A Warrior's Heart

Chapter 53; A new ally?

His shoulders started to hurt. A headache creeping up. His neck was craned backwards and his eyes nearly rolled inside his skull but he just wanted- needed to see some sunlight.

He could see some birds from his peripheral vision and he found himself smiling. He had missed the sight of those. He could see soldiers walking next to each other while talking about something he couldn't quite hear. They carried long swords on their hips and they both had unruly dark locks. One of them laughed then, seemingly finding something very funny. He could see the two having fun together and they laughed together and-

His blonde hair fell into his eyes then and he blinked rapidly, whipping his head to get them out of the way but then his neck cramped up. "Ow ow ow-" He whimpered and sat back straight and squinted his eyes shut. He sighed and leant his head back, opening his eyes and looking up at the ceiling. He envied the soldiers in some way. He wanted to walk outside again too. He wanted to laugh with someone again too. But he knew only one person could fill that role. He knew only one person would ever roam his thoughts like this.

Only the brunette could live in his mind like this. Only he could make the blonde think about nothing but him for hours on end. Only he could bring him sleepless nights where he'd lay on his back looking up at the ceiling of his bedroom while his thoughts raced and his heart clenched. If he was being honest, there wasn't a day where the boy didn't appear somewhere in his thoughts.

A sigh left his lips once more, the bright smile of the boy appearing before him. His perfect lips stretched out over his face, his bright eyes sparkling under the light of the sun, his full cheeks looking all cute and squish-able... Beomgyu didn't know he was smiling until he got startled by the door which was suddenly opening.

His neck protested - cracking just a little - when he lifted his head to see who was stepping inside the room.

"You came back!" He grinned, looking up at the soldier. The man smiled back at him and closed the door.  "I said I promised, didn't I?"  He retorted and pulled out a chair. Beomgyu knew he did, but he was surprised by the fact that he, a soldier from Rowoon, actually kept the promise he had made earlier.  "I came to talk to you."  He then said as he sat down.

"You did?"  Beomgyu asked him, slightly taken aback by the man's words. "About what?" He asked. The soldier nodded.  "I might get killed for being here, but you seemed kind of lonely the last time I was here so I just wanted to keep you some company."  He explained as he sat in front of him. The blonde just stared at the man, lips slightly parted in shock. There were nice soldiers like this? Those really existed?

"I-I mean if you don't want to talk I can just leave-"  The man stuttered, noticing the younger's distraught gaze and attempted to stand up. Beomgyu quickly shook his head.  "N-No it's fine! You're right, I'd like to talk to someone."  He smiled. The man returned it and slowly sat back down again. The blonde didn't really know what to talk about. He went so long without having a decent talk with anyone. Now he had the chance, but he didn't know what to say. Even so, he was glad that at least someone made an effort to try.

"So, uhm.." The soldier started, looking down to his lap somewhat awkwardly. "What's your name?" He asked with an awkward chuckle. This made the younger frown. He was the emperor, weren't people supposed to know his name? "You don't know my name?" He retorted. His voice wasn't laced with arrogance, he was genuinely curious about it. The soldier shook his head. "Not really. I mean I know you must be an important person otherwise they wouldn't keep you here for so long."

"You mean you." Beomgyu said with a scowl, not missing the other's choice of words. "You're one of them too."

The man's face fell and he didn't say anything else for a second or two. Then he spoke back up, looking at the younger this time. "I'm sorry, I really don't know. I didn't get any information on how or who, I promise. My mother won't let me in on anything."  He told the boy, voice soft and regretful.  "I'll go first, if it makes you feel better."  He offered then, to which Beomgyu nodded. The soldier was fiddling with his fingers and looked down at them then, starting his story.

"Well my name is Dawon, I'm the son of one of the commanders of the group of soldiers who actually fight. But he got killed on the battlefield a while ago, so.."  He fell quiet then, but Beomgyu couldn't get himself to reply. Wouldn't know what to say even if he did. So he just waited patiently and gave the man the time he needed before he continued. And he did after a couple of seconds.  "But he still had an important function, y'know, so my mom is still pretty powerful around here. She says I don't have to worry about anything but my interests so that's why I don't know much about you."  He said.  "I'm just busying myself with my drawings."

"Oh you draw?"  Beomgyu asked, eyes widening a bit at the newfound information, watching the man nod. He didn't want to comment on his father's death, because he felt like it might've been someone from the battlefield back when the brunette had saved him on his wedding day. He didn't want to cause any tension between them, not when it was going well right now.  "Yeah! When I look outside my window on a sunny day and like the view I'll draw it."  The man continued.  "Or some of the sheep walking behind the little farm here. I don't go outside much, but my memory is pretty good so I mostly draw what I saw from mind."  He smiled.

Beomgyu couldn't help but return the smile.  "That's really cool,"  He said.  "I wish I could draw, but all I can really do is some silly sketches." He said, remembering the small pile of unfinished drawings laying somewhere in his room. He used to draw sometimes when he was stuck in his room while his father was working and he didn't want to be distracting. He'd draw all sorts of things, from a small bird sitting in front of his opened window, or just some people he had never met but who had popped up in his mind anyway.

"Sketches are drawings too. You don't have to paint like Picasso to draw." Dawon replied, frowning his eyebrows. "Art isn't something for which you need to follow strict rules, even a single line can become art. An artist doesn't need to do certain things to create art, that's stupid."

Beomgyu thought about those words. It were wise words, and he could tell just from that that the man in front of him wasn't an ordinary soldier. None of the other men he had seen around here looked like they'd voice out such words. He softly smiled at the older then. "That sound fair."

The minutes which had previously been ticking away slowly were over in a flash now that he had someone to talk to. It was nice, being able to breathe instead of having a fist being swung at your face. The outside sounds were drowned out by their voices, and he didn't even think about his tied up wrists anymore. Though when he sat a bit more forward at some of the words from the soldier, the ropes were biting into his skin. As of right now, he didn't mind it, the feeling only a dull stinging now his mind was busy someplace else.

But like all good things, it had to come to an end. The blonde never believed that saying, but recently he had found out it was the truth. Dawon spared a glance outside and shot up from his seat.

"I have to go." He rushed out. "The hunters are back and my mom always checks on me around this time, so I have to be in my room before she is." He quickly explained. Beomgyu nodded in understanding, smiling softly. "That's okay, do what you have to." He said as he watched the man put the chair back quickly. "I enjoyed talking to you, thank you." He smiled. Dawon returned it as he opened the door. "I'll be back." Was all he said before he walked out.

Beomgyu sighed then, the room suddenly awefully quiet to him now. This time, he believed the soldier's words. He knew he'd be back. He didn't know when that would be, but the time would come for sure. He tilted his head back, resting it on the back of the chair. He stared at the ceiling for a minute, thinking. He didn't trust the soldier completely quite yet, but he didn't see him as an enemy anymore either. A sigh left his lips, and he closed his eyes to try and get some sleep.