Original subtitles

This drama is based on the tale of On Dal, as recorded in the Yeoljeon (Biographies) of Samguksagi. The characters, events, and specific chronology may be different from history.

Episode 1

Timing and Subtitles brought to you by Moonrise River team @Viki.com

Dal, wait for me.

Wait a little longer until I arrive.

Ga Jin.

Dal.

I miss you...

Ga Jin.

Dal. Dal!

We won.

I fought like hell.

You should've waited for me, fool.

It's because Ga Jin,

you are my Goguryeo,

my country.

Thank you. For surviving.

Your Highness! Your Highness, where are you going?

[Princess Pyeonggang (King Pyeongwon's Eldest Daughter)]

[Pyongyang Castle, Goguryeo, A.D. 561 (3rd year of King Pyeongwon's Reign)]

Is that the right thing to do?

How dare they act like the master of a country that belongs to the king?

Save your words, Princess. [Queen Yeon (King Pyeongwon's Queen Consort)]

Doesn't it infuriate you, Mother?

If it does,

am I supposed to cause a bloodbath here?

Are you asking me to grant the three tribes [King Pyeongwon (25th King of Goguryeo)]

a monopoly to sell salt in perpetuity?

The monopoly to sell salt was initially

the main source of livelihood for the five tribe association. [Hae Ji Wol (The Head of Sonobu)]

That's correct.

Taking that right away from us now would be completely unreasonable. [Jin Pil (The Chief of Gwannobu)]

Please listen to our plea. [Go Won Pyo (Gyerubu's Gochuga: Goguryeo's Royal Chief)]

So, are you now threatening me

with your personal army?

That's not what we are...

Shut up!

[Kim Pyeong Ji (Dadaero: Prime Minister of Goguryeo)]

Please stamp your seal on this.

You must've planned all this.

Who do you think has the power to sustain Goguryeo right now?

Jeolnobu and Sunnobu are out, focusing solely on protecting the borders.

Our three tribes, united,

was the only thing that preserved our nation's sovereignty.

You are sitting on your throne right now, thanks to us.

- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty.

I need some rest.

You take care of

the monopoly to sell salt.

[Go Sang Cheol (Gyerubu General)]

I shall go on a royal tour as planned. (Royal tour: a ruler's tour of the kingdom, an act of governance.)

Is that really the only option?

Allowing Jega to usurp our power endangers the royal family. [Jega: conference of leaders of five tribes of Goguryeo overseeing domestic affairs]

Princess!

How did you get in here? Like a mouse.

It's not like that...

I just missed the timing to greet you.

I came here because I was worried about my father.

I'll catch a real mouse for you!

Princess!

Please forgive me.

The king is like a glass bowl.

A light touch on his superficial jealousy, and he will shatter.

[Jin Bi (King Pyeongwon's concubine)]

You kept the monopoly to sell salt.

What more will you do?

The queen instigated the king from behind.

She must have an ulterior motive for insisting on the Royal tour under current circumstances.

The heroin who came from Jeolnobu?

Though she may be young, she is no pushover.

Are you jealous because she's younger than you?

When Queen Yeon leaves for the royal tour, hide this in her quarters.

What is this?

A talisman that will make you the rightful queen.

The queen is young and strong.

How dare I think about becoming the queen?

Who knows, an accident may take place during the royal tour.

Your Highness, coming out from there again?

Where in the world have you been?

Measuring with a ruler wouldn't size up to your eyes, Your Highness.

It doesn't show, don't worry. [Madam Gong Son (Princess Pyeonggang's Nanny)]

A mouse keeps coming into the palace.

I'll have the maids capture it.

Should I bring in a cat?

It won't be so easy to catch it.

It's a nasty one.

Pardon?

Just bring me my training clothes.

Your Highness.

Why do you want to learn martial arts when you have no use for it?

Again with that!

Are you saying a woman can't be the king?

Of course not.

Wrong.

I will succeed my father and become the king of this country.

Wielding and slashing comes later.

Marshall more strength first.

You saw it, but you didn't see it,

you heard it, but you don't remember it. That's the only way to keep peace in the palace.

I hope you

have a safe trip on your royal tour, Your Highness.

You're trying to run when you don't even know how to walk. [Go Geon (The first son of Gyerubu Go Won Pyo)]

- Instructor Go. - Yes, Your Highness.

You heard about the salt monopoly, right?

And about the Jega Association threatening the king.

Focus on the training.

Perhaps, in the near future,

I might have to slash your father, Instructor Go.

Then we'll become mortal enemies.

That won't happen.

Because I, Go Geon, born to be the Gyerubu's rightful heir, will be loyal to the royal family.

What if you have to choose between

your family and the royal family?

I don't need both of them.

I will choose you, Your Highness.

Won, while I'm away on the royal tour, stay healthy.

I want to come with you. [Crown Prince Won (King Pyeongwon's Eldest Son, Later King Yeongyang.)]

We are not going on a vacation.

- Here! - It's sweets!

We'll be back in a few days.

You can wait for us, right?

- You should return quickly. - Of course.

Let's go.

We sent off a jeonseogu. (a carrier pigeon)

A jeonseogu?

Of course, I understand that Your Majesty may be concerned about the queen's safety.

If anything happens during the royal tour, we'll get a message right away.

In that case, you'll learn about this soon as well.

Before Queen Yeon visits her hometown in Jeolnobu, [Jeolnobu: One of the 5 tribes in the Jega association. Guards the northern border.]

she's going to stop by Sunnobu.

Sunnobu?

Does that mean the queen will see General On Hyeop?

[The Border of Sunnobu]

[On Hyeop (The Head of Sunnobu)]

[Sunnobu: One of the 5 tribes in the Jega association. Guards the border with the Silla kingdom.]

You should've attended the Jega Association meeting.

I'm not interested in pathetic political games.

But we Sunnobu are always pushed to the back. [Sa Woon Am (Second in command of Sunnobu)]

Stop with the nonsense.

Protecting the southern border is the most important duty for us, Sunnobu.

Yes.

General!

General!

General!

What should we do? [Mrs. Sa (On Dal's Nanny)]

Your precious sword disappeared, sir.

[On Dal (On Hyeop's son, future General of Goguryeo.)]

You're going to be crushed to death by it before you can wield that sword.

I better hold a sword, at least this heavy, in order to become a great general.

You better put it back before you get caught.

Go and just fetch a wooden sword.

You can't beat this sword with a wooden sword!

- Don't you fall down. - Come at me!

Hey, hey, hey!

Hey, hey!

What are you guys doing!

Before you learn to kill, you should learn how to save first.

That's no fun.

It's training to protect the border.

It's not for fun.

I'll be able to do it once I'm faced with it.

What's so difficult about that?

Go up there and grab the rope.

If you can hold onto it until I climb all the way up,

I'll

give you this sword.

Really?

General.

Do you think Dal can handle this?

Even if he asks for help, just ignore it.

Don't give up!

If you give up, your father or

your comrade is going to die!

A person's life is in your hands.

Don't come! I can do it.

I'm going to do it!

Perservere!

General, are you okay?

Father!

General.

Father...

Your father just died.

Bury them.

Where is this, Father?

It seems to be some kind of a grave.

Later.

Later when you're ready to become a true warrior, I'll tell you.

Father.

About earlier, I'm sorry—

The queen has sent them.

- The queen? - Yes.

Her Highness is on her way to Sunnobu right now to see you.

I think she'll arrive here around sunrise tomorrow.

Mother.

Who's the most powerful person in our country?

By power, do you mean authority,

or do you mean physical strength?

I'm curious if there's someone who can defeat Gochuga.

Are you referring to Gyerubu Go Won Pyo?

Yes. I mean he who even brought his own soldiers to threaten my father.

If we continue on, there's a temple called Ibulan. [Ibulan Temple: first Buddhist temple in Goguryeo]

General Son Il Eop there, no...

Monk Wol Gwang is a master of martial arts.

A monk? Can that monk defeat Gochuga?

Before he became a monk, he was the best warrior in Jeolnobu.

Jeolnobu is your hometown, Mother. Let's go there.

I want to meet him and see what kind of a person he is.

It's late at night.

You should go to sleep.

Good job, General Son.

Yes...

So, you cut off the head of the leader of the invading Turks with this sword?

Yes, Your Majesty. [Son Il Eop (Jeolnobu's great General, Later Wol Gwang)]

It's better if you forget about the unfortunate rumors, Your Majesty.

Rumors?

Rumours like that, after Your Majesty married the young queen twelve years ago,

the princess was born less than eight months afterward.

And, that winter, of all times,

General Son Il Eop of Jeolnobu

suddenly left his post at the palace and became a monk.

How dare you doubt the princess's royal blood?

She's such a young and beautiful queen.

And I know that Your Majesty is anxious about that as well.

A woman's love is profound and tenacious.

Even if you try to hide it, you end up leaving a trace.

The royal tour sent a carrier pigeon.

It says that

the queen went to Ibulan Temple.

Wol Gwang...

She went to the temple where that bastard is?

I found it!

A talisman that will make you the queen.

Left all alone in this world you have deserted,

I am forlorn.

[Ibulan Temple]

We are three hundred-li apart,

but my longing for you is three-chi.

[Sunnobu]

I run to you. A minute feels like years.

My beloved.

My buddha.

Please calm down, Your Majesty.

I'm going to catch them and kill them.

Both the cheating b**** and the bastard!

She's the rightful queen who gave birth to the crown prince.

Keep the dignity of the royal family in mind.

I don't care about any of that.

I shall end them with my own two hands!

If that is the case, why don't you let me take care of it?

Your servant On Hyeop, at your service, Your Highness.

Please stand up, General.

Currently, the person who is stronger than Go Won Pyo

is General On Hyeop, who stands before us.

Are you curious about my sword?

Because you're the strongest general in Goguryeo.

I'm curious what kind of sword it is.

What do we do?

I have a sword much more precious than this one.

But that one's broken right now, so I can't show it to you.

That's too bad. I wanted to see it.

It'll be better if you stayed away from swords, Your Highness.

It's all right. I plan on becoming the king.

How admirable.

When that time comes, that sword shall be used for your sake, Your Highness.

Princess.

Did you just say dispatch the troops, Your Highness?

Go Won Pyo is outwardly spitting on the royal family.

It's obvious as day that he will soon aim for the throne.

But I'm just a mere warrior, Your Highness.

I don't care, nor do I know anything about politics and authority.

His Majesty had recently banned the salt monopoly

but they brought their own soldiers and threatened the royal family.

I am asking you to protect this country's people,

not the royal family, General.

That's correct.

Gochuga is a really bad person!

He told me not to tell anyone.

But I saw it with my own two eyes.

What did you see?

A few days ago, I saw him secretly meet up with Concubine Jin Bi at Noogak.

Jin Bi eavesdropped that we're going on a royal tour,

and tattle-tailed to Gochuga!

Why are you telling me that now?

Mother...

Take your leave.

Did I...

Did I do something wrong?

I said to leave.

I didn't know princesses get scolded.

I get scolded by my father every single day.

Oh, right.

Do you want to see this?

Isn't it awesome? I carved it.

Look here, a saddle and the general's helmet...

- I have to carve a bit more here. - Put it away.

What's so special about a wooden doll?

When I become the king, all generals on horses will be my servants.

How can a princess become the king?

How dare you speak like that to a princess?

Only a prince can become the king.

Not a girl, but a boy!

Says who?

There's no such rule!

How can a princess be stupider than me?

- What is your name! - Why?

When I'm the king, the first order of business shall be to punish you!

You think anyone can be the king? People have to approve of him.

I asked, what is your name!

My name is On Dal, one who shall become a great general in the future.

Hey!

We must return.

If Go Won Pyo was suspicious of this royal tour,

he must've plotted something.

Your Highness, the current amount of guards you have are insufficient.

Please wait for me to go down to the village and gather more forces.

I shall escort you back to the palace, Your Highness.

Father!

Guard Her Highness!

Go!

Please spare us!

Let's go!

Kill anyone who resists!

Arrest...

all traitors!

What did you do with the queen?

Confess promptly!

What do you mean?

Us, traitors?

Why us?

Shut up!

How dare you wish to live after murdering the queen!

- Take them! - Yes, sir!

Hey!

They are trying to get rid of us Sunnobu by making us traitors.

I was foolish.

I gravely underestimated Go Won Pyo.

For now, please go to the Ibulansa temple and hide.

If you ask the monks there for help,

they'll swiftly send a letter to the Pyeongyang Castle.

Dal.

Escort the queen and the princess and be a guide.

How could I...

Pull yourself together!

Time is of the essence.

I'll stay here.

- Your Highness! - Mother.

This all started because of me.

How could I abandon the people and depart?

- However... - I shall...

take care of this.

Let your mother take care of this.

Princess, you follow the boy and leave.

I don't want to.

I want to stay with you.

You're the princess of Goguryeo.

Maintain your dignity.

If anything happens to me,

you must tell His Majesty what happened.

Till then...

this guardian stone shall protect you.

Mother...

Please take good care of the princess.

You are the only person who knows all the forest roads.

This time, you cannot let go of the rope.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Your Highness!

Let go!

Let's hurry.

Go!

Please spare us!

Please spare us!

Stop!

General!

Who in the world is the traitor?

What kind of wicked and heinous behavior is this?

Retreat these soldiers now!

Let's go!

Long time no see, Hyeop.

Sahyung. (Sahyung is a respectful term for an older or upperclassman)

What in the world are you doing?

That's what I want to ask you.

I thought you left on a royal tour.

But you've actually been scheming?

We vowed loyalty to Goguryeo together.

How did you become so ugly, Sahyung?

Do you lust that badly after power?

Arrogant bastard.

Step aside.

You and your pathetic tribe are not my targets.

Go Won Pyo.

It's not too late to retreat your soldiers.

Do you think you can get away with murdering the queen?

Don't you understand, Your Highness?

The one who ordered the murder of the queen

is the king himself.

Father!

Queen!

I will never forgive you, even after I die.

You will never

own Goguryeo!

Goguryeo is already...

mine.

Queen!

Queen...

If you confess you're a traitor,

I shall spare the lives of the rest.

General!

You can't say that, General!

You can't say that, General!

General!

General!

General...

General! You can't say that...

Princess!

I can't go.

I can't go by myself.

How am I supposed to go?

Then do you want to just die?

Make my father and the queen's fight to save us

all in vain?

How can you call yourself a princess of Goguryeo?

You said you're going to be the king.

If you give up here, then Goguryeo will fail.

Who said I'm giving up!

Climb up!

No, you come up first!

If you give up here, Goguryeo will fail!

I said to climb up first!

I said, go ahead and climb up!

Climb up!

Hey!

Wol Gwang!

Where are you hiding, Wol Gwang!

Find Wol Gwang!

Hey, kid. Where is Wol Gwang?

I don't know.

Wol Gwang!

Where are you hiding?

Where are you hiding, Wol Gwang!

I shall rip you to pieces!

Father...

Tell me. Where is Wol Gwang?

I don't know anything! Please spare me...

The princess has disappeared.

Search the Youngji area thoroughly.

Pyeonggang...

Ga Jin. Are you okay?

[8 years later]

All good?

Let's go.

Who's this bastard?

I heard there's a demon that solely feeds on the royal blood of Go.

It's you, b****.

On behalf of heaven's will, I am here to punish Goguryeo animals.

So, you are one of those

pathetic classless assassins, you, b****.

I shall drink your blood tonight.

It's Chief Bangju's orders. ('Bangju' means 'leader.')

Kill everyone in the Goguryeo bloodline.

If you really are the best assassin of Cheonjubang,

abandon all mercy.

No!

Ga Jin! What's wrong? Are you insane?

No, Ga Jin.

- Stab me. - You stop, too!

Ga Jin, you really shouldn't do this.

How are you going to explain it to Chief Bangju?

You had another nightmare?

You keep having nightmares,

and when you wake up, you have d*** headaches.

How can a person live like that?

Lately, I think you're having more nightmares

because you're sick of being an assassin.

That's likely why you're having severe headaches, too.

You said it was because of the fever I had.

What?

You said I had a bad fever when I was little, and my head was spoiled.

You said that's why I can't remember my childhood.

Sure, yes.

You became like this all because of that lousy fever.

Of course, yes.

- Father. - Yes?

Be patient a little longer.

I have a plan.

What is it?

I said to get rid of all Goguryeo people!

Tae Mo followed my orders as an assassin.

Why did you scold Tae Mo?

I believed infanticide wasn't the right thing for Cheonjubang to do.

When that infant reaches an age where he can hold a sword, [Cheonjubang: anti-Goguryeo assassin group]

he will stab you and slash me.

Have you forgotten that our mortal enemy is Goguryeo? [Doo Joong Seo (the Chief Bangju of Cheonjubang)]

I shall eternally be grateful for you, Chief Bangju,

for taking in my father and me wandering the lands,

after Goguryeo troops have slaughtered my family.

Therefore, after I was chosen to be an assassin of Cheonjubang,

upon your command, Chief Bangju, I ran into the fire without hesitating.

However,

I do not wish to see any more blood.

If I can peacefully carve salt with my father,

that's enough for me.

Please,

I beg you to allow me to stop working as an assassin, Chief Bangju.

I opened the cage, yet the bird cannot fly away.

Can you fly?

I'm not trying to fly.

I ask you this in order to live.

I want to get away from the nightmares and suffering

and live quietly.

Please...

understand where I am coming from.

Get up.

In a few days, the King of Goguryeo will go to Cheonjedan on Songhak mountain.

Where are you all? You silly girls!

Where? Where?

Here you are!

Kill the King of Goguryeo,

the enemy of Cheonjubang displaced people.

We've already planned and prepared.

You only have to become my sword and stab him.

And that shall be your final mission.

When you say it's the final...

That means your duty as an assassin will end.

Pyeongwon. Assassinate him.

We caught it!

We caught it! Caught it!

Hurry, hurry.

No idea what we caught.

We caught it!

What is it?

Wow, it's a big one.

A deer, a deer!

- Cut it. - Where, where?

- The horn! - But it's still alive!

Hurry!

What?

What? Who the hell was that?

Who in the world was that?

Hey.

Let the deer go.

Look at this.

Look at this bastard.

Who do you think you are?

How dare you tell us what to do?

Look at this bastard.

I'm going to kill you, bastard...

"I'm going to kill you, bastard!"

Bastard...

Huh?

Wait, wait...

Hurts, right?

The deer feels pain, too.

I'm sorry.

In your next life, make sure to be born a human.

Not those bastards who aren't even human.

No need to thank me.

Hey!

You can't just leave.

What are you doing?

I know you.

I said...

I know you.

Timing and Subtitles brought to you by Moonrise River team @Viki.com

♫ I will be love to you ♫

♫ You will be my tomorrow ♫

[River Where the Moon Rises]

So, the only chance is when the king climbs up to the altar at the Temple of Heaven on Mount Songhak.

Infiltrate as a priestess.

A priestess will target the king?

Pyeongwon. Assassinate him.

In that case, may I arrest the assassin?

I'll offer her up to the king myself.

Hold on tightly!

From now on, don't hurt others,

and protect yourself, too.

Your life is precious.

He said to not come back, but to find your biological parents first.

Blue jade necklace?

♫ After that, you were everything ♫