6 THE FLIGHT

"Milord." Moo Mak said.

"By now I am certain that the enemy is around the corner." Galmunwang Gukban said as he got hold of the Jade pendant that Master Gongsung had handed over to his wife earlier in the day.

"Come with me." Galmunwang Gukban said as Moo Mak unwillingly complied while the two hurriedly sneaked to the back of the manor where a strong and young white stead had been prepared.

"Milord, what are you doing?" Moo Mak said and at that very moment, Gukban halted in his footsteps as he turned around and looked at Moo Mak.

"I am certain that there are people from Seoraebeol that are after this child and I must make sure that she survives." Gukban replied.

"What makes you think so Milord?" Moo Mak asked him a little bit confused.

"All these years I thought that Chopalhye was good enough a refuge of mine against the conniving scoundrels that dwell deep down in the Capital but Chopalhye is safe no more." Gukban said.

"Milord, you can not make such a wild assumption." Moo Mak said.

"I have noticed lately and I saw new faces around that I had never seen before.

Earlier in the day I tailed a couple of men to as far as the forest and as I hid behind the trees I had them talking about sending informants down to Seoraebeol and tell them that they were going to strike tonight." Gukban replied.

Moo Mak looked surprised.

"Why didn't you tell me Milord?" Moo Mak said. "We could have slain those treacherous men and they would have come nowhere near your family again." He added.

"If they did not report back then even quicker than expected, they would march with troops and come up to Chopalhye to hunt us down.

I would be unable to protect my family for very long and even worse I would risk the lives of all these Innocents who over the years have turned this once strange settlement towards me and my household into a humble abode for us all." Gukban replied.

"But Milord, if word reached Seoraebeol then the troops are supposed to have reached here by now." Moo Mak said.

"I set some traps within the forest to keep them occupied for the time being but all that matters right now is that I protect both the child and the rest of my family." Gukban replied.

"How Milord, at this point are you going to flee with your child and then abandon your wife here?" Moo Mak asked.

"No." Galmunwang Gukban replied and Moo Mak was puzzled.

"Then who is going to look after this child?" Moo Mak asked.

"You." Gukban replied.

"No Milord." Gukban said.

"I have grown up with you and the both of us have been very close friends since young." Gukban said.

"You are my Master and the only one that I have ever known and also the only man in whose service I found the most absolute peace to cherish." Moo Mak said.

"I led you to the battlefield and I am responsible for the souls that you have slain over the years with your blade.

Because of me you abandoned the one place you could call your home and leaving your family behind you chose to follow me." Gukban said.

"And I felt no remorse even up to this time doing those things as long as I did them for you." Moo Mak said.

"And I understand that you'd cherish dying in battle with me or protecting my family more than anything else." Gukban said.

"You know me well Milord yet at this time what you are asking for me is something that is too big and something that I can not guarantee I shall easily fulfill." Moo Mak said.

"I have faith in You Moo Mak more than you have in yourself." Gukban said.

"Milord." Moo Mak said.

"In all the years you have served me there is nothing that I ever gave you back in return." Gukban said.

"You looked after my family." Moo Mak said.

"I robbed you from them." Gukban replied.

"I know nothing about raising a child Milord." Moo Mak said.

"Yet I am confident that I am breaking you free from the bloody path of the sword and it's the only way that I can protect your family so that you never have to choose between me and them." Gukban said.

"Milord, Your kindness is immeasurable." Moo Mak said.

"All I am asking of you is one favour." Gukban said.

Moo Mak kept quiet as his master stared at the baby girl that was in his arms.

"This is the only child that shares my flesh and blood, the only offspring of my own that heaven has been to kind to bestow upon me.

She is the very light of my eyes and the most beautiful gift that my wife has given me, and above all that her life and her survival means the world to me." Gukban said.

"Milord, like flowers bloom and wither throughout all the seasons." Moo Mak said.

"Like rivers forever flow without an end." Gukban said.

"There is nothing more dear than the time we always have left." Moo Mak said.

"When we part and bid each other farewell." Gukban added.

"The song of the Hwarang." Moo Mak said.

"For the Compeers we held dear in life even at the point where our paths had to part." Gukban said.

"I shall never forget your kindness Milord." Moo Mak said.

"And I shall look after your people very well." Gukban said as he got the baby and then he handed it over to Moo Mak who took it carefully into his hands and embraced it tightly but gently that Moo Mak tied it around himself.

"Forgive me My child but this is the only way that I can protect you." Gukban said. "only when my foes can not find you and even my enemies can not hurt you, even if you are at the end of the world, my love itself shall keep you.

At the end of it all if this life is fair enough and heaven deserts me not, as long as you are happy and you live a life you cherish the most here where I am my heart shall be at peace even when I perish." Gukban said as he took hold of the Jade pendant and placed it around the neck of his child while Moo Mak looked.

His head slightly bending he kissed the sleeping child's forehead and then he withdrew as he turned and looked at Moo Mak.

"Do not falter Milord." Moo Mak said.

"Moo Mak." Gukban called with a very sombre note in his tone.

"Yes Milord." Moo Mak replied.

"Look after this child and take care of her as if she were your own, nourish her and shelter her from every attack and even when she has trouble going to sleep, tuck her in and sing her the sweetest songs or tell her the best stories.

When she falls and gets a wound treat her as you would treat your own child and even when I think that I am asking for so much please, at least if you are not willing in your heart but on my behalf love this child just as I would have loved her." Gukban said.

"Yes Milord." Moo Mak said.

"Life won't be easy." Gukban said as he handed over a relatively heavy bag to him.

"In here there are fifty taels of gold and twenty taels of Silver for a start." Gukban said.

"Milord, I understand that you care so dearly for this child and I can promise you here and today having followed you all my life and taken you as my brother I shall certainly look after this child as though she were my own." Moo Mak said.

"I am very grateful." Gukban said as Moo Mak walked up to the stead and then he mounted it up carefully with the help of a footstool.

"Whatever happens ride and even if you hear any screams do not turn around, even if you see fire rising up into the skies do not slow down and even if someone comes in your pursuit do not halt at all.

Take that child as far away as possible and I do not care whether it's Paekche, Sui or Gorguryeo.

Make sure that whatever the case is whether good or bad or even if she becomes stubborn herself and you have to lock her up do it as long as she never comes close to Chopalhye and even worse, she never sets foot in Seoraebeol." Gukban ordered.

"Yes Milord." Moo Mak said.

"From this point onwards you are her father and you do not know me at all." Gukban said. "When anyone asks you what happened to the child's mother you can excuse yourself and say that she passed on while giving birth to her and you were a widower who travelled to leave that life of morning behind and raise her." He added.

"Yes." Moo Mak replied.

Having said all this Galmunwang Gukban turned around to depart from the place his eyes already turning teary.

"Milord." Moo Mak called him suddenly that he turned around.

"What? Is there anything else that you need?" He asked.

"I have become this child's father but even as you have been forced by Heaven and prevailing circumstances I want to grant you the one honour that I myself I'm not fit to have." Moo Mak said.

"What is it?" Gukban asked.

"Please, as her real father at least give her a name." Moo Mak replied.

"KIM SEUNGMAN." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"KIM SEUNGMAN." Moo Mak repeated the name as he looked at her.

The full moon eventually graced the sky as it made its appearance from behind the clouds and casting a brilliant light over Chopalhye and Seoraebeol in a distance Gukban quickly flogged the horse that Moo Mak ceased it's reins tightly as a reflex.

The horse neighed and took off as Gukban watched while his daughter was taken away far from his reach and he was unable to do anything at all that for the first time in his life despite being a man, he started shedding tears.

Moo Mak rode the horse as he remembered the words of his master that kept on lingering in his head his eyes had started to grow teary but he still maintained his pace as he headed out of Chopalhye.

"Whatever happens ride and even if you hear any screams do not turn around, even if you see fire rising up into the skies do not slow down and even if someone comes in your pursuit do not halt at all.

Take that child as far away as possible and I do not care whether it's Paekche, Sui or Gorguryeo." He recalled them all as the horse went faster and faster while raising a cloud of dust he'd barely come across anyone pursuing him.

After a while Galmunwang Gukban heard a group of people screaming that he hurriedly looked around and gathered pieces of cloth and folded them together that it looked as though he was having a baby in his possession.

He ceased his sword in his right hand as he remembered the promise that he had made ten years ago on the battlefield he had entirely abstained from the life of bloodshed.

"Whatever the case is my dear daughter." Gukban said to himself. "I'll make sure that they never think of finding you." he added as he walked back into the manor.

"Milady." Namo barged into the room only to find Lady Wolmyeong asleep and the baby nowhere around.

She quickly moved to the side of the bed and picking up the small bowl of water that was nearby, she sprinkled it on her Mistress's face that she immediately woke up.

"Namo?" Lady Wolmyeong said as she sat up in her bed.

"What Happ Milady?" Namo asked.

"I don't remember but I must have fallen asleep." Lady Wolmyeong replied.

"Where is the baby?" Namo asked and at that moment Lady Wolmyeong remembering that she had given birth she looked around the whole room but there was no sight of it nearby.

"My child?" She called right when Gukban entered inside and pretended to be holding the baby.

"Milord." Namo said.

"Sshhh." Gukban muttered as he placed a finger on his mouth signalling for the both of them to keep quiet.

"Milady, Milord." Namo said.

"What is it?" Lady Wolmyeong said in a very soft tone.

"There are assassins outside." Namo whispered.

"What?" Lady Wolmyeong asked so surprised.

Galmunwang Gukban pulled his sword out.

"They're here to kill us and our child." Gukban said and at once Lady Wolmyeong nearly fainted.

"Milady." Namo said as she held her.

"No." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Get out." Galmunwang Gukban said.

"And the baby?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"By all means, our child must survive." Gukban said.

"How?" Lady Wolmyeong said.

"I'll hide her." Gukban said as he turned around and walked out of the back door.

The Assassins had already surrounded the manor and the only thing in the mean time that provided some degree of defence was the tall wall around it.

The servants that were inside were Afraid and Lady Wolmyeong who could barely move was carried.

Gukban hurrying with the fake baby put it in the stables and as Lady Wolmyeong and Namo got out they saw a group of arrows that were flying towards their direction.

"Get back in." Gukban eventually coming from behind shouted and the servants hurried as a few of them were shot down in the courtyard.

Lady Wolmyeong looking at her husband wanted to ask for her child but he seemed to have noticed her being brought his way that he ran up towards the gates of the manor.

He opened them and the assassins that were already outside sprang towards him.

He could recall very well, the ease that came with cutting the human body into half that he had long forgotten, he could remember how it felt like driving the sword into someone's chest that very instant, he could entirely recall the very stench of blood.

All these memories seemed to awaken the warrior inside him that had long been in deep slumber and launching himself towards his attackers he swung his sword determined to slay them all into a half.

"Find the baby." Lady Wolmyeong ordered Namo.

"Milady." Namo said.

"Please." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Those assassins are after her, it's good enough that Milord hid her." Namo defended.

"What if we are carried away, my child shall be left all alone in the world." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"It's better Milady, at least if you should die it shall be without any regrets." Namo said.

"Still, I can not bear being away from my child." Lady Wolmyeong said.

"Forgive me Milady." Namo said. "But to forsake Milord's command and put the life of your one and only child in danger that I can not certainly fulfill." She added.

"Namo." Lady Wolmyeong shouted.

Namo fell to her knees.

"Please Milady, don't make things any more difficult for me." She pleaded.

"Milady." Hyang said.

"What is it?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"Pardon Namo but I think she is right." Hyang replied.

"Have you both forsaken me?" Lady Wolmyeong asked.

"No Milady." The two said in unison.

"Don't blame me, I just have a very bad feeling about this." Lady Wolmyeong said.

Gukban made his way through the assassins and as he was slaying them, memories and images from the wars that he had fought over the years came back to him.

The assassins were too many in number and as some of them tried going for the door, Gukban was guarding the gates with all his might they were still no match for him.

Eventually for a while, the assassins ceased their attack and withdrew slightly behind.

"Come on." Gukban shouted like a mad man. "Bring Yourselves before me that I can not spare a single one of you." He added.

"Surrender You rebel and we can kill you in peace." The leader of the assassins said.

"Whatever you do we shall see but I won't let you anywhere near my family." Gukban replied.

The Head assassin pulled out his bow and picked up an arrow from his quiver.

A group of archers that were standing behind him all did the same thing as Gukban watched with his hands spread out wide and his sword tightly in his grip.

He was more than ready to subdue them.

The arrows at that point were set ablaze and Gukban looked puzzled at the reaction of the assassins.

Eventually they aimed first at him that he brought his sword before him and as he was still watching, the assassins slightly raised their arrows higher.

At that point Gukban realized what the assassins were up to.

"No." He shouted but it was too late as the arrows were sent flying above his head and fence.

Lady Wolmyeong who was still looking outside for a sign of her husband was surprised when in the sky headed in there directions she saw flying tongues of fire.

"No." Gukban shouted enraged as a group of assassins attacked him once again and this time like a mad man he sprang towards them and slaughtered them all furiously.

"The manor is on fire." Seol Mi shouted and Lady Wolmyeong looked around.

"My baby." She said as she be broke free from Hyang and Namo's grip and ran further into the house.

"Milady." They shouted after her but she did not stop as she went through room by room while looking for her child.

At that point a thick black smoke rose up into the skies that parts of the manor especially those that were wooden only increased the rate at which the flames consumed it.

Gukban while fighting the assassins heard the sound of horses neighing in a fairly large number and turning to his right he saw torches that were appearing in a distance.

He was quite surprised.

"Spare nothing." The leader of the assassins ordered. "Surround the manor from behind and make sure that no one flees this ground alive." He added and a few of the assassins scattered.

Gukban swinging his sword had eventually been surrounded by four other swordsmen that were all aiming for his neck.

"It appears to me that a very good price has been attached to both me and the members of my household." Gukban said.

"You are an Enemy of Shilla and an Enemy of Shilla is an Enemy of ours." One of the four said and they all launched themselves towards him at once with their swords descending upon his head.

He guarded them with his own and as they tried to force him to his knees, Gukban gathered all the strength that he could find and he pushed them away.

They staggered backwards but regained their equilibrium once again as Gukban made his attack and swinging his sword two of them at that very moment were immediately slain.

The horsemen had eventually arrived but they were also men that we're dressed in black and looking around and noticing that the fight had long started one of them who was riding ahead on a white stead gave his order.

"Defend His Excellency." He shouted and his men launched themselves towards the assassins and started to fight them.

The entire place had already turned into a battlefield as intense combat ravaged it that Gukban looked around and the smoke had already evolved into a very thick black cloud.

"Go." He yelled at the leader of the men who had come to his rescue. "Save my family from the fire." He added as they turned to look at the manor.

Gukban guarding the way led them to the gates and opening them they went inside except the leader of his rescue team.

"What about you Your Excellency?" The masked leader asked.

"I'll repel any of these assassins and make sure that none of them even sets foot inside Gukban said as he made his attack once again at that time fighting head on with the leader of the assassins himself.

Lady Wolmyeong was still running about the vast building at that time already filled with smoke and parts of the ceiling were collapsing and descending down from the height to the floor.

"My baby." She kept on calling at least expecting to hear the sound of a child crying but the sound of the consuming flames and the breaking pieces of wood was dominantly getting loud and she herself was becoming dizzy and losing her own stamina.

"No, I must find my child. I must find my baby wherever she is." She constantly reminded herself.

"Milady." Namo and Hyang were calling until the leader of the rescue team walked up to them.

"Where is Lady Wolmyeong?" He asked.

"Milady, she is in the fire." Hyang replied as she pointed at the entrance of the manor.

The man ceaselessly made his way inside the burning building and at that time, the Western side of the manor had already started to fully collapse that it raised a mass of dust upon crashing into the ground.

Gukban was still clashing with the leader of the assassins and they were both quite skilled it was very difficult to lay a. sword on one another.

Gukban had taken some time without being able to wield the sword on one hand and his foe was simply too quick to dodge all his attacks.

Gukban swung his sword and as he span, the assassin did the same that he cut him on his shoulder as the assassin retaliated cutting him around his lower abdomen.

The two foes distanced themselves from one another as they each noticed that they had been injured they looked at one another as they walked around in circles while staring at each other.

They charged once again and striking one another they were able to guard against each other's attacks well again.

Eventually the two halted their swords altogether as they looked at each other in the eye.

"You won't survive beyond here you barbarians." Gukban said.

"I shall have served Shilla well." The assassin replied.

The two kicked one another and they all staggered behind.

Gukban was quick to regain his equilibrium and there ceasing the opportunity he crash landed on the assassin with so much force all that the assassin could do was guard with his sword.

Gukban repeatedly struck his sword with his entirely burning with rage as the assassin continued to guard with his while pushing himself backwards.

Alas very angry Gukban made his sword descend upon his opponent and as he guarded this time, his sword could defend him no more that it shattered as Gukban's went ahead and cut him on the chest.

The assassin surrendered.

He was brutally wounded and at that instant losing the will to fight he spread out his hands as he looked at the moon that was hovering above him.

Gukban didn't have even the slightest bit of hesitation and he brought his sword down upon the man and pinned him to the ground with his two hands.

The man looked at him and smiled as blood came from his mouth.

"Long Live Shilla." He said before he went totally silent death had become his final compeer.

Gukban pulled the sword out of the man's chest and it was already fully drenched in blood that he looked around and the spectacle was no different from the very one that he had sworn he was never going to see again ten years ago.

Lady Wolmyeong having searched for a while she was unable to find her child and she was feeling totally powerless at that point.

She had been overwhelmed by a great headache and surrounded by fire the smoke inside had become too much that she could no longer breathe very well anymore.

She started to cough loudly as she fell down onto the ground.

Even at that point she was still dragging herself as she crawled in the floor with every last bit of energy she had left.

"My child." She cried. "My baby." She added.

The leader of the rescue team after searching around for long suddenly came across Lady Wolmyeong who was on the ground.

Seeing her he hurried up to her and then he held her.

"Milady." He called and Wolmyeong at last seeing someone was quite relieved.

"Don't care about me." She said.

"Milady." The man continued to call her.

"Please find my child, please find my daughter, please save her." Lady Wolmyeong cried but the man appeared to brush it off lightly.

Having said all those words and having inhaled so much smoke, her health hadn't entirely been stable so she passed out immediately.

"Milady?" The man called but there was no response that he decided to check her pulse and it was still there.

The man then stood up and carried Lady Wolmyeong on her back and at once recalling how far he had come, he charged towards the nearest exit from the building that he could find.

Everyone else who had survived from the manor was outside waiting to see Lady Wolmyeong anxiously and a while later, her savior along with her returned.

"Milady." Namo called as she rushed over with Seol Mi and Hyang to help the man who'd walked into the raging flames.

They put lady Wolmyeong onto the ground as her servants tended to her.

The gates of the manor were flung open but only a few people noticed as their attention was on the unconscious woman who had been in the burning house.

Gukban walked through them as he looked around at the corpses of some of his servants that had been shot by arrows and the others were brutally wounded.

He was overwhelmed by absolute sadness and grief as he watched the awful spectacle while his eyes moved ahead to his wife who was still looking unconscious.

At that moment the whole manor entirely in flames eventually collapsed and it cast a very thick cloud of dust that swept over the place they had to cover their faces for a while.

The dust had settled and Namo looking at the building she spoke.

"The baby?" She said as she realized that her mistress' child must have been buried by the whole manor itself she started crying immediately.

Gukban walking up to the front of the manor was noticed at that time by everyone else that was present including Namo who ceased to weep and then looked at him.

He dropped his sword from his hands as he fell down onto his knees while looking at the remnants of his once glorious and magnificent abode.

The flames had done their job well, they had totally consumed it up it was beyond any repair.

"My child." He said. "My daughter." He added as he started shedding tears again.

"Milord." Namo called.

"Forgive me that you had to go like this." He said. "It's the best way that I could protect you from Seoraebeol, it's the best way that I could protect you from Shilla." He thought to himself deep down in his heart.

At that point a sharp pain struck him and it was at that point that he realized that he had a wound at his lower abdomen.

He started to feel dizzy himself.

"Milord." Namo screamed when she noticed him falling onto his back he was looking at the moon that was glowing high above his head.

"I did it my child, I saved both you and your mother." He thought to himself as his eyelids started growing heavier a d heavier he eventually closed his eyes.

Moo Mak had ridden the horse so fast that he hadn't halted a single bit until he eventually came to a halt in a distance.

At that time, Seoraebeol was nothing but a very small and tiny settlement that was close to twenty miles away.

Moo Mak looked at it as he looked at the child that he had tied around his chest who was still fast asleep.

She lay there peaceful and still and the moon light at the moment shone on the both of them that eventually, the Jade pendant that Gukban had placed around her neck started to glow brilliantly it emitted a bright green color the illuminated the young girl's face.

"KIM SEUNGMAN." Moo Mak called her name as he remembered his master's orders again.

"Whatever happens ride and even if you hear any screams do not turn around, even if you see fire rising up into the skies do not slow down and even if someone comes in your pursuit do not halt at all.

Take that child as far away as possible and I do not care whether it's Paekche, Sui or Gorguryeo." He recalled.

"My child." He said as he lifted his right hand and caressed the sleeping child's forehead.

"I'll love you, I'll look after you, I'll raise you and with me around all your life, no one shall have to hurt you ever in your life." He said.

"I shall mould in you the strongest woman and the greatest warrior like your father that even in the face of death you shall remain fearless." He added as he smiled at the child.

Looking back at Seoraebeol he whispered to the stars and the moon that were glowing right above it.

"Don't worry Milord, I'll keep her from Seoraebeol." Moo Mak said as he ceased the reins and turned the horse around.

At once he rode off and continued further and further until he was certain that behind him, Seoraebeol would forever be out of sight.

He had abandoned his life and he was a free man who was carrying with himself a promise to fulfill, he had abandoned his family, he had abandoned his Master, he had abandoned Chopalhye and he had abandoned Seoraebeol.