Song of the Black Dragon

TWO

When evening came, Sun-ha remembered the apprentice hwarang she had met at the Rainbow Bridge. Han Shiwoon. Sun-ha called for one of the house servants to enter. The older girl was now the highest-ranked maid—Sun-ha's new attendant.

"Yes, my Lady?"

Sun-ha opened her mouth to speak but then stopped short. If she were to summon Han, it would raise suspicion from her mother and anyone who knew she was to be married. And what excuse can I use? I have no use of a hwarang, and no one knew we met this morning.

With a sigh, she smiled sheepishly at the servant and said, "Never mind, Minyoung—wasn't it?—you may return to your duties."

Minyoung turned away.

Sun-ha placed a fist over her heart as she watched the maid leave. The vision of her new attendant blurred with the memory of her late attendant, Min-ah.

Last night, Sun-ha had watched Min-ah be taken away by imperial guards—watched Min-ah cry out for her help—while the Lady Ho oversaw the whole ordeal with an emotionless expression. Min-ah disappeared into the darkness of the night with those guards and never came back the next morning.

Sun-ha knew Min-ah was killed.

If Min-ah were still alive, the two would have been doing some sort of crafts to pass the time, talking about anything and everything. She would most likely have been consoling Sun-ha about the marriage to Chief Officer Jung being final.

Sun-ha brushed away the hot tears that rolled down her cheeks, and she pressed a hand to her mouth to suppress a sob. If her mother knew she was weeping over a servant...At the thought, she became angry. Her mother truly deserved to rip out her hair in worry after what she had done to Min-ah. Sun-ha stood with a rustle of her skirts and rushed out of the house.

At her departure, a guard ran to follow.

"My Lady, you shouldn't leave," he said, gripping his hyop-do.

Still angry, Sun-ha retorted, "Are you saying you cannot fulfill your duty to protect me?"

"No, my Lady," the guard said, eyebrows raised at her fiery words, and he lowered his spear-sword.

"Then do not complain to me again."

"Yes, my Lady."

Sun-ha exited the palace gates and went into the main town.

Unlike the paved ground in the palace, the ground here was hard and pebbly under her deerskin shoes. As she briskly walked on, Sun-ha could hear the guard's footsteps and armor clank to keep up with her.

Some street vendors had lit up lanterns after noticing the darkening of the sky, and they stood straight and forced a smile at the sight of the young noblelady nearby. Sun-ha approached one of the food stalls, whose vendor immediately rushed to assist her with her purchase.

Once she had her snack and made it to the edge of the block, Sun-ha took a sharp turn to her left towards a recently abandoned police post. She and Min-ah would sometimes sit there and eat street food together when Sun-ha's sadness over what happened three years ago was too much for her. Now, she had no one.

Sun-ha's guard recognized the place and took his position outside as she slipped through the half-hinged door. She let the darkness and old wood dust fill her lungs, and the smell of the honey cake and meat patty in her hands fill the air. Sun-ha quickly noticed there was a matted patch of straw in the corner, giving her the impression that someone—human or animal—must have slept there the night before. She ignored it to sit on one of the straw bales, placed the honey cake on her lap—like how Min-ah used to do it—and brought the patty to her lips. She smiled at the thought of her mother finding out.

The Lady Ho would scream about the dirty hands that cooked the food, about the who-knows-what filth within the burnt police post, and Sun-ha's casual attitude towards it all. Of course, Sun-ha would not be so openly disobedient were Min-ah still alive—the two always covered their faces when they snuck out—unlike what Sun-ha was doing now. Anyone could have seen the brightly-clad purple daughter of a Magistrate enter the crumbling, surely mice-infested walls with her hands full of a peasant's delight.

"These really are worth it, aren't they?" came a familiar voice.

Sun-ha spun around to see a figure step out from the farthest corner of the building. He had gotten some of the honey drizzles on his robe, making one of the silver tassels stick out of place.

"Han—?"

"So, you remember me!" His face lit up in the dark, but Sun-ha did not see it.

"What are you doing here?" she shot back in a loud whisper, red-faced at the thought of someone seeing her with a pile of food on her lap while she sat on a ground of straw.

"Eh? Well, when one reads the wisdom within poverty, isn't it then your duty to experience it?" Han asked, licking his thumb at the remnants of the honey cake he'd finished eating. "I've been visiting all the abandoned places across the city."

Sun-ha raised her eyebrows. "So then eating food in the dark teaches one wisdom?"

Han laughed a little at her genuine curiosity.

"These snacks were made by the hands of one whose belly goes hungry at night. My Lady, can you taste the poverty in what you're about to eat?"

Sun-ha stared at the bitten food in her hands, mouth slightly agape at the question. She had never thought about it before. Did Min-ah know this? Was that why she made us eat these?

"Ehhey, I didn't mean to spoil your meal," Han quickly spoke, eyes and hands frantic. "Eat, my Lady. Eat."

Sun-ha sighed.

"I'll be on my way," Han began again, making a move for the door.

Sun-ha perked up at this. "Take the back exit—my guard is outside."

Han nodded in understanding. Before he slipped out into the darkness, he turned back to face her. His voice was low, but Sun-ha could feel the compassion in his next words.

"Until we meet again, my Lady."

Sun-ha stared after him in his direction before she set her food down. Her lips trembled. Why does his kindness remind me of you, Min-ah? Oh, Min-ah, how am I to bring someone into my heart when you are gone? I cannot bear to lose anyone else. Sun-ha covered her face with her hands and wept.