Ashrain

26. A Centaur Named Buckwheat

Wooyoung, Mingi and Hongjoong worked day and night to reach Seonghwa. They turned over every stone that might have been hiding information about the royal palace underneath. Throughout Durnatel and the surrounding farms, they sought help and support in their trouble.

Two days passed. They alerted Seungyoun, sent a letter out to Yongguk, and complained towards the mayor. They even dragged Yeosang out of his house to reverse the deal, but the elf kept his lips tightly sealed.

Nothing happened in two days. Every second, their hopeless despair grew and nothing could console Hongjoong. He cried so much for Seonghwa, as he dreaded what might have happened to him in the time wasted. No news penetrated the castle walls. Just how the group didn't get in, nothing came out. If Seonghwa was too defensive during his first day or had been attacked by a beast like the one that mutilated San, any attempt at salvation might be too late.

Whenever there was a time window to sit and wait anxiously for a reply from their associates, Hongjoong hid in his room to cry. He sobbed until his pillow was soaked with tears. Silent, so he wouldn't disturb his brother even when Mingi knew how much he suffered, Hongjoong wailed more than he did in a year. His worry, his stress, his pain, they all overwhelmed him like a never-ending ocean that smothered him in its agitation.

All leads remained unsuccessful. Every person sent them off, telling them not to mess with the prince's matters if they didn't want to get hanged. They were apprehensive about supporting the kidnapped centaur for the same reason.

The group's hopeless attempts hadn't ceased their energy yet. Hongjoong was determined to bother the castle as long as he needed, until he got Seonghwa back. If he had to scale the tall walls for that, so be it.

Hongjoong was curled up in bed, exhausted after another crying session in the late evening. Through the curtain, Mingi didn't make a single sound, but Hongjoong knew he was up. Since there was no soothing Hongjoong, he hadn't come over.

A thundering knock on their door startled the brothers. Hongjoong flinched up, alert at the harsh sound. Dropping unease coiled in his stomach. Had they enraged the prince finally? Did he send men to detain them? If Hongjoong could free Seonghwa before he hung, he would gladly join them.

The two men held their breath anxiously, not daring for the slightest sound. When the knock sounded again, even more impatient, both of them scrambled down the stairs. In only thin tunics and pants, they eyed each other while Mingi lit a lamp. Fear reflected in the flames' dance on their features.

Hongjoong wiped at his red eyes and nodded. They stood at the door together and steeled themselves against the onslaught of the frigid night air as Mingi unbolted the door and hauled it open.

An icy breeze whirled snowflakes into their faces. The brothers shivered when the cold crept under their clothes and reached for them with vicious tendrils. Chilled, they pressed their shoulders to each other while Mingi lifted the lamp to illuminate their late visitor.

It wasn't Wooyoung. Neither was it Yongguk or a troop of soldiers.

The creature in front of their door was enormous. It towered higher than even Seonghwa, and Hongjoong had to crane his head to blink against the whirling snow to where the man's face was.

Or rather, this was no man. He had four hooved legs specked in white and brown fur and the half of a horse bigger than Seonghwa's. The male chest on top was broad and bulged with muscles. His mostly bare torso resisted the steely cold as his naturally hot blood warmed him. He had crossed his arms over his broad chest as if he ruled over the weather with his mighty stance.

Tattoos covered his body. They were tribal and matched old traditional patterns of the centaur clan's warriors. They reflected symmetrically over his human half and filled his pale skin with dark patterns that got further accentuated by his build.