Yirahng gave birth at sea. As the waves crashed against the hull, she pushed, and the child slipped out with a gush of fluids. The baby's cries were weak as it took its first breath. Hwan, who had been waiting anxiously outside, rushed into the cabin. It was a girl, her tiny body, smaller than his forearm, marked with the same white patches as Yirahng. The patches stood out beneath her fine hair, which, plastered to her head by the fluids, shone a stark white. Her features were scrunched up, making it difficult to tell who she resembled, but the white marks scattered across her body warmed Hwan's heart.
He had been anxious throughout Yirahng's labor, remembering his own birth from his dead mother's womb. But with Keumpyeong Hui's constant care, both Yirahng and the child were healthy. Physician Hwa'on received the child, cleaning her with soft cloths before handing her to Hwan. The baby squirmed and cried in her arms. He gestured to Hwa'on to give the child to Yirahng. Yirahng held her close, her gaze soft as she looked down at the tiny face. The baby's cries quieted against her mother's chest. Tears streamed down Yirahng's face, mingling with a tired smile. At first, he couldn't tell who the child resembled, but now, seeing their faces together, it was clear she was Yirahng's daughter.
"She looks just like you," Hwan remarked.
"I hoped she wouldn't..." Yirahng's voice cracked with emotion.
"Our child is a Royal Scion," Hwan said firmly, cutting her off. He took Yirahng's hand, his grip strong and reassuring. Her hand was slick with sweat.
"She was born at sea," he said. "Should we name her 'Lahng(浪)'? After you?"
Yirahng looked at him, her eyes shining.
"Do you like it?" Hwan asked.
"Lahng..." she echoed. "It's a beautiful name."
A warm smile spread across her face, then faltered. "Since she's a girl," she said, her voice trembling, "will Lahng also have to endure childbirth one day? It was so painful."
Her words, a glimpse into her fears, touched Hwan's heart. He felt a pang of guilt, unable to shield her from the pain.
"I suppose so," he replied awkwardly.
"It breaks my heart to think about it."
Hwan leaned in and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry," he promised. "No matter what happens, I'll protect her. And you."
Yirahng handed the baby to him. Hwan held her awkwardly, his arms stiff. The tiny, fragile body in his arms brought back a disturbing memory: the blood-soaked infant he had discarded into the dark sea. He shuddered. It had been the night the star appeared, the night Yeong descended. The memory was vivid, the baby's cries grating on his ears. He had slit its throat without hesitation, annoyed by Keumpyeong Hui's weakness. He didn't regret it.
But holding this child, his own daughter, filled him with a fear he had never known. He had never hesitated to kill, but now, holding this newborn life, he felt a terror unlike any he had experienced before. Was that child also born at sea? There had been no women among the crew of the merchant ship they had raided that day. Perhaps the mother had died in childbirth, her body tossed into the sea. The memory of the blade slicing through the infant's delicate flesh came unbidden. He couldn't bear to hold the child any longer, suffocated by the visceral, muddy memories clinging to his mind. He handed her back to Yirahng, his gaze averted.
Hui had been watching silently. He, too, remembered that night, the lifeless child in his arms, the sinking feeling in his stomach as he watched the small body disappear into the black waves. He couldn't help but notice the flicker of fear in Hwan's eyes, the unfamiliar emotion dawning within him. But he didn't dare speak.
As Hwan left the cabin, his advisors, waiting outside, prostrated themselves.
"A new royal descendant born at sea on our way to Sunyahng," Jahan announced, his voice filled with excitement. "This is a blessed omen!"
Among those crammed in the narrow passageway, their heads bowed, was Jongwon Chuyo. Hwan had taken him hostage, the eldest surviving son of Jongwon Soh. During their stay in Ju, Chuyo had witnessed Hwan's ruthlessness, the brutal murder of his father and elder sisters. He feared Hwan, and Sahngjon who had granted him power. His downcast eyes burned with resentment. To Chuyo, Hwan was an insurmountable enemy, and those who served him were traitors. Hwan didn't crush his simmering rage. He recognized it, understood it. One day, that rage, properly honed, would become a sharp blade in his hands.
Hwan, having declared his intention to reclaim Sunyahng, now faced the unspoken anxieties of his subjects. The momentum of war was like a relentless current. To remain silent was to be swept away; to resist required strength. But those caught in the current couldn't question whether this war was just, whether the countless sacrifices were worth the promise of a unified Cheon-Wi and the Hundred Isles, bound by the ancient prophecy of brotherhood. The newly appointed lords, now his loyal subjects, feared Sahngjon's flames that burned within him more than his untested leadership.
Yet, the doubts lingered, creating a subtle undercurrent of unrest that reached Hwan's ears. He had learned that conquest by sword and fire didn't guarantee control. His reach was limited, and the territories under his command had expanded rapidly after the monsoon, like a surging river. He needed those different from him, like Hui and Jeong'wu, and those who mirrored him, like Chuyo. With so many to control, he had no tolerance for dissent.
The fleet, departing from Ju, island-hopped, braving the autumn winds as they crossed the vast expanse of the sea. Ten days later, they sighted the familiar yet alien shores of Birahng. The island, bathed in the midday sun, seemed both welcoming and hostile. They approached Nahmgyo, close enough to be seen from the city walls, but the city remained silent. Hwan anchored the fleet offshore and sent Jahan to scout Nahmgyo. Jahan returned in the late afternoon with news that both Nahmgyo and Seorahng had opened their gates in surrender.
"Seolyo Jin made her decision quickly," Hwan remarked.
"It wasn't Seolyo Jin," Jahan corrected him. "It was her son, Seolyo Yeong. Seolyo Jin is dead."
Hwan raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. Jahan stepped closer and explained in a low voice that Seolyo Yeong had poisoned his mother to seize control of the city and surrender to Hwan. The city was now under his rule, along with the armed Emissaries. Hwan let out a sharp breath. Though he didn't know how Seolyo Jin had reacted to his letter, he knew she was a respected leader, her authority rooted in the people's admiration, something Seolyo Yeong couldn't inherit through treachery.
Nahmgyo welcomed him with open gates and a line of azure flags stretching from the harbor. Hwan's fleet filled the harbor, and his soldiers disembarked, their footsteps echoing on the wooden gangplanks. The sound of war horns and drums resonated through the air. The human skin sails from the ship he had sent earlier were laid out on the ground where he stepped off the gangplank. Hwan smirked at the grotesque display of submission and walked forward.
Seolyo Yeong and the Emissaries, who had come to greet him, prostrated themselves seven times as he set foot on land. Their white robes stood out against the backdrop of the harbor. It was an odd sight, seeing Emissaries dressed in white outside the confines of their mountain hideout. As they rose, Hwan searched for Sobi among them, but it was Gyuhwa who stood in her place. The High Emissary, Norahn, was also absent.
"Where is the High Emissary?" Hwan asked.
"He's being held in Hyangdo," Cheongro replied. "He went there to persuade them to surrender."
"Has the Third Emissary been replaced?"
"Sobi is a traitor," Cheongro explained. "She ran away with the child chosen to bear the High Emissary's heir. The Emissaries are searching for her. We believe she's hiding in Hyangdo under the protection of House Myeonghyeon."
"She wouldn't do such a thing without reason," Hwan mused.
"We'll find out soon enough," Cheongro assured him, concealing his anxiety.
Hwan turned his attention to Seolyo Yeong. Though he didn't introduce himself, and Hwan didn't ask, it was easy to recognize him. Seolyo Yeong, as he had heard, was the son of a Soyeolish. His appearance was unremarkable, his features betraying the treachery that had led him to poison his own mother for the sake of surrender. Hwan didn't need to hear the stories to understand why House Myeonghyeon had recoiled at Seolyo Jin's blatant attempts at forging a marriage alliance. Jahan had reported that Nahmgyo remained under the control of House Seolyo, but it was clear that the Ministry now held the reins. Seolyo Yeong, his gaze faltering under Hwan's scrutiny, finally spoke, his voice trembling.
"We have long awaited your arrival, Guardian," he said. "Nahmgyo is yours."
Hwan merely nodded in acknowledgment, then mounted his horse and led his procession towards Nahmgyo. The incline leading to the south gate was gentle, and the few citizens who had ventured out to watch prostrated themselves in fear as he passed. Inside the gate, a crowd lined the streets, their eyes filled with apprehension as they watched their new Guardian enter their city. Their fear was palpable, a heavy weight that hung in the air. The Soyeolish merchants, who had arrived before the fleet, watched the flag of the Hundred Isles fluttering over Birahng with unease rather than welcome, their expressions betraying their anxieties about the future. There were few Sungians among the crowd.
It wasn't Hwan or the Soyeolish army they feared, but the rapid change. In the span of two seasons, three different factions had marched into Nahmgyo, each bringing their own flags and their own rules. While Hwan understood their apprehension, he was also annoyed by it. The people of Ju had quickly submitted to his rule. Their fear was unfamiliar, unwelcome. Neither Hwan, nor Seolyo Yeong, nor the Ministry could control the growing unrest in Nahmgyo.
Before entering the city gates, Hwan dismounted and turned to face his followers. They hastily dismounted and bowed, their eyes searching his face for any sign of displeasure.
"Yeong of House Seolyo, raise your head," Hwan commanded.
Seolyo Yeong met his gaze. Hwan stepped towards him, and the crowd parted. A sudden burst of flames erupted from Hwan's fingertips, engulfing Seolyo Yeong.