Mountain Rose

12. The Anguished Prince

"I've been masquerading, you don't know how scared I am."

Apink, Dumhdurum

The journey back was quieter than it had been when they first started out in the morning, and Namjoon could see why.

The strange encounter at the dilapidated palace was still in his mind; first the invisible force that swept him aside, and then, the fragrance that had lingered in the air when they were about to leave.

"Forget it already," Hoseok drawled, "You're starting to scare me."

"I'm telling you," he replied distractedly, "That place rubs me off the wrong way. Whoever used to live there, clearly doesn't live there anymore."

"Who wants to live in the middle of nowhere? I'd leave too."

"It's definitely haunted."

"For sure. Let's not go back. I'm getting chills just thinking about whatever threw me back there," his friend said, letting out a shudder, "What if it wasn't invisible? What if it was the mountain spirit, coming to claim my soul?"

"I'll save you."

"Like hell you will. What are you going to do, fight it?"

"If it comes down to it."

Hoseok let out a loud scoff. "Don't even bother. You're just going to make it angrier. And then it'll have both our heads," he muttered, "Thank goodness we're close to the village. I can smell the damned sewage from here."

He looked up at his friend, who was sitting atop his horse. "I find it hard to believe that a mountain spirit would look at you and actually consider taking you to be its eternal prisoner," he deadpanned, "In what universe would you actually bring him some good?"

"Oh, shut up. You're just saying that because you don't think I'm worthy enough to be a prisoner," he said, just as Areum bucked suddenly, "Whoa, what's going- AHHHH!"

Namjoon stumbled back as Hoseok slipped off his horse, landing on the earthy ground with a thud.

He rushed forwards, grabbing the reins as Areum whinnied in fright. Stroking her mane, he shushed her, reaching into the bag at the saddle to give her some fruit that they had prepared for the trip. "Shhhhh, it's okay, it's okay," he murmured, "It's okay."

Groaning, Hoseok sat up, confused. "What in the hell?" he yelled, as birds chittered above, "I swear to you, Joon, I've been cursed- oh, is that Mistress Song?"

Namjoon looked at him, momentarily confused, before following his friend's line of sight to see the mistress of the gibang herself - because who else would wear something so bright and with such dramatic flair - emerging from the trees.

She wore an elaborate emerald green hanbok that looked more suited to a party than a walk in the forest, and its finishing touch was a large brimmed hat, which she pulled back to reveal her porcelain visage.

"Fancy seeing you boys coming from the mountain," she commented conversationally, walking towards them, "Off for a morning walk as well, to strengthen your well-endowed persons?"

"Well, I wouldn't say well endowed," Hoseok said with a grin, before noticing the look on his friend's face, "Yes. We were out on a walk."

She reached into her basket and pulled out a knife, and he stared at it warily as she walked closer to Areum.

"I was out gathering, and I thought," she began, holding up a peach with her other hand and cutting into the succulent flesh, "That maybe I'd share the fruits of my labor."