~ a lily among thorns~

"enough to bring you down"

"I know enough to bring you down," the Queen whispered to Nari, before turning to the crowd. "I doubt you know it, but this girl-" The Queen waved her hand in the air, causing the guards restraining Nari to pull her out to the front of the assembly. She struggled to fight them, but they were too strong to faze. "This girl," the Queen continued. "Is the daughter of a foreign spy!"

The Hwarangs were quick to form into a murmuring pack once more, shocked cries and mumbles filling the atmosphere.

"First a girl, and now a spy?!"

"What business does she have in Hwarang?!"

Nari was silent. All she could do was clench her teeth and glare at Her Majesty, who seemed rather pleased with herself.

"Years ago, during a time of trouble in Silla, information about our province was being leaked to the outside world. We looked long and hard for a culprit. I suppose you can guess who it was..." the Queen explained, moving to stand beside Nari.

The girl growled in reply, testing her chances once more against the guards grasping her. "My Father was NOT a spy! You framed him to keep the townspeople at bay! If not, show us the evidence of his crimes!"

"Silence, peasant," the Queen replied harshly. "You've already admitted to us he was your Father. You've saved me the effort of proving it...though, it could not be more obvious you're a foreigner's child." She stroked Nari's head of blonde hair, the girl immediately retracting from her touch.

"What does her Father's crimes have to do with her?" a quiet yet firm voice echoed from the crowd.

Nari looked up with surprise, watching Ban-Ryu step forward. He was the last person she expected to speak up.

"That has a very simple answer," the Queen replied, not impressed with the nerve of Nari's friends. "I was the one who drove her Father from the land and now she is finishing his mission out of spite. She wishes harm upon Silla. Why else would she be here? She seeks to map out our defense tactics and weaken our borders. It's obvious, don't you think?"

"Isn't that understandable, considering you destroyed her family?" Ban-Ryu mumbled to himself, before stepping back into line. He wasn't much of a patriot, especially not with the current royal family.

"I would never do, or even think, such a thing!" Nari defended herself loudly. "Silla is where I grew up! I have dear friends and family here! I'd never want any sort of harm to come to them!"

"What about those who are not your family, and not your friends? Do you wish to destroy the rest of us?" the Queen inquired, turning back to Nari with a sly expression.

"Of-of course not!" Nari stuttered.

"Hm, that's interesting," the Queen muttered, a smile weaving onto her face. "I suppose you've all heard about the forest ghost and the shaman. It's come to the palace's attention that people have been using these figures as pawns for destruction. Only someone with Silla's downfall in their hearts would ever do such things."

"What are you trying to say?!"

The Queen walked a few steps, pausing before saying her next words. "I heard they pay the shaman with blood...a cut on their hand for the death of another."

Nari's heart stopped as she realised her dilemma. She looked down at her hand, down at the blood dripping from the bandage wrapped around it.

"No..." she whispered.

"Would you care to show us your hands?"

Nari looked up at the Queen helplessly, trying to think of some way...somehow...to escape the situation. Her hands stayed by her side. The Queen frowned impatiently, looming over Nari like a frightening pillar.

"Very well. I'll do it for you." Quickly, the Queen wrenched Nari's hand into the air, squeezing it tightly. Nari screamed in agony as fresh blood oozed from her wound, dripping onto the dirt below. "Behold, a cut! She's her Father's daughter!"

Rage erupted from the assembly. A once peaceful morning had turned into a revolt.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Nari yelled, but no one listened.

"You'll be punished for your crimes!" the Queen yelled over the uproar. "You shall spend the rest of your days in prison, where you belong! Take her away guards."

The Queen threw down Nari's hand before letting the guards begin dragging her away. However, they stopped when a familiar voice rose above the crowd once again.

"Where's your evidence?!" Yeo-Wool yelled, Hansung fuming by his side. "Pardon my rudeness, but all you've done is speculated her intentions. She is a Hwarang, for crying out loud! She deals with swords every day. Who's to say she didn't cut herself on accident?"

The Queen narrowed her eyes. "She is guilty until proven innocent then. Where's your evidence?"

Yeo-Wool was silent. He had none. But someone else did.

"Wait!" Nari cried desperately, nursing her throbbing hand. "Someone here was with me when this cut was made. Ji-Dwi, tell them I'm innocent!"

Ji-Dwi looked up slightly, seeing Nari's anguished eyes staring at him hopefully. He bit his lip, not saying a word.

"If you have something to say, say it!" Yeo-Wool hissed at him, nudging Ji-Dwi's side. "They'll take her away if you don't."

"Ji-Dwi?!" Nari pleaded, tears beginning to run down her cheeks. Why wasn't he answering her?! "Tell them!" she screamed.

He didn't reply.

"Well, well well," the Queen chuckled, watching Nari's face drop with despair. "It looks like not everyone's loyalties lie with you. That should be expected, since you are a girl-" The Queen ripped the band from Nari's head, causing her hair to fall beside her face. Nari just knelt in the dirt, the strands of hair sticking to her wettened cheeks. The stinging pang of betrayal beat throughout her chest. "And a spy," the Queen continued, kicking the dust in Nari's direction, before giving her last order. "Take her away."

"Ji-Dwi, how could you do this to me?" Nari breathed almost silently, as the guards lifted her to her feet. She looked at him. He looked back at her. His eyes were filled with pain, but she didn't see it. All she saw was betrayal.