The Pheasant, that fell from the Sky || Hwarang

- 41 -

One And A Half Years Later

Yeseul crouched in the knee-deep snow, the bow drawn and aimed at the snowy landscape in front of her. Her father had sent her to shoot some prey to exchange it for meat at the mad butcher as they always did. Some things will never change. Others on the contrary changed a lot. Silla had gone to war with Baekje a year ago. Since then, there was this unsure feeling in the kingdom, even in the capital. There were rarely information coming from the battlefields. So many didn't know how close or far the war was. But as for positive news. Yeseul had visited two weddings shortly before the Hwarang had left for war about a year ago. The first wedding was the one of Seonu and Aro. A few weeks later Sooyeon and Banryu got married as well. It had taken the young woman a while to convince her father but, in the end, he allowed her. Surprisingly Suho had nothing against the marriage of his sister and his former enemy. Yeseul had grown close to both women making them hang out from time to time. Just yesterday Yeseul had visited Sooyeon and her baby. About four months ago Sooyeon had given birth to a little daughter. Banryu had known about the pregnancy, but he probably didn't know that his daughter was already born as nobody wanted to deliver letters to the battlefields. But Sooyeon seemed happy after all for the time being, even though she missed her husband and the father of her child a lot, she knew that he would come back eventually. Yeseul admired her for being so positive. When the Hwarang were called in because of the war with Baekje, she had to say goodbye to Yeowool as the first snowflakes fell from the sky onto their hair. The snowflakes that now danced in front of her eyes remembered her of that moment.

Suddenly a pheasant caught Yeseul's eyes. He was a little far away, but she decided to give it a try. Quickly she aimed, but her sudden movement made the bird fly up. Some strands of her silky black hair fell in her face. Nevertheless, she quickly aimed again and shot the arrow. It hit the pheasant, that fell from the sky down behind the little snowy hill.

The young woman stood up and started her way towards her prey. She watched her feet making footprints in the snow, when suddenly she heard the sound of hooves. She looked up and saw a young, handsome man on a black horse. He wore a bronze-like coloured hanbok with dark fur and had part of his dark hair in a loose bun. Yeseul smiled brightly as she recognised him immediately. He stopped his horse a few steps away from her and held out her just-shot pheasant.

»Is this yours?«, Yeowool asked smiling brightly.

»Yes, it is«, Yeseul answered and smiled.

»Good catch.«

»Yeah, I hope you'll let me have it«, Yeseul countered.

»Yes, I will« Yeowool laughed and jumped off his horse. »Is this it for today?«

»Yes, that's it.«

»Are you heading home?«

»Yes, I am.«

»Where are you heading?«

»Why, where are you heading?«, she counter-asked amused.

»I'm heading into the capital«, he answered.

»Same goes for me.«

»Well, then we can accompany each other«, Yeowool suggested, »Do you want to sit on the horse?«

»No, I'm fine«, Yeseul refused jokingly, »I don't want that you think I might steal it« She laughed.

»I can sit on it too to make sure of that«, he countered laughing before he helped her up on his horse. Yeowool got up as well and took place behind her putting his arms around her to hold the reins.

»So, what are you going to do in the capital?«, she asked as the horse started walking again.

»I'm returning back home«, he answered.

»Oh, so you're from the capital?«

»Yeah, I am.«

»I'm from the capital as well.«

»Do we know each other? What's your name?«

»Yeseul. Hwan Yeseul«, she answered smiling brightly as she looked back at him, »And your name? What's your name?«

»Yeowool. Kim Yeowool«, he smiled at her cheekily, »Nice to meet you, Yeseul.«

»Nice to meet you as well, Yeowool.« Yeseul leaned forward and kissed him. The Hwarang returned the kiss which ended with both of them just smiling.

»I missed you a lot«, he confessed pulling her closer to him. Yeseul leaned her head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. This feeling of pure happiness spread in her chest making her feel warm and proud.

»I missed you a lot too«, she said happy to be with him again, »Are you alright?«

»Yes, I'm alright. No major injuries«, he reported. His return meant that they had won or at least came to some kind of agreement which made Yeseul breathe a sigh of relief.

»Luckily.«

»Ah, right« Yeowool took something out of his pocket. He longed around her and opened his hand to an elegant golden hairpin with three small round green jade coins hanging at the end of three filigree golden chains from it's one end, enfolding itself from a little bit of black satin. Yeseul looked at him smiling. It was just like when they first met. He took the hairpin from the satin and gently removed the wooden hairpin in her hair replacing it with the golden hairpin.

»I love you«, he said in a calm voice making Yeseul's heart flatter as she smiled and turned around to him again.

»I love you.«

Slowly they rode the horse through the snow enjoying being together again. Only the two of them and the snowy landscape while light snowflakes fell on their hair. It was so calm and peaceful. Her aching heart was filled by his presence again.

»And what are you bringing with you back home?«, Yeseul asked as she had noticed the bags on the back of his horse earlier.

»Pretty things«, Yeowool answered.