Kingdom of Moutan

1st Year of Yingyong, Spring 1472

Three days before they were to leave, Hajoon was summoned before the Queen of Moutan, a meeting that he didn't want, but he couldn't avoid.

"Are you aggrieved?" asked Cho Ahnjong, measuring his expression as her maid poured them tea.

Not beating around the bush, I see...Well, that should make things easier...

"Why would I be, your Majesty?" asked Hajoon. "In the end, I'm living as I wanted," he laughed. "Just like your brother."

Insolent, she thought, to speak of the King of Keungang in that manner.

For a moment, he raised his head and stared boldly into her face. His gaze was direct and held no trace of challenge in them, but she found the serenity in the deep purple eyes mocked her own state of mind. Those jewelled eyes seemed to say: You and your brother come from an usurper's line.

The purple eyes of the Royal family of Keungang only passed on to male descendants, a peculiar gift from their Tiger god ancestor. The deeper the shade, the closer the affinity to the god. Even if they had harems, the Kings of Keungang were known for their forays amongst the common women. Thus, it was not unusual for a purple eyed boy to show up occasionally, though these children were usually dealt with before they were noticed, or they were hidden away for later use. Cho Anjohng thought it was a shame that Hajoon had escaped the last great cull.

The Queen prevented herself from gnawing at her lip as she stared at the young man before her. Both her father and brother had had to find an expert to colour their light irises a deep purple using a secret needle technique. It had been painful and had almost blinded her brother, and yet, Mu Hajoon had grown up with dark purple eyes and features that made him look far more like her grandfather than she was willing to admit.

Why is it that the Tiger god's blood runs purer in this discarded bastard seed?

"I wish you had died in the brothel you were born in, but this isn't bad. You seem resigned to your current situation," she said, matching his provocation by returning the favour.

His expression remained the same.

"I admit that I'm not without resentment, but then your father, followed by your brother spent years trying to kill me while I was in Keungang. Their enemies spent years trying to use me. When Lord Mu took me in, I was able to live a life free of all that and I will follow my own wish until I die."

"Which is...?"

"To protect a person."

For a moment there was a flicker of rage in the Queen's eyes. Her lips curled into a sneer.

"Person? Does a dog count as a person?" she asked, her voice lashing at him with high contempt.

"Do you think that everyone is blind, your Majesty?" he retorted sharply.

They glared at each other.

"In this palace, only a fool would say that he isn't blind," she answered, after a pause, hiding her clenched fist.

Calm down. Don't get angry. He's only a walking corpse.

"Really?"

"You speak boldly for a man who is about to die."

He smiled suddenly with real humour, and she was annoyed to find that this nephew* was more handsome than she initially thought.

He shrugged.

"Exactly, why dirty your hands, when someone else will do it for you," he grinned.

She bristled underneath, but she did let on that she hated the idea that he was reading her thoughts.

"But your Majesty, I'm sure you didn't summon me just to gloat. What is your command?"

Ha...so he's not entirely frivolous.

She held out a pouch.

He took it and then pulled out one of the two items inside. The first was a vial.

"This is...?"

"The King of Shobu has seventy-two handmaidens of various ranks. Seduce one or all of them and find a way to kill him with that."

"You don't think that's been tried before?" Hajoon sneered.

Cho Anhnjong smiled for the first time and it was sinister in its beauty. She calmly sipped her tea and then said:

"Look at the second item."

Hajoon, with sneaking dread, thrust his fingers into the pouch and poked himself on the sharp point of the second object as he pulled it out. His breath caught in his throat and a surge of rage boiled through his chest. Forcing himself to maintain his breathing, he raised his purple eyes to hers.

"You recognize it, don't you? Your mother's hairpin," she smiled, still sipping at her tea.

"Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?" he asked, without betraying the tremors he was feeling in his heart. Only himself and Lord Mu knew that his mother was still alive, and that she was living in the Five Lakes area of Keungang close to the border, supposedly in a village protected by Lord Mu's men. The hairpin was the one that Hajoon had given her himself on the day he had left Keungang to become a Shadow.

The Queen of Moutan laughed.

"Your mother is in my hands. Take the hairpin with you as a memento. She's been told what's to happen to you. Do what I have asked, and I will see to it that she lives well for the rest of her days."

"In all the years that this has been going on, no one has succeeded in assassinating the King of Shobu. My mother is dead. Even if you threaten me with something like that, it would be impossible anyway."

The purple eyes were cold, but the Queen did not believe what she saw.

"That's because they've been too focused on destroying his demon beast," snorted the Queen. "Apart from keeping your mother alive, you have good reason for trying to kill the King of Shobu. Do you not want to save Mu Feiyan?"

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"I'm doing a favour to my brother and buying time for Moutan. The preparations for an open war with Shobu are not yet complete. While Shobu is distracted with demons and with the assassination attempts on their King, it will make it easier for Moutan to maneuver. Since Keungang has now stabilized, I might be able to beg soldiers from my brother...that can only be guaranteed if I deal with any remaining threats to his throne. Though you escaped to Moutan, you've always been a thorn in my brother's side...the tribute selection has taken you out of the Grand Chancellor's protection, but that doesn't mean you can't be useful before you die."

Hajoon roared with laughter.

Silently fuming, the Queen sipped her tea to hide her expression, but was startled when he suddenly stood up to his full height.

"Really? He'll help you with just this? Even if you hadn't lifted a finger, the selection would have taken care of this problem for both you and your brother. In truth, you don't have that kind of sway with him do you, your Majesty? If that's the case, then keep your pointless interference to yourself and stop threatening me."

"Y-you!!" hissed the Queen's maid. "You should be killed for your insolence! How dare you speak this way to royalty!"

Hajoon's laughter rang bright and clear. For a moment, his eyes glowed with an almost unnatural light.

"Royalty?" he echoed, purple eyes searing in their disdain. "I'm Min Jiha's only son. Cho Ahnjong...I'm sure you're clear on what that means."

"You were never acknowledged," she retorted with a shrug.

"My parents were officially married. I'm not a bastard and our grandfather acknowledged me in a secret letter before his death. You should investigate things more thoroughly before you threaten people."

The tea cup dropped from her nerveless fingers and shattered on the floor.

"Your Majesty!" cried the maid, but the Queen held up her hand for silence.

"What...did you say?" she asked, staring up at him in disbelief.

"I'm sure you heard me, but none of that matters," Hajoon said softly. "When I left Keungang, I left that identity behind me. I'll take the poison because it's useful, but I would thank you to stay out of my affairs from now on, Aunt. Now, please excuse me," he said, bowing deeply and striding out.

For a moment, Cho Ahnjong's chest heaved and her eyes took on a murderous glare. She hadn't felt so helpless since the days when she lived with her concubine mother.

"So that damned old man left himself something in reserve," she breathed with a sneer, mentally cursing her grandfather. She drew herself up with a calming breath, regaining her composure: "Regardless, it's easy enough for him to confirm that I have his mother and he will try to save Mu Feiyan...at any cost. You there! Get me a brush and paper."

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*Hajoon's background is complicated. As Cho Ahnjong is the same generation as Hajoon's father's, Hajoon would have to address her as Aunt. However, for those of you who are worried about incest between Feiyan and Hajoon...don't. What Cho Ahnjong has already implied is that her Father and brother may not be related to Keungang's Royal family, and that Hajoon is actually from a direct line.