“There is no way we could just sit and wait for another death to come upon our tribe..” said one of the elders.

Jiwon rose from his seat.

“I am not saying we should wait and do nothing.. I just want everyone of you to not judge the situation solely based on that one death that could have been planned to make us misunderstand..”

All the elders were against Jiwon’s decision to not investigate Taehyung..

Jiwon knows his daughter will be hurt if he orders an investigation.. he knows that Jisoo loves Taehyung and this is why he is trying hard to protect her husband.

“Just because he is from the South doesn’t mean he’s the culprit.. and also..” Jiwon took a deep breath as he looked at everyone’s eyes.

“Taehyung is part our tribe now.. he is Jisoo’s husband.. don’t you all remember that our Lands are united now? It was all of you who said we should push the marriage between them so I hope you don’t become the reason why it must be broken..”

The elders remained silent.

It was true they talked about that marriage first and it was them who made it happen forcing Jisoo, his only daughter, to get married with their old enemies’ son..

“That’s all for today..” said Jiwon. “We will talk about this matter again after reflecting more..”

He was about to leave them when one of the elders spoke again..

“Tribe leader.. you should not forget the fact that we were once enemies.. we killed many of their men.. made them our slaves.. and they must hold a lot of grudges against us.. so we must not let our guards down and overlook the smallest details..”

Jiwon stood still on his feet.

All of what they were saying was true..

It’s true the North and the South were in war for many years..

There were many deaths.. they lost a lot of their loved ones..

This is the very reason he agreed to marry off his Jisoo.. because he wanted to end the people’s sufferings.. to obtain peace and unity between the two Lands..

“In order for us to completely believe in that Southern man.. he must first bring light to an heir..” said another man. “Only then.. he will gain our trust..”

And that’s when Jiwon thought he had to hurry with all the preparations regarding Jisoo and Taehyung’s date of mating.

Everything must be done immediately in order for them to give birth to a child..

————————-

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?” asked Jisoo to Yeri.

Jisoo finds something weird about her.

They went to the mountains and Jiwon even let her ride her horse to get there.

“Huh?” Yeri looked surprised. “What do you mean unnie? Your father just wanted you to have a proper rest because you have worried about the incident last time..”

“Then why bring me here on top of the mountains just to bathe in the hot springs?” asked Jisoo still doubtful.

Yeri shrugged her shoulders.

“Leave your doubts aside unnie and just enjoy this bath with this mesmerizing view before us.. isn’t it amazing?”

Jisoo turned her back against Yeri and was captivated by the view from the top of the mountains.

She could see the Northern tribe from afar.. it looks beautiful.. it looks peaceful..

Then Taehyung’s image popped into her mind.

Would he love this view as well? Would he want to come up here with her? 

No.. surely not with her.. maybe he would want to see this with his loved one.. with that woman named Irene..

“Unnie.. what are you thinking of?” asked Yeri seeing her face darken.

Jisoo shook her head.

“Nothing.. just.. nothing..” she replied smiling a little.

She took a deep breath before getting up and taking her clothes.

“We should head back before it gets dark.. father will be worried if we come back late..” she said getting out of the water.

Yeri smiled to herself.

“Once it gets dark.. an amazing thing will happen to you unnie..” she said giggling to herself while covering .

———————-

The night has come and all the preparations have been made..

Yeri was combing Jisoo’s hair when Chichi came inside.

“Is she ready?” asked Chichi.

Jisoo’s brows furrowed.

Yeri nodded her head.

“Who.. is ready?” asked Jisoo confused.

Yeri tried hard not to smile.

Chichi held Jisoo’s hands and stared at her face.

“My daughter looks beautiful..” she said admiring her beauty.

Jisoo was still puzzled. 

Just what’s going on and why isn’t anyone answering her?

“We shall go..” said Chichi.

Jisoo followed them but she had a lot of questions inside her head..

Everything and everyone around her is strange.. 

Her father who forbade her to go out of their tribe allowed her to use her horse..

And Yeri was stuck with her all day.. doting on her.. feeding her.. 

Ohh.. and another strange thing that happened today is that.. she hasn’t seen Taehyung yet..

That’s right.. where is he? How come she hasn’t seen her husband all day?

Does it have to do with what happened the other day? Is it because of that poisoning?

Wait.. is he.. being investigated without her knowledge?

That can’t be.. her father will not do anything like that..

He promised he would believe in Taehyung.. and she trusts her father..

So what could be the reason why she hasn’t seen him?

Could it be.. because of..?

“Wait..” she said as she stopped following Yeri and her mother.

The two women turned to her.

Jisoo realized she was being brought towards the forest..

She knows what’s in there..

The sacred tent..

That was where she was supposed to spend the night of her wedding with Taehyung..

Then all of what she did today is for this!

They were all preparations for their mating!

Why didn’t her father tell her anything?

Taehyung would be mad at her.. he would think she made this happen.. that she was behind this plan..

But she was clueless! How can she make him believe that it was out of her knowledge?

“I need to-....” she said taking some steps backward.

She needs to find a good excuse to go away from there..

Once she sets a foot inside there, there won’t be an escape..

She was going backwards slowly until her back touched someone.

She stopped immediately.

“You came..” said Chichi smiling.

Jisoo turned around nervously.

It was Taehyung with Junkyu behind him.

He must have been brought here against his will..

Jisoo lowered her gaze to the ground. How is she supposed to face him like this? He was begging her to delay this as long as she could..

“I shall leave you hyung..” said Junkyu.

Yeri and Chichi also left the two of them shortly.

Jisoo was clenching her fists on her sides not knowing what to tell him first.. unable to think of anything at the moment..

“Let’s wait until everyone is asleep.. then I’ll go back to the tent secretly..” said Jisoo without lifting her gaze. “If you could just-..”

“Let’s go..” said V softly.

Jisoo’s eyes lifted to his face.

Is he that impatient to get out of here? But they will get scolded if someone sees them..

“But they will see us and-..”

“Inside..” said V walking past her. “Let’s go inside.. it’s cold here.. and your clothes are thin..”

Jisoo felt the heat rising on her cheeks..

Does he even know why he’s here? Did he really say to go inside with her?

Infact, V knew about this..

He knows what he’s doing here..

He knows what is supposed to happen here..

And he still came.. without a single complaint..

He had overheard Jiwon and Chichi’s conversation yesterday regarding the preparations for this night and he heard about Jisoo begging her father to reconsider the investigation towards him because of the recent poisoning that happened..

He knew this night was prepared for him and for Jisoo..

That this night.. must be spent as it should be for the two of them..

He has thought about it all day..

To be honest.. it isn’t the man’s loss..

That’s true.. he would not lose anything if something were to happen between the two of them..

It isn’t his body anyway.. and the real Taehyung must want this too..

But when he thinks of Irene.. he feels like he’s betraying her..

And he can’t do that..

And probably not just Irene.. but also Jisoo..

“W-what did you say?” asked Jisoo surprised. “You meant.. to go back, didn’t you?”

V was just staring at her without saying anything.

This woman standing before him knows nothing about him yet she believes everything he says to her..

This woman is doing everything she can to protect him despite all the harsh words he said to her..

Why is she making him feel like one weak man? Who is she to shake him up like this