The Rebellion (Preview)

Chapter 3 - Property

I climbed the cliff, pressing myself against the small ridge. Heights didn't bother me. To stand above the world and look out on it gave me a sense of peace. In these moments, it felt like I owned the world, and not the other way around.

In the darkness, there was nothing to see but shadows... but that was all I needed. Everyone knew that the Rebellion lived beyond the forest outside of the city, but no one in their right minds dared to look for them. Men and women alike were cut down if they trespassed too deep into the forest. The Rebellion had no mercy on their enemies, and sometimes, no mercy on their own allies.

In the city, there were stories on top of stories about the Rebellion: slaughtered guards, poisoned food, destroyed buildings, and burned carriages. They were the barbarians of the country, but the only ones to survive in their mission.

Many opposed the emperor. The Rebellion was the only group to go up against him and live. Which meant that they had the strength I needed to get my brother back.

I hid on the cliffside and waited. The moonlight gave enough glow to show who was passing through.

Sooner or later, they would come. 

******

After half a night of waiting, six shadows rode across the hills. I could barely make out the sound of the hooves, as if the horses knew they needed to be silent.

I watched as they disappeared into the forest; until there was neither a sound nor a rustle carrying on the wind. There was no way to tell where they had gone, but their tracks were still fresh and I could trace them.

It was a quick drop down the cliffside and a steady run across the lavender fields into the forests. The cicadas were loud as always, but better a summer cicada to block the sound of my steps than the autumn leaves that would give me away.

I tracked them through the forest, going deeper and deeper into the trees until everything around me was nearly covered in darkness. The tree silhouettes stood strong in the moonlight, but the tracks faded the further I walked.

The townsfolk always said that the Rebellion was cloaked in the devil's darkness. Maybe they were right.

Suddenly, my feet were knocked out under me. The world turned upside down and I was looking up at the stars.

And also to a man with a sword at my throat.

His eyes were as dark as the sky behind him, his black and blue robes swirling around his feet. He smirked.

"This is a very dangerous place for you, sweetheart," his gravelly voice hummed, dark as the shadows around his face. "Haven't you heard the rumors? I went through an awful lot of trouble to spread them."

I looked at the sword pointed at my throat, then back up at my attacker. It was the man I had struck with the staff - the same man the Rebellion had called Master.

"Are you part of the Rebellion?" I asked.

A single dimple showed in the pale light as he brightly smiled. "What makes you ask that? Shouldn't you be asking me to spare your life instead?"

"If you're the Rebellion, I have something for you. If you're not, then you should plead for your life instead."

He cocked his head to the side. "Bold words. But even in the darkness, I can see your fingers tremble."

I gripped hard into the ground.

"Why would you risk getting slaughtered for an audience with the Rebellion?" he asked.

"If you're not the Rebellion, I have no reason to tell you."

He chuckled, not removing his sword from my throat. "Then I have no reason to tell you whether or not I'm part of the Rebellion."

He was enjoying this conversation circle, and I refused to be part of his game. "If that's that case," I said, "I suppose I'll have to go find someone else."

"Who said I'd let you live?"

I blinked and smiled. "Who said I was asking for your permission?"

I hooked one foot behind his ankle and kicked his hip with the other. He fell to the ground, just long enough for me to spring to my feet and dash through the trees.

His footsteps rustled behind me. Then they were to the side. Then the front. He stood before me, his arms wide in a taunt.

"Don't start a fight you can't finish, sweetheart."

He scratched the faint stubble on his chin with a confident smirk. It made me want to beat his lips off his face.

I brought my hands up to my face in fists. "Same to you."

His eyebrow twitched as he smiled wider. He leapt for me, but I dodged the attack. I scraped the tree beside me, however, and couldn't hold back a hiss as the bark tore my skin open. He advanced again, throwing a kick towards my face. I blocked, then hooked my arm under, pushing him back. I intended for him to fall, but he maneuvered out of the technique effortlessly.

"You know a few takedowns," he acknowledged, "but that won't help you against me."

He threw a double kick this time, landing the second kick in my shoulder. I yelped, but jumped in with a counter palm strike to the chest. He absorbed it, barely wincing, then locked my arm behind my back. He spun me so that my back faced him, his breath against my ear.

"Good try," he whispered, "but you should surrender. I'm the best there is."

I elbowed him to the gut, then spun around and grabbed him by the neck. Bending him over, I kneed him in the stomach and ran. I heard him grunt, then laugh, his footsteps following.

The world turned upside down again.

He straddled me, peering down at me with pride as he climbed on top of me and pinned my arms to the sides. I tried to buck him off, but he stayed on top of me, his knees firm in the earth on both sides of my hips.

"You fight well," he said. "Not as good as me, but well enough. Where did you learn?"

His eyes were playful and keen, like a cat playing with its supper. I glared at him, not answering his question. Instead I only watched him, waiting for his next move so that I could counter it.

He raised an eyebrow, then laughed again. "Alright. You've convinced me."

"Convinced you of what?" I replied.

He rolled off of me and pulled me up by my wrist. "Come with me."

Forcing my hands behind my back, he led me through the forest to a large, dark horse.

"Goyanggi will be happy to escort you to your prison," the man said in my ear. "It's either prison or death, and I'm feeling gracious today."

I squirmed. "There's no chance in hell I'm going anywhere with you."

"You wanted to be taken to the Rebellion, yes?" he asked. "Don't tell me you've changed your mind."

I turned my head, only to see his eyes glitter. There was something playful and seductive about them. Something daring me to follow him.

And he was part of the Rebellion. I knew he was. It was the only chance to rescue my brother.

Clenching my teeth, I got on the horse. The man jumped up, nestling himself right behind me. The fabric of his robes brushed against my arms, his chest pressing up against my back. I shifted forward, but his hand snaked around my waist, pulling me back into him.

"Don't try escaping from me now, sweetheart," he whispered in my ear. "I guarantee it won't go well for you."

"My name is Jaehwa," I replied. "Not sweetheart."

"Your name doesn't make any difference to me." He grinned right before pulling a scarf from his belt and tying it around my eyes. "You're the property of Sok Haneul now."

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Chapter 4 of THE REBELLION preview coming soon...