Thinking About You

For the next few weeks, the Chiongsun forces adhered strictly to the prince's strategy over the ensuing weeks. The navy maintained a steadfast blockade of the western seas, herding enemy vessels into a confined passage. Meanwhile, under the prince's direct command, the army vigilantly defended these corridors and clashed with the invading forces. Captain Gi meticulously gathered intelligence on the supply routes in a parallel effort, identifying their origins, the recipients, and their final destinations.

As the first light of day broke, Captain Gi and his squad lay in ambush, cloaked in the shadows just outside the mangrove forest. "Captain, three enemy ships are docking within the mangroves," a soldier reported, his voice low but urgent.

Captain Gi raised his right hand, forming a fist, a signal for his men to silence their voices and remain concealed. They watched intently as two vessels began to unload their cargo, while the third ship released a contingent of reinforcements.

"Captain, we are fortunate; this is the first time we have witnessed the Aranese dispatching reinforcements," another soldier whispered, a glimmer of hope in his tone.

The captain gave an earnest nod, a silent command to his men to keep a vigilant eye on the approaching foe. The sight of the enemy reinforcements clad in Chiongsun attire sent a ripple of disbelief through the ranks. "We must determine their course; they will vanish among the populace if we do not act decisively," Captain Gi murmured to his lieutenant. "Take ten of our best and scout ahead along their typical route; we must stay one step ahead of this convoy." The lieutenant bowed deeply, signaling ten volunteers with a swift motion of his hands before leading them forth.

The sun had already descended from its peak when the enemy's supply caravan broke free from the shadows of the mangrove forest. Captain Gi signaled to his loyal soldiers to quietly pursue the convoy. Though taken aback by the unexpected route the convoy chose, Captain Gi remained steadfast, rallying his men to continue the chase. As twilight enveloped the land, the caravan rolled into the first village along its route.

A soldier burst forth to Captain Gi, breathless with urgency. "They're set to strike that village! We must act!" He leaped up, poised for battle.

Captain Gi, however, caught the soldier by the arm, pulling him back. "Look closely at that village!" he instructed. "It's filled with men—no old folks, no children, no women...only men."

The soldier's expression shifted as he took in the scene. "You're correct, Captain. This must be another base for the Aranese."

"Exactly my thoughts. Take a rider with you, assess the other troops at the nearby pass, and inform Prince Young-Sik of our findings," he commanded. The soldier nodded and quickly set off to fulfill the order.

Captain Gi summoned the squad leaders, his voice steady and commanding. "Assemble a unit of ten. You shall advance to the south, you to the east, and you to the west. Position two sentinels to keep watch while the others rest. Rotate them every three hours, and keep a vigilant eye on the village for any signs of movement. At the first hint of activity, we will reconvene here."

The squad leaders sprang into action, gathering their men and stealthily moving to their assigned positions. "The rest of you should get some sleep; I will handle the first watch," Captain Gi declared to the soldiers who remained at his side.

At the witching hour, as Captain Gi's troops lay in peaceful slumber, two enemy guards on patrol stumbled upon the Chiongsun soldiers. Just as they prepared to sound the alarm, Captain Gi emerged from the shadows with lethal intent. He struck the first Aranese soldier with a swift stab to the neck, silencing him before he could utter a sound. The second guard was swiftly subdued, his cries muffled as Gi plunged his knife into his chest. With a vigilant eye for any onlookers, he dragged the bodies into the dense thicket, hiding them from the light of day.

The enemy caravan took refuge in the village, their presence a constant threat throughout the day. As twilight approached, it became clear they were gearing up to exploit the cover of night for their escape. Alarm bells rang in the captain's mind as he noticed the Aranese convoy's plan to split into two separate groups. "Curse it! We can't chase after both at this rate!" he growled, frustration gnawing at him.

Suddenly, a clamor erupted from the village, capturing Captain Gi's attention. He saw the enemy soldiers scrambling to arm themselves, gathering at the southern part of the village. He turned to his troops, demanding, "Who has launched this attack?"

In that instant, the ground shook with the powerful march of their cavalry, led by Prince Young-Sik. A fierce smile crossed the captain's face as he shouted the command to charge, "Archers, let loose! Swords and spears, follow my lead!"

The Aranese invaders started to panic when Chiongsun defenders closed in from all directions. Captain Gi engaged the first enemy soldiers to approach him, he parried an attack with his sword and dodged another. He plunged his sword at the nearest enemy, pulled out his sword, and slashed the chest of the next one. He looked around him to see his soldiers engaged in their melee battle. After slashing another charging enemy, he marched further into the village.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Prince Young-Sik stood resolute, swiftly overcoming a band of soldiers with unmatched skill. His eyes lit up at the sight of his ally, and they embraced as brothers. "It's good to see you alive and well, my friend!" Young-Sik declared with a grin.

"Likewise, Your Highness," Captain Gi replied, his tone firm. "The Aranese supplies await us in that direction." He motioned for the prince to accompany him to the spot where the supply caravan had been gathered. The battle was all but over, most of the Aranese soldiers were dead with only a handful of them chose to surrender.

Upon reaching the supply carts, Captain Gi forcefully opened a crate brimming with an array of swords. The subsequent crate revealed a collection of arrows and bows, with most of the others predominantly filled with arms. "There's no food here," Prince Young-Sik said quietly, disappointment lacing his words.

When they finally opened the last crate, astonishment washed over them. "Is that Aranese gold and silver?" Captain Gi remarked, his face a mask of bewilderment.

"Captain, gather all of this and transport it back to the command area," the prince ordered Captain Gi, his voice dark and serious. "There is a traitor among us."

In the capital, Minister Gi orchestrated the grand welcome for the new Queen, Minister Lim's daughter Ji-Hye. "Long may you reign, your Majesty! May you bless our land with a strong heir!" he declared, his voice resonating with a foreboding cheer as he bowed to the newly crowned queen.

Ji-Hye inhaled deeply, embracing the formidable power that her new title bestowed. Her gaze swept over the crowd in the royal courtyard, finally narrowing in on a particular court maiden, Hong Jin-Ri, a figure she held in deep disdain.

That evening, after the jubilant festivities marking the Queen's ascension were over, Jin-Ri found her way back to Prince Young-Sik's home. Even though she felt the weight of exhaustion from the day's work, she picked up a broom and began to sweep the surroundings, her determination shining through the fatigue.

She was so focused on her sweeping that she didn't even notice she was shoving dust and dirt right into a pair of boots! Jin-Ri squinted, puzzled about whose boots were just chilling on the floor. When she looked up, her face went from zero to chaos in a heartbeat—there stood King Man-Ju, her expression went from 'sweeping queen" to "Oh no, I'm in trouble' In a panic, she tossed the broom aside, and dropped to her knees, bowing dramatically. "Forgive me, Your Highness, I deserve to die for what I did, so please.... don't kill me?"

Man-Ju chuckled when he caught wind of the court maiden's dramatic plea, "What kind of plea is that? I deserve to die? Please don't kill me?"

"Well, your Highness, that's my go-to apology for Prince Young-Sik, and it usually does the trick...so, um, can it work on you too?" she asked, her voice a delightful mix of sincerity and silliness.

"Alright, alright, get up! I admit, it works like a charm on me," Man-Ju said, trying to hold back his giggles

Jin-Ri raised her head "Really?" she expressed a big smile plastered on her face, she quickly stood up and dusted herself "Thank you Your Highness for being generous, and I'm really sorry for sweeping dirt on your shoes"

"It's already late, why are you still sweeping around? Shouldn't you be sleeping now?" The King asked curiously "You even gather warm water and bring food even if your master is not there" he added

"Your Highness, I should ask you the same question, it's already late even your eunuch and entourage are all asleep" She cutely pointed out

Chuckling King Man-Ju replied "Fair enough, so why don't you just sleep and clean this place tomorrow? I'll even allow you the rest of the day to clean this place"

Jin-Ri looked affectionately at Prince Young-Sik's home before responding, "I wish to maintain it in pristine condition, so when he comes back from bravely protecting our land, he will find a soothing bath ready for him, a nourishing meal to ease his spirit and a cozy bed where he can rest his tired body and find peace." She then turned to King Man-Ju, saying, "My prince deserves nothing less."

"You have feelings for my brother, don't you? It's not just admiration for his title, but genuine affection and love for him as a person." He suddenly interjected.

Unfazed by the King's words, she shot back with a question of her own, "Would you take my word for it if I said otherwise, Your Highness?"

A twinge of jealousy gnaws at King Man-Ju's thoughts, whispering, "What makes you worthy of such unwavering devotion?" He pondered as if Young-Sik were a constant presence in his mind.

With a theatrical puff of air, King Man-Ju squatted down to seize the broom, ready to sweep like a royal janitor. Jin-Ri's heart raced faster than a squirrel on caffeine as she dashed to snatch the broom from him. "Your Highness, no! If someone catches you sweeping, I'll be in big trouble—like, 'no dessert for a week' kind of trouble!"

Man-Ju gave Jin-Ri's hand a gentle swat, keeping the broom just out of her grasp. "No way! If you're sweeping, I'm your royal sidekick!"

"Okay, Your Highness, I'll just hit the hay then. But please, for the love of all things tidy, put that broom down before you start a cleaning catastrophe!" Jin-Ri said, raising her hands in a playful gesture of defeat.

King Man-Ju squinted, "You're really going to sleep?" Jin-Ri nodded with a grin.

"And you're done with the sweeping?" he asked again, and she nodded like a little bird. "Then off you go to your cozy nest!" Man-Ju pointed toward Prince Young-Sik's house with a flourish. Jin-Ri smiled brightly, bowed like a little princess, and pranced toward the house.

King Man-Ju stood there, watching Jin-Ri walk away, his heart sinking. "Just one look back, and you'll be mine," he whispered to himself. But to his utter disappointment, she didn't look back; instead, she entered Prince Young-Sik's home and locked the door tight.

He let out a frustrated sigh, the disappointment gnawing at him. "Maybe tonight isn't ours, but I know that one day you will love me with a passion that far exceeds what you gave my brother," he vowed to himself, turning away, feeling the sting of jealousy.

Jin-Ri walked in and immediately went to Young-Sik's bedroom. With a gentle hand, she wiped the dust from his princely robes, her heart filled with bittersweet memories. She approached the window and looked up at the brilliant full moon. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she thought of their time together. Consumed by sorrow, she covered her face with her hands, crying out, "Where are you? I miss you so much, please... come back to me safely."

At that very moment, on the other side of the country, Young-Sik and his men were in the midst of a fierce battle against the invaders. After defeating an enemy officer, he felt a deep sense of longing. He gazed at the moon and whispered, "Jin-Ri... please wait for me."