The Female Soldier [EDITING]

Chapter 29.3

Captain Jumin Haiba watched the snow fall from his tent. Chin in his hands, and a dark look on his face. Adam sat beside him scribbling away on his clip board. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Since it was December 3rd, a date with an incident they haven't spoken about since the last war.

Jumin's hand held clock ticked away on his desk. Filling the silence with its hollow noise. "We can't keep doing this," Adam finally spoke up, raising his eyes to look at Jumin who didn't look his way. "Doing what?" He asked after a pause. Adam opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it. Abandoning the idea of his friend opening up about what happened all those years ago. How could he when he himself didn't want to talk about it. Memories from so long ago were flooding in against their wills. "When do you think Eurielle will be back?" He asked changing the topic. It seemed to get a reaction out of Jumin, since he dropped his hands from his face and opted to lean back in his seat. Stretching out his long limbs in front of him.

"Soon, I have a feeling she's already on her way back," he answered not taking his eyes away from the snow. Adam didn't say anything back, continuing to scribble away on his clipboard. He was writing letters to his sisters back home, not his parents though. He hadn't spoken to them since the war ended, and even though it's been ten years, eleven now. He still refused to speak to them. Perhaps it was pettiness, or maybe it was genuine hate for them both. But who could blame him? After all, they were the ones who sold his life to the battle front.

At the thought of what happened Adam clenched his pen so hard it shattered. Splashing ink all over his blue robes and a bit on his letter. He cursed under his breath standing up, "I'll be back," he growled storming out of the tent. Jumin said nothing as he watched the registrar walk away. Continuing to stare at the snowfall with a blank unreadable expression.

Jumin absolutely hated snow.

The snow reminded him of two deaths. Two different bodies to bury, both with similar circumstances. His mother being the first one, and Winfrey the second. Jumin closed his eyes, trying to picture his mother's smiling face, or any happy memory before his life went to hell really. But the only thing he came up with was a blurry image. Burned away by his sins. Cursed to never forget the moments leading up to her death. No, he could never forget the atrocities committed that day.

Jumin would never forget the soldiers who burnt down his childhood home. Abducted young village children, girls and boys. Took the women for their own pleasure, and murdered the men of the houses. Jumin's father was a cold man at times, but the smile he gave him when those soldiers murdered him. The same smile Jumin would give to others, that smile gave him the chills. Because just looking at himself smiling in pictures. It was like looking at the ghost of a dead man. And the way his eyes would wrinkle, his mother's eyes would do that too. They crinkled like that as she was shot down, her last words to him being: "Live."

Most of all, Jumin remembered her precious bird, shot down a few feet away from her. It was still struggling to move, to breathe, to live. And Jumin hated how he had to put the poor animal out of its misery. He never really liked the bird, but watching it die made him feel so alone, the last piece of his mother gone and buried beneath the snow. He couldn't help but be jealous of how it'd join his mother in the afterlife before he did. It left him wishing he was also massacred along with his parents. Perhaps he wouldn't have had to suffer so much if he did.

Jumin put his head in his hands trying not to remember Winfrey's smile too. Unlike his mother, the memory of her was still somewhat fresh. But sadly that memory wasn't a good one. It became even more vivid on the days it snowed, and he couldn't help remembering her final moments on this particular date. December 3rd, it marked the eleven year anniversary of her death. A few weeks before the civil war ended.

Jumin stood, putting on his winter jacket and cloak before walking outside. He put the hood up so no one would recognize him. And even if they did they would know not to bother him. The color of his cloak gave it all away.

Blood red with a hood up was a sign of mourning in Haven.

He made his way to the woods, humming a melody as he went. The words of a song he was too used to singing  effortlessly coming to his lips. "Far across the land, there I'll find my home, if you'll take my hand, guide me as I roam~" He hummed the melody as he walked through the woods coming to a clearing in the woods. Jumin couldn't help but stand there for a while, raising his hands to the hood to lower it. The mourning song of Haven still playing in his head. He kneeled in the center, putting his hands to his lips in a prayer.

Jumin knew he shouldn't have been praying a selfish wish to the gods on a day like this. But he knew Winfrey was now gone, but there was still someone he wished to see and save. Even if she wanted nothing to do with him. He hated to admit he fell, and pretty hard too. He fell hopelessly in love with a girl named, Eurielle. Jumin prayed that Winfrey would forgive him. Fully knowing she would even if she was still alive. She'd give him a slap on the back, and flash him one of her cunning grins.

"Just treat her right, okay? I know you can be a bit of a jackass sometimes," she'd say. Something like that at least.

Jumin didn't know how long he was there before he heard the snapping of a twig. He turned towards the direction of the noise watching as the last person he expected to see wandered into the clearing with him.

Eurielle stood before him, silver eyes filled with a certain determination, hiding a certain darkness behind their piercing silver depths. They stared at each other for a long time, taking in their appearances. Eurielle's hair had grown longer, and probably had to be cut to protect her identity. She looked thinner too, he'd have to ask one of the chef's to add extra to her plate tonight. Eurielle marches toward him, pulling him into a warm embrace. It was probably the most warm they've felt in weeks.

Jumin pulled her closer, gently with uncertainty. As if she'd disappear if he held her too tightly. "I'm back," she whispered the innocence in her voice was diluted, but still somewhat there. For how long? He wondered, burying his nose into her shoulder. "Yeah..."

"Welcome back."

~~~~~~~~
Eurielle finally made it back! And finally a bit more on Jumin's backstory, yay! He's been through a lot. My poor baby, haha I'm so evil.

The song Jumin sang was actually the song that inspired me to write this book, I paid tribute to the singer and composer by using their names in this book hahah. Is that against copy right law? I don't know lmao. I genuinely really loved the song though and I love the inspiration it gave me. It's called "Far Across the Land." I used it as a mourning song cause it sounded sort of sad but it was still so beautiful.

Anyways please vote and comment! I'll see you next time readers!