CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The king was aware of what was happening and he was happy about it though he never said a word. He waited for Chi-Mae in the throne room with four half necked ladies each dancing seductively to impress him over the other. And as expected, Chi-Mae did show up. "right timing bro, we got company who would like to make you feel better, are you in?". Young-Jae asked with the most beautiful dirty smirk and passed Chi-Mae a glass of liquor. "Young-Jae, you know I'm not interested". Chi-Mae replied seriously. "Come on brother, drink and take any of these angels in human form". Young-Jae said again but Chi-Mae neglected. "Actually, I came here for a confidential conversation". Chi-Mae said and Young-Jae stared at him as if to predict what he meant to say without being told. Young-Jae sent the girls and the soldiers out. "the phoenix bird of love adorned by the goddess of love herself has finally recovered from his distress". Young-Jae teased him like he always did when they were alone. Actually, the two were like brothers. They were both age mates and since they were young, they had always been inseparable until Young-Jae was crowned king after their parents' death. They had limited time to converse, chase after young pretty maidens and taunt each other like they always did because they had to act in a formal way before the citizens and the citizens were always around. But each time they had the chance like they did then, they would make it worth a memory for themselves. Young-Jae wasn't really affected by the death of his parent like Chi-Mae. Chi-Mae had become cold and way quiet. He stopped flirting with girls and playing around with their feelings especially because of the reason for his sister's death. His sister didn't actually die in the war, but he died in his hands. Young-Jae always made sure to have fun and he made every moment count for himself. He never for once gave a second thought to true love. He only believed that when the time was right, he would get married to the most charming girl that had everything to offer and they would start a family. But Chi-Mae started believing in the ideology of true love and hoped to find it one day so Young-Jae used it to taunt him at times. "I came here for a way better discussion". Chi-Mae countered. "so you are saying that Baek-Hyun is unimportant?". Young-Jae asked with a smirk. "I never said that Young-Jae, it isn't a good time to start." Chi-Mae warned but Young-Jae wasn't satisfied. "it seems she really gave you a love potion. I never thought it possible that you'd ever feel this way about her when she came here newly. Perhaps it was love at first sight? Bro totally hid that away from me". He said with a smile. "Young-Jae, let's talk about Gi. We can't continue to harbour his spies. Let's end this once and for all". Chi-Mae said seriously. "the love bird is all serious now it has to do with his love tree. But let me ask, did your princess try to stab you like the rest tried?". Young-Jae asked and Chi-Mae got sick in the stomach with irritation. "she didn't stab me okay? She told me". Chi-Mae said with irritation. He hated talking about it. It made him feel the repulsive sensation he felt when Baek-Hyun first confessed. "she told you and you threw her into the dungeon? You are so cruel". Young-Jae said feeling sorry for Baek-Hyun. "I was too overwhelmed and I decided based on how I felt at the moment." Chi-Mae said truthfully. "Chi, it's alright, we all do get overwhelmed most time. But I can't believe she blew her mission for you, she must love you so". Young-Jae the king said with pity for Baek-Hyun. "back to where we were Young-Jae, we both know that Gi hasn't stopped and if this continues, they may eventually get us". Chi-Mae said. "yeah, I've thought about it for a while myself, but shouldn't we wait for them to attack first?". Young-Jae asked. "we have waited enough and they have struck us a lot of times with their plague of spies, now is our turn". Chi-Mae said and Young-Jae kept quiet for a while. "begin strategizing immediately, I'll talk to the council and weather they approve or not, we are striking". Young-Jae said and Chi-Mae nodded. "But you can't do it now when you can barely breath without Baek-Hyun. I'll sent letter to Gi and warn him about his actions and if he continues, we will strike". Young-Jae said again and Chi-Mae nodded. "but what about Baek-Hyun? He will kill her family if he finds she has blown her mission." Chi-Mae said with worry. "that is another problem that demands urgent solution". Young-Jae said. "if she stays here too long, they'll think she either eloped or she's dead and her family will still suffer the same fate". Chi-Mae said again. "She can just start another life Chi-Mae, most people had to". Young-Jae said referring to himself and Chi-Mae. "That is not an option Young-Jae, she will never have that". Chi-Mae countered. After that decision was made, the two friends sat together and talked, then they dined. Chi-Mae returned to his chamber and he had a good sleep. He was determined to make the next day count for Baek-Hyun and perhaps, take her to the marble river.

Baek-Hyun was asleep in her chamber all day long. It wasn't actually her fault though; the healer gave her a strange concoction that knocked her off and since she had been asleep. The healer said she might pass out for a day or two for the potion to complete its course. Lady Bong Cha was there for the third time that day. "the General is worried about you so please do get well soon". Lady Bong Cha said as she stood up to take her leave. When she went outside, she saw her other lieutenants returning from their evening patrol. "Baek-Hyun is out of the dungeon". U-Jin said not as a question but as a confirmation. They all turned and stared at Wang. "What? She is just being lucky if not the Princess would have separated her body from her bones". Wang mouthed and Lady Bong Cha shrugged. "Actually, the two seemed to be in good terms". She said and they all stared at Wang to hear what he had to say. "It is always expected of women". He said and stumped away. "That Idiot is too barbaric". Seong-Hyun said and they U-Jin nodded in agreement.

The next morning, Chi-Mae was up really early and prepared for the morning practice. Everyone was happy to see him and they greeted him warmly. "I was too shallow for the dance class last time U-Jin, let's see how you do in a real fight". Chi-Mae said and tossed U-Jin a sword. "Are you sure about that General?". U-Jin asked as he positioned his self for the fight. At the end, Chi-Mae won. The soldiers cheered and hailed him while U-Jin sat on the ground and rested his back on the bag of coal looking defeated. "Sorry I hit last time, I was really not in the mood". Chi-Mae apologized to U-Jin after the practice was over and the soldiers had dismissed. "I did deserve it General, I'm glad you're back on your feet". U-Jin said and Chi-Mae smiled. "So what about Baek-Hyun? What are your plans?". U-Jin asked further and Chi-Mae turned to him and gave him a death stare.

Lady Bong Cha sat beside Baek-Hyun and hoped that Chi-Mae would honour her request and visit Baek-Hyun at least once before she left the healer's. the sun was shining brightly in the sky and soon, it would set but there was no Chi-Mae. The woman stood up and stared at Baek-Hyun before she left, she had things to take care of. After she left, a while later, Chi-Mae walked in to Baek-Hyun and sat beside her on the bed. He tugged her hair behind her ear and just sat there watching her. He remembered how she struggled to tell him the truth about herself. But he was still hurt because he now confirmed that she had been lying about everything she told him when she first arrived. He didn't know what to say to her when she was awake, how to react and how to comfort her. He was afraid that she would not want to see him again, afraid that he had forgotten how to talk to her, how to get her too talk back to him, he was even worried that he had forgotten how to hold her hands because he hadn't for a while. His palms sweated and his throat was sour. But was it his fault? No one was to blame, she told him the truth and he reacted like a human. Seconds turned to minutes and then hours and the healer visited the chamber thrice to see how she was doing. Chi-Mae was still beside Baek-Hyun. He was thinking about how he was going to survive without her, how he was going to survive with what she had done to him. He stood up and left without looking back her way. It was too difficult to ignore her face if he dared to stare back at her and he left. Just then, Lady Bong Cha walked into the chamber and sat beside her while Moon stood by and Baek-Hyun made a mournful sound. She was waking up and she looked like she was going through the world and yes she was. her head was banging terribly and her eyes were cracked. "Get the healer". Lady Bong Cha yelled to the Maids in the healing chamber and immediately, they all ran out and came back with the healer. He checked her pulse and then gave her another concoction to drink but Baek-Hyun hit it away and the calabash which contained the concoction smashed to pieces. She jerked to her feet and stared cautiously at everyone in the chamber and immediately she saw Lady Bong Cha's face, all the defence disappeared from her and she became weak to the bones. "Lady Bong Cha". She called with surprise in her voice. "Baek-Hyun". the woman called back. "My Lady, she is well and she can leave now". The healer said staring at Baek-Hyun cautiously. "Yes, we will leave immediately, thank you for your services". Lady Bong Cha replied and then she turned to Baek-Hyun. "Are you hungry? You must be because you have been out for two days". The woman didn't understand why Baek-Hyun stared at her in the manner which she did. "Where is Chi-Mae?" she asked and the woman looked up at Moon. "The General is very busy these days and he couldn't come by". She replied looking sorry and hoping that Baek-Hyun would buy her lie. She remembered she had to go to Chi-Mae and plead with him to pick Baek-Hyun from the healer's but he simply neglected. She knew something was wrong but she couldn't figure what it was. She wondered what happened because the last time she checked, Chi-Mae was all worried about Baek-Hyun but he didn't seem to care when she had asked him to visit her. "Are you okay?". She immediately asked to help Baek-Hyun recover from her pains but she didn't say a word. Tears just rolled down her face freely. She was sure he was there, she felt his presence and she would swear he came there and he touched her face and her hair. But she was also scared, what if it was just an illusion and he never came? she turned dejectedly to the woman. "I want to go home".

Baek-Hyun was stiffened all through the day, she cried out her eyes and she refused to eat. Moon was so worried about her but she couldn't show it. She was also scared of her, the fact that she was actually a spy scared her. She somehow wanted to blame her for carrying their General so high above the ground and just when they found a perfect landing spot, she intentionally dropped him and he smashed to pieces. Baek-Hyun was fully aware of her resentment and she couldn't blame anyone for it. But she would wait, she would wait to see if Chi-Mae has forgiven her. The next few days she was depressed. The soldiers weren't helping matters at all and everyone resented her. She was tagged a traitor and there was nothing she could do about it. It was so much that she refused to show up in the practice for days and she kept to her room. Lady Bong Cha could tell that Chi-Mae hadn't let it go. She worried about Baek-Hyun always. "I am sorry about Chi-Mae but I don't think it's going to work this way if you sit back here and expect a miracle to happen". She said to Baek-Hyun one day when the situation got terrible. "I don't think he wants to see me so I would just prepare and return to Gi immediately" Lady Bong Cha stared at her with shock. "Then what will become of you and your family?". The woman asked all afraid to hear the reply. "I guess we will … we will…" Baek-Hyun was going to say more but Lady Bong Cha didn't want to hear the end of it because she knew it spoke of torture, pains, death. "Get up and get dressed in a different hanbok from this, you have soaked this one with tears. Go to the rock by the small spring and remain there. I do not know what the result will be but you have to try your luck. If the heavens favour you, then your wish may come true". The Woman said to Baek-Hyun's sudden delight.

Baek-Hyun carried her sour foot and too

k a final step into the peak and balance of the rock. There she saw Chi-Mae facing the waters. "Chi-Mae". She called and Chi-Mae turned swiftly to her. "What are you doing here?". He asked with dimmed face and knitted brows. "I came to speak to you. it's been a while". She said looking down at her fingers. "Baek-Hyun, you talk fast and leave". He said and turned to the spring. Baek-Hyun was almost dumbstruck but she was determined to make use of the opportunity. "I know you are still very angry with me. I'm sorry, Chi-Mae please, forgive me". She could barely speak without crying and she was sobbing intensely and she could barely speak properly. Chi-Mae didn't turn to her, he was heart stricken and he felt almost as much pain as she was feeling but he couldn't show it. "Baek-Hyun, turn around and go now. I do not want to see your face ever again. I detest it". Baek-Hyun was sure she didn't hear well, she needed a confirmation and she waited for one. "Chi-Mae please". She pleaded and more tears rolled down her face. "Don't call me that. I a General and you have no right to call my name, you are a common soldier, a slave to Gi". His teeth were clenched as he said those words. His voice spoke of pure hatred and he didn't even spare her look. "I am going nowhere until you forgive me". Baek-Hyun said and Chi-Mae smirked. "I hope you enjoy your stay then". He said and left. Baek-Hyun was too numb to keep standing so she fell on her knees and she cried her eyes out. She wasn't just hurt, she was in pains, she was also a victim there and he made her feel like she had already taken a life. She just had the nerve to betray her family for him, to betray her fortress for him. She had a million and one chances to have killed him and never get caught but she chose to let him live and there he was trying to suffocate her with guilt for what she had almost no idea about. She sobbed for a long time then when the sun had set, she stood up and walked away. She was leaving, she was going back to Gi to go and face the penalty of her love. Too bad Kyong and Hana would have to pay the price with her.

Immediately Lady Bong Cha saw her, she knew it didn't go well and she left to her chamber. There was no use talking to her because she knew it would just make her cry more and she was sure she had cried enough. When Baek-Hyun returned to her chamber, she couldn't pack up partly because she didn't bring anything along with her and mostly because she took to illness. She was very sick and she was shivering under the light blanket. Moon was hard to come by those days and if she did, she stayed quiet and distanced. Baek-Hyun didn't know what to do and she hoped it might subside before morning but when it was morning, her sickness had deteriorated and she couldn't lift an arm. Moon was there to help her prepare for morning practice but she found Baek-Hyun was too sick and she rushed off to get the healer and Lady Bong Cha.

Lady Bong Cha left to go and meet Chi-Mae later in the day and she found him in his study, she stormed into the study and she ceased his writing feather from his hand. "What do you want?". He asked in shock with creased brows. "How could you? I begged you not to recent her. Do you even know the harm you have caused? That poor girl, she… she was sent her to kill you just like the rest were at the expense of their families, their lives. The rest came here and tried killing you but no! she chooses to let you live. She put herself and her family at risk and blew her mission for you, but what do you do? you threw her in the dungeon and when you finally release her, you make her regret putting aside her needs for. Do you even realise the weight of what she has done for you? the sacrifice she has made for you? I am so disappointed in you Chi-Mae, disappointed in you for being so ungrateful to that girl". She was done with what she had to say and she made to leave but she returned. "She is very sick, all thanks to you and she plans to return to that cursed Kingdom. I need you to make things right between you two. The last time I asked for a favour, you did it because I asked you to, now, I want you to do it because it has to be done, you have to do it". She yelled the last words as she squashed the feather in her hand and then she threw it down and left. Chi-Mae got the message well, it wasn't the head of female warriors that was speaking, it was a mother figure. He leaned back into his seat and Baek-Hyun's crying voice rang in his ear. But he had his reasons for telling her to go away. Her face reminded him of that day at the Marble river constantly. It made him feel the same gush of hurt that had washed him that day. It made him aware of the fact that he couldn't seem to live without her and that was what he was trying to work on. He needed to move on from her because he knew she would have to go away at some point and then what would he do then? But he was also please to know that she was suffering along with him. It wasn't easy to not see her face. It was so hard and he wanted to hold her in his arms and cuddle her. He remembered when they rode to the Marble river the first day he took her there and the passion in her eyes. That passion and courage was what drew him to her. He sighed and removed another feather from the closet of his study table.

At night Baek-Hyun was better and she had been on bed all day. But she wasn't that ill again and Moon was beside her but she wasn't sitting like she would, she was standing. "Come sit by me". Baek-Hyun said to her and she walked obediently to her and sat beside her. "Moon, I know you are mad at me for lying to you and everybody. I swear I could never kill anyone and I can't. I'm sorry I took long to apologize, I miss you and I want us to go back to normal before I leave in few days". She said and Moon widened her eyes. She was a little tiny winy angry with her but she didn't want her to go. "Did the General ask you to go?" she asked with widened eyes and Baek-Hyun smiled. "No. I figured I have to go back. I failed that stupid Gi Emperor and I want to go back and make him aware of that". She said naughtily even though it was a very serious ordeal. "I don't want you to go". Moon said with dimmed face and she held Baek-Hyun's hand. "I don't want to either but I have to". Baek-Hyun replied and Moon nodded. "I so much want to say I understand because I do, but I don't want to say it". She said and Baek-Hyun smiled. "I understand". Baek-Hyun said and Moon smiled and she threw her arms around Baek-Hyun. "I missed you so much". She said