Hyunsu woke up from the previous night in a daze, her mother constantly scolded her for not being attentive, she almost ruined multiple herbs when she prepared some tonics to put away in storage. Every time she thought back to the night before she would see the haunting eyes staring at her then she would remember the harsh words Sooki was yelling into the night and a jolt of fear would run up her spine as she imagined what could have happened that she didn’t see. Was one of the Fae going to attack her? Had one climbed into the village? Would she have died if Sooki wasn’t there that night? ‘Stop daydreaming and do your work!’ Jolting out of her thoughts Hyunsu cast a tentative gaze towards her mother before looking back down at the mortar, pounding the pestle into it as she ground up the herbs.

 ‘Open the door!’ Hyunsu gasped and clutched her chest in shock hearing someone call out as they started pounding at the door. Hyunsu remained oblivious to her mothers skeptical look in her direction before her mother made her way to the door. ‘Open the door! My boy needs your help! He needs your help!’ As Hyunsu’s mother opened the door, Mrs. Lee ran in carrying Kwan’s limp body.

 ‘Close the door behind you,’ Hyunsu’s mother hissed as she took Kwan from Mrs. Lee, laying him down on the kitchen table. ‘Hyunsu, get your father immediately.’

 ‘Y-Yes, mother,’ nodding she bowed in Mrs. Lee’s direction before running outside sighing in relief as she saw her father crouching down by one of the growing herbs her brother had recovered from the outside world earlier that week, documenting it. ‘Father! It’s urgent, Kwan, he’s in the house,’ Hyunsu watched as her father jolted up, running inside immediately. Having seen Kwan get abducted by the Fae she doubted he was alive, and if he was she feared for his sanity. From the stories she heard and Sooki’s pleads for grace she didn’t want to imagine what he could have gone through.

 ‘Hyunsu! Where did you go! Get me some poultice!’ Hyunsu’s mother shrieked from inside, biting her lip hesitantly, Hyunsu pushed the sleeves of her dress up as she picked up a container of poultice, as well as three sets of aprons. Walking into the room she looked at Kwan, gasping in shock, Hyunsu dropped everything she was carrying the container dropped with a thunk on the wooden floor. Kwan’s body was cut up and bleeding everywhere, what looked like words were carved into his forehead and right below where his eyes should have been were empty bloody sockets, the holes were raw and torn almost as if someone had ripped his eyes out with their own hands. Where his hair was were red swollen tears and a bare scalp painted with blood. ‘Don’t just stand there! Get moving!’

 ‘I-I,’ backing away Hyunsu raised her hands in the air trying to separate herself from the image before her.

 ‘Hyunsu!’ Her mother shrieked as she pressed a cloth to one of the large gouges on his side, the blood was already soaking through turning the brown cloth to red.

 ‘I can’t!’ With shaking limbs Hyunsu stumbled out of the house almost collapsing on the ground. ‘Kwan, Kwan, I’m sorry,’ burying her head in her hands her body shook, straining her muscles with strong infrequent seizing. ‘Kwan.’ She could hear the pained shrieks of his mother and she could guess why, he was being proclaimed dead, the next victim of the Fae all because he couldn’t get through the doors in time.

 Kwan was the only hunter of the family, the only child, Mrs. Lee’s husband was an invalid and she had no position, she was just a villager, she didn’t own a shop, she wasn’t a healer, she wasn’t the Lady of the village all she had was her sons hunts, and now she didn’t even have that. Hyunsu dropped onto her back staring up into the sky, her eyes narrowing at the dark grey clouds hanging above her head. It looked like it was going to rain, the weather was mourning Kwan’s loss too it seemed.

 ‘Hyunsu! Get up off the ground and get in here,’ Hyunsu’s mother gripped her arm tightly, pulling her up off the ground and towards the house. Still in a daze Hyunsu tripped over the small rocks, barely noticing the loud chatter filling the village.

 ‘He’s dead.’

 Sighing heavily her mother smacked her upside the head, ‘stop being so dramatic, Kwan is alive. Now get in there and start helping us, he won’t be alive for long if you keep dilly dallying. I swear, the theatrics of this one gets me every time,’ her mother muttered walking to the wall of medicine they had stacked against the wall. If Hyunsu wasn’t in shock she would have retorted that her mother was being silly, that her mother was the most dramatic one of the family. However Hyunsu was in shock and the only thing in her mind was the guilt that numbed her, leaving her thoughts frozen and incapable of developing.

 ‘Hyunsu!’ Hyunsu’s fathers sharp voice snapped her out of her daze causing her to run over to him out of habit. ‘Help me get the herbs on his eyes and wrap it,’ nodding she picked up the herbs resting in the bowl before holding them over his eye sockets. She felt a shudder shake her body as she stared into the empty sockets. She was used to seeing death and gore many people died of illness and many more got hurt while working but there was something different about seeing wounds caused intentionally. ‘Hyunsu!’

 ‘Yes, father,’ placing the herbs into his sockets she heard a pained moan escape from his bloody lips. Pursing her lips she closed her eyes, allowing herself to detach from her emotions so she could work properly. Opening her eyes she placed herbs into the other socket then folded the stiff cloth into squares, placing it over his eyes before she wrapped the eyes with another cloth so it would stay clean and not get infected.

 ‘Get him some water,’ waving her off Hyunsu went to the kitchen taking one of their clay cups off of the shelves. Gripping the cloth cover she pulled it off of the wooden bucket before dipping the cup into the water, ignoring the uncomfortable sensation of water running down her hand before covering the bucket up again and rushing over to the table. ‘Let him drink some, it’ll do while your mother makes the tea.’ Placing her hand to his head she ignored the lack of hair, concentrating on softly lifting his head up and placing the cup to his lips so he would drink. Tipping the cup she watched the water pool up on his lips, some of it escaping and cascading down his chin.

 ‘He’s not drinking,’ pinching his nose so he would open his mouth she watched him choke on the water that she poured in before he started to drink it, accepting the cool relief.                                                                                                           

 ‘Get Sooki, I want to know exactly what they wrote on him,’ her father demanded, his attention focused on the leg wound he was wrapping.

 ‘Yes, father,’ bowing she wiped her hands with a damp cloth cleaning the leftover herbs and blood off. ‘I will return soon,’ walking outside she clutched her chest with her hand, feeling her head spin as the emotions she was blocking came rushing back, she hadn’t even noticed that she didn’t change out of her house slippers as she looked for the Nymph. ‘Sooki,’ speeding up towards the manor she felt as if there was something in the shadows watching her. ‘Sooki!’ Kicking up dirt in her haste she ignored the irritated looks of the villagers, ‘Sooki!’

 Hyunsu almost cried out in relief as she saw Sooki step out of the manor, ‘child? What’s wrong?’

 ‘Sooki,’ without a thought to the people watching Hyunsu crashed into the Nymph hugging her tightly. ‘It’s Kwan.’

 ‘Where,’ detaching herself from Sooki, Hyunsu relaxed already feeling comfort from the grandmotherly presence of her friend.

 ‘My house,’ gripping Sooki’s hand Hyunsu pulled her towards her home, ‘he’s alive.’ Pulling open the door to her hut she guided Sooki to the limp body of the teenage boy.

 Muttering in her mother tongue Sooki shook her head, her complexion fading more from the pale color it was before. ‘What has happened to him,’ walking slowly towards the boy she focused on the markings on the forehead.

 ‘Get her out!’ Mrs. Lee shrieked, seeing the Nymph upon her entrance from the kitchen. ‘Get that monster out of here! She’s one of them! She’s the reason why my son is like this! Get it out! Get it out!’

 ‘Mrs. Lee!’ Sighing in annoyance Hyunsu’s father stepped towards her trying to guide the frantic mother out of the room.

 ‘She’s incurred their wrath upon us! We’re all going to die!’ Mrs. Lee’s face went red as she screamed, without warning she stumbled as her eyes fluttered.

 ‘Mrs. Lee, you need to calm down,’ He reached out for her as she fainted, catching her in his arms. Tsking he dragged her to the couch and laid her down. ‘Emotional witch, it’s a wonder she hasn’t fainted sooner from her temper tantrums.’ Clapping his hands together as if washing himself of her nonsense he focused on Sooki, ‘so is that writing?’

 ‘Yes,’ Sooki glided her fingers over Kwan’s forehead before casting a hesitant look to Hyunsu.

 ‘It’s because of me, isn’t it, if I hadn’t been there he would have died,’ Hyunsu pulled at the strings on her dress, avoiding looking at Sooki.

 ‘You were there?’ Her father rubbed his temples while heaving a heavy sigh, ‘of course you were. You have my luck.’

 ‘I didn’t see anything, I swear! I just saw,’ Hyunsu looked at the cream cloth wrapped around Kwan’s head. ‘I just saw someone’s eyes. But he left!’

 ‘He?’ Her father’s voice came out gruff as he scanned the room, checking to make sure nobody was listening. Quietly walking over to Mrs. Lee he made sure she was still asleep before taking Sooki and Hyunsu into his room closing the door behind him. ‘How do you know it was a him.’

‘I don’t,’ Hyunsu shuffled nervously, ruffling the skirt of her dress. ‘I’m just assuming, it looked like a mans eyes, that’s all. But Sooki saved me!’

 ‘Were you there the whole time?’ His analyzing gaze moved to Sooki who shook her head, unfazed by his cold facade.

 ‘No, I came after the torch went out.’

 ‘Hyunsu, leave,’ Hyunsu gaped hearing her fathers demand.

 ‘What? But, I-’

 ‘Leave, let Sooki and I talk,’ nodding hesitantly she backed towards the door before leaving the room. Immediately she slipped into the room she shared with her brother, laying on her bed that was right beside her parents room. As a child she had discovered a spot in the wall that she could use for listening and was determined to make use of it, it made no sense for her to be left out. ‘What’s going to happen to her?’

 ‘I don’t know,’ the weariness in Sooki’s voice transversed through the wood panelling easily. ‘The markings on the boys forehead, it said eyes, they took his eyes to show that they knew what she had seen.’

 ‘I gathered that much. Will she be safe though?’

 ‘As long as she doesn’t leave the village she will be safe. The Fae may be bitter but they still have guidelines. They reap what was sown, they don’t create new conflicts.’

 ‘You’re saying she’s the next victim?’

 ‘No, I’m saying she’s just like any young girl in the village, she must never leave.’

 ‘Hyoheon is asking for her hand in marriage, I’m considering accepting.’ Hyunsu covered holding back a gasp of disbelief. If there was one thing she felt, it was betrayed. Her parents knew full well what she thought of him, yet they went about behind her back, arranging her with the man she hates.

 ‘You know how she feels about him.’

 ‘He would be the most capable of keeping her safe, you know his family is well off, made of the best fighters.’ She could hear her fathers conflicted feelings through his hesitance.

 ‘Are you willing to risk her happiness for her safety?’

 ‘I don’t want to, knowing her mother she’s already gone to meet the parents to say she accepts. There is nothing left to do but accept that it’s the only way to keep her safe. Is there anything you can do at all?’

 ‘There is nothing I can do except prevent them from killing her, but that can be a fate worse than any other.’ Hyunsu rolled away from the wall, onto her brothers bed. Staring up at the ceiling she breathed out slowly.

‘Mother’s going to accept,’ pushing herself up she quietly walked out of her room and to the main door of the house, changing into her boots before leaving the house. ‘I guess I just have to stop her.’

 ‘Hyunsu! Where are you going?’ Hyunsu breathed out a sigh of relief seeing her childhood friend approaching her.

 ‘Aeko,’ scanning their surroundings she grabbed Aeko’s wrist pulling her to the gardens so they could speak privately. ‘You have to help me.’

 ‘What’s wrong?’ Aeko frowned, leaning down to match her height better Aeko had always been taller than Hyunsu and was constantly thought of as the better child. Where Hyunsu read all the time and was reluctant to do chores Aeko did what she was told immediately. Where Hyunsu was rash and spoke too quickly Aeko was slow to speak and was a master speaker. Where Aeko would sew perfect clothes, and even enjoyed embroidery Hyunsu refused to. The most Hyunsu would ever do would be to knit a scarf, she could do the rest but she hated it, her pricked fingers were proof of it.

 ‘My father, he’s planning on giving my hand in marriage to Hyoseon.’ Aeko’s expressions changed immediately from worry to annoyance.

 ‘You should consider yourself lucky, he’s the most well off bachelor here.’

 ‘I don’t want to marry him, you know that!’

 Tossing her braid behind her back Aeko’s stance adjusted into an offensive one, ‘so what’s your plan then?’

 ‘I don’t know, I just, I need to stop this from happening.’

 ‘Well you could just run away,’ Hyunsu froze staring at Aeko in disbelief.

 ‘You’re joking.’

 ‘No,’ Aeko looked Hyunsu in the eyes, her eyes were completely serious as she spoke up again, ‘you could just run away.’

 ‘I’m not going to run away, I’m not leaving the village,’ Hyunsu crossed her arms as she shook her head. ‘That’s too dangerous.’

 ‘Then I guess you’re going to marry him,’ Aeko nodded her head in the direction of the center of the village. Turning around Hyunsu watched her mother’s giddy spring as she made her way to their hut, ‘it looks like they already made it official.’

 ‘What is life,’ Hyunsu ran her fingers through her hair, clutching at the black thick strands. ‘I mean it’s just one thing after another! I don’t want this! I don’t want any of this!’

 ‘What else happened?’ Aeko’s eyebrows furrowed in worry as she crossed her arms.

 ‘Kwan, haven’t you seen him by now?’

 Nodding Aeko tsked, before shrugging, ‘it is what he deserves for missing the gate. He knows the rules.’ Already used to Aeko’s dependency on the rules Hyunsu resorted on only nodding her head.

 ‘So this is where my wife is hiding,’ Hyunsu froze feeling a hand rest on her shoulder.

 ‘Let me go Hyoheon,’ shaking her shoulder to get him to let go she backed away from him and glared.

 Laughing he smiled at her, ‘the engagement ceremony is going to be tomorrow when the caravans come. I’m looking forward to it,’ winking at her he walked off quickly sensing that it wasn’t best to poke the sleeping bear all too much.

 ‘All he wants to do is rub it in my face that I have no choice in the matter.’ Hyunsu hissed, glaring at his retreating frame.

 ‘That’s not a bad thing,’ Aeko rolled her eyes looking fed up with Hyunsu. ‘There are no chances for love in this village and there are no chances of leaving so your only option is to take your wealth and live with it. And that is not a bad thing, I would do anything to be his wife.’

 ‘Then take him, I would rather die single then marry that boy.’ Looking towards her hut she noticed her mother waving at her, signalling for her to come home. ‘I have to go,’ leaving Aeko without a goodbye Hyunsu went to her house, not thinking twice of her ill treatment towards her long-time friend.

 ‘Your father and Sooki are waiting for you in the living room, so hurry.’ Rushing Hyunsu inside the house her mother quickly shut and locked the door behind them. Scanning the room Hyunsu noticed the empty couch and table the Lee’s were taking up earlier that day.

 ‘They left already?’

 ‘Yes now sit down, okay,’ guiding her to the couch Sooki and Hyunsu’s father walked in both looking pensive and deep in thought. ‘So? Are we doing this then?’

 ‘Yes,’ Sooki cast Hyunsu’s mother an annoyed look before patting down her dress. ‘Hyunsu, your parents are worried about you, so they want me to try and help you.’ Hyunsu nodded remaining quiet as she thought back to what she heard Sooki and her father talking about. Were they going to make it so that she couldn’t be killed by the Fae? How would that even work? ‘You were listening to our conversation, weren’t you?’ Hyunsu’s eyes widened before she looked down at the ground avoiding the looks of the adults in the room.

‘Hyunsu! I taught you better!’ Her mother scolded, speaking up from behind her, ‘I do not know how I raised a child such as this.’

 ‘That is not the matter we are addressing,’ Sooki interrupted as Hyunsu’s father placed a wrapped cloth in her hands. Looking at her father confused, Hyunsu opened the cloth to reveal a beautiful necklace. The necklace had a beautiful silver chain and connected to it was a rock like pendant. Hyunsu ran her fingers around the pendant, the outside of the pendant was a smooth dark grey river rock, but on the front what looked like silver, emerald and gold designs were imbedded into the rock. ‘Hyunsu, having this necklace will protect you, you must always wear it, no exception.’

 ‘I’m just supposed to wear it? That’s it?’ Hyunsu looked up from the necklace, watching curiously at the strange ways her parents were acting. Her mother was closed off, instead of being her usual energetic and snarky self she was looking around the room avoiding Hyunsu’s gaze and her father was staring at the planks below his chair.

 ‘Yes,’ her mother sighed before frowning at Hyunsu, ‘well what are you waiting for! Put it on!’ Waving her hands at Hyunsu, her daughter nodded and quickly put it on. Almost as if they were waiting for something to happen her parents immediately relaxed, the tension in the room leaving.

 ‘Is this a gift for my marriage?’ Hyunsu pursed her lips and looked at her parents, if she heard Hyoheon made this for her she would surely throw it out, despite being told to hold onto it.

 ‘No,’ her mother shook her head sending her daughter a disapproving look. Hyunsu frowned at the silence in the room, by now her father would have argued against her marrying Hyoheon. She knew that he was considering it but she also knew he still had some reservations about the whole thing, yet he was mute.

 ‘I don’t have to marry him, I could remain single,’ Hyunsu muttered, slouching under the fiery gaze of her mother.

 ‘It will do you well to marry him, the family is well off, they are the second highest in wealth in our village.’

 ‘We are well off as well, she could easily live off of her brother.’ Joonho spoke up half heartedly, as if not supporting his argument.

 ‘I will not have my daughter living as a spinster when she can just as easily be the wife of a rich young man. It is not like he’s years older than her either, some of the girls her age might end up marrying men twice their age!’

 ‘I don’t want to marry him mother.’

 ‘Like your father said it is too late to back out, besides he will be good for you.’ Waving her hand in the air aimlessly Hyunsu’s mother stood up wandering off.

 ‘I am not doing it,’ Hyunsu looked at her father determined to remain single.

 ‘Yes you will, you know how your mother is. In the old days you may have been married off to some man far away, you can be glad now that you will remain close.’

 ‘But at least there would have been a chance of me liking the man, I loath Hyoseon!’ Her father rubbed his eyes, looking weary as he stared back at her.

 ‘If only the days would have gone by slower, we would not be left with this future.’ Standing up he looked towards the door.

 ‘This can’t be the only option.’

 ‘It’s the only one I will allow,’ he remarked before leaving Hyunsu alone in the room, to wallow in her self pity.

 Hyunsu sat in her bed listening to the arguing in the living room, she could hear the yelling clearly from her room, she wouldn’t have been surprised if she had found out that everyone in the village could hear Zuko’s enraged yelling or her mother’s frantic shrieking. Sighing in annoyance she looked at the window then her door before shrugging, making up her mind. She found no point in remaining in the house when all that was happening was arguing.

 Zuko had started yelling as soon as he found out about the marriage arrangements. There really was no way around them, a betrothal ceremony was just as good as marriage. Once she got passed the ring she would no longer be single, she would spend a year at her parents house while he amassed enough fortune to impress her parents then on the wedding day after he had proved himself capable of caring for her, her family would give the dowry to him along with her. Either way she would be lost to her family, she would no longer be a part of that family, she would be cut off.

 Pulling up the latch Hyunsu pushed open the window and crawled through it. She didn’t care that she was barefoot, she just wanted to get away from the yelling. Breathing out slowly she pushed the window back to its original place went away from the house towards her sanctuary, the well by the garden. ‘Hyunsu!’

 Turning to look behind her Hyunsu smiled immediately when she saw Aeko walking towards her, ‘Aeko!’

 ‘How is your brother taking the news?’

 ‘Not well, he is yelling up a storm,’ folding her arms over her chest Hyunsu followed Aeko as she walked through the village.

 ‘Hyoseon is as well, he’s bought rounds of soju for every man in the tavern,’ despite having a small village Hyunsu’s village also had a tavern. Before the humans started getting attacked the village was one of the main stops for travellers. Nowadays the only visitors they received were the rare brave gypsies that brought their caravans in to sell trinkets and rare merchandise. Hyunsu’s family usually got their new herbs from these caravans, nobody dared go into the forest to find their own. ‘Do you think we could ever sneak out of the village?’ Aeko questioned as the two teenage girls stopped by the large gaping gates of the village.

 ‘No.’

 ‘Don’t you want to?’ Aeko smiled, oblivious to the fear that shot through Hyunsu.

 ‘No, it’s dangerous.’ Hyunsu could almost hear the haunting singing of the Fae, she could see the kidnapping Kwan all over again in her minds eyes just as disturbing as when she had first witnessed it.

 ‘Oh stop, there are no elders around right now, there’s nobody to hear what we say, everyone is celebrating in the tavern.’ Hyunsu frowned scanning the entrance way, there really were no villagers.

 ‘The gates should be closed then, they should be never be open when nobodies around.’

 Aeko laughed and shook her head, ‘don’t worry about it, Minsik gave me the reigns. Come on,’ Aeko pulled Hyunsu towards the gate ignoring the look of panic that flashed across her shorter friends face.

 ‘What are you doing!’ Aeko was always predictable for Hyunsu, if she mentioned marriage then Aeko though it was loveless, if she mentioned money then Aeko said it was necessary, if she mentioned exploring Aeko said absolutely not so the fact that she was the one that wanted to leave was shocking and unpredictable.

 ‘Don’t worry, we aren’t going far, we’re just going to stand at the edge, we are not even going to completely leave the village. We’re just going to tease the line, alright? Consider it a last chance to do something exciting before you get married off. We all know that you’re going to be an exception to the year rule, Hyoseon can inherit his fathers smithy at whatever time he chooses.’

 ‘We shouldn’t be doing this Aeko,’ Hyunsu stopped with Aeko at the edge of the village wall playing with the ribbon from her apron that rested at her waist.

 ‘Look, it’s fine, besides we all know that Fae are active the most at night, not at day.’

 ‘We are supposed to stay in the village for a reason,’ Hyunsu stared out at the forest borderlines in the distance with fearful eyes, anticipating all the danger that could occur if they left.

 ‘There are no Fae of the meadow, we have nothing to worry about. They all hang out in the creepy forest over there,’ Aeko scowled at the forest in distaste, Aeko hated nature and was more than happy to remain in the village. ‘It’s not like the Fae are dangerous, I bet they are all pansies.’

 ‘Did you see Kwan?’ Hyunsu balked at Aeko’s insensitive comment, not able to fathom how her friend was so callous. ‘That’s not something a pansy would do.’

 ‘Come on, it’s your last night single, we need to at least something risky,’ Hyunsu jumped in surprise as Aeko grabbed her wrist pulling her out towards the large meadow resting between the village and the forest.

 ‘Aeko! What are you doing!?’ Hyunsu frowned as she watched Aeko pull her, Aeko was always all for the rules so she couldn’t understand why she was suddenly so vehemently for leaving the village.

 ‘We’re going to have some fun! What are the chances we’re going to be outside again? It’s still a long while until the sun sets.’

 ‘That doesn’t mean it’s safe,’ Hyunsu fought against Aeko’s tight grip, yelping when she tripped on a hole. Aeko laughed and held her hand out to Hyunsu to help her up.

 ‘Alright, alright, you big baby, we’ll go back, do you want to race?’ Grinning Hyunsu nodded grabbing Aeko’s hand.

 ‘Thank you,’ while she was standing up Hyunsu faked a pained wince.

 ‘Oh no,’ Aeko’s eyes went wide as she stared down at Hyunsu’s ankle. ‘Are you okay?’

 ‘I think I sprained my ankle!’ While Aeko was fussing over her Hyunsu suddenly charged towards the gate.

 ‘Yah! You little trickster! Get back here!’ Aeko screeched from behind Hyunsu. Looking over her shoulder at Aeko, Hyunsu grinned at her, her smile dropping when she saw a black form behind Aeko.

 ‘Aeko! Stop running!’

 ‘What you want me to lose?’ She yelled back continuing to run.

 ‘No! It’s a bear!’ Bear!’ Aeko spun around before charging faster towards the village, bumping into Hyunsu and knocking her over. Aeko made it through the gates as Hyunsu pushed herself up, wincing in pain, in her haste Aeko had stomped on her ankle. ‘Gods above, how am I supposed to get out of this,’ Hyunsu pushed herself up looking towards the gates as they started shutting, Aeko was locking her out. Standing straight up Hyunsu watched the bear slowly move towards her.

 The rules were that if any Fae or dangerous wild animals were spotted by the village the gates had to close, it was far too easy for it to get in and wreak havoc, but it was hard for Hyunsu to imagine that her friend would just leave her outside.

 ‘I’m going to get help!’ Aeko screamed from behind Hyunsu before the bear snorted, taking notice of the lone girl.

 ‘Leave! Go!’ Hyunsu waved her arms frantically in the air trying to not land on her slightly hurt ankle, it would stop hurting soon, she just had to be careful to not make it worse. She ran through the instructions her brother told her, try and look as big as possible, yell, wave your arms, jump, but don’t look it in the eyes. ‘Leave me alone!’ She yelled at it, panicking when she saw it coming closer, starting to charge.

  ‘Stop!’ She held her hands out in front of her panicking as she saw it running at her, its claws ripping up chunks of grass with each step. ‘I said stop!’ She shrieked unable to run. Within seconds the bear could have ripped her to shreds, instead it stopped centimeters away from her, it’s hot putrid breath filling her nose with it’s rotten scent. The bear went on its back legs, throwing its head into the air as it let out a loud roar. ‘I said go! Go!’ She watched in terror as the bear slowly lowered itself onto all four legs growling at her before stalking away slowly. As soon as the bear was far enough away Hyunsu collapsed onto the ground breathing heavily as the adrenaline left her body leaving her drained.

 ‘Don’t just sit there!’ Aeko shrieked from the top of the wall.

 ‘One second,’ Hyunsu breathed out slowly before pushing herself off the ground, making her way to the gate as fast as she could with a hurt ankle.

 ‘You were the one being bratty about leaving the village, and look at you taking your own sweet time.’ The gate slowly lowered as Hyunsu approached.

 ‘You’re the one that stomped on my ankle,’ Hyunsu frowned as the gate pulled to a stop not even half way down. ‘Aeko? Aeko?’ Without warning Mrs. Lee appeared at the top of the gate, her tear stained cheeks indented with a smug grin.

 ‘I know it is your fault my boy is like this, he had to stay out all night because of you now you have to, let’s see how long you last!’

 ‘Mrs. Lee!’ Hyunsu watched in horror as the gate got pulled up. ‘I didn’t do anything!’

 ‘You could have helped him! But you left him out to die!’ Mrs. Lee shrieked, throwing a piece of wood at Hyunsu. Dodging it Hyunsu looked at the wood, her eyes widening when she recognized it, the lever for the gate. ‘Fae! Fae! Do you see! Someone’s locked out of the village! She’ll be out all night!’ Hyunsu looked back at the forest, a shiver running down her spine at the dark shadows beneath the treeline. Hyunsu spun back to look at Mrs. Lee hearing her cackle before she disappeared from view leaving Hyunsu alone in the field.

 Hyunsu chewed on her lip nervously looking up at the wall hoping that somebody would appear, telling her that that wasn’t the real lever and that they could easily open the gate for her, but there was nothing. Hyunsu froze in her spot hearing the faint sound of thumping coming closer. Turning around to look she panicked seeing the bear running towards her again.

 ‘Why are you doing this now!’ Hyunsu clenched her fists and glared at the bear, prepared to yell at it again. The bear was slower than the previous time, the closer it got to her she realised that it had a pitch black arrow shaft embedded in it’s leg. It was angry and this time she knew yelling at it wouldn’t scare it away. Gulping she reached down and grabbed the lever, ‘stay away!’ Swiping it in the air she watched the bear bare its teeth in a ferocious growl. Breathing out she backed away from the oncoming bear brandishing the lever she smacked its head as soon as it got close enough, squeaking in surprise when it bit down on the lever making it fall as splinters to the ground.

  Hyunsu moved her arms, covering her front area as the bears paw raised into the air, poised to swipe at her. She stepped back hearing small thumping noises, looking over her hands she watched the bear collapse to the ground, five more arrows embedded into it’s body. Clutching her chest she breathed deeply trying to calm her frantic heart. Hyunsu glanced towards the wall of the village looking to see if there was anybody there but it remained empty, which meant that the thing that saved her was anything but human. Looking towards the forest she felt her heart stop in fear seeing three figures walking towards her from the direction of the forest. ‘What do I do,’ she clutched her pendant anxiously as the trio approached the bear.

 Each of them were wearing pitch black masks that completely covered their faces, the only distinguishable features were the faintly pointed ears pointing out at the side, she could already assume they also had a small split in the bottom that distinguished them as Fae. While one of them crouched by the bear to get the arrows the other two approached her silently. Her own breathing sounded heavy and obnoxious in her own ears, she vaguely wondered just how loud it sounded to their superhuman senses.

 Hyunsu jumped in shock after hearing a low laugh emit from the taller one. She gulped tensing as she heard them joke to each other in Nymphean, their words sounding harsher than Sooki’s. The Fae to her right roughly grabbed her arm speaking again, she didn’t have to know the language to know that he was insulting her. The Fae holding her pulled out a dagger with his spare hand, she pulled away roughly as he waved the dagger in her face, it’s pitch black blade glinting in the fading sun.

 She dropped the pendant, it thumped silently against her chest as she tried to push him away when he brought the dagger close to her face. She eeped when the other one suddenly pulled her away from the first, his voice harsh and commanding. He roughly grabbed the pendant, before tsking in exasperation and grabbing her cheeks roughly with his gloved hands. She winced from his tight hold glaring at him as he jerked her head from side to side, making comments to his partners.

 ‘Let me go!’ She snapped, jerking back when the first one leaned his face close to hers, she could faintly see his critical eyes through the black mesh over the eye holes. She tensed as he spoke to her slowly, his voice low and intimidating. ‘I don’t know what you’re saying! I don’t understand!’ The third one walked up as he put the arrows into the quiver on his back saying something in a light tone. The first two looked at each other before the second one suddenly picked her up and started walking away. ‘Yah! What are you doing!’ The last one suddenly started panicking, speaking quickly as she flailed in the mans arms trying to get away. Before Hyunsu could react she felt pressure on her neck and out leaving her to the whims of three Fae.