DOUBLE TROUBLE

"We are not so far from Ungjin at the moment Your Majesty, if we capture Ungjin then a path to Sabi shall have been opened to us." Yushin Rang said.

"The will of heaven itself shall decide the outcome of this battle." Queen Jindeok said and at that very moment she received the carrier pigeon which she held up and pulled the message that was tied to it's leg she unfolded it to read it's contents.

"What's it Your Majesty?" Haesul Rang asked.

"The Paekchean troops that were attacking Kimhae Fortress, they have been repelled." Queen Jindeok replied as she smiled heartily.

"If they are repelled your Majesty, that means that....." Sangdaedeung Alcheon said.

"Alas, the wrath of Paekche has been awakened." Queen Jindeok replied as she released the carrier pigeon into the sky again while she looked at the castle in the distance and she raised her sword and she pointed it towards the Paekcheans that were nestled in between.

"Onward." The warrior Queen shouted and thr Shillans stamped the ground with their Spears and others struck their shields with their swords.

"Ungjin, I am coming." The Queen told herself inwardly.

"Your Majesty." General Gyebaek said as he offered a war report to the King.

The King took it into his hands and opened it and his eyes looking through it's contents, he folded it into his fist.

"Your Majesty, what is it?" General Gyebaek asked.

"The troops attacking Kimhae, have been annihilated." King Uija asked.

"How is that even possible?" General Gyebaek asked.

"Shilla was prepared from the very beginning and I am very much afraid that Paekche is inadequate." King Uija said.

"They were spotted a few miles from Ungjin Your Majesty, as it appears the Queen of Shilla is still advancing to take the Gong Mountain Fortress.

"How many soldiers have been laid?" King Uija asked.

"Twenty five thousand." General Gyebaek replied.

"Against the Queen's ten thousand we might stand a chance." King Uija said.

"I suppose that too Your Majesty but six of our Major strongholds and Fortifications have been taken there in the Queen's March." General Gyebaek said.

"I too shall join the army." King Uija said.

Hardly had he spoken when the doors of the room were flung open and at that very instant Honourable Songchung walked in while the guards tried to stop him but with no success as Hungsu threatened them with his sword.

"Your Majesty." Honourable Songchung said.

"Honourable Songchung?" King Uija asked.

"Please stop this madness." Honourable Songchung said.

"Regardless of the things you are going to say I already made up my mind and my decision is final." King Uija said.

"Your Majesty, are you going to jeopardize the lives of your people like this?" Honourable Songchung said.

"Do not ask me such questions." King Uija said.

"Your Majesty, the lives of your people are at stake, please, all that I am asking you is to handle this matter in a much more diplomatic way." Honourable Songchung said.

"Now isn't the time to show my cowardice." King Uija said.

"Now isn't a Time for Your Majesty to show your pride." Honourable Songchung said.

"Do you think that I asked for any of this, do you think that I am the one that wanted this war, the boundaries of my Kingdom are at stake and the lands that I Conquered are slowly being taken away one by one out of my hands they are falling into the hands of another that happens to be my enemy." King Uija said.

"Your Majesty, if we keep on fighting we are continuing to provoke Shilla and if this persists then when Ungjin falls Sabi shall be the next target.

Even if our forces fight and repel the Shilla troops, their force is much more refined they lose nothing while we weaken consequently in the future the fall of the Kingdom shall be most inevitable." Honourable Songchung said.

"Quit talking that nonsense." King Uija said.

"Then your Majesty, let's make a deal." Honourable Songchung said.

"What is it?" King Uija asked.

"As it is that Your Majesty has already sent reinforcements to Ungjin there is nothing more that I can do." Honourable Songchung said.

"I'm glad that you know." King Uija said.

"Then let's make a bet." Honourable Songchung said.

King Uija seemed to listen.

"A bet that what?" King Uija asked, "That we'll be defeated?" He added.

"No." Honourable Songchung replied, "It's a bet that we shall lose more than half of our reinforcements." Honourable Songchung said.

"And if we do?" King Uija asked.

"A loss to Shilla in this battle their pride would be humbled then we shall sit down at a round table and discuss diplomatically, a give and take, we shall declare a truce in the very end." Honourable Songchung replied.

"And what if you lose the bet?" King Uija asked.

"I am already very old and tired, I know that I am quite bossy as it is, either way, I am more than willing at this very moment to offer my resignation and you won't see my face in Paekche ever I'll go and live in Wa." Honourable Songchung replied.

"You seem so determined than I expected.

"That's because I am Your Majesty." Honourable Songchung replied.

"Very well then." King Uija said, "If you have offered I won't hold you back as well I shall comply." He added.

Queen Jindeok and her army moved closer and closer and they halted at an open battlefield about five kilometres from the Gong Mountain Fortress.

There on the other side of the land the Paekchean troops were ready in their positions as they faced them with their shields and their archers ready.

Queen Jindeok's warriors stepped up in front of her with their shields and spears as well as they faced the Paekcheans and while the Queen was face to face with General Pocheon, he also smiled at her sight.

He picked up a bow and an arrow and aiming it at one of the shields on the Queen's side, he shot it as it landed with message.

General Kim Yushin took the message and he handed it over to the Queen who took it into her hands and there she read it out loud for everyone else on the battlefield.

"Your Majesty the Queen of Shilla is outnumbered by our men you are surrounded, give up this fight or else not a single one of you is going to leave this battlefield alive." She said finally folding the piece of paper and throwing it down to the ground.

"We've been at war for Generations and this is not the first time, when His Majesty the King of Paekche attacked our lands twelve years ago our men resisted with their lives while you showed no sense of reserve and abandonment." Queen Jindeok said, "How then can we also show ours now?" Queen Jindeok asked.

At that moment, the army was compressed from behind that they started to scatter across the battlefield and Haesul Rang looking behind he noticed that another battallion of Paekche warriors had arrived as their flags cut them off from behind.

Queen Jindeok didn't bother looking from behind.

"This is it, this is your best ruse to try and defeat me and my men.

"Suddenly, one of the archers fired an arrow towards her and unsheathing her sword while they bore her banner she struck the arrow away.

At that moment, the other Archers released their arrows towards them and the Queen raising her hand she took a direct command of the troops.

"Those with their shields guarded themselves while the Queen withdrawing into the centre with her generals they were shielded as they struck away some arrows with their swords.

The Paekcheans attacked those of Shilla from both sides immediately while the Shilla soldiers compressed themselves.

"Shields and spears, make a circle." Queen Jindeok ordered and at once, the soldiers with the shields closed the distance between each other on the battlefield and forming a circle with the spears in formation, they started to rotate around while the archers inside put their arrows into their bows and they shot them outwardly to the Paekcheans who were attacking.

There were two sets of Spears those that were above and those that were placed in the middle while the rotations around the Queen and the other Generals made them look like a porcupine.

The Paekcheans that attacked the Frontline were first repelled ad their necks were cut and their abdomens slit open some of them lost their bowels.

Nevertheless, they continued to storm the Shilla soldiers from all sides while they were caught in the arrow shower from them.

"Shields open." Queen Jindeok commanded and those bearing the shields turned around while those that were beating the spears pierced the disorderly Paekcheans and pushed them backwards they fell onto their friends while the Shield soldiers of Shilla turned around and defended one again.

"Defensive formation, ten circles." Queen Jindeok said and at once the large circle broke into ten others leaving behind the Queen who was in the biggest while the other two rotated as they went deeper into the Paekcheans, the battle itself was very interesting already as the rival parties were each exhibiting a remarkable prowess yet Shilla against the larger force it's five thousand that were present at the battlefield were stronger than ever.

"Reverse." Queen Jindeok shouted and the formations instantly changed while the Shilla soldiers formed what looked to be arrows with spears all over and they launched themselves at full speed into the Paekcheans.

While being held back, they shifted and made the front flat while they conjured an arrow Head at the back they moved in reverse and compressed the Paekcheans towards the primary circle of the Queen.

At that moment, the Queen and all the others eere very busy slaying the enemy as they fought harder and harder and the Queen with the edge of her sword repelled some of the personal attacks that were hurled at her.

The fight had only become more and more bloody as the Paekcheans with their numbers though showing a heavy resistance the might of the Shilla Soldiers fighting alongside their Queen was unchallenged at that very moment.

Eventually the formations were dismantled and an open war had already broken out the Queen with her mast she jumped off her horse and landed in the middle of a large group of Paekche soldiers.

They closed in on her but she summersaulted with her mast swinging it she slit their throats and she landed on her feet while they fell down dead their fellows were still attacking her with their Spears.

She swang her iron mast and she broke all their arrows heads while bringing it back a second time she went for their throats and faces they were repelled as well.

She then planted her mast firmly into the ground and with her sword at hand attaching her legs to it she kept on spinning around and around as she cut them before she landed onto her feet.

The Paekcheans were still more stubborn than ever they attacked her once again and swiftly returning her sword into its scabbard, she removed her mast when they were close enough and with her white flag she guarded against their attack as she struck both the front and the backline with it.

Yushin Rang who was riding his horse went through the Paekcheans swinging his sword side to side as he repelled all those that were attacking him while he stopped in front and turned around as he charged again noticing that in front of him a group of Paekcheans had laid out their spears in front of themselves ready to come into contact with him.

He picked up a nearby spear and charging with his might he pushed it ahead as he cleared them all with it he further launched himself into the others that were nearby.

The battle was only more and more vigorous than it had ever been before.

The battle still persisted nevertheless while Haesul Rang and Damhyeong were fighting back to back a large number of the Paekcheans were still fighting but many of them had already been laid to rest there were still a few that were resisting with full force.

When the battle was at its peak, Queen Jindeok pulled out a bow and and arrow and aiming at the sky she fired what looked to be a green smoke signal.

"At once, the signal was seen and immediately, from the other side, Alcheon Rang led a large mass of the other half of the Shilla army that comprised five thousand soldiers.

The Paekcheans were taken by surprise as well when the Shillans took up a direct attack on them and joined the battle.

"No." General Pocheon said as he angrily unsheathed his sword and himself along with his nearby spectators they attacked the Shilla Soldiers at once.

The war continued and it raged on and on and on.

The Shilla soldiers were fighting with their all and taking down their enemies the stench of blood was already very prominent in the air and the sound of the swords and spears and shields clashing dominated the place.

Eventually, the Queen was under attack but she was doing a very great job holding her enemies back.

A small number of Paekche archers positioned themselves at the side with the Queen in their target alongside the men that were attacking her.

The Shilla soldiers upon noticing the threat they positioned themselves right around her and about eight of them without shields put their bodies as they knelt around her while those with shields did their best to guard her with their might and hold off the attacking Paekcheans with the circle formation.

Alas the archers fired at the Queen and the arrows vigorously rained down on her wall of warriors still kneeling.

Their backs took the tens of arrows that descended on the Queen that she looked at them as they bled from their mouths.

"What are you doing?" Queen Jindeok asked.

"Your Majesty, to live and die for you is our destiny." One of them said while her eyes were teary.

"For the glory of Shilla we shall die proud." Another Said.

"Our backs are worth breaking buy yours Your Majesty must still stay strong." The third spoke up.

"You might never know our names but to us fighting alongside you has been out Greatest privilege." A fourth said.

"In life and in death, I shall forever remember you." Queen Jindeok said as she closed her eyes and cried while the hundreds of arrows ceased and grabbing that opportunity, she launched herself out of the soldiers that had protected her as she charged towards the Paekcheans with her mast.

The archers still panicking to put their arrows in their bows were taken by surprise when another storm of arrows from the Shilla archers rained down on then.

The impact was very great and the Queen Closer she used the Paekchean Soldiers as her own shield as she further advanced much angrier than she had been before.

Her banner already more deadly than ever was dripping with the blood of the Paekcheans yet herself showing not the slightest bit of reserve she was more and more determined to slay them all.

They fall from tens to hundreds and from hundreds she had already singlehandedly killed thousands herself not feeling tired she was rather reinforced by the battle which raged.

Her white attire had long turned red and she was no longer recognizable as the Paekcheans further cit down more than half they had already started to show signs of withdrawal.

"We can not sustain the conflict any longer." They said to General Pocheon.

"We have lost about five thousand soldiers more than half if we persist our defense of Gong Mountain Fortress shall have been weakened.

"We need to regroup Your Excellency." Some of the Commanders pleaded.

"How are we going to do that?" General Pocheon asked. "we are going to need a force of about a thousand more soldiers to hold them back and cover us." General Pocheon said.

"I shall command them Your Excellency." One of his subordinates said.

"No." General Pocheon rebuked.

"Yes." The Commander said.

"There is not much that we can do but rather than live as cowards, I am willing with my friend to die for our country today." The other added.

"You are still too young." General Pocheon said.

"Someone must sacrifice for our own wellbeing Your Excellency." The Commander said.

"Fine." Generals Pocheon replied as he turned his steed around with a group of Paekche troops and they started riding away towards the Gong Mountain Fortress while a force of One thousand Paekcheans stationed themselves right in front of the Shillans.

"What shall we do Your Excellency?" They asked as they looked up to their Commander.

"I am only going to give you one order." The Commander replied, "With everything, attack their Queen." The Commander said.

"Yes Your Excellency." The Paekcheans replied while the Shilla soldiers attacked their barricade they launched themselves towards them as well they immediately started fighting their way through them as they were headed towards the Queen.

Yushin Rang who noticed raised his hand and gave his order.

"Protect Her Majesty." He said and at once, the Shillans split themselves into two as they attacked the Paekcheans on one side and on the other they heavily defended Queen Jindeok.

She was persistent on slaying them as well but she was weak at the moment most of her energy had already been exhausted and yet there were no signs of retreat from the barricade that was close to impenetrable because the Paekcheans were guarding it with their own life.

About five hundred of the Paekcheans positioned themselves ready for an offensive they surrounded the Queen and her defenders who were already in a circle and they started to strike in two directions the first group applying all it's pressure on the circle the other one trying to repel the Shilla Soldiers that were trying to rush to her defenders aid.

The Paekcheans being caught in between persisted firstly Because they had diverted the attention of Shilla from pursuing their fellows and secondly because they threatened her own central command of the battle.

As the Shilla Generals surrounding the Queen did a great job to clear the Paekcheans, Damhyeong, her personal bodyguard stepped down in front of her defenses he eventually started fighting his way into the Paekcheans.

The first part of the Queen's defenses was penetrated and the Commander rushed in towards Queen Jindeok while the both of them clashed.

The Queen waving her mast it landed on the Commander's sword as he guarded his head.

He raised his leg to lick the Queen but Damhyeong intervened and kicked him on the chest which launched him staggering backwards.

Damhyeong threw himself at the Commander while they distanced him farther and farther away from the Queen eventually they halted while the Paekcheans guarded him.

Damhyeong with the edge of his sword was determined to cut off his head but hundreds of Paekcheans were willing even if to die for their Commander.

As Damhyeong progressed further towards him, the Paekcheans in a group of seven attacked him with their Spears ahead of themselves.

He leaped up into the air and descending down he stepped on their spearheads and forced them onto the ground eventually he swang the arm of his sword and he cut of their necks.

With all the others so caught up in the war, one of the Paekcheans attacked from behind and he pierced Damhyeong with his spear but it didn't go deep.

He cried out and the Queen hearing she turned around to see what was going on at that very moment.

"No." She said while throwing her mast away as she unsheathed her sword and escaped her own defense.

Damhyeong turned around with the spear in his body he still swang the arm of his sword he cut off the Paekcheans head while blood had started flowing out of his mouth but in rather small volumes.

The moment that he was distracted another Group of Paekcheans rushed towards him they pierced him with their Spears while the Queen and all her other Generals fought to get closer and closer to him in time.

Fourteen of the Paekcheans had surrounded him as they all forced him to the ground but Damhyeong gathering all the strength that he could find he swang their spears and disarmed them when at last the Commander also pierced him finally through his chest.

At that point all his energy exhausted he was as good as a dead man but there was still some life in him as he looked up at the sky and he seemed to recall all the times that he'd hugged Seungman back into the village, his mother and his father and uncle Moo Mak.

The Shillans that were close finally clashed with the Paekcheans while Queen Jindeok leaping into the sky with all her might out of so much rage she descended onto the Commander breaking his sword that was put as a guard and cutting off his head.

Eventually, the Paekcheans all over were rushed whole Damhyeong who was bleeding excessively on his knees started to slowly fall back onto her ground.

The other Shilla soldiers killed the remaining Paekcheans while Queen Jindeok hurriedly rushed to the side of Damhyeong while shedding her tears.

"Damhyeong." She called as she held him into her arms.

"Your Majesty." Damhyeong said weakly.

"You are still very strong, we have been through so much, you can not choose to leave me your sister and best friend right now." Queen Jindeok said while all the others that were around her watched closely sadness had swept the scene.

"Have I that much time left in this world?" Damhyeong asked as he raised his right hand and then he touched the Queen's cheek.

"You are going because of me." Queen Jindeok said.

"You knew that I loved you Your Majesty and you Yourself knew it that even if it was to die I would die for you." Damhyeong said.

"I know that but I never asked you to die, especially now." Queen Jindeok said.

"Fate has been cruel." Damhyeong said, "All my life there were many girls that loved me but you the only one I ever loved I could not marry but rather I chose to protect with all my life to the very end." He added.

"Damhyeong, I owe you an entire lifetime, you can not die, you have to get your married, you have to give Uncle Pyeonghwa and Aunt a grandson." Queen Jindeok said.

"Your Majesty, please don't cry for me." Damhyeong said, "Cry for Shilla and her children, her wives and her husbands." He added as he slowly closed his eyes and shed a tear.

"How sweet it was to enjoy the days of our youth, of one way I would go back in time, there's not a thing I'd be willing to change because dying in your arms and meeting you was the best to me and it was never something that I regretted." Damhyeong said.

The moment that he finished saying those words he ceased to breathe and his chest falling he'd truimphed over the mortal realm.

His hand fell down by his side while the Queen looking at him she called his name.

"Damhyeong." She shook his body violently as she pulled him into a hug while all those memories of their childhood came back into her head she recalled how they ran through the fields and their practices.

The time that Damhyeong confessed to her and the very moment that she saw him after she discovered that she was a Princess.

She recalled some of the very last words that he'd said to her.

"Your Highness, you don't have to do anything that you dislike, just send me and I could shed all the blood in the world for you." He'd one time promised.

"When was the last time that you say Aunt and Uncle Pyeonghwa?" She'd asked.

"This afternoon." Damhyeong had replied.

"What did they say to you?" She'd asked.

"You stubborn boy, we understand that you are serving a Princess but why don't you get married at least and have a wife and children?" Damhyeong had replied.

"And what was your answer?" She'd said to him.

"The right one shall come to me when the time is right and when I get a hold of her I won't let her go." Damhyeong had replied.

"Is there a right one?" She asked him a little bit curious yet she'd expected to know his answer.

"Yes." Damhyeong replied, "For me the right one is the one that I choose to serve all the days of my life." He'd confidently added.

The Queen cried bitterly as she shed all her tears on his body which turning cold she looked up at the sky which was already darkened by clouds.

Immediately, it rained down on her while she was surrounded by all her soldiers and Generals who mourned with her.

"You endured so much for me Damhyeong, you have suffered for this Heavenly Kingdom of mine, I am now all alone and my tears are scattered while my heart, the hopes of my people, their most grandiose dreams and aspirations are laden by the heavy resistance of my enemies.

Who shall watch over me, who shall tell me the sweet stories of our country side life, who shall tease me about climbing up the hill last and getting a scolded by own father and who'll accompany me down to the river into the fields and the rocky mountains?" Queen Jindeok asked herself drenched in the rain water.

"We all live, we all die, life has a beginning and so must it have an end." Queen Jindeok said.

"If there really is another life and we are born again, I hope that you never meet me, that you never love me and I hope that you never died for me, that way, I'd trust myself that you'd love longer with a family, you wouldn't have to endure heartache again." Queen Jindeok said.

One by one she held the fragments of the spears that were still attached to Damhyeong's dead body and putting them all away while everyone was watching in the rain she gathered every bit of strength that she could find and carried the body of her comrade on her back.

All the soldiers looking surprised they paved way for her as they bowed their heads while she passed up to a wagon that was nearby where she placed it and had it covered with her own cape.

She moved to the front of the cart and slowly she started to drag it while Alcheon, Yushin Rang, Gopheung, and Haesul helped her push it as they departed from the battlefield.

"Where are we going Your Majesty?" General Kim Seohyeon said.

"Sangju." Queen Jindeok replied as she led the way while all the other Shilla soldiers with their banners followed in her footsteps.

King Uija was seated in his room with Honourable Songchung as well when General Gyebaek walked up to the both of them.

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

"What happened?" King Uija asked.

"We held off the troops of Shilla and Ungjin is safe but in the strife about twenty thousand soldiers on our side perished." General Gyebaek replied.

"And Shilla?" King Uija asked.

"They were only able to lose six thousand soldiers." General Gyebaek replied and at once the King turned and looked at Honourable Songchung.

"I warned Your Majesty." He said, "From the very beginning, we were bound to lose this muh." He added.

"Our defenses have weakened Your Majesty, we can no longer fight offensively all that we can do is to defend, even better it is only good that the Queen of Shilla withdraws all her troops." General Gyebaek said.

"You think that it is that easy, you are all statesmen so how can you give in now?" King Uija asked.

"Your Majesty, if we don't give in now we won't live to fight again much letter, if the worst happens to befall us anytime from now then Sabi herself shall fall and at this time rather than thinking about our pride let's reconsider and think about the welfare of our people." Honourable Songchung said.

"Even as a warrior that loves my country so much I can understand the pain that comes with loss, my ancestors would never forgive me and I wouldn't forgive myself if I never protected this country from falling apart and getting torn." General Gyebaek said.

"Now what are you asking of me?" King Uija asked.

"Please reconsider Your Majesty and refrain from war at the moment and try to solve things diplomatically at a round table." General Gyebaek replied.

"We had a bet Your Majesty, please reconsider at least and give it a try." Honourable Songchung said.

"Fine then, send a messenger to Sangju." King Uija said.

"There's no need for that Your Majesty." General Gyebaek said.

"Why?" King Uija asked.

"I shall deliver the news on your behalf personally." Gyebaek replied.

The King looked at him while Honourable Songchung looked hesitant.

"Can you do that?" King Uija asked.

"Other than me Your Majesty, there isn't another person that might take on the task.

I can guarantee that no harm shall come upon the Queen of Shilla and besides I am the only one that can protect myself incase of trouble, as it is that I understand much better than anyone else the value of this there is no way that I can mess up." General Gyebaek said.

"Very well then." King Uija said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." General Gyebaek replied as he bowed his head and slowly he walked out of the room.

"What now?" King Uija asked Honourable Songchung.

"Let's just hope that Her Majesty agrees to this." Honourable Songchung said.

"What if she doesn't?" King Uija asked.

"I believe that she'll have to." Honourable Songchung replied.