(This is based on the Tale of On Dal in Chronicles of the Three States.)
(Characters, incidents, and dates do not match historical facts.)
A revolt?
Juam Fortress rose up?
(Previously)
I will continue to lead our troops.
You hurry back to Pyeongyang Castle.
We do not know what Go Won Pyo and his son may be up to.
And you are the only person who can stop them.
Your Majesty...
From now, I am going to punish the traitor for his crimes.
What do you mean, he is in custody?
Inform the Gwanno and Sono Tribes immediately.
Tell them to be armed...
and go straight to the palace.
It is over, Master Go.
Only my father's plan is over.
My plan has not even begun.
Give up, Master Go.
Come at me if you want to die!
A breach of prison?
It is not my duty to get him and his father out of prison.
When things change,
the promises can be altered too.
I will go if you tell me to go...
and stop if you want me to stop.
(Episode 17)
- Hey! - Let me out!
Let me out of here!
- Let me go! - Why am I in here?
- Be quiet! - Let me go!
Go Won Pyo, his son Go Geon,
and the Gyeru Tribe soldiers are all locked up.
The Gyeru should serve as a pillar of our empire,
and yet they committed treason?
They must all be beheaded.
The Go family is of royal blood.
It is easy to behead them,
but then we cannot avoid harming our reputation.
But Your Majesty.
Any news from the Sono Tribe?
Lord Hae Ji Weol and his daughter have disappeared.
I have men searching places where they could be hiding.
The Go family may be of royal blood,
but the crime of treason carries much more weight.
That is so.
Lord Jin is right.
Show your strict determination, Your Majesty.
You ended your convalescence and returned early.
Do not say...
anything else.
You deceived my father and me,
and now you are full of yourself.
Then...
Shall I lock you up next to Go Won Pyo?
What...
Is your condition any better?
Yes.
Thanks to your concern, I have fully recovered.
The skies have helped you. That is a relief.
The prince asked for you so much.
I apologize.
Have you decided how to deal with Go Won Pyo and his son?
Tomorrow at daybreak,
they will be beheaded.
- Are we there yet? - Yes.
Hello. You are so cute.
Weol, come along.
- Okay. - There are many pretty things.
Let us come back later and see them.
- I am here. - Okay.
I missed it again.
How should I aim?
Dal?
- Yes? - Did you and Pyeonggang fight?
Not at all.
I thought you argued about Master Go.
He said he would be loyal to us and yet he committed treason.
How dare he?
You should have killed him on sight.
I heard you killed over 100 men in battle.
How did that feel? It must have felt gratifying.
Do you want to know how it feels...
to kill someone?
Empty chest, full stomach.
What are you doing?
When aiming with a bow,
Empty your heart, strengthen your stomach,
and aim.
What are you doing?
Let me go.
The neck or the heart.
That is an instant kill.
Are you crazy?
General!
You should have told us if you were coming.
Then we would have sent a palanquin or a cart.
The walk must have been dreadful.
I am not fit for a palanquin.
You are Goguryeo's princess' mother-in-law...
and the general's mother.
Last time, Dal went to suppress the traitors...
and returned with a great victory.
- Yes. - That is right.
- He suppressed people? - Yes.
- I see. - Move aside.
I see you are using the cane I made you.
It is nice and thin, just right for me.
You are not sick, then?
Would I have come all the way here if I was sick?
So,
I can tell from your voice that you are doing very well.
Just a bit.
That is true. You look like you belong in the Capital.
Weol, it must be hard on you.
You used to be the size of a pea,
and now you are all grown up.
Take your hands off me.
How dare you grab a grown woman's cheeks?
You are grown?
- Dal! - My gosh.
- How are you? - Dal is here.
Mother.
Dal?
Mother.
Let me see my son. Give me a hug.
Mother.
My goodness... My dear son...
Mother.
Yes.
Yes. It is your mother.
I came here to see you.
I missed you too.
I know that. That is why I am here.
Are you crying?
I am not.
People would think someone died.
Stop crying.
I am not crying.
Why would a great general of Goguryeo...
cry in public and embarrass himself?
- You dear thing. - Mother.
I know. Mom is here.
Yes.
I missed you so much.
Yes, I know you did.
Nice and flat, right?
Yes. There are no rocks either.
Right.
Mother.
How long has it been?
Are you all right?
Yes.
It is nice and warm.
I apologize, Mother. I should have sent for you sooner.
I cannot believe I am in the palace.
It is almost like a dream.
This is where we live, Mother.
It is spacious and grand, right?
It does seem so. Every corner smells lovely too.
You came a long way. Rest well while you are here.
I should not rest.
So, I heard there was a huge uproar in the palace.
It is all over. General On did very well.
Are you talking about the suppression?
Where did you hear about that?
Did Hong Mae blabber?
Or was it Pil Gu?
Why are you so angry?
I am not.
Dal.
Mother. How about moving into the Capital?
We will find you a place to stay.
No, thank you.
It may be a hut that is about collapse,
but I have a home of my own.
We would feel reassured if you lived closer.
I appreciate your thoughts.
Still, give it some serious thought.
Do not push her.
She said no.
Princess.
I see you made a long trip, madam.
She is my nanny and is like family to me.
Oh, my goodness. Thank you so much.
I am just a court lady.
Politeness is not needed.
Princess. The King requested to see Lady Sa.
My father?
I wanted to know about the woman who raised General On so well,
so I asked to see you.
Thank you, Your Majesty.
When I was in deep trouble,
she took very good care of me.
She also scolded me as any mother-in-law would.
My child.
Your Highness, back then...
I really scolded her just a little.
The princess who fears nothing...
met her match in her mother-in-law.
I am impressed with what you did...
even when you cannot see.
Goguryeo women should treat you as an example and learn.
Therefore,
I would like to give her jewelry and uncut skins and cloth.
That would be a great honor.
What you offer is beyond what I deserve.
Instead of any reward...
I would like to ask for a simple request.
A request?
Tell me whatever that may be.
My son On Dal.
Allow him to return home with me this very day.
Mother.
He grew up with nature,
with the bare soil as his bed and the sky as his blanket.
I heard he served his country well.
Please let him return to nature...
and live a free life.
When did I say I wished to go home?
My wife is here and so are my friends.
I live well and eat well here.
Much better than you worry about.
Dal, stop it.
Mother is the one who should stop.
I wondered what brought you all the way to the Capital.
You came here to talk nonsense.
I know you too well.
You may be high up and live well,
but that does not make you happy.
My life is not as great as some other people's,
but Dal, I am trying to help you breathe.
As your mother.
I have had enough.
Dal.
I have no intention of returning to the mountainside.
Stop talking nonsense.
Dal.
Mother.
Hey.
Must you leave like this?
Where will you go?
I do not know. Anywhere but here will do.
Jin, stay and talk it out.
I do not want to.
I am sick of it all.
Bye, Dal.
I came to vent,
but what was that about? Why did she say bye?
What happened?
I asked what that was about.
She said she is sick of everything.
Of you, me, and Ga Jin. Of everybody.
She left forever, and we are not to look for her.
So you just let her go?
What else could I do?
She insisted on leaving.
Hey.
The Chief wishes to see you.
I have no business with you.
Come quietly.
Do not make us spill blood in broad daylight.
Drink it all.
It is a good cough remedy.
I know well of my disease.
I wished to hear Dal's voice one last time.
That is why I came here.
Mother.
What on earth happened to Dal?
He no longer has the voice I knew.
He also lets off a crueler aura.
Many bad things happened.
It is all my fault.
It is no one's fault.
That is how the world and life are.
I apologize, Mother.
Even if I were to beg him to come with me,
he will not listen.
Because he is a fool...
who cares only for the princess.
There is something I promised General On Hyeop.
That even if the skies fall apart,
I would protect Dal.
If I am unable to keep that promise,
I would like you to do so in my place.
Yes, Mother.
My child.
You are so beautiful.
Tonight.
We will assassinate the King.
There is still a chance.
Grab your sword.
I am sick of everything.
I will return to the land of the Gokturks.
Ga Jin betrayed me,
and Tae Mo is dead,
so I decided to make you my heir.
Will you let me down when I raised you?
I say this...
because I respect what you did for me.
Even if you get into the palace, you will fail.
Ga Jin is waiting for you.
Is she?
Yet you tried to leave her side.
Wait here.
When the fate of the skies is determined,
you will change your mind.
You left and look at you now.
What are you doing here?
- The King and Ga Jin are in danger. - What?
Cheonjubang's chief will attack the palace tonight.
Hurry, untie me.
Okay.
I was a coward.
I knew the chief was gathering killers,
but I did not tell Ga Jin.
I hated her a lot recently.
You can stay a coward.
But do not tell anyone else.
Go to the Sunno Tribe and tell Lord Sa.
Tell him to gather his men and come to the palace.
- What about you? - I must alert Ga Jin.
Let us hurry.
Cheonjubang?
I told Tara Jin to bring the Sunno Tribe soldiers.
I also told sentries by the gates to strengthen security.
He does not have many killers left.
They will be wiped out before they even pass the gates.
But he still set out to fight?
He is even willing to die. He will listen to no one.
What is going on?
No need to get up so early. Please rest some more.
No, I have to go.
I think the sun has already set.
Not now, Mother.
Who goes there?
General.
Open this now.
You have come.
This is the friend I spoke of earlier.
She is also my lover.
You have suffered much.
So you dragged in outsiders now?
Does the color of the rope that saves us matter?
I know you are a spy for Silla.
I also know that my foolish son...
got rid of a troop commander in order to protect you.
Please forgive me, General.
As soon as this revolt is over,
I shall cut off your head...
and send it to the king of Silla.
Father.
You need to take care of this revolt first.
The Cheonjubang soldiers have infiltrated the castle.
What are you doing? Move!
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
I will go to the King's palace.
Escort him.
I must go alone.
If the King's chambers are empty, he will be in the Hall of Convenience.
We need to hurry before we lose him.
It is dangerous here.
Fall back to the outside of the castle.
Once the revolt is over, we shall meet.
I will go with you.
No.
Let us go.
Yes, sir.
Sit here.
Mother, you wait here.
By herself?
We do not know what is going on outside,
so it is rather safer here.
Do not go anywhere else.
Just stay right here.
Dal.
It will be all right.
I will be back to get you soon.
Ga Jin, we should go.
My child.
Please,
be careful.
Do not worry.
All right. Go.
He will have gone to the Hall of Convenience.
Stop.
Gochuga.
Take the prince and leave us.
Go.
Mother.
I cannot let a mere assassin slay you.
I will get rid of you myself.
Gochuga.
Why...
did you?
Why did you betray me?
I was deceived by the Princess.
So instead of trusting my promise,
you put your faith in the Princess' ploy.
I needed to protect the prince.
As a mother, I had no other choice.
The prince?
Yes.
He is all you think of.
Please kill me.
If I were to die in your hands, I will accept my fate gladly.
Please leave the prince alone.
Please let him live.
Kill me.
Kill me...
and please forgive us.
Forgive us.
Please, forgive us.
Shut your mouth!
Do not think of seeking salvation through death.
I have no intention of forgiving you, ever.
Take the Crown Prince and escape first.
- Father. - Now!
Yes, sir.
I have waited for this moment.
I shall end your life with my own hands.
Come.
Your head will be the first to fly.
My son.
My son is here right now.
To witness your end.
Father.
Ga Jin.
Father.
Won.
Empty your heart,
and strengthen your stomach.
I did as you taught me.
I am very proud of you.
You did well.
How could assassins enter the palace so easily?
What is going on?
We do not yet know the details.
First, let us get out of here.
Let us go.
Your Majesty.
I see you are still alive.
General Go.
You rat!
Father.
Are you the one...
behind Cheonjubang?
It looks like the chief failed.
Master Go. How dare you...
Surrender quietly.
You will be treated with courtesy.
Leave him to me, Your Majesty.
Escort him.
Father.
The entire royal family is here.
It would have been a hassle chasing each of you down.
How fortunate.
Go Won Pyo, how could you...
Father.
Why are you even surprised?
I am here to get back my Goguryeo from you.
Shut it!
Escort His Majesty to the Hwayang Hall.
Pyeonggang.
Protect the Queen and the Prince as well.
That is your duty.
Your Majesty, I ask you to go with Won.
I will catch up.
Princess.
It is no use.
It will only change who gets slain first.
What are you waiting for? Won!
- Let us go. - Yes, sir.
Princess.
Drop your sword, and I will kill you painlessly.
Shut it.
You are the one who shall die in pain.
Like mother, like daughter.
I will not forgive you...
even after I die.
You will never...
be able to take over Goguryeo.
Are you here for revenge,
Queen Yeon?
Go Won Pyo.
You may never...
take over Goguryeo.
Your sword must have become strong...
by sucking all the blood on the battlefield.
Today,
it shall be drenched with your blood.
Sure.
Move!
General, you must hurry to the garden.
Gochuga has...
What happened?
We can take care of things here.
Father.
Father. Open your eyes.
Father. Are you okay?
- Geon. - Yes?
Yes, Father. It is me, Geon.
My death does not mean...
that the fight is over.
Do not stop.
Continue to fight.
I need you to be there, Father.
I need you to witness it.
You promised to see me take over Goguryeo.
I will be watching.
With my eyes wide open.
Father.
Do not do this to me, Father.
Are you...
hurt?
No.
I am perfectly fine, Father.
Good.
Stay with me.
Father.
Father!
Father...
- This way! - Yes, sir!
Dal.
How is His Majesty?
He is safe.
Go Geon. I lost that little rat...
while getting rid of his underlings.
It is okay. Everything is over.
The Sunno Tribe and the Jeollo Tribe have joined us.
My love.
You are beautiful.
Dal!
Are you okay?
You came.
Pung Gae.
We have to go.
Let us go see Mother.
Yes, we must.
Is that you, Dal?
My child, is that you?
Who is it?
Who are you?
Did the Princess pass by here?
Hey!
I asked if the Princess and On Dal passed by here.
It seems so.
They did not go that way.
Let go.
I said they went the other way!
Let go of me!
No one passed by here!
Let go of me.
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
What of the traitors?
We are sweeping the remnants.
Do not worry, Your Majesty.
Escort His Majesty to his chambers!
- Escort His Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Where are the Princess and General On?
- They headed to Magnolia Hall. - Why did they?
Apparently, General On's mother is there.
Escort Father to his chambers.
- Escort His Majesty now! - Escort His Majesty!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
General Go, you cannot go out there.
Move.
The soldiers of the Sunno and Jeollo Tribes have arrived.
They already hold a dominant position, what can you do now?
The Princess...
and On Dal...
I must kill them.
General Go!
I must kill them...
I must...
Father...
My father died...
before my eyes.
Even if my body is torn to pieces,
I will destroy the two of them.
Tonight is not the time.
You should come to Silla with me.
Let us go there and come up with a plan.
I will support you with my life.
So, please...
Please do not turn down my request.
Mo Yong.
Go back to your country.
My grave...
is here.
You are the only one...
whom I truly love.
I know that.
You are also...
the one I truly love.
So I will not...
let you go.
Mother.
I am here.
Get up.
Mother.
Mom.
Please open your eyes.
Mom... Mom! Darn it!
Hold his funeral with courtesy.
Your Majesty, he is a traitor!
He was the Gochuga of our empire...
and a brave general.
He was also my friend...
who overcame life-or-death crises with me.
Let him go in peace.
Your Majesty!
We have not figured out the whereabouts of General Go.
Your Majesty!
The soldiers of Silla have occupied the Adan Fortress!
Adan Fortress?
Do not go.
Please, do not go.
I am taking my mother.
I am taking her to a sunny gravesite so she can rest in peace.
I know you will not come back.
- I will. - That is a lie.
I know you are leaving for good.
You are going to abandon me.
- Ga Jin. - I am sorry for everything.
So please do not go, Dal.
I am the one who is sorry.
For thinking that we were meant to be together.
I was wrong.
You had your own path,
and I should have known my place.
Yet, I tried to ignore it.
You know how foolish I am.
You said you will be my sword.
You said you will stay by my side forever.
You are the only person I will protect with my life.
That is the reason I hold a sword.
All of that is over now.
That is not true. It is not over yet.
You and I must lead Goguryeo from now.
There are only sunny days waiting for us.
I cannot let you go like this.
Then will you come with me?
We can hunt rabbits and pick herbs...
like we used to.
Can you live like that?
Okay, I will come with you.
The moment we started being with each other,
we lost our loved ones.
Your mother, my father,
and this time my mother.
Sometime in the future,
I might lose you too, or I might break down.
Dal...
I am leaving so that I do not have to lose you.
Please do not leave me.
You must become the person you desire to be.
Whether it is becoming the sister of the future King...
or becoming the Queen yourself.
I will return to being the fool of Ghost Village.
No, do not do that.
Dal...
Dal!
I will protect you from now on.
And this means...
that we are a couple that shares the same fate.
Could it be my karma?
Did the greed and jealousy,
which I conceived in the past,
put my empire in danger...
and engulf my children...
in misfortune?
Do not regret nor blame yourself.
Your reign...
was coming to an end nonetheless.
You need to help...
the Crown Prince and the Princess shape a new Goguryeo.
That is the duty you have left.
Please forgive...
my wrongdoing, General Son.
(4 years later, Nangbyeok Fortress, Goguryeo)
Move.
His Majesty told us not to let anybody in.
Do you not know who I am?
I am the sister of the King.
But...
Stop what you are doing!
Let go of me!
I have already heard the news of victory.
The soldiers of Baekje were terrified and withdrew.
You promised to send reinforcements.
Why did you not?
There were things that needed to be handled in the Capital.
I trusted you to take care of them, and it is a relief that you won.
We lost half of our soldiers!
If you had sent reinforcements,
their lives would not have been sacrificed.
Are you reproaching the King?
(An act of expressing disapproval)
I am only concerned about you.
I am concerned about the mistake my brother has made.
(River Where the Moon Rises)
Am I the King...
or your brother, Princess?
General Go, if you go to Goguryeo as an envoy of Silla,
you will be beheaded.
I, Go Geon, the envoy of Silla,
have come to Goguryeo to have an audience with the King.
Go Geon!
I am seeing the ghost of Mother.
Dal, let us go to the Capital.
You should go and see the Princess.
I know it is shameless of me, but I missed you.
Ga Jin and I are not meant to be together.
Whether I die or something bad happens to her,
the end of us will always be a bloodbath.
You will be an excuse for the King to raise an army.
Please do not get injured.
Your life is precious.
You too, Your Highness.