It is almost spring yet no salvation has come to her. She would often sit at the top of the island's low hill imagining what would happen if she was courageous enough to break out and escape beyond the island. There were no boats, no ship and nothing of transportation in sight. She had often wondered how they brought supplies, firearms, explosives, gun powders and so many other necessities. How do the alpha man leave the island constantly and most importantly, how had they brought her in?

For a month now, she had explored every inch of the island as they had lessened security and surveillance around her which has become their greatest mistake, yet it seemed they were out of the world with no escape route. Luckily, her body had healed from her sour traumas but her heart has remained heavy and weary from the longing that came from the absence of her loved ones; she missed her family, her arrows inclusive but most heart wrenchingly, she missed the emperor.

In helplessness, she sighed. As she took a moment to look around one last time, her sights fell on a barren landscape which is ultimately part of their territory but looks desolate. There was something about it that seeped gnawing suspicions in her heart. What could it be?

She rose herself from the boulder she sat on and made a quick sweep around her to ascertain the absence of guards around her.

Taking steps towards that barren landscape, she trembled as the arctic wind hit her and caused her to look around. This place was strange and gets intriguing as she strode faster . A barren land without any inhabitation shouldn't be this soft but why does it seem the land quivered under her steps? She turned her gaze towards a lone large rock which looked ordinary and raced towards it. Just behind the rock was a clock attached to it.

Ever since her stay with this strange men, she had been unable to piece any information from them; not from their uniforms, or even their martial arts during training as everything about them was elusive and illusionary, but something they couldn't hide is their knowledge of advanced technology and knowledge. Hence, it's not surprising to see a clock attached to a rock.

As luck would have it, she's had interest in foreign knowledge and language so she had studied so many books which had describe some technological advancements and equipments. Thinking further, she remembered a book she liked described what a clock looks like but why is this particular clock upside down?

Instinct warned her to stay away but curiosity itched in her mind, She muttered a prayer under her breath as she laid her hands on the clock to rotate it up but it wouldn't budge.

"What the...?" she cursed under her breath as she tried once more but failed woefully.

Her rosy cheeks puffed out in strain with her pink lips trained into a pout. Her creased eyebrows seemed to tie her forehead in a notch which made her look tired and helpless. Wiping her slippery hands on her purple cotton dress, she placed her left foot on the rock while the right planted on the ground and tried rotating once more, instead, the propulsion her feet gave her body made her pull up the clock with pressure but not rotate it and it seemed to do the magic as she heard a sound, 'Krrrrrrhhhhaaaahhhhh'.

She was startled but relieved, in a gentle and softer pose she rotated the clock and watched the gears magically shifted into place inside the clock and the rock rotated freely on it's own.

"Wowwww!" she shrieked excitedly at the wonders and beauty of technology. It was truly magical and beautiful to behold.

Steam rose from the ground as it opened up to a winding staircase whirling down, where it ended was unknown but it won't deter her from exploring this discovery. Who knows, it might be her long awaited salvation.

...

Minister Choi walked with hurried steps towards the emperor's palace only to find his daughter walking out of it with no restraint or fear on her beautiful face.

He watched her turn back to stare at the palace one last time before striding out gracefully with the phoenix crown still on her head. It felt like a dream seeing her unharmed so he walked closer towards her. That was when she saw him.

"Father?" she called softly with weak tone.

"Your highness, why did you do that ?" he asked apprehensively as his anger had long faded away.

She unconsciously sn.a.k.e.d her hand up her neck as she darted another glance at the palace, then he saw the military personnel who had been dismissed by Daejong file into Daejong's chambers again.

"It was the only way to get what I want," she smiled a pitiful smile. "I Choi Seo-yun has decided to fight for what belongs to me!" she cried in a silent whisper and removed the crown to caress it.

"Let's go to your chambers," minister Choi advised when he saw the struggle in her face.

In her chambers, before she could make it to a seat she collapsed in a violent sob.

"Father, what am I to do? I threatened him. He forced my hands and the only thing I could do was threaten the emperor. What should I do, father? I just wanted him to love and cherish me, was it too much to ask for?"

What woman of Shu doesn't dream of becoming the empress, she, for one has always adored the romance of fairy tales, yearned for the magic, the wonder, and love that always characterised them. Then as fate would have it she came across a handsome man with majestic aura who became her idol. The moment her eyes met his, she fell in love only to discover later on he was her emperor but lost her promised throne and also his heart. What a tragedy.

"What happened?" his voice sounded strangely still with the manner of a well-trained aristocrat who seemed unperturbed by absolutely nothing as he tried finding out the true state of things.

So she narrates.

...

Krrrrhhhh.

Ackkkkkkk.

That was a choking sound as Seo-yun stood on her toes to find a bit of relief.

"Your maj.. jesty...yo...you..are...chok... choking...me" she tried ripping his hands apart but had nary a strength from losing her breath.

"Everyone leave the room this instant," he commanded his men before he faced her as they filed out

"You killed her, didn't you?you and your monster father killed her!" Daejong pushed her down on the ground when he saw she almost passed out. Strangling her was an easy death, he would give her something worst than death.

He caressed the hairpin Seo-yun brought as an evidence of knowing her whereabout and sobbed silently. The hairpin was his first love gift on their first date so he would never forget it nor fail to recognize it in a sea of jeweleries. She had loved it dearly and had replaced it immediately with her current hairpin. During many dates, she had it on her, that was how much she loved it. He had often wondered if she bathed with it as her actions suggested so but never asked.

Seo-yun, who couldn't bear the agony of accusation spoke up to avoid being choked to death by Daejong the second time. "It came with the letter tied on an arrow"

"What letter?" he turned towards her as she produced from her sleeves a neatly wrapped letter. "Here"

He crumpled it after he read it, his anger doubled by it's content . He snatched her up with the ferocity of a tiger and with a low growl asked, "Are you playing mind games with me? if it's not you and your family why would the kidnapper help you? Is it fun for you watching me in a pitiful state?"

She pushed herself from him then crumbled on the floor, "Your majesty, why do you punish me so since you know the pain of losing a loved one. Why do you reject me so ruthlessly even though you know my true feelings? Are my not worthy enough for you. My lord, I'm also a woman; your woman. Why do you detest me so?" she sobbed so pitifully Daejong should have been touched but Daejong isn't an ordinary man.

Seo-yun saw the look in his eyes, at that moment she finally convinced herself he will never love her. Wiping her tears she stood with strength she didn't even knew she had.

"Your majesty, you will have to do what the letter says at the long last for you have no other choice. I'm no longer asking for your love, I only ask for the empress seat and I shall use my powers as your empress to find your woman for you." She smiled ruefully at herself as her tears ran freely, she had just acknowledged Daejong has a woman not her.

"So make me the official empress and I shall bring her to your arms, " she concluded and stood squarely against him, their gazes interlocked with each other.

"Why do you think you can find her?" he folded his hands akimbo, a posture unbefitting a dragon.

"It is because there is a second letter," she signaled him to stop as she intuitively knew he was about to torture her again. "Kill me or leave me, without the empress seat, I shall not give up the information. Again, don't bother searching my chambers for I already burnt it!"

He dropped his hands to his sides and chuckled malevolently. "You're more evil than your father."

He slammed the door behind him, and for a split second, she considered running out after him and explaining she just wanted him to recognize her as his wife. Instead, she slid down unto the floor, dried tries mixing with fresh ones rolled off her cheeks.

This is it. At last, she finally burnt down her only connecting bridge and truly, there's no turning back at this point.