The news came before the sun was even up.
I woke to the sound of running feet and shouting outside the windows. Taehyun was already out of bed, pulling on black armor like he had done it a thousand times. His face was calm, but his eyes were storm-dark.
"North border," he said without looking at me. "The barbarian tribes broke the treaty. They burned two villages before dawn."
My stomach dropped.
In the original novel, this war happened way later... after the villainess was already dead. Now everything was moving too fast.
I sat up, holding the blanket to my chest. "How long will you be gone?"
He stopped tying his armor for a second. "Three months. Maybe four."
Four months without him. Four months with the Empress Dowager and her poisoned hairpins.
I got out of bed and started dressing fast. Simple gray hanbok today. Easy to move in.
He watched me. "You're not coming."
I froze. "What?"
"It's a war camp," he said, voice hard. "Mud, blood, no walls. I won't risk you."
I walked straight to him and started helping tie the last straps of his armor. My hands were shaking but I didn't let him see.
"I'm not asking," I said quietly. "I'm telling you. I'm coming."
He grabbed my wrists. "Seo-Hwa..."
"I know the original battle plans," I said, looking right into his eyes. "I know where the tribes will attack next because I read it. I know which general betrays you in month two. I know everything. You need me."
He stared at me for a long time. I could see him thinking.
Finally he let go of my wrists.
"Pack warm clothes. We leave in two hours."
I almost cried from relief.
The whole palace was chaos. Soldiers running, horses screaming, servants crying. Everyone knew if the emperor lost this war, heads would roll.
Taehyun gave orders like thunder. Min-Jun was coming with us, of course. Ten thousand soldiers were already marching north.
I packed one small bag. Warm boots, thick cloaks, the black books from the secret library wrapped in oil cloth. And the poisoned hairpin... still in its jade box. I wasn't stupid enough to leave that behind for someone to plant on me.
One hour before leaving, the Empress Dowager summoned Taehyun.
I waited outside Phoenix Palace with Min-Jun. My heart was in my throat.
When Taehyun came out, his face was stone.
"What did she say?" I asked.
"She told me to leave you here," he said. "For your safety."
I laughed coldly. "Right. So she can finish the job while you're gone."
He didn't laugh. He looked... tired.
"She's my mother," he said quietly.
"And she tried to kill me twice," I answered. "Choose, Taehyun."
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then he took my hand in front of everyone and pulled me toward the horses.
"I already chose," he said.
We rode out of the palace with the army. Me on a black horse right next to the emperor. People stared like they couldn't believe their eyes.
The villainess was riding to war with the dragon.
Good.
Let them talk.
The first week of travel was hell.
Cold rain every day. Mud up to the horse's knees. I learned to sleep sitting up, to eat hard bread without complaining, to ignore the soldiers who stared at me like I was a ghost.
Taehyun never left my side. At night he pulled me into his tent and held me until I stopped shaking from cold.
One night, after a really bad day of marching, I was brushing mud off my cloak when he came in.
He didn't say anything. Just pulled me down onto the sleeping mat and kissed me like he was drowning.
We didn't talk. We just needed each other.
After, he held my face in both hands.
"If anything happens to me out there," he started.
"Nothing is going to happen to you," I cut him off.
He smiled sadly. "Promise me you'll live. Even if I don't come back."
I kissed him hard. "Shut up. You're coming back. We both are."
He laughed against my lips. "Bossy."
"You love it."
"I do," he whispered. "I love you."
I fell asleep with his arms around me and the sound of rain on the tent.
I didn't know then that the real nightmare was just starting.