Chapter 75: The Emperor's Representative
The Emperor's representative arrived a week before the wedding: a dignified old courtier named Minister Park, who had served the imperial family for fifty years. He was polite, professional, and clearly uncomfortable with the idea of a Duke marrying a farmer.
"Lady Han," he said, during our first private meeting. "I must confess, the court is… curious about you. A woman of no noble standing, no political connections, who has somehow become the center of the Northern Duke's world."
I kept my expression pleasant. "I am a farmer, Minister. I grow things. The Duke found that useful."
"Useful." He studied me, his eyes sharp. "The Crown Prince believes you are something more than useful. He believes you are dangerous."
"I'm a farmer," I repeated. "The only danger I pose is to weeds."
Minister Park laughed—a dry, surprised sound. "You have spirit. I can see why the Duke chose you." He paused. "But the Crown Prince will not forget you, Lady Han. You have something he wants. And he is not a man who accepts refusal."
I met his gaze. "Then the Crown Prince will have to learn."
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Chapter 76: The Wedding
The wedding was held in the fortress courtyard, under the auroras.
I wore a hwarot—a traditional bridal robe, deep red and gold, embroidered with flowers and stars. It had belonged to Woo-jin's mother, preserved for decades in a chest in his chambers. When he gave it to me, his hands had trembled.
"She would have liked you," he said. "She would have been proud."
I wore it now, the silk heavy on my shoulders, the gold thread catching the light of a thousand lanterns. My hair was pinned with silver, and on my finger, the Star Flower ring glowed softly.
Woo-jin waited for me at the altar, dressed in the formal robes of the Northern Duke. He looked like a different man from the one I had first met—warmer, softer, his eyes bright with something I had never seen before.
Joy. Pure, unguarded joy.
I walked toward him, and the crowd faded, the lights faded, the whole world faded until there was only him, and me, and the space between us that was about to close.
He took my hands, and I felt his warmth, and I knew: this was where I was meant to be. Not in a palace, not in a court, but here, on a frozen planet, with a man who had taught me that even the coldest soil could bloom.
We spoke our vows. I don't remember the words—I was too lost in his eyes, in the press of his hands, in the overwhelming rightness of the moment. But I remember the kiss. The way he pulled me close, the way the crowd cheered, the way the auroras seemed to brighten, as if the stars themselves were celebrating.
He was my home. And I was his.
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Chapter 77: The Wedding Night
The celebration lasted until dawn. Soldiers and farmers and nobles danced together in the courtyard, drunk on makgeolli and happiness. I danced with everyone—with Kang, with Mistress Yeon, with the soldiers who had become my friends. But always, I returned to Woo-jin.
He was not a dancer. He stood at the edge of the crowd, watching me with an expression of such tenderness it made my heart ache. When I came to him, he pulled me into his arms and held me close.
"Are you tired?" he asked.
"Exhausted."
"Then let's go."
He led me through the fortress, past the celebrating soldiers, past the servants who bowed and smiled. We walked in silence, his hand in mine, until we reached his chambers—our chambers now.
The room was decorated with flowers from my greenhouse, their scent filling the air. Candles flickered on every surface, casting soft shadows across the walls. And in the center, the bed was made with fresh linens, the same deep blue as Woo-jin's house colors.
He closed the door behind us, and we were alone.
"Chae-won," he said, and his voice was low, rough. "I have waited for this. Waited for you."
I reached up, touching his face, feeling the warmth of his skin. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed me then—slow, deep, a promise made in flesh and breath. His hands were gentle, careful, as if I were something precious. And when he laid me down on the bed, his body warm against mine, I let myself fall into him, into us, into the life we were building together.
There was no fear. No cold. No memory of past lives or future threats. There was only him, and me, and the warmth that had grown between us, from the first seed I planted to the last star we harvested.
When I woke in the morning, his arms were still around me, his heartbeat steady against my back. The sun was rising over Bukseong, painting the ice fields gold, and for the first time in two lives, I felt completely, utterly at home.
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Chapter 78: The First Days
The days after the wedding were the happiest of my life.
We fell into a rhythm: mornings in the greenhouse, afternoons in the fortress, evenings in each other's arms. Woo-jin took an active interest in my work, learning the names of my plants, helping me transplant seedlings, even attempting to make kimchi under my supervision.
(The first batch was inedible. The second was merely terrible. By the fifth, he had achieved "acceptable," which I assured him was a great honor.)
"You're laughing at me," he said, as I watched him carefully layer cabbage with salt and seasoning.
"I'm appreciating your dedication."
"You're laughing."
I kissed his cheek. "Maybe a little."
He pretended to be offended, but I saw the smile he was trying to hide. It was becoming familiar, that smile—the way it softened his sharp features, the way it reached his eyes. I wanted to see it every day for the rest of my life.
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Chapter 79: The New Farm
With spring approaching, I began planning my new farm. Not the small plot I had started with, but something larger—a true farm, one that could feed the entire frontier.
Woo-jin gave me land near the fortress, acres of permafrost that had been dormant for centuries. I spent my days testing the soil, mapping the terrain, planning where to plant.
"This is what I was meant to do," I told Woo-jin one evening, as we walked the boundaries of my new land. "Not politics. Not court. This."
He squeezed my hand. "I know. And I will do everything in my power to protect it. To protect you."
I leaned into him, watching the sun set over the ice fields. "That's all I ask."
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Chapter 80: The Letter from the Capital
The letter arrived a month after the wedding.
It was sealed with the Crown Prince's personal seal—a dragon coiled around a star—and addressed to me. Woo-jin stood beside me as I opened it, his hand on my back, steady and warm.
"Lady Han," it read. "Or should I say, Duchess. Congratulations on your recent nuptials. I confess, I was disappointed to learn that you had chosen the frozen North over the splendor of the capital. But I am not a man who gives up easily.
I still believe you have a great deal to offer the Empire. Your gift is too rare, too valuable, to be buried in permafrost. I would very much like to discuss your future with you. In person.
I will be visiting the Northern frontier in three months' time. I look forward to renewing our acquaintance.
Yours in service to the Empire,
Crown Prince Yi Hwan"
I set the letter down, my hands cold despite Woo-jin's warmth.
"He's coming," I said.
"He's coming," Woo-jin agreed. His voice was calm, but I could feel the tension in his body. "We have three months to prepare."
"Prepare for what?"
He turned me to face him, his hands on my shoulders. "For whatever he brings. Threats. Promises. Attempts to separate us." His jaw tightened. "He will not succeed. I will not let him."
I believed him. But I also knew the Crown Prince. He was patient. He was clever. And he wanted what I could give him.
I looked at my ring, the Star Flower stone glowing softly. We had faced the Forbidden Planet together. We had faced the Crown Prince's observer. We would face this too.
Together.