STRANGER FEELINGS

For the first time in her life, Seungman had never found anyone's eyes more beautiful than his was.

They sparkled with life and it sent shimmers down her spine.

She must have felt it, she must have felt something that she was unable to describe in all the seventeen years if her life and she had never felt it before.

Princess Toyomike looked away while Alcheon looked down as well unable to say a single word.

He too could swear that he felt something and as his heart beat grew faster and faster than usual he looked to the sky again.

"All my life growing up in Seoraebeol, today I find the countryside quite beautiful." Alcheon said.

"The bustle in city is louder than the peace and silence that exists within these isolated hills." Seungman replied.

"For the first time I can actually go a day without hearing the clashing sounds of swords and I can live on something else other than chicken and turkeys." Alcheon said.

"I knew you were too much of an eater." Seungman said.

"Hahahaha." Alcheon laughed. "I suppose I have always been since young." He added.

"Yet as you cherish this place sometimes I wish that even if it were once I would set foot in Seoraebeol." Seungman said.

At once Alcheon seemed to remember the words that Moo Mak had said to him.

"Why?" He asked. "There is nothing good about Seoraebeol." He added.

"It's just that my curiosity has the best of me and I can not leave my father alone to go live in a strange city." Seungman replied.

"Seoraebeol could be the city of gold but trust me it also has a number of shortcomings." Alcheon said.

"Why?" Seungman asked.

"I've always watched the sunset back in Seoraebeol and today is perhaps the day that it's most beautiful." Alcheon replied.

"Why?" Seungman asked as she turned to look at him.

"Because none of those moments was ever peaceful with the lanterns and torches in my way and none of them possessed has you in them." Alcheon replied.

Seungman blushed.

"When I was very young, my father told me that the most beautiful moments in life are the moments that you are doing something that you love with someone you cherish." Alcheon said.

"Do you cherish me?" Seungman asked.

"You are the first woman that ever raised a sword to save my life, you are the first woman that ever cared so much about my welfare and fought me on it.

You are the first person that made me feel that even I could be dear in the eyes of a stranger and the first person that has made me realize there's more than Seoraebeol to make me feel at home." Alcheon replied.

"We haven't known each other for a long time." Seungman said as she looked away.

"It doesn't matter under heaven because you gave me a chance to live and you are showing me a lot of things that I wasn't in the position to see before.

You have challenged my ego and I see purity in each and everyone of your actions to tell that your heart is uncorrupted by ill intent." Alcheon said.

"Thank you." Seungman said.

"I should be the one telling you that." Alcheon replied.

"No one has ever been that open to me." Seungman said.

"It doesn't matter." Alcheon said.

"Of course it does." Seungman said. "It's an honour of knowing that there is someone that sees trust within me." She added.

Once done, the return into the cottage where they find Moo Mak who is seated at the table with Damhyeong and there is food ready.

"You are finally here." Moo Mak said.

"Yes Father." Seungman replied as she sat right next to him and Alcheon sat right opposite her.

"Let's eat." Moo Mak ordered coldly and everyone else started while an awful silence loomed over the room.

"Father, is everything alright?" Seungman asks.

"Yes." Moo Mak replied.

"You don't seem well." Seungman said.

"I am tired." Moo Mak replies.

"Excuse me Sir." Alcheon says.

"What is it?" Moo Mak asks me

"Were you a Hwarang?" He suddenly says and at once, Moo Mak ceases to eat as he abandoned the spoon that was in his grip and then he turned and faced Alcheon.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Kim Alcheon." He replied.

"Kim Alcheon?" Moo Mak called.

"Yes?" He replied.

"We are the same family after all." He said.

"Yes." Alcheon replied.

"What did they teach you about etiquette?" Moo Mak asked.

"Not to eat while talking." Alcheon replied.

"very good." Moo Mak said as he held up his spoon and then looked at Seungman who was still studying his expression.

"From this day any form of speech while eating is forbidden and I understand it very well that Kim Alcheon having been with us for a while you shall be in the position to adjust." Moo Mak said.

"Yes." Everyone at the table said in unison.

After they had finished eating, Seungman walked out and stood at the balcony if their cottage as she stared up into the sky at the stars.

At that moment, Moo Mak walked up to her and stood by her side.

"The stars look quite Lovely tonight." He said and Seungman not having noticed his presence turned around to look at who it was until she saw him.

"Father." She called.

"It's been a while since we both watched the stars together." Moo Mak said.

"Yes." Seungman replied.

"To be honest with you I haven't been the most perfect father in the world." He added.

"You have been father." Seungman refuted.

"No." Moo Mak opposed. "There are things that I have never found the courage to tell you." He added.

"You know what is best for me Father." Seungman said.

"Never push yourself to close to the people from Seoraebeol even if I am dead." Moo Mak said and at once Seungman was surprised.

"Father." She said in a lowly tone.

"I am sure that you want to know why." Moo Mak said.

"Hmm." Seungman muttered as she nodded her head.

"Seoraebeol is full of traitors and all the monsters of men, power hungry cannibals that thirst for human blood every night and day.

Your mother and father were innocent, it's so sad that despite doing nothing to this world the price that we paid as one in blood." Moo Mak replied.

"Father?" Seungman called.

"I know that as a child you must have felt so lonely when all other girls have their mothers to talk to and you have none." Moo Mak said.

"You were my mother and Father and you alone have always been enough for me." Seungman replied.

"You feel unfortunate that your mother had to perish on the very day that you came into this world but it wasn't you who killed her." Moo Mak said.

"Who killed mother?" Seungman asked.

"You ask me who but even in the final hours of her life all that she ever did and thought about was you and you were very dear to her that she chose to keep this from you." Moo Mak replied.

"Are you saying that the people from Seoraebeol.....?" Seungman asked.

"Yes." Moo Mak replied. "They killed your mother." He added.

"Why?" Seungman asked.

"I can not tell you that as well, even I might be old but I can not give you every answer in the world.

I raised you so that I could show you how unfair this world is, so that I could teach you to protect yourself from all those other hypocrites that draw near to you yet they possess ulterior motives of their own.

you'll never be safe even around Damhyeong or me because even when our security is compromised then there shall be people willing to trade us with you for our safety." Moo Mak replied.

Seungman was disheartened.

"I understand that we are all human and sometimes we are pushed to do things that we don't desire out of our curiosity.

You can not say that all men are the same but there is a possibility that those you could meet could be cold like everyone else, even the stars keep themselves company but nevertheless in the night sky, they all compete to be seen choosing to glow brighter than the others.

In the wild all animals live together in the forests, but in the end, even beasts turn on one another and kill themselves in order to survive.

Here in Samhan Shilla, Paekche and Gorguryeo are the same, perhaps at one time we could even be allied with Tang and then later we'd become mortal enemies.

That's how people can be, indefinite like the currents at sea without permanent direction and flow." Moo Mak said.

"You fear that Alcheon can not be trusted?" Seungman asked.

"I'm cautious about everyone, especially the people who ask too many questions." Moo Mak replied. "You can never be too certain that fate is the controller of all men." He added.

"Yes Father." Seungman said.

"Alcheon looks like a good man, in fact he could be a good man, don't think that just because you saved his life and you have heard a good conversation with him you know him because danger comes in the most attractive forms.

For someone you do not fully know, don't date try to put your life on the line for them and don't grow too close and go too deep into trusting them because you shall be most hurt in the end when that trust that you have in them is broken." Moo Mak replied.

"Yes Father." Seungman replied as she turned and looked at the sky.

"Forgive me my dear." Moo Mak thought to himself as he looked at Seungman. "I vowed with my life to protect you from Seoraebeol." He added inwardly as he also looked at the stars as well.

Meanwhile as he had spoken, Alcheon was leaning against the wall nearby and hearing everything.

At that moment his heart aching with so much pain, he closed his eyes and a single year ran down his cheek up to the end of his chin where it fell from his body and landed on the ground below.

The thought of it and was so painful and the memory was too much.

Dawn emerged over the horizon of Seoraebeol and The two Generals Kim Yongsu and Kim Seohyeon led the truimphant troops through the gates of the city.

Kim Yushin rode his horse right behind his father as the commons gathered about and started to praise the soldier for their bravery.

"Hoorah, Hoorah." They shouted as they cast the many coloured petals into the air they simply rained down on the soldiers.

The soldiers went as far as their military Garrison and The Generals went straight ahead into the palace.

Upon their arrival, they were received into the Assembly Hall where they knelt down while the Ministers were all watching and paid their homeage to the King Jinpyeong.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." They said as they bowed down their heads and worshipped him.

"All rise." King Jinpyeong said and the three complied.

"Shilla is very grateful for the service that you have done it on this day, you guarded against the aggression of Gorguryeo and wiped out it's Northern enemy while you ceased and took possession of Nangbi Fortress and made it ours." King Jinpyeong said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." They said in unison.

"No, we should thank you." King Jinpyeong said and you shall each be rewarded with the lands of the rich provinces Southern provinces of Balhae." King Jinpyeong said.

"Thank you Your Highness, your Grace is immeasurable." They replied as they bowed their heads.

"Additionally, I believe that we all owe this victory to the mastermind and the one who saw it necessary to send our forces to battle and defend the borders." King Jinpyeong said. "It's none other than my brother Galmunwang Gukban." He added.

"Thank you Your Highness." Gukban said."I was merely an advisor." He added.

"Nevertheless, given that you were the very eye that Shilla needed, had it not been you in the first place, by the time we would have decided to guard against the threat of the Northern enemy it would have been too late." King Jinpyeong said.

"I'm grateful Your Highness." Gukban said.

"I shall have your Manor extended and you have the right to have it changed into a Palace." He said.

Baekban was surprised at the words of the King and so were all other Courtiers that Gukban walked up to the front of the King and knelt down.

"Your Majesty's grace is immeasurable." He said.

"You don't have to live is such a small and simple manor as a Galmunwang when It can be transitioned into a Palace." King Jinpyeong said.

"Thank you Your Majesty." Gukban said while Ichan Seulbu smiled.

The court was dismissed and the Courtiers went out murmuring amongst themselves.

"All that the Generals were given were the lands, Gukban having realized the threat that had befallen us all has been given the honour or erecting a Palace." They said.

Baekban walked out with Ichan Seulbu.

"The King is very much appreciated by my brother and his grace is in deed immeasurable." Galmunwang Baekban said.

"After all your brother did Shilla a very great service." Ichan Seulbu replied.

"Is this a way that his Majesty wishes to provoke aggression against him?" Baekban asked.

"He knows best how to reward in abundance." Ichan Seulbu replied.

"Of course, to the descendants of Gaya, the land of their ancestors is far more precious than any honorary title." Baekban said.

"Even you understand his Majesty so well" Ichan Seulbu said.

"We all know the duty of His Majesty, it's just that some of us understand it better." Baekban replied.

"But a number of you people stood in opposition to the policies of Galmunwang Gukban, now that it has become fruitful can he not enjoy the sole rewards of standing alone?" Ichan Seulbu asked.

"Perhaps he should, after all, in the Royal court every one must survive and he has nothing to lose, we are all looking at the pages of history which accommodate a space that's quite limited for everyone's name to fit." Baekban said.

"And I hope that History shall remember yours Galmunwang." Ichan Seulbu said.

"You bet In the Greatest honour it certainly will." Baekban replied with a smile on his face.

King Jinpyeong sat in his study with his brother Galmunwang Gukban.

"What was it that you wished to talk to me about?" He asked.

"Your Majesty is in deed benevolent but given the honour that you have bestowed upon me I can not forsake you so I would wish that you decided what the name of my Palace should be." Gukban replied.

"POWERFUL." King Jinpyeong replied.

"GANGLYEOGHAN." Gukban said.

"Powerful Palace." King Jinpyeong said.

"GANGLYEOGHAN PALACE." Gukban replied.

"You have enabled the Generals Kim Yongsu and Kim Seohyeon to show Gorguryeo that here in Shilla we are very powerful." King Jinpyeong said.

"Thank you so much Your Majesty." Gukban said.

"You may now leave." King Jinpyeong said as he waved his brother out.

"Yes Your Majesty." Gukban said as he stood up and withdrew from the room.

"Kim Yushin stood outside the Princess Deokman's Palace where he was collected by one of her palace maids.

He followed her in and opening the Princess's Chambers, the doors were shut and the two sat down at the table.

"Welcome back from Nangbi Fortress." Princess Deokman said.

"Thank you Your Highness." Yushin replied as he bowed his head.

"I'm sorry to hear about Alcheon Rang." Princess Deokman said.

"Don't be Your Highness, you still have a greater burden to bear." Kim Yushin replied.

"No." Princess Deokman said. "He was one of my people." She added.

"I still can not concede to that possibility." Kim Yushin said.

"And if he died in the good service of Shilla I don't have the courage to speak up to his parents and tell them yet." Princess Deokman said.

"We searched the entire area and we wouldn't even find his body." Kim Yushin said.

"With or without his body, the mere fact that I knew his name and that it shall forever resound within my heart I am proud it means that he was always alive to me." Princess Deokman said.

"Your Highness You are the keeper of the Hwarang, in your opinion without a body he is as good as dead for the cause of Shilla, for me without his body he is as good as alive somewhere between the three Kingdoms or even Tang, even if it's beyond Takla Makhan or Qara Hoja." Yushin said.

"What do you suggest?" Princess Deokman said "because dragging onto this only makes my heart bleed the more knowing that he was a good man without flaw." she added.

"I have no powers and everyone can question my right but no one can question yours Your Highness." Yushin said. "You possess the power to send men all over Shilla to find him yet on the other hand I do not." He added.

"Yushin Rang, what about his parents, you notice that my actions could be a false hope to them and keeping them hopeful in the end when you are going to crush them is most painful.

I can not tolerate having to watch his parents look at the gates of Seoraebeol until they grow old expecting that one day their son shall walk right through them to meet their embrace.

It could be hard for you to cope up with it as his best friend but it's harder for me as their future monarch to have to bury them with these hands that are mine.

To walk into the Hall of the Hwarang and place his plaque there, burn incense sticks to him, every one's mind is only questioning when and where I possibly was, I could at least have done something to save him I tell myself.

That possibility is low." Princess Deokman said.

"Even if it's a one percent possibility Your Highness that Alcheon Rang is still out there alive without having seen at least a piece of his corpse, I'll cling to that one percent until the very day that I die." Kim Yushin replied.

"You'll have to forgive me Yushin as there are things that are beyond my possibility but the best that I can do for you is give you men that can help you look throughout Shilla to try and find him." Princess Deokman said.

A couple of weeks had passed and Seungman stood on the Hilltop as she was practicing swordsmanship by herself.

As she swung her sword up and about, Alcheon walked up to her and he was also bearing his own sword at hand.

Seungman seeing him she halted and then lowered her sword.

"You are up early today." Alcheon said.

"No." Seungman replied. "You have woken up later than you usually do." Seungman replied.

"A good sword act needs a partner." Alcheon said.

"I was doing fine without one." Seungman said.

"Liar." Alcheon Rang said.

"How can you tell?" Seungman asked.

"Aggression is all around you and it consumes you so greatly that you feel like beating someone." Alcheon said.

"Yes." Seungman accepted. "What are you going to do for me?" She asked.

"Fight me." Alcheon said.

"No." Seungman said.

"I have already recovered and the scar is no longer fresh." Alcheon said.

"I wouldn't dare." Seungman said.

"Doesn't matter." Alcheon said as he tightly gripped the sword.

"What are you doing?" Seungman asked.

"If you won't attack because I asked you then guard against me by force." Alcheon said as he flung himself towards Seungman but she stepped aside and then pushed him away while she regained her stance on both legs.

"You can not beat me when it's been a while since we last fought seriously, martial arts is a skill that only perfects with time, the more that you restrain yourself from using it, the quicker it fades." Seungman said.

Alcheon stood up and turned around to face Seungman.

"You have one weakness though." He said as he stepped up from the front with his sword and as Seungman brought a kick he bent backwards and slid under her to dodge it before he positioned himself behind her and then placed the sword right next to her neck." You would be dead." Alcheon said.

Seungman froze as she realized he was right but nevertheless there was a great deal of warmth that was circulating between the both of them.

Why was she so close even when she wanted to stay further apart?

Seungman struck him in his lower abdomen and disarmed him while he dropped the sword and then she pulled away from him and stood in front of him.

"How would you know that you are too slow to cut off my neck." Seungman replied.

She launched herself towards Alcheon who looking at her footsteps struck her legs and she stumbled nearly falling down.

He tightly ceased her by her left arm before she could make her landing and then he pulled her towards himself she landed on his chest as her hands felt her abs.

She looked into his eyes and he stared back into hers.

She tried to break free but he seemed to only tighten his grip around her waist.

"I'd tightly hold you like this even in the face of war, when the iron arrows rained from the sky I would die protecting you from them.

Even if you were of Paekche or Gorguryeo my heart would still beat the same as it beats now, and even if it meant that you'd have to drive your sword through me for being so disrespectful then I'd be very pleased to die at your hands." Alcheon said.

"There is no war, no, there is no battle that would be better than one I would fight with you by my side." He added.

"Enough." Seungman said as she pushed herself from him and the two separated.

"I saved your life and this is how you reward me?" She asked.

"I've never felt at peace any day than when I am with you and this might be crazy for me but sometimes I am actually thankful to heaven that I made it this far, that those Gorguryeo soldiers attacked me, that you came and found me and saved my life." Alcheon said.

"I thought that like me you were a man that cherished Shilla your motherland, sadly, like all the others the love of a woman is greater than the devotion to your own country." Seungman said.

"I used to think that before I met you, there was no greater devotion than that towards the country, perhaps everyone is selfish but no one fights for Shilla because it is Shilla." Alcheon said.

"You and I and the Hwarang and all those soldiers do not fight for the mountains, the hills and the rivers that are in Shilla.

To us Shilla isn't the land under the heavens where flowers bloom and where the sun rise is most beautiful." He added as he stepped closer to Seungman.

"Shilla is the people that we love, our family and our friends, our kings and our rulers, to us even if the land perished but the people still remained then it's as good because that is Shilla." Alcheon said.

"There is no such thing as love for the country." Seungman said. "I can not force myself to feel more than a saviour because to me it's like choosing between my father and you." She added.

"Perhaps the problem is because I am from Seoraebeol." Alcheon said.

Alarmed Seungman looked at him.

"Perhaps I have surprised you as well but I know how your father hates people from there and I know that given everything that he told you you strongly resent its people too." Alcheon said.

"Don't pretend to understand me." Seungman said as she planted her sword into the ground. "Perhaps had it not been for Seoraebeol then I would have grown up normally like all other girls do." She added.

"It's fate." Alcheon said. "You questioned my love for Shilla but how can you justify yours when you resent the people if Seoraebeol which is its own heart?" He asked.

"Perhaps I have a reason." Seungman said. "Perhaps to me my father is Shilla." Seungman added.

"You live better off in the capital there is no way that you can possibly understand what it feels like.

People like you shall never understand what it means to sleep on the bare floor without even a single blanket to cover Yourselves, you'll never live to tell what it means working in the plantation under the burning sunshine.

You can never suffer a flood it's nearly Everytime that you have a shelter above your head while others sleep on the Streets, where are the leaders that we fight for?" Seungman asked.

"You can not justify your hate when you can not do anything for your county." Alcheon said. "Just as you are human enough to choose between your father and your people those officials are human enough to choose between theirs and Shilla." He added.

"People like you have more than you can ever ask for, sadly, even the little that people like us have you take away." Seungman said. "I can not give you my heart because I know that not so far from now you shall leave and go down to Seoraebeol.

I'll remain the lone rural girl who rules each one of these mountains with a broken heart and only they along with the wind and sky to give me company.

I can not give you my heart because we aren't blood related and I'm not certain that one moment you'll forsake me and you compare yourself to my father who even in the face of death never disowned me?" She asked.

"Am I too shallow that you see me just like any other man?" Alcheon asked.

"It is the painful truth, you can not give me a guarantee, love itself is the biggest wager that both you and I can never escape." Seungman replied.

"To get just as much from it, you must certainly be willing to sacrifice as much." She added.

"Seungman." Alcheon said.

"Can you dare to call me by my name, would your Jingol parents accept a nameless peasant girl like me?" Seungman asked.

"I understand that you are brought up in a morally upright society so you must as well be informed that Filial piety is a primary virtue that defines us both.

You are loyal to your parents and I am loyal to my father and we walk on two separate planes in two separate worlds that can never meet, asking me to meet your embrace is asking me to give up the filial piety of mine." She added.

Seungman turned around to walk away but Alcheon rushed over and ceased her from behind.

"Please Seungman, do not walk away from me." He said.

Seungman looked up at the sky where the clouds had already gathered and darkened above their heads.

Damhyeong stood at a distance and watched both Seungman and Alcheon in the embrace of one another and much as he was still displeased at the sight he still leaned on the hope that Seungman would break free.

"Why am I dreaming, it's too good to be true, I am afraid that in this dream of mine, I can not keep up loving you and I must wake up." Seungman said as she ceased Alcheon's arms that were around her and then she broke free from his grip.

Damhyeong sighed in relief and then he leaned on the wall while Moo Mak who was climbing up the hill from the market saw everything.

Seungman walked up until she entered the house and Moo Mak followed her in despite being drenched in the rain.

"Seungman." Damhyeong called the very moment that she walked inside but Seungman continued up to her bedroom and closed herself inside.

Leaning against the door she sat down as she cried, her heart unable to control the pain she had felt something for Alcheon before and at that moment his feelings were only making things more and more difficult for her.

Moo Mak walked into the house.

"Uncle Moo." Damhyeong said.

"Is she alright?" Moo Mak asked.

"No." Damhyeong replied as he nodded his head.

At that very moment, Alcheon walked into the cottage and the atmosphere inside was quite tense.

"Come with me." Moo Mak ordered as he walked out onto the balcony and Alcheon followed.

"Do you know the people that I swore to hate most in my life?" Moo Mak asked.

"People from Seoraebeol." Alcheon replied.

"No." Moo Mak replied. "People that make my daughter cry." He added.

"She'll always choose you, even when you won't live long, she'll always put her heart on the line for you." Alcheon said.

"Because I will protect her with all my life even if that is what it possibly takes, you can not guarantee the same for her." Moo Mak said.

"You know that there are things that you don't tell her, you know that there are things she doesn't know." Alcheon said.

"And it's for her own good." Moo Mak said. "Someday I fear that you might use that as the same excuse to break her heart since it is something that people like you are very good at." He added.

"You can not be too sure." Alcheon said.

"And you too don't know Seungman well enough that I fear if you were all the more would you see that your relationship is an impossibility." Moo Mak said.

"Of course, why would I know?" Alcheon asked.

"There's three things in this world we consider acts that are divine, the first being Filial piety, the other is blood brotherhood and the other is your caste system.

Even if her mother were here Alcheon Rang, she wouldn't at any one point be willing to foster that relationship of yours." Moo Mak replied.

"So you are telling me to just give up?" Alcheon asked.

"No." Moo Mak replied. "I am telling you to pack your things and leave for Seoraebeol tomorrow at once never to return." He coldly added.