I think she does know that she likes him, but is making a decision about what she is or isn’t going to do with those feelings.

I got the sense that burning was about covering her tracks most of all.

With her experience and position in society, she has more capacity to appreciate and let go.

He has never loved before, so it makes sense for him to be more twitterpated and her to be more practical.

@fancypants She is coming to love him sooo much and what I really take from this scene is her UTTER FEAR to love again and to be allowed to love again and to know that no one will support her in that right now. It’s utterly heartbreaking to me, in the ways you’ve also expressed.

This show could break us worse than the other show with vampires. I really, really hope it doesn’t.

Well, it may be my life experience or the fact that I am a Noble Idiot, but I don’t equate loving with having.

Making a decision to not get involved with someone you cherish isn’t necessarily a fear based decision, but recognizing what is right for you.

but what am I saying ?!
this a rom-com..she should just go for it

I mean have you seen Row-oon?!

@fancypants I don’t think her fear comes from “having him,” I think her fear comes from giving herself to him. But that could just be projection.

I think I see what you are trying to say, maybe…? I guess my definition of a loving relationship doesn’t really involve having someone or giving over the self…but those sort of words tend to end up in romance descriptions.

I appreciate that you seem to be emphasizing the giving of love vs the receiving of love, is that correct ?

I guess what I meant is loving someone fully doesn’t always equate into agreeing to have a romantic relationship with them. Consent being not just about how one feels or how much one loves but about what that person believes to be right – for them, for that situation, etc. And I don’t see that as fear so much but care.

And I sense these two characters have moved beyond feelings and are at the consent stage. What I get from her behaviour this episode is that she is accepting that she can feel romantic feelings again but is not consenting to deepening their relationship. She eludes to some of the reasoning for this when she said: what is the point, i will never see you again after this He can’t fault that.

so bittersweet kinda

but the episode ends on a hopeful note as he has committed himself to try to make a pathway for their relationship, to have something real in response to her: what is the point

whew! i got all serious er something. so out of character…

Not to mention the gosh-awful social and political uproar that will be caused if a she were found out to actually be actually human (you know, feelings and stuff) instead of a “widow”

I am, though, very into the two of them having a relationship beyond letters and long looks across a crowded room.
But for that to happen, they need to survive first.

Among her many internal contradictions is that she acknowledges women’s worth yet she props up a patriarchal system. I fear she has done too much against the king to switch sides and keep all her loved ones alive, but perhaps she might find a way to leave the younger generation of women in her family in a situation that affords them some hope and autonomy.

She might want to kill some of those men, you never know. And that could make it easier for the two sides to get along… maybe I’m dreaming. But remember the King don’t really mind the political standpoint, the party, but only all that scheming.

I don’t think she would kill her daughter. She would kill everybody who put her family in danger. But she’s a mama bear for me. Not a serial killer.

I think she wants to be the one who controls the next king. That’s what they’re plotting for. The king is not specifically threatening them, not as far as we have seen so far, and also not according to what he said to the fourth wall camera. He likes some resistance and critique, though it is annoying, but he hates the power hunger of the left state minister and his gang. And until now, she can easily compete in power hunger with her … it’s brother, right?
She may feel strongly about her children, but she might feel equally strong about having political power. But a change in focus from domination to (sister) solidarity can happen, since she is obviously not accepted as an equal. And her brother was pretty annoyed that she was so effective last time there was a meeting.
“I suggest we do so and so … and I have already set it in motion.”
He did not like that.

And I don’t know that the crown prince is threatening her family other than “to not take the throne from him”. And she is fully on board with – actually leading – the plan to get at the crown prince and killing him, the gentle, fourteen-year-old boy.
The idea of the party that our boy Jung-woo’s father started was to have the best brains leading the country through discussions and arguments. That is what the Left State Minister said in his fourth wall interview. (Only ruined slightly by ending on a clear “Muahahah!”)
Since she is obviously the best brain at those meetings, the idea probably appeals to her.

This was my thought too – if he could just bring her along, he’d be much happier! He’s complained multiple times about being kept away from her because he has to work long hours.