Chapter 8 - The Beauty In the Beast

shortnote: Sorry I couldn't update until now D: my internet wasn't working ;_; I'm also going to be writing another infinite fanfic, but more mordernize :D

    " Shouldn't they be back by now?" Sunggyu asked laying on his bed with his arms stretched out. The group had gathered around his room again but couldn't try to decode the book because Woohyun had it.

    " Aishhh," Dongwoo said," it's already noon. How long can it possibly take to buy vases?!"

    " Maybe the queen is being picky about the vases," Sungjong murmured, leaning on his hands on the floor. Myungsoo was stretched out across his lap, listening to them complaining about Woohyun. It was true, he had to admit, they had left around dawn and still hadn't been back yet. He couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this.

    " Let's go find him," Myungsoo decided, getting up. He wasn't going to wait around all day for his friend to return. What if he never comes back? The others followed him outside. They grabbed the horses in the barn behind the castle and climbed on. The guards reluctantly opens the gate for them and watched them disappear down the path, the trees concealing them in the distance.

    Myungsoo's black horse reached the village first. They had to slow into a walk because of the busy people that entered and left the crowded village. They came upon an old market with an old woman who had her hair tied into a tight bun.

    " Did you happen to see the queen passing by this morning?" Myungsoo questioned, raising his voice as loud as he could.

    " Uhmmm," the old lady tilted her head to the side, trying to think," I believe I did," she said in a rusty voice," she was with a young man. They left the village....that way...or was it that way... it was that way," she pointed to the right at the other end of the village,"they were talking about a waterfall...was it? I'm sure it was a waterfall.... they left this morning."

    " Thank you," Myungsoo gave her a little head bow then led the others down the direction she had pointed out.


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    Woohyun leaned in and pushed Hana under the water with him. Arrows broke through the water's surface and zoomed pass, missing them by just inches. They resurfaced for a split second and saw men with arrows and swords across from their side of the pool.

    " Rogues," She breathed," they're rogues. We have to go now!" Without listening, she splashed to their horses and climbed on without drying herself. Woohyun rushed over to Jagiya and got on, not even bothering to find his shirt.

    " We have to go back to town!" Woohyun shouted.

    " NO," she yelled back, " they'll intercept us if we go past the bridge. We have to go this way," they charged off in the opposite direction, keeping their heads low to dodge the arrows. Hooves were pounding close by behind and menly voices could be heard shouting over eachother.

    " Do you have any idea where you're going?!" Woohyun asked hoping she had heard him.

    " Of course not!" Hana laughed, swaying Night to the left to avoid an arrow.

    " GET HER! GET HER!" voices behind them yelled," GET THE BEAST!"

    " WHAT ABOUT THE MAN?"

    " TAKE HIM DOWN IF YOU HAVE TO! JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET THE GIRL!"

    The narrow path seemed to go on and on through the forest, Woohyun had no idea how long this would last. Just as they came to a divided road, an arrow flew past him. More hooves joined the gang, this time coming from above the ravine.

    " WOOHYUN!" Sunggyu yelled, tossing a sword at him. He caught it with his right hand in the air. He steers the horse around and charges straight at the rogues. His friends suddenly appears behind him in a flash after skidding down the side of the ravine. Swords were clashing against swords. Arrows were flying everywhere. Myungsoo was the first to notice the arrow flying straight to the queen.

    " HANA!" He yelled, watching as an arrow struck her shoulder from the front. Blood began to seep through her dress. An arrow strucks Night as well and he lets out a loud neigh, slowing down his pace. He shakes his head and Myungsoo knew the horse was going to buck," LET GO OF THE REINS!"

    Instinctively, Myungsoo turned his horse around and held out his left arm just as she lets go, he scoops her in , throwing her onto the back of his horse. Night bucks and runs off from the fight.

    Hana gripped the arrow that had struck her earlier and with a loud scream pulled it out herself. As Myungsoo's horse charges back into the fight, she was able to stab someone's eye out with it. Blood splattered across the blade of the swords and onto the ground as necks were slit open and chests were stabbed.

    An attacker from behind swayed his sword in attempt to cut Myungsoo's head off but because the queen was in the way, she grabbed the blade in her bare palm," only I'm allowed to kill them!" She hissed, snatching the sword from the rogue and in a swift slash, killed him with his own weapon.

    She drops the sword onto the ground, finally feeling the sting of her wounds. Feeling queasy, she wraps her hands around Myungsoo's waist and buries her face in his back without a thought. The last of the rogues had ran off after coming to a disadvantage.

    " Is everyone okay?" Sunggyu asked from his white horse. Hoya, Sungyeol, and Dongwoo shook their heads.

    " We're going to need to treat her wounds," Myungsoo replied," we should get her back to the castle quickly."

    So that was what they did. As they galloped in a group through the forest, Myungsoo could feel her shaking behind him. He wondered if she was cold or if she was having a seizure but when he looked back all he saw was a girl trying to restrain her laugh.

    " WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" he yelled over the wind and the pounding of 7 pair of hooves. Everyone glanced in their direction curiously, surprised to see the beaming face of a girl and not a demon.

    " DOESN'T IT FEEL NICE?" She exclaimed with excitement," TO RIDE WITH THE WIND?"

    Myungsoo stared straight ahead and focused on the wind for a second instead of the route. The air rushing against his face and through his hair, he had to admit, it did feel nice. He felt her hands letting go of his waist and looked back," WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

    " I'M FLYING!" Hana yelled, stretching her arms out letting the wind carry her in her imagination.

    " YOU'RE CRAZY!"

    " SO ARE YOU!" She shot back, laughing. He smiled, glancing at Sunggyu and Woohyun, who were also smiling. Maybe there was some beauty in this beast after all.