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Cheonjong wiped the sweat from his brow that his headband had not managed to catch as he walked back to his quarters. Having spent the morning sparring with his brother and officer Hong, he was looking forward to peeling off his military robes and getting into a bath. His posse of eunuchs and court ladies struggled to keep up with his fast pace but he was in no mood to accommodate them. The faster he got to his quarters, the faster he bathed and the faster he could get on with his duties and then finally spend some time with the Queen. Cheoljong couldn’t help the smile that broke out across his face at the thought of the queen, his strange and at times scary but loveable wife.
The court ladies struggled to slide open the doors ahead of him in time as he barrelled through Sajeongjeon. Finally in his rooms, he tapped his foot impatiently as he awaited his court ladies to assist him in undressing. Trying to stop himself from badgering his attendants, he was absently looked around the room when something on his desk caught his eye. The queen’s dictionary lay closed on the table. Normally, this would not be an uncommon sight but he distinctly remembered putting it away after making the latest addition some days ago.
“Your Majesty.” The head eunuch bowed, slightly out of breath from attempting to keep up with the King on the walk back from the training grounds. “I’ve just been informed that the Queen visited while you were out this morning.”
“Ahhh.” Cheoljong said, the queen’s visit explained the misplaced book.
“She told your court ladies that she would await you in your chambers but left in a rush not a few moments ago.”
“What? Why?” Cheoljong asked, forgetting all about his hurry to bathe.
“The Queen did not say, but the court lady claimed that she was in a rush and looked upset.” Cheoljong’s face puzzled over, what could possibly have upset her?
“I must see her.” Cheoljong decided, marching past the head eunuch, back out the door.
“But…but…your bath.” The head eunuch whimpered but the King was already long gone, so he sighed and quickly rushed to catch up.
The King started heading to the Queen’s residence but something told him that if she was upset there was another place she would go. Making a drastic u-turn that had him barging through his posse of attendants, he headed towards the lake. As fast as a King could reasonably be seen walking. As he crossed the bridge to the lake’s island he couldn’t see the queen but could see the queen’s own posse of ladies and eunuchs stood to one side of the pavilion. Rounding the opposite side, he saw the queen kneeling before the rock with her etched words carved into, one hand delicately tracing the words.
“My queen.” Cheoljong called approaching his love. However, she did not acknowledge his presence. Cheoljong kneeled down beside her, placing one hand softly on her back and clasping her free hand and holding it to his chest. “My queen, what is wrong?” The Queen let out a large exhale before turning to face the king, unshed tears clinging to her eyes.
“I’m lonely.” So-Yong replied, the tears losing their fruitless battle and falling down her cheeks. The King cast a brief gaze over the dozen or so other people currently stood on the little island with them and quickly summarised that the queen did not mean in the literal sense. After all, as king and queen, they were never completely alone. Whether it was someone stood over their shoulder, the veiled silhouettes on the other side of their doors or trail of attendants that followed them wherever they went, there was always people with them.
However, the King thought it didn’t make sense figuratively either. Whilst the palace was a lonely place where you could trust few, knowing someone could stab you in the back at any moment. Many times in Cheoljong’s time at the palace, he had been in a room full of people and yet felt utterly alone. But the queen had plenty of people around her that she could trust. Himself for starters. Then there was Hong Yeon and court lady Choi, two more loyal friends friends did not exist. Cheoljong did not think any other court ladies would have followed their Queen out into the wilderness as they did. Then Man-Bok, the head chef. Even though he would never admit it, the King knew that he enjoyed the Queens presence in the kitchen. Even officer Hong and his brother had begun opening up to her, their gratitude for her support slowly turning into friendship. Cheoljong knew it wasn’t a particularly extensive list but she had seemed happy enough. Before the King could ask for further elaboration, the Queen turned back to the stone.
“I miss him.” So-Yong sobbed. As much as the King hated to admit it, instant jealousy rose in his chest. The thought that his love could miss another man so much that it brought her to tears enraged him. The King was ashamed of his base feelings when it became apparent to him who his queen must be missing.
“Would you like to go and visit Kim Byeong-in’s grave? Would that make you feel better?” Cheoljong asked soothingly, rubbing her back gently.
“What?” So-Yong asked, turning her confused face to his.
“Kim Byeong-In? Isn’t that who you miss?” The King asked, he too now confused.
“No…well yes I do miss oraboni.” So-Yong sagged even more and the King quickly shifted closer so that her side was resting against his. “Now I’m even more depressed.”
“I do not understand, if not your cousin, then who do you miss?” Cheoljong queried, unsure who else presence she could be missing. Surely not any of her traitorous family members.
“Jang Bong-hwan.” So-Young answered, sighing with grief. Again, jealousy ballooned inside the king’s chest. And be couldn’t help but tersely asking.
“This is not the first time you have mentioned this man, who is he?”
“Who is he?” The Queen repeated to herself in a sad yet inquisitive tone turning her face back to the lake. “How can I possibly explain? How is it possible that I knew his every thought and feeling, yet, I have never looked upon his face? That he knows my own body like his own, but I do not know his?”
“My Queen!” The King hissed, utterly scandalised. He quickly sent a meaningful look to his head eunuch, who quickly understood the meaning, and signalled for all the other people gathered on the island to retreat back even further to the other side of the pavilion, turning their backs on the pair. The Queen remained utterly oblivious to her husband’s distress.
“Do I have the right to miss him when he was trapped here against his will? Is it selfish of me to wish he had stayed with me longer?” The Queen mourned.
“My Queen, you are making even less sense than usual. Please explain to me.” Cheoljong pleaded, utterly confused.
“After I fell into the lake, he was always with me. I would not have survived being Queen without him. But now he’s gone.” So-Yong cried, not really paying attention to the King’s questions as she frustratingly pulled up the grass roots in front of her and throwing them ahead of her to the water. Unfortunately, they wafted gently to the ground right in front of her lap.
“I don’t understand. There was no other man beside you.” Cheoljong tried to reason.
“Not beside me, a part of me.” So-Young shouted in frustration, turning back to the King. “What I, well he said, was true. He really was a man from the future, inside my body.”
“You are unwell, this is delayed stress from the coup or the strain of pregnancy. I will call for the royal physician to come see you immediately.” Cheoljong made to stand up but the So-Yong grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him back down.
“You must know it to be true, you just don’t want to believe it. You know who I was before my drowning was not who I was after.” So-Yong confronted, staring intently into Cheoljong’s eyes.
“A near death experience can deeply affect a person.” Cheoljong reasoned, it was what he had always told himself ever since the Queen started her strange behaviour.
“Please just try and understand.” So-Yong pleaded, grabbing Cheoljong’s hands and pulling them to her chest.
“Fine, let's say you are right.” The King said, trying a pacify tactic. “Are saying this whole time you’ve been a man?”
“Yes! Well, no, not exactly.” The Queen backtracked. “Before my drowning I was me. After my drowning I was him, mostly. But after I came out my coma we were…one.” So-Young said simply, there was no other way she could think to explain it.
“So, you were two people at the same time?” Cheoljong asked, still struggling to understand what the King was saying.
“Not really. I believe that after we came out of the coma, we were bonded, a merge of both ourselves. My memories and feelings, his thoughts and actions. Together we became a complete whole.” So-Yong smiled at the memories, of the feeling of sharing herself completely with another person and together becoming the best versions of themselves. But her smile quickly turned sad. “But now he is gone and I just feel…empty.”
“Gone? Gone where?” Cheoljong queried, unconsciously looking around, as if this mystery man would suddenly pop out the water. Not that there really was another man, the King was adamant that it was all a figure of the Queen’s imagination. A way for her to cope with everything that had happened to her.
“I don’t know.” The Queen turned back to the rock and the name snatched upon it. “I pray that he went back to his own time, where he is safe and happy.” So-Yong said bittersweetly. “And that evil bastard director Han got his just desserts.” The Queen finished, a malicious glint in her eye. The King was silent for a moment as he tried to process what the Queen was talking about.
“Why would you give someone you don’t like cake?” The King eventually asked, because out of everything the Queen had said, that stood out to him the most.
“Huh?” The Queen asked turning to her husband, cocking her head to the side.
“This director Han, you do not like him. So, why would you wish to give him your dessert?” The King explained and looked at his wife inquisitively. However, the Queen simply stared at him, a blank look on her face before she burst into laughter. The sound of it shattered the calm serenity of the lake. The King could make out groups of court ladies looking out to them in curiosity from the path around the lake, wondering what could be so hilarious to cause the Queen’s boisterous laughter.
“Cake.” The Queen gasped between fits of laughter. “Why would I…” The Queen couldn’t even finish her sentence before more laughter erupted. She wrapped her arms around her middle in an effort to stop her body from jostling, but one look at the King’s still dumbfounded face had her laughing so hard that she could no longer keep herself upright and she sagged against the kings side. The King quickly altered his sitting position to accommodate the Queen’s weight and ended up with her back resting against his front, his legs either side of her and his arms encircling her waist. He waited until her laughter subsided before attempting to regain her attention but before he could, the Queen let out another sad sigh. “Jang Bong-hwan would have loved this. He always found it so amusing watching you trying to figure out his modern sayings.” The Queen smiled to herself before resting her hands on top of the King’s, entwining her fingers between his and just basking in his presence. The King thought about quizzing her more about this fictitious man, but So-Yong seemed calm now and Cheoljong did not want to risk upsetting her again.
“Are you feeling better my Queen?” Cheoljong asked after they had sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes.
“I am, thank you.” The Queen replied pulling the King’s arms tighter around her. “Thank you for trying to understand. I know it doesn’t make sense to you but you try to understand me anyway.” The Queen stretched her neck upwards and placed a soft kiss on the King’s unsuspecting cheek. Slightly startled, Cheoljong looked down at his wife who smiled lovingly at him. “I couldn’t wish for a better husband.” The King blushed at her praise and bent forward to capture her lips to reciprocate her affection.
“Your Majesties’.” The head eunuch called out as he tried to navigate himself round the pavilion whilst walking backwards, not wanting to see the King and Queen in an intimate position. “I’m sorry to interrupt but the King is due at the council meeting soon and still needs to change out of his military attire.”
Cheoljong’s head shot up at the intrusion and glared at the back of the head eunuch. If there wasn’t a lady present he would have a few choice words for him. But saying that, he’d heard worse come out the Queen’s mouth.
“Huh!” The Queen said, flinging herself forward and quickly turning to face the King and fully taking in his appearance. The blue and gold robe was crumbled from her resting against it and it was dirty and frayed in places, assumedly as result of that mornings sparring.
“What is it My Queen?” The King asked after the Queens sudden movement. The Queen didn’t reply straight away, instead she pouted and the looked up and down the Kings body.
“I didn’t realise you were wearing your military robes.” The Queen whined, shaking her shoulders in the way that she had seen women do in Jang Bong-hwan’s memories, which he always seemed to enjoy. The King was unsure what the Queen’s movement was but he could only describe it as an endearing gesture.
“My…robes…what?” The King asked, looking down at himself in confusion. The Queen smiled shyly, hiding behind one clasped hand and softly punching him in the chest with the other.
“You look really cool when you wear it.” So-Yong giggled into her hands, avoiding the King’s gaze.
“I look…cool?” The King repeated. He considered the words for a moment before replying. “Not really, if anything I feel slightly warm. But that may be more to do with this morning physical exertion rather than a fault with the robes.” The King explained matter of factly. The Queen tried to hold back her laughter at the King’s earnest response but was unsuccessful.
“No,” So-Yong chuckled. “When I say you look cool, it means…when you…when a person…if you look cool, you’re…ahhhh I can’t think how to explain it.” The Queen whined in frustration. “But take my word for it, it’s a compliment.”
“If you say so.” The King nodded in acceptance, making a mental note to add it to the dictionary. Cool equals compliment. Then shyly asking, “So you like this outfit?” The Queen giggled before nodding.
“I probably shouldn’t say this because you need to leave soon.” So-Yong whispered conspirytedly, bending her head forward and waving her hand to indicate for the King to do the same, which he did. “But ever since our first meeting, well our first meeting again as adults, and I saw you in this robe, well…” The Queen said, blushing brightly and quickly checking that the head eunuch was too far to hear. “It really turns me on.” The Queen quickly leaned backwards as laughter overcame her. However, her laugh quickly trailed off as she noticed that the King was frozen in his position. Assuming that he didn’t understand her bold confession the Queen quickly tried to think how to explain her words.
“You see, when something turns you on it-“ The Queen didn’t get a chance to finish her explanation when the King suddenly lunged forward, gripped her upper arms and quickly spun her around so she was laying down on the soft grass, the King’s form hovering above her own.
“Something like this?” The King whispered, his breath fanning across her lips and one of his hands coming to gently cup her cheek.
“Exactly.” The Queen purred, her arms coming up to lock behind the King’s neck and pulling him gently forward.
“Your Majesty! The time!” The head eunuch called out in a desperate whine.
“You should go.” The Queen sighed dejectedly, unlocking her arms and bringing her hands to the King’s chest and gently pushing him away. “Can’t have the minister’s saying the the King is neglecting his duties.” Cheoljong allowed himself to be pushed away and assisted the Queen as she too got to her feet.
“Return to your quarters.” The King said earnestly. “I will come to you the moment the damn council meeting finishes.”
“In uniform?” The Queen asked eagerly.
“Unfortunately changing back into it after the meeting is a delay I cannot allow. But do not fret,” The King said, cupping So-Yong’s pouting face. “There will be other opportunities.” The King placed a deep kiss on the Queen’s lips before quickly departing, striding across the grass to the bridge, not even pausing as he knocked the head eunuchs hat off in irritation as he passed. The Queen fanned her blushing face as she watched him leave.
Dropping her hand, So-Yong turned back to the marked stone at her feet. “You have been a bad influence on me.” The Queen chuckled, staring down at the etched name. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.” So-Young crouched down and placed her hand on Jang Bong-hwan’s name. “Thank you for helping me find my true self and…I miss you more than I can put into words. But I hope you are happy.” The Queen bowed her head in respect at the man that would forever be a part of herself.
“Your Majesty?” Hong Yeon called as she and court lady Choi approached the Queen.
“Are you well?” Court lady Choi asked, taking in the Queen’s flushed appearance.
“Yes.” The Queen said rising to her feet and walking over to her friends. “Let us return to my quarters and when we get there, would you mind laying out the bedding?”
“Of course your Majesty. Would you like to take a nap?” Hong Yeon asked.
“No.” The Queen said, stopping in her tracks and casting one last look over the lake, a wide smile breaking across her face. “I have other plans.”