WARRiOR (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfic)

12. Pouring Tea.

"Sorry about that, Lord Geun-tae."

"Nah, kids these days are curious! You sure brought a special one with you, huh?"

Tae-woo paused at that.

This guy... Tae-woo kind of wanted to punch him, but he held back, he definitely knows something is up with Noo-ri. Goddamit.

"I'm not sure what Mun-dok was thinking, but it's better if you don't bring that child around palaces as often as you probably do," Geun-tae told them, opening a door to a particularly scenic veranda, "I mean, mute people can't really live in the palace."

At that, Tae-woo and Han-dae paused, confused.

They had walked almost the whole of the Earth Tribe Castle for now, so they were taking a break with some tea that Chul-rang promised to serve them.

None of them had any particular interest in tea or cakes, but it was a formality.

"I mean, he's disabled, right?" Geun-tae said offhandedly, as if it were common sense-- and it was-- "they're automatically classified as a low-ranking citizen in the social hierarchy, regardless of heritage."

And that-- that was a surprise.

"Isn't that old thinking?" Han-dae spoke out of turn but he couldn't be bothered to control himself. The anger seeped through his voice, "King Il has begun movement on helping the disabled become a contributing part of the community--"

"Traditions don't change easily," Geun-tae was firm and unfazed, "the citizens may be more accepting of the disabled-- they've been coexisting further than King Il's reign, after all-- it's the nobles and the royalty that express discontent."

"But--"

"Han-dae," Tae-woo spoke up, sternly, "sign is considered the tongue of war and the language of the lowly. Noo-ri knows that-- that's why he didn't try to speak to Yun-ho just now in the garden."

And Han-dae clamped his mouth shut, irritated but speechless.

"There's nothing we can do about it. Maybe in another decade or something, mindsets will change, but for now, people like that kid are nothing to the economy," Geun-tae tells them, "they can't find work, they can't do business, they can barely be a servant in a little house, because people don't think they're capable."

Tae-woo's fist clenched over the table as they all sat down.

The beautiful view, yet such a morose topic.

"So, back to what I was actually interested in," Geun-tae's tone lifted, changing into a beaming grin, "so, why did Mun-dok put a boy in a dress? I want all the details."

Pause.

"Fuck, when did you find out?"

"Already dropping the manners? I like you already!"

-

"Ah, oh my."