~ a lily among thorns~

"it's not you, is it?"

Thunder rolled through the sky like distant drums, as the Hwarangs exited the dining hall from a breakfast well spent. The darkened atmosphere created an eerie vibe, as what would normally be a bright and happy morning was a dull and windy one instead. Nari stayed close to Yeo-Wool as the pair walked out into the open air. The breeze was sharp and cold, howling its way through the property.

"It's-it's a bit chilly," Nari stuttered as she sought for warmth in Yeo-Wool's side.

The man patted her on the head softly, knowing her tiny body would be victim to the icy gale.

"We'll be back inside shortly. Assembly should be quick."

Nari nodded earnestly, assuring herself that Yeo-Wool was right. She began looking around at her surroundings, hoping to find a distraction. She leaned forward to see who was standing in the row down from her. A rugged-up Ji-Dwi met her glance. She giggled; his face almost hidden in six layers of coats. With a smile, Nari gave him a little wave. He grinned in return, before turning back to the front. It was then that his heart dropped.

"What's that?" "Could it be true?!" "Who is it?"

A giant murmur rose in the court as Hwarangs began gathering to where Nari was huddled.

"What's going on?" she murmured with confusion, looking around at all the faces.

However, they weren't looking back at her. They were looking upwards. Quickly, Nari turned her eyes to the sky, spotting a red banner hanging from the balcony above. On its surface, a sentence was blotched in thick black ink:

The king is within Hwarang.

Nari's mouth dropped open, and she slowly pulled away from Yeo-Wool into the raw piercing wind.

"The king...he's in Hwarang?"

Her shock quickly merged to fury. Similarly, a crack of lightning flashed through the sky, and rain began pouring down on the inhabitants below. Everything turned to a blur as the drops festered in Nari's eyes. She spun in a circle, taking in the wild expressions of those around her. Her face was none the different.

"Ji-Dwi?" "Seonu!" "It has to be them!"

Names were being thrown around like bird seed, two proving to be most prominent.

"It has to be either of the two...no one knows where they came from."

"Unless," a Hwarang muttered, walking up to Nari. "It's you?"

The disorientated girl switched straight to being clear minded as the words echoed into her ears.

"Me?! The king?!" Nari fumed. She pounced on the man in a fit of rage, hitting his chest angrily. Yeo-Wool jumped after her, trying to pull her away from the fight. "I'd never stoop so low as to even pretend to be that monster!" she growled, tears beginning to brim in her eyes. They were left undetected due to the downpour. Ji-Dwi stepped in to help Yeo-Wool, the two finally dragging the rampant away from her astonished target.

"Calm down!" Yeo-Wool cried, her arms still swinging at the man.

"No!" she protested, struggling to get out of his grip. "How dare he say that to me!"

Ji-Dwi grabbed Nari's arm firmly, looking down at her with pleading eyes.

"Mouse," he said softly, silently urging her to be still.

She looked up at him, her rage slowly melting away. Something about his caring eyes made her emotions relax. Yeo-Wool was finally able to release his grip on her, but she still spared the accusing man a deadly glare. Before any apologies could be exchanged, a voice sounded from the balcony above.