Young-Sik and the others brought down all the corpses. He looked around him at all the people wailing and hurting from the loss of a loved one. Min-Jae and Jin-Ri tended to Grandfather Jang's body, while Uncle Ra-Im cradled Uncle Ban, a person he considered a brother.
Kwan approached the prince, "Your Highness, you need to face your brother; his cruelty must end."
Everyone who heard what the captain said turned to Young-Sik, eagerly awaiting his decision. "I grew up with him, next to Seo-Joon, he was the person I looked up to. He pulled me out of the dark time of my life. I don't know where our paths diverged, but he forgot all the lessons taught to him. He allowed his greed to take over, he allowed himself to be controlled." He paused for a moment, closing his eyes as he contemplated what he must do. "I promised to protect him with my life; I will do that even if I must protect him from himself!"
"All of you, stay here and help Uncle Ra-Im give them a proper burial," Young-Sik said, giving his instructions. "I will go to the palace and rescue Ha-Rin and Young-Ju..."
"All of us?" Jin-Ri cut in sharply, disbelief etched on her face. "You're going to the palace by yourself? Haven't you learned anything at all?" She stepped closer to the prince, her anger boiling over. "You're being utterly reckless! He has done terrible things, and you think you can protect him from his actions? You might fool others, but not me! You're going there to give yourself up, hoping he'll spare Ha-Rin and Young-Ju."
Young-Sik shot back, "He is my brother, and I know that if I reason with him..."
Without warning, Jin-Ri slapped Young-Sik hard, leaving him in shock. "Wake up, Yong! He's not the brother you remember; all he cares about is the crown. Do you honestly think he'll let them go once he has you? No, once he has dealt with you, he'll use them as pawns to get to Min-Jae!"
"You don't think that I don't know that?" Young-Sik shouted; Jin-Ri reeled from the surprise of being yelled at by her prince. "You don't think that I don't know what he will do, what he is capable of?" Young-Sik saw a piece of wood, grabbed it, and started smashing it on the pole that once held his grandfather's corpse. He continued to smash the wood until there was nothing left.
The prince then started to hammer at the wooden post with his bare hands. Jin-Ri approached Young-Sik, and she gently and tenderly held his hands. "I don't want to lose anyone else. If I can end this with only me as the casualty, I have to try," he explains to Jin-Ri
"You are not the only one!" Jin-Ri shouted back at the prince, "Do you think you're the only one who experienced loss? Do you think you're the only one that knows pain, to know despair?"
Jin-Ri on the brink of tears held Young-Sik's hands "Why do you have to do everything alone? Why don't you trust us, why don't you trust me to help you?" her words brought back the memories of everything the two of them went through and she was right, he did everything alone the most painful part was, he only trusted himself.
But you don't have to do this alone, I'm here with you, your brother, and Kwan. We are here with you," Jin-Ri said to Young-Sik, trying to make him realize that he is not alone.
"You don't understand," he said to Jin-Ri, his voice trembling, ready to break at any moment.
"What don't I understand?" she asked, wanting so much to understand what was in her prince's mind and heart. "Tell me, help me understand."
Young-Sik's voice trembled as he confessed, "I might have to confront my brother, and I'm not certain I have the strength or the courage to do it." His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he looked at the woman he cherished. "If I fail, he won't think twice about taking you away from me. But if I succeed…I will lose my brother." The prince fell to his knees. "I don't want to lose anyone anymore…I don't want to lose anyone anymore," his tears falling to the ground, mixing with the dirt where his hands dug deep.
Feeling the heaviness of his words, Jin-Ri knelt beside Young-Sik and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. "Let me be your source of strength," she urged softly. "Together, we can face this. You don't have to go through this battle alone."
Min-Jae stood up and walked towards the couple, gently placing his hands over the prince's shoulder. "She is right, brother; you shouldn't do this alone. Besides, he has my wife and daughter, there is no way I will sit this one out," Min-Jae exclaimed
Even Kwan expressed his support to the prince, "I have failed you so many times, your Highness, if you will trust me one last time, I will not fail you this time!" he solemnly promised to Young-Sik
Young-Sik bit his lower lip in an attempt to stifle his tears. Jin-Ri helped the prince to his feet. He then looked at the people around him: his brother, his friend, and Jin-Ri. "Thank you…all of you"
Uncle Ra-Im approached the group, handing over a brilliant, bright red sword and sheath. "This is the Jang family sword, a symbol of your lineage, wielded by every male head of the family throughout history. Master Jang never had the chance to pass it, but I know he would like one of you to wield it in this upcoming battle," He urged the brothers
"That is a sword meant for the head of the Jang family." Young-Sik placed a hand over Min-Jae's shoulder. "What are your orders, my Lord?"
Min-Jae took the sword offered by Uncle Ra-Im, and then spoke gently, "We shall follow the prince's plans, he knows Man-Ju better than any of us," he exclaimed
Young-Sik looked at each of the people who loved and supported him. "Change of plans then, Min-Jae, Jin-Ri, and I will go to the Cherry Blossom, Let's hope that she found out something any bit of information that we can use" He then turns to Kwan "After helping Uncle Ra-Im bury Grandfather and the rest, hurry to the palace and take anyone who wants to help"
"So, what's the plan?" Jin-Ri asked enthusiastically
"Man-Ju will surround himself with formidable soldiers, that is when he is, or at least when he thinks he is strongest." Young-Sik paused for a moment." He will use any advantage he has to subdue us, including using our family."
"Brother," he turned to Min-Jae. "I will face Man-Ju, which will give you and Jin-Ri enough time to find Ha-Rin and Young-Ju." He then turned to Jin-Ri, "Once you find them, get them out of the palace, then Min-Jae will help me confront Man-Ju."
"That sounds like a plan, we all know our parts in this, time to end all the suffering," Min-Jae said, reminding them of what needs to be accomplished.
In the palace, at the Queen's residence, Ji-Hye tries to pacify a crying Young-Ju. "Shhh, now little princess, no need to cry. I'm here to take care of you now," She said while combing the girl's black hair.
"My mama, where is my mama?" She continued to sob, "I want my mama." She continued to cry
The court maidens were all astonished at how patient the Queen was with the child, something she was not known for. They watched her wipe the tears from the little girl's face, comforting and assuring her that she was safe. "There, there. See? You're much prettier when you're not all snotty and crying," Ji-Hye giggled, trying to make Young-Ju smile. "Are you still afraid of your uncle Man-Ju?"
The little girl nodded, "He shouts a lot," she said while sobbing, "He hurt Grandpa and Mr. Ban, and now I don't know where Mama is."
Ji-Hye pulled the child into her embrace and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about your mama, she is safe. I will be your mama and you will be my princess... No, wait. You will be Chiongsun's princess."
Young-Ju wipes her tears away with her hands. "Why will I be a princess?"
Ji-Hye lifts the young child onto her lap, "Because I am the Queen and I will be your new mama."
"But I already have a mama, my mama," Young-Ju explained in the cutest tiny voice
"I know, but right now, she is not here, and she told me that while she is not around, I can be your mama." Ji-Hye gently turns the child towards her.
"She did?" The little girl asked,
Jin-Hye nodded, smiling, she told her something that she seldom mentions to anyone else, "I was an only child like you, so I was always cared for. I never knew how it felt to take care of someone, but now that you are here, I see that taking care of someone is not as hard as it seemed." She genuinely explained to the little girl.
Jin-Hye hugged the little girl, and then her face started to twitch, particularly her nose. She sniffed the air around her, following an odor that eventually led her back to Young-Gu. She then deduced that the unappealing smell was coming from the little girl's clothes. "Why don't we take these dirty things off and change them to something fitting for a princess...and maybe give you a bath in the process," Ji-Hye suggested. She then waved to her court ladies, "Take Princess Young-Ju and give her a good bath. Then burn these clothes..."
Young-Ju interjects, "But these are my favorites." She explained, looking down at her old and ragged clothes
"Wash them thoroughly and sew them like new," Ji-Hye quickly corrected herself. "Now go with them, so I can see you looking like a real princess." She then directed Young-Ju to go with the court ladies so they could bathe her.
"Don't worry, my little princess, you can go with them, they won't hurt you," Ji-Hye urged the little girl
"What if they are mean to me?" Young-Ju asked skeptically
"You tell me who was mean to you and I will punish them," she told the child, gently pressing on her cute little nose. "Always remember, I am here to protect you! Now go with them and have a little bath," she said, smiling at Young-Ju. The child nodded and merrily went with the court ladies.
Queen Ji-Hye's Lady-in-waiting approached her and whispered, "Your Majesty, it seems that in a short while you have grown fond of the child."
Ji-Hye cheerfully replied, "I always wanted to have someone to take care of."