Departure

"So the child we met that day was his son" this new information was a bit hard to swallow for Yangcha. He closed his eyes during a few seconds as the revelation hit him, like a punch to the face. He had pinned to the ground, chained and choked the only heir of his master. He had harmed him ! And he would have ended up killing him if Tagon hadn't stopped him. He clenched his fists and lowered his head, he was angry and ashamed of himself. He had almost destroyed something really precious to Tagon on a simple impulse. He suddenly didn't feel like he was deserving on being by his side. A reaction which didn't go unnoticed by his lord who chuckled once again, albeit this time he didn't sound amused at all, it was more of a bitter laugh.

— I didn't even recognize him myself so how were you supposed to do ?

Yangcha knew he was right but he still felt bad for his past behavior, in any case he should have dealt with the situation way much better. At that time he had let his emotions get the best of him, like a greenhorn. As Tagon's bodyguard he should have been used to people tailing him or trying to attempt to his life, but he had failed, his anger had overcome his mind. Thankfully nowadays things were different, he was much calmer when dealing with those types of situations and he knew he would never do the same mistake again. However it wasn't enough to reassure him as he had another problem to worry about, the consequences of his act: "What if his son resents me ?" He didn't really care about what anyone thought of him in general, but things were different for people like Taealha, Sanwoong or in this case Tagon's sole heir. No matter how cold his master could be when talking about them Yangcha knew they still held a specific place in his heart. « — Tagon just cannot stop himself from loving people » that was what Taealha had once said to Hae Tuak after having a fight with him. At the time he hadn't understood what she meant by that but after all those years he now agreed with her. Tagon was strong except when it came to the people he loved. It was because he loved them too much that he couldn't discard them away. "Does he love his son ?" Yangcha wished he knew the answer but someone like him couldn't understand what "love" is. Instead all he could do was guess, as usual. Tagon had said his son was not as important as Taealha, but he had hesitated before saying so. He didn't believe Tagon's heir could have possibly been more useful than Taealha which meant that his hesitation came from something else. Love. "Is it possible to love someone you have only met once ?" the soldier pondered for a while on the matter before remembering his own encounter with the son of his master. He had hated him right away, so if he could hate someone at the first sight then the contrary surely was possible. "So he does love him" he concluded and realizing this annoyed him a little bit. "It is unfair" said a little voice in the back of his mind but he pushed it away. It was not, it was just how things were supposed to be. He was the dagger and the eyes behind the back of Tagon, nothing more. It wasn't because he wasn't loyal or useful enough it was because he wasn't special enough, between him and the people in the heart of his lord there was an impenetrable wall. He could never give a meaning to Tagon's life like Sawoong did or comfort him whenever he was on the verge of collapsing like Taealha did. All he could do was obey and listen. "But what can his son do for him ?" Yangcha thought about it for a moment then remembered something, Tagon had saved the boy because he was "like him", because he was an Igutu. It still didn't make much sense to the masked warrior but he thought that maybe he couldn't understand because he had never met someone like himself before. He suddenly wondered if things would have been different if he had been able to talk, but even then he wasn't too sure of that. The other Daekan soldiers could talk, they were loyal and useful, and yet Tagon didn't love them. Or at least he didn't love them the way he loved his father or Taealha. If they ever stopped being useful or if they betrayed him he would get rid of them right away. Yangcha thought back to Sanung, the man had been a thorn in Tagon's side for years and yet he was still alive. Yangcha couldn't understand why. "Love is something quite complicated" he thought to himself and even if he often was curious about it he was glad he couldn't feel it. If he were to love someone he was sure it would only get in the way of Tagon and he needed to remain useful and loyal, or else he would be thrown away. — You probably are curious about why I am now telling you all of this ? suddenly asked Tagon before taking a big sip of alcohol. This time Yangcha didn't really pay attention to his words, he was more concerned by the quantity of alcohol his lord had been wading through since the beginning of their conversation. He knew his leader capable of holding his liquor but that didn't mean he liked to see him drink. Drinking to celebrate a victory was one thing but drinking because something was on his mind him wasn't a habit the masked warrior wanted to see coming back. Sadly he couldn't tell his master anything and even if he had been able to he wouldn't have, it wasn't his place, so all he could do was observe him. He glanced at one of the many alcool jars in the tent. They were gifts from rich personalities of Arthdal and from the leaders of The Union, although Yangcha doubted Asa Ron had accepted to spend money on something else than himself. Since alcohol could cause the fall of any good army they were stocked in the tent of the leader to avoid being opened outside of big occasions, however Tagon had never been really good at respecting the rules of The Union. Yangcha sighed internally, next to the writing desk of his master there were two empty jars. As an Igutu, just like any other poisons, alcohol had way less effect on him than Sarams, however he still could get drunk if he wasn't careful. And Yangcha wasn't particularly excited at the idea of dealing with a drunk Tagon, he would act just like the other Daekan members, meaning he would act stupidly. He would say weird things his loyal right-hand man couldn't understand and would also tease him a lot.

— All of this will depend on you Yangcha. The concerned blinked multiple times out of surprise after hearing his name "Me ?"

— I want you to leave tomorrow at dawn and to go to Arthdal.

" Did something happen there ? " silently asked Yangcha totally focused this time.

— Once you will arrive there you will meet my son, Saya.

The warrior repeated the last word in his head " Saya ", it sounded nice to the ear. He was curious to see what kind of face accompanied such a particular name.

— He chose this name himself, it has multiple meanings since it's a word used in different foreign languages. explained Tagon while pouring himself another drink. Taealha told me he was smart and enjoyed learning new things, I guess that much is true. Tagon had spoken with a sort of softness in his voice which didn't escape to his soldier. Was he proud of his son or was it the alcohol ? A part of Yangcha hoped it was the latter, he didn't know why but hearing Tagon compliment his son didn't feel good. He didn't like that. But he didn't say anything and simply waited for his lord to finish his explanation, as always did.

— When you will meet him, Saya will try to kill you.

Yangcha stiffened but did not lose his composure, he trusted Tagon more than anyone else andmaybe even more than himself, there had to be a reason for his master to send him there despite the threat. Maybe Saya had rebelled and Taealha had requested Tagon to send Yangcha to bring him back ? Or maybe he had been captured by an enemy and Tagon wanted to warn him of the possible reaction his son might have when he would come to rescue him ? Many theories and questions flew in Yangcha's mind, to the point that he didn't notice Tagon's amused gaze on him for some time.

— Don't go and imagine the most catastrophic stories. he said with a teasing tone, I simply want you to test his skills in a fight.

Yangcha slightly frowned that was an unexpected order. "Is that all ?" There had to be more to it than just dueling with his son, this was something even Hae Tuak could do.

— You think it will be a simple task ? If he had to be honest, this order did in fact sound easy to him. A duel against a rookie warrior was a cakewalk for a battle hardened soldier like him.

— He is an igutu and Taealha personally overseen his training.

Yangcha had guessed that much but even then he doubted he would lose, he had killed multiple Neanthals so beating an Igutu would be nothing, he was confident about his win. "Is lord Tagon doubting me ?" the question made him feel slightly anxious. It had been a while since his master had last commented on his fighting skills but until now he had thought it was because he wanted him to figure out on his own what he had to improve. "Could it be that... I am not strong enough ? But that's impossible" There were only two people in Arth he couldn't defeat; Tagon and Mubaek. So why did his lord believe someone who had only started training recently could ever overpower him ? "Is he favoring his son ?" Yangcha didn't knew much about the relationship between a parent and their child but he had noticed parents had a tendency to see their children in a way better light than what they actually were. But he quickly talked himself out of this idea, his master was different from other people even if he "loved" someone he would never let it blind his vision. "Lord Tagon is just warning me, nothing more" he relaxed his shoulders and slightly rose his chin, there was nothing to worry about, even if there was a little bit of resistance when he would arrive to Arthdal he would crush Saya.

— I guess I don't need to worry then. said Tagon Before Yangcha could wonder what his master meant by that the leader of the Daekan Forces clapped his hands together and straightened himself up.

— You can go and rest. ordered his lord. You have a long journey ahead after all, no need to guard me tonight.

Dawn came earlier than what Tagon had expected and he almost didn't manage to wake up in time to bid farewell to Yangcha. He had to admit maybe the alcohol he had drunk yesterday had played a role in his sudden inability to accomplish any simple task. As a member of the Daekan Forces he was used to drink a lot, just like any good soldier he liked alcohol and would get wasted at any given opportunity, but he had tried to lay off this habit of his since he had collapsed in front of Taealha a few years ago. He could still remember the earful she had given him the day after while he was suffering from a terrible hangover. Thinking back about this scene made him smile as he dressed, he missed her. He looked at the letters she had sent him and ran his finger on the ink, she had a way of writing the most upsetting things in the prettiest way. She had written to reveal to him the truth about the last missive he had received from The Union. A few weeks ago he had asked if it was be possible to obtain more men to deal with the Ago Tribe but the leaders of The Union had rejected his request due to « a lack of fund caused by the repeated wars » . Their answer had made Tagon let out a mirthless chuckle " As if they weren't the ones who had dispatched us every time they got greedy over a territory ". But it wasn't even the thing which upsetted him the most about the situation, according to Taealha his request had once again been denied due to his father's meddling. He didn't want his son to have too many men under his command. He probably expected him to use them to invade Arthdal. The leader of the Daekan sighed, how was he supposed to achieve his goal if his father always got in the way ? He refrained himself from throwing away the letter and grabbed the second one. This one also bothered him a lot. It was written by Saya, his son. Just like the last time he had contacted him at the most unexpected moment, however this time things were slightly different. He had the situation under control and the risks were reduced even if he couldn't completely relax. Saya had requested a duel with Yangcha and the outcome of their fight would change their fate forever. If his son lost then it would mean he was useless, nothing more than a liability, a weakness waiting to be discovered and to be used against his father. While Tagon didn't want to throw him away yet he knew Taealha would disapprove of him. She had never said anything about it since it was a sensitive topic but he knew that until four years ago she had totally been against keeping Saya alive. Thankfully things had changed the past few years, as she taught and trained him she had seem to take a greater interest into the young Igutu. To the point she sometimes even complimented his smartness or his skills when visiting Tagon. Nonetheless, she didn't seem to consider him as anything else than an useful pawn, she wasn't attached to him in anyway and Tagon envied her on that point. " But now isn't the moment to think about that " He focused again on the fight between Saya and Yancha and its outcome, she was sure his son would win because « he possessed four things which the warrior lacked » . Those four things she had referred to Tagon knew them very well because some of them were the exact same reasons his right-hand man had never won against Mubaek. The most notable one was warriness, his loyal servant had a tendency to overlook any warrior who wasn't Mubaek because beating Mubaek was the only goal he ever had. But if any of what Taealha had said was true if he didn't want to lose he shouldn't look down on this particular opponent. Saya was a wild beast waiting to be freed, Tagon had seen it in his eyes four years ago and he was sure the fire he had read in his gaze hadn't calmed down since then. All the contrary. There was a very slight chance that his warrior might face a defeat. " If he were to lose now that would only be interesting but that would also change many things for me. " thought Tagon. He had made a promise to Saya, he had promised to allow him to join the Daekan, to stand by his side. A dangerous proposition when one considered the fact that it increased the chances of his secret being revealed. Until now the only thing he ever had to worry about was bleeding in front of his men or appear shirtless in front of them, but if Saya won then he would also have to worry about someone else. He had taken a dangerous gamble on a simple impulse, just because something in him had told him Saya could help him reach his goal. And now he was wondering if had made a mistake at the time,and he wasn't the only one after all who had a change of mind. He remembered his conversation with Taealha after he had told her about his meeting with Saya. He had expected her to be angered about his reckless promise but she had simply answered she had nothing to worry about since Yangcha would crush Saya. That was four years ago, but now she was singing a whole different tune. He grabbed the letters and brought them close to the fire, he didn't need to keep any traces of their correspondence. As he watched them burn he visualised in his mind the fight between Yangcha and Saya, their first encounter hadn't gone well so it would surely affect their behavior if there was any resentment left. It truly was a pity that he couldn't witness their encounter. He sighed, he had so many things to accomplish before returning to Arthdal. He thought once again about Taealha, she had placed her bets on Saya in her letter so now it was his turn to answer. He grabbed a wooden tablet and a nib to write. Once he had finished he put it in one of the many pockets of his clothing and walked out of his tent. Outside Yangcha was waiting for him next to a horse while gazing one last time at the camp. Despite the early hours many men were busy working or chatting, but Tagon easily spotted in the crowd the leaders of his troops to whom he ordered to approach with one gesture of his hand. As they walked in his direction Tagon slipped into one of the bags of Yangcha's horse his letter for Taealha. Mubaek, Park Ryang-Poong and Gilsun were all absent as the former were overseeing the construction on the Great Black Cliff while the later was now the head of the guards in Arthdal. As a result only three of them were standing in front of him right now : Mugwang, Gitoha and Yeonbal. They all greeted him while throwing curious glances at Yangcha who clearly looked ready for a travel.

— Did something happen lord Tagon ? asked Mugwang.

Their leader shook his head and gave them a reassuring smile.

— Don't worry I'm simply sending Yangcha on an errand, he'll be back soon. I simply thought that since you were there you might have wanted to tell him goodbye.

Yangcha looked at Tagon with a surprised expression, he seemed just as puzzled as the other leaders who all looked at each other without saying anything. After a few seconds of silence Yeonbal spoke with a cheerful tone and a smile on his face.

— I see, well have a safe trip. Gitoha cleared his throat and let out an unconvincing « You'll be missed » which earned him to be elbowed by Mugwan.

— Yeah so come back soon.

Tagon held back a laughter and then turned to Yangcha.

— I'm counting on you. he said putting a hand on his shoulder, a gesture which provoked a mild reaction from Mugwang.

Yangcha slightly bowed before turning tails and then left on the back of his horse. Once he was out of sight Yeonbal addressed Tagon with curiosity.

— You usually don't tell us when he's leaving, why the sudden chance ?

— As a I said it's because you were there.

— Nothing more ?

Mugwang and Gitoha frowned at the odd question and Tagon chuckled

— What, do you think this might be the last time you'll ever see him ? he asked with a teasing tone. I'm not sending him to his death he's going to Arthdal.

— No no no ! I was just asking because we've never said goodbye to him before. answered Yeonbal while laughing.

— It's true that it was a bit awkward. said Mugwang while passing a hand in his hair.

Tagon gazed in the direction Yangcha had taken to leave the camp.

— It's not because he cannot talk with you that he doesn't want to interact with you, if you never give him any attention he'll end up feeling lonely. Don't you think so ?

They all nodded and their leader smiled at them, he was satisfied to see they had understood and he hoped they would try changing their behavior in the future. It was important to him because he wanted Yangcha to change, not entirely but just enough to keep his promise. Looking back, Tagon thought he might have been too ambitious at the time considering his own goal and the situation they both were in, but even then he knew he wouldn't come back on his words. There was too much to lose, Yangcha was afterall the perfect soldier. He was fast, strong and smart enough to adapt to any situation. He would obey to any order without complaining and without thinking twice no matter how dangerous or immoral it was. And he would also never give up until he had fulfilled his mission even if it meant he could lose his life. Which was why Tagon always said that he was more of a weapon than a Saram. "But isn't that what you wanted him to be Shahati ?"