Jessica

I don’t think I have ever physically pushed myself this far before. Before I was condemned in this village, I would not have to work hard to get what I want. Being a princess of a kingdom, many people were always around to help. If any of them were to see me now, I can guarantee that they would be shocked.

I was running as fast as I could through the snow covered floor. My feet were starting to go numb from the lack of footwear but my body was burning despite the cold winter winds. Beads of perspiration were starting to form above my forehead and my lungs were protesting against every step I took, but I ignored it all.

The wolf cub had left a trail of tracks behind which provided me with the only sign as to where I was going. I didn’t know what I was looking for. Was I looking for the pack of wolves, or was I looking for Taeyeon herself? I didn’t know anything anymore. Did I want to keep Taeyeon captive in my cave, or did I want to allow her to keep her freedom? Was it better for me to have not met her at all or was it a fortunate event that our paths were to cross?

Uncertainty.

It’s ironic that uncertainty is the only thing that is certain in this world. There will always be hesitation, confusion, variations, but uncertainty itself does not possess those qualities. Right now, I was uncertain of what I was going to find and the only way to rid of that uncertainty was to proceed along the wolf cub’s tracks and find out for myself.

I’ve lost track of how long I’ve been running for, but I was sure that I was near. I could see more wolf tracks in the snow now. They were clustered close together as they proceeded forward. I slowed down my pace and half jogged along the wolf tracks.

After another few moments of following the track, I could hear low growls being emitted before me. I kept my gaze on the floor. I wasn’t ready yet. I was scared of what I was going to see. What if Taeyeon did not return to her village? Could she have been the reason behind the wolves’ successful hunt?

I was scared. I did not know what lies before me and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to know. All I wanted to know was that the village girl was safe. If she was safe, I would accept any sort of punishment. I will remain in the caves to be left alone till the end of time if I have to. The only person whom had made me grown so attached to them had to be safe.

If I were to look up to see that she was not in the middle of the wolf pack, it would give me some kind of reassurance she was safe. It was the only way right now that I can assure that she’s alive.

“Jung Jessica, you are the princess of your family’s kingdom. You should not be afraid to take a mere peek at a wolf pack,” I whispered to myself, trying to gain the courage to move my head. I felt a small, very minimal, increase in my sudden courage. I did not hesitate to use that chance to inch my head up, but alas, that courage was short lived for I quickly shut my eyes once my head was facing the wolves.

“Just one glance, Jessica. Just one small peek,” I cheered myself on. Taking in a deep breath, I slowly opened one of my eyes and looked at the wolf pack.

My knees buckled and my body became irresponsive.  I felt my knees give way and soon I found myself sitting in the snow floor, staring aimlessly at the wolf pack. The wolves were devouring their prey hungrily with the wolf cubs trying to get their fair share of the reward.

It was a fearful sight to behold. Flesh was being torn apart, bones snapping under the intense pressure of their jaws and the blood slowly seeping into the white snow floor. I would have been scared to my wits end if I was to meet the wolves like this in any other situation, but instead, I felt nothing.

“It’s not her,” I sighed with the utmost relief.

A small pathetic laugh had escaped from my throat and out of my mouth into the open snow mountains. It wasn’t her.

The wolves’ prey was not her.

Kim Taeyeon was nowhere in sight.

The relief I felt in that moment I saw the wolves devouring a carcass of another animal was beyond imaginable. I had never felt so light in all of my life before and after I had come across the village. It felt as though and immense amount of weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My body felt weightless and even my head felt light weighted.

“It wasn’t her,” I repeated. I continued to repeat things similar to that line in my head. I still could not believe it. Taeyeon was, from my knowledge, safe. My mind slowly drifted off to a realm of silence. I could no longer hear her agonising words ring through my ears. My mind was at rest for once.

As I was starting to enjoy the silence, the wolves’ hungry growls disturbed me and brought me back to reality. I was standing near a pack of wolves feeding. It was not the best idea for I knew that I would become the new target after they were finished. I looked back behind me to where my cave was.

The cave was cold and lonesome. I did not wish to return there just yet. I will still enjoying my moment of relief and silence after having been tormented both in my dreams and reality. I then looked back at the wolves and decided to venture on further.

As slowly as I could, I got up from the snow and walks past the feeding canines, making sure I kept enough distance between us. Once I was clear from the pack, I looked ahead of me to see the snow covered track. I had travelled along this road with my guards on my way to the wretched village behind me and I had not recalled a village being situated nearby. But, it was most probably because I did not pay much attention to my surroundings.

What would have happened if I were to have rested in that village instead of the next village? There were so many ways in which I could have avoided ending up where I was now, but I never took those paths. I was not a believer of fate, but I felt as though it couldn’t just be a coincidence that all this was happening. I could have rested in the next village past the Kim’s village. I could have left the baker alone and minded my own business. I could have left after the chief had given me the chance.

But I never did.

I wonder what the difference would be if I were to go back to my cave now. Would I find myself in a situation which was even worse than the one I’m in now? Will I be missing out on a life changing experience back at the cave?

Life was so full of uncertainty that it deemed to be scary to me. I don’t know whether my actions would affect anyone around me in the future and I certainly don’t know if I would be affecting myself.

I did not believe in fate, instead I believe in uncertainty. By taking an uncertain path, you find some certainty. I took the path of following the wolf cub and as a result I was certain that Taeyeon was not the wolves’ food source. By choosing to wander around instead of go back to my cave, what other certainties would I find?

I look up at the sky and realise that I had been wandering for quite some time. I had lost track of the time with all my thoughts and it would be best if I were to return to shelter and clean myself before night falls, but I still had not found anything certain by taking this path yet. I was convinced that every choice that I make should have a result and yet I did not see one yet.

There was a saying that you should be careful of what you wish for.

That saying couldn’t have been any truer.

When I turned around to head back to my cave, I heard a cough. It wasn’t just a normal cough. It sounded agonisingly painful. My mind must be playing tricks on me because I knew that I wasn’t the one coughing and no one else would live up here in the cold harsh snow. Before I could take another step forward, I heard even more coughs. It wasn’t just one this time.

This was the certainty that I would receive from my decision making. Someone else was in the mountain and close by, but who was it?

“It’s almost over Taeyeon. You’re almost there,” a very faint murmur reached my ears. The voice was hoarse and struggled. Whoever it was, they seemed to be in agony. I scanned my surroundings quickly but I could not see any one near.

“Sleep well Taeyeon,” the soft murmur continued. Sleep well Taeyeon? Did this person know Taeyeon? Had Taeyeon found refuge in another family’s home?

It didn’t make sense. There was nothing in the mountains. Not with the wolves nearby and the deadly cold winter chills.

“Is anyone there?” I decided to call out to the empty surroundings. It remained silent. The murmur did not continue from there. My mind must have been playing tricks on me from relaxing too much. I should be heading back to shelter now. The sunset was not due for some time, but my body was uncomfortably sticky due to the strenuous running I had done earlier. I would have to clean myself now if I want to remain unfrozen by the end of the night.

I took a deep breath and continued on to the cave. I wanted to return as soon as possible so that my mind would not play tricks on my senses again, but something in the snow caught my eye. I was sure it was not a trick of the mind. From the snow covered floor, I saw a brown object emerge itself from the snow. It was most probably buried under the snow after last night’s snow storm.

I had not seen a brown coloured wolf around these areas for some time, so I decided to let my curiosity take over and take a look at it. The wolf seemed to moving rather slow as it shook off all the snow off its fur. It continued on struggling until it stepped on a twig, causing a rather loud echoing sound to be emitted. The brown furred animal tensed immediately as so did I.

That was no brown furry animal emerging from the snow. It did not have animal features. The body of the object was not made of fur but rather some other material. The brown object then relaxed suddenly when nothing happened after the twig snapped.

“She’s gone.”

Once the brown thing had finished murmuring, it collapsed into the snow once more. I could hear staggered breathing and low groans of agony. The agonised being then rolled around in the snow and finally revealed to me what they were.

I felt my heart drop to the depths of my stomach.

“Taeyeon?” I barely whispered. The thing before me was not a thing it all. It was her. Taeyeon was lying in the snow before me with half lidded eyes and was emitting agonising groans.

“No… Don’t keep doing this to me,” Taeyeon inched her body away from me slightly. I did not take a step further. I couldn’t bring myself to move.

Taeyeon was sitting in the snow with pale, almost blue lips. Her voice was ragged and unstable and her body seemed to have no energy left whatsoever. It was a painful sight. I thought she was safe. I thought she was enjoying her time being welcomed back to the village and sitting in front of a warm fire with layers of clothing to keep her warm.

“Why are you here?” I asked unconsciously. Taeyeon did not look at me. She avoided my gaze and shifted herself away from me again.

“Just leave me be. I don’t want cheat my fate any more than I already had. Go away,” She said spitefully. Her voice was wavering with each word. I could see that each time she moved energy would have been drained from her already exhausted body. I took a step towards her, ignoring her struggles to get further away. Once I was before her, I crouched down to her level and made direct eye contact.

“Fate. You believe in fate?” I asked her in a stern and cold voice. Taeyeon tore her eyes from mine, breaking the eye contact, and did not answer back. I looked down at her hands to see them trembling in the ice surrounding her. How long had she been out here?

Trying my best to make her warm, I grabbed her hand and placed it in to my own. It was as cold as the frozen water around us if not colder. She had obviously not been here a short while. I placed my other hand above hers in an attempt to warm it up, but Taeyeon took her hand away from mine before I could do so.

“I told you… to go away. I shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be—”

“Yes, you shouldn’t be here, but you have no right to tell me where I shouldn’t be.” I immediately cut her off before she could continue. She seemed stunned at my sudden interruption but only for a short while before she started coughing again. Why does this girl do this to herself? She had a loving father who willingly came up to see if he had any chance of rescuing her, and a whole village to support her. Why does she decide to wander off instead of return back home?

It was then I realised that I was in no position to ask that. I had done the same. I had left the comfort of my shelter in search for some change, a result, an event in my life. Had she done the same?

“I shouldn’t be in this world anymore. I am nothing but a waste of a human soul, princess. Leave me be and let me fulfil my wishes,” Taeyeon continued to struggle to get away from me but failed miserably as she fell helplessly on the floor.

This was not turning out well.

Taeyeon’s breathing was becoming even more irregular as her eyes were slowly closing shut. I quickly moved to her side and placed my hand on her neck where I could feel her pulse.

‘Your heart beats at the same pace as mine.’

That statement was no longer true. I could feel that Taeyeon’s heartbeat beating almost half as many times as my own. I then realised that Taeyeon’s skin was ice cold, even on her warm point on her neck.

“Taeyeon. Taeyeon!” I shook her slightly when I saw her closing her eyes. She seemed dulled and only managed to open her eyes ever so slightly.

“Princess Jung Jessica… I’m sorry, for I cannot help with your problem. Please find someone else to help,” Taeyeon raised her hand and gripped onto my own hand which was above her shoulder. She smiled sadly and tightened her grip on my hand as her eyes were slowly closing once more.

I was wasting time. What was I doing, just sitting there and staring at her? She needed help and I could not provide it for her.

“Kim Taeyeon, don’t leave me here like this. You caused all of my problems, you should be the one to fix it,” I answered her coldly. I heard a soft chuckle emit from her body. It was a sign that she was still with me. I did not hesitate from there. I quickly looped my arms underneath the back of her legs and hauled her up in to my arms. She was weak and went half limp in my arms, but had enough in her to apply pressure against my arm.

“Don’t. I’m a coward. Leave me to my cowardice. Don’t try,” she rasped into my ear. As per usual, I did not listen to her. I gripped onto her cold fragile body even tighter and started walking quickly down the path that I had just came from.

“Don’t be a coward then. I won’t forgive you if you leave me with all these problems. I’ll pull you back from the afterlife if I have to, but save me the trouble and… stay with me,” I whispered the last three words, hoping that she would not hear. Taeyeon then moved her hand to the top of my shirt and gripped onto it as she shook her head ever so slowly.

“I can’t… I was born a coward and I should leave the world as one. It’s my fate Jessica. Stop trying to delay my fate. I beg of you,” she pleaded. I glanced down at her to see her gripping on to me with the last amount of strength she had with her eyes clenched shut. From the side of her eye, the small amount of light had caught onto the small water droplet slowly forming and reflected it off to me. I did not know that the heart could drop any lower than the stomach, but mine did.

When that water droplet had formed into a tear, I felt myself slowly losing all my sense of sanity. The cold in which I had found comforting to me was now becoming the thing that I had hated the most. If it was not for the cold, Taeyeon would not be barely conscious in my arms right now. I couldn’t think straight any more. I never thought that I would be the one to witness one’s sorrows, and especially not hers.

“Fate doesn’t exist, Taeyeon. It’s just an excuse to blame all of our mistakes on. We make the choices and we decide our future,” I answered back harshly. Fate was a lie. Coincidence and chances are what exist. No one decides which path we take beside ourselves.

“Stop giving me hope. I do not wish to be disappointed for my selfish acts anymore. Leave me to end it all,” she lifted her hand off my shirt and hit me slightly against my shoulder. If it was meant to do any sort of harm, then she failed miserably. The attack against me was so weak that I had barely felt it. This girl does not know the danger she is in. Her body is already drained and yet she continued to use its reserved energy against mindless things. She should be staying still and trying to sustain that energy until she can find help.

“If you believe in fate, then so be it. But your fate is not to die there in the snow. If it was so, then I shall go against all odds and deny you that fate,” I pronounced proudly. Taeyeon stopped moving in my arms and stared at me. I did not dare look back at her as I continued to look ahead in hopes of finding some way to help her.

As I continued to walk down the path of where I had just came, I walked past what remains of the wolves’ feast. The smell was horrifying and the sight was beyond words to explain. I felt a cold chill run down my spine at the thought of Taeyeon still lying in the snow helplessly. The wolves would have found her soon enough and she would become…

I did not dare finish. I should have my mind set on rescuing her.

But how was I to do so? The caves were nowhere near warm enough and the hot springs would not do much for her as it would take too long to warm her up. What was I to do?

I needed a sign. I needed an indication of what to do next.

That was when I saw it.

The fork in the road.

If the path that lead up to my cave puts Taeyeon’s life in danger, then to road to the village would save her from the danger, would it not?

“Jessica…” Taeyeon reeled my attention back to her as I stood at the mouth of the forked road.

“If you go to the village, they won’t take mercy on you. Don’t put yourself in that risk,” her voice pleaded. She looked at me with a begging expression. She was right. The current chief had also sworn vengeance against me. If I were to step foot in that village, I would definitely not return.

“Thank you, for all that you’ve done Princess Jessica, but I’m sorry, for I cannot repay the deed.” Another series of coughs had started to escape Taeyeon’s lips. I held her closer to my body, burying her head in to the crook of my neck. I did not care for my own wellbeing. I have lived long enough. All that mattered was for Taeyeon to enjoy her possible life back in the comfort of the village.

Without a second thought, I took the path to the village.

You win Chief Kim. You’ve made me suffer through your descendants. Now it was time for the second round where the current chief will have his turn to take his vengeance against me.

“Jessica…” Taeyeon whispered in to my ear. I turned my head slightly to face her, but was stopped when I felt something cold press against my cheek. Although the top half of my body had become irresponsive, my legs continued to move towards the village.

I turned my head slightly as I could see that Taeyeon had her face right next to mine with her lips pressed against my cheeks. When her lips made contact with my skin, it sent a string of currents through my system, powering my legs to go even faster. Had she just…

“A small way… to show my gratitude…” she murmured once she pulled away. I could see that she had a weak grin plastered on her face and I couldn’t help but return that smile with an even bigger one. My body was warm from the new energy that she had given me and I was more determined than ever to bring her to the village.

“Thank… you…” Taeyeon whispered once more before her eyes slowly closed shut. I shifted my arm to press her head against the crook of my neck as her body fell limp. She was fully unconscious by now. Not a single sign of life was shown except for the slow beating of her heart.

“Stay with me Taeyeon. I’m going to get you help,” I whispered in to her ear with thoughts that she could still hear me. The pathway to the village was not making it any easier for me to keep my balance. I only wish that the path I was taking would give me an outcome in which I would not regret. I wanted the certainty I gain from this path to be Taeyeon’s safety.

Please Chance; allow me to reach the village in time.

Third Person POV

“By sending our men to those mountains, what will we achieve from it? If our men are annihilated by the princess’ wrath then what should we do for the families who lose their sons, fathers and husbands?”

“Are you saying that you would not want to take a chance to rid our village from the princess’ grasp? We are sacrificing our women instead of our men here. It is the man’s job to protect the women.”

“Please calm down. Arguing will not achieve any means.”

“I do not see why we are even discussing this matter. The men are not stepping one foot closer to that cave. Our role is to decide what is best for the village and I say that keeping the men here shall protect the whole village.”

“Except for that once every five years when we push a harmless young woman up to the mountains to be killed. The chief has already lost his daughter meaning that your granddaughter isn’t any safer than the rest of the village women. What are you to do once her name is pulled out of the—”

“That is enough!” Kangin finally bellowed, interrupting the two elders arguing. After he had returned to the village, the elders had been debating about their next motive. The village has been talking about the topic as well once they heard about the men being attacked by the princess and the chief’s sad loss of his daughter.

“We shall let the men decide. If they wish to accompany to the mountains in one week, then so be it. No one is being forced against their will. There is nothing else to discuss. We have our own right to decide what we want to do and I shall not be the one to take that right away. For the past day I have heard endless bickering on this matter. I have had enough. Continue with your bickering, I shall go outside to clear my head,” Kangin’s voice as deep and threatening as he made eye contact with every single being in the room. The elders immediately fell quiet and watched the chief with wide eyes. They had never seen the man lose his temper, even as a child.

Kangin then stood up from his chair and made his way to the door. No one bothered to stop him and even stepped back to avoid his path to the door. Once the chief was outside the room, the two elders continued where their argument was before, forgetting about Kangin’s decision. Kangin sighed heavily at the elders bickering inside and walked out on to the streets of the village. The sun has just set as the villagers were slowly making their way back to the safety and warmth of their homes.

The chief sighed heavily in sorrow. It was always at this time when he would always look forward to walking in to his home and check up on his daughter in the room. Taeyeon would always greet him with a smile and ask him about the events happening in the village. It always made him feel warm and welcome when he told Taeyeon of the village happenings, similar to the way he told her stories before she fell asleep when she was younger.

But he knew that Taeyeon would eventually grow all too curious. Taeyeon slowly began to lose her smile every time he came to greet her. Her eyes were slowly dulling with each day and rarely seemed to talk any more.

“Was it wrong of me to keep her hidden from everyone?” Kangin whispered to himself as his feet continued to take him to the end of the village. He shook his head slowly and sighed. Kangin told himself over and over that he was doing it for her own good. If the princess overlooked the village, by keeping her out of sight she would remain safe. But alas, she was safe from the princess’ gaze but not against her wrath.

As a chief he had to remain fair. To remain fair, he put the chance of his daughter being picked as an offering to the princess in the traditional ceremonies. In the end, Taeyeon could not remain safe. Taeyeon had to be chosen on her eighteenth birthday. She had to deny her father’s cheating ways and take her chances with the princess.

“That righteous little rascal,” Kangin chuckled solemnly. He was proud that his daughter was righteous and caring, but he had wished that she did not have those values. If she had taken upon her chance to live, Kangin would not have to miss his daughter so dearly in that moment. He would still miss her, but he would not have to continue on knowing that his daughter was not of the world of the living anymore.

“Taeyeon, my dear daughter, I shall not let your parting go to waste. I know you despised the traditions. You questioned me at a young age and even cried when I told you what happened to those who are chosen. As my role as your father, I shall fulfil one of you most wanted wishes. I shall rid of the traditions, no matter what it takes. Even if it means going against the Ice Princess,” Kangin prayed to the skies above him as he gripped on to the family pendant, the sign of his authority over the village and people. He had planned to pass the pendant to Taeyeon and allow her to roam in the village when she turned twenty one. He had planned for Taeyeon to find her partner and continue on with the family blood line.

“You shall pay for this Princess Jung. You shall pay dearly for this.” Kangin gripped on to the pendant even harder as his blood started to boil. He looked up to the mountains to where the princess resides. Spotting a rock nearby, he picked up the rock and threw it towards the mountains with a loud cry.

“You hear me Princess Jung?! You shall pay for taking away my daughter!” Kangin yelled at the top of his lungs.

“I heard you!” a sudden faint voice yelled back. Kangin quickly turned towards the sound of the voice. From just outside the entrance of the village he saw an odd shapely figure.

“What business do you have in my village?” he asked warily. The figure continued to approach the village in a limping motion. Kangin noticed that it wasn’t just one figure, there were two. One was laying limp in the arms of the one walking.

“What do you two want with this vi—”

Kangin did not finish his question. He recognised who the limping figure was. All the muscles in his body immediately tensed, ready to either flee or attack against the threat.

“I do not mean any harm. Please, do not run,” the figure pleaded. Kangin took a step back away from the figure.

“What business would the Ice Princess have with this village? You have taken my daughter. Was that not enough to appease your anger?” Kangin questioned timidly. Jessica finally stepped past the gates of the village, officially stepping foot in the village. She felt her stomach churn at the sight of the village up close. She wished she had never stepped foot in this village a hundred and twenty five years ago. She hated this village to the depths of her body, but she swallowed the loath and hate for one reason. For one person.

“Please do not flee. I do not have time to explain but please… help her.” Jessica kneeled to the floor in front of Kangin and bowed her head low. The chief was shocked to see the village’s most feared being bowing to him on her knees and seemed hesitant. He had a feeling that there would be a trap so did not take a step further. It was then that Kangin noticed that the second figure in Jessica’s arms.

Jessica bowed her head even lower towards the village chief. She was desperate. She had no sense of pride left. The princess was bowing to a lowly peasant, but she did not care. She was willing to give up all she had for one request.

“Please save Taeyeon.” Jessica finally voiced. Kangin’s eyes opened wide when he heard Jessica’s plea. He quickly shifted his gaze back to the second figure in Jessica’s arms. When Jessica lifted her head again, she revealed Taeyeon’s face for Kangin to see.

“Taeyeon!” Kangin yelled when Taeyeon emerged from Jessica’s brunette coloured hair. He turned his gaze back to the princess to see her with red swollen eyes and tear streaked cheeks.

“Save her. I beg of you. I am willing to take any kind of punishment for my deeds against your village, just don’t let her leave this world yet.” Jessica lowered her body once more and bowed to the chief. She bowed so low and so desperately that her forehead had managed to touch the snow floor. Kangin did not waste any time.

He quickly ran up to Jessica and took hold of Taeyeon’s limp body. He could feel his anger build up once again when he witness his daughter’s weak state. Once he had Taeyeon securely in his arms, he stood up and glared at Jessica.

“You cold hearted beast. You caused my daughter to fall in to this state. I do not know what you were to do with her, but you will not go unpunished,” Kangin said darkly. Jessica lowered her head and just nodded, willingly accepting anything that the village were to do to her.

“Chief?” a huskier voice then interrupted the silence between the two enemies. The chief and the princess turned towards the voice to see a village male standing with wide open eyes, staring at them.

“The princess surrenders. Bring the guards and detain her immediately.  I need to take my daughter to the doctor right now. Can I trust you with this?” Kangin said hurriedly to the male. The male was rather stunned at the sight of the princess bowing towards the chief, but quickly regained his composure and nodded towards the chief.

“Please hurry to save your daughter. I shall make sure the princess remains uncomfortable,” the male promised. Kangin gave a short nod to the male before rushing towards the inner village where the doctor resides. Jessica remained unmoved as she watched the chief take away Taeyeon in his arms. The male with the duty to deal with her was now calling for the nearest men he could find to assist him.

Once the men had arrived to detain Jessica, she did not retaliate. Her mind fell blank as the men tied her arms down and pushed her in all different directions. The actions were all too similar to when she was chained in the cave, but she did not care this time round. She had a purpose for all this. Jessica glanced back to where Kangin’s distant figure could barely be seen. She saw Taeyeon’s arm wavering to the side with each step he took.

‘He could be a little more cautious of her weak body,’ Jessica thought spitefully. The men then made her turn to another section of the village, disallowing her from seeing Kangin and Taeyeon.

‘She’s going to receive help. They will save her. That’s all that matters,’ Jessica kept telling herself when she felt the ropes around her hands tighten. Her freedom and most probably dignity was lost the moment she revealed herself to the chief, but in her mind, it was worth it.

‘Why did I become so attached to you, Kim Taeyeon?’