Chapter 2

~

It had been about two hours since we flew away from the market, to tell the truth, I wasn't too sure about what actually happened. Maybe I would ask this kid, who tagged along with us (I still didn't know his name), when we stopped for a rest at somewhere save.

It wasn't long before the kid stopped Bom (I was pretty surprised to find out he had a decent skill of riding horse) in front of an abandoned hut in the middle of nowhere (literally, all I saw was trees, maybe thousands of it).

"What's your name?" I directed my question toward that young boy while helping Joohyun to hop down. Joohyun looked so pale as sweats were running down on her face. I worriedly wiped her sweats away with my sleeve. "Are you okay?" I silently asked her, which she replied with a nod, but it didn't stop me for feeling worry about her.

"Jisung, my name is Jisung" I lifted up my chin when I heard that young boy's reply, he already tied Bom to one of the trees nearest to the hut.

"Well, Jisung, where are we?" I absentmindedly asked him, grabbed Joohyun's hand as I pulled her into the hut.

"We're in the middle of the forest near the South border" Jisung answered in a matter of fact that made me chuckling in amusement. But, I didn't really mind it as I asked the next more important question. "Then, what's about the sudden attack back at the market?" 

Jisung hummed while taking the seat in front of us, he then stared at me right on the eyes. "I don't know if the rest of the kingdom heard the news or not, but our kingdom is on the losing side. We lack of funds and weapons, even if the number of soldiers of our kingdom two times bigger than the Righteous Kingdom, but what could hungry soldiers possibly do?"

Jisung let out a sinister smile as he continued, "I don't know about the details, but the King himself then appeared in the battlefield just two weeks ago, seemed like the war dragged on too long for his liking, or maybe he couldn't trust the General anymore after the General took a decision to back down and withdraw all the troops from the border. I think there has been power struggle after the King arrived in the battlefield."

I was surprised at this kid's words, maybe because he lived near the border, maybe he witnessed the war, or maybe he just heard from the people around him. But, his understanding of the current problems of the war made me speechless and ashamed of myself. I wasn't interested in the current state of our kingdom. 

"Why is the King don't want to back down, knowing that we're going to lose anyway?" I tilted my head, couldn't help but thought that the King was selfish. Winning the war wasn't everything. 

"Actually, he wasn't entire at fault. I heard that if we're lose, we're going to be the Righteous Kingdom's vassal state." At his answers, I once again pondered on my judgements. I should really broaden my knowledge and perspective on political affairs. 

"At the market back then, looks like the enemy is already trespassing the border or attacking again. The fortress let out a warning in the form of smokes" Jisung continued, leaning his back on the wooden wall behind him. He was still young, barely sixteen I supposed, but here he was, facing all of these alone (Well, I supposed he was alone since I found him without none else) . 

"How do you know all of these?" Joohyun softly asked, she tightened the silk mantel she wore despite the weather wasn't that cold. I was pretty sure she fell sick, her face was much paler than the usual. Looked at her like that, I pondered over my decision of bringing along Joohyun was right or not, but I couldn't possibly leave her back in the house when I obviously made father furious.

Jisung hummed, looked at Joohyun, and then at me, before looking at Joohyun again. "I.... actually was... one of the South Border Landlord son's personal helpers." He looked at us carefully before continuing his words, "even though we lived near the border, my master... is pretty sociable. He was friends with a lot of powerful persons, including other landlord's sons,  the general, the princes, and maybe even the king himself. I met a few of those peoples in a couple of occasions." He said with a sigh, his hand reached out for a wooden stick not that far from his foot. He played with it for a moment, drawing random things on the ground. 

"You met the King?" I asked, a little bit excited for my liking. Jisung looked at me stunned, he blinked before slowly shaking his head. "No, of course not. I mean his other friends"

I hummed in disappointment, but another question suddenly popped out in my head. But, I didn't say anything yet as Jisung talked again. 

"When the war become more of a treat to our kingdom, my master dismissed all of the servants and then he joined the war. He said, if we still want to be their servants, we should meet him in the capital after the war end. It's the reason how I ended up in that market" Jisung told us without anyone asking him, he sounded sad, but it wasn't long before he lifting up his chin, and then smiled at us. "How about your stories?"

I fell silent as I wondered about what I should tell him.

"We want to meet the King" I looked at Joohyun startled, not expecting her to tell the truth. I knew Jisung was just a young boy, but it didn't hurt to keep our intention to ourself, for now. 

"Why?" Jisung tilted his head in confusion, I just let out an awkward laugh as I pulled out some foods from my bag. "It's a long story. Anyone wants some foods?" I smiled, giving Joohyun and Jisung the dried fruits I kept in a small bundle. And just like that, we all fell silent for a few moments. 

~

It has been three days since we were here, still taking a shelter inside this small hut. It wasn't because we didn't want to go anywhere, but we weren't in the right condition for travel. Joohyun was sick, she was heavenly sweating and wasn't fully awake since last night. We were also running out of foods. Jisung had been visiting the nearest market every morning, but he said the market was completely gone over the night. I once again remembered the bright red of flames from afar, the sounds of war (screams, clash of swords, and gun) could be heard from where we spent the night. The war seemed getting closer and closer. Fortunately, Jisung managed to buy more medicines yesterday. At least, I would't worry about Joohyun that much. 

I looked at Jisung, he silently munched on his peach. His cheeks was stained of dirt, his clothes weren't really in the right shape with a few torn here and there. I sadly looked down at Joohyun who fell asleep with the silk mantel was the only thing that kept her warm. She whimpered once in a while that made me believe she wouldn't get any better for the time being. 

I wondered if I was wrong, I shouldn't run away and boldly face the reality.

But, once again I recalled the reason why I ran away in the first place, I wouldn't less sad if I choose to accept this (whatever it was) without a fight.

"Jisung" I softly called the young boy, my nail tra