Dream in the Sky [Arthdal Chronicles]

Chapter 4: There Are Two Kinds of Wars

Children were running around, chasing each other through the streets. They looked carefree, like little birds flying in the wind, feeling freedom for the first time.

It was early in the morning for the citizens of Arthdal, but well into the working day for most slaves. Tanya enjoyed visiting the hardstone workshop at this hour because it was fun to disrupt the schedule of the workshop owner, and because the children ran the fastest in the morning.

She smiled as she watched two boys playfully wrestling each other at the side of the street. She glanced over to Yangcha, who was also following the kids' movements with his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking right now. Could he feel remorse after capturing hundreds of slaves and killing hundreds more of their families?

A yawn interrupted her train of thought, and a wave of exhaustion followed close behind. She didn't get much sleep last night. She had stayed up late, Eunseom's words—no, thoughts—from yesterday haunting her in her sleep.

"I hate this place. I want to get out of here."

Even now, she couldn't help repeating the words over and over in her mind, unable to let them go. For some reason, his words had cut her deeply, like a knife. Eunseom wanted to leave. They had just gotten back together and he was thinking about leaving again.

For the past year, she had dreamed of the day they would meet again. With Eunseom at her side, there would be hope. Together, they'd find a way to bring Arthdal down and bring happiness back to their people. Maybe she had also imagined spending many happy moments with him: catching up over long conversations, comforting each other, and perhaps even initiating what she had wanted from him all along, but had hesitated to reciprocate in Iark.

These fantasies had kept her going all this time. But Eunseom didn't want the same, and that shattered all the fantasies at once.

A laughing child ran by, snapping Tanya out of her thoughts. She shook her head at herself. It was happening again. Since Eunseom had woken up, she could hardly concentrate on her duties. If she didn't want all her efforts to be in vain, she had to pull herself together.

Two more children passed her, chasing after the first one. These children reminded her of what she had to accomplish.

"At this rate, she'll free all the slaves of Arthdal," she heard a familiar voice to her left. "She's more cunning than anyone gives her credit for. While everyone else is busy preoccupied with the war, she is slowly winning over the people and dujeumsaengs. They may become more loyal to her than to Tagon."

She turned around and smiled at Yangcha, hoping to catch him off guard. "Do you think I'll succeed?"

Yangcha's eyes widened. He should be used to it by now, but it was kind of adorable that she could still throw him off balance from time to time.

Most of the higher-up Daekan warriors remained on the battlefield, but Yangcha had returned together with Saya—Eunseom. She was secretly glad that it was him and no other Daekan guarding her all day.

Yangcha stared ahead, not meeting her eyes. She didn't know if he made himself stop thinking or if her ability had stopped working, but she didn't hear any more of his thoughts. How boring.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder. He thought she, Tanya, was cunning?

True, she was proud of her accomplishments so far. After many attempts to persuade Tagon, she had managed to reduce the labor hours of the slaves in Arthdal. Slowly but surely, she wanted to free them all, until the word dujeumsaeng would be forgotten in time. She made sure to give speeches fortnightly to get the people used to her presence. One day she'd win their loyalty and love, and teach them about the wrongdoings of Arthdal, so that they would eventually follow her instead of Tagon. But there was still a long way to go.