DragonHeart | Minsung

I

"Do you really have to go?" Jisung held his mother in a tight embrace.

"Yes Ji, it's my...our duty." She replied.

"I know...but why can't I come too? I feel so useless just staying here....It just- doesn't feel right." He complained.

His mother pulled away from the hug, but kept a firm grip on his shoulders. "Our people need you here, Jisung. Your time to fight will come."

Jisung knew that she was right, but having to part with his parents was still a cause for worry.

There was a war brewing in their kingdom, Incheon. His parents were leaving to lead their army of knights to challenge the Dragons that resided in Gimpo.

This was the first war that Jisung had to experience. Him and his parents had lived through another war that had occurred a decade prior, but he was too young to remember.

All his knowledge of the war derived from the stories his parents had told him. The conflict started when the leader of the dragon species, was accused of betraying the council that united them. This accusation came from Jisung's grandfather, who was the king at the time.

War broke out between the dragons and all eight human kingdoms because of the tension caused by this betrayal. In the end, the dragon population dwindled, and the last few living dragons surrendered and travelled to settle further north. They settled in what would later be named Gimpo.

Ever since the first war, humans had preached that dragons were evil and traitors to mankind. Stories of their dangers were preached in schools, soldiers trained for possible attacks, and contact was strictly forbidden.

In current times, dragon sightings began to be reported regularly. Citizens had become fearful of the creatures, worried they may be planning an attack, and demanded that something be done.

Jisung's father, the King, had sent a warning in the form of a group of knights. When they did not return, it was assumed that the dragons had killed them. The people took that as an act of war.

"If war is what they want, a war is what we will give them." Is what Jisung's father had declared.

This time Jisung had to actually live through it. He had to watch his parents leave, knowing that he may never see them again; knowing that he could be left with a kingdom he didn't know how to run on his own.

————

Jisung's mother cupped his face with her hands and placed a peck on his forehead. "I love you...we'll be back in no time, don't worry." She reached down to grab his hand, placing her treasured ring in his palm and closing it.

"I love you too.." He mumbled, holding a firm grip on the ring.

A tear rolled down Jisung's face as he watched his mother walk away and mount her horse. It felt too much like a goodbye.

He quickly composed himself and wiped the tear away. He felt like he needed to appear strong for the people of their kingdom that were there to watch them leave for battle.

His father wasn't much for affection. The two weren't very close. He wasn't around much when he grew up, too busy with the responsibilities that came with becoming the King. He had already mounted his own horse and was prepared to leave, without having had said much to his son.

He did however mutter a "good luck" to him before announcing to everyone that they'd be leaving.

The crowd of commoners that had surrounded the royals and knights with praises and wishes of victory as they rode to leave through the gates.

Jisung couldn't get himself to break focus from the group leaving, until the last of them disappeared and the gate was closed.

The people behind the kingdom's walls had organised a bit of a celebration for the hopes of a second victory, and the safe return of their people.

Jisung, being accompanied by two guards, stayed to mingle with them. He wanted to be involved in hopes that they'd feel like he cared as well.

His mother had also prepared bread and stew to be handed out to the people, so he decided to help hand it out to those that wanted it. While doing so, he was also offered gifts in return. He felt weird taking from people that had so much less than him, but he didn't want to come off as rude by denying.

It wasn't long before one of his guards announced that he would be leaving, and he was guided along the cobblestone roads back to the castle.

One of the guards directed him back to his bedroom, leaving him alone once she knew that he was safely in his room.

Jisung had paced back and forth in his room for a few minutes as his mind raced. He knew he wouldn't be seeing his parents for a few weeks, possibly never again. That idea made him feel restless, hopeless.

He couldn't do this alone.