Episode 11
Wipe her sweat.
My Lady, you're almost there.
Just a little more, My Lady.
My Lady, you're almost there.
A little more...
My Lady, one more time.
This is it.
One more time, My Lady.
This is the last time. You're almost there.
They're twins.
Fraternal twins at that.
One more time.
You're almost there. Push.
General, let me convey the oracle.
Please brace yourself.
They will marry each other incestuously
leading to the genocide of an entire race.
One nation will be destroyed.
Why such an oracle?
Why, at time like this?
It is divine will.
Divine will?
For whom are the gods willing?
Last time! One more time!
Bring some water!
It must be agonizing,
but you must pick one or the other.
If one of them is sacrificed,
many lives will be saved in return.
No, I won't allow it!
Say something, please!
It has to be decided between the two of you.
The nation is at risk.
In such perilous times,
our nation needs a son more than a daughter.
Wait.
Master, please wait!
You can't do this!
You can't!
Please.
Is there no other way?
I merely relay oracles.
We won't allow them to ever meet.
How can they marry if they never know about or see each other?
I will send one of them far away.
You must never allow them to meet in exchange.
I will do as you say.
Go far away.
Cross the sea and leave this land.
And don't ever come back.
As you wish.
18 Years Later
Where are you headed?
We're here to see General Jin Asawon.
The commander general?
What did you want with him?
Go relay to him that General Mok Tae-su's son is here to see him.
- Does he know you're coming? - Go and convey what l've told you.
- Where do you hail from? - You're being rude!
Let us check your pouches.
Halt!
I've heard that General Mok was my father's close friend.
You know my father?
Yes, my father mentioned him from time to time.
- By father you mean... - General Jin Asawon.
Oh, is that right?
This is a soldier training facility.
We just traversed the civilian residential zone.
Please wait here while I inform Father of your arrival.
One moment.
Please show this to him.
I inherited it from my father.
Are you telling me Yu-hwa defeated a dozen men?
- Yes. - What were you doing So-ho?
I was standing by with arms akimbo.
I'm well aware of my sister's combat ability.
Is that right? She's that able?
They came to live with us.
What excellent news.
The population is exploding
and many of them are volunteering for the army.
We need someone to train them.
With General Mok Tae-su's son, I can rest assured.
Can you take the post of training instructor?
I will try my best if you grant me the opportunity to serve you.
You may have heard already,
but we are no different from an autonomous city-state.
Those who have lost their country are converging here.
Since our prowess has grown formidably,
our counterparts will not take us lightly.
I've heard rumors that the prince is alive. ls it hearsay?
Has he taken refuge in Mount Taego?
We have not yet obtained conclusive information.
If they locate him, I am certain he will be summoned here.
I don't know if you remember,
but I recall from my childhood
that a marriage was arranged between our two families.
Marriage?
When you had children you and
my father promised to marry them to each other.
Is that not so?
Then you do remember?
Of course I do!
You will work from home until you settle in.
Father gave me special orders to help you settle in.
If you have any concerns, please let me know.
I understand. Thank you.
- Why did you have to say that? - What do you mean?
You caught me off-guard.
You mean the marriage?
I just mentioned it in passing.
I knew my memory was correct.
If a marriage truly takes place,
then all the better.
What is so good about it?
He'll be easier to approach.
How can you mention marriage to our nemesis?
Don't be concerned.
I didn't mean it. Let's go in.
It's freezing!
That's enough.
Here.
Don't look.
My clothes.
I heard that General Mok's children arrived.
Yes.
And they are a pair of brother and sister?
Yes.
And Father appointed the brother as training instructor.
That fast?
On the day they arrived his sister was remarkable in combat.
If he could teach his sister to reach that level,
he's more than adequate.
Of course,
Father's decision was an exception to usual procedure.
Father and General Mok were close in their youth,
but he was slain in battle.
I believe that is why he feels indebted.
- Those two individuals... - I'm sorry?
Never mind. Let's drink.
We've recently obtained word
of factions plotting to assassinate Father.
There must be.
He is their primary obstacle.
Without General Jin, we will be easily disbanded.
All we need to do now is to summon the prince here.
The morale is high among soldiers.
We need to reclaim our country.
Do not be hasty.
Is it still not time?
It is neither the most opportune
nor the most inauspicious moment.
When will the time come then?
I hope no more children are
abandoned in the wake of warfare like me.
However, young generals are reluctant to summon the prince.
They are entertaining dangerous thoughts.
Are they backng General Jin as their leader?
He is the subject of wide admiration.
It is much too early to harbor those thoughts.
I understand.
I thought you might need it.
Don't feel obligated.
Must I wear it?
Were you planning to go dressed like that?
Your should dress deferentially.
She is the female elder of the village.
Every woman who arrives in the village must pay her respects.
Shall I help you change?
I can do it.
Should I leave you alone?
Oh, my! You're beautiful!
- Are you leaving now? - Yes.
She came to pay respects to your mother.
Isn't she pretty?
Wow...
See how exquisite you are in women's clothing?
No kidding.
- Sir, be on your way now. - Yes.
- How are you feeling? - Well.
Do you remember General Mok?
She is his daughter.
- Your name was... - My name is Yu-hwa.
She is called Yu-hwa, My Lady.
Can you come closer?
Where have you been all this time?
How rough it must have been.
Please contain yourself, My Lady.
Let go.
Never! Over my dead body!
Please get a hold of yourself!
You can't behave this way to just anyone off the streets!
- It isn't her? - No, it isn't.
- Then I shouldn't act like that? - No, you shouldn't.
- Why? I'm taking my daughter back. - Please get some rest.
Miss.
I heard Mother alarmed you.
Yes.
She is not always like that.
Please try and understand.
If she grows acclimated to your face, she won't do that anymore.
She's like that in front of strangers.
Especially, young maidens like you.
What happened?
She underwent excruciating labor when she had me.
And since then...
I am the culprit.
Mother almost never leaves home.
If you don't mind,
can you come over once in a while and befriend her?
General, the commander has summoned you.
- To where? - The meeting room.
All right.
- I'll get going. - Yes, please do.
Goodbye.
We can summon him right away
since he appears to be in good health.
He says his wife is with him.
The gods are on our side.
Even if we leave now,
we won't arrive until winter.
We'd better hurry.
All we need to do is to form
the team that will escort him here.
Shouldn't ten soldiers suffice?
I think ten is too many.
It will be cumbersome.
There's bound to be casualties.
That is an appropriate number.
The larger the party,
the higher the chance of detection.
The enemy will find us out.
How about groups of three leaving in one-day intervals?
That sounds like sound strategy.
What was the meeting about?
They've located the prince.
Was he taking refuge in Mount Taego?
- Yes. - I knew it! That's what I told them.
Why did you leak something like that?
I told you not to act suspicious in any way.
That was the consensus.
The prince sent a letter.
It is probably in General Jin's quarters.
Your task is to obtain that letter, copy it,
and return it before dawn.
Yu-hwa is lighter on her foot than you. Let her do it.
I thought we are only involved
in the assassination of General Jin?
This is the means to that end.
- We never agreed to steal. - What are you intimating?
- What do you mean? - Are you asking to negotiate?
All right. I will include the issues
that were left pending in our previous agreement.
Good.
And when it's appropriate,
you should ask to attend the strategy meetings.
- I will aim for that. - All right.
Goodbye.
Our only task is to get rid of General Jin.
Why do we have to meddle with the letter?
It is necessary.
Trust me.
Didn't you see the meeting convene upon its delivery?
It contains essential information
with which we can predict General Jin's strategy.
We need to obtain information beforehand in order to
eliminate the warriors going to fetch the prince.
Who's there?
Who are you?
Are you all right?
Why did you falter in a moment of urgency?
It was unlike you, Yu-hwa.
My ability was inferior.
Don't you think I know what you're capable of?
I am sorry for sending you.
I should have went myself.
Get some rest.
Did you have to employ the poison needle?
Our task is to eliminate General Jin.
That was the agreement.
He is the son.
- Still. - Quiet!
You were in danger.
I resorted to the poison needle not because he was General Jin's son,
but because you were at risk.
Go to sleep now.
General! General!
We've lost them!
- Have they escaped for good? - It appears to be so.
How can scores of men let a mere assassin slip through?
What is General Su-baek's condition?
He is still unconscious but he is not seriously wounded.
Luckily, Keum Ka-in found him in the forest and is tending to him.
He should be able to wake up soon.
Commander General,
I lost them in the mountains.
Forgive me.
This appears to be the assassin's mask.
Hand it to me.
You were asleep when your eyes should have been lit as if on fire?
We have lost our country!
How do you expect to reclaim it with such a lax mentality?
You were no different from dead to begin with.
If we let our guards down, it is over for us!
- Please have some. - Have I been asleep long?
You were unconscious for several days.
- I must have imposed on you. - Such words disappoint me.
Do not be wounded.
Please cherish your body.
Then how will we reclaim our country?
Especially so in order to achieve such a grand mission.
The lives of a people who have
lost their country has been entrusted to the gods.
Please eat before it gets cold.
Thank you for looking after me.
Will you leave now?
I should. I can't lie supine forever.
No, you shouldn't.
You don't need to alert me when you leave.
Punishing one guard won't
lay rest the issue of responsibility.
We have serious fundamental problems with the rank and file.
I disagree. We need to determine
if the assassin infiltrated the village from outside.
Yes, I agree. He appeared
out of nowhere and disappeared equally fast.
And he opted for an unusual escape route.
Either he has through knowledge of the village
or he is collaborating with a spy among us.
Welcome back, General Su-baek.
Have you recovered completely?
Thanks to your well wishes.
Thank you.
It is great to see you back.
We were worried about you, too.
Who's there?
Why are you training on your own?
You can use the training grounds.
I am used to being alone.
Is it uncomfortable for you to mingle with the people here?
Do you not like it here?
I just prefer to be alone.
Let me leave you in peace then.
Please excuse me.
That's not what I meant.
I like being here.
- Have you fully recovered? - Yes, thanks to you.
You were exquisite the other day.
Why don't you wear it more often?
- I was? - Yes, you were.
Didn't I look awkward in it?
You were truly beautiful.
Women's clothing is constraining.
Was it your first time?
Truly?
I have never thought of myself as a woman.
Someone as beautiful as yourself?
I resolved to become a mighty warrior since I was a child
by dint of Father's insistence.
But I'm a man and reclaiming our
country takes precedence over everything else.
But imposing that same standard to women like yourself
is the tragedy of our times.
On the same token, I was impressed by your ability.
What was your childhood like?
We, our family, traversed countless
villages before we ultimately returned here.
I, our family, me and my brother,
were raised as warriors.
Our childhood was austere,
Spartan at times, demanding, and lonely.
Legs.
Arms.
Get your act together.
Withdraw in again.
Yu-hwa!
Are you all right?
Try and get up.