Jiyeon focus

"Young mistress Park, consort Kang is sickish today. She asks for your forgiveness for postponing the visit to the market," the maid who was called Miso told Jiyeon when she stepped out of her guest quarter to find the madam.

"Is it very bad?" Jiyeon asked concerned. Yesterday, the consort had seemed fine.

"It is nothing severe, just a pain in the legs from walking too much," Miso explained politely.

Jiyeon calmed down. "I am glad to hear that it is not too bad. Am I still allowed to accompany noble consort Kang for breakfast?"

Miso smiled warmly. "I am sure the madam would like that." And she turned to guide Jiyeon to the older woman's residence.

"My dear," she was welcomed with a bright smile when she entered the chambers of the consort. Next to the woman's chair stood a man in black outer robes of the higher palace personnel and felt her pulse.

"Madam," Jiyeon greeted her host with a curtsy and looked at the man curious.

"Sit down, sit down," the consort asked of her and gestured at the chair on the other side of the table. "This is royal physician Jung Hoseok," she introduced the unknown figure.

The man smiled warmly at Jiyeon and bowed without letting go of the consort's wrist. Jiyeon nodded her head in return.

"And this is young mistress Park Jiyeon," the woman introduced her to the physician. "She is staying at the palace for some time to see the capital."

"To see the capital?" medic Jung asked with raised eyebrows. "Where's young mistress from, if I may ask?"

"My home is in Busan," she answered, smiling back at the sympathetic man. "But my father despises the capital, so I did not have the chance to visit often."

Jung's eyebrows furrowed. "Despise? Isn't that too harsh of a judgement?"

Jiyeon only shrugged. "He would never tell us much, but I suppose it has to do with my uncle. The two began to fall out when uncle started to work for the ministry," she explained without a care.

The physician's eyes widened like he understood something. "Young mistress is the daughter of general Park," he realized, and Jiyeon just nodded. She was used to people knowing the dispute between the senior brothers of the Park family. Sometimes she wondered if it would have ended differently had her mother and her aunt still been alive.

Silence settled over the room after that statement because both of them did not know what to say, so after a moment, the consort began to speak again. "We wanted to visit the market today," she told physician Jung.

"I'm very sorry to ruin the fun," the medic said towards Jiyeon and let go of the woman's wrist. "I told noble consort Kang that moving is important, but her highness strained herself too much. The only walk that should be taken today is one to the bathhouse to rest."

The consort looked apologetic, so Jiyeon felt like saying something nice, since it seemed to be her fault that the consort had walked too much. "I am not in a hurry," she soothed the older woman. "We can visit the market tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow. There are lots of other things I can do within the palace, and I am sure that Taehyung is happy to have someone to be with him."

She could practice with the guards again or visit the astronomy tower for books or fish for koi in the banquet hall's pond like the third prince had promised her to do together.

"You are such a lively child," the consort said happily. "Sometimes I wish my daughter would be a little more like you, but she has always been a serious girl." She sighed, eyes swimming with memories.

Jiyeon did not correct her on that. Dahee had not been serious, she had been arrogant and spoiled and had shown it by looking down on people her own age with her refined palace manners. Jiyeon had no longing to see that woman again in her life, so before the consort could think of setting them up for a day, she turned toward the physician again.

"What is troubling noble consort Kang?" she wanted to know. Her interest was honest because her brothers and father would often come home with wounds that needed treatment, so she was interested in whatever medical knowledge she could gain.

"Her joints are growing weak," the man explained calmly while brewing a tea with some herbs. "It's more common for people who do hard work but can also be a sickness that is given since birth."

"How is it treated?" she inquired further. If this happened to people who worked hard, her father might get the same trouble one day.

"Most important is to keep moving in order to support the bone with enough muscle," he said while stirring the tea.

"That is why I like to visit the tea pavilion," consort Kang explained with a smile. Jiyeon remembered it was on a small hill at the northern end of the palace gardens and a long path wound around the height before one could sit in the pavilion.

The physician nodded. "Another help is warmth. Hence, I tell noble consort to take baths frequently."

Jiyeon hummed understandingly. "What is the tea for?" she asked then.

Physician Jung seemed to be amused at her questioning but said nothing. "When the joints have been strained too much, they can get warm which indicates an inflammation inside. This tea calms down those inflammations," he told her and finally poured some of the brew into a cup to hand it over to the consort. And before Jiyeon could ask about the ingredients, he continued, "Is young mistress Park a medical disciple?"

Startled, she looked at him. "No," was the plain answer that slipped over her lips before she could think about being politer.

"Then why is mistress Park so interested in my work?" he wanted to know, warmth still in his eyes.

"To help my family," she confessed. "Father would never allow me to follow them to the border, so if I was a physician, maybe he would reconsider." Hopefulness was embarrassingly obvious in her voice and she lowered her eyes to the floor. She was almost thirty but still clung to the childish wish of being with her family like back in their childhood days. "It is silly, I know," she whispered.

"Why would you say that?" physician Jung and the noble consort asked at the same time, making Jiyeon look up startled. The two looked at her with wide soft eyes.

The consort was first to speak. "How could you think that the wish to be with your loved ones is silly?" she asked. "I would not be surprised if your father and brothers felt the same."

Those were simple words, but Jiyeon felt immeasurable gratefulness for them. Aunt Solmi had told her that it was the best that she stayed back in Busan and took care of the mansion, never that she understood or supported Jiyeon's wish to join the forces with her brothers.

"I agree with noble consort Kang," physician Jung said with a nod. "Family is what matters most. If mistress Park wants to learn more, I can teach her the basics of treating battle wounds," he offered, and Jiyeon's heart lurched with happiness.

"That is too much to ask of the royal physician," she denied politely, even though her hole heart wanted to scream yes and kowtow to the man. "I cannot accept that offer."

Consort Kang shook her head and frowned. "Of course, you can. Physician Jung is not busy all day with the royal family. If he offers it, it should be possible. Am I right, master Jung?" She looked up at the man who still stood next to her chair.

"Of course," he confirmed. "It's not much trouble. The ingredients of ointments can be taught with books and the kitchens can provide us with pig skin to practice sewing."

"Master Jung! Please discuss such gruesome things outside of my quarters," consort Kang asked of them. "Go, my children. I will find concubine Oh for my treatment and you can discuss this in private." She stood up with the help of one of her maids and gestured for the two young people to leave with her.

Outside the hallways, they parted ways. Consort Kang headed northwards to the bathhouse, while the two young people went for the east gate.

"Does master Jung really consider teaching me?" Jiyeon asked the men disbelievingly once they were out of earshot of the procession behind the consort.

The warm brown eyes looked down at her. "I know the value of family," he replied, melancholy swinging in his voice.

"May I ask what master Jung's story is?" Jiyeon probed cautiously and received a heavy smile.

"I was born and grew up in Gwangju," he told her.

"Gwangju? Is that not in Baekje?" she wanted to know confused. How could the royal physician be from their enemy's lands?

"Yes, it is. But I came to Daegu to learn from the best physician in the three kingdoms, master To. Silla and Baekje were at peace when I came to study. And as every story goes, I met a girl here." A sigh and a smile interrupted his words for a moment, and he looked at her again. "She was the daughter of the apothecary where we disciples went to for buying ingredients. Her smile could light the night and make the sun jealous."

Jiyoen smiled softly at the dreamy face of the physician. He truly was in love.

"Did you marry her?" she asked curious.

The medic chuckled. "Indeed. At first, I came for the ingredients, later I came for her. For months I visited every day for this and that until eventually I had gathered enough courage to ask her father for a marriage." He smiled brightly at Jiyeon.

"So, you stayed for her?" she asked, delighted by the romantic story of the man.

"Not intentionally," he answered. "We wanted to move back to Gwangju once I would finish my studying. But then I was suggested to the royal family by my master, and who could possibly deny an offer like that?" He looked at her like he expected that she understood. And Jiyeon did. Working for the palace meant leading an easy life with no concerns for money or employment. If nothing went wrong, Jung would have this job until the end of his life.

"What about your family in Gwangju? Did they move here?" she wanted to know, not quite happy with how the situation seemed to be.

The physician shook his head, sadness resting in his eyes. "My sister's husband took them in," he said deflated.

"I see. Do you miss them?" she asked softly.

A moment of silence passed in which the man looked like he needed to sort himself out before he could speak. "Of course, I miss them," he said then, voice rough and smiling sadly at her. "But whom I miss most is my wife." Now raw pain was flowing from those warm brown eyes and Jiyeon clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"She-" She could not end the thought.

"She died two years ago," the physician confirmed her suspicion. "I could not save her. White death," he choked out, eyes unfocussed and lips twitching. "Such a useless medic..."

"Do not talk anymore, master Jung. I did not intent to make you relive the pain with my questions," she begged of him, stretching out a hand to touch his arm, but pulling it back when she remembered that the palace valued etiquette over anything.

A sad smile was his answer. "It's not mistress Park's fault. I wanted to tell you, so I did," the man said quietly and took a deep breath. "I still have my daughter. She's the light of my life now," he told her, a little brighter than before.

"Is she learning how to become a physician, too?" Jiyeon started asking again to change the topic to the daughter who obviously could change the mood to a brighter tune.

Physician Jung huffed amused. "She's only four. It's a little too early to teach her, yet."

Jiyeon furrowed her eyebrows. "Why? My brothers and I started practicing the sword when we were four," she said.

The eyebrows of the medic raised astounded. "Young mistress can handle a sword?"

"Yeah," Jiyeon blurted and nodded. "I practiced with the third prince yesterday."

Now, although his eyes still held remains of the heaviness of his sad fate, physician Jung was laughing. And what a laugh that was! Jiyeon had never seen someone in the palace laugh this freely and without concern for appearances.

"How unexpected," he said after his booming laugh had subsided and looked at her. "Or not if I consider who mistress Park's father is. I must say, I'm impressed. Young mistress must be as strong and as virtuous as our late queen Jang."

Embarrassed Jiyeon looked down. "How can master Jung say that? I cannot be compared to the queen." The praise was too big for her mediocre skill, but it still made her heart feel light.

"Now I can understand why mistress Park is yearning to join her family. But may I ask if there is really nothing holding you in Busan?" the physician asked cautiously.

"Is master Jung talking about a husband?" she asked back. "I am unmarried."

The medic chuckled again. "That was not exactly what I was asking, but I understand that this makes it even easier," he said. "What I meant was things you can't have once you're at the border. Busan has the ocean and the markets at the haven and things that I don't know but I'm sure you can name."

Jiyeon thought about that for a moment. It was true that she loved the sea and the beach. The fish market was also nice. But seeing her family more often was her biggest wish. She could come to see the ocean whenever they all came back to the mansion.

"I love Busan, but I love my brothers more," she said eventually, and physician Jung nodded with a smile. "How does master Jung know about the markets? Have you been to Busan?"

"Sadly, I never had the chance," the man answered with a dreamy look in his eyes. "Master To told us about the herbal market in Busan and I always wanted to visit." He sighed.

"Then I shall invite master Jung to Busan once I am going back," Jiyeon suggested and the man turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. "Consider it repayment for teaching me."

"That is very lovely of mistress Park, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline for the sake of the royal family," he replied, and Jiyeon frowned slightly.

"Still," she persisted. "Master Jung can consider himself a welcome guest at Park mansion."

The man looked very happy at her words and nodded in agreement. "Then I shall ask his majesty for a permission to value mistress Park's invitation." He bowed in thanks.

"Fine," Jiyeon said with a childish grin. "When will my first lesson be?" she then asked eagerly. Now that she had a repayment for physician Jung's kindness, she felt less reluctant to accept his offer.

The medic laughed at her demeanor. "Let's see if we can find a pig skin in the kitchen to teach young mistress the needlework," he replied, shocking his disciple with his immediate comply.

"Now?" Jiyeon asked confused, hurrying to catch up with the man who had continued walking while she had been stunned in place.

"Is now not good?" the medic asked oblivious.

"No, now is fine," she replied instantly and followed him into the direction of the kitchens.

><

Dahee focus

"You can start moving again. But don't overdo it," physician Jung told the little brute after checking the wound on his back and neck.

"When will you pull out the threads?" the assassin asked the medic while putting his undergarments back on.

"Another two days," the man answered and stood up to pack his bag and leave. "Princess." He bowed to her and stepped outside the room, letting himself out.

Sometimes Dahee had the feeling that the physician wanted to avoid them and leave as fast as possible. But she could not care less as long as the man was doing his job.

"He was late today," Jungkook noted with a look at the open door.

"Why does that concern you?" Dahee asked.

"He always comes at the same time. How can I not be concerned when he suddenly comes late?" the little brute said with furrowed brows. "What stopped him from coming? Who made him late? Are you not wondering?" He looked at her with serious eyes while putting on his outer robes.

"Not at all," she replied, although the uncommon seriousness of the assassin made her feel nervous. But physician Jung could have had any reason to be late. Maybe her mother was feeling unwell and needed more care for a day. She would not allow herself to become suspicious of such a minor change.

"Since you are allowed to move again, you can begin to execute my new task for you," she said and sat down at the table to pour herself tea. The little brute joined her.

His mischievous smile was back on his face and Dahee knew she was about to be teased again. "You've just nursed me back to health and here you want me to run into danger again. Are you that desperate to take care of me, little princess?" he asked with his head tilted before he drowned his cup of tea in one go.

"Stop dreaming," she sneered. "I was forced to do so. Do not imagine things." The fact that she was becoming annoyed rather than angry showed how used she had become to this. It scared her when she thought about it.

"Fine, fine," the little brute stopped and became serious. "What does little princess need me to do?"

Dahee pulled a small bottle from the pouch at her waist and placed in on the table. "This is a slow poison. I want you to feed it to the first prince," she said coldly. "Two drops every day and we should see the first results in about a week."

The little brute took the bottle, opened it and put a drop in his new cup of tea.

"What are-"

He smelled it and then knocked it back like the last.

Dahee stared at the assassin in shock. Had this man just willingly drunk poison? "Stop it! Are you mad?!" she finally cried out and took the bottle back.

Jungkook looked unfazed. "It's tasteless, but you can smell it," he said calmly. "Are you sure about this?" He licked his lips as if to clean off the remains of the poison.

Dahee could still not believe it. "This will destroy your body. Why did you drink it?"

The grin was back. "Little princess. If it takes a week with two drops a day to show effect, a drop won't kill me," he said bored.

She shook her head in disbelief. How could someone be that reckless with their own body?

"Fine," she breathed out. "The smell does not matter. The rooms of concubine Oh and her son constantly smell like herbs, so it will blend in with the other fragrances." Buying any other poison could have raised suspicion, so she had decided to take this one even if it could be detected by a keen nose.

"Do you still have the guard robes?" the little brute asked next.

Dahee gestured at the closet and watched the man standing up and taking out the red clothes.

"It's dirty," he noted reserved and with an accusing look at her.

She snorted. "Then go and clean it. What am I paying you for?"

"You didn't pay me, yet," the assassin started the old conflict once again.

Dahee rose as well in order not to look up at him from the floor anymore. "Do you deserve to be paid?" she snapped.

To her surprise the little brute lowered his head with a sigh and put the clothes back into the closet. The bent of his broad back made him look defeated, and Dahee could not stop herself from feeling apologetic. It was true that he had lived under her roof for free, but she also knew that his failure was partly her fault for sending him off to an impossible mission.

"I will give you this now." She gave in to the tiny soft spot she had for the little brute and pulled a piece of silver from her pouch. "The rest you will receive once you have finished this task."

Jungkook's eyes were round with surprise and disbelief before the playful glint covered it up and he smiled crookedly. "Is the heart of little princess growing soft for me?" he asked, but his voice was wavering, making it sound less like a tease and more like an actual question.

Dahee's face turned cold. "Ridiculous," she snarled. "Who could love a man like you?"

At that Jungkook was laughing dryly, but when she saw the barely concealed hurt in the little brute's eyes, her heart clenched uncomfortably. Why was he suddenly this vulnerable? Where was the sharp-tongued, aloof assassin she had gotten used to? And why did she feel sorry? It was not like she would suddenly fall in love with such a man. Unthinkable!

Angrily, she turned around and walked towards the door. But at the doorstep her feet would not let her walk further. "I want y- do not get killed," she pressed out and finally left the guestroom.

>><<

Please remember that women did not have the same access to education like men. Hoseok offering Jiyeon to teach her is a one in a million chance for her since she cannot simply find a physician to become his disciple. Her being well-versed with the sword is a display of the Park family's open-mindedness towards gender roles, whereas her aunt poses a much more realistic picture of expectations towards women.

Her preferring novels over poesy is also a result of that education system. Noble families could teach their women how to read and write, but it still was not common. Thus, she can be considered to have the basic education regarding reading and writing and therefore prefers easy-to-understand novels.

Btw, the consort has arthritis.