LAST WILLS

"Bidam is a morally upward man, smart and intelligent, he is beloved by the people and above all he is wise and caring while devoted to all his duties.

He shows so much commitment in each and everything that he does which I do believe makes him the most remarkable talent that can see to this most ordurous task." Queen Seondeok said.

"If Her Majesty wills then with all my heart I shall follow and I shall devote my effort to build for her a sustainable Kingdom and for Her Majesty I shall certainly guard it well." Bidam said as he bowed his head.

"In consideration of the punishments that I shall offer I shall see to it that each of these individuals is laden with the responsibility of ensuring the utmost strength and security of our military force they shall be tasked to train and manage ten thousand soldiers within the course of the year." Queen Seondeok said.

"Yes Your Majesty." They all said as they went down on their knees while Yushin bowing her head raising it up he looked at the Queen in all her Royal splendour.

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty." He thought to himself inwardly as he smiled, "I shall get the whole world and give it to you even if I had to bring it before your grave." He added.

Queen Seondeok smiled.

"Yes." She thought to herself, "What shall the both of you give me." She added.

Seungman walked out of the throne room and as she strode through the Palace Courtyard, Alcheon Rang followed closely behind her.

"Your Highness, what reason have you to look excited?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"Nothing, I am just intrigued." Seungman replied.

"I never thought that Her Majesty would possess such a great deal of faith in Bidam." Alcheon Rang remarked.

"Who would have thought so, as it is she already looked much more determined than ever before to elevate him to the position of Sangdaedeung." Seungman Said.

"Perhaps that's one of the reasons that I find to make me happy today." Seungman said.

"Your Highness, is there something that you aren't telling me?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"I can be as suspicious as I want when it comes to Bidam but to tell you that Bidam of all people is someone that is innocent there is nothing that feels right and it isn't something that I can talk to the Queen about." Seungman replied.

"What about Yushin Rang?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"I don't really know, that I won't lie to you." Seungman replied.

"Could Her Majesty be doubting him?" Alcheon Rang asked.

"I can't say for sure but why would she ask him to possess an army?" Seungman asked.

"Perhaps she wishes to give him much more power." Alcheon Rang said.

"The purpose of giving something that is as resourceful as that is tk see how capable of is with his talents and to what good use can he put them to, even I think deeper about it, with the much power that she is giving she wishes to know who is much more trustworthy than the other." Seungman replied.

"None is too strong as one can suppress the other, perhaps the Queen has intentionally turned both Bidam and Yushin Rang into her hands." Alcheon Rang said.

"At this time all that I have with me are allegations however for everything to be confirmed we shall have to wait and see." Seungman remarked as she further sashayed away.

"Congratulations Your Excellency." Yeomjong said.

"There is no need for you to say that." Bidam replied as he sat down onto his seat.

"Why Your Excellency, by the mere fact that Her Majesty has appointed you to the position of Sangdaedeung which is the most honourable title in the Court of Shilla then that means that she trusts you." Yeomjong said.

"To be Very honest this came to me much sooner than I had expected." Bidam remarked.

"Your Majesty, we are close ti achieving our dream." Yeomjong said.

"Can every dream be that easily achieved?" Bidam Asked.

"What Your Excellency?" Yeomjong asked.

"I am concerned." Bidam replied.

"About what Your Excellency?" Yeomjong asked.

"There is the Queen and there is Yushin, if she must be mine then she can belong to no one else." Bidam replied.

"Belong to no one else?" Yeomjong asked as he looked at Bidam a little bit surprised.

"Just today Yushin Rang too with his military achievements he boasts some of the most remarkable troops and such a strength when it comes to military power I must say in the near future it is something that could be very deadly to us both." Bidam said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong said.

"However if the Queen has permitted him to raise and train an army without any accordance to those who'll participate as national troops then it is perhaps something that we are going to use as an advantage." Bidam said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied.

"After the Sokham Fortress incident her Majesty could have doubts but such a clean punishment endears her to the people which wasn't much of what I had expected.

To possess the army is one thing but what you use it for is another and because of that Regardless of what Yushin Rang does, it must seem to the Queen that he is perhaps the biggest threat to her power." Bidam said as he smiled ghastly.

"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied.

Seungman was seated in her quarters when Damhyeong walked in.

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

"What is it?" Seungman asked.

"Alcheon Rang and Yushin have returned from battle." Damhyeong replied.

Seungman stood up.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yes Your Highness." Damhyeong replied.

"Is there anything else that I should know?" Seungman asked as Damhyeong looked down.

"Yes Your Highness." He replied hesitantly.

"What is it?" Seungman asked.

"His Excellency Your Father." Damhyeong replied.

"What happened to him?" Seungman asked.

"Your Father was shot with an arrow." Damhyeong replied.

"What?" Seungman said as she hurriedly rushed to her father's Chambers.

She barged through the doors and there she found her mother who was weeping on top of her father.

She was frozen that very instant as she being unable to believe what her eyes were seeing she drew a bit closer to the edge of the bed.

"Father?" She called and Lady Wolmyeong hearing the voice of her daughter turned around and beheld her in their presence.

"Seungman?" She called.

Her eyes moved from her father to Damju who was standing right by the bedside.

"What happened to him?" She asked.

Damju kept quiet.

"I said what happened to him?" Seungman shouted much louder than before.

"Pardon me Your Highness, I am incompetent and it's all my fault." Damju said.

"I care less whose fault it was and it wasn't, just tell me what happened to father?" Seungman asked.

Damju began narrating.

"Your Father wasn't himself yesterday as he had visited the Royal Investigations Bureau but after that he began to act a little bit strange.

On our way back here as we were walking through the market area, there were a couple of three archers that had positioned themselves right on top of a balcony at the nearby inn and I hadn't noticed them as I escorted his Excellency by the time that I realised it was too late and he had been shot." Damju narrated.

"What did the Physician say?" Seungman asked.

"The poison that was at the Arrowhead which struck your father was very Lethal Seungman." Lady Wolmyeong replied.

"Does that mean....?" Seungman asked.

"For him to regain consciousness is a miracle but I don't think that there is much more time left for him." Lady Wolmyeong replied.

Seungman was surprised that she shed a tear from her eye.

"Father?" She called but there wasn't a response from him eventually she she fell down on her knees right beside his bed.

"Your Highness, in my opinion this is...." Damju was still saying.

"An assassination attempt." Seungman completed.

"Yes." Damju replied as he bowed his head.

"Your father wasn't even a Courtier and neither was he a politician any more, all that he was doing was trying to live an ordinary and comfortable life so what more did they want from him?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"What did they want from him?" Seungman asked.

Damhyeong walked in along with Haesul Rang and they found their mistress on her knees.

"Your Highness." They said.

"Damju?" Seungman called.

"Yes Your Highness?" Damju replied.

"Who did my father see?" Seungman asked.

"Your Highness, His Excellency didn't tell me anything at all, however when I was with him it's not like he has seen anyone the past couple of days." Damju replied.

"Where has he been to?" Seungman asked.

"When we came from the Royal Investigations Bureau he first stopped by at the Ministry of Finance and went into your office, other than that there is not a single place he'd been too when we were walking through the market area." Damju replied.

"Alright." Seungman said, "But that's impossible for me to believe that he didn't see someone." She added.

"Your Highness, other than me there isn't another person that has come into contact with him." Damju said.

"You may leave." Seungman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Damju replied as he bowed his head and walked out of the room leaving Seungman and the other three alone while looking at her father.

Lady Wolmyeong whose eyes were swollen as she sobbed quietly turned to her daughter.

"What did your father do?" She asked.

"I wish I knew mother, perhaps it's because of me." Seungman said.

"No, please don't say that." Lady Wolmyeong remarked.

"If my father didn't do anything then is it possible that whoever did this to him could have thought him to have known something?" Seungman asked.

"Yes Your Highness, perhaps." Haesul Rang said.

"But my father knowing something why didn't he tell me and I don't think that he was panicking according to what Damju said." Seungman said as she crawled up to her father's bed.

"Please tell me father." She said, "what more did you know?" She asked herself as she studied her father's body while there was something that caught her eye.

She noticed that there was a black spot that was stationed right on her father's right arm that she unfolded it and noticed that it was dirty.

"Mother?" Seungman called.

"He had ink on his hand and I cleaned it." Lady Wolmyeong said.

Seungman caught part of her dressed and she wiped it away as she stood up.

"Father, please rest assured I'll find whoever did this to you." Seungman said.

"My dear, must you get yourself in trouble, I already feel like I have lost so much already I do not want to also lose you." Lady Wolmyeong remarked.

"Mother, someone must take care of the family and of we ignore this then I fear that in the near future things might not be any different for the both of us as well." Seungman said.

"What are you going to do?" Seungman asked.

"I don't think that my father had very many enemies it's possible that whoever could have hired assassins against him is someone that is very powerful." Seungman remarked.

"But who could it be?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"I don't know really and to suspect I can't just do it, all that I can say is I'll find out who it was." Seungman said.

"My dear, look after yourself." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Please don't worry mother." Seungman replied as she hugged her tightly while her back was being caressed they eventually pulled apart.

"In form the Queen that I won't be going over to the palace today, there has been an assassination attempt on my father and I can't just rest and let it slide I am looking after him." Seungman said.

"Yes Your Highness." Haesul Rang replied as he bowed his head and withdrew from the room.

"Damhyeong, come with me." Seungman said as she led the way out of the room while he followed closely from behind.

"Was it taken care of?" Bidam asked Yeomjong.

"Yes Your Excellency, he was silenced." Yeomjong replied.

"What did he know?" Bidam asked.

"I am not sure what it was." Yeomjong replied, "But regardless of the cause the poison shall damage his vocals and he won't last very long." He added.

"How could someone just come into the Royal Investigations Bureau?" Bidam asked.

"Your Excellency, the guards were wrong to let him in in the first place so I buried them as well." Yeomjong said.

"Must you be cruel in serving me?" Bidam asked.

"Isn't it a good thing Your Excellency?" Yeomjong asked.

"That I can't get my hands dirty while you do the job for me?" Bidam asked.

"There isn't any hope for me, regardless if the situation all that could put our cause into jeopardy must die." Yeomjong replied.

"Very well then, you must be very careful from now on because we don't know exactly how his daughter is going to react and I am going to go to the palace right now." Bidam said.

"Yes Your Excellency." Yeomjong replied as he bowed his head and withdrawing from the place he left Bidam seated underneath the peach tree in his courtyard and enjoying the morning breeze as he fanned himself with peacock feathers.

"What?" Queen Seondeok said so weakly.

"Yes Your Majesty, His Excellency the retired Galmunwang Gukban was shot." Gopheung Rang replied as he bowed his head.

"Can there rest no peace within the state?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Your Majesty, I am sorry." Gopheung Rang said.

"I heard that Yushin Rang and Alcheon Rang returned victorious against the Paekche." Queen Seondeok said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang said.

"It's a pity that I am a bit too tired and weak, I couldn't be there to welcome them at all I feel so ashamed." Queen Seondeok said.

"They promised that they'd come and visit you much sooner as they don't find fault in Your Majesty." Gopheung Rang said.

"It's alright, you can leave." Queen Seondeok said as she waved him off while he withdrew from her Chambers.

"Your Majesty." Boyeong said.

"What did the doctor say about my condition?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Your Majesty, he said that the chances of it being worse are too high." Boyeong replied as she sobbed a little bit.

"Boyeong why are you crying?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Can you really not get cured Your Majesty?" Boyeong asked.

"How long have you walked with me?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Twenty years Your Majesty." Boyeong replied.

"There is nothing that is eternal in life Boyeong,be it beauty they are all fleeting." Queen Seondeok remarked.

"Your Majesty." Boyeong said.

"Don't worry my dear, I am not tired." Queen Seondeok said.

"Regardless of the situation Your Majesty, you don't sleep Caring about this country, you can never share your mind with anyone else." Boyeong said.

"That is the Destiny of every King, it must be our fate in life to be lonely because all there is for us to live for and to die for is this throne." Queen Seondeok said as she stood up.

"I need to talk to Bidam." Queen Seondeok said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Boyeong replied as she bowed her head and she walked out of the room.

Seungman arrived at the office of Finances and there as she entered her office she sat down at her table.

She was lost in her thoughts and Damhyeong looked at her and noticed it.

"Your Highness, is there anything that I can do for you?" he asked.

"Who and why would they want to kill my father?" Seungman asked.

"Your Highness, even I don't know." Damhyeong said.

"I had him and mother left in this world to rely on, all you people that served me I wanted to protect you with them all my life.

I thought that to have both you and Shilla didn't have to be impossible for me I had to make an effort but now that I think about it, I realize that there is a lot more that I am putting at stake right now including Your lives." Seungman said.

"It doesn't matter your Highness, for me as long as I can serve you and aid your cause then there is nothing for me to feel remorseful about.

Live or die that's for you Seungman because beside my mother you are the only woman in this life that I ever loved and I wished to stay next to you." Damhyeong said.

"You, Alcheon Rang and Haesul Rang, how can you tolerate one another?" Seungman asked.

"Your Highness, as long as we can love you and as long as none of us can have you there is contentment and reason amongst us." Damhyeong replied.

"If all men were as devoted as you are then what would women in this world have to lack?" Seungman asked.

"What would you lack?" Damhyeong asked as Seungman nodding her head she caught sight of a black patch on her table.

"What's this?" She said as she ran her finger on it noticing that it had dried.

"I think that it's ink." Damhyeong replied, "I think that you must have spilled it there by mistake." He added it.

"And it lasted all that long,I think that is impossible as it looks fresh though it is dry, not later than a day." Seungman said.

"I see Your Highness." Damhyeong said.

"Anyway forget it, that is our least pressing issue at the moment." Seungman said.

"Then if Your Highness won't mind perhaps I can prepare you a cup of tea." Damhyeong said.

"Yes." Seungman replied, "I must look through some of these reports." She added.

"I'll be back Your Highness." Damhyeong replied as he bowed his head and withdrew from the room leaving Seungman alone while looking through a series of memorials.

Queen Seondeok was walking in the garden when Bidam arrived with Gopheung.

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

"Bidam?" Queen Seondeok said with a smile on her face.

"Given that you called me here then there is something that you wish to tell me right now." Bidam said.

"Have a walk with me." Queen Seondeok said.

"Yes Your Majesty." Bidam replied as the two slowly started strolling.

"I remember that it wasn't so long ago that you became a staunch follower of mine." Queen Seondeok said.

"I remember that it was an offer that you made." Bidam said.

"Yes." Queen Seondeok replied.

"Did you know?" Bidam asked.

"About Galmunwang Baekban?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Hmm." Bidam muttered.

"Yes." Queen Seondeok replied.

He was quite surprised.

"What, you are not the only one that is very good at surprises." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty, and you....?" Bidam said as his eyes were starting to get a bit teary.

"Yes." Queen Seondeok replied.

"Can I know why?" Bidam asked.

"The reasons that I had might not be too important but to me when the world judged you and they made you feel too awful to be loved when I looked at you Bidam I was more than willing to give you a chance not because you had the best talents but because to me you deserved to know the truth much better than anyone else." Queen Seondeok replied.

Bidam looked away ashamed.

"There is no reason for you to feel so shy about it." Queen Seondeok said.

"You are the only person that ever saw some good in me." Bidam said.

"And I was right because you have never be flawed in my eyes I have you for more than a sincere friend and the thought of having to leave you alone itself is most burdensome on my shoulders." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty, to go where, I have mastered everything to make it easy for you to live even as a monarch." Bidam said.

"And I feel that I have deprived you of so much." Queen Seondeok said.

"Please don't say that." Bidam said.

"Alright." Queen Seondeok replied.

"Your Majesty, the fact that you trust me that much I am moved to tears." Bidam said.

"Who wouldn't be?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"I can't think of everyone when you love your people to me perhaps I might be seeing things but you must have loved me a bit too much more than all of them." Bidam Said.

"Because I trust you more than all of them Bidam." Queen Seondeok said as they continued to walk.

"What did I do to deserve it?" He asked.

"You were only there for me when I needed you, showed no discontentment when I felt like you didn't get enough.

Bidam, how tired you must have been to have listened to my cries and how burdensome the last five years have been on you wielding all that power on my behalf." Queen Seondeok said.

"Now I see your Majesty." Bidam said, "I was more than you could ever ask." He added.

"You were even more than anything that I could ever need that I cherish you so fervently." Queen Seondeok replied.

"Do not feel sorry Your Majesty, serving you is the best thing that has ever happened to me." Bidam said as he hinted on what the Queen was trying to say.

"Can you continue to serve me even when I am gone?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"If it is your deepest desire Your Majesty then I shall continue for all the days if my life if I have to." Bidam said.

"I one time wondered who was strong enough to inherit this glorious Empire of mine?" Queen Seondeok said and Bidam hearing those words his heart skipped a beat.

"Your Majesty, you overestimate me." Bidam said.

"Can you guard Shilla for me?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Your Majesty?" Bidam said, "Ruler of our Heavenly Kingdom, Bidam?" He added.

"How can I be that selfish, people who dislike you could curse you too much." Queen Seondeok said.

"Please tell me Your Majesty, I care less what resides within their minds and thoughts to me you come before anything." Bidam said.

"Seungman at last has presented herself before me and her eyes are full of so much warmth compassion and perhaps even reserve yet I worry that she might not have the right people to guard her as she seems to reserve herself too much." Queen Seondeok said.

"I see Your Majesty." Bidam said as he bowed his head.

"Can you watch her for me because where I can not take you much further then she will certainly do the job very well." Queen Seondeok said Bidam only becoming disappointed all the more.

"Your Highness, if you will it I shall see to it that there is a very safe transition of power because for you trusting me too much it is the very least that I can give you in return." Bidam said.

"I knew that I would rely on you." Queen Seondeok said.

"Then you have considered Lady Seungman as Your successor?" Bidam said with a smile on her face.

"If I could reign over Shilla as a female King then I don't see the reason as to why I can not be succeeded by a female one." Queen Seondeok remarked.

"The annals of History shall consign you the most luminous legacy." Bidam said.

"It is much more than I could ever be thankful for." Queen Seondeok said.

"I'll prepare everything right away." Bidam said.

"Thank you." Queen Seondeok said as they halted and they looked at the small pond.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"It really is." Bidam replied.

"How calm I wish this great country could be yet it is such a pity that with the wars that our enemies around us keep waging it is very difficult to survive and fulfill the ordurous cause of our forefather." Queen Seondeok said.

"Your Majesty has been great, for you, life to the fullest is perhaps in my perspective what you have lived." Bidam said.

"Perhaps." Queen Seondeok replied as she closed her eyes and taking a very deep breath, she sighed.

Damhyeong had handed over the cup of tea to Seungman.

"Thank you." She said as she joyously brought it to her lips and sipped it before she put it down.

"How is it Your Highness?" Damhyeong asked.

"I am impressed it is much better than usual." Seungman replied.

"I learnt the trick from you." Damhyeong complimented.

"Then I must have been a good teacher." Seungman said when at that moment the doors of the room were flung open and there and then Haesul Rang rushed in.

"Your Highness." He said that Seungman was quite surprised.

"Your father." He added and Seungman's eyes widened.

"What's wrong with him?" Seungman asked.

"He's regained cautiousness but his condition is much worse." Haesul Rang replied and at once Seungman strode out of the room leaving the tea behind.

Damhyeong was about to turn around and follow when he noticed that there was a small piece of paper that was protruding from one of the books that were on the table he drew closer and closer to it.

Without hesitation, he pulled out the book from the pile and opening it he got out the piece of paper which had the name 'SEUNGMAN' written on it.

"Who could have put it here?" Damhyeong asked himself as he opened it and his eyes perused through it's contents.

She hurried through the doors of her father's Chambers and there she found him conscious but his body turning pale blood was coming out of his mouth as he coughed.

"Father?" Seungman called as she hurried by his side and she held his right hand.

"Seungman?" Galmunwang Gukban said so weakly in a very low voice but he was still very audible.

"You'll get well." Seungman Said.

"No." Galmunwang Gukban remarked.

"Yes." Seungman insisted.

"My dear." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"Father, I am right here." Seungman said.

"I can see Moo Mak waving for me on the other side." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"Father please stop." Seungman pleaded.

"All my life now is the hour and this is the moment that I am most thankful to have heard you for a daughter." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"I am also thankful to have had you as a father." Seungman said.

"Beware the people that you trust because Sometimes your enemies might be closer." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"Father I'll do whatever you do me to do, I just want you to be very fine." Seungman said.

"You have already grown my dear and you are of age that iy hurts me to leave you this way though I am asking you to hold on to me no longer please let me go." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"No." Seungman replied as her father started to cough vigorously.

"Father?" Seungman called.

"Beware." Galmunwang Baekban said as his voice was slowly ceasing that he pulled his daughter's head right close to his lips and he whispered.

"BIDAM." He said before he eventually let go with all his strength totally exhausted the blood flowed out of him once and his eyes bled along with his eyes while he turned pale that instant Lady Wolmyeong was thrown into shock while Seungman turning her head she looked at her father and her mouth was open wide.

"Father?" She cried out but there was no response as he had breathed his last.

"Dear?" Lady Wolmyeong called her husband as well but there was no response.

"Wake up." Seungman said as she shook her father's body violently she shed her tears bitterly while her mother embraced her.

"Seungman, I'm here." She said but to no avail as her daughter was unwilling to let go.

Queen Seondeok nearly collapsed when she heard the news.

"What?" She said so surprised.

"Yes Your Highness, His Excellency Galmunwang Gukban has passed away." Gopheung said sombrely as he bowed his head.

"I understand." Queen Seondeok said, "She is broken." She added.

"The Grief that overwhelms Her Highness' heart is too much." Gopheung Rang said.

"Have all my father's legitimate brothers perished?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"He was the very last." Gopheung Rang said.

"What about the funeral?" Queen Seondeok asked.

"Her Highness invited you to be there the day after tomorrow, it shall be held in Ganglyeoghan Palace." Gopheung replied.

"I'll be there." Queen Seondeok said.

Seungman and everyone of the Courtiers themselves had gathered with the Queen not so far from there.

She knelt down in front of the altar as she stared at the plaque which bore her father's name.

She bowed her head in front of Her father's coffin three times before she looked up at it recalling an all too familiar scene she was in tears.

"Father, I'll find whoever did this to you, I'll turn the whole of Shilla upside down if I have to, I shall not stop until eventually I have rid Shilla of them and I have buried them with these very hands of mine." Seungman said.

Everyone started to depart from the palace while they were each offering their condolences to Seungman.

Queen Seondeok halted right in front of her.

"Your Majesty." She said as she bowed her head.

"It's alright." Queen Seondeok replied as she held her on her shoulder.

"I understand Your Majesty." Seungman replied.

"Please take care of yourself because your health is very important to me." Queen Seondeok said as she also walked out of the gates.

Bidam walked up to her.

"Your Highness." He said as he bowed his head to her while she also returned his kindness she smirked a little at him.

Eventually, at dusk everyone had already left the palace and Seungman was in her Chambers when Damhyeong walked in.

"Your Highness." Damhyeong said.

"Now is not the time." Seungman said.

"I believe that I should give you this." Damhyeong replied as he handed over the white piece of paper to her.

Seungman looking at him took the paper into her hands eventually she unfolded it as her eyes perused through it.