Jang Uk

Today was an okay day. I returned home from the mountains training with Master Shin and of course I left after maybe 3 days. No one is helping me the way that I need them too. I mean yeah I cause trouble here and there but the one thing I desire is to have my gate of energy opened. 

All I do is sit around and read books. It's the same books I have been reading since I was a child. I desired to be as strong as my father. Maidservant Kim told me so many stories about him and my mother that it felt like he was alive most of the time. 

Park Jin who was around when my father was alive told me that my father closed my gate of energy because he did some unforgivable things and didn't want me turning out to be like him. But I was my own person. I knew what I was doing and if they just gave me a chance I knew for a fact I would be the best warrior in the Seo fortress. 

They always made excuses as to why that was something that could never happen. But I got the best idea, there was this assassin named Naksu. She was the best in Cheonbugwan, no one compared to her when it came to fighting and she was undefeated. 

If I could find her then she will have the ability to open my gate of energy and train me. She was forbidden to enter the Seo fortress being that she had a bounty on her head. I doubted that it was going to be a breeze to catch her. 

I was walking with Maidservant Kim to my room when I saw a shadow move about. I didn't want to alert her so I didn't say anything. When we entered no one was there but the scent of woman was definitely there. 

The scent was of flowers and sweetness. I scanned the room just to be on the safe side. I told Maidservant Kim that I was going to get eat and change so to meet the royal family. When she left I sat down and looked at the food. My chopsticks was gone so yeah I definitely knew someone was in here. 

I sat down with my back turned but I made sure to be on high alert.

I heard faint shuffling coming from behind my privacy cover in the corner. I turned around slowly and saw a woman sneaking out the window. I grabbed her by the arm to stop her. 

"Tell me why I shouldn't call the guards for you" I said.

When she turned and looked at me I knew exactly who she was. 

She was the girl I been dreaming about for 3 years none stop. I have so many painted portraits of her. 

"If you want to live, I suggest you think of some thing much smarter than that" she said. 

I was taken by surprise because I didn't want to believe that she was a real person. But here she was right in front of me. I tighten my grip a little bit to keep her from falling forward. I guess she took that as a threat because she poked me in my hip and I instantly lost balance. 

She jumped out the window and ran. I took me a minute to regain balance. I went to go and find Park Dang-gu because he was the fastest runner at the moment being that I don't train. I found him leaving the brothel when I asked him if he could help me find her.

"What exactly does she look like" he said.

"You'll see" I said with a smile on my face.

We ran behind the fortress into the trees I followed her scent because it was very strong. Once we got a little farther I could see her from a distance. I walked over to Dang-gu and pointed at her.

"There she is but we're gonna have to be very quiet. She's quick with her hands" I said.

He nodded in agreement and we separated but wasn't too far from each other. When I got close enough to her I put my hand over to startle her. When she was about to attack Dang-gu hit her in the back of the head. 

I looked at him like really you had to go that far. Before she hit the ground  I caught her. When Dangu-gu got a good look at her he gasped because he knew exactly who she was.

"Jang Uk are you playing games with me" he said.

"I know I was shocked when I saw her" I said.

"And all this time I thought you was a delusional lunatic" he said laughing.

"Just help me please" I said annoyed.

He lifted her up and put her on my back. She was a real beauty to say the least. She looked similar to Seo Yul's wife Cho Yeon. I was supposed to get married to her but I was not looking to be married at that time. She hated me for a minute and I was okay with that. I wasn't looking for love anyway. 

Once we reached my room undetected Dang-gu had to leave and get ready. I bound her hands because she was a swift mover and I didn't need her getting caught. She had an unusual light that surrounded her. Even though my gate of energy wasn't open I still was able to distinguish between regular humans and soul shifters. 

It was something all fighters were taught. I learned on my own because I was forbidden to learn any fighting style. She opened her eyes and she looked me. I got closer to her.

"So what were you doing in my room" I asked her.

I sat her up so she could become more comfortable. I looked at her eyes and noticed a faint purple hue to them. I couldn't recall what that meant but it did have something with shifting souls.

"You have beautiful eyes" I said to her. 

When I leaned back they couldn't be seen from that distance. Then it came to me she was a soul shifter. She was the kind where two souls intertwined in one body. The souls was able to establish a connection and the person would have the other's feelings, memories, and thoughts. If not then there was no color detected. 

But those cases were rare.

"I know who you are" I said.

I could see the fear spread over her face.

"You're my master, my teacher, the one that's going to unlock my gate of energy" I said.

"Naksu, The Deadliest Assassin in all of Daoe" I said bowing to her.

"Uhh you might have the wrong person" she responded.

I grabbed the portrait from the box I kept them in and showed it to her. I was indeed her. She was going to be come the queen on Dahoe. People was going to hate her but that wasn't going to knock her off her throne. Didn't see a king so I don't know who was going to rule beside her.

"That's you. I have had this painting for three years. Each time I had a dream I saw this woman and she looks exactly like you.

"Yeah but.....this doesn't make sense" she said.

I put the portrait back. No one know about the painting except Dang-gu and Seo Yul. Before I could ask her nay type of questions Maidservant Kim came into the room. 

"Jang Uk who's that" she asked.

"My new servant" I said without cautiously thinking.

But.....I think that would be a good idea. It would be a great way to mask her identity. I can't be a bone head after all.

"No I'm not" she said as she looked at me with a frustrated look.

"Why do you have her tied up" she asked

"She has fast hands so things go missing here and there" I said.

I laughed because it was honestly funny. I told Maidservant Kim that I was going to the bathhouse to get ready for the arrival of the royal family. This was going to be fun. 

I took off my hanbok and waited for her to bring my bath water. I was quietly meditating when I heard the door slide back. There she stood in all her glory. Her skin was a pretty shade of brown, her hair was nothing like I seen before, the way her spirals caressed her shoulders all the way down to her back, her lips a light pink mixed with brown hues. She was a beauty.

I was already falling in love. 

I tried to spark conversation but she was not having it. When she brought in the last bucket of water. I grabbed her hand and brought her close to me.

The way her energy started to engulf the room brought a weird sensation down my spine. 
 

She was small compared to me. Her head was basically at my stomach. She examined me for minute with a confused look on her face. She placed her hands on my stomach and put her head right in the middle of my chest. 
 

My heart rate sped up a little bit.

"Breath slowly" she whispered. 
 

I controlled my breathing. I could feel a cooling sensation in my core. Then it got very hot which was a little unsettling. 

"Why is your energy blocked" she asked.

I shrugged.

She looked confused but interested at the same time. She walked over to the water and dipped her hand in. She then came and placed her hand on the back of my neck. She closed her eyes again and began to hum lowly. 

I felt a burning sensation in my hands and I didn't not like it. I moved away from her and got into the water.

"How long has your energy been blocked" she asked.

"Since I was born" I said.

"Mhm but it shouldn't be rejecting me" she said. 

"Rejecting you, what do you mean?" I questioned. 

"I was trying to reach the source of what had your gate of energy blocked but something is preventing me from seeing it" she said.

"Well I'm off to prep your food. And hurry up the royal family will be arriving soon" she said as she left.

I settled into the water and thought about how she was going to open my gate of energy.
 

It seemed like she knew what was talking about but I didn't care I just wanted it opened.  
 

I want to train and become a better fighter than my father. I mean I probably wasn't going to be as good as he was but I at least wanted to try and make an effort. 

After I finished bathing, I put on my new hanbok to go meet the royal family.