Title: Path Taken
Fandom: 추노/Chuno
Rating: G
Character: Hwang Cheolwoong, Song Taeha
Summary: The path that he had chosen was not the most righteous. Yet it was still the path he had taken.
---------------
He had a family. His mother. He couldn't allow anything to happen to himself, for his mother's sake. No amount of fealty could account to him ever abandoning his mother. Because there was no one else. If anything happened to him, his mother would have no one to watch over her! He had to survive... no matter what the cause. Even if at the expense of another...
The others had nothing to lose, even General Song. The long war had taken from them so much. Yet, he still had something to lose. He couldn't be so reckless without having anything certain to ensure his future.
When the general had decided to attack the convoy taking away the two princes, he had a hint of doubt inside. If something went wrong, he couldn't return home safely. His mother would be waiting in vain.
So when the others... and General Song had jumped into the fray, he had stopped himself. Instead of fighting alongside them, he merely watched. And as if he had foreseen it, it didn't turn out well. What else he could do but walk away? He knew better than to charge alone and try saving them.
He had returned in disgrace, yet he was not completely treated unwelcomed. An offer to be entrusted with much responsibility, who would have refused that? The Left State Councillor even offered his daughter's hand, what else could he do to refuse? An offer to further better his life, only a fool would refuse. He'd taken the less dangerous road, the easy path. Who cared about about saving face? As long as he survived.
Until... he realised that the daughter was ill.
Well, you couldn't always have everything going well for you.
xxx
Many years passed, and they returned. Yet he knew already that he had picked a side. And that side was the opposition; he couldn't choose to be loyal when knowing the fate for it would mean death. So even if he was troubled about it, he had framed that man who had shone so much.
That man should not have been so bold. If he at least relented, he wouldn't have attracted the attention of the higher ups. But if that man had done that, he wouldn't have been that leader that he had looked up to.
They would be sentenced to death; that was almost certain. The lower officers were unimportant, even Hanseom and Gwangjae did not seemed to be a threat. They were minor contrivances; they just unfortunately stood in the way.
The one his father-in-law had been after was General Song Taeha. The person who was lauded as the strongest Joseon warrior, the close confidant of the late Crown Prince Sohyeon. The man whose loyalty was incomparable; an officer most honest who would definitely be a great threat to the faction. As long as Song Taeha was alive, the faction would face difficulty. As much as his mentor, the former Left State Councillor, Im Youngho. Because through General Song, the faction that supported the former crown prince's ideals would be strong. Since even amongst the military command he was the most respected of the higher officers.
With General Song with them, the other faction would have the military on their side.
So it was no surprise that the faction would want General Song eliminated. His father-in-law couldn't directly take Im Youngho down, the only way to do it was through Song Taeha. What remained was to turn the majority of the military away frong Song Taeha; which was easy since not all of them were under the tutelage of the former councillor.
And they succeed. By forcing Hanseom to betray the others, they had reassured the path to Song Taeha's demise. Until former Councillor Im Youngho stopped them by trading himself for Song Taeha's and his follower's lives.
In the end, the faction still wins.
Even with Song Taeha's survival it seemed the faction had no more concern for his former superior. Because Im Youngho has been defeated. After that, the faction did not face any hindrance anymore to have easily remove the late crown prince's spouse and his children from the scene. Considering their protectors were no more. Aside from Im Youngho and Song Taeha, no other voice were as strong. The faction had an easy win.
xxx
He had requested for Song Taeha to serve under him. He had reasoned that the man needed to be monitored; even falling from grace would not deter the man to do anything if he found it to be his righteous mission. It was certainly not because of the leg injury; because he was afraid to see the man being forced to do hard labour... with that condition. And the leg had seemed to remain crippled, it really seemed like that.
Even then, he was still troubled. Every time he'd tried to avoid staring at him for too long. Because the man would give him such a saddened look that he could not bear to see. He had to survive, he needed to survive. If that meant engaging with the demon then so be it.
And as he thought, the man did indeed have some aces with him still. Song Taeha had escaped.
Even though he made an effort to try recapture all of the escaped slaves including the general, he knew that the man wouldn't be so easily caught. If he did, then it wouldn't be that feared general anymore.
He resolved to let it remain that way, to repay the man for saving his life. All those years ago. That man had no reason to save him but he did. That man had personally protected him, when any other officers would have easily abandoned him. Because if a soldier could not fight his way out on his own, what use are they to be alive if they didn't even manage to protect their own lives?
Yet Song Taeha had saved him. Even when he was not as competent soldier as him.
He thought he could leave it at that. And then the Councillor—his own father-in-law—tried to force his hand.
Very well, the prison was definitely better than his own home. Until his mother appeared, and his resolve weren't as strong. His old and ailing mother, because of this was made to come to such horrid place. Because of this, she was forced to be troubled. It was clear that he had to make a choice.
He knew at the moment he could not contend with his father-in-law. He was still not strong enough. Unlike Song Taeha, he had no one to back him. Not when the person who was supposed to back him up was the one prosecuting him. Being defiant would do him no good. He knew where this path would lead him. So he either have to forsake his life, his mother... or forsake Song Taeha once again.
The decision was not a hard one.
-
Fandom: 추노/Chuno
Rating: G
Character: Hwang Cheolwoong, Song Taeha
Summary: The path that he had chosen was not the most righteous. Yet it was still the path he had taken.
---------------
He had a family. His mother. He couldn't allow anything to happen to himself, for his mother's sake. No amount of fealty could account to him ever abandoning his mother. Because there was no one else. If anything happened to him, his mother would have no one to watch over her! He had to survive... no matter what the cause. Even if at the expense of another...
The others had nothing to lose, even General Song. The long war had taken from them so much. Yet, he still had something to lose. He couldn't be so reckless without having anything certain to ensure his future.
When the general had decided to attack the convoy taking away the two princes, he had a hint of doubt inside. If something went wrong, he couldn't return home safely. His mother would be waiting in vain.
So when the others... and General Song had jumped into the fray, he had stopped himself. Instead of fighting alongside them, he merely watched. And as if he had foreseen it, it didn't turn out well. What else he could do but walk away? He knew better than to charge alone and try saving them.
He had returned in disgrace, yet he was not completely treated unwelcomed. An offer to be entrusted with much responsibility, who would have refused that? The Left State Councillor even offered his daughter's hand, what else could he do to refuse? An offer to further better his life, only a fool would refuse. He'd taken the less dangerous road, the easy path. Who cared about about saving face? As long as he survived.
Until... he realised that the daughter was ill.
Well, you couldn't always have everything going well for you.
xxx
Many years passed, and they returned. Yet he knew already that he had picked a side. And that side was the opposition; he couldn't choose to be loyal when knowing the fate for it would mean death. So even if he was troubled about it, he had framed that man who had shone so much.
That man should not have been so bold. If he at least relented, he wouldn't have attracted the attention of the higher ups. But if that man had done that, he wouldn't have been that leader that he had looked up to.
They would be sentenced to death; that was almost certain. The lower officers were unimportant, even Hanseom and Gwangjae did not seemed to be a threat. They were minor contrivances; they just unfortunately stood in the way.
The one his father-in-law had been after was General Song Taeha. The person who was lauded as the strongest Joseon warrior, the close confidant of the late Crown Prince Sohyeon. The man whose loyalty was incomparable; an officer most honest who would definitely be a great threat to the faction. As long as Song Taeha was alive, the faction would face difficulty. As much as his mentor, the former Left State Councillor, Im Youngho. Because through General Song, the faction that supported the former crown prince's ideals would be strong. Since even amongst the military command he was the most respected of the higher officers.
With General Song with them, the other faction would have the military on their side.
So it was no surprise that the faction would want General Song eliminated. His father-in-law couldn't directly take Im Youngho down, the only way to do it was through Song Taeha. What remained was to turn the majority of the military away frong Song Taeha; which was easy since not all of them were under the tutelage of the former councillor.
And they succeed. By forcing Hanseom to betray the others, they had reassured the path to Song Taeha's demise. Until former Councillor Im Youngho stopped them by trading himself for Song Taeha's and his follower's lives.
In the end, the faction still wins.
Even with Song Taeha's survival it seemed the faction had no more concern for his former superior. Because Im Youngho has been defeated. After that, the faction did not face any hindrance anymore to have easily remove the late crown prince's spouse and his children from the scene. Considering their protectors were no more. Aside from Im Youngho and Song Taeha, no other voice were as strong. The faction had an easy win.
xxx
He had requested for Song Taeha to serve under him. He had reasoned that the man needed to be monitored; even falling from grace would not deter the man to do anything if he found it to be his righteous mission. It was certainly not because of the leg injury; because he was afraid to see the man being forced to do hard labour... with that condition. And the leg had seemed to remain crippled, it really seemed like that.
Even then, he was still troubled. Every time he'd tried to avoid staring at him for too long. Because the man would give him such a saddened look that he could not bear to see. He had to survive, he needed to survive. If that meant engaging with the demon then so be it.
And as he thought, the man did indeed have some aces with him still. Song Taeha had escaped.
Even though he made an effort to try recapture all of the escaped slaves including the general, he knew that the man wouldn't be so easily caught. If he did, then it wouldn't be that feared general anymore.
He resolved to let it remain that way, to repay the man for saving his life. All those years ago. That man had no reason to save him but he did. That man had personally protected him, when any other officers would have easily abandoned him. Because if a soldier could not fight his way out on his own, what use are they to be alive if they didn't even manage to protect their own lives?
Yet Song Taeha had saved him. Even when he was not as competent soldier as him.
He thought he could leave it at that. And then the Councillor—his own father-in-law—tried to force his hand.
Very well, the prison was definitely better than his own home. Until his mother appeared, and his resolve weren't as strong. His old and ailing mother, because of this was made to come to such horrid place. Because of this, she was forced to be troubled. It was clear that he had to make a choice.
He knew at the moment he could not contend with his father-in-law. He was still not strong enough. Unlike Song Taeha, he had no one to back him. Not when the person who was supposed to back him up was the one prosecuting him. Being defiant would do him no good. He knew where this path would lead him. So he either have to forsake his life, his mother... or forsake Song Taeha once again.
The decision was not a hard one.
-
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