Bonds and Boundries

Chapter 1

Sooman kingdom is one of the small kingdoms on planet Erde, prosperous with a mixture of Korean and Chinese culture.  The old king has just died and his son is taking over. Choi Siwon, 19 y.o, a good looking, ambitious young king just like his father. Sooman kingdom has been planning an invasion to other kingdoms since years and they are just about to be ready as the late king passed away. They made plan since years so they can have enough trained soldiers for the invasion.

Sooman kingdom consists of 16 provinces, divided in to districts with no more than 100 families in a district. A governor rules a district, he’s in charge of the families and one of the most important jobs of the governor is to do a census on his people.

There are not many baby boys born in the kingdom; that’s why there are strict rules concerning marriage and birth.

A man must marry before his 26thbirthday; he can have as many wives as he wanted.A woman must marry before her  21thbirthday, she must give birth to a baby boy in max 5 years after she’s married; failed to do so, she will be send to the island to serve as a slave.Every baby boy must be registered to the kingdom; the governor and the district midwife have to sign the birth certificate. With 7 he must be trained with martial arts, with 15 he must be brought to the capital to enter the army selection test. The ones who succeed are going to serve the kingdom, the ones with special abilities might have the chance to be one of the king elite forces. The kingdom will provide them with wealth and also his family. The ones who didn’t make it to the army can enter the kingdom’s scholarship test to become kingdom’s official; becoming minister and governors.There are no strict rules concerning the baby girls except rule no.2. The girls between 15 and 17 can also voluntary join the army test; here there are is difference between man and woman. You can also serve in the king elite force as a woman if you have exceptional talent; you still have to be married at the age of 21thunless the king gives you the exception.

Daebudo is one of the districts in Sooman kingdom, a small district with 79 families. Here you’ll get to meet the Lius… and the Jungs.

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Liu Duan Fei and his family are the most loved one in Daebudo district. He failed the army test but did so well in the scholarship test that the late king assigned him as a governor in Daebudo at the young age of 22. He ruled with heart, knows each and every family personally, sends them regards at their birthday. Daebudo is not big; the people live from farming and fishing. Mr. Liu sees that every citizen is treated equally.

He married his long love, Liu Xie Hua, with 24 and had already 3 children; Liu Songqian; Liu Sooyeon and Liu Jinri; all of them beautiful just like their parents.

It’s their 5thyear; Mrs. Liu is pregnant again with their 4thchild. Everybody is anxious, hoping, praying that it’s going to be a boy. Mr. Liu doesn’t want to have another wife, he loves her since they were children; just the thought of having another wife is making him uncomfortable.

The child is healthy, the midwife assured them, and the due date is in about 3 months. Another 3 months and if it’s another girl, Mrs. Liu is going to be sent as a slave. Everybody in the district prays with them, so she can have a healthy baby boy.

It’s winter already. Another month passed, Mrs. Liu is having trouble with her pregnancy. She is exhausted, her legs swelled so much that she can barely walk anymore, her breathing is short. Her belly is bigger than any other pregnancy she went through.

That day they had a visit from their best friend… The Jungs.

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