"What's your name, child?"
"Summer."
"Hello, summer." Said the man in a cloak as they strolled through the town. "Well, aren't you hungry?" Summer shook his head, seemingly distrustful of the faceless man. That night, he showed the child a pouch of golden tokens, each of them enough to feed him and his family until the end of winter. Eager enough, the boy reached for the pocket, and the man was quick enough to get it out of his reach. There, he bent his knee so his size would be the same as the boy's.
"Did you know that tomorrow is King Riki's coronation?" He asked, earning the little one's nod in agreement. He smiled, then grabbing something from the pocket of his cloak. A scroll.
"Summer, do you know what this is?"
He nodded, then saying meekly, "It's a scroll."
"Very well." He patted his shoulder. "This scroll is Queen Eru's. This contains a very important message for your town. I want you to present it to all the people in the arena in the morning. Do this, and I shall give you my gold.. Meet me right in this spot tomorrow."
the boy stared at his hood intently, all as if in a young age, he understood how selling one's soul to a devil worked. The man ruffled his hair and stood, leaving him in the corner. Before he could be completely out of sight, Summer asked. "What's your name?"
The man never bothered to pause. Instead, he held the sling of his bow, making sure it was still there before the battle.
Summer barely slept that night, thinking of the gold, thinking of the display he was to make in the coronation. For the rest of the night, he stared blankly at the ceiling, wondering if that man was truly a man and not a devil; wondering if he could be just like him when he grows up. He admired him. He could still remember the bow and arrow at his back.
The little boy waited until the sun rose, until the skies turned pale and blue. His mother did ask if he slept well. But they only had straw rags and hay to sleep in, so he couldn't be entirely sure about having a good night.
Queen Eru was the one to dress the new king, his surcoat the color of a plum, with golden brocades forming a rose on every side of the cloth. His cape was a cinnamon-colored bear's thick fur. The wedded watched each other's reflection through the looking glass, with Eru clinging onto Riki from behind.
He placed his hand on hers, gently leaning on her arms. As the princess called for their presence, Eru let him go, playfully pressing his cheek in such a way he would know he would be okay.
The high-born finally arrived at the royal grounds, being welcomed by the commoners of Witherhall. Riki walked the aisle alone, being watched by so many eyes he could feel his hands shivering beneath his cape. He felt himself take a deep breath upon heading to a throne that was once his father's, meeting various gazes from the crowd.
Summer was there, too. watching, unnoticed. As everyone cheered for their new king, he wondered how long it would take for him to finally get to the stairs. He watched as the usher handed the king his rightful scepter, followed by his rightful orb. For the most invaluable thing a ruler could ever possess, everyone witnessed as the crown was finally placed on his head. It was time.
Summer, with all the strength of a child, forced himself out of the crowds, fearlessly walking towards the royals raising a scroll he opened. He never cared about anything right at that moment. He didn't know who was after him, or how he caused the deafening silence. The last thing he remembered upon raising the paper was Lord Heeseung, looking at him in disbelief as he held him down, grabbing the piece. The people of the court were tongue-tied, even the king himself. After reading each word, Heeseung turned to face Eru, pointing a condemning finger at the queen.
"Seize that traitor!"
All the people in the hall went dumbstruck, especially the consort herself. "Eru..." Yeji muttered, almost stepping to protect her as her husband could only hold her down. The king stood, dropping his regalia, trying to stop the guards when his sister's husband showed him the letter. "Eru Yang is having a persistent affair with her own brother, the Lord of Evenfall!"
The Lady Mother's eyes widened, and her limbs trembled, intervening with the arrest. "That is a lie! Let my daughter go!" She pleaded, but was only pushed away.
"Riki!" Eru exclaimed, resisting the guards' grip. Her strength was able to get herself released for a time, running towards her husband, who already understood the letter. "Riki, please." Still, she failed to reach him as they caught her once again, leading her out of the scene. The people's voices began to grow louder, demanding the King to punish his queen.
Riki fell to his throne, disbelieving. But he had seen everything. Each word meant so much than just a mere, "I need you". His sister, along with her husband and the guards, then tried to calm the commotion.
So, the child met the man in a cloak outside, commending him for the most glorious thing he has ever done. "Forty gold, as promised, boy." He said, handing the small pocket.
"You didn't tell me your name."
The man smiled.
"I am Hoon."
After that, Summer went home with his family, with bread and chicken in hand.
