Journey Into the Knight

Chapter Three

Byul rolled her shoulders. Feeling each crack as they rippled through her body. She was positioned outside prince Eric’s door, on the other side of the hall TaeOh stood outside their king and queen’s door. They were not the only warriors in the hallway, but there were none from king JungHo’s men were on the floor with them. TaeOh and Byul were on the second shift, the king wanted round the clock security, as always but Byul found it odd that the other king did not have one guard on the floor with them.

Byul let out a long yawn. She didn’t sleep well in unfamiliar places and with the limited warriors the king brought with him meaning they were doing double the shifts. Byul envied TaeOh, he stood there, tall and proper like a warrior was meant to. Not like Byul who was having troubles just standing still, but that was why TaeOh was one of the best and why she was only second. TaeOh’s men were not JungHo’s top men, they were more like third, but his first legion was on the battlefield and the second was protecting their home. King JungHo figured since Kedoeron had their own warriors that he didn’t need his best. That didn’t mean they weren’t good, they were trained to be the best, the best of the best. The ranks of the legions were more about age and experience than actual skill. In Byul’s opinion TaeOh was better than most of the other legion leaders but he nor they would ever admit that.

Byul’s eyes were getting heavy. She highly doubted that there was going to actually be an attack, but this was her job, this is what she signed up to do. In her ten years of service to the King, Byul had spent five years on the battlefield, it was required. King JungHo was in the middle of a war with the Northern Kingdom of Edaren, over land or something, they’d been fighting so long Byul wondered if they even knew why they were fighting. “Eyes alert Byul-Ah.” TaeOh called her from the other side of the hall.

She threw a finger up to her lips, she hated when he called her by her real name where people could hear. She knew TaeOh would never do anything to hurt Byul, so she knew he made sure no one was around before he said it. “This is the most dull shift ever.” She almost whined like the little sister she pretended to be.

TaeOh rolled his own shoulders. “Perks of the job Yul.” He smiled. “Standing until you die for the sake of the kingdom.”

Byul toyed with the hilt her her sword, feeling each rivet. “And here I always thought we’d die on the battlefield.” She meant it as a joke but it was a sore subject, she saw TaeOh flinch. They’d had a few close calls in their five years. “Let’s change the subject.” Her eyes flicked over the walls. “Read any good books lately?”

TaeOh gave a short laugh. “This is what we have succumbed to? Small talk. I figured we were better than that?”

Byul shrugged. “Then start one of your games. I am tired and don’t want to think.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “A tired Yul is a good time for me.” Byul had troubles filtering her thoughts when she was tired so she often just said whatever came to her mind first, TaeOh always got a good laugh out of it. “What do you think of the princess?”

Byul glared at him. “Why do you think I have anything to say about her?” Downside of working with your bestfriend is they pick up on everything. “She seems nice.” She shrugged.

TaeOh gave her a look. “Oh yeah? That is it?” He looked at her as if he could read her mind, he kind of could, and she with him. “So you don’t have the hots for her?”

Byul rolled her eyes. The only good thing about masking as a boy was when she and TaeOh started talking about women it didn’t sound as weird as when she wasn’t wearing her disguise. When they were kids people use to tell them that they would probably get married, maybe they would have, if things had turned out differently, and if he was a chick. “Why do you automatically assume I like her?”