The Grand Marshal drew his sword to the minister's neck. Anchoring his aghast eyes to the sharp edge of the sword, beads of sweats came out from the minister's forehead. He thought that he needed to retrieve the vanishing thread of his courage inside him. He did not want the insolent people in front of him to think that a council member was daunted by a mere sword.
He gathered his strength and scowled to the three conspirators, gritting his teeth. "You bunch of insolent people!"
"Enough with your blabbing, Minister. You are not inside the palace. With just one slash, your blood will squirt continuously until your last breath, and there would be no witnesses since you are alone! We are three!"
"I am alone?" the minister said, with a laugh that took Chil Yook aback.
Suddenly, the two nangdos drew their swords and dashed toward the house. Chil Yook removed his sword from the minister's neck, ran out and jumped from the porch. He whirled his sword preparing to launch an attack on the two nangdos standing in fighting position. Concerned with her and Lady Jang's safety, Lady Min yelled to Chil Yook, "Stop!"
Annoyed as he, Chil Yook closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"Why?" he spat out.
"Come back here... Now!" Lady Min commanded.
He unsheathed his sword and walked back to the front door, "What was that about? I can kill these two now, and eventually, this minister."
Lady Min shook her head, "You are not thinking. Would you be fully responsible if someone out there in the woods ran already back to the palace and report everything to the king? We do not know if there are other back-up hwarangs out there lurking in those woods."
At this rebuke, Chil Yook hung his head, ashamed of his rash actions.
Lady Min turned to the minister and confronted him. "So tell us, Minister Dae Wong: what do you want? Your eavesdropping should have an acceptable explanation."
Dae Wong stretched an arm and opened his palm. "Give me the almanac."
Lady Jang gasped in surprise upon hearing the minister's demand. Chil Yook shot a glance at her, and he stretched his arms sidewards blocking her from the minister, "No, you will not get it."
Picking a scroll from his sleeve, the minister revealed an order from the King, demanding for the almanac before they could discover that it was not the real one. "This is a royal order. Non-compliance spells death."
The three conspirators looked at each other. Chil Yook and Lady Jang were shaking their heads, while Lady Min was biting her lips and nodding. She approached Chil Yook and whispered something into his ear that caused him to grit his teeth. With no option remaining him besides death, Chil Yook removed the black book from his sleeve and threw it at Dae Wong's feet.
"I know you would follow. By the way, how many hwarangs do you think are lurking on those woods right now? More importantly, what do you think did they bring with them? Crossbows? Fire arrows? Or poison arrows?" the minister asked, his eyes deriding them. He turned around and ran away with his men.
Feeling powerless, Chil Yook dug his nails into his palm as the minister fled. "Now, what are we going to do?"
"I think it will be best to go back to the Prime Minister and confess everything to him," Lady Min replied.
"How easy for you to say that? It is not you who will be reprimanded the most. It is Lady Jang."
Lady Jang's body trembled in fear. Her lips were shaking, and her hands were cold as ice. Lady Min comforted her, not to worry that much because they will help her reason out to the Prime Minister. Chil Yook ranted again about not killing the nangdos which made Lady Min frowned upon hearing his stupid idea again. "Did you not realize how perilous the situation was? Undoubtedly, you are the best hwarang. No one could ever contend your mighty swordsmanship, but our presence made the situation more complicated. What if the minister was right? You could have killed him and all the nangdos, but that does not guarantee our safety. And worst, the Prime Minister might get involved with this as well if the King knew that those people were killed in here."
Lady Min continued, "Sometimes, strength is not the key to survival. Oftentimes, it is wit."
Her deep, serious tone left a stake on Chil Yook's heart, leaving him dumbfounded.
"Now, let us go to the Prime Minister's chambers!" Lady Min ordered.
~~•~~
Back in the King's chambers, Dae Wong narrated what happened at Lady Min's house enthusiastically. Proud of his acting skills, he had successfully played with their emotions like staging a puppet play.
"Therefore, are you telling me that Lady Jang does not know how to read the almanac?" The King's eyes staring at the minister in askance.
"Yes, Sire. She revealed as much to Chil Yook and Lady Min."
"We need to find someone who could read this."
The minister snapped his fingers, remembering what he heard about an abbot who can possibly read the almanac. "Sire, there is this monk who possibly lives in Anju Village, Jinhae District who could probably read the almanac."
"Anju Village? That would be around six hours of travel by horse if you pass through the forest of Jinju. The thing is, it could be dangerous since there are many venomous snakes there."
"I am not afraid of them, Sire. I am more afraid of the snakes here in the palace, fooling the entire kingdom."
"Right. What could be more venomous than Jung Ho? All right then. Bring some nangdos, and go find that monk. I need the correct information from that almanac. Most importantly, be back before the ceremony."
"Yes, Sire." Dae Wong bowed, stood and walked towards the door.
"Ah, before I forget, what shall I do if you did not make it before the ceremony?"
The minister turned around and convinced the King to make a potentially perilous wager with the Heavens. The King must announce the non-occurrence of the eclipse and let the Heavens do the rest. Dae Wong believed that this was a better strategy than promising a definite date and time to the people.
"What about... the twins? Remember what we have talked about?" Jae Joong asked.
"First things first, Sire. You should talk to the Head Nurse, Jung Dong Hee."
The King nodded obediently. "I understand. That was it for now. Go."
~~•~~
Fear seeped through Lady Jang's deepest bones, like a shadow of death devouring the last strands of her courage. In the Prime Minister's chamber, she knelt before her master. Lady Min and Chil Yook were beside her. None dared to look up at the fearsome man before them. While Chil Yook and Lady Min were emotionless and still, Lady Jang shook with terror. She was afraid of the King, but her fear of the Prime Minister was ten times stronger.
"So you were telling me that the King has the almanac." the Prime Minister's lips moved upwards in a grin, but his eyes were full of disdain.
"My apologies, My Lord. I should have..." Lady Jang said but she was interrupted when the Prime Minister bent forward, and his fingers ran smoothly along her face, caressing her cheekbones, down to her jaws, chin, and neck.
"Shh, I know. I know," he whispered, his breath hot on her cheek.
She closed her eyes, her lips quivering with fear, and tears fell down.
"Look at me." Jung Ho commanded, facing the terrified woman.
His soft tone sent more shivers down her entire spine. She opened her eyes and felt the tightening grip of the Prime Minister on her neck. As he squeezed, she started to choke, her windpipe constricting. Each breath became labored, rasping, and painful.
"Did you not know that the almanac was an authentic one? That was my only token to ruin the King's image. I was a fool when I trusted you. I should never have trusted you that precious book. I made you, Lady Jang. If it was not for me, you would have not become the Head Priestess. Is this your way to prove yourself to me? To pay for your debt, you ingrate?"
Jung Ho did not yell or shout. His calm voice paired with scorching hot glare was more than enough to frighten Lady Jang into submission. Upon noticing Lady Jang's drained face and iris moving up to her head, he decided to let her neck go.
Her energy was sucked out, making her faint on the floor. The other two gasped in shock, stealing glances with each other. They were rooted to their position, not daring to make a single step because they might be the next target of the Prime Minister.
Frowning in Lady Jang's unconsciousness, the Prime Minister straightened and demanded that the others tell him their versions of the story. Chil Yook apologized for what had happened, blaming himself and wanting to take responsibility for being a lenient Gukseon.
"Oh, yes. You conceited man. You always think that you are the best hwarang. Because of your negligence, this had happened. Now, what are you going to do?"
Chil Yook did not respond. He was ashamed of his failure to protect the almanac. He hoped Lady Jang would recover, and feared for what would happen to her when the Prime Minister was through. Acknowledging his skills does not mean neglecting others'.
"Guards!" Jung Ho shouted. Two nangdos slid the door and entered the Prime Minister's chamber.
"Detain Lady Jang!"
Everyone was shocked upon hearing the Prime Minister's order. They would understand detaining a retaliating criminal or even a conscious person at least. But detaining an almost lifeless, unconscious, and helpless person was way behind their comprehension. Chil Yook felt very powerless at that moment. He could not do anything because it was his master's orders. His face puckered in a mixture of anger to himself and mercy towards Lady Jang. Trying to console him, Lady Min held his hand tightly like a mother ready to protect her son from dangerous people.
"Why are you standing there? Detain Lady Jang now!"
As the two nangdos carried Lady Jang, Chil Yook did not have the chance to look at her for the last time. He was completely uncertain whether she would live or not.
The Prime Minister was more unpredictable than the weather and the seasons.
~~•~~
Dong Hee, the Queen's Head Nurse, lived with Yong Woo, her scrawny, blacksmith husband, and Eun Jung, her chubby sister-in-law who was two years younger than Yong Woo. They lived in a small village outside the palace.
A night before the ceremony, they sat at their dinner table, sipping tea and savoring the scent of their garden's fresh spring flowers. Dong Hee consulted her dilemma about the Queen's favor.
"I really do not know what to do. The Queen wants me to protect of her babies the moment they were born. She is totally afraid that she might give birth tomorrow, which is the day of the presumed eclipse.
"That was indeed a problem, Unni. Protect? What does that even mean specifically? Like, take the twins perhaps?" Eun Jung asked.
"I do not know. That is why I am asking for your opinions. This is very difficult for me. I mean, if I take one of the twins, our lives would be in danger. But if I did not follow the Queen's wish, I will carry this burden for the rest of my life."
Grimacing at the two women talking, Yong Woo cut in and asked about the connection of the eclipse to the royal twins.
"You do know that royal twins are not supposed to be born on the day of the eclipse, right? The Queen is being so paranoid. The King had announced already that there would be no eclipse, but the Queen does not trust the Head Priestess. She expects the worst scenarios—and that is the eclipse happens, then she gives birth. She is afraid of what the people can do if worst comes to worst."
His husband raised a brow and blatantly expressed his opinion. He believed that a prophecy cannot determine one's fate entirely—much depended on a person's actions as well. He stood and went to his baby who was sleeping in a wooden cradle. "Look at Il Woo. He is such a sweet, innocent baby. My wife, I do understand your sentiments, but please do not be too attached to your job. We have our own son to worry about. I do not want him to live a life filled with danger. If you do what the King said, chances are the King's enemies will not leave us alone."
Dong Hee stood and joined her husband at the cradle, with a bit of realization of what her husband just said.
"Il Woo is indeed a sweet baby. Look at his small eyes and nose. From whom do you think did he take that after?" Dong Hee giggled.
Yong Woo held her by the waist, "That is from me, from his handsome father."
"Yes, you are. How about this?" Dong Hee caressed her son's right hand, with a small birthmark which looked like a half-moon.
"That I do not know. It makes him unique, though," Yong Woo replied.
There was knock at the door.
Eun Jung frowned in annoyance. "Who could it be at this late hour?"
"Jung Dong Hee. We are palace hwarangs. The King demands your presence in the palace. It is urgent," said by a palace hwarang, who they heard from the outside.
"It must be something related to the Queen. I think she is experiencing labor tonight. I really need to go," Dong Hee said, holding her husband's hands.
"Coming!" Dong Hee called.
She went to her room, put her purple cloak on and prepared her wooden herbal box. Before leaving, she kissed her sleeping son. Then she turned to her husband and asked him where they would meet after the Queen gave birth—for this was the only reason Dong Hee could imagine being called to the palace in the middle of the night.
"Dear, we will pack our things and prepare everything for our travel. Meet us at the foot of Ojin Hill. By the way, at what time will the Queen finish her delivery?"
"Around Jungsi... All right, I will meet you there." With that, Dong Hee left with the hwarang and made her way to the palace.
~~•~~
Sipping his jasmine tea, the King patiently waited for Dong Hee to report to his chambers. When she arrived, she stood awkwardly near the door after it closed and avoided the King's gaze as she hugged her herbal box tight to her body.
"Come. Sit with me," the King said. "I cannot wait forever."
Dong Hee walked slowly as if her body was submerged in a muddy pit. Moving the chair, she sat down and placed the herbal box on top of the table. "Sire, I have brought the Queen's medicine. What happened? When can I see her?"
"It was not about the Queen. I want to talk to you personally."
She hung her head. "What is that about, Sire?"
"You recall the prophecy about royal twins born on an eclipse, do you not?"
Gulping in surprise, she replied softly, "Yes, Sire... I am... aware of that."
The King smiled. "Very well, now we have something to discuss."
__________
NOTES:
Jinju District (진주) - located in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.
Unni (언니) - a female's honorific endearment to an older female or sister.
Ojin Hill (오진) - fictional hill on Southern Seorabeol.
Jungsi (정시) - fictional depiction of time between 11 p.m. and 12 m.n.

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