Rough ☆ Jake

Friend

"We really don't have a choice not to keep this quiet." I say as the king paces back and forth in Heesungs room, the would be thief lay unconscious on the floor.

"Why is that?" The king stopped and looked my way.

"Because, if we go after Shin out in the open he could revival what we have, then we would have many more after us. It's better we keep it as quiet as possible."

"So what do you suggest?" Heeseung asked from his spot by the door.

"We go and kill the man in his home." I shrug as they all give me a side ways look. "What? We can't publicly execute him. Either we kill him or you send your guards to take him to the castle for holding."

"I'll send my guards to take him into custody and bring him to the castle until we return." The king nodded his head before he left with Jay and Heeseung on his heels.

The king needed to realize it was not the time for hesitation, things needed to be handled quickly and discreetly. There were many things that could go wrong with his plan, but I wasn't going to fight him on what he wanted to do, if the plan went south that would be on him.

I ask Sunoo to pass me the small bag with the stone that Heeseung had left on the bed side table at my request.

"What's in there?" Sunoo asked while looking at the bag.

"The water stone." I say as I pull it out and show him. I examine the stone closely for the first time since we had got it. It was of course a crystal blue color, it was oddly cool to the touch and gave off a calming aura.

I place it back in it's bag before I tuck into my pants pocket, not wanting to be separated from it. The cut in my side ached, Sunghoon said that the cut wasn't to deep so it should heal fairly well. It would still be a burden for a while though.

~~

"Where is Shin?"

I get jolted awake by someone yelling, not even remembering when I fell asleep.

"What's going on?" I ask as I sit up and rub my eyes.

"Shin, he's gone!" The king said as he looked down at the man who had told us who was after the stone.

"He must have got word of me getting caught." The man said with a shrug, his demeanor showing he was unbothered or surprised by the news.

"Was someone else working with you?" I ask this time, it would make sense that he had a man waiting on him to return or even that woman.

"Maybe."

"Where did he go?" I could tell they were all growing inpatient with the situation, I was too, but this was not a time to lose your cool or show the enemy you were restless.

"No idea."

"Okay, this is pointless. Kill him and let's leave. If Shin wants the stone, he'll have to hunt us down for it." I stand to my feet and pause for a second when I don't feel pain coming from my side.

I look at Sunghoon who was watching me and see he was surprised by how I had gotten up so easily as well. I place my hand to my side and don't feel any pain from my hand touching the area.

"What the-" I lift my shirt and see nothing but a small white scar where the man had cut me.

"How is that possible...?" Sunghoon walked over to me and grabbed the hem of my shirt to take a look as well. "It's gone." He looked up and I could see the shock written all over his face.

I look off to the side and think, I shove my hand in my pocket and pull the bag out that contained the water stone.

"I think it was the stone... but it's not supposed to have healing properties, the purple stone has that power." Questions ran through my mind as to what was going on, maybe I didn't know as much about the stones as I should.

Everyone stood there and looked at the small bag with curiosity, they were just realizing the legends were true, that the stones had real power and they could really save their kingdom with them.

"She's right, we should move, quickly." The king said after a few moments of silence.

"I'll go gather my things while you guys take care of our little friend here." I go for the door, making sure to send a hard kick to the guy who had cut me.

In my room I change and make sure I have all my belongings with me before I head back to Heeseung's room. Heeseung was the only one there when I arrived back in there, my eyes scan the room looking for blood or a dead body.

"Where is he?"

"They took him to the inn owners butcher room, the owner didn't want blood all in his room." I nod my head in understanding, it would have made a bigger mess then what was already made.

I sit down in the bed and watch as Heeseung gets his things together for our departure, he seemed to be in deep thought. I guessed as much from the way his eyebrows were pulled down and the way his lips stayed in a firm line as he went around the room.

Just as I went to open my mouth and ask what he was thinking so deeply about, there was a knock on the door.

"The king wants to know if you two are ready?" It was Sunoo with a bag slung over his shoulder already.

"Ready." Heeseung said as he tied his bag shut and threw it over his shoulder too.

I stand and follow them out of the inn to the horse stable next door, the owner of the inn had sent a few young boys to help us get saddled up.

"Who's riding Max?" I turn to Sunoo as I see Max getting saddled up.

"You are." I spin around and look at the king.

"What?" My eyebrow went up, he better not be playing with me.

"I said, you're riding him. You showed I can trust you, so I'm showing you can trust me too." I held in the small smile that pulled at the corner of my lips, I didn't trust people, but him finally allowing me to ride Max made me a little happy.

"Thank you." I bow my head to him a bit.

"I keep my word, Seori."

Thoughts of what happened before I went to bed came back to my mind, easily shutting down the bit of happiness I felt, the happy feeling I had was replaced by confusion once more. After everything that happened with the man trying to steal the stone I didn't really think about what happened between me and the king. I didn't know what to think about it, so I push it all away again and head to Max.

The joy I felt as I climbed into the saddle was hard to describe, it had been to long since I had been able to ride Max and I was going to enjoy every second of it.

I click my tongue as the others take off down the road, this time I don't try to suppress the smile that came to my lips. I pat the side of Max's neck as he trots next to Sunoo, he looks over and smiles to me. I felt my worries wash away for a bit as I was back with my horse, my best friend.

Things were going to be hard, but I knew as long as I had Max, we would get through them all.