Another Choice

Chapter 2 The Painful Truth

The sky went brighter, the stars vanished, and the sun was nearly up, but they still haven't found Haneul's body. The soldiers were searching by the river. Tal Tal even climbed up to a tree to get a better sight, but nothing appear in his sight.

"She can't disappear like this! Even if she died, her body should be here somewhere!" he said to one of his man, who could barely walk from exhaustion.

"Yes, general, I think the same!"

"Than continue to search! We must find her dead or alive!"

"Yes, general!"

Tal Tal was doing the same thing. He was searching for the girl all night, he didn't care about how dark it as, or how cold the air felt. His eyes fixed on everything that could have been a body.

As he was walking now in the early sunrise, hypnotized by the shimmering of the surface of the river, he was thinking of the brave little girl, that seems to have no fear at all even in the face of her enemies.

He couldn't understand her. Why would a little girl be a spy? Why would she want to run away from being captured so desperately, that she would jump down from a cliff?

He wanted answers, but he didn't at the same time. Part of him still wished that she is dead, and he won't have to hurt her. Torture a little girl wasn't something he would enjoy.

The confusion of his feelings went to disappeared when he finally spotted something. Not too far from the water, hiding by the shadow of the stone wall, there was a small body, lying motionless like a doll. He recognized here, even from the distance, and his heart went faster.

Tal Tal ran to her, with mixed hopes, and fell to his knees right next to Haneul. Her eyes were closed, her small lips partly open, and her skin was white as a snow. Her long hair was wet, just like the white dress she wore, and it stuck to her pale skin. There was a cut on her forehead, near to the line of the hair, and it was still bleeding a little. The clothes were torn here and there, letting him see the bruises on her body.

Tal Tal touched her neck with his fingers and felt the sallow pulse she still had, but Haneul was bearly breathing.

He knew what to do. Tal Tal placed his palms softly onto her chest, and created a soft pressure, carefully, not to shatter her ribs. Nothing happened. He tried again, and again, thinking of what would be better for her. Would it be more merciful to let her die? To let her pass away without more pain? Pain, caused by himself?

After 7 tries, he went too far to stop. Haneul suddenly opened her eyes, and she was choking up the water of the river. She turned to the right side, and coughed, until her lungs were free from water, while Tal Tal was slapping her back gently.

By the time his men reached them, Haneul passed out again, and Tal Tal was holding her in his arms. One of the soldiers looked down to her, with shocked eyes.

"Is she alive, General? Really, Is it true?"

"Yes, I told you to search, didn't I?"

He picked her up from the ground, and placed the unconscious prisoner into a cab, to take her back to the capital. He didn't want to hurry, but at the same time, he knew exactly that it is his job. He was a soldier. A leader, and a Yuan man, while Haneul was an enemy. A spy, who had the information he needed to save his nation. It wasn't"t about feelings, he could show no mercy against a traitor. Even if she just a little girl.

As they reached the capital, Baek Ahn was waiting for them, his eyes showed that he was impatient. Tal Tal jumped down from the back of his horse and bowed to his uncle.

"I see you were successful, as expected." he said proudly, "Where is him?"

"Yes, uncle,I managed to catch her."Baek Ahn widened his eyes.

"Her? Is the spy a woman?"

"A girl. She is really young."

Baek Ahn scratches his beard," Interesting. A child spying on us?"

Most likely, it is the strategy of the rebels. They think we wouldn't torture a small girl," he said it with the hope that it is true, bus his uncle was listening for too long.

"Show them that they were wrong! Pull out the information out of that girl, no matter what it takes!"

"But, Uncle!he protested.

"Don't you think that I like it! I dislike this as much as you do, but the rebels aren't a matter that we can take lightly. They are between our own people, and as long we don't know their names, we are in great danger. You have to understand it!"

Tal Tal knew that he was right, but it didn't change the painful feeling in his heart. He knew what torture would mean to a weak and small girl like her.

"Tal Tal, I know that you hate to hurt weak people, but ignore your empathy!"

"Yes, uncle!" he bowed then leave to the dungeon.

They continued their way towards the prison, and he already regretted his decisions about searching for Haneul.

She opened her eyes slowly, but could hardly see anything, but darkness. For a moment, she thought that she was dead, and this kind of hell, but then, her eyes adjusted to the dim light. She saw torches, burning in silent in a distance.

Haneul tried to move, but her wrist was tied to the chair she was sitting in, just like her legs, and she felt ropes around her waist too.

Then the reality hit her. She was captured.

A cold shiver went through her body when she realized that jumping down from the cliff wasn't enough to kill her. She failed, and her brother was in danger again. What if the rebels already know that she is captured? And what if it means the death of her little brother?

This thought brought tears to her eyes, and her hands started to shake with fear when she heard the metal sound of the door of the cell. Three men entered, and she could only recognize one of them. The general, his long brown hair that was shining in torchlight, and the odd beauty of his face was something she would never forget.

His black armor was the same, and his warm eyes too. She remembered as he was standing in front of her on the cliff, telling her she had no chance. It turns out that he was right.

"I see you're awake!he started, "Good then, you can answer my questions."

Her stomach was started to hurt and she started to sweat, but she wanted to look fearless.

"Give me the name of Koryo rebels in Yuan, and no harm will come to you!" she took a deep breath and mad her lips move.

"I have nothing to tell you!"Tal Tal closed his eyes.

"You don't even say that you don't know the names, huh?"

"I'm not a liar. I won't lie to you, I'll just stay silent."

"Don't you want to avoid the torture?" he asked, with such warmness in his voice that surprised Haneul."I can't help you if you don't help me!"

"I didn't ask for your help!"

He took a deep breath, then exchanged a look with two soldiers. They stepped closer to her, and she instantly felt a slap on her, before she could even react, there was another hit from the other direction. Her ears were ringing, and blood dripped down from her nose.

She had to admit the truth, she surely will be tortured for weeks or days or even until her death comes.