The eclipse was not only seen in the palace. The temporary blanket of faint darkness spread throughout the entire kingdom. While Dae Wong's horse was galloping quickly towards the palace, he pulled the halters abruptly, making the horse twitched upwards, whinnying. He was bewitched by the total devouring of the moon's shadow to the once bright sun.

"Oh no! What is happening? The eclipse... No!"

Undeniably, the sight of the total solar eclipse was captivating, but he did not let the evil thing ruin his goal—to report everything he had discovered to the King. He whipped his horse more eagerly and moved rapidly to the palace.

~~•~~

Apparently, not all people in whole Silla were disturbed by the occurrence of the eclipse. Those people who did not hear the King's prediction were mesmerized by its strange beauty, worrying nothing about it.

As Jung Min's palanquin traveled closer to the palace, one of the hwarangs escorting the palanquin reported the occurrence of the eclipse. Lady Seo opened a window and looked at the skies.

"My eyes cannot believe this. It is so majestic!"

"What is it?" Jung Min looked through the window out of curiosity.

"Young Lord, it's the solar eclipse. The sun was devoured by the moon temporarily. After some moments, the moon will go away, and everything will go back to normal again."

Jung Min stared at the sky in awe. "It is beautiful, yet terrifying. What does that mean?"

"I do not know, Young Lord. Only Heaven knows. However, there are some legends about it that I know. According to some old hearsay, it has the power to enchant you with its beauty in exchange for your eyesight."

Jung Min flinched at what he had heard. "You mean I will be blind?"

"Probably. On the other note, the people of Balhae believed that it was a curse to the mortals brought upon by one of their goddesses who became broken-hearted because she was betrayed by her mortal lover... There was much folklore about the eclipse. It depends on you what to believe on." Lady Seo said, her voice sounded like an eager matron telling bedtime stories to kids.

"Those were fascinating stories," he uttered, going back to his small bed inside the palanquin.

~~•~~

Everyone panicked as they saw the sun being eaten by the moon's shadow. All the people were shocked and horrified at the same time. The King's promise was broken, and the kingdom would start to suffer from different disasters from the Heavens. Many people were disappointed with the King. A lot of them cried loudly, wailed, and shouted. It was a devastating moment for all of the people who had hoped and put their trust in the King. With just a blink of an eye, their hopes and dreams were shattered.

"Sire, what are we going to do now? The eclipse has happened. This kingdom is going to suffer now!" a farmer shouted.

A lot of people wanted to go to the King and burst their anger at him. Tension started to build up. It was a full-tilt insanity. Some group of men attempted to go near the King to attack him but were blocked by the hwarangs. The military formed their own human walls as they pushed the raging mob away. Many people did not mind the hwarangs, blocking the King. More and more men tried to attack. It was like an angry wave trying to devour the shore. When the hwarangs could not handle the insurmountable number of the angry mob, they pulled their swords and pointed it to the attackers.

"No! Stop!" the King shouted. The crowd stopped and silence fell.

"I do not wish anybody to get hurt."

The angry people just sat on the grounds and cried loudly like a child. Some peasants whined about their farms. Some women wailed, worrying about their husband's jobs and their kids' future. Their kids cried as well, seeing their mothers.

While a lot of people had cried, there were other people who still believed that this mistake would not define their lives. Some people at the back believed that those angry people's reactions were pure overreactions. Some ridiculed the poor disappointed people. This just proved that not all people in the kingdom genuinely believed the prophecy. A number of them just wanted food, perhaps or probably, they just wanted to come to let time pass by with their lame lives.

In the middle of the turmoil, Jung Ho opened his eyes and stood, seizing the moment. He raised his right arm and shouted, his voiced echoed in the palace courtyard.

"Everyone, please listen! I understand where you are coming from." The crowd fell silent; their attentions were captured by his deep voice.

He continued, "It was a humble mistake. The King is truly regretful right now. For me, he is not to blame."

"What is he talking about?"

"Not to blame?" the crowd exchanged murmurs.

Jung Ho resumed, "He was just a victim here. We are all victims! Yes, we know the prophecy regarding the solar eclipse. I know and you know that disasters will be inevitable from now on. Given that, I want you to know that our King, alongside with all the people here in the palace, would be more than delighted to help you all."

The crowd's mood lightened a bit. Everyone started talking about the Prime Minister. They started wondering how the palace could help them when the Heavens had already decided what their fate would be. Even the council members in the dais thought about what the Prime Minister said.

"This is amazing, My Lord. I did not know that this would be your plan," Chil Yook said, amazed by the Prime Minister's whole scheme.

Lady Min chuckled. "Sure it is. He is trying to get the sympathy of people. They would start praising his name, and eventually, they will be his servants. He is creating a division of people."

"Do you mean while the King loses his credibility, the Prime Minister starts building up his?

"That is more likely to happen," Lady Min answered.

The two noticed from below the dais that Lady Jang was walking away whilst the chaos was happening. "Wait, where is she going?" Chil Yook asked.

"Let her be. She is not needed anymore. She needs to protect herself. The people might snap out of their senses and might attack her. I think it is best for her to leave while the Prime Minister is causing a diversion with his flowery words."

Unbeknownst to them, Yeol, who was sitting beside where Dae Wong should be seated eavesdropped to their conversation. He also noticed that Lady Jang walking away. While gluing his eyes to the Head Priestess as she walked, suddenly, he realized that his daughter, the Queen, would be in trouble now that the eclipse had happened. He stood and left quickly. Oh no! This is bad! The Queen!

~~•~~

All nurses in the Queen's chamber had prepared everything. The Queen was in the process of inconsistent labors. She had felt pain for hours. When it had subsided, another round of pain proceeded—a cycle of storm inside her. Moreover, the Queen was anxious about the happenings outside the palace grounds.

Dong Hee asked for an audience and she was permitted to go in. Being one of the highest officials in the health department, she had to be at the ceremony for emergency purposes.

"Nurses, get out," Dong Hee ordered. The nurses bowed and left the Queen's room.

"What happened outside?" the Queen asked, lying on her bed.

"The eclipse has happened, Your Grace," Dong Hee answered. Her head was down in extreme sadness.

"No... No, it cannot be. Today is the day! My twins are coming. I can feel it!" The Queen exclaimed, gripping Dong Hee's hands.

"Please calm down, Your Grace. We are not yet absolutely sure about that. Your delivery could be tomorrow. There is still hope."

"How can I calm down with this Heaven's trick? I am sure that my twins will be born today. It is my body. I do not care about those calculations!" the Queen yelled as tears dripped down her cheeks.

Dong Hee let her cry for minutes until the poor queen returned to her senses. With a calmer voice, the Queen continued, "The moment everyone knew our secret, my twins would be in danger. Please Heavens, save my children!" She pressed her palms together and looked skywards, praying. Worried about the Queen's condition, Dong Hee gave her a cup of ginseng tonic. "Here, Your Grace, drink this tonic. Please think about your babies' health."

She assisted the Queen's back and helped her raise her upper body a bit to drink the tonic. When the Queen was finished, she helped her again to lay on the bed. This time, she was a bit relaxed and had stopped from crying.

"Your Grace, Minister Yeol is outside," a lady-in-waiting said, distracting the two.

"Father."

"Let him in, please," the Queen softly answered; her voice was tired, and her eyes were puffy. The lady-in-waiting opened the door, and Yeol entered. He sat down beside the Queen and held her hands.

"Your Grace, I was worried about you, that is why I came here," Yeol said in worry.

"Father, what will I do? The solar eclipse!"

"Worry not. I will talk to the King. We need to do something about this. I will not let you and my grandsons get hurt!" the minister firmly replied.

~~•~~

The whole palace ground was still in control of the Prime Minister. Some people threw questions at him, assuring the authenticity of his words. "How are you going to do that? It was the Heavens that has decided our fate already!" a woman shouted.

"If it is necessary to contradict the Heaven's will, we will do so. We need to fight together to save our lives, feed our children, and protect our family. Should you need water, the palace will try its best to provide water for you. If you are worried about famine and possible pandemics, the palace will send the best doctors and nurses to care for you," the Prime Minister answered.

"Is that true? Would you promise to us that you would be willing to save us?" another man shouted.

"Yes! We will help everyone. We will make sure that the whole kingdom would be saved from the disgrace of the Heavens. Trust us. Trust our King. He only cares for each and every one of us," the Prime Minister said as he glanced at the King.

The King's eyes met the Prime Minister's. Jung Ho, what are you planning?

The people's mood lightened completely as the Prime Minister slowly convinced them with his words. Smiles started to come out from their lips. Hopes were starting to get restored. Twists of emotions happened to everyone. They had celebrated, had their hopes and dreams shattered, and now, their broken hearts had been stitched by the promise of the Prime Minister.

"Wow! I cannot believe it. A while ago, they were infuriated but now, with just those flowery words, these angry wolves suddenly turned to tame dogs," Chil Yook said.

"It is just so funny. These people are very naive. On the good part, they will be loyal servants to the Prime Minister. I believe that these people would be of great use to us," Lady Min replied.

A few minutes later, the moon's shadow freed the sun, ending the eclipse. Many people believed that it was their new hopeful beginning after hearing the Prime Minister's statements. Suddenly, big, fluffy gray clouds started covering up the bright sky, and the rain began pouring on the ground. The nobility ran to the pavilions and covered their heads, protecting themselves from the Heaven's water, while the King and the Prime Minister stayed on the courtyard with the crowd.

"Now this is what I am telling you. I really believe that the Heavens are still giving us a little chance. Let's celebrate for this!" announced by the Prime Minister. The crowd cheered merrily again and danced. They were very happy about what the Prime Minister said, believing everything that he mentioned. People interpreted the rain as Heaven's little mercy for an ill fate they should not deserve.

"Long live for the Prime Minister!"

"Long live, Silla!"

The turn of events was unexpected. One moment, the people glorified the King's name, but now, it was the Prime Minister's name that everyone praised. The rain lasted for a few minutes and so as the rejoicing of the people. After that, they started to go out of the palace with restored hopes and dreams, unloading the main courtyard. The palace officials and the nobility left as well. At the center, the Prime Minister and the King, with their retinues and hwarangs, stayed.

"Is this what you really wanted?" Jae Joong barely asked with a sorrowful tone.

Jung Ho smiled. "Do not take this personally, Sire. I just did that to save you and Silla. If it was not for me, those angry people would have hurt you. I prevented them from doing hasty actions."

"You have won."

"I cannot believe this. Is this how you say your gratitude, Sire? Those people could have protested at that moment. Your throne could have been jeopardized. If it was not for me, they might have organized a plan to oust you in the position."

Jung Ho continued, "Sire, at the end of the day, it is the people of the kingdom that matters. The best kingdom can be built not with tons of gold nor with powerful weapons, but with the best people. You should know that, considering that you just proclaimed yourself as the father of the nation."

The Prime Minister turned around, leaving the King soaked in the rain. He went back to his chambers and removed his robe, exposing his broad chest with a long diagonal scar. He faced the mirror, hanging on the wall. He looked sharp at his reflection and a deranged grin came out from his lips. He caressed his right face and laughed very loudly. The lady-in-waiting outside interrupted him. "My Lord, the Grand Marshal and Lady Min want to talk to you."

"Let them in."

The Prime Minister wore a white robe and tied a ribbon on his waist. Chil Yook and Lady Min applauded as they entered the room.

Jung Ho chucked. "Oh, come on. Sit." The two sat at the roundtable in the middle.

"It was very unexpected, My Lord. We still cannot process everything," Chil Yook said.

"You are a very great person. You have instantly switched the tables. Those people would now be loyal to you, My Lord," Lady Min added.

"I could not have done those without your help, of course." The Prime Minister smiled.

"By the way, where is Lady Jang?"

"We saw her getting out of the palace courtyard a while ago. We just let her go considering her safety," Lady Min replied.

"I see. Let her rest for a while."

"My Lord, you really looked so happy," Chil Yook said.

"I just did it! Like a tame dog, those people might be of good use to me in the future."

Out of extreme curiosity, Lady Min could not help but ask the big question, "My Lord, this whole eclipse thing... I was just curious. How did you do it? How did you know that it will happen today? Your timing was really incredible."

The Prime Minister smiled. He stood up, walked to his bed, and picked something underneath.

The two cast glances with each other, wondering what was happening.

__________