Sungjong POV

When Daeun first dove into the pond, we all thought that she would come right back up. When she didn't, I knew that she was gone forever.

We all made our way back to the courtyard to resume the banquet. As I passed one of the open chest on the way to my seat, something caught my eye. I walked over to the chest and picked up a book "Letters to Sungjong?"

Curiosity getting the better of me, I opened the book and began to read:

Dear Sungjong,

I wanted you to know that I made it back to the past, just in case you had any doubts.

My wedding preparations are already underway and I'm already exhausted. These lessons are killing me! Tell the maids to go easy on Jiae. I'd hate to see her have to suffer through all this too.

I won't forget my promise to write to you, so I hope that you get to read these letters some day.

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"Like I had any doubts" I chuckled to myself. "If you didn't make it back, I wouldn't be here."

Dear Sungjong,

I snuck out of the palace today and went to the temple to meet the head monk. I was so shocked when I first saw him because he looks almost identical to head monk Soryong in the future. I even called him Soryong at first, but he quickly corrected me and told me his name was Daeryong.

Am I really in the past? You're not just playing a really big prank on me, are you?

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"Twin monks? That's actually kind of funny" I chuckled to myself. "Sorry Daeun, but it's not an elaborate prank. You're really in the past."

Dear Sungjong,

Tomorrow is my wedding day! I'm really excited and nervous. Sungyeol keeps coming to visit me even though they keep telling him that he shouldn't. I think he is nervous that I might disappear again.

I'm not sure if I'll turn out to be a good Queen or not because I'm not talked about too much in the history books, but I'll try my best. Wish me luck! Tell Jiae that I wish the best for the two of you as well.

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"What are you reading?" Jiae asked me.

I smiled and said "It's a book of letters that Daeun wrote to me."

"Really?" Jiae perked up. "What did she write?"

"She said that she wishes the best for us."

"I hope she is happy too" Jiae smiled. "Is it okay if I read it too?"

"Of course!" I said as I handed her the book.

Jiae POV

Dear Sungjong,

Today was my wedding day! It felt so weird standing in front of all those ministers and officials! They even had the court painters come to! I bet you'll find a wedding portrait of us in one of those chests.

Have you and Jiae gotten married yet? I bet Jiae is going to look beautiful in her wedding dress. I wish I could be there to see it.

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"Hey everyone! Check this out!" Sunggyu screamed as he unrolled one of the scrolls.

"She looks so happy" Sungjong smiled "and pretty."

I playfully hit his arm "It's too late to change your mind."

He wrapped his arms around me "I have no intentions of changing my mind. I was just think that if she looked that pretty, then you will look even prettier."

I blushed "When did you become such a smooth talker?"

After he gave me a peck on the cheek, I turned my attention back to the book in my hand.

Dear Sungjong,

I'm so sorry. I hope he didn't hit you too hard. Did your head hurt when you woke up?

I never thought that you would suddenly pop out of the bushes like that. What were you even doing in those bushes so late at night?

Well, I can't change the past.........or is that the future?

I wonder......Do you even remember your pretty dream?

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"Pretty dream?" I looked at Sungjong confused. "What is she talking about?"

Sungjong thought about it for a minute and then he screamed "Holy shit! That was real?" Then he started laughing to himself.

"What?"

He looked at me and smiled "I saw her! Eleven years ago!"

"Saw who? Daeun?"

"Yeah" he smiled. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk in the inner gardens. As I was walking, I saw Daeun's father walking towards the pond so I followed him. I watched as he met with a man and woman there. I wanted to know what was going on, so I tried to get closer without them noticing. By the time I got close enough to hear what they were talking about, they had all stood up. Her father kissed the woman on the cheek, said 'goodbye' and walked away. I didn't want to get caught eavesdropping, so I was going to sneak away, but I ended up getting caught instead."

"So you mean...." I was shocked.

"The woman was Daeun!"

"How do you know?"

"When I asked her who she was, she said 'I'm just a dream'."

"Well that explains the dream part. What does she mean by pretty though?"

Sungjong POV

I blushed "I told her that she was a very pretty dream."

"Sungjong!" she hit my arm.

"Well..... She was pretty! I couldn't lie!"

We both laughed a bit over it, but I still couldn't believe that I had actually seen her. I really thought that it was just a dream.

We continued to read through the letters and found out that they had three children together. But what surprised us most was that they named their children after her father and us.

Dear Sungjong,

Do you want to know what the inscriptions on the back of the norigae are?

I carry the one Sungyeol gave me which reads 'To my dearest Queen. Let this be proof of my devotion to you. From Lee Sungyeol.'

He carries the other one that reads 'To my loving King. A thousand years could not keep me away. From Queen Jang.'

It's strange to think that even though a thousand years have passed, those norigae are still there on display at the palace museum. Perhaps you should give your wife a token of your love and devotion too.

You never know.... Perhaps someone will look at your gift a thousand years from now and wonder what it's meaning is.

Your Friend,

Queen Jang

"A thousand years could not keep me away" I smiled as I read the words aloud.

"Do you think we will be remembered like that?" Jiae asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"Their love has lasted over a thousand years. I want our love to be remembered like that too."

I kissed her forehead and said "Of course it will."

I'm not sure if I'll be remembered as a great ruler, but I'm certain that my love will last over a thousand years. 

Just like Daeun's and Sungyeol's did.

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The End

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Until the next story,

Happy Reading (^_~)