Present Day

The gravels crunched as the SUV came to a stop. The driver's side of the door opened and a tall man wearing a black cashmere coat over his expensive suit got out. He stood for a while taking in the fresh air of the surrounding green fields, then pushed his shades on his nose, shielding his eyes from the sun and closed the door of the car.

Dark short hair slicked back, the man turned to look at the old building atop great many steps, the structure dilapidated but still beautiful, age adding to its elegance. The surrounding gardens were filled with trees and beautiful white flowers between roses.

The man looked around it, observing everything.

"Sir! Welcome! Good morning!" the man turned on hearing the voice, observing the crowd of men and woman coming towards him. Three cars were parked behind the group, the men and women wearing official clothes even in such surrounding.

But then again, he thought ruefully, so was he.

"Sir," the leader of the group reached him, "It is such an honour to be able to meet you! It would be our pleasure to take care of your needs for this-"

"I specifically asked for the Lady Areum to be present." The man cut across the flattering speech, coldly looking at the group, "I am not known for being tolerant."

The leader of the group visibly paled when he heard his rich baritone, stammering a little, "The Lady Areum is w-waiting inside the Temple." He gulped, then continued after regaining his composure, "But Sir, the Lady is very uncooperative to what you desire. She has never cooperated before either, nor has her family."

The man gave the leader a disdainful look and then spoke while walking forward, "She is all I need. Everyone else is dismissed. Get Lost." he simply went towards the temple, climbing the steps gracefully.

The group of men glumly looked at the broad shoulders slowly becoming smaller as he went further away, "There goes my chance to make an impression on him." the leader said.

"At least he looked at you." A female hmphed, "He never gave me a glance."

The leader snorted, "What of it? I doubt my face registered in his memory to even last 2 seconds." Dispirited, the group reluctantly went back to their cars, not wanting to linger around after clearly being told to be away, not wanting to anger the man.

When the man reached the platform of the Temple, before he could enter, an old lady stood before him. Her back bent with old age, her face wreathed in wrinkles, the Lady smiled at him with sharp eyes, livelier than the man himself.

"Young Master." She greeted him, "You requested my presence?"

The man bowed before the old woman, showing his respect, then carefully spoke, "This is predominantly known as a Temple founded for the blessing of love? I am aware that the old folk lore proclaims that the wish to be reunited with a person you love will be blessed upon if a person with true love in his or her heart comes to sincerely pray here."

The old woman smiled, "That's how the saying goes. Does the Young Master yearn for someone?"

The man chose to ignore the statement and continued, "The God for this temple is unknown, are they not?"

The old woman merely gazed at him.

The man smiled a little, "If I speculate, should I put forth my theory that this temple is not dedicated to any God at all, but the resting place for the peace of two spirits?"

Hearing his words, the smile from the old woman's face vanished completely, her demeanour changing to become more alert. More vigilant.

The man took notice of the change and turned to face the old temple, the building different from a praying place, resembling more like an ancient, beautiful . . . . . . home.

"I am also aware that behind the folk lore of this temple, is a story of a past which has been buried by history. A story that," he turned to look at the old woman, "your family guards for generation."

Lady Areum spoke through stiff lips, "If you know that, then you should know that the story is no secret. Its been well recorded in history."

"The version that the King of those times wanted the world to know? True. I have the knowledge of the doctored version." The man nodded as his hands reached the inner pocket of his coat. From it, he brought out a folded piece of thick cloth.

He unwrapped the cloth while the Old Woman looked on, revealing an exquisite piece of antique hair accessory which made the Lady Areum's eyes go round with surprise, her stunned self, recognising the object in front of her, held by the man, shocked at seeing it for the first time in her life except for the portrait passed down by her family.

The man presented her with the Binyeo in his hand, then said, "But I came here to know the truth. Something, only your family has been tasked to guard. Will you reveal it to me?"

The woman took the Binyeo in her hand, studied the exquisite work before turning around to walk towards the temple.

"Come with me."

Suhan smiled as he walked with the Old Woman, who spoke as she walked.

"This is the resting place of the ashes of the General and his love."

Suhan knew that.

"How much of the circulated history is true?"

"None of it." Lady Areum entered the outer gate of the Temple. Before them, a magnificent inner building with a splendid grandiosity stood tall, despite its age. Surrounding it was cherry blossom trees, shading and guarding it from all sides.

To his surprise, the old woman walked away from it, going towards one of the small humble building at the end, away from the main temple. Walking on the rough weathered pavement, the old woman spoke,

"Theirs was a love that time and history eroded away, a love envied by the heavens which punished them with a painful separation then took away the beauty of their vulnerability to besmirch it with false ugliness."

"The General did not rape and abduct her?" Suhan asked as they crossed the threshold of the small building, that being his only concern. As to their identities, for now, he would keep his suspicions on hold.

Lady Areum walked through the empty room, going to the end to a door. She reached for a bunch of keys from her pocket, selecting one and inserting it, "The General was a feared person, with good reason. He was savage and violent as was he stoic and calm. His darkness made anyone question his soul, but he loved his maiden dearly. He could corrode himself away for her smile. And that was the truth history hid. Did he rape her?"

Lady Areum opened the door, a stuffy stale air wafting out, reaching inside, she switched on the lights to reveal a winding staircase.

"That is a question only the maiden could answer. We, can only speculate. But marks and bruises fail to capture the emotions of a person, only the other can understand them." She looked at Suhan, "His love for her was wild, some would say it bordered on insanity but she embraced his darkness with a gentleness which was accepting without any conditions attached. To her, he was the one she would give her life to protect."

Going forward inside the room, she spoke in a whisper.

"And that is what she did."

Going towards the staircase, she flicked on the lights of the staircase which spiralled down several levels underground.

"While it was mostly the General's obsession which was noticed, it was the maiden's quiet love for him which was mourned by everyone else who knew them. She made him remain a human, she loved him even when he couldn't control himself. And she loved him, even in her death.

Her concern was always his soul, her love, his protection."

Suhan waited a while, the description of the maiden hitting close to home.

"Below this" Lady Areum gestured towards the underground level, "are the things we preserved that belonged to them. Physical evidence that we guarded, which authenticates the tale of their tragic love. I'll take you there."

"Before that." Suhan could not hold back anymore, "What were their names? History has the General only known as Jung while the maiden's name is never mentioned."

The old woman frowned, "Their names matter to you so much? I shall tell you then, but let me start from the first-"

"No." Suhan resolutely said, "Please."

"Very well. The name of the General was Hoseok."

Even though Suhan had been prepared for this very reality, he still felt slammed hard against a wall on hearing it.

"As for the maiden, she was called Anya."

That name, made his world spin madly. He staggered a little, worrying Lady Areum.

Coincidence. It can all be a coincidence. Get a fucking grip on yourself!

Suhan chanted to himself in his head, breathing deeply, his mind again in chaos as it had been at the auction in the Gala when he heard Hobi speak so differently for a binyeo related to a history he should never have known.

"Does the room you are taking me has any portrait of the maiden?" Suhan asked through his teeth.

The Old Lady shook her head, "The possessiveness of the General knew no bounds. It was kept in check not crossing to the boundary of toxicity because of the smiling understanding of the Maiden. As such, leaving the maiden alone with a painter was never allowed by the General. But, the beauty of the maiden was passed down in our tales, one thing stood out from all the description of her physical attributes."

Suhan silently prompted her to speak, praying in his heart, like the name, the likeness not to coincide with the one attribute which stood out for his sister.

"Her eyes." Lady Areum spoke, shattering Suhan's hopes, "In the times of the past when we all had brown or black eyes, she possessed a gaze which was the shade of the sky on a clear day."

Azure blue.

Azure blue.

That realization brought Suhan to his knees, his mind in complete denial, his logic warring with the blooming feeling of an encroaching disbelief.

Knowing this was not the time to let go of himself, he tried his best to collect all his emotions and keep it locked away until after he went back to his hotel and was alone. Right now, he needed to know more. He needed to know it all.

"Tragic love." He whispered still bent down with his hands on his knees, "The maiden's death was not recorded. It was said the house was searched but there was no trace of her."

Suhan straightened with some difficulty, "Are you saying she too died that night?"

"No. Not that night."

Somehow, Suhan really did not want to listen. What he wanted to do, was to destroy this place and go back to his home where his sister was laughing, or angry. Where she was alive and happy.

"She died for him. She died painfully, Young Master."

Against his will, Suhan felt the question being torn from his soul, "How did she die."

"She burnt to her death. Alive."

Suhan felt himself go blank. Completely and utterly blank.

"I will start from the beginning, shall I? Unlike the story history told, their tale started from a day the Maiden left her home to collect herbs in a forest. . . . . . . . . ."

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Suhan came!! This was the reason he wanted Nisa, and her Uncle's property.

Poor him. . . . . How do you think he will react?

If you are enjoying the story, please do comment and Vote . . . .