The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 40 -

Six Months Later

It was summer again. The time had dragged itself for the past few months. Exactly one year after starting her work at the Palace Yeseul was let go to return to her family. She left the Palace with a crying and a laughing eye. On the one hand she was sad to leave Bokja, Gyeongsoon and Joohye who had become close friends to her and whom she would miss dearly since it wouldn't be easy for them to leave the Palace. But on the other hand, she was happy to return to her family and her freedom to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. No longer being under Court Lady Ok's sharp eyes was another positive of her restored freedom. The Court Lady no longer could order her around. But this freedom caused her feeling a little bored especially right after leaving the Palace. Only the many tasks her mother had given Yeseul distracted her from being concerned about Yeowool. She hadn't heard from him since he and the other Hwarang had started their journey to the Baekje border. Not even a letter arrived to any of the Hwarang's loved ones. How was he doing? Was he alright? Was he hurt? She trusted him that he would survive and that his fellow Hwarang would protect each other along the way. But still she missed his presence and the talks she had with him.

In the meantime, King Jinheung had organized a plan for a new generation of Hwarang who would start their training soon. Witnessing that made Yejong determined to be a Hwarang one day as well. He talked a lot about how amazing they were. Again and again, he talked with Yeseul about the time Yeseul had fought against the robbers. Going back to all the information he had gotten from Hanseong that evening they had returned to the Hwan's. He also had talked a lot with Yeowool about the Hwarang. Every time Yeowool had visited and helped Yeseul with hanging up clothes, colouring them or doing other tasks in the courtyard, her little brother eventually ended up distracting the Hwarang by engaging him into a conversation. Then they ended up sitting on the pyeong-sang and talking enthusiastically, while Yeseul continued her tasks. Seeing how they got along so well made her smile fondly every time.

Yeseul had just returned from her last task for the day. Delivering an order to one of their regular customers. It was already dark and the streets were lit up by lanterns like every night. The vendors had their tables organized along the streets and tried to attract the people by shouting deals and catch-phrases.

»Did you hear?«, Yeseul heard a female voice say, »The Hwarang are back.«

»What?«, she turned to where the voice came from. The two girls looked at her a little irritated.

»The Hwarang. They're back. They arrived at the Royal Palace a few hours ago«, the girl then explained. The Hwarang were back? Yeseul mind began to race. That meant Yeowool was back too.

»Thank you«, she said and began running towards the Royal Palace. She wanted to see him right now. She wanted to know if he's alright. She ran along the streets but suddenly stopped in front of her family's shop. There Yeowool stood, dressed in the new Hwarang uniform the king had introduced before they left smiling brightly as he spotted her. The new warrior uniforms consisted of a black, red and orange coloured layered robe and black paji. Above the robe Yeowool wore a protection out of dark brown leather with incorporated metal parts on his upper body. Similar protection was around his forearms as well as shinbones. The boots were similar as well. Furthermore, King Jinheung had introduced new headwear for the Hwarang. Yeowool wore a black headband with a golden embroidery of the Hwarang symbol in the front and one long pheasant feather each coming out the top of the headband left and right. To this a plain, golden sangtugwan fixated by a golden pin was added. Lastly red pigments on the eyelids had become a uniform feature in battle among the Hwarang.

For a moment they just froze and locked eyes, happy to see each other again. Then they ran towards each other. Yeowool stopped to catch Yeseul before turning around himself, swirling her around. Yeseul held closely to Yeowool. She had missed how his body felt in her arms and how his arms felt around her. It made her so happy to see him again. The Hwarang stopped and put her feet to the ground, wincing quietly in pain. He put his right hand on her cheek and kissed her. Yeseul returned the kiss.

»Are you alright?«, she asked him after ending the kiss and mustered him from head to toe, »Are you hurt?«

»Just some little cuts«, he answered, »but I'm perfectly fine. Sorry for not meeting you earlier, we reported to King Jinheung first.« He wrapped his arms around her tightly, but took in a sharp breath. His left arm seemed to hurt. Yeseul also noticed how he leaned more on his left leg, avoiding to put to much weight on his right.

»That doesn't sound like just a few cuts«, Yeseul countered sceptic mustering him once again.

»Alright, they might be a little bigger«, the Hwarang confessed, »I'll tell you about it later.«

»How was the mission?«, she asked eventually after giving Yeowool a telling look.

»It went well. We were able to defend our borders and defeated the Baekje army«, he explained, »But it might not be the last battle against Baekje.«

Concern formed on Yeseul's face. Was there going to be a war?

»But let's talk about that later«, he said and took something out of his pocket. It was the golden hairpin. Yeseul smiled at the sight of it. »First, let me...« Skilfully the Hwarang placed the hairpin in his lover's hair as he had done so often by now.

»Thank you«, she said smiling brightly. The young woman turned around and headed into the courtyard of her family's house. Yeowool followed her.

»So there is going to be a war?«, she then asked serious.

»We will see in the next months«, the Hwarang answered serious as well. Yeseul nodded. She was concerned about the future that lay in front of them. What would happen if the war would break out? She shook her head to get rid of these thoughts. For now, she was happy to have Yeowool near her again. For now, in this moment everything was alright again.