she was still falling nonetheless until Alcheon Rang was on his knees.
"Seungman." He called as he started slapping her cheeks but Seungman felt her strength slowly waning.
"Your Highness, she has lost so much blood." Alcheon Rang said.
"Take her into the Fortress." Princess Deokman said.
"Yes Your Highness." A couple of soldiers that were nearby Said but before they could even get any closer to her Alcheon had already put her on his own back.
Princess Deokman and Yushin amongst the others watched as he ran towards the gates of the Fortress.
"Get the others that are injured and also take them in." Princess Deokman ordered.
"Yes Your Highness." Everyone said in unison as they started to pick up their colleagues and take them into the Fortress.
Yushin Rang walked up to the Princess.
"Are you alright Your Highness?" He asked.
"I am fine." Princess Deokman replied. "I should be the one to ask you that question because you are the one who was fighting on this battlefield with all your life." She added.
"I am fine Your Highness." Yushin replied.
"Princess Deokman looked a little bit devastated.
"Your Highness." Yushin Rang said.
"All these bodies here and all this blood that has been spilled today is on my hands." Princess Deokman said as she looked at the corpses and the torn flags and banners that Surrounded them along with the flames that consumed some of the things in the vicinity.
"I understand Your Highness but you did what you had to do." Yushin Rang consoled.
"Amongst all these were the very men of Shilla that we loved and cherished, on top of that there were great warriors, fathers and sons that belonged to their families." Princess Deokman said as she turned around and looked at Yushin Rang in the eyes.
"Where is justice for the vanquished and where is peace for Samhan and all her children?" She asked.
"That is war and that is it's cruelty Your Highness, I could get used to this sight more often given the fact that I have played a very active part in seeing to it that this is what the battlefield has become of late.
Nevertheless I feel less and less of a human each time as I fear that one day I shall lose the last shred of my humanity and become a killing machine.
History shall praise me perhaps and people shall remember me and call me great, all the more the success I bring makes me feel more and more unworthy of your affection." Yushin Rang said.
The two started walking towards the gates amidst the chaos that had stilled and the suffocating stench of blood.
"I am the Princess who wishes to become King and you are the warrior that wishes to stay Human, the path that we tread is quite similar but if it is that we must lose our humanity but for the sake of Shilla's victory, I believe that every effort is worth it." Princess Deokman said.
"Yes." Yushin Rang replied.
"Seungman that girl." Princess Deokman said.
"What about her Your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.
"I can see it in her eyes that she is destined for greatness and whatever happens I can not bear to lose her and neither can't you." Princess Deokman replied.
"What do you mean your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.
"She must forever be on our side." Princess Deokman said.
"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang replied.
King Jinpyeong was inside his room when Ichan Seulbu walked in.
"Your Majesty." He said excitedly as he bowed his head.
"What is it?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"Her Highness Princess Deokman." Ichan Seulbu replied.
"What happened to her?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"Sokham Fortress was attacked by Paekche." Ichan Seulbu replied.
"Is the Princess alright?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"Her Highness' troops crushed Paekche's forty thousand men brutally and only a handful survived, we had quite a number of casualties on our side but it wasn't that serious." Ichan Seulbu replied.
"What about Amak Fortress?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"Amak is intact and the troops that we dispatched went there for nothing." Ichan Seulbu replied.
"I was I'll advised." King Jinpyeong said.
"And that is a very big issue." Ichan Seulbu said.
"It was the Queen's idea." King Jinpyeong said.
"And she should take responsibility for it." Ichan Seulbu asked.
"But she is with child right now." King Jinpyeong said.
"Nevertheless at least she has to suffer some humiliation." Ichan Seulbu replied.
"What?" Queen Sungman said as she rose up from her seat.
"Yes Your Highness, it turns out that contrary to your expectations, Sokham Fortress was attacked." Bora replied.
"How is that possible?" The Queen asked, "for the past month we were very careful and we got all the information from the scouts first-hand before the Princess." she added.
"I don't know your Highness but the appeal from Galmunwang Baekban puts you in a rather tough position as it is that you ill-advised the King and his Court.
On top of that Her Highness Princess Deokman shall be heralded for remaining persistent and having saved the country at a time of crisis." Bora said.
"I hate to think of this but is it possible that Her Highness was behind this?" Queen Sungman asked.
"I don't think so because she might have received a letter from the King asking her to withdraw and the men that we put there to kill Seungman said that they accomplished the task and they buried her body." Bora said.
"Something doesn't add up." Queen Sungman said.
"In deed something doesn't Your Highness." Bora said.
"How is General Kim Yongchun at Amak Fortress?" Queen Sungman asked.
"There is still no sighting of any enemy troops so they shall stay there a while that's in case Gorguryeo makes its attack." Bora replied.
If her Highness Princess Deokman is endeared to the people right now then it could be an advantage to her.
Her brilliance they'll praise to have given us Victory over the enemy and the Prophecy of the Female Ruler Jin shall have died out with out having even created a widespread impact." Queen Sungman said.
"Your Highness, that should be the least of your worries because right now the news has spread throughout the streets that you ill-advised the King to send troops to Amak Fortress which wasn't attacked.
They have gone ahead to say that you headed the opposition of sending reinforcements to Sokham Fortress and that because of that you nearly doomed the whole Kingdom." Bora said.
"Why are you only telling me this now?" Queen Sungman asked.
"Pardon me Your Highness." Bora said, "but now that you are pregnant you shouldn't overstress yourself." she added.
"How long until Princess Deokman and her people return to the Palace?" Queen Sungman asked.
"They are most likely to come back to Seoraebeol tomorrow morning." Bora replied.
"I am afraid that the tides have turned against us in an instant and to survive this ordeal is something that I am not entirely sure about." Queen Sungman said.
"Calm down Your Highness, we can still think of something." Bora said.
"We are running out of time so I need you to do me a favor." Queen Sungman replied.
"Yes Your Highness, I shall certainly do my very best." Bora replied.
Alcheon Rang was seated beside Seungman's bed and there he watched her as she slumbered so peaceful.
They had tied a bandage around her and they had placed a wet piece of cloth on her head.
"How is she doctor?" Alcheon Rang asked.
"She is alright." The Doctor replied, "She wasn't brutally injured by the arrow but she lost a lot of blood because she kept on straining herself which further opened her wound." He added.
"When will she regain her consciousness?" Alcheon Rang asked.
"A short while later but please advise her not to overstress herself until a week is past because she can not risk to remove the stitches that I have put in her." The Doctor replied.
"Yes sir." Alcheon Rang said.
"I'll take my leave." The Doctor said as he stood up to go and tend to some other victims.
"Thank you." Alcheon Rang said as he turned his head and looked at Seungman once again.
He had stared at her for a very long while until eventually she coughed and she opened her eyes.
"Seungman." He called her immediately.
"Father?" She said in reply that he was quite startled while her blurry vision became clear.
"It's me Alcheon." He said to her.
"Alcheon Rang?" She called a little bit surprised when she happened to notice that she was in a very strange place and he was seated right there beside her.
She was sitting up and Alcheon helped her.
"I am fine." She said.
"You have stitches and you need to be very careful." Alcheon Rang said.
"How strange." Seungman said.
"What is strange?" Alcheon Rang asked.
"The first time that we met I was the one who watched you when you were injured and now after the war you are the one watching me." Seungman replied.
"It isn't that bad." Alcheon Rang said.
"I didn't say that it was." Seungman said.
"You really fought bravely." Alcheon Rang remarked.
"I had never imagined that my first wound in battle would be on my back." Seungman Said.
"It shall leave a scar." Alcheon Rang said.
"Awfully." Seungman said.
"I am sorry." Alcheon Rang said.
"What for?" Seungman asked.
"Anything that happened to your father." Alcheon replied.
"Why do you think so?" Seungman asked in a very sombre tone as she looked down at her hands.
"Something bad must have happened because I know that you loved him and you would have never come to Seoraebeol against his will.
Also you thought that I was him and when you called him it was with grief." Alcheon Rang replied.
"I was worried." Seungman said, "Perhaps I thought that I had died and consequently the words that he had told me about the war were lingering throughout my head." She added.
"I was also worried a while ago as I thought for a moment that I had lost you." Alcheon Rang said.
"What if I had died, what would you do?" Seungman asked.
"I don't know." Alcheon Rang replied.
"Why?" Seungman asked.
"You are very dear to me and you are not someone that I can bear to lose, I would live with regret for having not protected you I'd probably be destitute for the rest of my life." Alcheon Rang replied.
"Aren't you aware that our lives are entangled and our fates are isolated?" Seungman asked.
"Don't say that." Alcheon Rang said.
"it's the truth." Seungman said.
Alcheon sighed.
"I can't hold you or hug you, I can not kiss you or love you in the eyes of the world, I can only see you from a distance and be content that you are alright, I hurt when you are hurt but now I must be forced between my duty as a Hwarang and you as the man that I love." Seungman said.
"You don't have to burden yourself with any of that." Alcheon Rang said as he looked her in the eye, "We don't have much time left in this world and for us warriors our life is much more uncertain, the best that we can do is to enjoy every minute that we spend when we are together because should there be a day that I can not hold you or touch you or even comb your hair, I'd have these sweet memories to reminisce and drown myself in all the days of my life." He added.
"I always feel so responsible that I make loving me much more difficult for you." Seungman said.
"These hurdles are a part of life not intended to make us weak but only make us stronger." Alcheon Rang said.
"Thank you." Seungman said.
"There is no need for you to thank me." Alcheon Rang said.
"Even if I died here my heart would be content that at least in all my life I fell in love and I was also dearly loved by you." Seungman said as she held Alcheon's hands in her own.
"Me too." Alcheon Rang said.
"Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.
"What is all this nonsense I'm hearing?" Galmunwang Baekban asked.
"Paekche attacked Sokham Fortress." Haek Ga replied.
"And?" Baekban asked.
"Princess Deokman's forces prevailed." Haek Ga replied.
"What about Amak Fortress?" Baekban asked.
"Our assumptions and leads made us believe so but in the end they were all wrong." Haek Ga replied.
"We lost." Baekban said.
"Your Excellency could it be....?" Haek Ga asked.
"Princess Deokman?" Baekban completed.
"Yes." Haek Ga replied.
"I'm not sure." Baekban said.
"The prophecy of the Female Ruler and then the war, it all came too early for her to counter the Queen's intended impact on the people and the results have only endeared her to the people all the more." Haek Ga said.
"The Queen on the other hand is being faulted so I can't help but wonder how possible it was for her to come up with such a scheme." Baekban said.
"It wasn't even close to what we anticipated in the first place." Haek Ga said.
"Enough." Baekban said as he massaged his forehead.
"Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.
"There is more to this than we know and to just sit and do nothing won't benefit us any way." Baekban replied.
"What are we going to do right now?" Haek Ga asked.
"I believe it is High time that we asked the King to designate a person that shall inherit his throne." Baekban replied.
"Your Excellency, Her Highness hasn't yet given birth to the King's child." Haek Ga said.
"What if the child is a girl?" Baekban snapped.
"Your Excellency, if we forced the King against his will then we would have aggressed him and what we don't need at this moment in time is having to be on bad terms with him." Haek Ga said.
"You think that I haven't thought about it?" Baekban asked.
"I'm not understanding you Your Excellency." Haek Ga said.
"Just be patient and you shall understand what I am doing and the reason that I am doing it." Baekban replied, "If he names Princess Deokman as his successor and designates her then we might as well have a chance to rally the support of some Courtiers because it is already clear to me that her intentions to marry are only in our assumptions.
I was short-sighted that I did not think about the possibility of her bearing an interest in ruling Shilla as it's King." Baekban replied.
"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied.
"I need some time alone to think." Baekban said
"Yes Your Excellency." Haek Ga replied as he bowed his head and he walked out of the room.
The people of Seoraebeol lined the streets while Princess Deokman in her Palanquin was carried through leading the rest of the army with her Generals Yushin and Alcheon, Kim Yongsu and Gopheung.
Seungman rode at a distance with a few other horsemen as they were cheered on by the people who waved a series of things in the air and the children who ran alongside them.
Looking at the women that were staring at her Seungman felt some joy.
She was famous as well she supposed as she marched truimphantly.
"Are you alright?" Someone suddenly ashed her and turning around to see who it was she noticed Bidam Rang was riding right next to her.
"Bidam?" She said.
"Did you ever think that there would be a time in all your life that people would also be cheering for you this loudly?" Bidam asked.
"I can't say that it really ever occurred to me that much." Seungman replied.
"You'll get used to it." Bidam said.
"I am so sorry." Seungman said.
"What for?" Bidam asked.
"The way that I have treated you before." Seungman replied.
"Why?" Bidam asked.
"Perhaps I thought that you were always a bad person." Seungman replied.
Bidam laughed.
"What's funny?" Seungman asked.
"Bidam here is no one's servant but his own." Bidam said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Seungman asked.
"You people can never be faithful and you can never live up to your friendships and other relationships.
If there is someone that embraced me even as a stranger it was Alcheon Rang who in the beginning was a sincere friend but in the end like everyone else he'd expect me to give back something equally as much in return." Bidam replied.
"You are wrong about him." Seungman defended.
"I have known him since young and you have known him for even not half a year." Bidam said.
"What do you know?" Seungman said.
"Aren't you afraid that one time your loyalties shall be the very bane of your relationship." Bidam asked.
"I am not having this talk again." Seungman said.
"Think about it." Bidam said.
"You are Galmunwang Baekban's ally." Seungman said.
"I help him because he himself he saved me when I was still very young and it is a debt that I owe him." Bidam said.
"Then can you forsake that loyalty?" Seungman asked.
"If I must save my neck and also if I must be ambitious." Bidam replied as they halted with their horses outside the Hwarang's Arena.
Seungman jumped and got off her horse while Bidam did the same for his.
"Bidam?" Seungman said.
"What?" He asked.
"Don't ever become an Enemy of mine." Seungman warned.
"If I did what would you do?" Bidam asked.
"An enemy of mine is an enemy of Shilla and if you became an enemy to this our Heavenly Kingdom then I wouldn't think twice before having to slay you." Seungman replied.
"Don't worry, that day shall never come." Bidam said.
"Why?" Seungman asked.
"Because Shilla will deserve me one time and I shall be the very rock on which it shall stand." Bidam replied as he walked away.
Seungman looked at him slowly disappearing from her sight and she couldn't help but wonder what he had meant.
"Your Majesty." Princess Deokman said as she bowed her head while facing the King.
"Deokman." King Jinpyeong said as his face was lit up with a smile upon the sight of his daughter.
"I have returned." Princess Deokman said.
"Thank heavens." King Jinpyeong replied.
"I wouldn't have done it without you." Princess Deokman said.
"How did you know my dear that Sokham was the one that was bound to be attacked?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"Them to propose Amak Fortress is something that I intended to do." Princess Deokman replied.
King Jinpyeong was surprised.
"How?" He asked.
"I knew that it was the best way to know my enemies and I needed to find a way to lure them out and humiliate them." Princess Deokman said.
"Do you mean the Queen?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"I hope to paint a clearer picture of her in your head father but let me Begin by asking don't you wonder how she was able to learn of this military situation when it was something between yourself, Ichan Seulbu and I?" Princess Deokman asked.
"Aside from the Courtiers who knew it later I am confident that there are some who had even perhaps been informed first before you summoned them to the Court yesterday." She added.
"That's true." King Jinpyeong said.
"At first it would have seemed to be a coincidence but I can't help it but question since when did the expecting Queen take an interest in military affairs and know exactly where to go and defend best when she isn't even well versed with the Geography of the Kingdom." Princess Deokman said.
"There is someone with that knowledge and it can't be someone ordinary." King Jinpyeong said.
"The people that can survive best on the graces of the members of the Royal family are Courtiers and also aristocrats that are ambitious in nature.
We have low ranking officials who can not support a powerless Royal to gain influence but we have high ranking ones who could ally with them to give them Influence and support from their aristocratic fellows to gain political power." Princess Deokman said.
"It's true." King Jinpyeong said.
"Her Highness is with your child right now so ai suppose a number of Courtiers would try to curry favour with her but she'll also need someone powerful enough to support her position as the Queen." Princess Deokman said.
"Perhaps I took Her Highness for granted." King Jinpyeong said.
"I know that I am surrounded by enemies and the best way that I could beat them was to bait them." Princess Deokman said.
"How?" King Jinpyeong asked.
"I knew that they would do whatever they could to try and find out what I was constantly up to so I intentionally placed individuals to carry for me news from around the borders and also used carrier pigeons.
The Messengers were the bait and had to betray me according to plan so that they would keep their lives so I knew consequently that the right messages were intercepted on a regular basis.
All that was required was for me to tell them what they wanted to know and I know that I was giving them the wrong news.
They couldn't kill the Messengers so they replied on them and in the end where they lost out on this war I have prevailed." Princess Deokman replied.
"I am amazed." King Jinpyeong said.
"You should be very cautious father." Princess Deokman said.
"I understand where you are coming from." King Jinpyeong said.
"Whatever it is father I am willing to do it for the welfare of Shilla because I can not stand and watch while all those people keep tearing it apart." Princess Deokman said.
"You did we but there is so much more that you should be doing right now." King Jinpyeong said.
"Yes Your Majesty." Princess Deokman said.
"Don't worry, I shall handle all of those Courtiers tomorrow." King Jinpyeong said.
"Thank you father, I shall take my leave right now." Princess Deokman concluded as she set foot outside the King's Chambers.
She was being escorted by her ladies in waiting away when she stopped upon noticing Queen Sungman's servant Bora.
"Greetings Your Highness." Bora said as she bowed her head.
"What is it?" Princess Deokman asked.
"Her Highness the Queen is inviting you to visit her in Ilsan Palace and have a cup of tea." Bora replied.
"Don't bother, I can visit her another day." Princess Deokman said.
"Her Highness only wished to congratulate you upon your victory and it would be quite disrespectful for you to turn her down like that." Bora said.
"Really?" Princess Deokman said.
"Your Highness, it won't take too long." Bora said.
"You seem to be a bit too desperate and Her Highness has in deed been too kind but she has never invited me over.
She is a nation criminal right now for having ill advised the King and the Courtiers which would have plunged the country into a very big crisis." Princess Deokman said, "If I associate with her then it could tarnish my name so won't you tell her to first handle the Courtiers and the rest of the country and then after everything has settled down she can come and invite me for a cup of tea." She added.
"Yes Your Highness." Bora replied as she bowed her head.
"You are blocking my way and my people need someone to sympathise with them." Princess Deokman said.
"I'm so sorry Your Highness." Bora said as she stepped out of it while Princess Deokman walked past her.
She stared at her back angrily while she sashayed away and she turned around and ran up to the Queen's Chambers.
Queen Sungman upon hearing the doors open she lay down in her bed.
"Your Highness." She eventually heard Bora's voice while she hurried up to her side.
"What is it?" Queen Sungman asked in a lowly tone.
"Her Highness has declined the offer." Bora replied and the Queen sat up from where she was lying.
"I told you to persuade her." Queen Sungman reprimanded.
"I did Your Highness but she already looked so seriously angry and she was determined as she said that she was very busy.
She also reminded me that you are a criminal for having misled the King and the State and you nearly crumbled the fate of the Kingdom to open the doors for it's enemies to come in." Bora replied.
"I never thought that she would be headstrong." Queen Sungman said.
"She said that she won't come over until everything has been settled. " Bora said.
"Then go and apply hogweed powder to the fabrics that were handed to me by the Princess and want you to also sprinkle venom on the jewelry that was given to me by her." Queen Sungman said.
"Your Highness, what are you thinking about?" Bora replied, "Who are you going to kill this time around?" She added.
"Just do as I am telling you to do so." Queen Sungman shouted.
"Yes Your Highness." Bora replied.
"Make sure that no matter what happens you don't tell anyone." Queen Sungman said.
"Yes Your Highness." Bora replied.
Princess Deokman entered her Chambers and found Yushin Rang waiting for her.
She walked up to her seat and she sat down in front of him.
"What is it Yushin Rang?" Princess Deokman asked.
"Your Highness, it's about Seungman." Yushin Rang replied.
"You still don't trust her?" Princess Deokman asked.
"It's not that I don't trust her." Yushin Rang said, "It's just that I see that there is something that is bothering you. "He added.
"You know me Yushin, if I am comfortable then I won't talk about it." Princess Deokman said.
"Why?" Yushin Rang asked.
"It's part of my duty and I can not show any weakness." Princess Deokman replied.
"Alright Your Highness." Yushin Rang said.
"Don't get angry about her relationship with Alcheon Rang and perhaps it could be fur our own good." Princess Deokman said.
"How can I not worry your Highness?" Yushin Rang asked.
"If Seungman really loves Alcheon Rang then whether against Bidam or my Uncle she will be more willing to fight along with us." Princess Deokman replied.
"When I look at it I can't help it but ask myself why it seems that Alcheon is more desperate and willing to do anything to make her happy than she is for him." Yushin Rang said.
"Can you force him to hate her or the vice versa?" Princess Deokman asked.
"No." Yushin replied.
"Yushin, you are so temperamental like a girl and it is one of the things that I like about you, whether Seungman and me were destined to be enemies or friends that is up to fate to decide for us.
I can not on the other hand choose to be responsible for our enmity and if I desire to rule over this Country one day, I must be willing to embrace all people regardless of their backgrounds and differences.
King Jinheung, Queen Sado, Mishil, all these people could have only maintained their influence because they had people who were following them and they cherished them so much eventually they became devouted to their cause.
Like them Yushin I need to win the hearts of the people be it one or two and Seungman and Alcheon's talents are much to valuable to be ruined by our personal opinions and feelings.
I must be tolerant of them as they are tolerant of me and make them feel loved and accepted and cherished as well as all the people of this our Heavenly Kingdom because if I can possess their hearts then I shall rule over earth and heaven for generations to come." Princess Deokman said.
"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang said.
"Speaking of which I need you to do me a favour." Princess Deokman said.
"What is it Your Highness?" Yushin asked.
"I want to talk to Bidam." Princess Deokman replied and Yushin widened his eyes very much surprised by the Princess's offer.
"Your Highness, is this what you want really?" He asked.
"Yes." Princess Deokman replied with a ghastly smile on her face and great determination in her eyes, she looked so serious and Yushin could tell that whatever it was that she was saying she meant it.