Journey Into the Knight

Chapter Five

The replay wouldn’t stop. Over and over again her father died in front of her eyes. Blood pooling around his body, the vacant expression on his face, blood on his lips. Sometimes she sees the killer, a tall shadow by the window, bloody blade in hand. Sometimes they have a face. Eric, king Henry, YongSun’s mother, and the worst one is YongSun herself. She sees herself with the knife coated in her father’s blood, cruel smile forming on her lips. She is the reason for his death, she caused it, and she can never forgive herself for that. The dream gets worse when she sees herself plunge the knife into his heart, over and over again. Watching him fall to the floor, eyes on him as he dies. A hand rests itself on YongSun’s shoulder, ripping her from hell. Her eyes popped open, concerned face in front of her. It took her a minute to come back to reality, her heart hammering in her chest. Yul was kneeling in front of her. YongSun took a deep breath and slowly sat up. They were in the forest, they’d fled from her home, her hell wasn’t just a dream, her father was dead. This was the second time she had to wake up and remember that, at least last time her dream was more pleasant, it was one she couldn’t remember but she remembered the feeling.

Yul was still in front of her, looking at her like he was waiting for her to do something. “At least she didn’t slap you this time.” TaeOh was over by his horse, tying things to it.

YongSun looked between them. “You were tossing and turning in your sleep.” He said softly, ignoring his friend.

YongSun took a shuddering breath. “Sorry.” She squeaked out.

Yul shook his head. “You don’t need to be sorry.” A small smile. “Like TaeOh said, at least I didn’t get slapped this time.” He held out his water to her. “Here.”

YongSun was going to refuse but her throat was so dry, she took a long sip. “What time is it?”

“Almost sundown.” Again from TaeOh. “You managed to sleep the entire day.”

Yul gave him a look, some secret conversation YongSun couldn’t hear. “TaeOh is going into town now.” He handed her a bit of dried food, she wasn’t sure what it was but she was too hungry to argue. “Not amazing but it is all we have.”

“And it is Yul’s…”

“Enough TaeOh.” Yul cut him off before he could continue.

TaeOh rolled his eyes. “I won’t be long, an hour at the most. In and out is always best.” He pulled the strings of his bag closed. “You two should be packed and ready when I get back to move on.”

Yul had moved from near her, he was now standing, looking at his friend. “I know the plan TaeOh.”

He gave Yul another look that YongSun could decypher. “Don’t get sidetracked.” He shouldered his bag and started walking away before Yul could say anything to him. YongSun sat there trying to figure out what they were talking about, their banter kept her from remembering her dream.

She watched Yul watch TaeOh as he disappeared into the trees. He was stiff, more tense now that his friend was gone. YongSun felt her eyes glance over Yul’s body. He was small for a man, he didn’t look like much, but if you looked hard enough, like YongSun was, you could see the muscles hidden under his uniform. She felt her heart rate raise a bit, face going red, was she really checking out this warrior? She had to shake the thoughts away, he was going to be one of her warriors soon, if she ever got back to marry Eric. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, she was free, she didn’t have to got back, not if she didn’t want to.

Yul finally turned back to her, forcing a smile on his face, for YongSun’s sake she was sure. But YongSun felt something when she saw his smile, something she knew she didn’t feel with Eric. She needed to get a hold on her feelings.