Chapter One: The Crown and the Chains

35 BC – Capital City of Goryeo

The palace bells rang out in solemn splendor, their deep chimes echoing across the mountain-shadowed city. Banners bearing the royal crest of Goryeo fluttered in the spring wind, their golden threads dancing like fire in the morning sun. Nobles gathered in their finest robes, ministers stood in rigid formation, and the people of the capital pressed against the palace gates, eager to witness the rise of a new monarch.

Inside the Grand Hall of Ascension, Crown Prince Kang Ho Seok stood at the center of it all—solemn, regal, and bound by duty. Dressed in rich black and crimson robes, the color of kingship and blood, he looked every bit the ruler his late father would have wanted him to be. Yet behind his steady gaze was a storm no one could see.

Across the hall, adorned in intricate white silk and gold embroidery, stood Lady Kim Mi Shil—the soon-to-be queen. She was beautiful and poised, the very image of nobility, her expression unreadable behind the veil she wore. She was the daughter of Kim Dae So, the powerful Prime Minister from the Okjae tribe, and this marriage had been years in the making.

As the sacred rites began, the royal priestess anointed Ho Seok’s brow with the oil of heaven and pronounced him King of Goryeo. Applause filled the chamber. The nobles bowed. Trumpets blared.

And among the guards stationed at the side, dressed not in silks but in armor, stood General Lady Kim Seo Hwa of the Bir Yul tribe.

Her face was composed, unreadable—like tempered steel. But in her chest, her heart pulsed with quiet anguish. She watched as the man she loved—her companion on the battlefield, the one who held her hand beneath moonlit trees and whispered dreams into the night—was being bound to another. Not for love, but for alliance. For power.

Ho Seok's eyes found her.

Just for a moment.

His face remained calm for the world, but to Seo Hwa, that single glance was enough. She saw it in his eyes—the ache, the regret. A silent plea, a whispered apology. Her heart clenched, but she did not flinch. She bowed her head as the queen stepped beside her new husband, and the crown was placed upon both their heads.

Goryeo had its king and queen.

But the throne had stolen something from them both.

Queen Mi Shil knew. She had known from the beginning. She had watched the way Ho Seok spoke to Seo Hwa, how his voice softened around her. And though her heart stung with jealousy, she kept her chin high. She loved the king, yes—but more than that, she loved power. Her father had told her since childhood: “Love is fleeting. Bloodlines are eternal.”

One Year Later

Royal Court Hall – Goryeo Palace, One Year Later

King Kang Ho Seok had made his decision to make General Choi Seo Hwa as his concubine.

The atmosphere in the grand hall was tense. Ministers stood in rows, their faces locked in mixed disapproval and restrained curiosity. At the far end of the chamber, King Ho Seok sat upon the Dragon Throne, eyes sharp, shoulders straight. Beside him stood Queen Mi Shil—composed, regal, yet her gaze burned with a quiet storm.

A court official stepped forward.

Minister of Rites (bowing): “Your Majesty, with the deepest respect, this council pleads you reconsider. Taking General Kim Seo Hwa as a concubine will stir unrest among the tribes—especially within the Okjae court.”

Prime Minister Kim Dae So (coldly): “The Bir Yul tribe has already been granted favor with her position as general. To elevate her further—into the royal household—threatens the balance Your Majesty’s late father fought to protect.”

The king rose from his throne, silence falling like a sword through the hall.

King Ho Seok (firmly):

“My father ruled by fear. I will rule by righteousness.

General Seo Hwa has bled for this nation. She has commanded armies when others fled.

If loyalty, courage, and honor are threats to balance—

Then perhaps it is balance that must be questioned.”

Gasps rippled through the court.

Queen Mi Shil didn’t flinch. But her fingers curled ever so slightly over the edge of her silken sleeve.

King Ho Seok (continuing):

“I have made my decision. Lady Kim Seo Hwa shall be taken into the royal household as my concubine. Any who oppose her place… may challenge it with their deeds, not their tongues.”

The ministers bowed—some bitterly, others in weary silence. Prime Minister Kim Dae So said nothing, but his eyes met his daughter’s with a message clear as fire: We will not forget this.

Later that evening, a quiet ceremony was held. No feasts. No celebration. Just solemn incense, traditional rites, and a king who held the hands of the woman he had loved in silence for years.

Lady Seo Hwa stood before him in her ceremonial robes, head bowed. Though her face was calm, her heart was storming.

King Ho Seok (softly, as they knelt together):

“I could not give you the throne…

But this, at least—

I give you my vow.”

And at that moment, though the court disapproved, the heavens bore witness:

Kim Seo Hwa had entered the palace… not as general, but as the woman the king truly loved.

Scene: Queen Mi Shil’s Chambers – That Same Night

Silken curtains rustled as the palace winds whispered through the windows. Queen Mi Shil sat before her mirror, her attendants long dismissed. A single candle burned beside her, casting a flickering glow over her composed face.

But her reflection betrayed her.

Queen Mi Shil (coldly to herself):

“After all I’ve given… after all my father secured... he still brings her into my palace.”

She rose, the weight of her royal robes dragging softly across the floor as she walked to the open window. Below, the distant torches of the quiet ceremony flickered in the courtyard where Seo Hwa was being brought in.

Her hand tightened around the embroidered edge of the curtain.

Queen Mi Shil (through clenched teeth):

“You may have his love, Seo Hwa...

But I have his throne.”

Behind her, Prime Minister Kim Dae So stepped into the room, unannounced.

Kim Dae So:

“He’s made his move. Bold... foolish.”

Queen Mi Shil (quietly):

“She won’t survive long. Not here.”

Kim Dae So:

“She’s not the one you should fear. It’s the child she might give him next.”

Queen Mi Shil’s jaw tightened. Then, her lips curved into a thin, knowing smile.

Queen Mi Shil:

“Then we make sure that child never sees the light of day.”

Scene: Seo Hwa’s New Quarters – That Same Night

Seo Hwa stood quietly by the window, her ceremonial robes replaced with a simpler hanbok. The room was richly adorned but unfamiliar—too clean, too still.

Her maid, Bo Kyung, gently folded away the ceremonial sash.

Bo Kyung (softly):

“My lady… are you alright?”

Seo Hwa (after a pause):

“I’ve stood on battlefields where men died screaming.

I’ve faced assassins and traitors with a sword in my hand.

But here… here I must fight without one.”

Bo Kyung stepped forward, her voice trembling.

Bo Kyung:

“Do you regret coming here?”

Seo Hwa turned to her, her expression soft but steady.

Seo Hwa:

“I regret nothing…

Except that I couldn’t be his queen.”

There was a silence between them. Then, Seo Hwa walked to the lacquered chest and gently pulled out a small carved box. Inside it was a worn wooden emblem—one Ho Seok had carved for her during their youth as warriors. She held it close.

Seo Hwa (whispering to herself):

“Whatever war this palace brings…

I will endure.”

Scene: Royal Garden – A Few Days After the Ceremony

It was mid-morning. The royal garden bloomed with peonies and plum blossoms. Court ladies lingered like petals in motion, their silks brushing along stone paths.

Lady Seo Hwa, now concubine, walked with Bo Kyung at her side, her expression calm, every step deliberate. As they turned near the central pavilion, a figure approached — Queen Mi Shil, flanked by her maid and a silent court lady.

Queen Mi Shil (smiling coldly):

“Ah, Lady Seo Hwa. Or should I say… the king’s flower from the battlefield.”

Seo Hwa (bowing respectfully):

“Your Majesty.”

Mi Shil stepped closer, circling her slowly, her voice low, meant for Seo Hwa’s ears alone.

Queen Mi Shil:

“It must be difficult, trading steel for silk. You wore blood better than silk, I imagine.”

Seo Hwa (evenly):

“I wear whatever my duty requires.”

Queen Mi Shil (smirking):

“Let us hope your duty doesn’t extend beyond your place. The palace is no battlefield, but women fight here too. Quietly… and with deadlier consequences.”

Seo Hwa (locking eyes briefly):

“I’m well acquainted with hidden blades, Your Majesty.”

The tension thickened like smoke, and nearby court ladies began to whisper behind fans. But Seo Hwa bowed again and moved on, leaving Mi Shil staring after her — lips tight, fists clenched.

Scene: That Evening – The King’s Private Study

Candlelight flickered across scrolls and maps. King Ho Seok sat at his desk, hands folded, but his eyes were distant — until the door slid open quietly.

Seo Hwa entered, dressed simply, the weight of politics absent from her face. She bowed deeply.

Seo Hwa:

“Your Majesty.”

King Ho Seok (softly):

“Seo Hwa…”

He stood, crossing the room toward her. She didn’t move, but when he reached her, his hand gently took hers.

King Ho Seok:

“I shouldn’t have waited a year.

Every day I looked at that throne… it meant less without you beside me.”

Seo Hwa (quietly):

“But not as Queen.”

There was no bitterness in her voice — only pain.

King Ho Seok (voice thickening):

“If my father hadn’t—

If politics didn’t chain me—”

Seo Hwa (interrupting gently):

“I understand. I’ve always understood.”

A long silence fell between them. Then he rested his forehead against hers.

King Ho Seok:

“I don’t know what storms this palace will bring.

But I will protect you.”

Seo Hwa:

“Then let me protect myself too.

Don’t treat me like a caged bird, Ho Seok. I am still the warrior you knew.”

King Ho Seok (smiling faintly):

“You’re more than that now.”

They stood quietly, two hearts longing, burdened by crowns and silence.

Scene: A Palace of Silent Wars – Over Four Years

The first attempt came in the second month after Seo Hwa became a concubine.

A tray of poisoned tea.

It was served to her by a new court maid—one Mi Shil had recommended. But Seo Hwa, trained in war and wariness, noticed the scent. She poured the tea into the garden’s soil while pretending to sip. The maid vanished that night—found floating in the lotus pond.

The second attempt came months later.

A fall from the palace stairs.

One of the stone steps had been loosened. Seo Hwa stepped lightly, but Bo Kyung slipped first, crying out. Seo Hwa caught her just in time—both tumbling, bruised but alive. Queen Mi Shil had been watching from a distance, lips pressed in a perfect line.

The third came during a royal hunt.

An "accidental" misfire.

An arrow whistled inches from Seo Hwa’s shoulder. The archer blamed the wind. But that wind never returned again to the palace grounds, and no one dared to question the king’s silent rage that day.

Yet every time, Seo Hwa endured.

And Mi Shil? She smiled for the court, but each failure grew like rot in her pride.

Scene: Four Years Later – Palace Gardens, Spring

The cherry blossoms were late that year, hesitant in their bloom. But within the palace, two lives began to stir.

Seo Hwa and Queen Mi Shil were both with child.

Word spread through the court like fire among dry scrolls.

Court Lady 1:

“Both women… pregnant? At the same time?”

Court Lady 2 (whispering):

“Whose child will the stars favor?”

No one knew who would birth a boy, who would birth a girl. Not even the royal priestess could yet read the heavens clearly.

But in the Queen’s chamber, the whispers turned to worry.

Queen Mi Shil (to her father, Prime Minister Kim Dae So):

“That woman must not give birth. My child’s place must be secured.”

Kim Dae So (sternly):

“The nation will not accept a concubine’s child above the Queen’s, regardless of gender.”

Queen Mi Shil (gritting her teeth):

“Don’t be so sure. Ho Seok’s heart is still with her. He will fight the court for that child.”

Her hand moved to her belly. A flicker of fear, for the first time in years, crossed her face.

Meanwhile, in her quieter quarters, Seo Hwa sat with Bo Kyung, her hand resting over her stomach.

Seo Hwa:

“Strange, isn’t it? That we carry life at the same time.”

Bo Kyung:

“My lady, the Queen will not rest. You know this.”

Seo Hwa (calmly):

“Let her send blades and poison again.

I’ll survive. Not for me—

but for the child I carry.”

[Scene: Royal Palace – King’s Private Study, Night]

The room was dimly lit by oil lamps, casting soft golden shadows over the scrolls and maps spread across the large table. King Ho Seok sat alone, nursing a cup of ginseng tea, deep in thought.

Suddenly, the doors opened gently. High Priestess Won Bi Ryul, cloaked in white, entered silently.

King Ho Seok (without turning): You walk like the wind, Priestess. I should have known it was you.

Priestess Won Bi Ryul: Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty. I came unannounced.

King Ho Seok (turning to her): When a woman of visions comes in the night, it is rarely a matter that can wait till dawn.

She stepped forward and bowed deeply.

Priestess Ryul: It is about Lady Seo Hwa… and something else.

The king stood, tension flickering across his face.

King Ho Seok: Is she in danger?

Priestess Ryul (pausing): Not yet. But the threads are weaving quickly. I saw something—unclear, but powerful. A shadow fell over both her and the Queen. Their children... they will be born under the same moon.

King Ho Seok (shocked): You saw the children?

Priestess Ryul: Not clearly. Only... a stir in the heavens. The Queen carries a girl. And so does Seo Hwa.

King Ho Seok: Both daughters?

Priestess Ryul: Yes. And one will rise so strongly that the other will be forced to kneel… or fall.

The king’s hand tightened around his cup.

King Ho Seok: Do you know which one will rise?

Priestess Ryul (shaking her head): The vision was veiled. But I felt a mighty spirit hovering around the one carried by Lady Seo Hwa. I dare not interpret it too soon.

King Ho Seok (murmuring): This will only fuel Mi Shil’s fears… and Dae So’s schemes.

Priestess Ryul: That is why I came. The Queen must not know what I’ve seen.

King Ho Seok (firmly): She already suspects something. Her own Priestess—Chi Soo—has been watching you. If she catches wind of this…

Priestess Ryul: She will act. Without hesitation.

A long silence followed.

King Ho Seok: What would you have me do?

Priestess Ryul (lowering her voice): Protect Seo Hwa. Keep her close. And keep her child closer. No matter what the court demands.

King Ho Seok (quietly): I would give my life for them. But the danger now… it is within these walls.

He looked away, toward the moonlit window.

King Ho Seok: The Queen may smile by day… but I know the storm in her eyes.

Priestess Ryul (softly): Then guard your heart, Majesty. And trust no one—not even the stars.

[Scene: Queen’s Private Chamber – Same Night]

A heavy stillness settled over the palace. The flicker of torchlight danced against the tall pillars as Queen Mi Shil, draped in a deep crimson robe, stared at the closed window of her chamber. Her hand caressed her growing belly with unease.

The door creaked open.

Royal Attendant (softly): Your Majesty, Priestess Chi Soo seeks audience.

Queen Mi Shil (without turning): Let her in.

Priestess Chi Soo entered briskly, her robes rustling as she bowed low, the scent of incense lingering around her.

Priestess Chi Soo: Forgive the intrusion, Your Majesty, but something most troubling has occurred.

Queen Mi Shil (turning): Speak.

Priestess Chi Soo: Just moments ago, the Royal High Priestess, Bi Ryul, collapsed into a sudden trance during prayer. I witnessed it myself—she trembled, muttered incoherent words, and then, without a word to the council or to me, she rushed to the King’s chamber.

Queen Mi Shil: To the King?

Priestess Chi Soo (nodding): Yes. The guards blocked all who approached. I fear she received a vision concerning Lady Seo Hwa’s child—something she does not wish us to know.

The Queen’s eyes narrowed, her face paling.

Queen Mi Shil: If she saw something and did not come to me… then it is grave indeed.

Priestess Chi Soo: I believe her child may become a threat to your own. We still do not know what either of you will bear—but should that woman’s child rise above yours…

Queen Mi Shil (coldly): Then make sure she never rises at all. Do whatever must be done. My child will not bow to hers. Not in this life.

Priestess Chi Soo (bowing): As you wish, Your Majesty.

[Scene: Minister Park Ju Mong’s Arrival at Lady Seo Hwa’s Residence – Next Morning]

Sunlight filtered through the mist over the palace gardens. Lady Seo Hwa, dressed in a dark navy robe, stood in her quiet residence, her long hair braided neatly down her back. The burden of her thoughts was hidden behind her calm gaze.

A guard announced a visitor.

Palace Guard: Minister Park Ju Mong requests entry, my lady.

Lady Seo Hwa (smiling softly): Let him in.

Her father entered, stern as always, but his face warmed at the sight of his daughter. Beside him stood a young boy—thin, with wide eyes and a quiet, respectful posture.

Seo Hwa: Father… and who is this child?

Park Ju Mong: This is Choi Tae Hyun. He is eight. I found him days ago near the border—his family was ambushed by assassins. He was the only one left alive, hiding in a hollow tree. Brave boy.

Seo Hwa’s expression softened as she knelt before the child.

Seo Hwa: What is your name, little one?

Tae Hyun (softly): Choi Tae Hyun, my lady.

Seo Hwa: How old are you?

Tae Hyun: Eight… my lady.

She gently touched his shoulder.

Seo Hwa: You are safe now, Tae Hyun.

She stood and turned to her father.

Seo Hwa: Let him stay with me.

Park Ju Mong (hesitating): Seo Hwa… he’s just a child. You already have enough responsibilities—especially now.

Seo Hwa: I know, Father. But something in my heart stirs for him. I want to teach him, protect him. Please.

Park Ju Mong (sighing): You always were stubborn. Very well. But take care—he has seen much darkness.

Seo Hwa looked down at Tae Hyun again, smiling gently.

Seo Hwa: We both have.