The Oath (Kingdom)

V. Caring

Yeong shin was sitting on bench and for a moment he felt peace. Sun was shining and air was warm. It was safe. Dead hated warm so they were safe for moment. He stretched his legs and found himself comfortable position. His rifle was already clean and he had nothing to do. It was unusual and he enjoyed it. But after few moments he found himself piece of wood. He was flipping it between his fingers, examined patterns of layers, until he got idea. He pulled out one of his knifes and started to cut of little pieces of wood.

He was still thinking about Nilah. Her trembling body pressed tight against his. Smell of her hair, that he can't identified, maybe it was her scent. He never held woman like this. He was barely man, when he joined chakho forces, and there were only men. They travel through country side by side hunting tigers and sometimes other men. There were women, in distant villages, selling their bodies for money or food. But they were scared of chakho soldiers or too harsh to hump tiger hunters it was weird, loud and quick. He never find woman, to touch him gently, to hug him...to like him. He thought that they were scared of him, that they saw darkness and emptiness of his soul like he was lost and broken.

But Nilah...

She smiled at him; she looked for his gaze. She was so full of warmth and light, he felt it filed him, he almost choked. But it was the most beautiful thing he ever felt. And she touched him, like it was the most natural thing in this world. She wasn't scared of him.

Suddenly he felt pang of guilt in his guts. He swore to Lee Chang, that he will meet him in Sangju, two and half months from now. But he was too scared to leave that it will break his heart to thousand pieces. How can he leave first good thing in his life? She will not wait for him. There was lot of men around her. After some time, she will forget him and find herself better man who wouldn't leave her. Maybe that prick, who was still staring at her like hungry animal. That soldier, who wanted to take her from his arms, when he found her injured after the battle.

His name was Sang-Ho. He was probably captain, because he was always giving orders to men of Lord Ahn who remains. Yeongshin always felt his intensive glare in his back. That man didn't trust him and despise him. No matter what he's done, he will always have burned mark on his shoulder. He will always be chakho.

"Beautiful day." Came merry voice and Beom Pal sat down on a bench next to him. "What are you doing?" he was too curious for his own good.

"It's nothing." He hid piece of wood in his palm, feeling almost ashamed that magistrates surprised him. He was too deep in his thoughts that he didn't saw him coming.

Beom Pal smiled and turned his face to sun, catching it's warm beams. "You know my friend. We are both same."

"Are we?" Yeongshin raised his eyebrows. He almost laughed. They were everything, but not the same.

"Yes! We are!" Beom Pal hit him playfully with back of his hand to his shoulder. Yeongshin gritted his teeth when the man hit his injured one. "We both have soft spot for fearless women. Am I right?" He laid palm over his heart.

"I don't know what you are talking about, my lord." Yeongshin whispered, suddenly feeling nervous. He thought about Beom Pal like about man, who can trip over tiger, without even realising it. If even he sees, that something is going on between them, he must be clear as a day.

"Aaah, don't fool me! I'm maybe dumb, but I'm not blind. You are guarding her, watching her..."

"I'm not..." he defended himself, but it was pathetic.

"You do!" For the first time in his life was Beom Pal doing his job properly. Judging him.

"She saved my life. I owe her." He was absolutely trapped.