Scarlet Heart Ryeo || Fates Choice

New Riser

~1 Year Later~

I rushed to burst open the door. But by the time I walked in, a cup was shattered in front my feet. I picked up my dress and looked up at the King.

"What is going on here?"

"She poisoned the tea!" Yo claimed, "She poisoned it. I the ghost of the late King, Eun, Soo Deok, and even my father. They came because you helped So to cover up his scar!"

"Your Majesty, calm down! Soo, please go back.." I addressed her. Soo nervously nodded, taking the tray and leaving.

Queen Yoo Ssi also rushed in the room after Soo. I looked back at her, holding onto Yo.

"So's leading a revolt." She declares, "Please pull out paper and abdicate the throne to Jung! We can't can't lose the throne."

"Queen Dowager, please, this isn't the time. The King is ill and-"

"Then… What will become of me? Am I even your son? What am I to you, Mother? Just something that exists to sit on the throne?" Jeongjong cries.

"Your Majesty..." I softly said.

"I now understand how So feels... Is anyone out there?! Take the Queen Dowager back to her chambers!" Jeongjong ordered.

"Yo!" The Queen yelled as she was being pulled away.

The doors closed and she still yelled out his name. I looked back at Jeongjong as he wasn't calm.

I approached him, hugging him. "You're fine... I'm here for you.." I softly said.

"H-Hee Young, where is our son?"

"He's with Jung. Jung came back as well, from his journey." I replied.

He slowly nodded as I pulled away, still holding onto him.

'How could I describe you as a monster right now? And Joon... How do I explain this without having you feeling worse?'

After some time passed, So was preparing to take I've the throne. Who that was working up, I had Soo come back with tea. I took the tea from her, pouring it myself and walked towards my husband.

But King Jeongjong starts laughing as the sounds come ever nearer.

I looked up at him, "Your Majesty, your tea is ready."

He shot a look a me, tears fill his eyes. "What have I done so wrong? I was afraid that I would be cast aside as well, just like So was."

Soo quickly took the cup from my hands so I could hold onto him. "We all have our fears, Jeongjong. I was afraid of many things.. I'm even afraid of loosing you now..." I looked up at him with tears.

He then turns back to Soo, pushing me aside and throwing her to the ground in the process.

My eyes widen right as he coughs harshly, and begins to write the decree.

"Tell me! Tell me who you want to have on the throne!" He demanded Soo.

Before Soo can answer, Jeongjong writes his answer and holds it out to Soo in shaking hands. But then he chokes, coughs, smiles just a little, and promptly collapses.

"Yo!" I screamed in horror, and running towards him. I carefully picked up his head, staring at him with tears.

"I was just trying to survive..." He coughed to bring up his hand. Before it touched me, it dropped back down.

"Yo... Please.. Your Majesty, please wake up..." I cried.

Soo cries in fear as she stares at him with his dead eyes. So bursts in while I sobbed, takes stock, and quickly reads what Yo left behind.

"Did you read it?"

"N-No..." Soo shook her head and he tears it up.

The doors bursted again, revealing Queen Yoo Ssi. She stared at me in horror as I cradle onto Yo's dead body.

Soo drops to her knees to pay her greetings to the new King, So, with cries.

"The King abdicated to me before he died." So said. I looked up at So with tears eye and lowering my head to hail him as King.

A few days past, and we held So's coronation. He was officially the new King, and I grabbed my dress to walk off.

"Mother!" Haneul smiled, letting go of Jung's hand to run towards me.

I chuckled at him as he hugged onto my leg. "How's my little Prince?"

"I had fun with Father, Mother!"

"That's good to hear."

Jung reached us with a light smile across his face. "Are you feeling alright?"

I stopped smiling, looking up at Jung. "I never got the chance to tell him... But, if I think about it.. It might be better off to keep it sealed."

Jung walked towards me, bring all of us into a hug. "There could be a chance that we could be a family.."

I softly smiled, looking down at our son as he brightly smiled at us.

'Maybe we can...'

~The Next Day~

"Your Majesty, Queen Consort Hee Young is here to see you!" The maids called through the doors.

I walked in with Haneuk besides me, then lowering our head as he was with Soo. I smiled softly as I held onto my son.

"Your Majesty, I came for a request."

"Go ahead."

"I would like to step down from the throne.."

So rose his brow, "What do you mean by that?"

I softly smiled down, "My husband, the late King has passed away.. And what's the point of being Queen? I never wanted the throne in the first place."

He stared at us while Soo looked over at Haneul. "He's not Yo's son, isn't that right?"

"No," I puffed my chest, "he is Jung's child.."

So sighed, frowning at us. "I'll see what I can do. But what are you planning to do?" 

"Enjoy what I have left of my life.." I lowered my head, "But, thank you Your Majesty."

I looked back up at Soo as she was surprised, yet also confused from I said. But I just gave her a smile and turned away with Haneul.

Haneul looked up at me, holding onto my dress nervously as we the doors closed behind. "Mother... What's going to happen to us? Are we being kicked out of the Palace..?"

"No Haneul, I'm just stepping down." But he gave me a confused look. "No matter what happens, keep going forward, okay?"

"Yes, Mother.."