Hwarang: A Different Kind Of Halfbreed.

Twelve

(Mei's dress☝☝.)

Mei had just a few hours left before she had to go back to hwarang house. She decided to take a walk in the woods dressed as herself and not Jung. Once she was dressed up she put a veil over her face and left the house. 

She ignored the  curious glances she got from  people and walked as fast as  she could until she got to the forest. She was afraid  that people  would recognize her if they kept staring.

Mei stopped  by a small stream at the  bottom  of  a small waterfall. She took off her shoes, lifted her dress just a little and then stepped into the  shallow water. She had agreed to  go to back  to the hwarang house but only half heartedly.  As far she was  concerned  Jinheung had forgotten  all about her and  the  promise he'd  made. She thought  that it was  time to take her father's letter  into consideration.

He had asked her to select a husband  among the  hwarang men or he'd  have  her married to  the  crown prince of  Thailand.  She sighed, what was she supposed to  do.

"You seem to be  enjoying the  water"

Mei tensed, what was Jinheung  doing in the  forest? She turned  around and bowed.  "Yes, it feels  nice" she said and stepped out of the  stream. She put her shoes on and stood waiting for the king to speak.

Jinheung stared at the  woman as she stepped out of the stream and  put her shoes on.   She was  wearing  a veil the only part of  her face he could  see  was her eyes. They were  a golden brown.  He suddenly  recognized  her.

"You are the woman  who  saw my face that night" he said.  The woman  nodded.

"Yes, your majesty" Mei said.

"You survived" Jinheung said. Mei nodded and  sat on  a rock near the  stream.  "I want to  apologize for that night, it was not my intention to hurt anyone" he said.

"You should not  apologize to me your highness, you should  apologize to the family of the other  person. He was mercilessly killed" Mei said.

Jinheung  nodded. "Who are you?" Jinheung asked.
"I am a loyal subject your majesty" Mei answered. 
"Then why is your face hidden?"

"For the  same reason the kings identity  is hidden"

Jinheung stared at the woman, there was  something  about  her.

"Please forgive  my staring, its just that I  feel like  I've  seen  you before" Jinheung  said.  Mei had her hands hidden in the  sleeves of her dress. She thought about  taking her veil off or showing  him the hairpin.
   "We have just established that it was the night I saw your face" she said.
"Yes but I think its somewhere else " Jinheung said.

"You do not even know what I look like your majesty, I can assure you we have not met anywhere else "

Mei wanted to take her hands out of her sleeves and take her veil off. She wanted to show him the hairpin that she always kept close to her. She wanted to shout at him for forgetting who she was and for breaking his promise but she was suddenly overcome by fear and started to walk away very quickly.

"Wait!" Jinheung shouted and grabbed her elbow.  She turned and he was staring into golden brown eyes. Jungs eyes! Mei shook his hold off and ran away. She looked back to discover that he was chasing her.
She lifted her dress and ran faster.
She ran into the market and made sure to get lost into the crowd.