Wild Tide [Soo-ho]

chapter 15

Lana tailed it after Soo-ho almost as soon as he began to walk away, but the masses of people swallowed him up and she couldn't find him again. This is what you wanted, stupid, a voice sneered in her head. Annoyed, she started making her way to the Hwarang House; maybe she could catch the early morning practice before lessons started and blow off some steam. Just as she managed to wade through the crowd and turn a corner, a man on a horse blocked her path. She recognised him to be the Queen's bodyguard, who was also present for the duel.

"You are being summoned to the palace, princess Lana." He said cordially, and Lana raised her eyebrows. A summon? This was the first time since she'd arrived that the Queen was requesting her presence.

"Very well, I will be on my way shortly." She informed the man, but he shook his head and pointed to the horse next to him.

"I would appreciate it if we went right away." Lana blanched at his words, knowing that they weren't a request but a polite command.

"I will walk beside you, then." She announced, to his clear annoyance.

"We cannot keep the Queen waiting." His tone was much firmer now, and Lana began to feel the cold claw of fear squeeze her heart. I hate horses, please don't make me ride, she wanted to beg, but she forced her feet to shuffle towards the beast. It whinnied at her tentative approach and she froze, her heart beating furiously. I can't do this, she thought as the horse bared it's teeth and snorted aggressively. It was clearly sensing her fear, and didn't like it. All this couldn't have taken more than ten seconds, but it felt like decades to Lana. With shaking hands, she reached for the reigns, trying to breathe deeply and relax.

"Do you need help, princess?" A familiar voice murmured right next to her, and she jumped.

"Soo-ho." Her hand wandered over to her heart, as if to calm it. Wordlessly, he wrapped his hands around her small waist and hoisted her up into the saddle. She felt the all too familiar flush spread across her freckle smattered cheeks.

"Thank- oh!" In that moment, Soo-ho gracefully hopped onto the saddle behind her and reached around her to grab the reigns. Lana's heart raced even more at the sudden proximity. What was he doing?

"Miss Lana is scared of horses. She is my responsibility, so I will help you escort her." The man inclined his head at Soo-ho's words, seemingly in agreement, but kept a suspicious eye on them as they began to canter towards the palace. The pace was mild enough, but Lana still clung onto the horse as if her life depended on it. She wobbled a little precariously and hiccuped in fear, but instantly she felt Soo-ho press her tighter into him. Her head fell softly under his chin, and for the first time in weeks she felt safe.

Complete.

"Your heart is fluttering like a little bird, princess." Lana tensed a little as Soo-ho's whisper tickled her ear.

"I'm afraid." She replied, equally as quietly. It wasn't entirely a lie, but her emotions were changing so rapidly that she could no longer tell what was fear and what was excitement.

"Is that so? Or have you still not quite recovered from your little tryst?" His words were still soft, but held a sharp edge to them that wasn't there before.

"It was hardly a tryst if we were out in the open." Lana bit back. "Not that it should matter to you."

"Then does it not bother you to be seen like this with me? What will the people think?" Anger built up in Lana at his words, bubbling and simmering dangerously.

"It matters little to me what people think." She seethed. "And what about you? Did you not say that you are courting someone? What will people think of you?" She tried to keep her voice down for the sake of decency, but she couldn't keep the accusations out of her tone.

"I don't recall telling you that I'm courting anyone." He countered, and Lana gasped in outrage, drawing the unwanted attention of the guard.

"You told me-"

"I told you that my heart belongs to another. That wasn't a lie, but do not pass judgement on me yet." With those words he jumped swiftly off the horse, and Lana realised that they'd arrived at the palace. Before she could even think of a clever retort to his confusing statement, he lifted her out of the saddle and placed her back on her own two feet. Lana's mind reeled even more when he simply took off with a deep bow.

"Princess." She heard the bodyguard's voice, polite but with a dangerous undertone, and realised with a start that she was still staring blankly after Soo-ho.

"My apologies." She murmured, falling behind the bodyguard and beginning the ascent up the staircase and into the palace. Lana's stomach churned unpleasantly. Was she being summoned alone? Or were her siblings and father already waiting for her? Her mind jumped back to the conversation she'd had months ago with Caspian and Calder about a brewing war within the kingdom, and her heart stopped. Were they going to be asked to fight?

No doubt, she would be finding out shortly.

~~°~~

A/N: What's this, a chapter AND an author's note? If you've made it this far, first of all thank you. We're at over 3k reads which is honestly insane!

Second of all, I'm sorry. I know I've all but abandoned this story, and it's mostly due to the fact that I've kind of lost the plot, literally. I'm not sure which direction I want to take the story in anymore. If there's anything you'd like to see happen or you have any ideas, please let me know! I will be posting without a schedule now, but chapters will be going up here and there so keep an eye out!

Regardless, rest assured that this story will eventually be finished - one way or another.

Lots of love and happy holidays to each and every one of you!

ElfinMariposa