Journey Into the Knight

Chapter Six

Two weeks. It has been two weeks since her father had died. Two weeks since she had fled her home with two knights in a different army. YongSun sat on the cold dirt ground. Rain poured around her, it has been four days since the rain had started, and they still travelled. Currently the YongSun was watching sed warriors fight, they were actually training, but if YongSun didn't know any better she would think the fight was real. TaeOh was stronger than Yul but she figured as much, but Yul was faster and smarter with his moves. They were quite evenly matched, both soaked through with rain water and sweat, though TaeOh had his shirt off, his perfectly formed abs shining with the rain.

YongSun had nothing better to do than watch them. She, herself was also soaked but that was from the days of travelling in the rain without a break. Yul told her she was getting better at her defence despite the sarcastic comments from TaeOh as they trained. He did often offer a few actual constructive words during her practice but that didn't happen a lot. TaeOh was an interesting man. He was strong, cocky, loyal, and charming. Perhaps the kind of boy her father would have liked her to date if it were not for her marriage to Eric. There was a spark there between them, but YongSun just chalked it up to general sexual tension between them. It was the other warrior her eyes kept lingering on. Yul. Quiet, smart, strong, determined, and somehow soft for a warrior. She knew nothing would ever come from this trip, she was a princess with a duty to her people and promised to another man, but she still couldn't keep her heart from fluttering when Yul came near her. Something had changed over the last few days though, Yul started becoming more distant from her, often leaving her alone with TaeOh to go off and do other things on his own. The distance was starting to get to YongSun, not only because she missed Yul but because she was more likely to punch TaeOh in the mouth of they were to spend any more time alone.

"Enjoying the view Princess?" YongSun snapped out of her thoughts at Yul's comment. He was dripping wet and standing next to her, YongSun's eyes were looking off in the directing of the shirtless TaeOh, who was now giving her a cocky grin. Yul didn't wait for an answer as he marched off into the woods alone to clean off after his training.

YongSun shook her head and jumped to her feet. She hadn't realized she was staring at TaeOh, her eyes had glazed over with her thoughts. She quickly hurried after Yul, pushing through the water soaked trees to another clearing. "Yul!" She called, the boy jumped and he pulled the hem of his shirt back down fast, he was taking it off when she arrived. He spun, not looking very pleased and glared at her. "Can we talk?" She asked gently. He motioned for her to continue, still not looking very pleased. "Have I done something to upset you?"

His face softened at that. "No, why do you think that?"

Now it was YongSun's turn to look angry. "Because you have barely spoken to me over the last week, and I thought we were becoming friends."

Yul's face darkened again. "I hate to break it to you princess but we can't be friends." She knew something was off, Yul made it a point to never call her princess unless he was trying to make a point.

YongSun felt her blood start to heat in embarrassment and in anger. "And why not?" She crossed her arms, her palms felt warm against her rain chilled skin.

He ran his hand through his hair, blowing out a long breath as he did. "Because no matter how this ends, it doesn't end with us being friends." He shook his head against his own thoughts. "If it all works out for the best you marry our prince and become one of the royals we are meant to protect. If we can't clear our names, you still go back to being a princess and we go on the run until we prove ourselves innocent. Neither case allows us to me friends." He actually sounded a bit hurt.

YongSun wanted to reassure him that when they made it to Valcorn that she would make sure people knew they did not kill the king, but with no proof they could have made her say it, so she kept her mouth shut. "What about just for now then?" He looked over at her. "If I promise when this is all over, we can go back to the people we are meant to be, then for the next few weeks, can we be friends?"