Journey Into the Knight

Chapter Fourteen

She awoke to the sound of rushing water. She was curled up on her side, laying close to a dying fire. Something was different this time. YongSun felt like herself but in Byul’s body, she felt like she was invading. A pulse washed over her and she found herself standing a few feet away now, looking over Byul lying on the forest floor. That was a new trick. Last time she was only able to see Byul’s past through her eyes, now she was experiencing it through her own. There was a cloud of fatigue that hung around YongSun, she may have her own body but she could feel what Byul was feeling, her memory made her feel them. 

Byul sat up and stretched in the morning light, a feeling of relaxation washed over YongSun, but it was quickly replaced with adrenaline and fear when nearby by bushes rattled. She jumped to her feet and took out her sword, raising it slightly. “Easy tiger, it is just me.” A familiar voice called out, relief flooded Byul as TaeOh stepped into the clearing. He was different, they both were. If YongSun had to guess she was looking at Byul and TaeOh before joining the army. Byul looked no older than sixteen, and TaeOh being a year older than her, it meant they were on the verge of joining the army. TaeOh looked more or less the same, maybe slightly more boyish and smug. Byul looked thinner, smaller, more fragile in a way. 

TaeOh tossed Byul a hunk of bread and they both sat down to eat their breakfast. YongSun wondered why she was seeing this memory. Was it something Byul was thinking of, like the last time? Or was it something the power of the Solarous thought she needed to understand? 

TaeOh ripped a chunk of his own bread and began to talk to Byul through a full mouth. “We should spend the night in town.” There was a wave of uneasiness, Byul was suspicious. 

Byul picked at her bread as she watched TaeOh chew on his. “Why, you hate towns, you say they are full of dirty men who will skin you alive for a single coin.” She was analyzing his face. “The rules are we only go in for what we need and get out as fast as possible.” 

“I know the rules.” TaeOh grumbled, he sighed out loud. “Look Byul I will be eighteen in a few days time, we celebrated our last birthdays sitting by a fire and playing remember, remember. Not that I don’t love that game but we are getting too old to be sitting by a fire and being sad about our past. I want to have fun for once.” 

A ripple of different emotions passed through Byul, annoyance, sadness, and a hint of curiosity. Like she too was intrigued by the idea of going into town to explore. “We spend the whole night? With what money?” 

TaeOh tossed her a sack, she caught it in one hand, coins spilling out from the top. Her heart rate picked up as she saw what was inside. “Where did you get this money?” There was more money in here than she had seen in her whole life

TaeOh smiled. “I stole it off of that lug two towns over who had the nerve to try and touch you.” A shiver ran through Byul in remembrance of his slimy hands. “I was going to tell you right away but you should never spend money in the town you stole it from.” 

Byul nodded, that made sense. “So what are we going to do with it?” Her eyes glittered like a thousand stars in the night sky.

TaeOh brushed the crumbs off of his hands. “We celebrate.” He smiled so brightly. “We have a real birthday party, fit for all the ones we could not celebrate.” 

Excitement rose in Byul. “Then what are we still doing in the woods.” She jumped to her feet.

The memory dissolved. YongSun stood alone for a moment in complete darkness as the next memory took form. It was the same day only later. TaeOh and Byul were emerging from a shop, they both wore new clothing and appeared to have washed the dirt off of their faces. TaeOh wore a fine grey coat that hung to the back of his knees, black pants and a beige shirt that was fitting to his body. Byul wore a black shirt also snug to her body, showing how thin she was, and defined the chest that was hidden beneath, the fabric dipped in the centre, revealing more than Byul was used to. The shirt cut off at the shoulders, Byul’s shoulders were bare, but her arms were covered in the same style of fabric. She had matching black pants. YongSun always felt Byul looked more strong in all black, it made her look fierce.