Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Chapter 18

Queen Regent Jiso has Ah Ro brought to the palace, where she informs Ah Ro that she plans to make her a Wonhwa. She asks if Ah Ro knows what happened to the previous Wonhwa leaders, Nam-mo and Joon-jung, and Ah Ro repeats the story told to the people, that they killed each other from jealousy.

The queen regent laughs and says that in fact, she killed them when they became an obstacle to the king's power. She tells Ah Ro that she will use her to regain power over the Hwarang, but that if she becomes an obstacle, she has no compunctions killing her, too.

Ah Ro is terrified, but she tells the queen regent that until the day she dies, she will withstand everything the queen regent throws at her. The queen regent retorts that false hope also kills, but Ah Ro returns that sometimes even a fish caught in a net makes it back into the river.

Sun-woo runs to the palace when he hears that Ah Ro was taken, and he finds Hwi-kyung to ask what he can do to free her. Hwi-kyung tells him of the queen regent's plans for the Wonhwa, and that she will probably kill Ah Ro when she's no longer useful, as she did once before.

This just feeds Sun-woo's panic, and he grabs Hwi-kyung and yells for him to tell him what to do. Hwi-kyung asks if he's willing to become the king, and grabs Sun-woo's hand. He says fervently that by becoming king, Sun-woo can save Ah Ro, and avoid losing his own life as well.

Sun-woo asks who Hwi-kyung is to say all this, and Hwi-kyung says that he's "someone who knows your father well." Sun-woo asks in a whisper who his father is, and Hwi-kyung answers that if he's Sun-woo, then it's Ahn Ji-gong. If he's Sammaekjong, then his father is King Galmoon. "But if you are the nameless peasant Dog-bird, Moo-myung, you are my son. I am your father."

Once alone, the queen regent thinks back on her decision to kill Wonhwa Joon-jung, and how Joon-jung had pleaded for her life. Now we see that Joon-jung had been pregnant, and had told the queen regent that the baby was of the Sacred Bone. She had sworn never to name him, and make sure he lived never knowing who he truly is, if only Queen Regent Jiso spared their lives.

The queen regent had pierced Joon-jung over her heart, crying that the baby can never be born. But Joon-jung had gasped that the baby was moving, and at that same moment, the queen regent had felt life stirring in her own belly. She'd dropped the sword and sunk to the floor, sobbing.

Ah Ro is taken to a room in the palace, where Princess Sookmyung comes to speak with her. She tells Ah Ro that being a Wonhwa is an honor, though it's an honor Ah Ro would happily forego. Ah Ro pleads to be allowed to go to Hwarang to say goodbye, but Sookmyung doesn't answer, and only orders her ladies to make Ah Ro presentable.

In the lecture room, Ji-dwi thinks back on his confrontation with his mother in the throne room, and her ugly words about how unready he is to assume his throne. He recalls Hwa-gong advising him to endure whatever he needs to endure in order to become king.

Hwa-gong is summoned before the queen regent, who informs him that she is reinstating the Wonhwa system. She calls in Princess Sookmyung and Ah Ro, now dressed in fine clothing and jewelry. The queen regent says that the two ladies will leave to pay tribute for four days, then return and become the leaders of the Hwarang, taking over Hwa-gong's position.

At the queen regent's command, Hwa-gong bows low to Sookmyung and Ah Ro, but he asks if this is really the best thing for the Hwarang. She says that she wants the Hwarang to kneel before her, and he tells her that the Hwarang are not what she thinks they are, and that her plan will never work.

Sun-woo paces the Hwarang grounds, the realization that Hwi-kyung is his father echoing in his thoughts. He goes to see Hwa-gong, and asks if he saw Ah Ro when he went to the palace. Hwa-gong says she appears to be fine.