THINGS FALL APART
"Your Majesty." He said as he went down onto his knees.
"What is it?" Queen Seondeok asked.
"Kwansanseong Your Majesty, it has fallen." Gopheung replied and at once all the three stood up.
"What?" Queen Seondeok said so surprised.
"Your Majesty, the Paekcheans have attacked with full force as it is right now, the reinforcements have only hastened their footsteps but at the moment they are travelling at 35 Kilometers per hour." Gopheung Rang replied.
"No way, for a very large Cavalry that is too fast." Alcheon Rang said.
"Regardless of the situation, what matters is what we do from here." Seungman said as she turned to the Queen.
"Keep an eye and inform me on each and everything that is happening there." Queen Seondeok ordered.
"Yes Your Majesty." Gopheung replied as he bowed his head and withdrew from the room while Queen Seondeok sat down.
"Your Majesty, this is a very serious matter." Seungman said, "Heed my proposal and let's be prepared for the worst by taking into consideration what our final measure shall be in case the visit and the envoy to Gorguryeo are unsuccessful." She added as she bowed her head and she also turned around and walked out as well.
"Like Her Highness, are you also going to leave?" Queen Seondeok asked Alcheon Rang.
"We can not coerce you to make this decision and perhaps what you need is more time alone to also reconsider her words.
None of us hate Shilla your Majesty and none of us desire to lose it, however should everything that we owned and our strengths and resources land in the wrong hands, it could jeopardize everything that we have ever worked hard for so far." Alcheon Rang replied as he also bowed his head and he walked out of the room leaving the Queen inside all alone.
"Perhaps they are right." She thought to herself, "I need some time alone to think about it." she said to herself while she stood up and walked to the drawer that was nearby and there she pulled out the picture of Mishil that had once graced the walls of her own private Chambers as a Princess.
She stared at it intensely.
"Seju." She said, "I succeeded in becoming the Queen that you couldn't but here even with the Crown on my head there are transgressions that burden me to this very day." Queen Seondeok added.
"Why is it that the Shilla for which we have always fought right now like water it starts to slip out of our hands into the hands of another." Queen Seondeok asked, "But you are free, and you are a painting after all though in my hands you are still faint in the hearts of men and perhaps forgotten in them as well yet here I am living but less likely like I had never hoped to do so." She added as she returned the portrait to the drawer and she closed it.
"At last, I feel now that I found my keeper as well." Queen Seondeok said.
"Your Excellency, big news." Yeomjong said as he approached Bidam who was on his way to the Palace.
"You are in my way to the Palace." Bidam said.
"You need to hear this first Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied.
"Say what you must but first have you done as I had asked you?" Bidam asked.
"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied.
"Now tell me what you wanted to say." Bidam said.
"Your Excellency, Kwansanseong has already fallen." Yeomjong replied.
"Seriously?" Bidam asked.
"Yes." Yeomjong replied.
"How interesting." Bidam remarked.
"The reinforcements have only hastened their footsteps right now because judging from the Situation Paekche and it's King have pulled a direct attack and we must make haste." Yeomjong replied.
"How fast are they going?" Bidam asked
"Thirty five kilometres per hour." Yeomjong replied.
"How can they be that fast with a very long Cavalry?" Bidam asked.
"I don't know too Your Excellency but as it seems they have been preparing for this for a very long time and I have received word from the Palace that Her Highness Seungman, Kim Chunchu and Alcheon Rang made their way inside however at the moment, Chunchu is leaving the Palace with a couple of possessions." Yeomjong replied.
"Where is he off to?" Bidam asked.
"I am yet to confirm." Yeomjong replied.
"Then I don't think that I should go to the Palace." Bidam said.
"Why not Your Excellency?" Yeomjong asked.
"A more desperate situation is most believable and only with it can I be able to convince Her Majesty.
Given that things are bad, leys give it some more time." Bidam replied.
"Your smartness Your Excellency really beats me." Yeomjong said.
"There is nothing I hate more in my life like flattery especially from my subordinates." Bidam said.
"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied.
"Go and gather all the others and tell them to come and meet me after two nights." Bidam said.
"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied as he bowed his head and he walked away while Bidam looking at the exit he was about to walk through he turned around and he went back inside.
"You can't be too serious." Sangdaedeung Eulje said.
"Your Excellency I am, in deed Kwansanseong has already fallen." Lord Heumbahn replied.
Sangdaedeung Eulje stummered but Lord Heumbahn held him before he'd totally fallen down.
"Such a very big defeat already?" Sangdaedeung Eulje remarked.
"This is only the beginning Your Excellency, you don't have to really be so overly worried for the reinforcements have hastened their footsteps." Lord Heumbahn said.
"We start off at such a bad note them calamity rests on the path ahead of us." Sangdaedeung Eulje said.
"What more is there for us to do at this point if such an immediate victory has only accelerated the advancement of King Uija then I must say all that is left is to hope that we'll halt them." Lord Heumbahn said.
"I'd never expected them to be this serious with their resistance." Sangdaedeung Eulje remarked.
"This conquest of our lands is going to be a brutal one and perhaps Lady Seungman was right we shouldn't have taken this as a measure in the first place." Lord Heumbahn said.
"Nonsense." Sangdaedeung Eulje said, "If we must retain what is ours by force then we shall because I know that they are like us human too with flesh and bones, they bleed as much as we do and without a doubt there is not a thing that they can do that we can't." He added.
The Royal troops clashed in the battle and Yushin Rang slew the Paekcheans mercilessly with the edge of his sword.
General Gyebaek too made an example of the Shilla troops and he eventually came face to face with Kim Yushin.
Yushin Rang launched himself towards him and the two collided as they swang their swords vigorously
Gyebaek threw his towards Yushin Rang's head and Yushin bent backwards as he slid across the field and positioned himself right behind him.
Gyebaek turned around as he pointed his sword backwards and Yushin Rang's footsteps retreated from there going backwards.
Gyebaek jumped up and threw himself at Yushin Rang who guarded with his sword while his attacker made his descent upon him.
The swords clashed and Yushin held back a little bit as he was being forced onto his knees.
He threw a punch at Gyebaek and as his enemy stummered backwards, Yushin attacked him.
Kim Yongsu immersed himself in the blood of his motherland's Invaders while Kim Yongchun fought alongside him but the Paekcheans were brutal in their attack as the Shillans fell down over and over again.
The walls behind unable to hold them much longer the Paekcheans charged with sharp wooden posts as they collided into the Shilla defenses.
Behind them others emerged as they repelled the Shilla soldiers who were countering their attack and cleared the path towards the closed gates of the Fortress.
The Archers on top position themselves let go of their arrows and they showered the Intruders who were attempting to climb up the wall.
"Throw down the rocks." General Kim Seohyeon ordered from the top of the walls and all over the the Shilla soldiers at that battlements released them and toppled the invaders ladders.
The Paekcheans fell down but they were determined to take the place by force.
King Uija stationed himself at a distance in his red stead with a couple of other soldiers right by his side as they spectated the battle.
How long do you think they'll hold Your Majesty?" General Yunchung asked.
"Not for long and even if they did they are suffering too many casualties at the moment." King Uija replied as he laughed heartily.
"Your Majesty, we too are having too many casualties." General Yunchung said.
"We have such a large force that their efforts to hurt us are insufficient, even if they brought the whole Shilla army they wouldn't be in the position to withstand the calamity that we are bringing upon them." King Uija replied.
"Had His Late Majesty Your Father been here Your Majesty, he would have been proud of you." General Yunchung complimented.
"Enough with the flattery the show is still going own, my father failed three successive times that he died with that name Shilla inscribed in his heart that I am only here to fulfill what he couldn't and bring justice to the world.
This is the first in a series of victories where I intend to show the world whose more sufficient between me and the Female King and in so doing I shall bring the whole of Shilla to it's knees that it shall worship me." King Uija replied.
"Congratulations Your Majesty, if oir forefathers and heaven are both on your side, not even the best Generals in Shilla shall contend with your power and might for Generations and ages to come." General Yunchung said.
"After this our next stop Shall be Daeya Fortress and it shall be clear that we have aimed our arms into the direction of Seoraebeol." King Uija remarked.
War ravaged the Place and Kim Yushin and the Shilla soldiers were all pushed backwards their backs were against the wall.
"Your Majesty, the Defenders have been subdued." General Yunchung said after a keen study of the whole situation.
"What are you waiting for right now?" King Uija Asked, "Tell all the men to charge into the Fortress and leave nothing alive." He added.
"Yes Your Majesty." General Yunchung replied as he sounded the attacking horn and the war drums were struck.
A vast body of the Cavalry charged towards the Fortress as General Kim Yongsu, Kim Yongchun, Kim Seohyeon and Kim Yushin all watched with a very thick cloud of dust being raised in a distance while the gates with the wooden posts had been struck down.
The enemy was attacking at full speed and the great Generals were surrounded by their people.
"You must stay alive they said, today we did for Shilla, our blood shall grace her foundations but your Your Excellencies must live to avenge us." The Shilla soldiers said as they also charged while Yushin and the others were pushed back into the Fortress.
Gyebaek charged towards Yushin Rang but before he could get any closer to him a large mass of Shilla soldiers stormed him and they blocked his path as they fought bravely with all their lives.
Yushin and the other Generals shot a red signal into the sky and in a distance another force of Shilla stood.
"The Fortress has fallen." They said as they bitterly wept and shed their tears so demoralised from the sight.
Yushin and the others leading a small force of the Hwarang charged put through the Fortress' back gate while King Uija and his Generals marched bravely onto their steads and filled the gates that the Shillans had vacated for them at that moment.
Queen Seondeok stood up from where she was seated herself being enraged.
"Another Fortress has fallen to Paekche's hands?" She said a little bit too devastated.
"Yes Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang replied.
Queen Seondeok stumbled and she fell back into her seat.
"No." She said.
"I know that it is unbelievable Your Majesty but the war tides are nowhere in our favour." Gopheung Rang said.
"Why?" Queen Seondeok asked.
"Calm Down Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang said.
"This is Shilla, this is the great nation of King Jinheung that I inherited, what has become of you my dear country, when I die Kwansanseong shall be written on my heart." Queen Seondeok said.
"Calm down Your Majesty." Boyeong said.
"How far has Chunchu gone?" Queen Seondeok asked.
"By now he should already be in Gorguryeo." Gopheung replied.
"Looking back now he is the only hope of Shilla that is left." Queen Seondeok said.
"Fear not Your Majesty, Heaven watches over us day and night, regardless of the situation and the circumstances before us, we can never fall I assure you and History shall attribute you a glorious reign while King Uija's will end in absolute disaster." Gopheung Rang said.
Kim Chunchu arrived outside Pyeongyang Palace and there he was escorted by a group of guards as he walked through the Courtyard.
The Country looked no different from Shilla his home but it felt much colder than he recalled it to be in Seoraebeol, the sun though up in the sky it felt like winter itself was in the air and the place rather silent had the most orderly appearance that Wolseong lacked which made it an unlively domain.
The doors of the throne room were open and amidst the Courtiers he walked through the aisle to the presence of King Pojang who was seated ok his throne.
Not so far behind him, The Warlord Yon Kaesomun stood without a virtual appearance he was rather fully exposed to the whole world.
His Might could be felt in the atmosphere as not a single person looked him in the eye.
"Your Majesty." Kim Chunchu said as he bowed his head in front of the young King.
The King remained silent and Yon Kaesomun gave the order to rise.
Kim Chunchu faced his direction and bowed as well before he stood at ease.
"What brings you here?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"I come here in peace represent Shilla." Kim Chunchu replied.
"You are an envoy that has been sent by Her Majesty the Queen?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"Her Majesty our female King." Kim Chunchu replied.
"I see, even before us you have such audacity." Yon Kaesomun remarked.
"What more is there for me to say your Excellency?" Kim Chunchu asked, "I understand your best interests at hand I hope that we could lend you a hand in the near future." Kim Chunchu said.
"So says Your Female King?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"This is a rather common matter between us and to be precise I know that we both share a common enemy." Kim Chunchu said.
"And who is our common enemy, Paekche, or Tang?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"Perhaps both." Kim Chunchu replied, "Right now as it is back in Shilla the news rather surprising is that the new King of Paekche King Uija has established a rather friendly relationship with the Great Tang and she has crumbled her ties with Shilla.
Shilla itself remains a rather resourceful country which Paekche is striving so hard to possess but it faces such strong resistance we are concerned that after our downfall he might take into consideration the thought of having to attack you.
If I can think about it deeply Tang too in it's stead would be looking for a similar opportunity and Tian Kehan won't hesitate to deploy his troops on your soil.
If that happens can the strong and mighty Gorguryeo withstand the enemy's might from both sides?" Kim Chunchu Asked.
"Because Your female King is desperate she sends you to look for a negotiation with us?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"Perhaps it's an alliance that we need to counter the might of Paekche, in return having not a single bit of reserve we would return the favour in your strife against Tang as you might have heard that our fields are quite plentiful and our soil is rich, we have too many weapons along with the zeal of the Hwarang." Kim Chunchu proposed.
"Now that Shilla is crumbling where is all that wealth and where are all those resources?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"If we could with as much force fight back then we would succeed but should the frontier itself weaken then the state itself shall be safe no more, however if we can fortify our capital then ours is the assurance that the Monarchy can still stand." Kim Chunchu replied.
Yon Kaesomun clapped.
"Was it not that the Female King in three successive times crushed the attempts of his Late Majesty King Mu of Paekche, if she could discipline such an old man and humble my men at the battle of the mountain valley, why can't she handle his son?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"Your Excellency is really thoughtful but defense is our priority, if we could capture the lands of Paekche and divide them amongst ourselves then yours is our assurance that Yang against the both of us shall not stand a chance because we'll know that once you fall we'll be the next so it's better to have ourselves as sworn compeers for life." Kim Chunchu replied.
"Were those not the very words that King Jinheung's envoys uttered within these walls?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
The Courtiers looked at each other as they murmured before they replied in unison.
"Yes Your Lordship." They sang out loud.
"Her Majesty is not King Jinheung." Kim Chunchu remarked.
"Regardless of who she is the undeniable fact is that the very blood of King Jinheung flows through her veins." Yon Kaesomun said.
"With that I won't deny but is it not the same blood of Kin Pyeongwon that flows through His Majesty's veins?" Kim Chunchu asked.
"All His Majesty's predecessors were known to be great people and most of them warriors, from Jumong to King Gwanggaeto, all these were men that wielded swords and we're gods of war but contrary to them their descendants can't even hold a sword in their hands with courage.
Who is left other than me to be the Protector of this glorious Kingdom?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
All the Courtiers looked down and Kim Chunchu watched as they submitted.
"In war the strong survive, the smart plan, the foolish lose and the weak are defeated." Kim Chunchu replied, "It is with so much regard that Your Lordship loves his country and for that I respect you, I know that this love can't cause you to bow your head or lower it to recognize Tang's Suzerainty." Kim Chunchu said.
"What you are asking from me is something that is considerable and even I understand where you are coming from and you should be thankful that I am very lenient." Yon Kaesomun said.
"Thank you so much Your Lordship." Kim Chunchu said.
"Gorguryeo as you have said is proud of it's very rich History and it is without a doubt that history is something that we are all striving to Protect." Yon Kaesomun said.
"Has Your Lordship considered my offer?" Kim Chunchu asked.
"I haven't turned it down." Yon Kaesomun said.
"Thank you Your Lordship." Kim Chunchu said as he bowed his head.
"However I haven't acquisced to it just yet either." Yon Kaesomun added and Kim Chunchu raised his eyes and he looked up at him.
"What more is there for us to do Your Lordship so that you can aquisce and fulfill your part to our cause?" Kim Chunchu asked.
"I need a guarantee and one simple agreement I believe can not undo the decades and the centuries of our rivalry as well as making up for the losses that Gorguryeo itself had to suffer.
To stand with us in defense is not enough to make up for the blood of my troops that you are asking me to shed in the defense of your own country I going to require much more than that." Yon Kaesomun said.
"What more do you want Your Lordship?" Kim Chunchu asked.
"It's quite simple." Yon Kaesomun replied, "Following the dishonour that King Jinheung brought us we have never recovered and we'd hoped that our grudge towards Shilla would run deep.
However upon this common ground from which we stand we promise that it can easily sublime if with the order of your Majesty you in peace returned to us this lost lands of the Han River basin that Her predecessor King Jinheung Conquered from us." Yon Kaesomun replied.
Kim Chunchu was startled.
"If you do that then I promise that I shall grant you a Cavalry of one hundred thousand elite soldiers in less than seven days Paekche shall fall at Sabi." Yon Kaesomun added.
"Your Lordship." Kim Chunchu said.
"Am I asking for too much?" Yon Kaesomun Asked.
"No." Kim Chunchu replied.
"Then?" Yon Kaesomun asked.
"That's beyond my own power." Kim Chunchu replied.
"I am not asking you but rather I am asking Your Female King and myself being considerate I understand that time isn't on your side so I shall station the troops at the border in twenty four hours and wait for utmost three days for a written document from Seoraebeol itself.
If by that time you have given no reply then I assure you that in retaliation we might just consider fostering a friendly relationship with Paekche to reclaim them all by force." Yon Kaesomun said.
Kim Chunchu's eyes widened.
"I hate to keep you waiting and you can pardon me if I am not hospitable at all but if you must then hurry up and inform Her Majesty the Female King that the time you have left is too valuable and much too precious to be wasted." Yon Kaesomun said.
"Yes Your Excellency." Kim Chunchu replied as he bowed his head and slowly he withdrew from the throne room and left the Courtiers inside alone.
"You all have seen what has become of a powerful Shilla after the ascension of a female King, when power is in the hands of the weak then the institutions that they Command and lead shall be scrambled for by their enemies like jackals scramble for a piece of meat." Yon Kaesomun remarked.
Kim Chunchu was headed towards his Palanquin while bowing his head in disappointment.
"Your Excellency, what is it?" Geumyang asked.
"Heaven and the ancestors seem to have abandoned us in the end, the Shilla for which we are fighting for is slowly starting to crumble." Kim Chunchu replied.
"Who would have thought that there would ever be a day for us like this?" Geumyang asked.
"For now as we make haste let us only hope that the situation at home isn't much worse." Kim Chunchu replied as he climbed into his Palanquin.
Geumyang turned back and he looked at the vast palace of Gorguryeo before his sighed as he mounted his horse and led the path away from it.
"Your Excellency." Yeomjong said as he found Bidam who was seated in his chair and fanning himself with a fan made from peacock feathers.
"What awful news do you carry with yourself right now?" Bidam asked.
"Another Fortress has been taken." Yeomjong replied.
"The sound of war is in the air I am not at all surprised." Bidam remarked.
"Your Majesty, just today seven the of our major strongholds have fallen to King Uija and word from the Palace has it that Her Majesty the Queen is far too devastated from the attack." Yeomjong added.
"Who wouldn't be?" Bidam asked, "Even though it might sound so hard to believe but I am just as devastated as you are." He added.
"Why?" Yeomjong asked, "You are at ease." He added.
"My people are fighting with their lives and I have every reason to believe that they are done much better than we expected against a strong enemy at least we shall not lose the entire Western Frontier." Bidam replied.
"Sokham is falling apart." Yeomjong remarked.
"And the flames and the cries consuming her shall give not Her Majesty a single bit of peace." Bidam replied.
"I think that she needs Your comfort now Your Excellency." Yeomjong said.
"Don't worry so much about it, the time is not yet right, wait until Kim Chunchu returns with news from Gorguryeo and then we shall react." Bidam ordered.
"Alright Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied as he bowed his head.
"If I am too awful to cry right now for her Majesty she must still be clinging onto that one hope." Bidam remarked.
"Another Fortress has fallen?" Seungman asked.
"Yes Your Highness." Haesul replied.
"Oh my what a burden of mine that I find too unbearable, alas before my own eyes disaster has befallen Shilla." Seungman remarked.
"Seven of our primary strongholds in a day have been destroyed and much as we have been brutal and a lot of Paekcheans have been slain they are still victorious." Haesul Rang said.
"This is what I feared with all my heart." Seungman said.
"Finally I understand Your Highness the burden that must be weighing on both Your Majesty and Yourself." Haesul Rang said.
"What about Kim Chunchu, has he returned into Seoraebeol yet?" Seungman asked.
"There is no sign of him yet." Haesul Rang replied.
"It is so disheartening the battlefield is claiming so much more from us than it can give, we are treading on thin ice because should we fail right now then I have every reason to believe that in this fight we might be all alone." Seungman said.
"Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang said as he rushed into the doors of Queen Seondeok's Chambers.
"Any good news?" Queen Seondeok asked him from where she was seated.
"His Highness Kim Chunchu has returned from Gorguryeo." Gopheung replied.
"I'll go and see him." Queen Seondeok said as she stood up from where she was seated and she strode out through her bedroom doors.
"Your Highness." Damhyeong said as he walked up to Seungman and Haesul Rang with Alcheon by his side.
"What is it?" Seungman asked.
"His Highness Kim Chunchu has returned from Gorguryeo and he shall be arriving at the Palace very soon." Alcheon Rang replied.
"Let's go there and see him." Seungman said as she led the way out of the room as well.
Seungman came face to face with Queen Seondeok and there they stood for a while near the gates of Wolseong Palace when they saw the Palanquin that had carried Kim Chunchu being lowered in front of them.
"He is here." Seungman said as they all anticipated his presence he eventually stepped out and looked at them both as he slowly walked up to them.
"How was it?" Queen Seondeok asked.
"Can we have a seat first Your Majesty." Kim Chunchu said and the three of them walked up to a nearby room where they sat down.
"Tell me." Queen Seondeok said.
"Did Yon Kaesomun turn down our offer?" Seungman asked.
"He didn't." Kim Chunchu replied.
"Did he accept it?" Seungman asked.
"He said that he will one one condition though." Kim Chunchu replied.
"What is it?" Queen Seondeok asked.
"He said that he'd send over 0ne hundred thousand troops over to us immediately if we were to hand over all the lands of the Han River basin. that King Jinheung conquered." Kim Chunchu said.
"Say it again?" Queen Seondeok said.
"He said that he'd send over 0ne hundred thousand troops over to us immediately if we were to hand over all the lands of the Han River basin. that King Jinheung conquered." Kim Chunchu replied.
Queen Seondeok sighed as she picked up a cup of tea and she sipped at it before she placed it down.
"Return all the lands of the Han River basin. that King Jinheung conquered?" Queen Seondeok said.
"Yes." Kim Chunchu said and Queen Seondeok smiled.
"What's he supposed to mean, that I shall with one heart turn over my ancestors great work to him for him to boast a great legacy, that I'd tarnish their achievements and taint my own reputation so that I can establish a diplomatic relationship with them?" Queen Seondeok said, "How lowly he must think of this female King of Shilla, how weak willed he must me to be, so resentful to so much conflict that I would forsake the blood that my people themselves she'd for four Generations so far?" She added.
"Your Majesty, Yon Kaesomun is determined." Kim Chunchu remarked.
"And should I be afraid of that?" Queen Seondeok asked, "I am already giving them my heart but that is not enough they are asking me to go on my knees, bow my head and break my back." She added.
"I understand that Your Majesty." Seungman remarked.
"For decades those that preceded me tried and they never surrendered, they fought to their last breath that when I think of it is much better if I had Paekche to vanquish me rather than give up the wealth and the pride of my people.
If in his eyes I am just a woman let me be so but the rest of the world won't call me too weak my pride is just as much as his and I as well consider myself to be just as stubborn as he might be." Queen Seondeok said.
"That's the very least of our worries Your Majesty because there is something much bigger for us to show our concern as well." Kim Chunchu said.
"What more is there that you have to tell us?" Seungman asked.
"Yon Kaesomun's sword once drawn out can not return to it's scabbard without tasting blood, he has said that within free days if we can not hand over the Lands of the Han River basin to him then he is going to join forces with Paekche and tear us down to Seoraebeol itself taking them back by force." Kim Chunchu replied.