The Edge Of Forever

05| calm storm

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o5

c a l m  s t o r m : 침착 한 폭풍

"YOUR UNCLE SENT YOU SOME light blue silk for you as a gift." Choi handed me a wooden box and I accepted it with a grateful beam. 

I opened the clasp and peeked in at the contrasting sky blue against the brown box it came in. It was beautiful. I ran my fingers over the soft silk that skimmed my fingers. It would have costed a fortune but thinking of my uncle, my mothers younger brother, I realised dishing out money as a wedding gift for his niece would not be a problem. 

"Is he well?" I looked up at Choi and closed the box. 

Choi nodded. "He's doing well in Song." 

My uncle had left for the Song Dynasty before I was born and made his primary residence there. He only visited Goryeo once ever few years and I guess he would not be coming down for my wedding either, which in all honesty, I did not mind.

Another voice piped up from around the table, it was from Yi Nam-Seo, the granddaughter of a general and the best friend of Choi from a young age. Her Aunt was also the first Queen Sapyeong of King Gangjong of the Jeonju Yi clan. "May I see the silk? I have only had silk sent from Kamakura which was not all that good." 

I nodded and passed her the box. 

She opened it and looked at the silk before she had an impressed look mask her face. "Wah, this silk is fine." 

"The Song Dynasty has fabric that is exquisite." Choi commented. "When my husband and I visited, the amount of stalls simply of the finest fabric was immense." 

"I barely remember the last time I visited Yuan." Seo laughed lightly. "It was turbulent with Genghis Khan uniting many Mongol and Turkic tribes and then his Mongol invasions began happening so my dad brought us home immediately." 

"He named himself the Great Khan, only three years ago." I chimed in, a feeling of disgust wavering in me at the thought of Genghis Khan, the ruler who's name one could only mention with  tremor. He thirsted for power and our nation knew it wouldn't be long before he would invade us as well and the way he destroyed one nation to overtake it had us preparing from years before. I remembered when I had overheard a conversation between my father and the previous Prime Minister of State, who told my father about his hegemonic agenda which had him and his soldiers destroying the lives of women, children and men. 

"Talking about Genghis Khan is rather depressing, do you two not think so?" Nam-Seo broke into my thoughts as though she knew about my thoughts as well. She returned my box to me. "And congratulations to you Mina on your marriage." 

I bowed my head slightly. "Thank you." I murmured and then picked up my small porcelain tea cup to drink the mint tea I had asked for. The warm refreshing liquid ran down my throat, calming my thoughts down.

"My mother is looking at marriage for me as well." She continued quickly. "There have been a few proposals here and there but none that have me wanting to say yes." 

Choi had a hint of smirk at the corner of her lips. "Do you not think it is about time to become serious?" 

Yi Nam-Seo chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I do try to be while my mother cries I should start worrying because I am eighteen, too old."