After 700 Years (Empress Ki)

Prologue

Viceroy Tal-Tal and his men surveyed the area. They had expected the enemy to camp at this clearing...Tal Tal's heart fell as he realized what was happening. Ambush. He swore under his breath and ordered his men to flee, but it was too late. The enemy's army had surrounded them. The captain looked down from the hill above and simply sneered at the Viceroy. Tal Tal looked up to meet the captain's eye, attempting to hide the panic in his eyes. But in truth, he realized that this was it for his army. He swept his bangs out of his eyes, and tried to think of a way to at least save his men, when the opposing captain, without a word, signaled his army with a simple motion of his hand. The soldiers of Yuan fought bravely under their leader, but they were easily overcome as they were both outnumbered and at a disadvantage postion-wise. The enemy's captain laughed as the Viceroy watched his men, one by one, fall at the hand of the enemy. Tal Tal broke into a cold sweat, but he was not afraid for himself, but afraid for the Yuan Dynasty. Yuan...he thought. Empress... As he thought of what this loss would do to Empress Ki, he felt a pang in his heart. While Viceroy stood in the midst of the battle, the enemy captain saw his opening. He signaled his archers to fire, and the first arrow hit its mark. The arrow flew, then broke through the Viceroy's silver armor, and pierced the flesh. Tal Tal's eyes widened, then softened. His eyes began to water, and his mouth broke into a small smile. As he fell, he looked up at the sky, and thought of his empress. His coughed blood as the second arrow pierced his chest. With his dying breath, the Viceroy whispered,"Maybe in the next life, we'll meet again, Jackal." Then the great warrior fell, in the midst of the fighting. One young soldier looked at the body with tears in his eyes, and ran off into the woods.

Empress Ki felt a pain in her chest. Something's wrong, she thought. As she looked out her window, she noticed a young boy talking to Eunuch Pak. What...no... She thought of the Viceroy. If he had been victorious, surely his army would've marched proudly through the city gates, not a young and wounded messenger passing on a message to one of the eunuchs. Her heart fell as she saw Eunuch Pak shaking his head as he walked to her chambers. As he walked in, Empress Ki knew what was coming. The words..."The Viceroy died in battle," brought tears to her eyes. She thought of the last time she had seen the Viceroy, about how they both knew the battle would not be victorious, but he had insisted that if there was even the smallest chance, he should take it. Another tear fell, and she did not bother to brush them away. Then she thought of the Emperor, and she quickly pulled herself together. She told herself she must be strong for her husband. Empress Ki walked over to her husband's bed, and almost burst into tears at seeing him in such a weak and feeble state. His health had deteriorated over the years after the poisoning. They both knew his time was almost up. As he saw his empress walking over to him, he managed a weak smile. "Seungnyang," he whispered, "I love you." She smiled sadly and said with his head rested in her lap," I-" She gasped as the emperor's head fell to the side. She now burst into tears and took the lifeless body in her arms and whispered,"I love you, too." She buried her face in her arms, then turned to the window once more. My son is strong enough, she thought. And with that she ran outside, and took one of the horses, and fled to the forest. With her hair flying behind her, and her tears falling down her face, she managed a small smile, and said," Emperor, Wang Yu, Viceroy...Maybe...In the next life..."