CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The next few days, Chi-Mae knew that all he could do was to help her get better with her fighting skills. He even thought of teaching her martial art if it was going to help her stay alive for him. She had told him she was leaving and he only used the idea of martial art to keep her a while longer. He was scared she might never return to him, scared she might not even stay alive, scared she might forget him. "Baek-Hyun, I remember what I was going to say to you that day. I was going to tell you I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you". he told her one day after practice. "I suspected". That was all she said and made to walk away and his heart sunk. He pulled her back only to see the smirk on her face. "you are joking right?". He asked and she nodded. "I love you too, so much that I don't know what to do. I'm scared I might go nut one day". He was so pleased to hear that and he kissed her. "Don't go so soon". He said but she shook her head. "I have to. I can't hide here forever, I will have to fight for what I want one day, I can't stay here while my family might probably be dead right now. I heard the Emperor doesn't care if I complete the task or not, I hear he wants to marry me and if I oblige, he will give me till half of the kingdom, I don't know why he want to do that, but I don't want to be his queen, I don't want half of the kingdom, I want everything". She said and he laughed. "how is it that you dream so big?". He asked and she frowned. "I am not dreaming; I am saying what will happen. I know it may seem impossible, but I believe it is just challenging". She said and he nodded. "It is indeed possible if give it a little more time. We are going to have to fight Gi if we need real peace if not they will just keep disturbing the peace". He said and she shook her head. "Chi-Mae you don't get me. I have to go in less than two days, I also want to stay here with you in peace but I have a family I want to save, a fortress I need to restore, I love you but if you can't understand that my family and fortress is important to me then, I'm so sorry, I can't do this with you, we won't work". She wasn't yet crying but her face was enough to make anyone think she was crying and she turned and rushed off. She didn't want to leave but she had to because she hated to cry before him, to make him think that she was weak. She didn't sleep at all that night. She couldn't, Moon left very late as well because she had to arrange Baek-Hyun's stuffs. Lady Bong Cha was speechless as she watched the two of them. she knew it was tough for everyone and she also knew they all had to accept it.

The next morning was a very sad one. Moon looked so much like a child when tears rolled down her face as she wrapped a few change of cloth for Baek-Hyun. Baek-Hyun was trying hard to console her but it wasn't going to work. "From tomorrow, you will no longer be a maid, you will get your armour and join the army". She said and that lightened her mood. "Really?". She asked with widened eyes and Baek-Hyun nodded with a smile. "You can always take food to the General in my place". she said and again and Moon frowned. "It's going to be okay I have spoken to him about it". Moon nodded. "Promise me you won't get yourself killed, the Princess is still distraught and she might bug you so try your best to avoid her". Baek-Hyun said and Moon stared at her and threw her arms around her. "I love you so much my lady and I will miss you a great deal". She said almost in tears and Baek-Hyun smiled. "I love you more and I miss you already". She said. Then it was time to say goodbye to lady Bong Cha. The woman just advised her and made her swear to stay alive and return to them. She swore even if it was very difficult. Then she left to go see the King when it was sun rise. When she got there, Chi-Mae was already there with the Princess. She could barely greet them properly as she kept stealing glances of Chi-Mae and Aya stole glances of them. "I heard you leave today". Young-Jae said and Baek-Hyun nodded. "it was good having you here Baek-Hyun. I owe you for not killing the General, I know you had all the chances to". He looked grieved for some reason but that wasn't Baek-Hyun's concern. "Thank you your highness. Thank you for having me, for taking me in and treating like one of your own, you owe me nothing but I will remain indebted to you and your kingdom". She was sincere, she wasn't done with them and the next time she returned, she would ensure to repay the favour in any way possible. "Princess Aya, I cannot ignore your kind gestures, I am very grateful, thank you". Aya didn't know what to say. She didn't imagine Baek-Hyun would have to go. She would have been happy that she was leaving but for some reason she didn't know, she wasn't happy about it at all. Chi-Mae looked so pitiful to her and she didn't want to see him that way. She had come to accept the fact that Chi-Mae was in love with Baek-Hyun and she had to be happy for him. "you are welcome". She said and looked away. "You don't have to". Chi-Mae said to her when he saw her turn to him. "Can we talk?". He asked and she nodded. Young-Jae felt terrible for his friend and brother. He felt like he would fall back into the dark void he had been before.

"Baek-Hyun, I don't want to obstruct you from saving your family but why are you so down on dying with them when you can actually live a better life?". He asked and she shook her head. "Chi-Mae, they are not dead and I can save them". he nodded to her word and then he hugged her so tight. "You are so silly for leaving me". He said to her and for the first time, he had tears in his eyes. "It was me who violated the law of martial art". Baek-Hyun stared at him because she didn't know what he was talking about until he continued. "During the war, our soldiers were dying and my parents were held hostage by the enemies. There was no other means of saving them so I used martial art but at last, I failed and my parents were still killed. I killed my own sister with my own sword and l vowed to take as many lives as I can with that sword. Since, it is only Young-Jae who knows about it, I tried to be myself, but I couldn't, but you came and you changed me. You came into my life and you broke me, then you remould me into a new and better version and for that, I am indebted to you. you don't have to thank me for anything, I'm sorry that I can't help you now, trust me I really want to do". He said with more tears in his eyes. "I never wanted to disclose this to anyone because I didn't want to relieve it, but now I feel safe telling you". Baek-Hyun was so touched that he revealed his true reason for his change to her. She was more touched to see him cry. She didn't expect it. She touched his face and she wiped his tears, then she kissed him and then hugged him. "I love you. I hope that is enough consolation for you. I promise I will come back to you". Moon was shocked to see what just happened. She was standing from afar, she had just finish parcelling Baek-Hyun's horse with the food and change of clothes and she already began leaving the area when she saw Chi-Mae walk with Baek-Hyun to the stable. She watched them since and when they kissed, she pretended to herself to look away but she was actually watching until Aya appeared from nowhere and she covered her eyes with her palms. "You shouldn't be staring at a couple". She said to her sounding displeased and Moon began apologizing. "Go immediately before I will inform the General about this". She ordered and Moon scurried away. Aya watched as Baek-Hyun mounted her horse and she started galloping away. She knew Chi-Mae was struggling with his pains, it was showing boldly on his face. Baek-Hyun could see it, she rode for a while and he was almost out of sight, then she stopped and looked back. He was still there staring at her and she was surprised to see Aya too. She closed her eyes and she pictured Chi-Mae's smiling face and she rode away at crazy speed like he would.

Very much people went in and out of the borders of Gi daily. Some went for business, some returned from business and the soldiers there could almost not keep up because nothing always seemed to be strange. They were only very active only when there was an order or there was something fishy going on. At such times, they would just close the borders and very rare personalities were permitted to leave or go in. That very day, a lady in black hat and black attire rode into the borders. She covered her whole face so that only her eyes were left open. She wasn't s a suspect because so many other people dressed in that manner but they never wore black and they never emanated the aura that she emitted. The soldiers found her strange especially the manner she looked around and the way she seemed secluded and her pure white horse, it was indeed not normal for them. "Hello miss can I help you?". one of them asked and she shook her head and made to gallop away but they stopped her. "You are not a citizen, are you? You must be here for business then". Another one asked and she got down from her horse, she stared at them one after the other before she nodded. "Where are you from? Where are your wares?" the first asked and pretended to be scared. "I am not a hooligan, I came here from Seok Capital and I sell precious items". She said looking frightened. "firstly miss, we do not trade with Seok and secondly, where are your goods?". Another asked again and she looked around in fear. "No, I come from Seok, like. from. Tang. not the other… Seok". She said and the soldiers nodded. They bought from Tang kingdom. "as for my wares, they have already been taken in and I fear they may be stolen or hijacked for I am a common woman so I paid some young men to take them in before me". The soldiers were convinced and they left her after apologizing for bothering her. The woman exhaled loudly before she continued moving. She believed she was too good to be taken as a fake.

Kyong looked tattered, very tattered and so were all other slaves. They were very unhealthy and bony, yet they still got more whips from the soldiers who were pressurizing them to work faster but the sun had set and they needed to smith fifty pieces of swords and 10 rapiers twice a week. Other days, they worked in the farms and pulled heavy reapers, mowers, threshers. They did all these jobs yet they ate like an ant. Kyong never complained as long as Hana was fine. After the soldiers left that night, as usual, the Court Lady Ki helped her sneak away with food for the slaves but she always gave more to her brother and Man-Chun and some of her unlucky friends that were trapped in the labour fields. She had benefitted a lot from staying with Court Lady Ki. The woman taught her to read and write, taught her how to be lady like, how to make wonderful teas that no one else could make because it was only the King that had such wonderful tea. Most of the princes in the palace troubled her a great deal for friendship because she looked older than her age and she was too beautiful to be true. But Lady Ki warned her against such friendship for if they were discovered, she would be the one who gets to be put to death while the prince just goes away without any penalty. Hana was just like her sister, she hated being oppressed, she once got into a fight with one of the helpless princes and she broke his upper limb. Funny enough, the prince covered up for her when Emperor Woong, his father asked him about it. He said he fell from the stairs when he was going to receive the morning air and there was no light outside. He was the youngest prince and Hana was sure she would get attached to him one day. He gave her new hair pins and bands always, he gave her flowers and even gave her one of his books that he used to study their language. Lady Bong Cha couldn't stop them because the Prince Young-Sun was her favourite prince and the only person in the royal family that she truly cared about. The prince was just eighteen and Hana was fifteen, so who said they should be parted?

Hana sat beside her brother that night and the watched the beautiful moon and stars. Suddenly, a figure of a woman passed by and they became alerted. Some thought it was one of the queens that sneaked out but it was unusual for any queen to pass that way where slaves were kept except it was visiting days which it wasn't. Man-Chun stood up and started scouting the area but he found no one. But when he sat back down, she appeared again out of the darkness and she stood in the brightness of the moon and the lamps. They all stood up and bowed thinking it was one of the queens but then, she took off her hat and removed the cloth that covered her face. Hana was the first to recognise her. "Baek-Hyun". She called and walked to her. Baek-Hyun stared at her sister and so many emotions rushed through her. She was so happy to see that her family was still alive, tears flooded her eyes as she wrapped her hands around Hana. "I thought you would never come back sister". Hana cried pitifully. "I didn't believe so myself". Baek-Hyun said and she looked at her brother. "Baek-Hyun". He called in shock, he wouldn't believe it was her in front of him. "Kyong". Baek-Hyun called and she rushed into his embrace. Then she turned to Man-Chun and hugged him as well. "How is it possible you are alive?". Kyong asked in shock and Man-Chun smiled. "I told you she would survive". He said and Kyong nodded. It was a joyous night for every of Ji-Seok slave and even other slaves. They were happy to see her because she was kind to them even when they weren't from her stronghold. They talked all night about the things that had gone right and wrong in the palace. The king was running head over heels for Baek-Hyun. He wanted her to be beside him and he refused to kill her family. He killed anyone who suggested their death and he despatched some soldiers to go in search of her. Well, the Emperor may have seemed stupid, but he wasn't, he had his reasons for searching that much for her. He knew how great she was and his soothsayers had told him of her greatness and fortune. He needed such woman beside him and he knew he could conquer the whole of Goryeon (Korea) if she was beside him, considering the already ambitious women he had married and what they had helped him achieve. Baek-Hyun was flabbergasted to hear such report but she was fine with it, she would turn it to her advantage. Just before the cock crowed, Baek-Hyun left with Hana. Hana went in to Lady Ki and broke the news to the woman. The woman was speechless and she couldn't yell at her for returning at dawn because the reason was worth it. "Where is she now?". She asked and Hana smiled as Baek-Hyun walked in to the woman. "Baek-Hyun". The woman called in shock. "Lady Ki". Baek-Hyun greeted and bowed. "How is it that you are alive?". The woman asked in shock still in shock. "I survived". Baek-Hyun said and the woman nodded. "Keep your voice low, come in now and have some rest, you must have had a rough trip". She said and Baek-Hyun obliged. Hana felt like she was soaring, she felt like everything had fallen back in place but for some reason, she knew something was going to go wrong.

Back in Hak-Kun, Chi-Mae was almost useless due to Baek-Hyun's absence. Aya felt sour about it but she suppressed her feelings and she always comforted her childhood friend. She always made sure to omit the sweetheart out of it. She was thankful to Baek-Hyun for at least, she opened a gate way for Chi-Mae to communicate. "You can't be this miserable for long. You know the solution for this. If you sit here and think all day, then she may die or worse, forget about you". Aya said to her one day when she tracked him all the way to his hide out, the rock by the rivulet. She was with Lady Bong Cha and the woman had been quiet all along as Aya kept talking and Chi-Mae never for once replied, but the last statement made him stir. "She is brave, she won't die, she has promised, she won't forget". He said with doubt. He wasn't even sure of his defence. "You are so foolish General. Do you know how far apart you two are? What if she dies? How would you know? Do you know if she has reached safely? You can't sit here and know the answers to that". Aya said and Chi-Mae didn't care about what she was saying, but he got the point. "You are saying I should go for her?". He asked and they two women nodded. "If you truly love, you should go for her, fight for her, the only things worth fighting for is family and love. If you love her, she is probably going to be a family soon so why sit here when she could be dead?". Lady Bong Cha asked and Chi-Mae was delighted but he tried to hide it. "Go for her, you may just be fast enough to have her right on time". Aya said and Chi-Mae nodded. "But what about Young-Jae? The council? The people, what about them?". he asked and Aya exchanged glances with Lady Bong Cha. "Leave that to us". They chorused and Chi-Mae smiled. "I'll go for her". He said and they smiled. "yeah after all, those army, they are yours and they only obey you not the king". Aya sounded like a devil convincing someone to sin and Chi-Mae was falling into the trap.

He didn't need a lot of soldiers, he needed just twenty-five to thirty trusted soldiers. He was smart so he only picked the once that were skilled in martial art. He didn't dare take Wang along for he knew how much he bugged Baek-Hyun. U-Jin didn't know martial art but his skills were not to be joked with. He carried just few soldiers because he wanted to stay in the shadows of the day and kill a hundred of Gi soldiers and more. At night, they mounted their horse and rode away.

"When will you reveal yourself to the king?". Man-Chun asked Baek-Hyun that night when she had gone to see them. she went with Lady Ki and her sister Hana. "You don't have to. You can just elope". Man-Chun said again and Kyong turned to him with a frown. "Stop giving her ideas that could get her killed". He yelled at Man-Chun. "I'm not eloping. If we do, what about the rest of them? I am here to stay, here to conquer. They destroyed our fortress, killed our loved ones, burned them to ashes and took us captive, married some of us against our wish, they might be satisfied where they are but I'm not. I want revenge for my family, for my fortress for Ji-Seok, I'm not here to hide, I'm here to rule and I need your help to rule". Baek-Hyun said and one of the captives started laughing and some of the others joined him. "You are saying that we should rebel?". The man asked Baek-Hyun. "Do you want to remain here forever? At last they will kill you off". She said and the man shook his head. "How many are we? Hundred? Three hundred? These people have over three hundred thousand soldiers, you clearly want to get us killed". The man said and turned into his tent. "I didn't expect this from warriors. We are Seok warriors and we are not weak. I am not asking you to start fighting their whole army, we don't have to get exposed, Gi is a large kingdom and we only have to attack the inside, once we have control over the centre, then we can seize the Emperor's power and take control of it to our favour. What do you have to say about this lady Ki?". Baek-Hyun asked and the woman exhaled. "This is very dangerous Baek-Hyun I hope you know that, if anything goes wrong, we are doomed". The woman said and Baek-Hyun nodded. "but on the other hand, this king took all we had, our children, out loved once, our parents, our husbands, our wives, our home. He took the innocence of our female children and killed our dreams, I agree with you Baek-Hyun, let's overthrow him if we can". The woman said with clear zeal on her face and Baek-Hyun smiled. "of course we can". Man-Chun said and Baek-Hyun stared at her brother. "Kyong please, do this for mama and papa, for our commander and for out fortress. Do this for Hana, she deserves a better life and we have to fight for her future. Do this for Ji-Seok". Kyong went from staring at Baek-Hyun to staring at Hana and he nodded. "Let's do this". One after the other, the people obliged and indicated their interest until everyone agreed. Baek-Hyun smiled heartily and she hugged her sister. The man that had gone inside came back outside and yelled "This is going to get us all killed, but I'm in". Man-Chun stared at Baek-Hyun and he patted her back. "I'm proud of you". he said with a smile. Hana celebrated the smell of freedom with her teenage friends all through the night. Baek-Hyun put Man-Chun up to select thirty of his trusted soldiers for the task and they planned their attack.