The wind howled quietly across the village as everyone in the village solemnly fell asleep. It was only momentarily until they would strike again…

SLASH! Blood stained the walls of the innocent and what was the quiet village was soon in chaos. Screams and cries filled the air as the bright full moon turned blood red.

 

---1 year later---

 

“Yubin!” A sandal flew past her ear as she continued to evade the next flying sandal coming straight- thunk. “AAhhhhh!” Hyuna screamed as the sandal hit her in the back of the head and stumbled over her hanbok and onto her knees. Yubin’s umma, with her short and petite figure, strutted over and grabbed Yubin by one ear.

“What did I tell you!! If I ever see you in a dress again! Oh, I swear you will never see the light of day! Go home!” Yubin rolled her eyes and ran home as fast as she could, slightly humiliated by the fact that her mother could call her out in front of so many people.

She slammed her bedroom door, shaking the wooden door behind her.

Yubin was an only child whose parents wanted so desperately to be a son to uphold their family in the future. Her father brought her up as if she was his son. She wore boy clothes ever since she could remember. Every time she saw other girls running and playing in their beautiful hanbok, she’d wish she was in one, too. Her father taught her how to read, write, and fight.

Her father, Yeon Choong-Hoon, the royal commander raised Yubin so that when she turned 18, she would take his place to protect their country as he did.

“I don’t get it. I really don’t, Dongwoo,” Yubin sighed sinking her face into her hands. Her friend sitting on the floor, legs crossed, stared at her as she dangled her feet off her bed. “I just…” She slowly looks up at Dongwoo with the utmost disappointment in her face. “I just want to be myself. To be able to think and feel without Umma and Appa controlling who I should be.”

“You can...run away with me,” he chuckled half-jokingly rubbing the back of his neck.

She laughed, “yea right, Dongwoo. As if! Where would we go? Let alone eat?” She chuckled sarcastically, crossing her arms, “ and besides, who’d want to run away with you?!”

Dongwoo let out a small laugh and smirks, “you’re right. Well...if you decide otherwise, you know where to find me.” Dongwoo stood up, still smiling at Yubin as he fixes the wrinkles in his pants and jumps out of her back window.

She lets out a big sigh before falling onto her back. Yubin stare at her white ceiling before rolling onto her stomach to reach under her pillow. She pulled out her makeup powder that she hides from her Umma and opened it. Yubin traced the border of the mirror and looked at the reflection that was staring right back at her. Her hair braided flawlessly behind her, her red soft lips with light mascara, and soft pink cheeks. She smiled at her beauty, but it soon turned into a frown for she knew it would never happen even if she wanted it to.

“Yubin-si, it’s almost time for practice,” her personal slave called out from behind her door.

“I’ll be there!” Yubin quickly wiped the makeup off of her face and changed into her boy clothes before opening the door to greet Gia. Gia bowed and showed her the way to the courtyard where her and her father practiced every night.

“Ah,” Gia turned around with her head slightly lowered, “Madam, your hair.” Yubin’s eyes widened, forgetting she had braided her hair. She loosened her braids before putting it up into a high bun. Gia smiled in approval before handing over Yubin’s sword to her.

Yubin slowly walked into the courtyard with Gia following a few feet behind. She looked around. “No Appa?” She turned to look at Gia.

Gia shrugged in confusion as well.

As Yubin turned around, from the corner of her eyes she saw a black shadow coming down fast. She quickly lifted her sword to block.

Yeon Choong-Hoon grinned showing the wrinkles around his mouth. “Let’s see if you can block this!” the commander grunted as he swung his sword at Yubin once more to attack.

“Appa, you’re going to have to be quicker than that!” Yubin exclaimed blocking and exchanging attacks with her father.

Yubin got ready to strike from on top, but before she was able to fully swing down, the commander jabbed the back of his sword against her stomach, catching her off-guard. She stumbled back onto her feet before catching herself. Yubin frowned, “Appa, you’re not going to let me win?”

Her father retreated his sword. “Now Yu, what would you learn if everything was handed to you so easily?”

She looked down at her feet annoyed, “I was just kidding…,” she mumbled to herself. She hated being called that. She hated not being acknowledged for who she really was. Even the name her dad called her was fake.

“Commander!” The army captain interrupted running toward Yubin and the commander along with four other guards trailing behind. The five of them knelt and bowed before Yubin and Yeon Choong-Hoon. “Sir, there was another village attacked 25 kilometers north of us last night!”

 

 

 

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Author's Note:

Hey! Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter? Kind of new to this and just really wanted to share my writing and thoughts!

Thanks for reading!