If Miyoung wasn’t feeling so comfortable with that red city due to the weather, the fighting pits were the nail in the coffin.

The fighting arenas were dug deep and surrounded by descending rings of seats, and according to Master Shin, are where all manners of entertainment are held. From theater masked plays to fighting duels between children slaves up against animals like bulls and boars. The pits were named after ancient kings of Goguryo era, the two biggest pits of the city being Jumong’s Pit and Yeonu’s Pit.

Master Shin for some reason thought that showing The Hwangs the fighting between two slaves was a good idea to show the culture of the region. Miyoung took it was horrible and barbaric, but she did not say anything or it would sound distasteful to her soon-be-Husband.

This thought made Miyoung twist her face in disgust. How could her Father arranged her marriage to that man?

Lord Shin Yunsuk was just a tad taller than Miyoung, with his body shape more to the chubbier side. He had light skin, in contrast to all the other people from Midsummar, and a long shallow goatee he combed with oil. Miyoung couldn’t tell how his hair was like, as the man wore a black tall hat all the time. His face was chubby and mature, with wrinkles already on the rise near his eyes. His main tunic was crimson red and golden circles and suns embroidered his cloth, reminding Miyoung from emperors and kings from old days.

Everything in that city was different from Hwang’s Province and Rosegarden. Rosegarden is filled with flowers, singers, pipers, fiddlers and harpers. Fields of roses, as colorful as the rainbow, stretches as far as the eye can see. With fruits like pears, peaches, plums and cherries, the gardens of Miyoung’s hometown was the most colorful of all Joseon.

But her own father chose another destiny for her to call home. Midsummar, the capital city of the Red Mountains. That place filled with rocks, pits, slaves, sand and mountains. It is so red and hot that Miyoung was hating every second she was passing by Lord Shin’s side.

Especially after he clapped when the spear cut through the skull of the losing slave man. Miyoung closed her eyes for the view. “No, don’t close your eyes.” Lord Shin said by her side. “The Lady Wife of Shin Yunsuk must not look away when a duel is over. The winner of this duel deserves your applause and approval. After all, they are all risking their lives to entertain you.”

When Miyoung opened her eyes, she saw the defeated man fell to his knees, completely lifeless. “I am not entertained.” She said, lowly, only for him to hear, as she didn’t want her Lord Father and brother to call her attention.

“You were born in the flowery fields of Rosegarden. Flowery people who believe in fairy tales you all are.“ She did not like that he lowered her hometown and its people. “Look at the face of your own brother.” Miyoung turned her face to check her older brother. Liu also didn’t seem so pleased with the performance, as his eyes were trying to look at anything but the dead slave man on that pit ground. “And he calls himself a man! This is the real world! One wrong move out there, and you lose your head.”

Miyoung gulped, not liking the message. “You come from a different place from a different culture. But give yourself a couple of months and our rubies and gold will make you love Midsummar and its people.” Miyoung stared at her feet. “Now, applause the winner. He deserves our grace.”

Miyoung followed the words of Master Shin and clapped her hand as celebration for the slave’s victory. It was definitely against her will, and anyone could see she wasn’t pleased with custom of theirs, but she wouldn’t dare to oppose her soon-to-be-Husband’s words.

~~*~~

“Try smiling smile more, Milady. After all, you’re marrying to Lord Master Shin.” Said the handmaid Miyoung did not even bother to recall her name. She had tanned skin and was of medium stature, with her medium light brown hair combed with oil. It was one of the servants Lord Master Shin requested to help Miyoung with her chores and duties. “You shall receive jewelry of all sorts and beautiful dresses from Master Shin. It’s like a dream come true, isn’t it?”

Miyoung did not like her. Miyoung liked Seo Juhyun. But Seo Juhyun was now in a chamber under his command doing God knows what. That was ridiculous. The fact that her own Father let Master Shin dictate who is gonna dress her up for the festivals and even her wedding. It was supposed to be Seo Juhyun, her own handmaiden. The one who is loyal to her. The one who served the Hwangs for generations. Not a handmaiden from Midsummar who only brags about Lord Master Shin and his ruby gemstones.

“The wedding is only due in a couple of days, isn’t that so?” Miyoung recalled, feeling anxious by the hour.

“That’s correct, Milady.”

“Do you think Master Shin will get angry if I visit Seo Juhyun?” Miyoung tried to ask her politely.

“Seo Juhyun?”

“She’s my handmaiden back then in Rosegarden. She served my family for so many years.”

“If she’s your handmaiden, that means she is in the chambers of the palace.” The woman said, tightening Miyoung’s waistband. “That’s where all slaves stay when not called on duty.”

“She is not a slave!” Miyoung confronted.

“Milady?”

“Juhyun is not a slave. She serves the Hwangs and we pay her and her family with bags of rice and wheat.”

“Master Shin says there is no difference between a servant and a slave. They all are expendable.”

“What’s your name again?” Miyoung asked, not liking the way that woman was talking.

“My name is Sunhee, Milady.” The girl answered promptly.

“Are you an expendable, Sunhee?”

“I believe so, Milady.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s what Master Shin says.”

Miyoung sighed, looking at herself in the mirror. “In Rosegarden, we believe our servants are the extent of our own house. We pay our servants with what out province is mostly full of. This is a way to thank them for all the work they do for us and our people.” Miyoung spoke with demure. “If we had no servants, the rice and wheat couldn’t be harvested, and wouldn’t reach the table of common people. We don’t take our servants as expendables. They are the foundation of our province and we need them so all the land could prosper!”

“You really are different from Master Shin.” The girl said, moving on to brush Miyoung’s hair long dark hair. “Do you wanna an advice?”

“Yes.”

“Close your mouth or you would make your life miserable here.” Miyoung did not dare to retort it. “Master Shin does not see the world as you and your family do. If you're gonna be his wife, you will need to understand that. Even if you do not like it, you gotta accept it. There is nothing you can do to change his mind.”

“I’m just saying…” Miyoung tried to call back. “That you shouldn’t see yourself as expendable. Your are important to this city as much as the gems Master Shin spends all day braggin’ about!”

“That is not true. The day the gems are gone, Red Mountains will fall. The day we are gone, Master Shin just need to replace us with other slaves. That is how it is.”

“Seo Juhyun is not a slave!” Miyoung spoke again, defending her handmaid. More than Seo Juhyun, Miyoung was defending the culture of her family and homeland.

“From the eyes of Master Shin, yes, she is.”

Miyoung did not like that. She was actually hating all of that. All that city, all that dust, all that sun. She missed the flowery gardens of her home. She missed the riding horses adventures in the fields of her homeground. She missed the pipers playing their music when the festival nights come to Rosegarden. She even missed their summer storms.

“Can you lead me to her?” Miyoung asked, in a sad voice.

“Milady?”

“I wish to talk to Seo Juhyun.”

“Master Shin won’t like to know that you decided to go to the chambers, Milady. It is no place for a highborn.”

“Seo Juhyun is my handmaid and I shall have the right to speak with her! No matter the place!”

The handmaid took a couple of seconds to decide. But as soon as she got Miyoung dressed up accordingly, she asked Miyoung to follow her.

The walk to the chambers were longer than expected, and the numbers of servants Miyoung saw on those corridors alarmed her. Even though Red Mountains was very small region, in fact it less than a third of what Hwang Estate was, Master Shin had too many servants to count. Especially female servants. Miyoung noticed the palace had far more female servants than males.

When they reached the chamber number 805, the handmaid called Sunhee opened the doors, letting Miyoung get inside.

“Lady Miyoung!” Juhyun instantly rose up from the bed.

Miyoung looked around the room, which to her looked more of a dungeon than anything. Two other women were sharing the space with Juhyun. Both women were much taller than Miyoung and Juhyun, with their skin tones on darker shades.

“What are you doing here, Milady?” Juhyun asked, surprised to see her lady