The Beauty, The Beast, and The Angel

IX

Word count: 2,100 words

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Chapter 9

Jiwon and I didn't spend as much time together as before, as her parents must've assumed that we were talking with each other during the day. I only saw her a few times a week, in which she pretended not to notice me, but we had gone for a walk earlier today.

It was gorgeous, the morning light wasn't bright enough to blind us, nor was it hot enough to force us to return early. We talked lightly about what we had done during the past month, from horseback riding to eating lunch.

We had met an old farmer who was sweeping the dirt roads, the man set on completing his  Sisyphean task. He took no note of us, only nodding in our direction while continuing to sweep. I wasn't bothered by this, if he'd like to try and clean the dirt road, I wouldn't stop him.
Jiwon, however, was obviously irritated that the man hadn't noticed her, as she sneered in his direction.

"Why would you bother doing this? It's a hopeless task, an old man like you should know that," she scathed, as the old man bowed down to her.

"Gongjunim, my eldest son is returning from his travels tonight, but I do not know what time he will arrive. I want the roads leading up to my house to be clean for him, so I will sweep all night long,  if that's what it takes to ensure that no grass or dust touches his feet."

The man bowed once again, this time to both of us, and continued with his work. I felt touched that the boy's father would work all day for such a small thing to do for his son, but my fiance had different thoughts.

"Such a foolish man," she scoffed, "slaving away for a son that might not even see the difference. This is why the servants in the palace don't speak to us, I dislike hearing their useless words."

She spent the walk back complaining about the servants in the palace as I endured her whining, resisting the urge to scold her. The servants of the palace worked hard to serve us, I didn't know why she was saying that they did nothing.

"Perhaps, if we provided the servants a formal education, their vocabulary wouldn't be as limited as it is currently?" I suggested carefully, not wanting to provoke her further.

"Provide them with a formal education," she said, seemingly horrified at the thought, "why would we do that? If we show them how to read and write, and to think for themselves, they'll plot a rebellion, and you yourself have seen the effects of the lower class attempting to rebel!"

That's right, the rebellion at home. Shit, I had almost forgotten about it, I wonder how Aki's handling it, are the troops from Silla helping us? I hope they are, or the engagement will've been moved up for nothing.

Upset with my fiancee's words, I locked myself in my room, deciding to try and catch up on my hiragana. I was scared that I'd forget my native language, as I wasn't practising it daily. Before I had come here, I had sworn to write weekly, but I quit after the second week here.

I brought my brush down, trying to create the beginning of a poem. The kami no ku always came easily to me, but I struggled with the shimo no ku.

安 もも眼来何
眠 とと交り処
し な なにしよ
寝 懸 懸     もり
さ りり     の
ぬ てて     そ

I heard a knock on the door, and as I opened it, expecting Yuki, Areum came barging in.

He sat on my bed, almost growling at me, as he spat, "The person who usually relieves my stress isn't here," the threat behind his words obvious.

My eyes widened in fear, I had no doubt that Areum could easily tear me to pieces and devour my soul. His jaw was clamped tightly and he held my sheets in a vice-like grip, veins in his hand and neck bulging.