Forbidden: A Tale Untold (JenLisa)

Part 10 - The Flowing Water

           Trumpets of the enormous creatures in the middle of the vast training field enliven the royal siblings. They were accompanying their royal parents visiting the Siamese armies as per requested by their royal leader. Other ministers additionally made their appearance withal escorting the royal family as well as to quenched their curiosity regarding the reason for the peculiar request. The training regimes of the foreigners were far different from the training of the Goryeon soldiers whom occupied the rest of the field on the left; more rigorous and slightly more inhuman as it may seem by an outsider. A rider was perched on top of the wild beast navigating and trying to stumped on the soldiers below while the rest will try and avoid the onslaught. For those who were slow enough, there will only be one outcome; death. Although every soldiers of the Ayutthayan Kingdom training on the ground appeared to be fast and skilled enough to avoid the eminent feat. Each of them were muscular and dark skinned, having been in the sun all their lives.

It was mid morn and the sun was high enough to burn the skin although the wind carried with it the the promise of a frosty winter few full moons later. Princess Gyeeonghwa stood a little further than the rest of her siblings and parents, by the edge of the field accompanied by her gungnyeo, Suwan and a few of her royal guard standing nearby. Not close enough to disturb their privacy but close enough to protect the princess shall danger arise. Although the imposing creature excites Gyeeonghwa, the display seems to horrified her enough to stay far enough less she be afraid. A princess should never expose her weaknesses in front of her subjects.

"Magnificent creature, aren't they?" A soft familiar voice of deep resonant with beautiful accent cause the princess' heart to hike a few beats. She could feel her face and her entire body warmed at the sound of the enchanting voice. She turned to see the awaited companion stood merely three feet away from her right. It had been seven moonlights that Gyeeonghwa have yet to catch on the sight of Indraratcha. The visual before her took her breathe away. The Ayutthayan princess was dressed in her glorious golden armors. The plate although heavy was carved with dragons and phoenix, the symbol of the Ayutthayan royalty. Her hair was braided in warrior style, with a bun in the middle of her head. Both her arms were bared and Gyeeonghwa could clearly see the bulge of her biceps with veins protruding along her arms. Gyeeonghwa could not decipher why it was fascinating for her yet it did. "They're called Chang or elephant, the gods most favored animal in the kingdom. Truly brilliant."

"Yes you are," was Gyeeonghwa's whispered respond before she composes herself after and fixing her reply to "I.. I mean, yes they are." Indraratcha chuckled at Gyeeonghwa clumsy replies without calling her about it.

Gyeeonghwa then noticed her kerchief tied neatly around Indraratcha's left wrist. "A beautiful scarf you have there, your highness." She teased the handsome foreigner, hiding her own blush at the gesture. Indraratcha's face warmed attractively at the jest.

"Um.." she righted herself and cleared her throat. "It was a thoughtful gift by a beautiful stranger." She simpered, looking at Gyeeonghwa in the eyes. "One I appreciate highly." She raised and twisted her arm left and right a few times, proudly displaying the tied silk cloth, the smirk remained on her plump lips.

It was Gyeeonghwa's turn to be red in the face. Words left her at Indraratcha's tease, she ducked her head low, hiding her smile from being seen by the Ayutthayan royal, rather pleased.

Fear of offending the beautiful maiden, Indraratcha turned slightly and took something from her belt. Without looking at Gyeeonghwa, she nudge her arm slowly toward the Goryeon royal's front.

"Here," she spoke softly albeit anxiously.

Gyeeonghwa raised her head and spotted a soft contoured colors of blue and green silk scarf in front of her. She turned towards Indraratcha but failed to catch her eyes as the Siamese royal were looking elsewhere but her. The attractive red that Gyeeonghwa was so fond of marred the Siamese princess' face once again. Gyeeonghwa took the kerchief from her hand and inspected it. The intricacy of the painting in it stunned the Goryeon princess. It was drawn with such skills and tell a story so profoundly it left Gyeeonghwa speechless. It was of a silhouette of two person, one taller and one shorter, standing facing each other by the beautiful forest edge. The background was of green trees and vast blue skies. At the side of it was a short poem brushed in hanja.