Chapter Four: The Moon Shadow Conspiracy
1118 Words
The moon rose full over Cheongun Palace, bathing its tiled rooftops in silver light. To the thousands gathered outside the palace walls, the night was one of mourning. Monks chanted prayers for the late king, and white lanterns floated across the palace lake like drifting spirits.
But beneath the beauty of the night, murder waited in silence.
Lady Hana pulled the hood of her dark cloak over her head as she slipped through the palace gardens. Hidden beneath the folds of her robe was the small note she had recovered from the corridor.
Tonight. Moon Shadow Pavilion.
No signature.
No explanation.
Yet she knew it could not be ignored.
The Moon Shadow Pavilion stood at the northern edge of the royal gardens, surrounded by ancient pine trees and overlooking a frozen pond. It had once been Queen Sunhee's favorite place for poetry and music. Since her death many years earlier, it had remained abandoned.
Which made it the perfect place for a secret meeting.
Hana moved carefully between the trees, keeping to the shadows.
As she reached the pavilion, she heard footsteps.
Someone was already there.
She hid behind a weathered stone lantern.
Moments later, Prime Minister Choi emerged from the darkness.
He looked around cautiously before entering the pavilion.
A second figure soon appeared.
General Kang.
The two men stood facing each other in silence.
"You are late," Choi said.
"I wanted to make sure I wasn't followed," Kang replied.
"You worry too much."
"And you trust too easily."
Choi gave a faint smile.
"I trust no one."
"Good," Kang answered. "Because the princes have begun asking questions."
"They suspect us?"
"Prince Seo does."
Prime Minister Choi sighed.
"He always was the sharper of the two."
General Kang folded his arms.
"The old man in the tunnels worries me more."
At those words, Lady Hana's eyes widened.
The old man.
The same mysterious stranger Prince Joon had encountered.
So they knew about him.
Prime Minister Choi's face darkened.
"He should have died years ago."
Deep beneath the palace...
Prince Joon sat across from the old man, the flickering fire casting long shadows across the cave.
"My father never mentioned a third prince," Joon said quietly.
"He couldn't," the old man replied.
"Why?"
"Because speaking the truth would have destroyed the kingdom."
Joon frowned.
"I don't understand."
The old man stared into the flames.
"Forty years ago, before your father became king, there was another son."
"A prince born in secret."
Joon's heart pounded.
"What happened to him?"
The old man remained silent for several moments.
Finally, he answered.
"He disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"Officially."
Joon leaned forward.
"And unofficially?"
The old man's voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"He was hunted."
Back at the Moon Shadow Pavilion...
General Kang stepped closer to Prime Minister Choi.
"If Prince Joon learns the truth..."
"Our plans end."
Choi nodded.
"Then he must never reach the old man again."
"And Prince Seo?"
"He is becoming dangerous."
General Kang rested his hand on his sword.
"Perhaps it's time one prince died."
Lady Hana covered her mouth to stop herself from gasping.
The conversation had become far darker than she expected.
They were planning murder.
Before she could retreat—
A twig snapped beneath her foot.
The sound echoed through the quiet garden.
Both men froze.
General Kang's hand flew to his sword.
"Who's there?"
Lady Hana's heart stopped.
She turned and ran.
"Someone's listening!" Choi shouted.
"Catch them!"
General Kang sprinted after her.
Hana raced through the snow-covered gardens, weaving between stone lanterns and flowering plum trees.
Behind her, the general gained ground with frightening speed.
Despite his age, he moved like a seasoned hunter.
She reached the bridge crossing the frozen pond.
An arrow whistled past her ear.
Another struck the wooden railing.
She didn't dare look back.
The bridge ended near the Hall of Ancestors.
Just as General Kang closed the distance—
A figure stepped into the moonlight.
Prince Seo.
His hand rested calmly on the hilt of his sword.
General Kang stopped.
"So," Seo said evenly. "The commander of the Royal Army hunts women through the palace gardens?"
Kang forced a smile.
"I was pursuing an intruder."
Seo glanced at the hooded Lady Hana.
"Really?"
"I'll handle this, General."
The older man hesitated.
Then, realizing he could not attack in front of the prince, he bowed stiffly.
"As you wish, Your Highness."
He walked away.
But before disappearing into the darkness, he looked back once.
His eyes met Lady Hana's.
She knew he had recognized her.
Elsewhere...
The headquarters of the Black Dragon Society lay hidden beneath an abandoned temple beyond the capital.
The masked leader stood before a large map of Goryeong.
Small wooden pieces marked military camps, noble estates, and palace entrances.
One assassin knelt before him.
"The first attempt on Prince Joon failed."
"I expected as much."
"The ministers grow impatient."
The leader smiled beneath his dragon mask.
"They're playing the game exactly as I hoped."
He picked up two black pieces from the map.
One represented Prince Joon.
The other represented Prince Seo.
He placed them facing each other.
"Brothers are easiest to destroy..."
"...when they believe the other drew first blood."
He turned toward another masked figure.
"Prepare the White Tiger."
The assassin lowered his head.
"Master... are you certain?"
"The White Tiger has never failed."
"And once he enters the palace..."
The leader's voice became cold.
"There will be no turning back."
Near midnight...
Prince Joon finally emerged from the underground tunnels.
Captain Han rushed toward him.
"Your Highness!"
"I feared you'd been killed."
"I nearly was."
Joon looked exhausted.
"Gather our most trusted men."
"Immediately."
Han nodded.
"Did you discover anything?"
Joon looked back toward the tunnel entrance.
"More questions than answers."
"What did the old man tell you?"
Joon's expression hardened.
"That our family has been living a lie."
Before he could say another word, a palace servant came running across the courtyard, panic written across his face.
"Your Highness!"
"The Royal Mausoleum!"
"What about it?"
The servant struggled to catch his breath.
"The guards..."
"They're all dead."
Joon and Han exchanged alarmed glances.
"Dead?"
The servant nodded, trembling.
"And..."
"The tomb of Queen Sunhee..."
"...has been opened."
The color drained from Joon's face.
Queen Sunhee.
His mother.
Why would anyone desecrate her tomb?
Without another word, he sprinted toward the royal mausoleum.
Far away, hidden on a hill overlooking the palace, a lone figure watched the torches racing through the darkness.
The figure wore white robes instead of black.
Across his back rested a long sword with an ivory handle.
His face was concealed behind a smooth white mask marked with the image of a tiger.
He smiled.
"The hunt begins."
- Writer
