The great white wolf and the gosal [Arthdal chronicles]

Chapitre 67

Tanya was sitting at her desk, her eyes fixed to the paper, concentrating on her work. She was trying to reproduce the letters of the alphabet as best she could, but they were not so easy to transcribe and even harder to remember. So when there was a knock on the door, she flinched in surprise and her brush skidded across the parchment, crudely crossing out the letter she was trying to write, she sighed in exasperation. She threw her utensil across the table and shouted a disapointed "come in". The door opened and closed as she was closing the ink pot to prevent it from drying. When she raised her head to greet the one who had invited himself at the worst possible moment, she froze. Yangcha. She felt her heart leap in her chest. She slowly got up from her chair without taking her eyes off him. He had also stopped at the entrance of the room and was staring at her in a strange way. They both stood still, staring at each other as if for the first time. He didn't say a word, and she didn't even hear his thoughts. She felt her eyelids twitch slightly, occasionally blurring Yangcha's face. She walked around his desk and feverishly down the two steps between them. Her heartbeat quickened, her hands trembled slightly. She took another step in his direction, then another. She saw him take a step towards her too. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggled against him and buried her face in the hollow of his neck. The tears she had been holding back for weeks fell down her cheeks and onto Yangcha's skin. She felt his hands gently resting on her back. She lifted her head, let her hands slide down his neck and she looked at his face, half hidden by his mask. A shiver ran through her skin. He was really here, in front of her, alive. Then suddenly a wave of anger swept over her and overshadowed the relief she felt. She pulled away from him and slammed her fist into his chest. He raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened in surprise.

- Why did you do something so stupid?! she exclaimed, looking up at him.

He didn't answer her.

- Tagon could have learned that I was alive, it didn't matter! Chasing two enemies, all alone on top of that, was really ridiculous! That's a man's thing!" she continued, hitting him again. Eunseom is like that too! That's really stupid! Look where it got you," she exclaimed, pointing to the coin.

Her voice had begun to tremble as tears filled her eyes more and more. When they completely blurred Yangcha's face, Tanya looked down again and turned her head away to hide her tears.

Yangcha watched her in disbelief. When he entered the room and found Tanya in front of him, he was immediately relieved. He had watched her approach without a word. She had looked feverish. He had walked towards her too, torn between his desire to hold her and his distrust. The idea that Tanya had been intentionally manipulating him all along had crept into his mind and blossomed as the days went by. She drew him out of his thoughts as she snuggled up to him. He regained contact with the present and put his hands on her back, a little hesitantly. He felt her body against him, her perfume, her tears on his skin, the warmth of her cheek. After a few moments, she moved away a little and looked at him. He contemplated her, probed her eyes, examined every part of her face and tried to decipher every expression. If she was feigning tenderness, she was a very good actress indeed. Then, the expression on her face changed. Her eyebrows furrowed and she struck him. For a moment he was stunned by this sudden change of attitude. He looked into her eyes, scanned her face, listened to her vent her anger and suddenly he knew. She loved him. He was convinced of it. The relief in her eyes was not feigned, her anger was genuine and her love for him was real. She turned her head away. He came closer.

I'm sorry.

She lifted her head slightly, but what had happened between them before they was apart was still in her mind. She remembered his expression when he'd realized what had happened between her and Eunseom, the pain she'd caused him, his refusal to listen to her explanations.

- You must hate me. For...what i did.

Yangcha moved closer to her. Their bodies brushed against each other, but did not touch.

I never hated you. Never

She looked up at him. It seemed to him that she was even more beautiful than usual. He felt his heart beating harder and faster in his chest. He stiffened when he felt Tanya's fingers brush against his. He raised his hand, pushed back a strand of hair that framed her face and stroked her cheek with his fingertips. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. He took his hand away. She opened her eyes again. Their eyes met instantly. He slowly removed his mask without taking his eyes off her. He felt that she was trembling slightly. She remained motionless. She did not even move. Confused, he raised his hands and placed them on Tanya's cheeks. She breathed more deeply, as if she had been holding her breath until now and needed air. Feeling the warmth of her skin under his fingers, hearing her breath and feeling her body so close to his reminded him of how convinced he had been that he would never be able to see or touch her again and how real this moment was. Now that he had found her, he wanted her completely. He would hug her, cover her with kisses, but she was Tanya Niruha. And he was a Daekan. He wasn't even supposed to touch her skin. He hesitated, but his desire soon silenced his reason. He leaned towards her without taking his eyes off her, and when she closed her eyes again, Yangcha understood that she was giving him permission to touch her. He walked the distance between them and kissed her. When he removed his lips from hers, Tanya stood on tiptoe and placed her hands on his cheeks.

- I missed you, she whispered

He thought his heart had stopped beating for a moment. Their eyes met and what was left of his reason disappeared. Her gentleness had once cracked the walls he had erected between himself and the rest of the world. Her courage and finesse had shaken his loyalty to Tagon. She had shattered all his certainties and had breathed into his soul a glow that she had unconsciously fuelled with looks and smiles of disconcerting spontaneity. Tonight, the candour that shone in her eyes embraced his heart and completed the fire that had consumed him for months. His mouth suddenly found Tanya's. He didn't remember leaning towards her. His hands nestled in the back of her neck without him really looking for it.