The Blood Moon

Chapter 5: The Firsts

Choi Minho is a nomad who was originally from the Hanok Village, a village who was ransacked by the enemy country. Ever since he became an orphan at a young age, he started to travel all on his own and trained with the art of bow and arrow, making him the best hunter out there.

"Leave!" Minho took another shot, warning one of the villagers who tried to advance towards the tied up Suji. "Or I swear, I'll stick my arrow into your head next time." He warned.

The villagers looked alarmed and started to step back away from the post where Suji was being tied. Minho jumped down from the tree and landed perfectly with his hands still holding his bow and arrow, pointing towards the villagers.

"We're not done yet! We'll come back for the witch!" The villagers shouted and left.

Minho rolled his eyes at the retreating figures of the villagers and returned his arrow back to his quiver. Minho stared back at the girl sobbing at the post. He quickly went to untie the rope and he finished, Suji immediately went towards the dead body of her friend.

"Lisa! Lisa, please wake up!" Suji cried.

"Stop it. She's already dead." Minho intervened. "And you better get out of here. Those people will be coming back for your head next time." Minho stated but Suji remained still. "Aishh. Yah, I told you to ran away! Don't you have anyone to go to?" Minho asked and this time, Suji finally looked up.

"Jinyoung. Mark." Suji's eyes widen when she remembered her two other friends. "I have to find them! I have to tell them about Lisa. I have to-"

"Hold on." Minho raised his hand, stopping Suji from blabbering. "Who?"

"My friends! Jinyoung and Mark. They're here somewhere in the forest." Suji hiccupped.

"Don't tell me-" Minho suddenly looked grim. "These friends of yours, are they two boys around your age?" Minho interrogated, making sure that his hunch was correct.

"Yes." Suji answered. "Why? How do you know?"

"I saw two dead bodies by the cliff earlier." Minho started and Suji's eyes started to water again even though he hadn't finished talking. And I believe those bodies belongs to your friends." Minho stated.

***

"My sincere condolences, your majesty." The chief state councillor exclaimed.

"It was indeed a tragedy losing your wife and this country's queen at the same time." The second state councillor added. "That witch! We will make sure to apprehend her, your majesty!"

"Enough!" Jaejoong demanded and everyone inside the throne room became quiet. "You all may leave now. I want to be alone." The young king stated and they all started to exit the room.

As soon as the room became empty, Joong Gi appeared. Jaejoong looked exhausted but he remained calm and tried to assess everything that had happened. When Joong Gi arrived with the dead body of his wife, the king became furious. But when Joong Gi reported that she fell on the cliff all on her own, Jaejoong believed it immediately, knowing that Joong Gi was a loyal friend to him.

"The burial casket is all ready, your majesty. They had already laid your wife's body in it." Joong Gi informed to which the king just nodded in response. "What shall we do about Park Hyunsik, your majesty? Shall we inform him about the death of the queen?"

"We have to. Let's use this opportunity to throw all the blame to that witch. This would be the perfect time for that, don't you think so?" Jaejoong decided and Joong Gi quickly bowed his head in understanding before leaving the king alone.