CHAPTER NINETEEN

Baek-Hyun walked out of the stable with Chi-Mae who walked with his hands behind him. Everyone stared at them but no one dared say a word. They spoke and laughed about things that was best known to themselves. No one dared to dream that they would see their General laughing so care freely. "The men in the palace, do you by any chance want to meet them and maybe talk about business?". Chi-Mae asked all suddenly serious. "I don't want to talk about any boring things like business, I rather play the American chess game". Baek-Hyun mouthed sounding silly and Chi-Mae thought she was cute. "What do you want to do?". He asked her. "I heard there is a library here, I want to go check it out". She replied. "What else do you want to do?". He asked and she paused and stared at him all puzzled. "why?". She asked making a silly face. "nothing, just asking". He replied with a smile and he began walking again. "I'll just tell everything I want to do in a row then. I want to read a book about the Americans and their food and fashion, oh! And the kind of house they have over there. I also want to go to the Marble River and watch the sun set there. I want to sleep for two weeks straight and then wake up to find out that Gi has never existed and that I… I still have my fortress". Baek-Hyun chirped but she never rushed the last sentence. She let the words have their effects on Chi-Mae in the manner they came. "I forgot to tell you, your presence is needed in the next council meeting, you will have to participate in the war strategies". Chi-Mae said and Baek-Hyun paused again. "do you really want to do this? I can leave your kingdom right away and never bother you again". She said and he walked to her and held her chin up. "Don't ever say that again. This war isn't because of you, it's because Gi wants it and besides, you deserve it, you neglected your family for me and that is not something that is just forgotten". Chi-Mae said as he held her face with his two hands then he pulled her into his embrace. Baek-Hyun widened her eyes in shock and her heart raced.

Chi-Mae returned to his chamber but first he went to the library to select fine editions of their political or maybe monarchical history of their empire. "Give these to her and make sure she is never lonely while I am away". He said to the Moon before leaving. He wasn't sure he wanted to see Baek-Hyun's face when she heard the news. He would have told her since but he couldn't break it. Moon stood in the Library thinking long and hard about Chi-Mae and how lucky Baek-Hyun was to have him to herself even when she was but a foreigner.

Baek-Hyun went back to her chamber, she slept on her thoughts about what she could do to repay Hak-Kun for accepting her into their kingdom. She knew time was short for her but she had to try, she didn't want to keep being a stranger who hid behind Chi-Mae for protection. She wanted to go out into the rural part of Gywenn as well and perhaps, make friends. She convinced herself not to think about Chi-Mae for the night she slept off still convincing herself.

It was dawn and the cock had barely crowed when Chi-Mae went to Baek-Hyun's chamber and he pulled her outside through the back door. She was so sleepy she could barely walk on her own. He took her to training ground and there was thick darkness everywhere except from the light from the moon which shone big and bright. "Chi-Mae". Baek-Hyun's angry yet soft voice echoed in the darkness and she kept cleaning her sleepy eyes. "Baek-Hyun, I'm leaving". Chi-Mae said and all the sleep in Baek-Hyun's eyes disappeared. "What?". She asked sounding puzzled. "I have to go to Seong Kingdom for something very important". He said and Baek-Hyun was speechless. "Are you just going to be quiet?". He asked her and shook her weightless body to and fro. "What for?". Was all she could ask. "we need to form an alliance with them for the war and I'm leaving now". "How long will you take?". "I can't say but it might take a couple of days or weeks to return". Baek-Hyun's mouth dropped open as she stared speechlessly at Chi-Mae. "I will come back as soon as I can I promise but Baek-Hyun promise to wait for me". He was scared she would just wander off with Sa-Mul or even Young-Jae because he didn't trust him in terms of women. "But…". Baek-Hyun didn't know what to say. Chi-Mae left her hands and touched her face. It was soft, smooth and so appealing to him. "Will you wait for me?". He asked and she stared at him. It wasn't difficult to say yes because she could wait for him a thousand years but she was also scared he might forget about her. "Baek-Hyun it's just a couple of weeks". Chi-Mae said and she nodded. "I will wait for you a million years Chi-Mae". She said to him and she touched his lips. Then he leaned in till there was no space between them anymore and he kissed her. Baek-Hyun was confused and her knees quivered. She suddenly felt warmth spread across her whole body and her head gyrated. "I have something to tell you when I come back". He said and she smiled. "Why not now?". She asked curiously. "Because it takes some people a life time to say it".

Chi-Mae rode out of the kingdom with the other Lieutenants; U-Jin, Wang and Seong-Hyun. Chi-Mae sat on his horse and after riding a long distance from the capital, finally stopped to take a good look at it again. He thought about Young-Jae and Lady Bong Cha and about his army, but the only one that he knew he truly cared about was Baek-Hyun. He hoped she was okay. "She will be okay". U-Jin said reassuringly to Chi-Mae as if he was able to read his thoughts. Chi-Mae nodded and he turned around "ha!". He gave the command and swung the robes and his raven black horse galloped away at great speed and the rest joined.

The next day wasn't practice and that was just perfect for someone who wanted to tour an empire. Baek-Hyun was sitting by the mirror trying to make some braids for herself when there was a knock on the door. "Come in". she said care freely. It was Moon and Baek-Hyun smiled warmly when she saw her. "The General asked me to give these to you". Moon said and she held the books out to Baek-Hyun. Baek-Hyun stared at the books and she took it from her. She asked Moon to go to sleep and after a while of arguing, the poor girl nearly cried herself to sleep. "I'm doing this for your good, you need these rest". She said the alked to her writing table and sat on the chair as she flipped the pages of the book. To her, the book was highly boring and she wondered how they had such books in an Empire's Library. She wasn't a fan of dark magic because she never for once forget that it's all fake. She turned to check on Moon who was sound asleep due to the warmth that the bed gave and its cosiness as well. Baek-Hyun smiled though it wasn't genuine at all. She was worried. Worried Chi-Mae wouldn't return to her. She had come to love the way he made her feel. She had gotten used to the chill in his voice that had been something that made her coy. But now, she had come to know it so well that it warmed her up. She loved speaking to him and she would not lie that she loved getting him pissed.

It was late in the afternoon almost twilight when Moon woke up and she yarned with an annoying sound and Baek-Hyun squirmed as she watched her. "How do you feel?". She asked and the confused girl immediately jerked herself up. "You know it isn't good to be so energetic when you wake from such a good nap. You have to stretch and curl, do something to make your body aware that you are awake. Baek-Hyun said and stood up. She sounded like a mother and Moon nodded. "I'm sorry Lady Baek-Hyun". She apologized with her face bent low. "You are really dramatic and funny as well". Baek-Hyun said and stared at her with what could be called affection. "Buckle up, we need to go somewhere but first, I need you to do something for me". Baek-Hyun said and Moon smiled. That was what she had always waited for, an errand.

The day was going to be a terrible one, Baek-Hyun could tell. She had another nightmare. Chi-Mae was being set up. There was a mole in the kingdom and among the warriors. She could see their faces vividly. They told on him and right when they were going to have their victory, they were surrounded. His head was cut off and served to Emperor Woong in a golden bowl. Baek-Hyun was sweating all over and the nightgown became sticky to her body. "Chi-Mae". She screamed and woke. She looked around in terror and right then, the cock crowed. It was time for morning warmup and that nightmare had taken away her ardour to train. She stirred lazily on the bed and she closed her eyes to force herself back to sleep but then, there was a knock on the door. She nearly groaned but she knew it was the soldiers that came to wake her up or probably, Moon came to dress her up for the morning practice. "Come in". she said and hid her face away in the blanket. Moon opened the door slowly and tiptoed to her. "My Lady, wake up, it's time for morning exercise and Lady Bong Cha is in charge". Moon announced cheerfully to entice Baek-Hyun but Baek-Hyun just groaned. "Go away Moon, I'm afraid I've caught a little cold". She mumbled with her head buried in the pillow. "But you haven't seen Lady Bong Cha in charge before and you have always wished to, well now you have to chance to; don't blow it". Moon said and pulled away the blanket from Baek-Hyun's reach. She had grown fond of Baek-Hyun and she was just like Hana to Baek-Hyun. Baek-Hyun cherished her like her little sister and not like a maid. "oh terrible now I can't go. I so badly want to see Lady Bong Cha in action but I'm afraid I can't. I would probably see her tomorrow, if you insist, then you may have to leave". Baek-Hyun muttered pitiably and Moon sympathized for her. "oh dear, I bet I can call the healer now you are sick or the General will rip my head apart from my body when he returns". Moon said and sat on the bed and arranged Baek-Hyun's hair. "or I can summon the king, I bet he has to know about your illness". Moon said sounding helpful but she knew she wasn't being helpful. She was just trying to find out if Baek-Hyun was seriously ill or not. "go away, that is an order". Baek-Hyun half yelled. "What will you do if I don't?". Moon asked and dragged the pillow out and Baek-Hyun landed her face on the bed. "I'll scream until this building falls". Baek-Hyun muttered. "in that case, I'm going nowhere because I'd like to see you do that. Besides, the General gave me one simple order, 'don't ever take your eyes off Baek-Hyun or I'll separate your skin from your bones'. So why would I disobey that because you just want to scream?". Moon asked with her hands on her waist as she stared questionable at the faceless Baek-Hyun. "Go ahead and do what you want then, I'll still report all your nuisance to Chi-Mae". Baek-Hyun said and stood up. They stayed quiet for a while and Moon began pulling funny faces. Baek-Hyun stared at her getting fade up as soon as it begun. "What do you want?". She asked sounding exhausted. "I'm bored". Moon said stubbornly with her folded across her chest. "well then, go tell Lady Bong Cha I can't make it to the training ground". Baek-Hyun said and Moon left right away. A while later she was back and she was looking exhausted and dirty. "You took time". Baek-Hyun said with a slight frown. "Well, I fell off the horse". She said looking even more tired than she was. Baek-Hyun raised her brown and asked "What were you doing on a horse?". "Jung-Kook. He wanted to teach me to ride a horse". Moon said shyly and her cheeks flushed. Baek-Hyun creased her brows with a mild smile on her lips. "Who is Jung-Kook?". She asked with a knowing smile. "… he is a friend of mine". Moon said again even more coy. "Interesting. So what kind of a friend makes a young girl blush?". Baek-Hyun asked and pretended to be thinking about the answer to the question. "no, I'm not blushing and he is nobody". Moon said and Baek-Hyun gave up though she wasn't really giving up. "Okay nobody. So we need to get food for the Princess immediately after practice okay?". Baek-Hyun said and Moon nodded. "Why do you help her? She yells at you, hate you, wants you dead and she is even your rivalry for Chi-Mae and yet, you help her. Why?". Moon suddenly asked and Baek-Hyun smiled. "we don't treat people in the same manner they treat us, that is what makes us different from them". she said and she stood up and walked to her window. "I don't understand, she used and uses her position as the princess to oppress everyone and you tell me not to treat her in the same manner if I had the opportunity?". Moon asked Baek-Hyun smiled again. "Moon, people were created to be loved and things were made to be used. The problem in our world today is that we love things and use people". That shut Moon up and she used a long time to think about it. "what did Lady Bong Cha say?". Baek-Hyun asked after a long while of silence. "oh Lady Bong Cha, I knew I went outside for a reason". Moon suddenly said and ran out. Baek-Hyun was speechless as she watched the lassie ran off.