[-]
The night was masked by the soft sound of crickets rattling in the distance. The dark sky was starless and moonless tonight. A figure shut the doors soundlessly and made his way to the gates without a single noise, something that is effortless for him since a very young age.
He exhaled heavily upon seeing the back view of the uninvited guest that is already waiting for him.
"Hyung." The tired sounding young man greeted, sounding almost like a sigh. "You must be planning to give up on Boseok with the frequency that you're coming here. Why? Is the poor slums in Fire growing on you?" The young man raised his brow.
The older one with copper brown hair just stared. "They're going to do it. The morning after tomorrow." He informed, a thin fume of white fog visualizing above his lips as he spoke in the coldness of the night.
The younger one with chocolate colored eyes frowned. He didn't expect them to move so soon. But he could get why. The economy is disintegrating. People are escaping across the boarders into Pyul at the other end of Dal. The corrupted ministers of the other districts that were left untouched by the King's men made life a living hell for the oppressed people.
Dal is decaying under their second brother.
"It doesn't concerns me anymore, Hyung." The Ice Lord resigned, turning away to return. "Get back before it gets colder-"
"He has the youngest."
Donghae said quietly, observing as his departing brother's head snapped up as the latter stood, frozen in his tracks for a good thirty second before wheeling around, his expression blank.
"The King has Seungri." Donghae repeated again.
"Explain." Jiyong deadpanned.
"I didn't know Seungri was so into politics." Donghae rubbed his face.
Every word he's saying seems to further weave the shroud of dread that's casted within Jiyong. The fact that there is actually an ounce of worry in Lee Donghae's voice, the brother that moved out when Seungri was barely 10 and never ever looked up for him, is unsettling. It seems like he is thinking about the exact thing that is hammering in Jiyong's head. The king probably did not invite the kid over for some tea and talk.
"The mole he has in the palace made it out. Boseok was the closest to the Capitol so I knew first. It was a palace guard that had to disguise himself as one of the King's soldier to be able to exit the palace. He said that the King already knew that Seungri has him there to look out for every decision sent out from the palace, but Taeil doesn't know his exact identity and Seungri wouldn't tell. In any case, the youngest is in the King's hands."
. The vulgar word was the first vocabulary that registered in Jiyong's head.
That ing kid.
"Where's that guard." Jiyong asked hoarsely after he managed to get his voice back.
"He fled North, where the rebellion army are." Donghae answered. There was a small moment of silence as he watched Jiyong's face that is growing increasingly pale. It was quite a new sight. He never saw anything close to fear on the boy before, except the time when Seunghyun Hyung died. That was years ago.
"You have a reason to join the rebels now." Donghae exhaled.
Jiyong shifted his eyes to him. "Are you?"
"The northern leaders want to make my city as their fort. I told them to make themselves at home." Donghae shrugged, but he looked serious.
Jiyong only stared. His mind in a whirl and a complete mess. This kid was missing this whole time because that bastard had imprisoned him?
"I'm not much of a fighter, but they wouldn't stand a chance of winning without you." Donghae said carefully.
What would happen to Seungri if the rebels fell? Kim Taeil is literally a gone man now, there's no ground left for him to negotiate with him. Hell, he'll even have him tie up if he even tries to go near to the palace.
"That's all I'm here for now that you know where Seungri's been hanging out at." Donghae broke the silence, heaving himself up his stallion with an easy swing. He looked down at Jiyong who was still transfixed in his own dilemma, and decided that a goodbye is unnecessary.
Jiyong went back into the gates and through the yard and into the room again before closing the door behind him just as silently as he opened it, his body functioning mechanically. That ing kid. This is exactly the reason why he and Seunghyun Hyung wanted at least the youngest to stay away from any power or political concern. They both know that making him seem like a clueless good-for-nothing noble is the safest way for him to live.
Apparently he has other plans.
But look what he's in now. From the sound of it, he must be still alive. Still. The word sends a shiver down Jiyong's spine. He stood, motionless, against the cabinet behind him as he stared at the woman who's soundly asleep in the bed infront.
That ing kid.
The woman stirred slightly in her dreams and his blank stare softened. His throat felt dry despite not being thirsty at all. There seems to be something he's struggling to get out as soon as his mind shuts down upon his decision. After what feel like an eternity, he finally uttered the words that will go unheard by their recipients.
"I'm sorry."
[-]
Everything about the world 300 years away from hers is great, except for one near-fatal fact:
It doesn't come with the concept of heaters!!!!!!!!!
Dara shuddered, a deathly groan escaping her lips as she pulled her extra thick quilt blanket closer to herself. The mornings here are way too cold, and then afternoons are unnecessarily hot. Not even the huge lump of what used to be a decent quilt until she decided to stuff two extra giant bags of cotton and feathers in is enough to block the morning chills.
She rolled over squinting, silenting grumbling about how she should've a more useful job in the past, like a mechanic, instead of a clerk, so that she could at least DIY her own heater or perhaps a fan in the summer. Quivering, Dara lifted her eyelids lazily, only to be surprised by an already awake Ice Lord.
"You look horrible." Dara murmured in her raspy voice. His lips curled upwards at her morning greeting, his posture leaning carelessly against the frame of the bed with his arm propping his body up.
"Thanks. Insomnia." He answered her slickly.
Dara frowned at him for a moment. She looks adorable, hiding herself in the blanket up to her chin, her face slightly tinted pink from her sleep marks. She chewed on her lips, narrowing her eyes at Jiyong as if she could see right through him.
"Did you do something wrong again?" Dara asked in a low voice, scrutinizing the amused man.
"What?" Jiyong laughed, shrugging, looking utterly bewildered.
"First of all, you didn't complain about my snores today. Secondly, there wasn't any morning kisses." Dalock Holmes deduced, her thin lines of eyes looking suspiciously at her love, who's smile only grew wider at her weird antics that he has long grown used to.
"God, Dara, you snore so much." Jiyong said seriously, and then swooped down to plant a kiss on her lips. "Normal now?"
Dara scrunched up her nose at him. What's with him being this active today? Took him long enough to make up with his bad sense of humor.
"On a brighter note though, I'm not working today." Jiyong said lazily, sliding down the frame of the bed to meet her eyes.
"Are you sure you weren't sacked or anything? I mean- you hardly even patrol nowadays. Did Sangchul take over your position? It's okay, Ji, you can tell me." Dara said sympathetically, holding back her snigger as she patted Jiyong's back.
Looking slightly stunned and offended, Jiyong blinked at her. "Excuse me?"
"You don't have to be ashamed of it." Dara sighed, looking sincere. "Its been so long since you last pulled a bow. One would misunderstand that perhaps the Ice Lord's skills weren't as good as his former glory days no more."
Jiyong inhaled sharply, his eyes widening at the absurdity. Without warning, he swung himself off the bed and wordlessly picked Dara up, who let out a small shriek in surprise, and set her down infront of a mirror.
"Wash up." Jiyong ordered, grabbing his bow and arrows from the top of the drawers, ignoring Dara's shocked face. "We're going to shoot." He smirked at the bewildered girl, who didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the aroused competitiveness in Jiyong.
"What is this....." Dara grumbled to herself as she glared at the Ice Lord who was at least five steps ahead of her. Hill climbing right after waking up is definitely not her thing. She huffed, heaving herself up the steeper sides.
Jiyong signalled at the exhausted girl, asking her to watch well before finding a spot to aim at. Expertly, he drew an arrow from his back and slot it into his bow before lifting it. Still panting, Dara looked over to the direction where the tip of his arrow is pointing at. But there was nothing, just a vast piece of sky and shapeless air between this hill and another. Dara squinted, and ayy, no way, he can't be possibly aiming for that-
Jiyong's fingers releases and the bow shot out on rebound, tearing across the morning sun as Dara gasped. Within a split second, the arrow lodged itself deeply in the bark of a pine tree that stood solely on the hill opposite from theirs. That must've be a good 300 yards away.
Straightening up, Jiyong rubs his nose and snifled nonechalently, secretly enjoying the stunned look of awe and fear on Dara's face. The shot was a little too left-centered for his liking, but she doesn't need to know that.
"Who's firing who again?" Jiyong asked, and Dara swallowed.
Jiyong cracked a small laugh as he remembered how Dara's first arrow landed. She didn't even pulled the string.
That felt like an eternity ago.
His smile faltered, his heart getting strangely heavy. Wordlessly, he handed his bow over to Dara, who looked confused at the gesture. He nodded encouragingly at her, who took the bow over with hesitant hands. He gazes quietly at the girl who's now focused on getting her posture right. Who's going to protect her if he wasn't here?
Okay, legs at shoulder length apart. Dara told herself. Grip on the handle, now load the arrow. Arrow. Where's the arrow? Thouroughly absorbed, Dara held out her free hand for a bow and it made Jiyong snap back to reality, chuckling at the look of concentration on her face before pulling out an arrow from the arrow case on his back for her.
Now hold the arrow to the string between your middle and index knuckles. Okay great. Pull it to your cheek, execellent, now find a target. Keeping her upper body immobile, Dara shifted herself gingerly on the spot to find a suitable target. Feeling a little less ambitious, she settled on a small woody tree just 50 yards away. She exhaled nervously, and then released her grip.
Jiyong sniggered behind her as the head of the arrow buried itself into one of the branches. Hey, it wasn't that bad! Dara turned around proudly and glared at the laughing Jiyong.
"If that was the person you're trying to shoot he would've got away." Jiyong chuckled. "Unless you're planning to shoot at trees forever."
"Why would I shoot people?" Dara asked innocently, looking slightly disturbed at the idea.
"They're not all that different, trees and people." Jiyong said, kicking himself off the ground before going over to Dara. Grabbing her hand that's holding on the handle, he spoke. "Hold your ground and your handle hand firmer. It'll keep your hands steady so you don't go off target."
His voice was right beside her ear, which made her shudder. Dara glances up at Jiyong before looking back ahead quickly again, swallowing the butterflies in . It still makes her nervous to have him breathing down her neck, and she wonders silently why does he seems extra serious with their impromptu archery lesson today.
"If someone comes at you, don't hesitate. Just shoot." Jiyong nodded, releasing Dara's hand which sents the arrow flying out. This time, it strikes the tree staight in the heart of the trunk.
"See, it's not that hard." The boy smirked.
"I have no talent in this." Dara sighs. "This is no fun, lets go somewhere else instead."
"Where to, princess?"
Dara grinned and grabbed Jiyong's outstretched hand. "Somewhere that's more interesting."
They ended up strolling amongst the crowd in the busy marketplace, their fingers entwined lightly together. The Ice Lord no longer bothered with hiding his identity. He had probably long forgotten where he last placed his black mask that obscures half of his face. He glanced sideways at the girl who's happily looking around every tiny ornament the hawkers are peddling on the street, ignoring the hushed excited whispers of the people that recognises him, behaving so affectionately in the public. The carefree and contented Dara is enough to make him satisfied, although it was also mingled with an unspeakable sadness and a heavy guilt.
"Any news from Seungri yet?" Dara asked suddenly, turning around with two candied berry sticks in hand, shoving one to Jiyong. She had forgotten her small worry for the wellbeing of her old mentor in the midst of fun today. But it has been days since he was away. Surely he must've informed Jiyong where he is by now.
"He's alright." Jiyong answered, popping the snack into his mouth, his eyes trained on the red colored sweets. "Just somewhere away from town meeting up with his friends."
"Oh." Dara sighed in relief. Of course, its Seungri they're talking about. She turned back to the array of mechandises again, and only then did Jiyong lifted his eyes to her.
Seungri isn't alright at all.
But he held back his tongue and allowed her to pull him around every colorful looking stall in the market. He stared at her back the whole view, silently thinking how amazing it is for all of his fears to be muted when she is holding onto him. He's terrified of losing another brother. He's terrified that by the time they strike, it'll be too late. He's terrified that he wouldn't make it back. He's terrified that when she eventually finds out, she wouldn't forgive him.
But everytime she turns around and breaks into a smile while she begins to chatter about miscellanous things, ranging from how some of the accessories on sale reminds her of the weird inventions they have back in her world to how she thinks some of the stalls need a revamp, everything she does seems to join in the silent fight he is putting up inside him against his terrors, and it makes everything seems almost alright.
Only almost.
"It's getting dark. Let's head back now." Jiyong halted in his steps which made Dara stagger a little backwards.
"Wait, let me just ask about that." Dara said, releasing her grip to run up to the stall. But she had barely picked up the comb she had been eyeing when it was taken from her grasp. She looked up, and Jiyong was already handing the silver to pay for it.
"It'll take you forever." Jiyong commented monotonelessly, "Let's go."
Dara was surprised to find dinner already ready on the table when they got back. Somehow the house seems a little empty today. She knows that a few servants are taking the day off to visit their parents, but it seems a little odd that even Jisoo was nowhere in sight. Maybe she is out with one of the kitchen ahjummas. Shrugging it off, Dara whiffed in the aroma from the table-full of dishes. Nice, there's scallop pancakes.
Famished, she picked the chopsticks up and helped herself to a mouthful of omelettes before she even sat down. The food tastes extra good today. It seems almost like a festival with the variety of delicacies served. What occasion is this?
"Why're you not eating?" Dara asked between her eating, sparing Jiyong a glance.
The boy only smiled ruefully. Silently, he poured the both of them a small goblet of drinks each before sliding her cup over to her.
He raised his cup and in response, she raised hers playfully too, and their cups clinked together before she downed hers in a gulp. It was bitter.
"Why're you this quiet suddenly?" Dara asked again. It does seem like Jiyong is growing quieter and quieter through the day. Okay, maybe he wasn't that much of a noisy person to begin with. Maybe his morning talkativeness was the weird part. Or maybe he's just getting tired, like she is starting to feel.
"I just don't know what to say." Jiyong admitted, and Dara was slightly perplexed with the strange layer of pain laced in his voice. For some unknown reasons, her chest starts to ache as well. The sorrowful feeling came suddenly and she couldn't understand why. Maybe she's getting too tired.
"You're.. crying?" Dara muttered. Jiyong shook his head even though there was an unmistakable tear that had fell silently to his chin. Whatever it is, they can talk tomorrow. For now, she thinks she really has to sleep.
In fact, she's struggling to keep herself awake. Dara's mind began to zoom in and out of reality, and in between her dwelling consciousness, she caught a glimpse of Jiyong's untouched cup.
Dara looked up weakly, struggling to comprehend with her head's slow analysis. Jiyong shut his eyes, his head turned away as realisation slowly hits her. This entire day. This entire too-good-to-be-true day. She should've realised.... Why didn't she realise...?
"You drugged the drink..." Dara said hoarsely, squinting her eyes laboriously to keep herself awake, but it seems like an impossible task.
"I love you."
Dara shook her head. The darkness is threatening to engulf her. In her blurry and extinguishing vision, she sees Jiyong's eyes that were rimmed in red, looking as if he's holding himself back to not cry. "Please, what are you doing?" Dara begged in a small voice. "What are you going to do?" She finished just as her last bit of consciousness gave way to trap that Jiyong has so beautifully arranged.
"Forgive me, Dara." Jiyong whispered, moving himself next to her just as she collapsed into his arms. He cradled her sleeping form, burying his face into her hair, taking in the warmth of her body, the way her small frame fits so perfectly in his arms.
It's in case, just in case, that this is the last time.
Sangchul waited outside the gates with the carriage that he's ordered to prepare. Beside him, Miss Dara's handmaiden Jisoo is sobbing silently. They all know that the Ice Lord's decision would break Miss Dara apart, but they had no choice but to comply. This is the best way for her to be safe, and the only way for their master to keep his mind off her and focus on what he is going to do.
Finally, the Ice Lord emerged from the silent residence. He was clad in his full armory, his sword tucked into his swordcase by his waist and his arrows slung firmly on his back. In his arms were Miss Dara, soundly asleep and unconscious, her head resting limply against the hard material covering his chest.
Without a word, the Ice Lord flipped away the curtains covering the carriage and sets the girl gingerly inside, gazing long and hard at her peaceful face before withdrewing himself. Straightening up, he turned to his loyal right hand man.
"Make sure she gets there safely." He said. "Please."
Sangchul nodded, adverting his gaze to the ground. He knows that his master wouldn't want him to see the pain in his eyes.
Jiyong turned to Jisoo, who's still crying quietly, and shook his head. Jisoo bit on her lips and nodded tearfully, effectively stopping herself.
"I'll join you in the capitol right after Miss Dara is safely settled down." Sangchul said. Jiyong nodded, giving his shoulder a pat. It's time to go, and he turned around to give Dara a last look, before he unstrapped the sack of arrows on his back and went forward again, pushed the curtains aside before setting them down beside Dara, along with his bow and a small piece of paper with a single line scribbled on it.
If someone comes at you, don't hesitate, just shoot. I love you.
Tadah. We are at the third last chapter!
This is making me sad, my heart kinda ache while writing this chapter. Anyway, it's a little longer than usual.
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