Yeolset
Thirteen
A man stood off in the distance, pale skin now bronzed and tan from the sun. A mask covered his face, one that resembled a lion, large bushy mane extending outwards towards his broad shoulders. His back faced her and she admired him, gaze open and full of unashamed desire. The paint of a chief decorated his skin, long narrow lines that traveled the length of his torso, back and legs on each side, brilliantly red. Red and white. Up across the backs of his shoulders, he carried the scars of his deification, long narrow strips of raised scarred over skin, each complemented above by small individual nubs. Taking them in, her mouth began to water. She wanted to dig her nails into them, wanted to feel his hard muscles shift and flex beneath her fingers.
"My child..." Turning her gaze from the sun, she found her mother who had come up beside her.
"Mama..." She smiled prettily, welcoming the gentle brush of her hand against her braids.
"You desire him." At that, her cheeks grew warm.
"It's quite all right my daughter. You can exist in the yearnings of a woman." Feeling the smallest amount of shame hit her in the stomach, she licked her lips.
"He is desired by many." Her mother pulled her close.
"But you are the one that he wants." Looking up into her tender brown eyes, she felt the heat from her cheeks travel down to her belly.
"Your feelings are reciprocated my child."
"But-"
"He will set soon. Do you not wish to enjoy your wedding night with him? Your Sun? Your King?" Looking up, her breath caught in her throat as she found the man had turned towards them and slowly began to lift the mask from his face. Slowly it inched up past pouty lips. Up past an elegantly straight nose. Right before his eyes were revealed, a flash that like lightening rumbled, drawing his attention away from her. His voice was heard and it sent chills down her spine. He uttered one simple word in a language not her own.
"Rain."
***
Jolting up, she gasped for air. Her chima was soaked with sweat and her fingers gripped the mat beneath her tight enough to hurt. The chill of the morning traveled through her and she reached for her jeoksam, putting it across her shoulders. It was nearing late fall and the summery conditions were fading. Instead, the chill and promise of an encroaching winter teased the air. Lifting a hand to her pounding heart, she tried to calm and quiet her breathing, aware that all the other women were sleeping, the day sure to start sooner than they would like. So, her gut had been right. She'd been right all this time, afraid to admit it. The man...the sun in her dream... was Wangja-nim. She didn't need to see his face to know. Everything about his mannerisms...she knew them well.
Laying back down on her mat, she covered her eyes with her arm.
"How much longer can you hide it before it consumes you with its hunger?" The words of Hae spun around and around in her mind. Perhaps it had finally claimed her as its meal, consuming her until nothing of her former self remained. Knowing it was no use going back to sleep, she got up and slipped out of the servants' chambers. To her surprise, her feet met cold wet ground. It was raining. Clutching her jeoksam closer she tried to avoid stepping too much into the rain, knowing that her heated body would soon grow cold with chill. Speechless, she watched the drops that fell from earth's eyes meet the ground.
