He brings her to a nearby small town. She is drunk and goggly. Mumbling here and there. He carry her on his shoulder and walk up the stairs of the small inn that he had rented. After awhile, he place her on a comfortable bed. While he himself walks down and look around for food in the streets. By the time she wakes up, its late. Er Yin looks around with a bit of headache. She see through the screen there is a figure that have his back turn to her. He seems to be eating something. She got off the bed and walk to the table. He have some street food on the table and he is reading a book while chewing on the chicken skin stick. Er Yin sit down and pour herself a cup of tea. She look at him while drinking the tea. He did not look at her but keep reading his book.
"Your highness..."
"Han..."
"... Han ge... why are you here? Should't you be at camp or in the capital for your ... wedding?"
"Why can't i be here?"
"You can, you can go anywhere you wish."
He put down his book on the table and look at her.
"Then my wish is here with you."
"Me... haha why? I am not in some kind of trouble. "
"Trouble... i am not sure of that but you have ... anyway, i am going to stay here for awhile till ... that day comes. My grandmother have granted me... a leave and space away from that ... child. "
"You don't like her? Brother Han..."
"No. She is a child. She is only 18 and i am already 41. How can she understand what an older man wants. Her mission in like was to give birth to children for the royal family. I used to think that if i can just ignore her, maybe one day she will be like the rest. Go marry someone but she is proven to be ... different. Maybe one day she will understand or maybe i will but now i don't want her. To me, she is a child that yet to grow up. By the time she does, i am an old man. She will then have to go her way. Er Yin ... now i still have to marry her. In the official document and law, she is my wife. I have told my grandmother that i will marry that and that's all. Other than that, i will not do anything else."
"The Dowager is doing it all for the sake of your descendants."
"If i cannot marry the person i like, i rather those children are not to be born. My grandmother marry a man she did not love and was locked up in the palace for many years. She have children that she did not love much. She knows in this life, she cannot marry him therefore she marry off her daughter to his son. ironic isn't it? That is why she adore me so much. I am an image of what the man she loved. "
Er Yin feels sad for him as she look at him. He look at her gently and reach out for her hand.
"When i see you for the first time in my mansion, there was a strange feeling. I saw you at night not asleep and watching the moon. I too don't sleep at night. I forget why but i remember when i see you. We both carry the guilt but we both know that what we did was for the better of our country. The more we are together, the more i like you."
What Er Yin fear to hear is now hear in front of her
"How can you like me? I am ... someone lower in status ..."
"I don't care about that."
"But i do brother Han."
"We are not that young anymore. We have walk at the edge of the underworld and return together. I just want to spend my time with you. I don't want to be like my grandmother. She waited for a man that never can return back his gaze at her for one time. Nor he said to her what is hidden in his heart. He died in the battle ground without a word. She only hear of his death when the news came into the palace."
"Brother Han..."
"Don't say anymore. Let us just spend days like usual. Even you don't like me romantically, just treat me like as usual. "
Er Yin look at the man with fills her empty lifeless time. She recall the times when he nearly die. She drag him out of the dead situation time and time again. She struggle to live and why she struggle to keep him breathing as well. She enjoys the time that they are together. She never have romantic feelings for anyone nor knowing how it feels like. She cannot understand those girls who talks about love and wanting to marry. However Er Yin understands that she likes the Duke. She enjoys the time spend together. She never reject him when he reach out to hold her hand. She worry for him when he doesn't eat nor sleep well. However Er Yin knows that she mustn't cross the line of nobility and commoner. She always aware and maintain what she must do. What is more important and what is not.
"To me, you are the Duke. The man who stands beside the emperor in the palace. While i am a person standing in a paddy field under the sun. How we can meet and be friends, is a miracle to me. I never want or imagine that one day i will stand beside a man that is important to the nation. Yet alone to ride beside him and eat with him. I already grateful for an encounter like this. I don't think nor dream of things more than that. I can be the brother-in-arms till you don't need me."
That night, they drink together. They did not talk about his wedding nor his feelings that night. He drink till he is drunkard and stumble on the bed mumbling about things about his childhood. Er Yin who is still sober laugh at what he said. She look at the man who is half laughing and crying. She feels the sadness behind his words. She feels sorry for him, he is not given a choice to choose who he can marry or anyone ask him if he wants to marry. Born into a royal family, he cannot control his life. That's why he run off to join the army. That is where he is free. He doesn't know what the life of a pleasant is like. Maybe she should drag him and try a day living as a farmer.
The second day, she drag him to her home. They did not tell who he is to her family. They all assume that he is a fellow solider and welcome him to stay for awhile. Since he doesn't know anything about farming, everything is fun and exciting for him. He try everything with Er Yin, for once he feels happy and stress free. The end day, they sit together at the lake watching the sun goes down. Chewing an apple in his hands, he look at Er Yin. Life is hard but she looks happy. Both of them are at the age of supposedly to have children who will be running around them. However even without children, he feels that he will be happy with just her around.