Actions

Work Header

Meaningless Without You

Chapter 7: VII. The Tireless Attempts of The Hwangbos

Summary:

The Hwangbos try to stop So and Soo's marriage, The king spends time with his family

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

 

Chapter Seven

 

“Keep the mask there,” Soo ordered as she stood in the center of the King’s chambers. The new king’s marriage announcement left all the clans shocked. Even she herself was shocked, she did not expect him to announce their marriage like that. She expected a decree to be written a couple of days later. The announcement resulted in ladies from all the clans in Songak calling her for tea, something she would like to avoid, she had no plans of tolerating barbs and insults from the noble ladies. Instead, she had taken up the task of decorating So’s new chambers. She knew the memories of his elder brothers and father haunted him when he entered the chamber. He barely even slept last night, he spent it thrashing around and waking up in cold sweat. She decided to sleep with him so as to soothe him whenever he woke up.

As she looked around, she could not help but feel pleased with how she arranged everything in the chamber. She had all of King Jeonjong’s furniture thrown out and had brought furniture of a darker color. Red and yellow drapes were placed around the walls and above the bed. His armor and mask was placed as decoration in the chamber, alongside flowers. Flowers always manage to brighten up any room.

“My lady.” A court lady said, Soo turned around and saw a court lady bow to her. Judging by the woman’s attire, it was clear that she worked for a Dowager Queen and not under her at the Damiwon. Hae Soo smiled and asked, “What is it?” She looked nervous as she told, “Dowager Queen Sinjeong and Princess Hwangbo Yeon Hwa would like to speak to you. They have summoned you to their chamber.” She could avoid requests from women from noble clans, but she could very well not avoid summons from a Dowager Queen. Sighing, she nodded and said, “I would be honored to meet with the Dowager Queen and Her Highness.” She turned around to instruct the court ladies in the room, “Make sure everything is placed according to my orders. Once you are done, you can go to the Damiwon. I have made sure that refreshments are prepared for all of you.” Everyone’s eyes widened at the noblewoman’s words. Such a thing was never done before. They bowed their heads in gratitude and continued with their work. The King’s betrothed walked out of his chambers and towards the Queen’s Quarters.

She noticed how the court lady walking behind her was extremely nervous. Clearly, Hae Soo was not being invited for a simple tea and snacks. This was something that would cause the king great anger if it reached him.

Lady Hae Soo entered Dowager Queen Sinjeong’s chambers and slightly bowed to both the royal women before sitting down in the empty seat around the table. Both the women looked surprised at her actions, Soo smiled, “Greetings, I am quite busy, so I would like to get this over with as quickly as possible.”

Princess Yeon Hwa glared at the woman in front of her, “Do you not know your manners?!” Soo smirked and replied, “Actually, Princess Yeon Hwa, I should be asking you that question. You have not offered your greetings or bowed in my presence. I am to be Queen in 3 weeks’ time after all.”

“Do not fool yourself, you cannot be Queen.” The Dowager Queen dismissed her words as though they were nothing more than delusions, “My mother is right, you have no right to be Queen. The Hwangbo clan will not allow it.” Yeon Hwa firmly said as she continued to glare at the noblewoman in front of her.

Soo softly laughed, “I would advise against it, Your Highness. It would be quite the embarrassment for the Hwangju Hwangbo clan if they were told off in court. After all, your presence here, in this palace, is because of the Lady Hae Myung Hee of the Hae Clan. The Hwangbos owe a lot to the Haes.”

‘If this were a scene from a cartoon, perhaps smoke would have come out of Princess Yeon Hwa’s ears’ Soo thought, holding back a chuckle. Hwangbo Yeon Hwa had a cruel smirk on her face before she said, “A woman with a scar cannot marry the king.” Dowager Queen Sinjeong approvingly smiled at her daughter. “What the princess is saying is absolutely correct, you scarred your hand to avoid marriage with the late King Taejo. As such, you cannot marry the current king.”

Before Hae Soo could say anything, a eunuch entered the chambers. He bowed to the three women before saying, “Pyeha has summoned the three of you to court.”

Princess Yeon Hwa smirked as she looked at Lady Hae Soo, “The 8th Prince must have spoken to the king about your scar. I am sure the king has summoned us to court to announce his intentions of wedding me instead. I will be Queen of Goryeo.” Without looking back at the Hae Clan lady, the Dowager Queen and the Hwangbo Princess walked towards Cheondeokjeon. Soo smiled at the eunuch before following the women to the King’s Quarters.

 


 

Wang Wook was giving So a huge headache. The man had come in early in the morning and made demand after demand to the newly crowned king. And when he had not even listened to any of his ridiculous demands, he proposed marriage. So almost snorted at that. As if he would marry any other woman than Hae Soo. Besides, he knew how Yeon Hwa was the one who told King Jeonjong about Eun and Soon Deok's whereabouts. He would never marry Yeon Hwa.

“You cannot marry Lady Hae Soo, Pyeha.” The 8th Prince firmly said. The 13th Prince looked like he was about to go strangle the 8th Prince himself.

“And why not?” King Gwanjong asked, resisting the urge to rub his aching forehead. The 8th Prince slightly smirked before saying, “Lady Hae Soo scarred herself to prevent marriage with King Taejo. A woman with a scar cannot marry a king.” Before the 13th Prince could say anything, he continued, “However, I understand that it is vital that the Hoengseong Hae clan be kept close to the royal family, as such, I offer to marry Lady Hae Soo myself.”

“How dare you-“ Before Baek ah could continue screaming at his elder brother, King Gwangjong raised his hand, motioning for the 13th Prince to be quiet. The thick golden bracelet on the king’s left hand shined brightly as he summoned the head eunuch standing on his right. “Yes, Pyeha.” The eunuch bowed to the king. “Summon Lady Hae Soo, Princess Hwangbo Yeon Hwa and Dowager Queen Sinjeong to court.”

The eunuch bowed and left to bring the three women. Baek ah turned to look at his 4th brother in shock. Surely his 4th brother had not forgotten that the scar on Hae Soo’s wrist was still there.

Soon, the three women entered the court. Lady Hae Soo looked graceful and beautiful in the white robes that she was wearing. The flowers embroidered on the hanbok brought out the pink in her cheeks as she bowed to the king, “Greetings to the king.” A smile appeared on So’s face for a moment, but it quickly vanished when he saw the other women who deeply bowed to the king and greeted him.

“I see that there’s a huge interest of the Hwangbo Clan on the future Queen’s rumored drawbacks. While I find the concern admirable, I would like to set everything straight. Lady Hae Soo, will you please show your left wrist out.” Soo bowed once again and raised the sleeve of her hanbok slightly show her left wrist, which had a thick gold bracelet on it, identical to the one the king was wearing on his left hand. She removed the bracelet and showed her unscarred wrist to everyone. The Hwangbos were staring at the lady in shock while the king smiled victoriously. 13th Prince Anjong looked extremely surprised himself.  

The King and the lady’s eyes met, and they both resisted the urge to grin.

“The Hwangbo Clan will try to raise an opposition to you marrying me.” The newly crowned king told Lady Hae Soo as he held her tightly in an embrace.

Soo turned around to stare at him as she wondered out loud, “They cannot say my status, as the Hae clan has a lot of power and the Hwangbos do not. What else can they say?” She rubbed So’s left cheek soothingly with her thumb as Wang So closed his eyes in contentment. She accidentally removed the makeup that was on his cheek to cover up his scar. “I’m sorry-“ she began before she stopped herself as the king’s eyes opened immediately, they both looked at each other as realization hit them.

“The scar!” They both exclaimed together. So pulled Soo’s left wrist and looked at the scar she had made in order to leave the marriage to King Taejo. “They will most probably say I am unfit to marry you as I am scarred.” Hae Soo whispered. So smiled at her and told, “My scar disappeared, it is only fair that yours disappears too.”

“I hope it is clear to everyone that Lady Hae Soo has no scar on her wrist. I would prefer it if no one came to me again with such strange and absurd rumors. All of you are dismissed.” Princess Yeon Hwa was seething as she was forced to leave the courtroom.

 


 

“Yeon Hwa’s face,” Soo said while laughing. Hae Soo, Wang So, and Baek ah were dining in the privacy of the king’s quarters at the end of the day.

“I was so scared that your marriage won’t happen.” Baek ah truthfully told as he shook his head at the couple in front of him. Soo giggled. “As if I’d marry anyone other than Soo.” So scoffed, Baek ah, and Soo gave him a pointed look before Baek ah said, “You married Princess Gyeong Hwa, hyungnim.”

“That was different, alright.” So tried to save face. Baek ah and Soo broke out laughing. So quickly changed the topic, “Where is Lady Woo Hee? I had invited her for dinner as well.” As if it were timed, the Lady Woo Hee entered the King’s chambers. She bowed to everyone in the chamber. So smiled at the woman, before he gestured to the empty seat in between Soo and Baek ah. Looking mildly surprised, she sat down beside the 13th Prince, shooting him a smile. Soo served the Gyobang Court Lady food. “Thank you Soo-ya.”

Hae Soo looked at the couple mischievously before telling the king, “Pyeha, I promised the 13th Prince that I will repay him for him helping me sneaking out of the palace to meet you. However, I find that I cannot repay him and that I will need your help.” So chuckled and pretended to be serious as he nodded, “Of course, I will repay him in the way you asked me to.” Wang So got up and brought a box and gave it to the 13th Prince. Baek ah stared at his elder brother and his best friend in confusion. He opened the box to find a scroll inside.

Woo Hee stared at it curiously as Soo urged, “Read it out loud.” Baek ah placed his chopsticks down and opened the scroll and began to read, “King Gwangjong approves the marriage of the Sacred Prince Wang Anjong of the Royal Wang Clan of Goryeo to the Princess Gyeon Woo Hee of the Royal Gyeon Clan of Hubaekje….”

The 13th Prince looked up to stare at the soon to be royal couple, “How do you know this….?” He turned to look at Woo Hee who looked pale. The excited looks on his brother and soon to be sister-in-law’s faces turned to confusion at the lack of reaction. “I thought you wanted to marry Woo Hee-ya.” Soo pouted.

“I did not tell him….” Woo Hee whispered shocking Hae Soo and Wang So. Baek ah scoffed, turning all eyes to him, “Did you think I did not know?” he asked the princess. Woo Hee stared at him shock, “I have a spy network all around Goryeo, of course, I know you’re the princess of Hubaekje. I figured it out during the reign of King Hyejong.”

“Daebak…” Soo whispered as she stared at the 13th Prince. Baek ah turned to look at his best friend and teasingly grinned, “You have paid your debt to me Soo-ya.” She grinned back and bowed her head. The 13th Prince then turned to his elder brother and brightly smiled, “Thank you hyungnim.”

Looking at Woo Hee’s pale face, So comfortingly said, “Do not be so shocked, Princess Woo Hee. We do not get to choose who our parents are. Their actions and mistakes are their own. Why must you pay for the sins of your ancestors?” Soo nodded in agreement.

“If you wish it, I would love to welcome you into the family, Jae-su.” Wang So smiled at Woo Hee, who had tears in her eyes as she choked out, “Thank you so much Pyeha.” She bowed her head in gratitude. Baek ah wrapped his hand around his lover’s shoulder and bowed, “Thank you hyungnim.” The lovers looked at each other with uncontrolled adoration and love.

Under the table, Soo and So’s hands intertwined as they looked at the couple in front of them.

“Being the Princess of Hubaekje, you must come to court to advise me regarding the fallen Hubaekje and it’s people.” Wang So told. The Hubaekje Princess’s eyes sparkled as she bowed her head, “It will be my greatest honor, Pyeha.” Baek ah grinned at his elder brother.

The four spent the rest of dinner laughing at ridiculous stories and spending time together. Wang So looked around and smiled, ‘My family’ he thought with a smile.

 


 

“You have decorated the chamber beautifully Soo-ya.” So smiled at Soo. She looked pleased at what he said and replied, “I was hoping it would be to your taste. I know how the memories of the past haunt you, so I thought I’d change it as much as I can.” Wang So looked at Hae Soo gratefully. “Thank you Soo-ya.”

She smiled at him and sat beside him on the bed and rested her head on his shoulder, “There is something Baek ah-nim does not know.” So looked confused as he asked, “What does he not know?”

“Woo Hee-ya was with child when she had gone back to Hubaekje, the 13th Prince’s child. They have a daughter together, So-nim.” So moved back to look at Hae Soo in shock, he could not believe what he heard. Soo nodded, reconfirming what she had said, “They have a 4-year-old daughter. She is staying at the 8th Prince’s residence.”

Wang So looked even more confused at that, “If they do have a daughter, how and why is she at the 8th Prince’s residence?” Soo looked hesitant as she said, “Woo Hee could not bear to leave her daughter in Hubaekje when she was planning to return to Songak, so she brought her daughter along. But she could not parade her daughter around, could she? The 8th Prince owes me a debt, I was simply cashing on it.”

“What debt does Wook owe you?” So asked Hae Soo, who let out a nervous breath before looking at him tenderly, “You must not get angry, alright? I want you to know whatever I am going to tell you is all in the past and right now, you are the only one I love and that I am all yours.” So nodded and gestured for her to continue, “Remember when I told you I loved another years back? It was the 8th Prince.”

A strange silence followed as King Gwangjong processed that, “Wook….so much of it makes sense now…” Soo panicked at the blank look on So’s face as she quickly said, “He does not matter now. I promise you, you are the only one I love, for forever.” As soon as she finished her words, So pulled her into a tight embrace, “You’re mine.” He firmly said, she nodded, praying that he does not push her away, “If what you had with Wook is in the past, then I am fine. Go on about the debt.”

Hae Soo sighed in relief as she pulled away from So’s embrace to continue, “He promised Myung Hee unnie that he’d take care of me. He promised me that he would protect me. But that day in the rain….he left me kneeling in front of Cheondeokjeon all alone. He turned his back on me. He broke the promise he made to unnie and me. As a repayment to the promise he broke, I asked him to take care of his 13th brother’s daughter as his own.”

So looked at her in disbelief as he asked, “And he agreed?!” Soo nodded, “He did. Bok Soon-ah has been living with her uncle for the past 2 years, of course, Woo Hee sees her often, when Princess Seo Nui brings her to the palace that is.” The King looked stunned at this news. “I have told Woo Hee to tell the 13th Prince, it is long overdue anyway. Is there any way their daughter can be recognized as theirs?” Hae Soo asked. The former 4th Prince thought about it before saying, “Well, we can always say that King Hyejong passed a secret decree that proclaimed Woo Hee as Baek ah’s concubine. So their daughter will be legitimate.”

Soo looked worried as she asked, “Will no one question it?” Wang So replied, “I doubt anyone will, considering that Baek ah’s maternal clan is a very weak one, it is not of much consequence. The only important thing here is the joining of the Silla and Goryeo Royal clans with the Hubaekje Royal clan.” Hae Soo smiled in relief at Wang So and said, “It seems everyone is getting their happy endings.”

King Gwangjong nodded as he pushed Soo on the bed and climbed over her, “Now, can we talk about how unfair it is that my younger brother had a child before I did.” So whispered as he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers as the king held his lover tightly to the bed. Soo put her hands around So’s neck as their lips continued to move in sync. So moved her jeogri to the side and started kneading her breasts over the tunic. So slipped his tongue between her lips after a particularly loud and needy moan.

The first time around, when they had laid with each other, both of them had patiently explored each other, but King Gwangjong was anything but patient tonight as he tore Soo’s Jeogri open. Soo’s eyes widened at that but Wang So paid no heed to it as he moved his lips from hers to her collarbone. He began to suck on the warm skin there, hard enough to make sure that there would be a mark there before moving slightly down and repeating the same.

“Pyeha…” Soo loudly moaned, caught up in the king’s ministrations, completely at his mercy. So pulled away for a moment and removed Soo’s Jeogri and the tunic around her breasts completely and tossed it somewhere on the ground before quickly reclaiming Soo’s lips. Soo’s moans of pleasure grew louder as the warmth of their kisses quickly turned to a fiery blaze.

Meanwhile, the guards stationed outside the king’s chambers continued to blush as their soon to be Queen’s moans echoed around the area.

Notes:

I cannot write bed scenes for the life of me, so here you go. I hope it was decent enough.