"Here's one my grandfather taught me," Hak nods for the soldier he's been training with this afternoon to take note. "When they come at you like this," he swings his blade downward, "cut like this-" Hak instantly switches positions, then acts out how the opponent should pivot and do a surprise swipe at the legs.

Se-Jun, a Sky Tribe warrior with brown eyes and a long scar on his left arm who happens to be the recipient of this lesson, holds his gaze on Hak in amazement. Here they are in the middle of the training grounds amidst dozens of other warriors working on technique, but Se-Jun hasn't felt like just one warrior out of many for a single second. He's felt like… a brother.

With a love for the art of war gleaming in his eyes, Hak continues to explain. "Knowing exactly what to do in a moment like that is the difference between-"

"-life and death?" Se-Jun raises his brows at how severe that attack looked.

Hak clarifies. "Between dying with honor - or going home and living with your family with honor. Everything you do for Kouka matters. But if I can help it, you'll live a long, honorable life," Hak nods toward the field of men working. "All of you."

General Joo-Doh calls for Hak from across the field.

Se-Jun watches the soon-to-be-king walk away. And he can't help it anymore.

Hak is washing his face at a basin when he hears it. He straightens his back, grabs a towel to dry off, and gets right to it: "What is it, Se-Jun?"

The Sky warrior stands behind him, nearly shaking.

It's only the two of them in this quiet moment, but Hak can sense Se-Jun's anxiety. It's loud.

"Lord Hak…" his voice almost a whisper. "There's something I must tell you."

Hak turns around to face his warrior. He doesn't need words to know this exchange needs to be somewhere private.

"Then we need to go to her," Yona comforts Min-Soo about his mother. "We'll all go with you."

"No!" Min-Soo gasps for air, still catching his breath after getting here so quickly.

Yona, Min-Soo, Jae-Ha, and Kija are all back at the palace gate. They heard enough from Min-Soo to know his mother is at the home of Soo-Won's mother - Lady Yong-Hi.

"Lady Yong-Hi," Min-Soo continues desperately, "is too dangerous."

At first Yona can't even absorb those words… "What?"

But as she locks eyes with Min-Soo and sees how very serious he is, the sentiment slides into her heart like a sliver of glass. "What do you… ? That's impossible. Soo-Won's mother, my aunt… she's sick. She's been nearly on her last breath for…"

"-over a decade?" Min-Soo says sadly. "Or so the story goes."

"Min-Soo…" the sliver of glass in Yona's heart expands into a shard that cuts.

"Lady Yong-Hi is alive and very well. I saw her, I heard her," Min-Soo lowers his head. "I had no idea either… until the day I translated the message the Sky soldiers who attacked you were carrying. Where they were headed… the concern over the pregnancy and request for next steps… I had to check. It's the same code Soo-Won had me use before," Min-Soo shakes his head like he doesn't understand. "But Soo-Won is..."

Jae-Ha places a hand on Yona's back. "Are you OK?"

Min-Soo looks up and continues. "Lady Yong-Hi isn't just healthy, Princess. It looks like she's planning something… terrible."

Yona accepts the other hand Jae-Ha offers her. He gives her pale palm a gentle squeeze of support.

"Princess," Kija can't hold himself back. "There's no way you can go there."

"Sky soldiers are there?" Yona asks.

Min-Soo nods. "I had been visiting my mother to get information on what Lady Yong-Hi is planning. But when I was leaving this time, I heard mother cry out like…"

Yona doesn't need to hear any more. "Then we need to hurry."

Kija turns whiter yet. Jae-Ha's grasp on Yona tightens.

"They're right. Like I said, it's too dangerous, Princess," Min-Soo confesses. "I didn't come here for help. I came to warn you now that there's nothing more I can do."

"I won't give up on your mother. And if my aunt really is the root of all the fear in the palace, we need to catch her now in the act - before whatever she's planning happens or she has a chance to hide it. I ran away from the palace once. I won't do it again."

Jae-Ha can't help but smile with a little pride in her, if even sadly. "Then… if you want to see, allow me to be your wings."

Yona looks up at him, his offer healing a corner of her broken heart. "You're not stopping me? You... trust me?"

Jae-Ha kneels before her. "More than anyone else in this world."

Yona has never felt his support so fully before. And suddenly with that, despite the pain of her most recent revelation, she feels safe. And remembers her strength. She looks up to her comrades.

"Kija… please find Hak in case Zeno hasn't yet and tell him to catch up with the rest of us. Let's go put an end to this," then she turns to Min-Soo. "I've never been to Soo-Won's family home before. Can you show us the way?"

Zeno moves thoughtfully through the palace. Though his assignment was to find Hak, he's not heading toward the training grounds. It's to somewhere long-awaited.

When Kija arrives at the training yard, he looks out over the sparring fighters. Hak's towering figure isn't there. Though General Joo-Doh's is.

Once Kija gets the general's attention, Joo-Doh starts asking his guys, "Who was Hak working with… was it Se-Jun? Then, where are they now?"

The men look around like that's actually a very good question.

"This is unlike him," Joo-Doh admits.

Kija is feeling an overload of anxiety when he notices a number of the Sky warriors falling back toward the stables.

"A large faction of the Sky Tribe never stopped being loyal to Lord Yu-Hon," Se-Jun looks ashamed as he reveals it to Hak.

Hak stands across from the soldier in an empty clearing well outside the palace walls.

"Interesting pick for king. He's dead."

"But Soo-Won isn't."

Suddenly Hak has lost his humor. Three words. What he was waiting to hear. Dreading to hear. A near confirmation Soo-Won has been behind everything.

Hak knows Soo-Won is alive. But no one else is supposed to. "I need you to tell me exactly what you know."

Se-Jun nods. "Lady Yong-Hi always believed the throne was her family's. For a long time she's had powerful allies to get others to believe she had a chance at bringing Yu-Hon's strength back to Kouka by making Soo-Won king."

Hak's eyes darken from their beautiful blue to something black and distant. Yu-Hon's "strength" is something he'd never like to see again if it's innocents' heads being tossed over walls. And powerful allies? He spits out the disgusting word, "Keishuk."

Se-Jun nods at the truth. He tries to explain. "The country had been suffering under King Il. This movement for a new ruler seemed well-intentioned at first," but his defense now switches to a desperate warning, "... but this now, what she's planning... it's no longer just returning the throne to Soo-Won. It's... vengeance."

Hak's mind jumps three steps ahead from that alone. He doesn't want to hear the rest out loud.

"Exhile won't do this time. Lady Yong-Hi won't rest until King Il's line is gone forever."

Yona. Our child.

Hak immediately looks toward the palace.

"Wait here."

At the gate to Soo-Won's family estate, Jae-Ha lifts Yona into his arms. They nod at Min-Soo before Jae-Ha pushes off the ground.

WIthin seconds, Jae-Ha and Yona are on top of the wall. Jae-Ha looks down over what it hides within. He doesn't let go of Yona.

Yona sees the worry on his face, then follows his eyeline to witness: Min-Soo was right. Sky soldiers. Dozens in the courtyard before them. This family estate looks vast - how many courtyards must there be? And no one can see in here because of these walls...

The warriors walk carrying weapons toward a large building in the distance. So many soldiers. So many weapons. Are they stockpiling them?

"If I didn't know better, I'd say they were preparing for a battle," Jae-Ha admits, clearly put off by this operation.

Yona feels such an awful mix of emotions. Anger, betrayal, fear, sadness… but most of all, "I don't want Hak to come here."

Jae-Ha nods. "I could rush back to stop him. ...but I won't leave without you."

"Then... I'll send Min-Soo."

Jae-Ha's heart begins to hurt. "That's not going to work."

Yona's worries mount. Her expression hides nothing.

Jae-Ha tries to clarify. "Dear, there's not a soul Hak will listen to if he finds out you're here."

Yona knows he's right. But… she looks out over the soldiers prepping and wonders about Min-Soo's mother inside. And about her aunt somewhere here, too. Soo-Won's mother. A woman she was only ever in the presence of when she was too young to remember. And yet her aunt hates her even so? What has caused this…?

"Please, let me take you back. We've seen. We know it's real. We need to be able to stop this from the palace."

THUD. Both Yona and Jae-Ha look down at the gate that just closed. Min-Soo is led in by two guards.

"Shit," Jae-Ha blurts.

Yona is flooded with empathy as she watches the scene play out below them. "He couldn't just leave his mother. He probably got too close and they caught him."

WHACK! A guard hits Min-Soo.

Yona throws a hand over her mouth to keep from making a sound. Jae-Ha holds her tighter yet.

Then, as Yona watches the guards drag her friend toward what appears to be the main building, she whispers with certainty, "We need to get him out."

She feels Jae-Ha freeze. "Yona… going in there. You're walking into a hive of fury against you. They'll try to ki-"

"-I can't just leave him trapped in there to die. The reason Hak and I are alive today is because he risked his life for us. He faced the same danger. He got us out."

Jae-Ha battles within himself. If only he could go in alone to save the boy. If only she would just- "Think about your baby."

Yona looks at Jae-Ha with determination. "I can barely explain it… but I am. I have a feeling about this, Jae-Ha. I need to face this. Right now."

Jae-Ha closes his eyes, full-well knowing it will get much uglier before it gets better.

Then he opens his eyes with clarity. Because he already made that promise to her today. And to himself for the rest of his life. "I'll be right beside you."

FWOOP! An arrow hits Se-Jun in the chest. He stumbles backward.

Hak lifts his glaive in the clearing and cuts down the next arrow that flies their way. Horseback archers are coming at them from the palace. Arrows firing rapidly.

As Hak protects his wounded ally, "Well then, this saves the explanation on why you didn't speak up sooner."

Hak continues to clear the air around them with his glaive. "Although," he blocks two more arrows, "I am curious why today was the day you did."

A group of horseback soldiers go flying off their steeds by a hit from behind. Se-Jun's eyes go wide at the sight.

Hak smiles wryly. "Show off."

Kija appears on horseback, catching up to the remaining soldiers. They've now stopped firing arrows and are terrified to get away from the monster claw - but to no avail. Kija takes them out within a couple more swipes.

With no more enemies about to be left, Hak turns to Se-Jun to help him with his wound. And he's immediately glad he hadn't looked before. It does not look good at all.

"Don't move. We'll get you to a doctor right away. The guy with the claw hand headed over here is really good at carrying people. ...one of his few talents."

Se-Jun still looks terrified.

"He's a friend. A good one," Hak's serious face from seeing Se-Jun's wound relaxes into a soft smile of encouragement. He begins to look more closely at the punctured area to see about breaking the arrow.

"This is why."

"Hm?"

"I decided to tell you because you're good," Se-Jun looks anywhere but at his wound. He tries to focus. "Good. Anyone who wants to kill you and your family… now I know what side they must be on."

Hak keeps his head down as he inspects the arrow, allowing his hair to be the mask it often is over the emotions he'd rather hide. He's touched.

"Yona is in danger!"

Hak whips around to see Kija who's just arrived at them.

"She's gone to Soo-Won's family estate."

Hak's eyes go wide. What. The. Hell. "How did this happen?!"

"It was her own choice, but we need to catch up to her before anything happens."

Kija hands the reins of a horse to Hak.

Hak takes strips of leather. "How quickly can you get us there?"

"Me? Haven't you been there?"

"Fuck!" Hak is on the verge of losing his mind.

"I know the way," the sound is frail, but exactly what they needed to hear. The white and dark dragons look down at the wounded Se-Jun whose voice has become so weak, his breathing labored.

"Let me… guide you."

Jae-Ha lands he and Yona at the front entrance to the main building of the estate. Where Min-Soo was taken. Where Yong-Hi must be.

"Walking straight in?" Jae-Ha is so damn impressed.

Yona knocks on the door. It opens. The shock on the servant on the other side's face is incredible. The woman might as well have become a statue.

"Could you please tell Lady Yong-Hi that Princess Yona has arrived? She's expecting me."

The servant can only nod, then slowly recedes backwards into the great lobby before turning and walking hastily away.

Jae-Ha steps in and then offers Yona a hand. "I believe she meant to say 'right this way.'"

As the pair continue through the building in the most logical path toward the great room, the guards within hardly know what to do at the sight of Princess Yona. She uses this to her advantage and continues walking forward.

Jae-Ha holds blades between each of his fingers like claws as he walks at her side.

Some soldiers retreat and scurry to warn Yong-Hi or gather backup.

When Yona and Jae-Ha reach the door to the great room, a male servant steps forward - clearly someone of some importance to the household. "Welcome, Princess Yona. Lady Yong-Hi will be delighted to see you." He opens the door and motions for Yona and Jae-Ha to enter.

They proceed into the center of the grand expanse that looks oddly like a throne room and has a balcony that goes around the entire perimeter.

There she is at the end of the room, sitting beautifully upon the Queen's throne next to an empty King's seat at the center. Lady Yong-Hi.

Her long blonde hair is an exact reflection of Soo-Won's. Her big eyes and pale skin are striking in resemblance to the man Yona once loved. And the way her mouth hides whatever it must honestly want to express with instead a disarming smile… Yona instantly both loves and hates her aunt. Everything she ever felt for Soo-Won is twisted up in this strange and beautiful mirror image of him. It's very emotionally confusing.

"Princess Yona. ...how beautiful," Yong-Hi finally says in a sweet, high voice.

Yona wants to cry. The way any child with so little family would. She feels betrayed by how badly her heart with that bloody shard wishes those sweet words could make the pain disappear. But Yona knows: this woman is anything but beautiful inside.

Lili rides horseback on the outskirts of Kuuto with Shin-Ah, Tae-Woo, and Soo-Won. She's exhausted from their relentless journey.

But her nerves about what will transpire over the few hours - everything that this mission was for - have given her the motivation to stay awake. That and…

...watching Tae-Woo in front of her. He wanted to ride behind her so he could be in the position she is, but she insisted she keep an eye on the entire party. They're her responsibility. And she wouldn't have been able to stop thinking about him anyway. Might as well have the view.

She's mused on every piece of him to pass the time. Those hips and everything that touches them. The look of those strong arms that reminds her what it feels like to have them around her. The cute headband he still wears. His lips. His heart. Did he really mean what he said the other night...?

Wait - Lili notices Soo-Won is turning away from the city.

"This isn't the right way. What are you doing?" Lili demands, her suspicion now on high.

"I said Kuuto. I never said the palace."

Lili kicks her horse to speed up and moves in front of Soo-Won's. "This is no time for games."

"I'm happy to tell you where we're going, Lady Lili."

She scowls at him. "Now? Where was this information over the past two days?! Forgot to mention it?!"

Shin-Ah and Tae-Woo both ready their weapons.

Soo-Won remains calm. "I understand why you're upset. The reason we're headed this way is not because I'm a threat to Yona. My mother is."

Lili stares at him, dumbfounded. Finally, "Your mother? You said you'd most likely die."

Soo-Won's expression shifts slightly enough to reveal a real sadness. "I didn't deceive you."

"I don't understand…"

"She has an army."

Yong-Hi smiles when Yona doesn't respond to her. Then she rises. She gracefully glides toward the center of the room where Yona and Jae-Ha stand.

It's now when Yona and Jae-Ha notice the soldiers appearing on the balcony. They're moving into the room along the perimeter along the first floor, as well.

Yong-Hi stops at Yona. She stands a few inches taller. Despite her age, her skin is equally as fair. Her elegance in the elaborate gown she is wearing is intoxicating. She truly has the look of a royal.

Yong-Hi slowly raises a hand and brings it to Yona's cheek. Jae-Ha watches with hooded eyes. Yong-Hi studies Yona's face as she draws her long fingers down the line of her chin.

"Didn't your parents teach you to respond when your elders address you?" she asks with raised brows.

Yona continues to stare at this aunt who is foreign to her, more sad and confused than anything else. And then Yong-Hi's smile fades into a frown.

WHAP! Yong-Hi's slap across Yona's face brings the princess to the ground.

Jae-Ha catches Yong-Hi's wrist in an instant and pins it behind her back while moving a blade to her throat with his other hand. "I wouldn't try that again."

Bows are pulled back in the balcony. Swords are drawn on the first floor.

Yona sees a drop of her own blood fall to the floor. From the ground, she looks up at Yong-Hi and Jae-Ha.

When Soo-Won and his escorts arrive at the gate to his home, it opens without a word. They ride right through. Soo-Won stops on the other side and glances to the nearest guard.

"Is she here?"

The guard slowly nods. "Princess Yona is inside."

"NO!" Lili screams out from behind.

She, Tae-Woo, and Shin-Ah immediately dismount and draw their weapons as guards and soldiers approach them.

Soo-Won has already dismounted and walks calmly ahead, all the armed forces parting like a sea for him to pass and then closing again behind him.

Lili chases after him and makes it some distance, but is ultimately held back by the guards.

Soo-Won turns and calls back with sincerity, "I'm sorry, Lili. This is something I must do alone," then directly to the soldiers, "Do not harm Lady Lili."

And as quickly as that, Soo-Won is gone.

Over fifty warriors now stand between the trio and the way to Yona. The soldiers pull their weapons on Tae-Woo and Shin-Ah.

Lili steps in front of both of them and pulls out her sword, shaky but determined. The soldiers stand unsure of how to proceed.

Lili announces defiantly, "We're going in there."

"How much further?" Kija looks back toward Hak and Se-Jun as they ride from the city.

"It should be straight ahead from here," Hak shares before glancing down at Se-Jun once more. He's gone unconscious now. Hak shared his horse with him so he could keep him from falling… but this… it's majorly slowing them down - and Se-Jun is in very dire condition.

Kija pulls his horse to a halt. "We need to go faster. And this man needs a doctor."

Hak stares for a moment, then- "We leave him here, he dies. I'll keep him with me. Go, get to her as fast as you possibly can. Faster than that even."

It's a charged moment between the two men. "She's your wife. I would understand if you wanted me to in-"

"-she's the reincarnation from the prophecy and she needs her dragons," Hak had trouble saying it, but he meant it. "I'll be right behind you."

Kija accepts the full weight of this honor and responsibility. He nods, then turns and rides off at full speed.

Hak watches for a second, tears in his eyes. That was damn near impossible for him to do.

He knows it's what she would have wanted. He looks up to the sky with a curse on his mind and hope in his heart. Wishing for a prophecy to be true?

He runs a hand through his hair in frustration, then kicks his horse onward.