A Warrior's Heart

Chapter 12; Story time

Double update cuz I love y'all 😚♥️

-x-

"Can you explain something to me?" Taehyun asked as they strolled down the fields a few moments later. The two older guys had told him they didn't have any time to spare and since the basket was broken and he was stuck here, Taehyun figured he'd just go with them. There was nothing he could really do anyway. They had tacked up some horses which apparently stood next to the cottage in a small shed and they were currently on their way to somewhere Taehyun didn't remember the name of. Now that they didn't have anything else to do besides letting the horses walk, the brunette found it time to get some clearance and information.

"If I can." The wizard replied, looking at his left to see the boy bite his lip as he thought about something. "Well.. first of all, the basket?" He said after a moment. The wizard nodded and looked up front again. "It's called the Basket Of The Warrior. That's its real and official name and that's how it's described in the stories we tell our children. But most people just call it a form of transportation and don't give it a certain name."

"And how does it work?" Taehyun asked then, frowning and not getting the whole transportation thing. "It's quite complicated. It has to do with time, space, magic and things that can't be explained by anyone." The wizard told him. "The most important thing is that it works." He said, smiling lightly.

"Well how do I get back?" Taehyun asked, sulking in the saddle and letting his shoulders hang a bit, the memory of his home and brother starting to hit him and making him a bit sad.

"Through another basket." The older replied as if it was the most logical thing ever. "There's another basket?" Taehyun smiled and his eyes lit up, hope blooming in his veins at the thought of being able to go home. "Where is it?"

"That's complicated." The wizard sighed deeply. "I have to collect four pieces of wood from four different trees that grow in four different part around the country. North, where the Black Ash tree is found. South, where the Scarlett Oak tree grows. East, where the Red Maple lives, and West, where the rarest tree in all the land is found." He said. "That's the only way I can make a new basket. But first let's find the prince, that's our main concern now."

"Do you know where he is?" Taehyun asked with hopeful eyes as he let his grey horse walk through the water of the small brook. "Ahh, another complicated question." the wizard mentioned, chuckling lightly. "How about you ask an easy one, huh?"

Taehyun exhaled deeply, thinking about it for a moment until he saw the warrior riding in front of them. He had been quiet all of the ride and this seemed like the perfect moment to get some background information. "Yoongi." The boy said. "Tell me about him."

"Oh, that's easy," The older smiled, looking ahead and steering his horse past a big stone at the side of the water. "Warrior Yoongi was one of the seven brother from the small village hidden in the mountains. They were raised from birth by the sacred people for one thing, and one thing only; to protect the emperor. The sacred people trained the seven boys day and night, year in and year out, through every season until they were the most invincible warriors in the kingdom."

Taehyun listened intently to the wizards words, trying to picture a little Yoongi running around the field with a way too large sword in his small hands, hitting and attacking a hay doll and swaying from side to side as he lost his balance. He couldn't imagine having a childhood like that, it was so different from the one he had.

"It was their soul purpose in life to protect the emperor while he brought peace to the people in the kingdom." The older continued. "There was not a man alive who could defeat them and everyone who tried was left behind for dead.." The wizard fell silent as he thought back to when some brave men had attacked the warriors while they were walking over the streets at night, only to never see the sunlight again.