With the harvest festival behind them, Jinki could breathe easier.  The visiting nobles had most all gone back to their respective homes and the stables had calmed down considerably in the last few days as life got back to normal.  Jinki was going about his usual routine when his heart leapt at the sharp call of, “Jinki,” that rang through the stables.

     “M’lady?  How may I help you?” He asked, falling in step with her.

     “You still need to ask?” She asked with a playful quirk to her eyebrow.

     “No. m’lady.  Just being polite,” Jinki smiled as they walked towards Cheonsa’s stall.

     “Well, if you aren’t too busy, I wouldn’t mind another race,” She suggested, sounding a bit apprehensive to bring it up.

     “I think that can be arranged.  I shaln’t go easy on you though.  Make no mistake,” Jinki said.

     “I would be offended otherwise,” She shot back.

     Jinki smiled, checking Cheonsa to make sure he was in fit condition to ride before going to fetch her saddle and getting to work. 

     “He is ready, m’lady,” Jinki informed her.

     “Thank you, Jinki.  See you in the meadow?”

     “Yes, m’lady.”

     She nodded in satisfaction, taking off without another word.

     Jinki made a beeline for the next building, eager to be on his way.  However, things never seemed to work in his favor when he was in a hurry.  Near every stable hand that crossed his path had a question or needed assistance from him in some way.  His job came before pleasure rides in the meadow but that didn’t stop his tongue from getting short and snappish with anyone who delayed his departure.  When he finally set off he just knew that Miss Gwiboon was going to be cross with him for taking so long.

     His suspicions were proven correct when he crossed the tree line into the meadow and caught sight of her long dark hair and pale purple dress.

     “Did you get lost?” She called out, her tone attempting to sound scathing but the relieved smile on her face cut past any bite to her words.  

     “I’m sorry, m’lady.  I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

     “Never mind.  I am restless today, let’s go!” Her voice betrayed her true excitement.  She swung onto the horse’s with ease, sending Jinki a sly smile over her shoulder before taking off, galloping across the meadow.  Jinki’s eyes followed after her before his brain caught up with what his eyes were telling him and he urged his horse to follow. Gwiboon was keeping Cheonsa to a comfortable pace, fast and free without being draining but it also allowed Jinki to catch up.  The two slowed to a natural and easy canter when they neared the edge of the meadow, the tree line thickening but neither stopped. They slowed down more and more until the horses were walking, picking their way through the thick trees. Jinki looked at her in curiosity, unsure where they were going but she seemed so purposeful in her direction that he didn’t question it.  The quiet between them was peaceful. The twittering of birds and the crunch of leaves under the horses’ hooves were the only sounds to be heard. It was almost unsettling how comfortable Jinki had grown in her presence. It should have felt odd, uncomfortable, but it didn’t. It felt right. 

     The trees began to thin; the canopy breaking enough to let streams of sunlight penetrate to reveal a small clearing. The grass thick and high but void of other greenery except for the lone, giant tree dominating the otherwise empty area.  Gwiboon jumped down, giving Jinki an expectant look before looping the reins around a nearby branch, “Come! This is the best view in the entire kingdom!”

     Jinki followed her example and dismounted but waited to see what she was talking about.  His eye widened in surprise as she hiked her skirt, revealing her tan riding britches before placing her booted foot atop the lowest branch of the big tree, stepping up to reach the next one.  With ease and grace she started scaling the huge tree.  

     “M’lady!  You must be careful!” Jinki called in alarm.  He could practically feel her rolling her eyes at him.

     “Don’t you ever do anything fun?  How boring you are turning out to be!”

     “If I’m so boring then why did you bring me along?”  He shot back.

     She laughed, loud and carefree in response, “Because no one else will speak so plainly with me.  It tis refreshing.”

     “Well I hear the palace physician is quite blunt as well and he is exactly who are you going to see if you don’t come down from that tree!”  Jinki told her.

     She was about a quarter of the way up, high enough to cause injury should she fall but she didn’t seem phased in the slightest.  She paused, sitting on a thick branch, her legs swinging, not the slightest bit scared, “Why don’t you come up and join me?”

     “M’lady…”

     She huffed in mock annoyance.

     Jinki sighed, going against his better judgment walked up to the tree.  He told himself it was because he couldn’t let Miss Gwiboon do something so dangerous all alone but the barb about him being boring might have prodded him as well.  With slow, careful movements he began pulling himself up the tree, the bark feeling foreign to his fingers more trained to the texture of leather reins. Taking pains to not look down, Jinki began climbing from limb to limb at a snail’s pace.  

     “Are you this slow at everything you do in life?” She joked once he finally reached the tree limb.  Without a care, she scooted out further on the limb, making room for Jinki to sit. His shaky arms clung in desperation to the trunk, a newfound fear of heights making this far more difficult than he had anticipated.

     “M’lady, I’m afraid I don’t have much practice climbing trees.  Forgive me,” he croaked out, his heart feeling like it would beat out of his chest.

     Her playful demeanor dropped at his words, turning towards him with a question on her lips, “Jinki—oh goodness!  Are you all right? You are positively green!”

     “I-- I don’t feel well,” Jinki muttered, clenching his eyes closed as tight as possible, hoping to forget where he was.

     “You stupid boy; I was only joking.  You didn’t really have to come up if you did not want,” Miss Gwiboon chide.  

     “I would not have come up if I felt I had a choice!” Jinki grumbled, the queasy feeling in him stomach was getting worse with each second.

     “Alright, alright.  Let’s get you down. The open air seems to be too much for you,” she muttered, dripping was sarcasm.

     Jinki thought about arguing back but his brain couldn’t seem to think beyond the immediate danger of falling to his death.  

     With Miss Gwiboon’s help, Jinki began the slow process of making his way back down the tree, muscles quaking in fear and his arms hugging the trunk like a lifeline.  Gwiboon kept any quips to herself, only gentle tones and encouraging words as she helped him as much as she could. He knew he was close, able to look down at the ground without wanting to vomit in terror.  However, his false sense of security made him rush the process, eager to have his feet on solid ground once again, in his haste his foot slide, causing him to become unbalanced. Before he could think, before he could breathe, the bark was vanishing beneath his fingertips, he yelped in surprise and fell down, down, down.  The small branches and leaves smacking him as he dropped through the limbs, his foot clipping a sturdy branch before his back landed on the hard packed ground with a thud.  

     “Gods above!  Jinki! Are you alright?” Miss Gwiboon screamed.

     He groaned in response, his lungs feeling as though they couldn’t get any oxygen to them and he was still a little too dazed to know what was happening.  Quick as lightning, Miss Gwiboon was on the ground and kneeling at his side, “Jinki, have you injured yourself?”

     “I-- I don’t know,” Jinki wheezed, still a bit winded.

     “Oh hell, I’m so sorry Jinki.  This is all my fault.”

     Jinki held up his hand weakly to stop her, “M’lady, it tis not your fault.  I have not been atop a tree since I was a small boy. I did not recall trees being that tall.”

     Miss Gwiboon let out a small laugh that was tinged with stress.  Jinki’s breath was evening out, allowing him to focus more on how the rest of his body was feeling.  Thankfully it was a short fall so nothing seemed to be too serious. He had a throbbing knot on the back of his head courtesy of a root that decided to break his fall and his ankle was pulsating in an unpleasant way.  He attempted to roll it and winced in pain.

     “What?” She asked, noticing his subtle reaction.

     “I think I hurt my ankle,” he muttered, trying to move it again.

     She moved to his foot, rolling up his pant leg without reservation, working on the laces of his boot.

     “M’lady!”

     “Oh hush you,” She responded, seemed to already anticipate his objection.

     “M’lady, you mustn't!  My ankle will swell and the boot will never go back on!  Let me wait until I am back at the palace.”

     She paused, pursing her lips in annoyance but nodded in understanding, re-tying the laces.  

     “Well, how are we to get you back?  Can you stand?”

     Jinki sat up, taking her offered hand without another thought.  Once he was on his feet it was clear that walking was going to be challenging.  He gripped the tree trunk for support as it was difficult to put any weight on his foot at all.  His eyes scanned their surroundings, locating a protruding rock not too far away.

     “M’lady, I’m afraid I cannot walk.  If you would be so kind as to assist me to that rock over there, I think can mount.”  

     She nodded in understanding, wrapping her slender arm around his waist, letting him lean on her thin frame as they hobbled towards the rock.  For a delicate court lady, Miss Gwiboon was proving to be much stronger than she looked.

     Once he was positioned rather precariously on the rock, she rushed back to lead the mare over to him.  The beast was the perfect mount, standing still and patient as Jinki laid across her back, jumping as much as he was able with only one foot.  Once he was across her like a sack of flour he pulled his injured leg around her rump, straightening up with a satisfied but pained smile.  

     “Thank you, m’lady,” Jinki said.  He didn’t know what he would have done if he had been alone.  Well, then again, if he had been alone he would have never even thought to climb a blasted tree and wouldn’t have had this problem to begin with.  

     “Don’t thank me when it’s all my fault you got hurt!  Gods above, what is wrong with you? Just— wait. I must go change and then we can go,” She hurried back to Cheonsa and Jinki averted his eyes, too focused on the throbbing in his ankle to think beyond that.  

     “Are you sure you are alright, Jinki?  I can ride ahead and get help,” she offered.

     “It’s quite alright.  It hurts but it is not a severe injury.  I shall be fine,” Jinki assured her.

     Gwiboon looked unconvinced but nodded, leading the way back out of the woods.  

     “I am really sorry, Jinki.  It’s all my fault.”

     “It is not your fault, m’lady.  I choose to follow you despite my lack of experience.”

     “Yes but you only did it because I taunted you,” she retorted.

     “That was not the only reason,” Jinki responded with a chuckle, “But do you really think me so dull?”

     “Why would not climbing a tree make you dull?” She shot back, muttering something that sounded like “daft boy.”

     “I am quite clumsy so I should have known better than to do something so childish anyway,” Jinki sighed at his own stupidity.

     Gwiboon made no comment, probably realizing her arguments were falling on deaf ears.  They broke through the tree line, the horses strolling across the meadow as opposed to galloping like they had the first time.

     “What shall we tell them once we get back,” Jinki asked, breaking the calm between them.

     “What would you like to tell them?”

     “I prefer the truth but sadly that will only lead to more questions.”

     “Well, you fell from a tree… but why were you climbing it in the first place?  We cannot tell them we went out together so I must have discovered you afterwards… oh gods, this is problematic.”

     “Ay, it is.”

     “What if you just tell them that you rolled your ankle while dismounting?  A loose stone or something made you lose your footing.”

     “I suppose that would work.  We happened to return at the same time, nothing more, nothing less.”

     “Alright.  You are sure they will believe it was due to your clumsiness?”

     Jinki laughed a bit, “Ay, m’lady.  It would not be the first time.”

     She still looked unsatisfied but nodded in understanding.

     “You do not have to return to the palace with me if you do not want.  It may be easier to avoid any questions that way,” Jinki offered.

     “Tis alright.  I feel responsible,” Gwiboon replied.

     “M’lady, it is fine--”

     “Oh hush,” She shot back, leading the way through the palace gates, turning towards the stables without giving him a chance to speak again.

     Jinki couldn’t help but smile fondly at her.  She really was something different.

     “Why is there no one around when you need them?” She grumbled more to herself than anything as they rode into the rather empty stables.

     “Taemin!” Jinki yelled, starting the horses a bit.

     In a matter of seconds the boy popped his head out of a stall, “Hyung?”

     “Go get Joonha!”

     Taemin jumped to complete the request, running off to find the older man without so much as a question as to why.

     “Can I help you down?” Miss Gwiboon asked as she dismounted.  

     “No, m’lady. That will only lead to questions.  Taemin is far too small to be of much use but Joonha will be here shortly.  I’m sorry but you will have to let someone else tend to your horse today,” He replied, his lips quirking in jest.

     Gwiboon rolled her eyes at his playful words.  “And if I refuse?”

     “Well, that would be low of you considering I’m only injured because of you,” Jinki chide.

     “See!  You do blame me!” She cried.

     “I jest, m’lady.”

     Their conversation halted when Taemin came running back, the elder stable manager at his heels.

     “Jinki!  What is the matter?”

     “I have hurt my ankle.  Rolled it while dismounting.  It is not serious but it is in pain,” He informed the elder.

     “Alright, let’s get you down and off to the physician just to be sure.”

     Jinki nodded, pulling his injured leg over the horse the same was he had mounted, sliding down as slow as he was able, Joonha holding onto his waist to ease the pain as he met the ground.  He winced a bit at the impact that reverberated through his whole body but already his ankle was feeling better than it had in the woods.  

     “Taemin?  Can you help Jinki to the physician, please?  Then go get some supper from Madame Kim and take it to Jinki at the infirmary.  Assure her that Jinki is fine or that damn woman will tear the whole palace down in worry.”

     “Yes sir!” Taemin responded, throwing Jinki’s arm around his shoulder and trying to support the larger man’s weight as best he could.

     “Miss Gwiboon, it was so kind of you to accompany our Jinki back, many thanks and so sorry to have trouble you.  Maybe I take your mount? I know you prefer Jinki to handle your horse but, well… obviously that is impossible right now,” Joonha informed her, immediately switching from bossy stable manager to polite servant.  

     “That is fine,” She responded, ing the reins into his hands and turning on her heel to follow Taemin and Jinki out of the barns.

~~~ 

     The physician confirmed what Jinki already knew his injury was not severe.  Rest, keep his weight off of it and he should be back to normal in only a few days.  Jinki felt guilty, not only for lying about his injury, but because he was burdening the other stable hands.  Now they would have to pick up his slack for the day, not to mention Taemin’s work too since the younger was spending the afternoon tending to him at the palace. 

     “Taemin, why don’t you head back to the stables,” Jinki suggested.  “There is much work to be done; there is no reason to keep you here with me when your skills are needed down there.”

     “Joonha hyung told me to take care of you.  I’ll go back once you are situated,” Taemin argued back.

     “I’m sure Madame Kim will be down here shortly to look after me.” Jinki assured him.

     “Until she comes, I’m staying.”

     Jinki rolled his eyes, the physician chuckling as he went about checking Jinki’s ankle.

     “Once Madame Kim gets here I’ll go back and saddle Sangchu for you and bring him up here to take you home,” Taemin suggested. “Do you think you will be able to dismount by yourself?”

     “You shouldn’t,” The physician interjected.

     “Well no matter, I will come with you then,” Taemin said with flippancy.

     “I hate this,” Jinki grumbled, “Everyone is treating me like an invalid.”

     “Hyung,” Taemin glared, “What would you do if I was injured?”

     Jinki snorted, a smile pulling at his lips, “Stay with you until I knew you were okay and take it upon myself to get you home to rest.”

     “And yet you are reproachful of me doing the same for you?”

     “You are right,” Jinki muttered, “But I hate being the cause of such added stress to everyone.  The extra workload is going to weigh on everyone’s shoulders while I sit at home because of my own stupidity.”

     “Hyung, you are being unreasonable.  These things happen. What we all want and what’s best for everyone is that you take some time to get better.  If you rush back, you are only going to draw out the healing process, right sir?” Taemin turned to the physician for confirmation.

     “The lad is correct.  A few days of rest now are more valuable than you seem to realize.  If you rush it, the pain will continue for far longer and you could cause real injury.  Stay home for the next three days. If you are feeling better by then and can walk comfortably then come see me, but you aren’t allowed back in those stables without my approval.” the physician confirmed.

     Jinki sighed in dejection but nodded.

     Taemin set off to get Sangchu and the physician wrapped his ankle to keep it from moving very much.  “Keep it elevated as much as you can. It will help with the swelling. I’ll also prepare an herbal mix for you.  Make it into a tea and it will help with the pain. You can also leave a bit steeping by your bed. The aroma will help you relax and sleep.  Sleep as much as you are able and keep your weight off this foot. The better you take care of it now the quicker it will heal and the sooner you will be able to come back to work.”

     “Thank you, sir.  I’ll do my best,” Jinki sighed.  It would be a long three days.