Jessica

It was dark. The world before me was pitched black with not a single sign of light for many miles. I could still hear the murmuring of the invisible crowd around me. With the lack of sight, I could focus on my other senses. I could hear the anger, the hate and the rage in the air around me. I could feel their piercing stares against my skin. I could smell the rotten vegetables and fruit nearby, ready to take aim.

“Wretched demon! Burn in the depths of hell for all the pain you have caused us and make your body rot beneath the dirt beneath us!” the yelled filled my ears. Although the old sack around my head had taken away my sense of sight, I could imagine the enraged expressions that the people around me would have. I was their main source of hatred anyway. I had killed those women many years ago and forced the village to send a sacrifice once every five years. I was the demon of the mountains that could control the cold winds. Now that I was finally in their captivity, they would vent out all their revenge upon me.

“This is for taking away my mother twenty years ago!” a male voice stood out from the crowd. As soon as the words had reached my ears, a soft but firm object collided with the side of my jaw. The smell was horrifying as it stuck to the sack around my head.

“You took my grandmother!” this time a female voice yelled and once again, something collided with the back of my head. The crowd around me started yelling my ‘crimes’ and continued to throw the unknown objects as me. I had to keep my jaw clenched in order to stop myself from accidently biting onto anything unnecessary.

The rope around my wrists was starting to burn against my skin. It was too tight. I could feel my fingers going numb from the lack blood flowing through my hands. My knees were starting to graze against the rough surface of the floor beneath me as my legs were starting to ache from holding up the rest of my body. The villagers around me never ceased to throw things at me and all I could do was kneel their and accept their punishment.

I no longer had any means of pride. I was even kneeling before children as they continued to mock me. To them I had no pride. I was not worthy of any dignity. I was just a being who had destroyed many lives.

“I would like to thank you first of all for saving my daughter.”

I had managed to save one life. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Am I still a demon, a wretch, a beast for saving one human soul? I had managed to save the chief’s daughter from the grasps of the cold and yet I am here receiving punishment for things that I did not do. Taeyeon’s life had been completely forgotten as their hate and anger for me overtook what was important. Taeyeon should have people tending for her care right now, but from what I hear, the whole village was surrounding me to get their fair share of vengeance.

I could hear the chief of the village trying to quieten down the village to keep the order and safety of the people, but he had long given up. I could still feel that he was there. I could almost see the smirk on his face as he watched his villagers have their way. He should be caring for his daughter. His daughter is weak and fragile and yet here he is, watching with amusement at someone else’s torture.

All of a sudden, the rain of the smelly objects ceased. Twelve loud rings of a bell nearby caused for silence to befall the villagers.

“That is enough for today my fellow followers. Tomorrow, we shall continue. Until then, return to your daily practices as we take the demon back to her prison. I advise for you to stay clear of that area as much as possible for your own safety,” the chief bellowed throughout the crowd. I unclenched my jaw slowly to relieve the muscles which were keeping them shut.

My jaw was sore from the constant clenching and my teeth were starting to throb from the added weight forced upon them. The smell of the sack around my head was starting to intensify as the food started to set in.

“Hurry up you wretch. We do not wish for the villagers to meet discomfort from the smell you are emitting,” a rough voice muttered through the thin material of the sack. I was then forcibly pulled up from the floor and thrown forward. Because it was so abrupt, I was not able to catch my balance in time and fell forward from the extra forced upon me. The rough floor grazed through my exposed skin and had probably taken part of my skin with it.

As I was forced to stand up again, I could feel the area which contacted with the floor start to sting. I was sure that blood would be starting to drip from my shoulder but the guards seemed to be amused at my injury. Their low chortle was evident of that.

Alas, there is a price to everything. The price to save one soul was the price of my own freedom. Little did I know that when I gave up that freedom that I would also be giving away my dignity and pride. I still had not received my reward for giving up my freedom. I still had not seen a healthy young village girl. I still haven’t seen her with my own eyes yet.

This sack around my head prevented me from seeing anything besides the barn in which I was held captive. It was somewhat a life saver. It prevented me from seeing things I did not wish to see.

If she had been in that crowd of angered villagers, I don’t know whether I would be able to accept it. With the sack above my head I was not able to see anything, the good and bad included.

“Hurry up and leave her in the barn. They’re preparing a feast soon and I don’t want to miss out on that opportunity,” one of the guards hurried the one whom was leading me towards my prison. The pace of the guard picked up and I was being dragged along harshly. I would have retaliated against him if it wasn’t for the restrictions of my movements.

“What is the feast in preparation for?” the one holding onto my questioned. I chuckled silently at their conversation. They were like hungry pigs just desperate for their next meal. It was sickening that such shallow people exist, but then again, compared to the chief these people were more to my liking.

“The chief plans on looking for the next chief in line. Since he only has one daughter, he plans on finding a suitor for her.”

A suitor for the chief’s daughter… They couldn’t possibly be talking about Taeyeon, could they?

“The chief has a daughter?” the one holding me questioned in a surprised tone. I couldn’t help but listen more carefully at the conversation they were having not that it included Taeyeon. I was surprised at the male’s questionable and surprised tone about Taeyeon. One would think that the chief’s daughter would be one of the most known people in the village and most probably the most sought after.

“Yes he does. I was quite surprised myself when I saw her burst out of the house. I must say that the chief’s daughter really is something. She seems so clean and so pure and her bravery for facing this wretch was really admirable,” the second male gawked. I was now slightly confused at the two’s attitude.

“Well, maybe either of us can manage to captivate her. She was the one who was locked away from the village since she was born wasn’t she?”

“Yes, that’s the one. I’m sure just the phrase ‘I can show you the open world’ will captivate her enough. Poor thing must not know anything about the open world besides the wrath of being tortured by the princess.”

“Although I only saw a glance of her before she left for the mountains, she really does seem like a nice prize. Not only that, but whoever manages to captivate her will be next in line for the chief’s position.”

“That is the only reason why many would gather for this feast. A pure innocent girl, untouched by any man, holds the key to becoming the next man with all the power. Most very appealing indeed.”

“She is not an object to be passed around the likes of you people,” I finally muttered through the cloth of my sack. I was surprised myself that I had emitted any sound let alone a full sentence. The hand that held me captive tightened dangerously around me.

“Do you detest the chief’s daughter as well?” he questioned curiously. I cursed myself for even opening my mouth against them.

“Calm down, why don’t we make a compromise?” the other man chuckled slightly. The sack around my head was now taken off forcibly as I was faced with the two disgusting views of the men’s faces. I turned my head away quickly and scoffed in their faces. I did not want any part in their affairs.

“I know how frustrated you must be to not have your fun with her. You have yet to release your anger upon her,” the male on the left questioned. I ignored his obvious hint and made my way to the corner of the barn and sat down to ignore them. I will not partake in any of this. I do not wish to be the blame behind any more of the village’s affairs. I am a mere toy to release anger on now. I did not have any right to what happens.

“If either of us manage to take her, then I’m sure we will be ready to make a compromise,” he continued. I knew what he was trying to say. I was disgusted at his intentions and even more so with myself for even considering it.

“Once she bears us a child, I shall leave her to you. From there you may do whatever you wish with her. You have been obedient around us, so we’re willing to let you roam free so long as you do not threaten this village anymore. If you leave this village in peace, the chief’s daughter shall be yours,” he finished confidently. The man beside him seemed shocked at the audacity of his friend but smiled widely at the idea.

From the pit of my stomach, I could feel the hate for the villagers double. They are just treating her as a tool to gain power over others. They are going to use her body just to continue their power and just throw her away like she’s nothing. I’m willing to even say that they don’t even know her real name. I hated the villagers. Taeyeon is more than just the chief’s daughter. She is more than the descendant of the Kim’s. She is more than any of these other villagers put together.

“You will not be able to captivate her. Not with those intentions that you have. She is smarter than all of you village pigs combined. She will never fall for your fake façade,” I gritted through my teeth. The men laughed carelessly as thought I had just made the biggest joke they had heard.

“That naïve girl, smarter than all of us combined? She has no knowledge of what real life is like. She was confined in a small space for all her life. She craves for a taste of the real world. A girl like that would be easy to captivate. She’s like a mere lost child who will follow anyone who presents her candy and sweets,” the first male mocked. I clenched my fists tightly. The rope around my wrists constrained against me as my muscles tensed.

“Our deal is still valid, princess. If you wish to vent out your anger then vent it out on her. She is the chief’s daughter after all. She represents this village,” the second male shrugged carelessly.

“The chief’s daughter has a name. Do you even know what name her parents have given her?” I questioned with the anger still burning through my throat.

“The chief will announce it at the beginning of the feast. We need not call her by a name. We can serenade her with other sweet names instead,” he answered. The two males then started laughing heartedly as they exited the barn to make their way towards the feast. I stood up and kicked the side of the barn as hard as I could.

“I didn’t exist to the people back there. Best that I remain inexistent,”

Those were the words she uttered to me when I had told her to return to her village. I had neglected all those small hints she had given me. She did not wish to return to this village knowing that she did not mean anything to the villagers. I was wrong to have brought her back. I was wrong to have sent her back to the village when she begged me not to.

I kicked the side of the barn once more out of frustration. By sacrificing my freedom to bring her back to this village, I did not expect to see the villagers react in this way towards her. She should be admired for who she is, not because of her power status. She should be respected for her stability and courage. Even I had admired her for the actions she showed towards me and I had never admired anyone, even before I had come across this village.

I looked back at the entrance of the barn. It was barricaded so that I would not be able to escape without my free hands. I thought of forcibly knocking down the barrier but I quickly rid myself of that thought. I was forgetting one thing with this situation.

Taeyeon’s thoughts.

Did she wish for all this to happen? What if she was the one who suggested the feast in order to find her partner? Taeyeon could even be looking forward to this feast and could have been possibly been part of the crowd who threw those rotten vegetables at me.

The realisation had hit me. Taeyeon was back in her village. This was her own place. She was smart enough not to fall for those two pigs, but there may be men who actually truly wish to marry her. I was nothing but a burden to her. The situation had changed now. The village knew of the girl’s bravery and would cherish her like the princess of their village. She was the princess of their village who had risked herself to bring justice back to the village; the village surely had to repay her that favour by treating her like a true princess.

It was then that I realised my place. I was no longer a princess. I am nothing more than the mere dirt on the bottom of people’s shoe soles. I served no purpose to anyone. I was just a nuisance to be cleaned off at the bottom of one’s shoes. To Taeyeon, I was probably even worse. Even with the small confined barn area, I felt insignificant.

I sighed heavily and sat back down onto the cold ice floor. I was to wait for the next day to come. That was all I had left to do. Wait until the next day when the villagers would vent out their anger upon me.

I just hope that Taeyeon would be able to find her place. If she could find hers then where I belonged did not matter anymore. I had helped at least one person. That was enough for me.

Taeyeon

He was no longer a father figure to me. He had forced me to stay within that room and even dared to tie me down like an animal, only to release me the next morning to tell me that I was to find a suitor at a feast this afternoon. He did not care for what I wanted. He didn’t even ask for what I wanted.

“Once you find your suitor, I shall talk to the family about the wedding details and hopefully continue on the bloodline,” he continued talking. I did not wish to continue listening to his words but there was nothing else to distract my mind. My wrists were still burning from the ropes and the burning sensation in the depths of my stomach was growing with each passing second.

To add to the discomfort, the maid was piercing daggers through the back of my head intensely. Was she worried that her job would be jeopardised once I was casted to another family? Her pay would be cut and she would no longer enjoy the warm luxurious clothing that she currently wears.

“Do I make myself clear?” my father finished off. I glanced at him quickly with a piercing stare. He seemed unfazed by my glance and only added fuel to the hate I was starting to develop for him. I stood up abruptly and made my way towards my prison once more. I was still not allowed outside but I would rather return to my prison than face my inconsiderate father for a moment longer.

The maid followed behind hesitantly. I would have told her to leave if it wasn’t for the current situation. I did not wish to be alone in that room, even if it meant keeping the company of the maid with me. I had to make sure that I would not go completely insane so quickly. With someone else in the room, I could slow down the rate slightly.

“I do not wish to hear your opinion. Excuse my rudeness but I would like some quiet,” I told her as politely as I could as I lay on the bed with frustration. The maid just nodded slowly and took her seat in the furthest corner of the room. She would always do that whenever I was in a bad mood. She would take the seat in the corner and busy herself with the books upon the shelf, occasionally glancing over to see if I was in any discomfort.

I wondered how much she was paid to have to put up with me. Although I never had the courage to act rudely towards her, I still made her feel uncomfortable whenever I could. I would never talk to her as she would never talk to me. We just both sat at different ends of the room and kept to ourselves. I wondered if she had a family to tend to. She was always working here for me but I couldn’t help but wonder if she was neglecting her family for the money.

“Do you have a family?” I asked suddenly. If the room wasn’t quiet, I could at least distract my mind. The maid looked at me with a surprised expression. This would be one of the very few times in which I would initiate any kind of conversation between us.

“Were you forced to marry the man whom you did not even know and bear children for him, just to continue the family bloodline?” I continued to ask. I knew I was indirectly referring to my own situation, but I wanted to know whether I was alone in this situation. I was always alone in many circumstances but if someone had experienced what I had, it would at least give me some reassurance.

“No, fortunately I was not forced against my will,” she answered timidly as she closed her book. She turned her torso around and faced me with a troubled expression.

“I love the man whom I married dearly and I even bore him a beautiful daughter. I was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy that small blissful moment of having a family,” she continued with a sad smile. So this leaves me alone with this situation once more. Even the maid had a choice as to who she could marry and was willing enough to bear children to the family she was married to.

“Why do you not care for your family?” I continued to ask her. I restrained myself from mentioning her greed for the money as I would see it as inappropriate in any situation.

“Because I am a horrible mother,” the maid sighed heavily. I felt as though her words were piercing through me as her stare was before.

“Do you work as a maid to provide for your family?” I continued to ask her. I was looking for refuge once more. I knew I was desperate but I was still trying to find some reassurance.

“I do this because I want to be able to help my daughter in some way. To me, I do not deserve to show myself to my daughter but I still wish to provide for her needs,” she answered me diligently. I laid myself back into the bed and closed my eyes. My search for refuge was futile.

The maid says that she is a horrible mother yet she still tries to provide for her daughter. My own mother on the other hand doesn’t even dare show herself to me. When I was young, I had imagined my mother to be the kind and caring type. Father had always mentioned that she was beautiful and that she loved me dearly.

Because of father’s words, I waited. I waited for my own mother to show herself to me. I did not care if she were a horrible person who did not love me like her own child; I just wanted to know that I had a mother out there somewhere. I wanted to know the person who had brought me to this world.

“At least you try to provide for your daughter,” I muttered unconsciously. The maid just nodded slowly and walked over to the side table. She poured me a cup of warm tea that would help rejuvenate my health and politely offered it to me. I took the cup slowly and glanced up at her. Her eyes seemed to be filled with regret and remorse as she continued to stare at me.

“I will not judge you upon your decision about your family. Do not fear about me casting you aside. You have a family to provide for, I have no right to strip you of that right,” I told her bluntly before taking a sip of the tea. She seemed to sigh in relief but she was tenser than she had been previously before my encounter with the princess.

“I very much appreciate that Miss Kim,” she answered with a half-smile. I placed my half empty cup on the side of the table and turned to face the window beside me. The villagers were busily preparing for the feast this afternoon. I couldn’t help but feel as though this event was similar to the winter festival. The only difference was that the village no longer feared the princess and the women of the village were free to roam.

“For many years now, you have tended for my needs in this room. Do you not wish to see your daughter during the day?” I continued to ask her. I was already wounded by my current mother; I at least wanted to know what the other mothers were like towards their family.

“I do not think my daughter would wish to see me any time soon. All I can do now is support her silently with what I can do,” she answered formally. I sighed heavily at the maid’s formality. It felt so forced. It wasn’t natural. The way the maid would hesitate ever so slightly to call me ‘Miss Kim’ was unsettling. I was damaging her pride. A girl half her age was at a higher status than her.

“Go visit your daughter for today. You do not need to tend for me today. My father will keep an eye on me for today. I’m sure your daughter wishes to see her mother very much. You have been supporting her silently. If you explain what you’ve done for her, I’m sure she would understand,” I said in a somewhat reassuring tone. I did not wish for another girl to feel abandoned by her mother as I feel. Even just the knowledge of knowing that the person who brought you to this world acknowledged your existence was enough. I did not have any right to take that away from someone else.

“Miss Kim I…” the maid started off. I turned to face her and waited for her to continue but she did not utter anything after that. I continued to wait but she reclosed and took a timid step away from me.

“So you wish to tell me something?” I questioned, curious as to why she would call me. The maid opened once more but quickly closed it again.

“That is all for today. Go back to your family and tend for your daughter. I shall tell my father to continue to pay for your family’s needs. I do not see any purpose in wasting your time here when your daughter is feeling neglected,” I sighed and turned myself back to the foggy window. I could hear the maid’s feet shuffle along the floor as she exited the room. I was alone once more and the insanity was slowly starting to set.

I drew a circle on the foggy glass and stared through it. A circle truly is a fascinating object. It did not bare any corners or gaps. It was just a singular shape which was unique in its own way. There were no corners to hide secrets, there were no gaps to allow for things to escape or enter and everything in the circle was exposed equally and fairly.

I laughed at myself as I continued to the stare at the fascinating shape on the glass. I was truly going insane for finding such a thing interesting. Having too much time to think for myself has caused me to deform my mind in many ways. They say that those who are wise have had a lot more to think about, but I have had all my life to think for myself. That itself has made me wiser than the elders of the village. Was there a certain degree of intelligence that separates the wise from the insane? I was either really intelligent, or I was insane. I did not know what I was. All the time to think for myself and I couldn’t even answer questions about my own nature.

I sighed heavily and decided that I should catch up upon my rest. The afternoon would be tiring for me and most bothersome. I’m sure father would not be pleased if I were to faint in my first official appearance to the villagers. I at least had to prepare myself for what was to come next.

“My name is Park Leeteuk. I am very pleased to have finally met the precious daughter of our village chief,” the male before me greeted. I did not pay much attention as a line of males was forming behind the male before me. They were all waiting to greet me but I had no intention of greeting them all.

The feast was starting and my father was already drinking with the possible suitor’s families. Man after man they greeted me. I was feeling fatigued from the constant nodding and greeting. I had not yet recovered and was even more burdened with the expectations that my father had forced upon me.

As the men were continuously taking turns to impress me, I happened to catch one of the women talking about something that spiked my interest.

“The princess didn’t seem so intimidating this morning with that sack around her head. I must say I did enjoy throwing that rotten tomato at the back of her head. I’m sure that she must smell even worse than the barn she inhabits at this moment.”

During my constant struggles with my father since the moment I had awakened, I did not have time to worry about Jessica. I felt horrible for thinking so, but my father’s actions were on a far more irritating note than the villagers. Now that the thought of Jessica had been brought forward, it was all I could think about.

I continued to listen to the villagers now that they were starting to speak of the princess. From what I gathered, she was taken to the middle of the village this morning as the villagers disposed of their waste towards her. When one of the men were starting to laugh in amusement at their punishment for the princess, I was about to speak up if it weren’t for my father’s interruption.

“My fellow villagers, tonight we feast to our hearts content. Our village no longer lives in fear and my daughter shall finally find her suitor. Here is to a memorable day in our village,” he bellowed loudly. The villagers all bellowed in response as the feast began. I was no longer part of the attention as the alcohol was starting to be passed around.

“Miss Kim?” a familiar voice whispered through my right ear. I turned around to meet the gaze of my maid. She was holding onto a bucket of water and a towel towards me. She motioned for me to move away from the crowd with the bucket of water still in her hands.

“The princess has yet to clean herself from this morning’s practice. She resides in the barn near the back of the Im’s house,” she whispered to me quietly. I looked at her with a questioning expression.

“Could you please tell the chief that I am to excuse myself from the feast as I have to tend to the princess’ cleanliness?” she questioned hesitantly. I glanced back at the bucket of water to see steam slowly rising from it, indicating that it was warm water. I then turned my head back towards the feast and flinched at the thought of returning there.

“Allow me to do that. I relieved you of your duties today. Go find your daughter, I shall take care of this,” I said to her a little too quickly. The maid seemed hesitant and shook her head sternly. I did not allow for her to argue back as I took the bucket from her hands.

“Do not tell my father of this or else,” I warned her before quickly making my way away from the feast. I glanced back at the maid to see her with a small smile on her face. I presume that it was out of gratitude for allowing her to spend time with her family. I did not stay long enough to assess the possibilities. My mind was wondering to other thoughts.

How would the princess react if I were to show myself to her now? I was the cause of all her suffering from the village. Would she despise me as the she despises the other villagers?

I gripped onto the handle of the bucket even tighter. I had never been so nervous before. My heart was beating quickly as I approached the Im’s house. I could see the barn behind their home clearly even though there was a lack of light.

As I continued to approach the barn, I heard a frustrated yell followed by a loud banging sound. I jumped at the sudden sounds, causing some of the water to spill out slightly. My heart was starting to beat even faster with each step I took towards the barn.

“I can’t stand it!” a familiar voice echoed through the barn walls. My muscles tensed immediately upon recognising the source of the voice. I swallowed nervously as the barn which held the owner of the voice came into my view.

The entrance was barricaded with wires, ropes and all sorts of material to keep the doors closed. I stood before the entrance with anxiety. The bucket in my arms suddenly felt a lot heavier as so did they weight on my shoulders. I stared through the barn entrance to see a tied up body in the corner of the barn. I could see that the person in the barn was uncomfortable as the ropes made visible red marks around their wrist. I had found some refuge to see that someone else had lost their freedom, but that refuge quickly disappeared when I remembered who it was that was tied up in the barn.

I found myself hardly breathing and as a result, I let out a quickly breath of air. With my sudden sigh causing a sound in the barn, the person held captive tensed.

“What do you people want now?!” the prisoner growled harshly. I swallowed down once more with the added nervousness.

“I – I’m here to… to clean you up from this morning’s… punishment,” I whispered ever so slightly. The prisoner turned around to face me with an enraged expression. I quickly lowered my head to prevent her from seeing who I really was. I was not ready to face her yet. I was not ready to face the consequences of making another selfish act.

“They brought a female this time?” she chortled. I nodded hesitantly at her question and shuffled my feet along the floor slightly.

“The men are all ogling over the chief’s daughter, aren’t they?” the prisoner continued. I peeked through the top of my eyes to face the prisoner. I heart dropped immediately when I saw the cool, cold features of the princess, Jung Jessica, hold a disturbed expression.

“Y-Yes,” I stuttered, not knowing how else to answer her. The princess glanced at me once more as I averted my gaze quickly.

“You can leave the bucket of water there. I’ll clean myself up later,” the princess said in a disappointed tone. I nodded obediently once more and opened the barn’s entrance. I walked in hesitantly and placed the bucket of water in the corner of the confined area. I glanced back at the princess to see her facing the back wall with her hands still tied behind her.

“You,” the princess suddenly called for me. I tensed and lowered my head once more to conceal my identity.

“Be sure that the chief’s daughter does not make the biggest mistake of her life by marrying some village idiot. She has saved your village from my wrath, you should be grateful towards her,” the princess demanded in a cold and threatening tone.

Before I could even control myself, I had uttered the words which would reveal my identity towards her.

“What wrath do you speak of Jessica?”

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sorry if the spacing is a little too big

I formatted it this way to post on SSF since it would be easier that way

I'm sure it doesnt affect u guys that much right? ^^

Anywho~

Time for taengsic moments again!!!

I know its been long overdue :D

But yeah kinda cliche that tayeon is going to be arranged to get married but that will play an important role for the future events ;)

Hope you enjoyed this update ^^

Bubbles out~

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