.forty six.

It seemed that each time Jung wanted to find Ji Mong, the royal astronomer of the palace, he could never find him. That was the case right then, as he had probably searched the entire place, and had yet to run into him. When he finally did, he was walking towards his tower with some scrolls in hand. They probably contained instructions for the new inventions he had in mind, like the tube he claimed people could look into to get a better look at the stars. None of his inventions ever really worked, but the stories he told about them were very interesting and Jung used to enjoy listening to them as a child. 

"Ji Mong." Jung called, in such a hurry that he startled the astronomer who was walking down the hall in the opposite direction. Jung had to stop in his tracks and turn to follow after him before he could get away. When Ji Mong turned, offering his undivided attention, Jung continued. "I've been looking all over the palace for you. His majesty says that you can read the heavens like a book, and I've come to ask you some questions about that."

"I thought you didn't believe in that anymore." The astronomer pointed out, alluding to the time when he and the other princes were gathered in the tower from which he studied the stars each night. Ji Mong started telling them a story, to which Jung interrupted by telling him that he wasn't a child anymore, and that he wouldn't fall for his tricks. The other brothers were still interested in the story, but the youngest of the princes thought he was too grown up to hear it. Now he wanted to do just that, hear what Ji Mong had to say about the skies and what he could read. It was such a surprising turn of events. 

Jung practically begged, "Please Ji Mong. This is important."

He jutted out his lower lip into a pout like a child and Ji Mong felt hiss resolve falter. It wasn't so much that the young prince had swayed him. It was more of the fact that he really enjoyed telling his stories. With a sigh, he instructed the young prince to follow him and both climbed the endless row of stairs up to the tower. 

It was night time already and the stars adorned the blanket of night like diamonds. Jung had just a few hours earlier seen Hak Soon, his beloved, at the lake that was their secret place with none other than his brother who she had been forced to marry. But she didn't seem quite as unhappy as he thought her to be, nor was she as unhappy as he felt. It was almost like she had actually grown to like her marriage to the tenth prince. 

They went out onto the balcony and Ji Mong cut right to the chase. "Tell me what you want to know." He said, looking up at the stars.

Jung already had a set of questions prepared in his mind. "What do the stars tell you...about me?"

This he had heard already several times. The date of his birth was determinant to many traits of his personality. From a very young age, Ji Mong had told his brothers what they would most be good at, and it was his words that Jung thinks might have influenced them to become what they were. Who was to say that because Yo was born on a certain date he would be more likely to crave power? Perhaps it wasn't really in the stars, but in Ji Mong's interpretation that influenced everything. 

As the astronomer started to explain what he say, Jung already knew it all word for word. "The fourteenth prince of Goryeo--tall, handsome, the youngest of the princes to set foot in the palace, a military man, highly skilled at martial arts." They were the basics that he had been given. He had grown up to be tall, he considered himself to be not ugly at least. Though his father had other children, he was certainly the youngest of his brothers to live in the palace. The others were of lower ranking families and lived with their other family. Jung was a military man, had always been keen on the idea of becoming a soldier, and he was skilled at martial arts. But those were things he had known since he was a child. 

"What about Park Hak Soon?" He asked his next question, barely able to contain his curiosity.

He told Ji Mong the date of her birth and he searched the skies for what would be her star. "Her star is very interesting because there's another star right next to it that's barely visible, like it's fading away to make way for this new star." He explained, studying all of its surroundings and making his observations. "Her star is more delicate, and maybe dainty. But she has a big heart and a fearless personality." As he continued to explain, Jung knew that was exactly his Hak Soon that he was describing.

He asked Ji Mong a few more questions until he got to the more detailed and more interesting ones. "Why was I unable to marry Hak Soon? She was promised to me and everything was ready. Did the skies conspire against us?" Perhaps a higher power had worked against him.

Ji Mong crinkled up his nose as he looked to the skies for an answer. It took him a couple of minutes, but then he sat it. His index finger pointed up to the skies as he spoke. "Do you see that?" He asked, but didn't even wait for the prince's answer before he continued. "The constellation that her star belongs to and the constellation that yours belong to are parallel lines. That means they will never cross. They are not destined to meet." Jung felt his heart drop at the words. They were not what he had been wanting to hear. He wanted Ji Mong to tell him that there was still hope. That he and Hak Soon would be together in the end. 

He was let down even more when the palace astronomer saw something else in the skies which he pointed out. 

"She may have been promised to you by the laws of man, but the skies had other ideas." His index finger now pointed in another direction. "See that other star over there? It belongs to tenth prince Wang Eun. A boy who once refused to grow up and fall in love. His star is changing into that of a man. His constellation intersects directly with hers."

Jung was dreading what was coming next because he knew it would break him.

"It was written in the stars before you and I were even born." He finished, and Jung felt his heart shatter in his chest piece by piece. "They were meant to be together, in this and in any other world."

Jung could not take anymore of this truth, and he turned quietly to leave the room. 

But there was one last thing he saw in the stars which he didn't mention to the fourteenth prince. A detail that was very important, but would only bring worry to him and to others if he were to tell what it was. The tenth prince and the general's daughter were destined to be together, that much was true. But the life span of their stars was limited. At most, it was a matter of a few years.

-

Minji awoke with a jump in her husbands arms, and she was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. Her breathing was strained and her eyes were peeled wide open despite only being able to blink through an eternal darkness. Her dream of the previous night had been one she had been having on several nights for a while now.

Each time she felt like she saw a little bit more of it. But in her dream, she was out of her own body and looking on like a spectator at what was happening. The other princes were there--Yo, Won, Han, So, Baek-ah, and Jung. Hajin was also there and so was Soon Deok. It was like reunion of sorts, but a reunion that was far from friendly. 

Yo stood at a balcony, watching them with hate filled eyes as soldiers surrounded them. Jung, So, Han, and Baek-ah tried to get through to help them, but they were held back by several palace guards. She saw Eun, sword in hand, the other pushing her back behind him to shield her from anyv attacks. "Don't worry." He whispered over to her, his words echoing in her mind. "I'll keep you safe." He then looked to his brother, in an attempt to convince him to spare them. "Brother! Please! Let us go, and I promise you we will never return to Goryeo. I do not want your throne, brother. Please. Think of our past bond, growing up together. Brother..."

But there were too many of them and they were outnumbered. And Yo was all but willing to spare his younger brother.

Soon one soldier lunged forward, his sword colliding with the tenth prince's. Seeing him distracted, as he was now using both hands to sustain his sword, another soldier struck from behind them, taking them by surprise. Even in the dream, Minji felt the sting of the sword as it sliced through her flesh, followed by the burning heat of crimson red blood that stained the cool metal. She dropped to the ground, the air knocked out of her, falling right by his feet. She could then see as her husband dropped his sword, instead kneeling by her side to tend to her with trembling hands.

His eyes glazed over with hot tears that spilled unceremoniously. His shaking fingers went to cup her face gently. "My wife..." Every word echoed in her mind and she could feel a lump forming in her throat.

It was surreal, watching herself fade away before her very eyes. 

"Hak Soon-ah..." He called her name quietly, voice shaking. "Please...please don't go without me."

Minji watched her eyes drift closed and she felt it in her heart, she was gone.

By her side Eun lamented her loss, begging her to come back to him. He held her in his arms, tears spilling endlessly from his eyes. 

Meanwhile on the balcony, Yo gestured for one of his guards to hand him his bow and arrow, his best skill. The unsuspecting tenth prince was shaken in his place when he felt an arrow dig into his upper arm. His hand quickly went up to try to soften the pain, but it was lodged deeply and he couldn't get it out. He looked to his brother, eyes full of hurt and betrayal as he watched him pull another arrow that would be aimed at him.

Just before shooting at him, Wang So was able to break free from the guards that surrounded him and he stood in front of his younger brother protectively. Still, the second arrow made its way into his abdomen and Minji could now see her husband also fading away.

"Eun-ah!" So dropped his sword and hurried to his brother's side, catching him in his arms as he fell to the floor.

"Do you remember on my birthday all those years ago?" He said, struggling to speak and even breathe. Minji felt her heart break as she remembered that day. She was there, along with the other princes, and she wondered just how many years had passed since then. "You said I could have any present I wanted, and I was told there was one gift only you could give me. He manipulated me." He paused for a moment and looked to his wife who was laying on the ground. "That girl...I have loved her with all my heart. She is the rain of my soul. I...I cannot let her go alone."

She watched in her dream as Yo pulled yet another arrow and she felt powerless because she wanted to stop him, yet she couldn't. She could only stand there and watch as it happened before her.

"Brother..." Eun quickly made the decision, knowing that he no longer wanted to continue if she wasn't by his side. "I would prefer it if you just...Its a gift only you can give me."

So nodded, willing to grant his brother's last request, and he got back on his feet, picking up his sword and leaving Eun kneeling. Minji watched with tears in her eyes as So struck Eun with his sword and that was where the dream had ended most recently.

She always woke up crying when she had that dream, but felt a bit of relief and comfort when she felt her husband by her side.

Minji didn't know for how long she would have him, but she wanted it to be a long time. She could not bear the thought of losing Wang Eun.

-

i know i haven't updated this story in forever.

but here is an update. two very heart breaking parts in this chapter. first jung being told that he was never meant to be with minji, and then the famous wang eun death scene. but its just a dream at the moment. 

it doesn't mean its gonna happen yet, if at all. so stay tuned to find out what will happen in the story.

thank you loads for reading.

-clary