"Your Majesty, please spare Queen In-Ha! She is innocent!" The shrill and desperate cries of the Monk reverberated across the king's palace early that morning.
Even on that cold morning, sweat could be seen rolling down the monk's shaved head because he has been kneeling right outside the king's residence for a while now.
This Monk was no other than Ah Hyuk who had just been accused of having an affair with Queen In-Ha and he was here to defend her.
It was a miracle that since the rumors spread that the King hasn't ordered his head yet and was calm about it hoping the rumors would be cleared with the due investigation. However, that was until he heard that the young queen had been sent to the cold palace and he knew he couldn't hold it in anymore.
An Hyuk knew then that he couldn't sit back and watch, not even when the Abbot warned him that he would be signing his death if he went to the palace, but what could he do? He couldn't stay still and watch Queen In-Ha get punished for a crime she didn't commit.
Those were just rumors, how could the king take it seriously? The Queen's faithfulness towards him is anything but questionable. It was due to her devotion to her husband that she came to the temple every time to pray for his well-being.
Everyone in the kingdom knew the queen was an avid prayer hence her frequent visits to the temple. Ah Hyuk couldn't forget the woman who would give alms to the poor and made sure the monastery was in good shape. Such a kind spirit, he wouldn't let that go to waste even if it was at the expense of his own life.
With just a look, one could see that An Hyuk's legs were numb from kneeling for far too long while his hands trembled even as he bowed his head once more. His voice was hoarse with his lips almost turning blue from staying on the outside all night long.
Nonetheless, he went on to appeal to the king with a loud voice, "Your Majesty! Please spare Queen In-Ha! She is innocent! The Queen has been falsely accused! Please launch an investigation panel to look into it! The queen is being falsely accused!"
Meanwhile, unknown to the Monk, his majesty, Dae Hyun was in a meeting with the Prime Minister, and sprawled across him were paper evidence of his affairs with the queen.
His majesty Dae Hyun fisted his hand till his knuckles turned white while veins bulged from his neck, his nostrils flaring. After everything, it turns out that she had been fooling him?
Unknown to the king, a hidden smile crossed the prime Minister's features as he spread the papers further apart, saying, "It was hard to find but these are poems they sent each other in the secret. My men did a hard job of digging it up from her courtyard where she buried it,"
His words were evidenced by the soiled papers with some parts already peeling off; however the writing was unmistakable, and the king could recognize the young queen's writing even in his sleep. The other one must belong to that lowly Monk, how dare he?! They dared to fool him?! Him, the king of this great kingdom?!
To add fuel to the fire, the monk's voice came alive at that moment from the courtyard, "Your Majesty! The queen is innocent! Please investigate properly!"
Those words from the Monk were like a big slap to the face of the king, Dae Hyun, who already had evidence of his wife's unfaithfulness. The red-hot anger running through his veins distorted his features so much that he looked like he was morphing into a monster at that moment.
At once, he grasped the paper evidence in his hand and went to the wall where his great sword hung and pulled it out of the scabbard in one move.
"Your Majesty, where -?!" The prime minister hurriedly stood to his feet at once when he saw the king striding out of the quarters furiously.
He pretended to stop him but the majesty wasn't listening and as soon as he left, a dark smile curled his lips. This was the end for Queen In-Ha, now his daughter would have a better chance with the king. He would make that happen!
Queen In-Ha would be stripped of her title and demoted, if not divorced and she would be sent away. Then he would convince his majesty to take his daughter as queen and then, his family would be in the position of power that they deserved. Isn't it perfect?!
At the same time, Ah Hyuk who had no idea of the storm brewing was still on his knees begging for the majesty's pardon when the door to the king's quarters was opened and his majesty stalked towards him, sword in hand.
Ah Hyuk gulped, he knew with the fury in the king's eyes that things were looking bad. Yet he still bravely said, "Your Majesty -"
He didn't get to finish the rest of his words because the king kicked him right in the chest and he tumbled back. Pain shot right through him but he still forced himself into a kneeling position.
He slowly lifted his head, pleading, "Your Majesty! Please spare Queen In-Ha! She's being wrongly accused -"
"Wrongly accused?!" The king sneered, his eyes burning with fire, "What do you mean by wrongly accused when I have the evidence here!" He flung the papers at his face.
With furrowed brows, Ah Hyuk picked up the papers and one could see the shock that spread through him as his jaw dropped, "T-his…"
The writing was his and he had written the poems himself. As a monk who lived simply and traveled around, he usually penned down his love for nature. How had the king gotten his hands on them? Those papers were missing a month ago and he had forgotten about them until now.
The king was disappointed when he saw the recognition on the Monk's face.
Just as he thought, the Prime Minister was right. The Queen indeed had an affair. But with a measly monk? That was a huge slap on his face. If she was going to have an affair, why couldn't she do it with someone better?
Why a monk?
"You're majesty...." Ah Hyuk held the paper with trembling hands, "This is no proof that the queen had an affair,"
The king glared at him, "You're trying to say that the writing isn't yours?!"
"No - yes, it is, your majesty!" He was quick to acknowledge it knowing the king's patience was running out, "However, this isn't solid proof that -"
"Those letters were found buried in the queen's courtyard, how is that not proof of her affair?!" The king thundered, looming over him threateningly.
"Your Majesty!" Ah Hyuk fell on his face at once. The situation was not looking good for him, "Please reconsider, your majesty! I'm just a lowly monk with no earthly desire and no lust for sex!" He pleaded.
But the king snorted in disgust, "So you are trying to say that this is all the queen's fault?! Then how come I received reports of you going to the queen's tent at night during her last visit to the temple?"
Instantly, sweat rolled down the monk's head, how did the king know of that? Moreover, how was he going to explain that to the king when he promised the queen to keep it a secret, not to mention that it bring her nothing but trouble.
The queen had commanded her people to sneak out the king's favorite sword gifted to him by the late king, his father, however, it was with good intention. The king didn't share an appreciation for spiritual values and with the war looming with the neighboring west country, the queen wanted him to bless the sword.
The Abbot would have done it but he had gone on a spiritual walk neither could people have knowledge of the sword. Hence the queen invited the Monk she trusted the most and that was him.
The sword arrived late at night because they waited for the king to leave before replacing it with a fake. Ah Hyuk blessed the sword as the queen wanted but took an oath of silence knowing the repercussion if the news were to spread that the young queen took the king's favorite sword without his permission.
As if the universe was taunting him, Ah Hyuk saw the king holding the sword. Would he be killed with the same sword that he blessed? That was the thought that crossed his mind at that moment.
"Your Majesty..." Heavy sweat rolled down his face this time, "I'm sorry but I swore an oath of silence regarding that matter." He saw his end coming now.
"Oh really?" The king said calmly but Ah Hyuk was not fooled by that demeanor. There was a crazed glint in the king's eyes and he just disrespected the king by refusing to tell him the truth of that night. He was as good as a dead man.
"You refuse to tell the truth and acknowledge your crime?! I should end your miserable life then!" The enraged king raised his sword to cut his head off his body and Ah Hyuk shut his eyes close. His time has come.
"Your Majesty!" The prime called from behind and the king's sword halted in the air.
The man in his official uniform walked over to the king and whispered into his ears, "Your Majesty, please calm down. He's still a discipline of the Luayi temple, you would lose favor with the people if you kill him with your bare hands." He hinted that the monk should be given a public punishment.
And of course, the king understood because he commanded, "Who's there?!"
Immediately, the captain of the guards left his post and bowed before him, "At your service, your majesty,"
"Hear my verdict!" The king roared, "Because he has been accused and found guilty of having romantic entanglement with a member of the royal family, my wife, the queen of this nation! His punishment would be death by hanging!" he decreed.
Although Ah Hyuk knew he had met his end, he still couldn't help but tremble at his death sentence. He was going to die for a crime he didn't commit. Even at that, his only concern was the queen, he would gladly give up his life for her.
"Your Majesty! What about the queen? She did not do anything wrong! What would happen to her?"
But the king didn't give him a reply, if anything he was beyond furious. Even in the face of death, he still dared to worry about the queen? Wasn't that proof of how much in love he was with the queen? That was a huge blow to the king and he felt inferior and jealous, had he not loved the queen enough? But then, his huge ego would not let him admit it.
"Let's go, your majesty," The prime minister interrupted him from his reverie, leading him along the way. He had seen the longing look in the king's eyes and didn't like it. Nothing can interrupt his plans now.
"Please answer me, your majesty!" Ah Hyuk shot up to his feet and tried to go after the king but his legs were numb from kneeling for far too long, and he fell, allowing the captain to catch up to him.
"Let's go!" The captain ordered, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck as other guards came to assist him.
"Your Majesty! Please spare the queen!" Ah Hyuk prayed. He was giving up his own life for the queen so she deserved to live.
Ah Hyuk was dragged away like a criminal but he didn't curse any of them, because by oneself, indeed, is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself, indeed, is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one purifies another.
As a monk, he has reached an unselfish, loving, pure state of mind and if this is the burden he has to bear, then so be it.
Ah Hyuk was given a public execution and as he climbed up the gallows to accept his punishment while the captain read out his offense, he still had a smile on his face.
The people who had come to watch his execution were crying, and he recognized them as some of the people he had helped.
In the end, all that mattered was what he'd be remembered for when he left this world. He was satisfied by that. Ah Hyuk only hoped the queen doesn't blame herself too much for his death. This was the price he had to pay.
The people's wail intensified when the noose was placed around his neck but he was calm, reading the scripture to them about love and endurance until it was time.
Since Ah Hyuk had been standing on a raised stool, all the guard did was kick it away, leaving him dangling from the rope. Suspended by the neck, the weight of his body tightened the noose around the neck effecting strangulation.
The process was designed to break his neck and choke him to death as efficiently as possible. Hence Ah Hyuk was killed quickly and relatively painlessly.
Thus, on that bright and sunny day, Ah Hyuk, the Monk left this world.