Journey Into the Knight

Chapter Thirty-Two

The morning brought nothing but sadness for YongSun as she awoke alone. The warm spot in her bed that Byul had accompanied only a few hours ago was going cold. She knew the warrior had to leave, she had already stayed too long, but it still stung to be alone when her eyes fluttered open at dawn. Her hands reached over to where a delicately folded piece of parchment sat upon her bed. And so the sun and the moon finally came together for the most beautiful eclipse in history. YongSun wanted to roll her eyes at the cheesiness of the words but she could not help the smile that crept up on her. The words of her partner. She didn't think she could get used to those words. That shy, strong, warrior she met all those months ago was now her girlfriend, and so much more. The door opened and she quickly hid the note under her pillow. YooJin carried a tray full of foods and placed them on the bedside table. "What are you still doing in bed?" She sounded like she was scolding YongSun. The girl's face turned a bit red. "Why are you without your clothes?"YongSun's face heated at the memory of how she lost them. "It was way too hot in here last night." She said, making sure her blanket covered her. She wrapped it around her as she slid out of bed. "It kept me up most of the night, that is why I was just waking up." The lies rolled off her tongue. YooJin nodded, still looking a bit embarrassed. "Well let's get you dressed my lady." She said dashing off to the closet as YongSun slipped on a robe and went for the tea and food on the platter."What is on the agenda for today?" She asked, mouth filled with warm bread. YooJin returned with a simple dress. "A garden brunch with the court ladies." YongSun wanted to crawl back into bed.Instead, she shoved the bread into her mouth. "Let's not keep them waiting." She forced a smile on her face, eyes flashing to her empty bed. She'd see Byul soon, just as soon as she finished this mission. Hopefully, it was before she walked down the aisle. The three girls arrived at the clearing pretty quickly. A very exhausted Byul showed up right before dawn and handed off instructions on where to find this place. It was a run-down shack in the middle of nowhere, one TaeOh had tracked JongKook to. They approached with caution, WheeIn signaled Luna to go around back, HyeJin took the front and WheeIn covered the other two sides of the building to make sure no one was getting in or out while they were in there. After a few minutes, Luna and WheeIn joined HyeJin at the front door, weapons in hand. HyeJin kicked in the front door and they rushed in... to find it empty. They looked around to make sure there was no place for someone to be hiding. Then they started searching. "Everything is a clue," WheeIn said to them as she looked in her section of the small house. What she really needed was a very large map that said 'the kids are here' with a large red circle on it but all she managed to find was a scrap of hey. After a thorough search, they came up with basically nothing, just another dead end. "So much for a big lead." Luna sneered at the words Byul had said to them this morning when she came back to the inn they were staying in. WheeIn had a feeling the red-head was annoyed that Byul clearly went to visit not only TaeOh but YongSun as well, the small bite mark on Byul's neck proved that. HyeJin shrugged. "It was better than nothing, TaeOh is trying his best." WheeIn tried to hide her smile at the obvious move HyeJin made bringing him up.Luna's face softened a bit. "That isn't what I meant." She rubbed her face hard. "It has just been way too long since the kids have been gone." That was definitely the truth. "Every hour I am losing even more hope."HyeJin lifted a hand quickly. "Someone is coming." She said in a whisper. They moved quickly to the corner of the shack that was not immediately visible when the door was open. WheeIn could feel her heartbeat in her head, it throbbed as they waited. The door opened and a young man walked in. His outfit was clearly a uniform but not one of the guards of Henry's castle. HyeJin acted first, using her ice to freeze his feet in place. Confused, his head whipped around until he saw them, but Luna was already there, binding his hands behind his back. "Who the hell are you?" He said as HyeJin slid him over to a chair.WheeIn let a cruel smile curl over her mouth. "We will be asking the questions." She shifted her gaze to Luna. "Go get Byul." Luna did not like the demand. "She needs to be here for this." Luna scowled but complied with the order, storming out the door. "Now, let's see what you can tell us." Ice started to form all over his body, encasing him completely. "Who do you work for?" Byul jumped to the sound of the bedroom door burst open. She was already on her feet, blade in hand when she made eye contact with Luna. "What the fuck." She said as she tried to get her heart rate under control.Luna glared at her for a good moment, eyes going to Byul's neck. She was well aware of the mark YongSun left on the side of her neck, something she would indeed get her back for, but she could hardly do the same, it would raise too many questions for the princess. Luna crosses her arms. "We found someone at the shack, come quick." Byul didn't wait for any more words, she followed Luna out the door. They had moved to a different Inn, they didn't stay in the same one for more than a few nights, this one was luckily closer to where TaeOh followed JongKook.To get there faster they rode a horse as close as they could to the clearing. Byul didn't even wait for the horse to stop moving before she was dashing off to the shack, Luna cursing her as she secured the horse and ran after her. She made sure to have her sword in hand as she entered the building, Luna now on her heels. Byul opened the door to reveal WheeIn and HyeJin standing on either side of a chair, one that had a man frozen to it. He didn't look familiar to her but his uniform did. Grey black leather fitted to perfection, the uniform of Henry's second army, the ones who did his shadow work like Byul and TaeOh once did. Byul and Luna silently joined the room, the man's angry eyes flashed over them as they did. "I don't suppose you know him?" HyeJin asked, looking a bit desperate. Something told Byul, this man was not giving them any answers. She gave a firm shake of her head. "But he does work for Henry, part of the shadow army, but that could be one of many jobs.""How do you know that?" It was hard to make out over the chattering of his teeth. Byul looked him over, he didn't look much older than her which means it was a faction of Henry's men she had never encountered, or he was very skilled and rose ranks quickly after TaeOh and Byul switched jobs. "Did you get anything out of him?" She was ignoring his question.Both girls shook their heads. "We were waiting for you guys to get back," WheeIn said as if she wished they had started without them, HyeJin probably made her do it. "But now that you're here..." Fire danced on her fingertips. The man's face paled. "How are you using magic, it was eradicated from the South.""So you thought." HyeJin purred, making the ice knit itself further up his body, now creeping up his neck. "We will start easy, what is your name?" He shook his head, teeth chattering loudly. "If you answer, the ice goes away and my partner here will warm you up again." Byul wasn't going to ask where they learned their interrogation technique from. The man still refused to answer, as the ice started to touch his face he finally spoke. "HoJin!" He practically shrieked. "Kim HoJin.""Very good." HyeJin let her ice shrink to the base of his neck and WheeIn stepped in with her hot hands and warmed the skin. He sighed in relief, but the chattering returned as soon as she removed her hands. "Why are you meeting with JongKook?" He struggled some more. Henry gave them training in resisting torture, but there was only so much one could resist before they cracked, especially when you were up against magic. Luna gave a heavy sigh from the other side of the room where she sat. "I say we start taking fingers." She said while checking her nails, trying not to seem like she was interested.HoJin's eyes widened in shock. "W-who are you people?" Luna's green eyes leered at him. "We are people interested in getting back what was taken from us."He looked confused. "JongKook took some children from our village three weeks ago," Byul told him. "We tracked him this far." She gestured to the cabin.The look that went across the man's face told Byul he knew exactly what she was talking about. "This is taking too long," Luna said standing up and taking out her dagger. "Why don't we go collect you-know-who she could get our answers in a matter of minutes rather than this little game." She meant YongSun, Byul's heart hurt a bit. HyeJin was already shaking her head. "Too risky.""Why don't we let him go and see where he runs to?" WheeIn offered. Byul wasn't sure if they were trying to scare the guy or if this was an actual suggestion. "Perhaps we should bring my brother in?" Byul suggested, he had more experience getting information out of people than Byul, and definitely more than these three. Luna perked up at that. "Do you think that would help?" There was more light in her voice than Byul had heard in weeks.WheeIn shrugged. "It is worth a shot." She looked at Byul. "Do you think you can extract him without being seen?" There was a bit of a pointed look, knowing she snuck into the castle last night, but it was still day time. Byul looked over at Luna. "I am going to need your help."Luna stood tall. "Tell me what to do." Two weeks was apparently a rough time frame YongSun found out that morning at brunch. Three days ago she thought she had fourteen days until she was wed, however now that the queens had some more time to talk they thought the best day would be at the end of the week. She had four days until she was to be wed, four days for the others to find the children, and come for her. She hoped they worked fast. Three weeks had already passed since the children were taken, it was too much time. And she would really love to not have to marry Eric, there was only one person she ever wished to marry, but she would do it if she had to. The ladies at brunch gushed about how beautiful she was going to look in her gown, how beautiful her and Eric's children were going to be. That thought made her want to vomit, but she smiled and agreed with them. Mostly YongSun was just trying to not make any eye contact with her mother, and only talk to her when absolutely necessary. So she engaged the other court ladies when they spoke about such things because it meant she didn't have to talk to her mother. But unfortunately, the brunch came to a close just after three in the afternoon and the court ladies started to file out of the garden, leaving her alone with her mother and queen Joy. YongSun gave a slight bow to the queen. "Thank you so much queen Joy for the wonderful brunch, it has been a wonderful few weeks getting to know you, I can't wait to finally be a part of your family." She didn't miss her mother's lips start to form a thin line.Queen Joy smiled fondly at YongSun's lie. "And I can not wait to have you as my daughter." YongSun had been saying little jabs like this ever since her mother came to the castle. "If you will excuse me, I have another engagement to attend to." YongSun and her mother bowed as the second queen exited the room, leaving them alone. YongSun sat in absolute silence, waiting for her mother to take the cue to leave first. She was hoping YooJin would come and free her from this painful silence but she didn't. YongSun's mother's hands started to curl into fists. YongSun brushed some invisible crumbs off of her dress, feeling the blade beneath her skirts, calming her a little bit. "I know what you are trying to do, YongSun." Her mother finally broke the silence. YongSun did not meet her eyes. "I know you have never really liked me, we have not ever seen eye to eye but I hope you know I have always just wanted the best for you. And as your wedding day gets closer, I just want you to know that." YongSun rolled her eyes. "You mean the wedding you are forcing me into as if you ever care who I end up with as long as it benefits your kingdom." "Our kingdom." Her mother corrected. "Your father's kingdom, your people, your home. It is your job as the princess of Thaiston to do this." YongSun knew she was right but she could not control her anger. "You would sell your own daughter off with no regard to her own feelings, who she chooses to love." She finally made eye contact with her mother, eyes brimmed with tears. Her mother's face tightened. "It is the path your father chose for you as well." She snapped. "You did not hate him for this." Her eyes narrowed. "And what is this about love? Princesses do not get the luxury of love, so forget that warrior of yours that I know you have fallen for, because this is your duty." YongSun felt like she had been slapped. "Father would have never made me marry Eric if he knew."A short laugh. "You did not know your father as well as you think you do YongSun. You are nothing but his spoiled daughter, too headstrong to do what is right.""And you are nothing but the bitch that married him for his money, just like you are making me do now." YongSun didn't see her mother's hand coming but she felt it as it made contact with her face. And the white that flashed behind her eyes as it did. Her father sat at his desk, head down as he furiously wrote on a piece of parchment. He wore the same outfit he had on the night he died in her arms. YongSun began walking closer to him, no not YongSun, her mother, this was her memory. YongSun wasn't sure why she was seeing her mother's memory, she certainly didn't do it on purpose. Her mother walked slowly to her father's desk. He was too busy writing to acknowledge her. Finally, when she got to the edge of his desk, he looked up. Confusion washed over his face, brows crinkling, he hid the parchment from her eyes in a fraction of a second. "JooHee what are you doing here?" YongSun managed to extract herself from her mother, so she was now standing a few steps away from her. Her mother leaned in. "What are you writing JungHo, what was so important you had to stay behind to finish?" His excuse the night he died was that he had work to finish. A cold shiver ran through YongSun, her mind figuring out what she was seeing but her heart not wanting to believe it. This was the night her father died, the night her mother and the other royals attended the theater, but now her mother was here."Answer me JungHo, what is it that was so important you needed to stay behind?" Her words were harsh, a voice YongSun was used to hearing from her mother. Her father's face fell a bit. "I can't do it JooHee, I can see it in her eyes, she doesn't want this."Her mother frowned. "It is what I have been training her for since the day she was born. I have to leave my family behind for my duty and so must YongSun." Forever the cold queen. Her father shook his head. "She is destined for far better things than this." he looked pleadingly at his wife. "I have a carriage waiting out in the back road for her, my friend Ernesto will accept her when she arrives, she will be in better hands there." He stood, folding the paper he was writing on.Her mother advanced. "She can not escape this fate JungHo, it is what our people need, they need this marriage, we need this marriage. You would have Thaiston perish over this? You would start a war with Kedoeron?" She laughed. "And for what, so your precious Solar won't have to marry a man she doesn't love? We all have to make our sacrifices. I made my own sacrifices." her voice choked slightly on the last part."Please understand me JooHee when I say our YongSun is meant for a better purpose, one I've been keeping from her and you. I will not let my daughter go down this path, I won't." He said in a very final king voice. "What is it you are hiding from me? What you have been hiding since she was born? YongSun's mother reached for the paper but her father tore it from her hands. "It is not for you to know." He glared at her. "You would only use her for more power." YongSun felt the truth of that, if her mother had known about her powers, about what being the Solarous meant, she probably would have sold her to a more rich king. Her father tossed the paper into the flames, YongSun caught her own name at the top, it was a letter for her, probably explaining everything to her. "You can not stop me from saving our daughter from this fate JooHee. Henry will accept how broken up we are that our daughter ran away from home, there will be no war and our daughter will be free." YongSun's heart ached at the words, her father wanted her to be free from both of her fates but he chose this path for her so that she would be free to love who she chose. Her mother's face lightened. "You're right JungHo." YongSun wanted to scream to her father, to warn him, her face was a lie. "YongSun deserves better, we all do." She took a tender step toward her husband. "I will do what you want me to."He looked relieved, he wanted to believe her. "Help YongSun get packed before the others return, make it look like she left in a hurry, I will make another letter explaining everything to her." He sounded so happy, but it was all a lie. "Whatever you say, husband." Her mother's voice was dull and emotionless. When her father turned to go back to his desk, YongSun saw it, the dagger clutched behind her mother's back, it had been hidden in her skirts. YongSun wanted to call out but she couldn't, it was a memory, she could change nothing. She could not stop her mother as the blade plunged into his chest. His eyes went wide as he looked at his wife in disbelief. "YongSun's only fate is this one and I will not have you throw away all I have worked for." Her father stumbled, and he went down. "I am sorry it had to come to this." She said as she walked toward his bookshelf. She pulled on the middle shelf and it opened to a whole in the wall, a secret passage. "I hope you find peace in the afterlife JungHo." She said before she vanished behind the bookshelf, leaving him alone in the room.Her mother killed her father, not an assassin. Yet he lied to protect her, why? Her mother's hand flashed past her face, YongSun's face stinging in its wake. YongSun felt her heart in her throat, tears in her eyes, and hot rage. YongSun stood quick, she pulled the hidden dagger from its sheath and pushed her mother against the wall. "Murderer." She growled as she pressed the blade to her mother's throat.