HEAVEN'S WILL

"What is it?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Your Majesty, Princess Deokman and Lady Seungman believe that they can do something about the matter and they are standing outside and requesting to have an audience with you." The Eunuch replied.

"Please let them in." King Jinpyeong said.

"Yes Your Majesty." His Eunuch replied as the doors of the throne room were flung open and the two women walked in and they stopped right in front of King Jinpyeong.

"Your Majesty." They said as they bowed their heads.

"What is it that you have to say?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"There is chaos all over the city as the people have gone thirsty, the water turning into blood could be a sign of heaven and we are here to ask Your Majesty to resort to divination." Princess Deokman said as the two bowed their heads.

"Divination you say?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"Yes Your Majesty." The two replied in unison as the Courtiers murmured at themselves in disbelief while the two seemed rather firm in their claim.

"How are we going to do that?" King Jinpyeong asked.

"We shall first and pray for seven days as we shall seek the guidance of heaven, after that heaven shall reveal to us it's intentions." Princess Deokman replied.

"Very well then." King Jinpyeong agreed.

"Thank you Your Majesty." The two replied as they bowed their heads.

Princess Deokman and Seungman were dressed in plain white and black attires as they walked into the temple.

There along with all the other priests and monks they gathered in front of the altar and raising their hands towards the heavens they bowed them down and they prayed.

They got a series of incense sticks and dipped them into the pots in front of them as they picked up talismans on which they wrote their prayers and they put them in as well.

The monks chanted the Buddhist sutras and as they prayed the two Princesses bowed their heads.

Galmunwang Baekban was seated inside his Chambers when Queen Sungman walked in and she bowed her head while he stood up.

"Greetings Your Highness." Haek Ga said with a smile on his face as he invited the young woman to come and take a seat right in front of him.

she complied while she lowered herself in the chair at the time careful with the child that she was carrying.

"I wasn't expecting you just yet." Baekban said.

"I heard that Her Highness Princess Deokman and Seungman asked the King to resort to divination but my question is why in the world couldn't you oppose them in the Court?" Queen Sungman asked.

"What more did you want us to do to show our antagonism towards Princess Deokman and her cousin, either way whatever they are up to had we tried to oppose the King would have still given them his permission and if that alone isn't enough an explanation everyone needs right now a miracle so if we would stop them then to the ears of the people we could be rebels to the will of heaven." Baekban replied.

"You are seated here and doing nothing." Queen Sungman said.

"Who said so, I made you who you are so the least that you should do is remain thankful to me that your name shall grace the pages of history somewhere." Baekban replied.

"Can't you think of what those two are up to at this time?" Queen Sungman asked.

"Can't you Your Highness?" Baekban asked.

"I'm pregnant and for heaven's sake you think it is that easy to carry a child for nine months when this child is the primary goal of our cause?" Queen Sungman replied.

"You are the nearest to Princess Deokman and me being distant if we can not cooperate then I am afraid that there is nothing good that shall come of our plans." Baekban said.

"Let's put all that aside, what do you think is the main reason for this divination?" Queen Sungman asked.

"To be honest with you I am uncertain what is going on in the minds of those two women and I doubt that I can give you a good enough explanation for it." Baekban said.

"What do you plan on doing?" Queen Sungman Asked.

"Seven days is all we have and now that they are using the will of heaven then I am much afraid that it might be quite risky but it is the very least that we can do." Baekban replied.

"What are we going to do Your Excellency?" Queen Sungman asked.

"When using the will of heaven whether it turns out to be good or bad this is something that they can not admit to the public is false so the advantage that we have is that people shall believe what they see." Baekban replied.

"We are going to turn out whatever the revelation might say to our own advantage?" Queen Sungman asked.

"You can think of it as stealing with a borrowed knife because if we can engineer the revelation and cause it to bend to our will then both Princess Deokman and Seungman shall have been automatically ousted by their own doing which shall give us the opportunity to cease the hearts of the people." Baekban replied.

"What a brilliant stratagem!" Queen Sungman exclaimed.

"It might be brilliant but it is still incomplete because for us to carry it out all we need are two things, what is going to happen and where it shall happen?" Baekban replied.

"I never thought that far." Queen Sungman said.

"You should be taking care of yourself and the child that is within your womb as you can leave the rest to me and Bora but if you wish to be helpful I want you to at least help me keep an eye on all the people that those two come in contact with including the Pungwoljis." Baekban said.

"Yes I will." Queen Sungman replied.

"The places where those two have been to in the Palace and also who else is involved with them in the whole ruse." Baekban said.

"Yes." Queen Sungman replied.

Princess Deokman and Seungman having concluded the prayers stepped out of the Temple as they walked towards the exit.

There they found a few ordinary people who gazed at them as they passed while they went further ahead into the palanquins that had been prepared for them.

Arriving inside , they were able lifted off the ground and carried while the people crowded along the paths as they passed in a procession that was led by a series of priests and Royal guards.

Seungman stared out through the window of her Palanquin and there in the Crowds Moo Mak stood with Damhyeong as they watched them being lifted away.

Seungman's eyes moving around keenly she caught sight of the two faces in a distance and studying them for a while she confirmed blinking her eyes that it wasn't her imagination.

"Halt." She said and the Royal guard outside listening to her looked inside.

"What was that Your Highness?" He asked.

"Halt this Palanquin right now." Seungman ordered and automatically the procession ceased while Princess Deokman's first half still progressed in the direction of the Palace for a while.

Alcheon Rang who was leading the procession upon noticing that it's last half which contained Seungman had halted he stopped and Princess Deokman where she was she noticed that her Palanquin was stilled as well.

She raised the curtain and looked out through the window as she looked at Yushin who was walking right by her side.

"Your Highness." He said the moment his eyes caught sight of her attention.

"Why have we stopped?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I believe that Her Highness Seungman has halted for some reason." Yushin replied.

"Open for me." she ordered.

"Yes Your Highness." Yushin Rang replied as the doors of the Palanquin were flung open and Princess Deokman stepped out.

She had turned around when she noticed her cousin stepping out of her Palanquin when her eyes lingered around the place.

She didn't show any panic as she studied the faces of the commons around who wondered why she had stopped.

Seungman could see them no more and her gaze meeting that of the people she instead bowed her head and she greeted them while she turned and looked at Princess Deokman who was standing ahead.

She nodded her head as she climbed into her Palanquin once again and Princess Deokman doing the same she got inside hers as the procession continued.

"Why did we run away from her?" Damhyeong asked Moo Mak.

"She is no longer the Seungman that we both knew and she is a Princess right now, if she knows us here in public then it can't be something that is good to others and since people wanted her dead while she was still a baby turning up right now might endanger both our lives and her own." Moo Mak replied.

"We can't remain here either and keep hiding because if we can't protect her then no one will abd besides we are the only people that she can trust." Damhyeong said.

"I understand but before we can meet her there is someone else we must first see and I do understand this much more than anyone else that she needs us now more than ever before in her life." Moo Mak said.

"I am just overly cautious, that's it." Damhyeong said.

"I don't want to pry." Princess Deokman said when she noticed that Seungman was looking troubled and absent minded.

"What is it Your Highness?" Seungman asked.

"Why did you halt the procession halfway?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I don't know Your Highness but I am certain that my father was there with my best friend." Seungman replied.

"By father you mean....?" Princess Deokman asked.

"Kim Moo Mak." Seungman replied.

"What happened?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I saw them there for a moment and the other passing they had just vanished and to be worried or relieved I don't know right now." Seungman replied.

"I understand but given that they saw you shouldn't they have at least made an effort to get close enough rather than push themselves away?" Princess Deokman asked.

"I also don't understand why, since I was young my father has never been one whose intentions are that easy to tell." Seungman replied, "However whatever the case is if he did it willingly then he must have his own reasons and if that is not the case then I am rather worried." She added.

"You don't need to stress yourself thinking so much about it." Princess Deokman said.

"Whatever it is for the time being we can just put it aside and let us hope that what we are going to do succeeds." Seungman replied.

"We need to be cautious, anything can happen in a week's time." Princess Deokman said.

"Galmunwang Baekban is a very stubborn and smart man, I'm certain that his aim this time around shall be to divert our plan from what we initially expect." Seungman said.

"But we are not foolish." Princess Deokman said.

"And neither is he." Seungman said.

"I can't entirely guarantee that what we want shall come to pass but if there is one thing that is undeniable we won't lose to him under any circumstances." Princess Deokman said.

"I hope so." Seungman said.

"If we wish to trap Galmunwang Baekban very well then we need a scapegoat." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness, how are we going to do that because if there is something that Baekban possesses that I trust the most then it is his discernment." Seungman said.

"He only has to keep trusting it and there is no need for you to worry because if there is something that Baekban has to fear then it is the both of us that are seated in this very room." Princess Deokman said.

Moo Mak and Damhyeong halted right in front of the gates of the Kim Manor and there the both of them stared at the plaque that hang above.

"What are we doing here?" Damhyeong asked.

"Don't worry, you'll know very soon." Moo Mak replied as he walked up to the door and he knocked on it.

The door was opened and a couple of guards looked at him.

"Who are you?" One of them asked.

"Can we come in, we need to see your Master." Moo Mak replied.

"Who are you, you can't just walk in here as though it is your house, did you have an appointment?" The guard asked.

"No." Moo Mak replied.

"Scoot." The man said.

"I'll wait here and I am not leaving here until I have a word with him." Moo Mak said.

"Just who do you think you are old man?" The guard asked as he whistled and a couple of other guards walked up to him as well.

They unsheathed their swords and they pointed them at Moo Mak who didn't look worried he only walked closer to them.

One of the guards drew his sword towards him and Moo Mak putting his arms behind him he span on his feet feet to the sode while he threw a back kick with his right leg and struck the guards abdomen that he knocked down his other fellows.

Those that has survives the collision advanced towards him with their swords and swinging them to try and cut him he went down and slid on his knees past them finally positioning himself behind where he leaped and orchestrated a spinning kick which struck their faces they all fell down.

He halted as he stood facing the entrance to the Inner Courtyard while a number of more and more guards converged around him from inside they eventually formed a circle around both him and his student Damhyeong.

"Master." Damhyeong called.

"Sit." Moo Mak ordered.

"There are too many of them." Damhyeong argued.

"Sit." Moo Mak shouted and Damhyeong without a choice he complied as he was quite devastated and at the same time disappointed that his master hadn't considered any help from him.

"Watch and learn." Moo Mak said as he looked at the guards and pulled out a very long nylon ropes from his belt.

He swang it around while the guards looked at him quite surprised.

The first batch launched themselves towards him and throwing his rope he ceased all their swords in one bundle and disarmed them while he bent lower and pushed his left leg which tripped them all seriously they landed onto the ground and cried in pain.

He disposed off their swords while second batch made its way towards him and spinning his rope around he whipped their legs while he punched their faces they were also repelled.

Gukban was seated inside his Chambers when Damju walked in all of a sudden.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head.

"What is it?" Gukban asked.

"Your Excellency, there is a mad man and a boy that are inside the Manor and he seems to have exquisite skills as he is repelling all your guards." Damju replied.

"Is there any chance that you know him?" Gukban Asked.

"I don't think that I have met him anywhere before and on top of that he has a thick long beard his about the same age as you and he is asking for an audience." Damju replied.

"That's strange." Gukban remarked.

"Your Excellency, could he have been sent here by your brother?" Damju asked.

"No." Gukban replied, "My brother isn't the type of person to cause a scene and I am just as skilled a fighter if he was here to hurt me I don't think he has a chance of surviving beyond this courtyard." Gukban said.

"Your Excellency, this man is very dangerous, I can't guarantee that you'll be safe when you see him." Damju said.

"Give me your sword." Gukban said.

Damju looked at the other sword which hang on the wooden rack that was a couple of feet away from his Master.

"Your Excellency, how come I have never seen you draw that sword from it's scabbard and use it?" Damju asked.

"That sword belongs to a man that I respect and a compeer that I cherished, if it is to taste blood once again then it shall be the blood of the villain who tore us apart while he paid the price for loyalty." Gukban replied when another man barged into his room.

"Your Excellency." He said as he bowed his head while he breathed heavily.

"What's the problem with you?" Gukban asked.

"That man has put our defenses on the ground." The guard replied.

"Damju, your sword." Gukban ordered.

Damju drew his sword from it's scabbard and handed it over to him while Gukban treaded towards his doors he flung them open and he marched out into the inner courtyard.

He could see the rest of his guards flying up and down and rolling onto the ground when there he gazed at a back and strong build that appeared to be familiar to his eyes.

He dashed across as he made his appearance onto the battlefield and just as he launched himself into mid air with a loud yell.

The intruder turned around as he looked at him and just when their eyes met at once Gukban hesitated while Moo Mak moved out of the way and dodged the attack.

Gukban walked forward as he was about to crush face first onto the ground and there raising his head he was was redeemed when a very strong grip on his left hand dragged him backwards he was on his feet again and he had regained his equilibrium.

The two looked at each other as Gukban marvelled he stared in disbelief.

"Moo Mak?" Gukban said hesitantly after recognizing him.

"Your Excellency." Moo Mak replied and while everyone else was rather surprised with their reaction, Gukban dropped the sword that was in his grip and it landed onto the ground.

Moo Mak stepped away and he was about to bow his head when Gukban held up his arms and looked at him.

"Don't." Gukban said, "If someone should be thankful and should be the one giving you respect it should be me." He added.

The guards scattered as the two along with Damhyeong and Damju were left alone.

"Your Excellency, have you taken good care of yourself?" Moo Mak asked.

"What nonsense us this, I should be the one asking you." Gukban said.

"I did as you see." Moo Mak replied.

"It's been seventeen years." Gukban said.

"But heaven's will brought us back together in the end and I tried every possible way that I could yo keep Seungman away from Seoraebeol but I guess I failed in the end like yourself her heart was yearning and she was stubborn to escape my watchful eye." Moo Mak said.

"You have no idea how grateful I am." Gukban said as he pulled Moo Mak into a hug, I took care of Your family and when Seungman returned to us she barely said a word for a moment I thought that you had died but now here you are in front of me once again." Gukban said.

The two pulled apart.

"My loyalty was sworn to Your Excellency, others could abandon you but never could I." Moo Mak remarked.

"Thank you." Gukban had just mentioned when his daughter walked through the gates and the first thing that she noticed was her father Moo Mak.

"Father?" She called that he slowly turned around while Damhyeong's eyes followed his to the entrance as well.

Seungman holding up her dress she hurriedly rushed towards her father and she tightly embraced him.

"Father." She said as she burst into tears while Gukban where he was standing he smiled.

"Seungman." Moo Mak said.

"I missed you so much." Seungman remarked as she tightened her arms around him.

"I also missed you." Moo Mak said.

"Seungman, he is our guest and also a part of our family, shouldn't you at least welcome him inside?" Gukban Asked.

"Yes." Seungman said.

"Seungman?" She heard someone else calling her that she turned and at that moment she noticed Damhyeong's presence.

"Damhyeong?" She called.

"It's me." Damhyeong replied.

She drew closer to him and she also hugged him.

"How have you been?" Seungman asked.

"Angry that you left and angrier that you tied me to a pole in your house." Damhyeong replied.

"Damhyeong?" Moo Mak called toughly that he was a bit too frightened.

"Let's go inside." Gukban said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Moo Mak replied as the five walked into Galmunwang Gukban's study.

They sat down at a table and they were given some tea.

"Did you know that Seungman had returned to Seoraebeol?" Gukban asked.

"Yes." Moo Mak replied.

"It must have been a weight lifted from your shoulders." Gukban remarked.

"If I could be honest I was worried when Seungman ran away from me and I had never thought that she'd persist to come to Seoraebeol either.

At first I thought that perhaps it was because of Alcheon Rang but I suppose that in the end she was just as curious as you were at that age Your Excellency and she was also stubborn she never listened to me." Moo Mak said.

"I don't know how I can thank you so much, after seventeen whole years tight now it feels like my family is complete once again and the days of happiness have returned to this once sombre manor." Gukban said.

"There is no need Your Excellency." Moo Mak said as he turned and looked at Seungman who smiled at him, "To be honest raising Seungman like my own was something that made me happy enough." Moo Mak replied.

Seungman sulked a little.

"What's with that face?" Gukban asked.

"Right now I realise how hard it must have been for you and it hurts me the times that I ever tried to make you angry and I succeeded." Seungman replied.

"I am fine with it." Moo Mak said, "Seungman, you were never a burden to me to begin with and neither were you merely a responsibility.

This life was kind enough that it gave me a daughter and someone that could cry in my arms when she is disappointed, it made me feel that each and every time I had someone that was thinking of me and loving me dearly.

I was grateful for the times that we fought and for the seasons that you were quite naughty, I realised it often that the fights we had in the end never tore us apart but they only brought us closer." Moo Mak said.

Seungman smiled.

"Seungman, you made me realize that even I could be a further and you became to me something worth protecting because losing you was close to losing myself, I nurtured you and I trained you to become the strong woman you are right now and upon hearing that you had found the very place of your belonging, my heart was at peace I needed to come and see for myself without restraint and remorse I could smile from the back of the crowd knowing that I became the Shilla you fought to protect." Moo Mak added.

"It doesn't matter whether I am of Noble birth or not and this family of mine where I belong could embrace me but in my eyes you are still my father and there is nothing that can ever change that because you are the man that raised me, the one that cooked for me.

You sheltered me from the rain and you embraced me and gave me warmth when the nights were cold, you clothed me and taught me that I could become brave like any man and I would also surpass any worldly expectations.

When I looked back as I had grieved for having been sent away as a child in the end I was most grateful because the gift that departure gave me that I found to be most precious was you." Seungman said.

"It has in deed been a long time Moo Mak and you and your student are welcome to stay here for my home is just yours as well.

You can feel free to see your family but please this time around never leave me again." Gukban said.

"Don't worry Your Excellency, I swore to protect your daughter and if she returned to Seoraebeol I returned as well with Damhyeong because if she must survive the schemes of your enemies that still lie here in their own comforts and endless plotting, to go against the world we'll be by her side." Moo Mak said.

"Thank you father, I need you too." Seungman said.

Princess Deokman and Seungman got their incense sticks and they placed them into the pot which was stationed right in front of the altar.

The two closed their eyes and they meditated while the priests that were around them waited earnestly for what they were about to say.

The two bowing their heads they sat up and they looked at them.

"Have you received a revelation?" They asked.

"Yes." Princess Deokman replied.

"What is it this time around?" Galmunwang Gukban asked.

"The revelation shall be at the Gumgang mountains." Seungman replied as the two stood up and they faced them all.

"We'll go to Gumgang mountains." Princess Deokman said.

"Yes Your Highnesses." Everyone if the monks that was nearby said in unison while the two women marched out.

By the time that they had arrived, part of the area had already been laid off while the people there were scrambling to see for themselves what was going to happen at that very moment.

They looked up at the sky which was already cloudy and a mild wind spread across the entire place while the two Princesses walked over to the centre of place.

A large number of the Courtiers had gathered in the place as well as the King Jinpyeong with his brothers.

Seungman looked at Princess Deokman who was standing right next to her.

"It's time." Princess Deokman said.

At that moment as the sky totally darkened and tension was in the atmosphere when doves gathered right above them in a very large flight.

They darkened the sky the more as they all descended onto the ground in front of them while the Princesses watched from a distance.

There were numerous cracks in the ground that followed as it shook violently while from there emerged a very tall stele which stood in the shape of a cuboid.

The people that were around having witnessed the sight they started to bow their heads while the drums of worship were sounded and the birds that were around slowly scattered.

The wind was at its worst and flowers started to rain from the sky in the small valley where they were all nestled.

On the rock there were very deep inscriptions that could be read even from a distance and in that very moment the people read the words that were written on it.

YIN IS BORN

JIN IS KING

SHILLA WILL FALL

AT ITS TWENTIETH SEED

WHEN THE CRIES REACH HEAVEN

ITS GRACE DESCENDED IN TWO STARS

THROUGH THEM ALL SHE WAS BLESSED

AND SHILLA PROSPERED

FOR AT THE HAND OF CHASTE

JIN WAS DEFEATED.

"What does this mean?" The people started murmuring amongst themselves.

"This is the will of heaven." Princess Deokman replied, "It forever remains most marvellous in our own sight." She added.