Chapter 7.

When Mark closed his eyes he still saw the view from his house, of the tree trunks surrounded by the morning fog. The sun’s rays fought its ways through the tree’s crowns and lit up the fog as if it was floating crystals. The mix of the light and the dark shadows was always so beautiful to Mark and he loved to look down and see the hunters return home on the small path. Some of them started climbing the trees, their bodies moving gracefully as they climbed. If Mark looked straight up above his wooden roof he could see glimpses of the light blue sky. He sometimes crawled out of his window, up upon his roof and up one of the trees supporting his house. He reached the very top of the tree and watched the pale sun rise above the forest and the mountains in the distance. He let the sun’s rays warm up his skin and smiled to himself, closing his eyes and breathing in.

Mark woke up with a start and the first thing he laid his eyes on was Ten and Taeyong sitting in front of each other, both of them staring at Mark with wide eyes. Ten gave him a worried and open look as if ready to receive Mark’s worries and Taeyong just watched him with eyes that would note down his every move.

  “Ready for today?” Taeyong asked and Mark put his arm on his raised knees, hiding the bottom of his face and glancing towards the bright world outside.

  “Not really.” He replied and a muscle tucked at the corner of Ten’s lips, he looked down on the ground and Taeyong sighed.

  “Lord Win requested your presence.”

  “Of course he did.” Mark yawned. Steps sounded and Hansol raised a hand in greeting to whoever was coming.

Kun appeared with a smile on his face. “Morning, Mark, ready to suffer?” He asked and Mark huffed.

  “I was destined to suffer.” He said in a bitter voice and Ten gave him a look.

  “Don’t say that.”

Mark smiled as he got up. “I’m kidding.”

  “No, you’re not.” Ten said knowingly.

Mark grinned. “You know me too well.” He said before getting up, stretching his limps and then following Kun.

  “I’ve already received the information about you meeting with Lord Win.” Kun said as they went down the steps. “I also agreed to follow you to his tent so that no fights would begin.”

  “Because they fear you?”

Kun pursed his lips and hummed. “Respect is the word you’re looking after.”

  “More like awe…” Mark settled it and Kun nodded with an impressed look on his face.

  “You’re a good kid.” He said and reached back to pat Mark on his back. “You could become something great if you knew how to attack.”

  “I’ll get you one day.” Mark said determinedly and Kun laughed.

  “That’s the spirit.”

Lord Win was smirking to himself as Kun and Mark entered. Mark wasn’t sure if it was Kun or Mark who was the reason and he decided that it was definitely Kun when Win’s gaze found the warrior. “You can go, Kun.” Lord Win said his tone rather dry as if he was purposely making it sound dry. Kun raised his brows in amusement and bowed.

  “I’ll be right outside, My Lord.” He replied and Mark narrowed his eyes because there was something that he was missing. Kun walked out with a confident strut and Mark noticed that Lord Win was watching the other before shifting his gaze to Mark.

  “My dear Blue.” He then said and walked over to Mark. “Or Mark, if you’d like that better?”

Mark blinked at the offer. “It’s okay.” He took himself in saying and Lord Win gave a nod, humming to himself with his deep voice as he wondered what to choose.

  “Let’s say Mark.” He said and started walking towards the back of the tent. Mark followed and was led around the throne and through a hidden tunnel. He tried not to seem too surprised but his wide eyes roamed over his new surroundings. Lord Win’s face was lit up by the warm light of torches lining the tunnel. “You can call me Winwin then.” He said.

  “With all due respect, I would like to keep the formalities.” Mark said. “If anyone was to hear, I think more jealousy would just arise and I’d like to be able to move around by myself.”

Lord Win chuckled eyes crinkling up into bows and he looked rather innocent like that. “My dear Mark, you are incredible.” He said and then they entered a hall that looked like a home and Lord Win led him to a table that showed Mark a map of the clans. He had never seen anything like that and gawped at it. Lord Win smiled proudly. “They may have locked us in here, but we know how to roam the night. It kept us busy.” He said with a small smile and Mark who now carried the same curse knew the bitterness of being cast away to this lonely place.

  “A lot of times I felt angry.” Lord Win said, reaching up to touch the horns on his head. “But a voice in the back of my head spoke of reason, this was for safety. Would I want my family to suffer the same curse? Or maybe death?” Lord Win shook his head. “I wouldn’t. So I let myself get taken to this place, even though I did take two lives before coming here.” Lord Win sighed. “Fear consumes you.” He muttered with a distant look in his slightly glowing eyes.
Mark blinked. “How did you die?” He took himself in asking and Lord Win looked down at the table.

  “In the night I died in my sleep only to wake up thinking I was caught in a nightmare. As a soldier I grabbed the nearest weapon and lashed out. I killed my own brother and my neighbor. My father protected my mother from me and the men in my clan, my friends and fellow soldiers pinned me down and locked me into my coffin. They didn’t even dare to open it when I was dropped off here with a bunch of other Damned that seemed so restless and without cause. I took them under my wings. I gave them a reason to continue. Established whatever order I could in this damned place.”

Lord Win looked bitter. “Remember what I said?”

  “What you alluded?” Mark remembered how Lord Win had alluded that maybe Clan 1 had spread this decease on purpose. “It cannot be true.”

  “It can.” Lord Win took a seat in a chair near the table and Mark kept standing, staring at the mapped city of Clan 1. “Think it through, Mark. What would their motives be?”

Mark frowned. “I could never…” He started fingers curling into his palms, nails digging into his skin. “To keep the population down? No why would they do that?” He thought hard. “They have soldiers, they’re known for their soldiers. Is that it? They want to take away the weak, make sure only the strong survives? Make sure the other clans need the commander?”

Lord Win smiled, he looked impressed. “That’s an interesting theory.”

Mark blinked. “What’s yours?” He asked and Lord Win reached out, his slim index fingers tapping the map.

  “Let’s wait until next time.” He said with an amused smile and Mark felt frustrated. Still he knew Lord Win wouldn’t budge even if Mark asked or pleaded. Lord Win wanted Mark to think it through. Mark thought that sounded just like his uncle. He bid his goodbye to Lord Win and told the other he could find his own way out. He needed to take his mind off his worries and he knew that practicing with Kun was the only way…

Jaehyun cheered when Mark managed a kick to Kun’s chest so that the other fell backwards. Mark almost buried his blade in Kun’s chest but Kun was already up by that time. Taeyong told Mark to not hesitate and Kun kicked Mark to his shoulder making him stumble to the side only to receive another kick to his head and he fell to the ground. He had been close, but too close to continue. Kun grabbed his hair and bared his neck, pressing his blade to it. “Got ya.” He said and then let go. Mark sank to the ground, groaning tiredly.

  “You were fierce today.” Kun complimented Mark. “I could feel some anger in your movements. You need a bit of that to have more power.”

Mark rolled onto his back and Ten and Jaehyun helped him get up. Ten raised a water bottle to Mark’s lips. Mark looked at Taeyong who wasn’t looking at him. But Ten. Then Taeyong’s gaze found Mark and the other smiled. “You’re getting there.” He said and Mark dropped his head to Ten’s shoulder. Johnny came over.

  “Should I carry him?” He asked and Mark felt grateful for the boys around him. His smaller body was carried by Johnny, and Ten and Jaehyun walked beside Johnny. Then Mark suddenly pushed himself off Johnny, walking a little unsteadily but he softly pushed Ten’s hands off of him.

  “I need to be strong.” He said and the other three looked to Kun who walked as if he hadn’t just spent hours on fighting. Mark took some times to gather the last of his strength before he did the same and Ten winced.

  “I don’t like this.”

  “You have to let him do this.” Johnny said to Ten and wrapped an arm around Ten’s shoulders. Ten accepted Mark’s decision and Mark looked up to see Taeyong stare at them. He knew who Taeyong was staring at and he turned to look to his left to see Jaehyun stare at Taeyong. Jaehyun’s gaze then dropped and he sighed. Mark wondered what the other was thinking.

Mark couldn’t sleep that night. He was exhausted but his mind was racing. He would be prepared for the meeting with Lord Win and he was doing his best to remember the slight weaknesses he had noticed with Kun, even though the latter was perfect when fighting.

Mark stared at Hansol who were leaning against the cave wall. He fell asleep at one point. Not really sure when. But one feeling filled his chest. Some things would happen, things he couldn’t control and Mark wanted to figure them out so that he would know what to do when the time comes. Maybe he should talk to Doyoung…

Mark exited the cave the morning with Jaehyun with him. Taeyong had tried to convince him not to walk alone but it was quite early and Mark had once again been awakened by Jaehyun gasping for air and he had noticed that after Johnny helped Jaehyun, the other cried silently for so long Mark had to act like he was waking up. Jaehyun was sitting against the wall, knees tugged under his chin and Mark wondered whether to ask why he was crying, to ask why Jaehyun had to wake up gasping for air. But he took himself in blabbering about the dream he had and noticed Jaehyun sniffle and listen attentively.

  “Should we go visit Doyoung?” He asked and Jaehyun nodded looking happy that he had something to distract himself with. They found Taeyong and Hansol talking at the bottom of the stairs and Mark who had a long piece of fabric wrapped around him like a tunic, stopped in front of them. Taeyong’s eyes rested on Jaehyun a little longer than normal before he shifted his gaze to Mark.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He asked and Mark knew the two were talking about something aggravating since Taeyong couldn’t keep his anger down.

  “I’m going to Doyoung.” Mark said and then made sure to be calm and not intruding. “Jaehyun wanted to accompany me.”

Taeyong eyed Jaehyun from top to toe. “He can’t fight.” He then said and Jaehyun looked offended. “But it’s quiet right now, can you manage on your own?”

  “I nearly got Kun yesterday.”

Taeyong grimaced. “And yet again…”

Mark gawped. “Oh thank you very much, now I feel very confident.”

  “I could come with you?” Taeyong suggested. Jaehyun shifted weight onto another foot, leaning closer to Mark.

  “If you have the time.” Mark shrugged. “But that leaves Hansol the only one to guard the other’s.”

Something changed in Taeyong’s expression. “That’s right.”

Mark sighed. “Where is his tent?” He asked and Hansol took this as his cue to go up to the cave. Taeyong looked at the two before leading the way.

A/N:

I didn't know I had this chapter ready, so I just re-read it and I like this chapter a lot. It came out great.

Now I wanted to inform you guys as well that the reason I've been absent is because I've moved to Connecticut, USA. So that's why I've been busy.
I'm going to live here for a year! 

Comments are always so appreciated, they inspire me to keep writing, so thank you to all who has commented on the last chapter! <3

Love,
Emma <3