The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 22 -

After Yeseul sewed for a few hours in the morning and ate together with the other seamstresses at the lunchroom she used the silver coin to get out of the Palace and meet up with Yeowool at the market. They had a free afternoon as Master Wihwa got fired.

»You won't believe what I have to tell you!«, the handsome Hwarang said after a short hug, »It is said that Jidwi is the king! I don't remember, was I nice to him? I'm not sure anymore. That way, I could party and live well without worry. I already talked with Banryu about that but he didn't say anything.« Yeseul smiled at how upset he seemed to be about that. Then she took a step closer and whispered in a lower voice so that the people around her wouldn't hear her.

»I met Jidwi as King Jinheung«, she told him.

»What?« He looked at her surprised, »You did?«

Yeseul nodded. »Yes. He gave me this coin, so I could get out of the Palace whenever I want.« She held up the silver coin by the thin red rope. Yeowool was even more surprised than before.

»What? Why?«, he asked bewildered, »Why did he give it to you?«

»I don't know. Maybe so I could visit my family because I didn't ask to be at the Palace or to meet you«, she thought out loud. Both of them stayed silent for a moment thinking about it.

»Anyway, I'm very happy to talk to you. How is the Palace?«, he asked eventually, »Tell me everything.«

»I live in a room with three other seamstresses. They are very kind. The sewing room is big and has enough space to work properly. Yesterday we finished one of the king's robes. Today in the morning we worked on another. The four of us also ate lunch together. The hallways are a bit confusing but I'm not bad at directions, so I didn't have any troubles with that yet«, Yeseul told him.

»That sounds bearable«, he said as they entered a shop with a lot of different things, »Next time I'll try visiting you in the Palace.« He suddenly stopped and looked at something. Yeseul followed his look. In a wooden box was a square plate with a red circle of glass in it. Yeowool took it and looked at it. His expression was sad.

»This is Hanseong's glass«, he told her and held it up to the window letting the light shine through it. He smiled sadly as he held the glass to his chest. Yeseul tried to comfort him by patting his back. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

Suddenly they heard kids singing loudly outside the shop. »The best Hwarang is Master Jidwi. The king of kings is Master Seonu«, they sang together.

»The best Hwarang is Master Jidwi, and the king of the kings is Master Seonu?«, Yeowool repeated pensive, »What is this? It could not be.«

»What? What are you thinking about?«, Yeseul asked wanting to know. Then she looked at a clock. She had to get back to the Palace, her break ended soon. »Ah, I have to go back to the Palace now.«

»It's alright. Go back to the palace. I'll tell you next time«, he said and gave her a quick hug before she left to the Palace.

Swiftly she returned to the palace and went to the dorm. As she opened the door the three girls looked at her surprised.

»Yeseul«, the girl who had helped her with her hair greeted her excited, »You're supposed to help His Majesty dress. He asked Court Lady Ok for you.«

»What?«, she asked surprised to what she just had heard. Wasn't she supposed to be a seamstress? Why was she suddenly supposed to help the king dress?

»Quickly, go!«, Bokja said and motioned her to go. Yeseul stepped back into the hallway to find a guard that nodded at her before walking ahead. A little nervous she followed him. It took a while until they arrived at the king's quarters. The guard opened a door and motioned her to go in. King Jinheung stood there already getting dressed by a few other maids. Yeseul quickly joined them and helped them put the last layer of his hanbok on him. It was the one she had sewn the day before. Then she helped with the belt. Jinheung didn't say a word as they dressed him. He really seemed like a king now, not like the Hwarang she had robbed a shed with a while ago. Yeseul put a red bracelet with two golden dragons biting into a ring around his wrist and finished of the king's outfit with that when a middle-aged man entered the room. Yeseul and the other maids took a step aside. He mustered the king.

»How do I look?«, King Jinheung asked.

»You look like the King«, the man answered seemingly proud, which made Jinheung laugh lightly.

»What happened to her? Is she safe?«, the King then asked suddenly concerned. Who was he talking about? Was the king in love? After the man didn't answer directly Jinheung send out the maids but stopped Yeseul from leaving.

»You can stay«, he said and Yeseul went back to her place. What was going on?

»What happened?«, he asked the man serious after the maids had closed the door after them, »I asked what happened.« Yeseul was startled by how he suddenly spoke louder and angrier than before.

»You are going for your first meeting with the officials«, the man said, »Later-«

»Tell me«, King Jinheung interrupted him, »Right now.«

»Actually, Miss Aro was struck by the Commandant's arrow. I think she survived, though«, the man told him. Aro? The physician Aro from the Hwarang House? The one she had met at the festival? Jinheung was in love with her? And she was struck by an arrow? Why? Did Yeseul miss out on something? The King closed his eyes angrily to calm himself down. »My apologies, Your Majesty.« It got silent for a moment as he turned away from the man. The man bowed and left the room leaving Yeseul alone with the seemingly angry King. She didn't dare to say a word as she wasn't able assess if he would be angry at her too.

»Did you went out today?«, he suddenly asked sounding collected again.

»Yes, Your Majesty«, Yeseul answered.

»What did you do?«

»I met with Hwarang Yeowool on the market.«

»You like each other, don't you?« Yeseul was surprised by his sudden observation.

»How-« She stopped herself from talking as she shouldn't ask the King questions.

»Yeowool talked about you and after robbing the shed it was obvious«, Jinheung answered her unasked question, »Anyway, in case you wonder why you're in the palace: I requested you since you would be a familiar face. But as I didn't want to take away your freedom, I gave you the permission-token.«

»Thank you, Your Majesty«, Yeseul thanked him for the coin again. He still seemed a little cold as king. Maybe because he wasn't sure how to act.

»You may leave. I have to go as well«, King Jinheung declared and Yeseul bowed.

Lying in the bed in the evening Yeseul thought about what she heard today. The king was concerned about Aro, who for some reason had been shot by the Commandant's arrow. Was it because he was in love with her? Or did they just become close friends at the Hwarang House? Why was Aro shot? Even though Yeseul was curious about the answers to all these questions she thought that in the end it was their thing and their concern. She shouldn't get herself concerned about things other people already took good care of.