Less Than a Hundred Years
Prompt: Not Enough
Seventh Month: September
Author's Ramblings: I've been struggling with this story, two jobs, a second and third storyline… then I realized I hadn't written Choi Young's reaction to the pregnancy. If you are one of the ones who want to read it, return to chapter 32 for the entire scene. I hope you like it. I have an inclination of hurting main female characters, if you haven't notice in the next couple of chapters you will notice, so please no flames for this chapter, I am on a diet I can't eat s'mores.
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Eun Soo was fixing the window box, properly raised by Deok Man to a proper level for a pregnant lady to work on it properly (those were the man's words not Eun Soo's), when the door of their home was loudly knocked on. The two guards standing watch moved quickly, and the maiden appeared from one side; making Eun Soo drop the small scoop she'd been using, and wrap her arms around her belly. What if it was some attacker? But then she shook her head, what attacker would knock at the door? Yet her hands remained around her belly, as Deok Man looked out the window.
"Forgive us!" Said the general of the regulars, suddenly appearing before the WooDalChi and bowing. They exchanged several words, hastily, making the woman frown. "High Doctor!" Called the general, making Eun Soo peek to the side, finding the tall regular's General bowing towards her; since the moment her pregnancy had been announced the silent rule of not using her title had been issued. This was the first time someone had called her so in a while. "You are the only one who can save the man."
"The Commanding General made clear that she shouldn't leave the house."
"There is no one else!"
"What is it?" She asked, curious and by now worried. If the man had come to find her that it was a big emergency; the man entered the herbal room, where they had been fixing the small pots and boxes of chrysanthemums and flowers, and bowed again.
"There was a fight in the markets, three of the boys were injured but one of them is sporting an injury similar to the one ghe Commanding General had."
"The one to his side?" She asked, horrified, as the man nodded.
"High Doctor you mustn't!" Said Deok Man, desperate, while Dae Man appeared behind the doctor, also shaking his head at her; she wasn't supposed to look at injuries, blood, or death and the General was willing to punish whoever forced to do so.
"We must ask you to help."
"But the General…!"
"Bring the instruments I have in the back, bring them. I can't horse ride so it could take a while…"
"We've brought a palanquin to take you. Please!"
"We can't waste time." He said to Dae Man, moving around the table to uncover the roundness of her belly to the man, whose eyes almost gauged out. "Yes, I am pregnant, but I am also capable of doing this. You will send word to the medical hall, tell them I'm coming and that they should rise the table higher, and find me a tall seat. I might take longer than necessary."
"But…"
"That's why…" She interrupted, and took Deok Man's hand. "That's why we must hurry. If the Commanding General finds me there you will be the one to pay." And the woman hurried, waddling as best as she could to the palanquin. The Maidens and maids all attempted to stop her, even stopping between the pregnant doctor and the door, but she used reason over their superstitions. "The child is already formed! Now move, nothing will injure my baby and besides the faster I can come back the less explanations you will have to give the Commanding General." And she waddled towards the palanquin, almost falling back as she entered it. Deok Man supported her, and climbed with her to the small space.
"Madam, this is insane."
"I'm a doctor I can't ignore this call."
"Yes but the General will have our heads."
"I'll deal with the General, if I take too long to arrive there, this man could die."
There was much blood, too much blood, on the floor when Eun Soo arrived. The man had been raised to a high table and while she cleaned her hands, disinfecting them, she started to shout orders. Bring water, knife, instruments, move, lift that, hold this… Two hours later, a record even for her, she was sowing the man up, breathing in deeply through the thick cloth over her face. She turned to Deo Gi, who had a disapproving stare, and asked if the mute girl could take over the sowing process.
"All you need to do is finish it." And she turned, taking off the white robes they used when such procedures took place. She rubbed her back, pain snuggling there for around forty minutes there, and let out a soft groan.
A knock was heard and she called, whoever it was, in.
Choi Young, as was expected, made it into the room; looked at the mess of a man and herbalist, doctors, and then turned to Eun Soo, who paled, eyes widening, before a smile broke through her lips.
"General!" She called, too cheerful for her liking, voice squeaking. He gave a disapproving stare, lowered his face in anger and took in a deep breath. The shadow of his beard was clearly visible; he still wore his armor and was dirty. She smiled nervously at him and waved. He lifted his head, attempting to relax with a deep breath but unable to walked to her, grabbed Eun Soo's wrist and pulled her out of the operation room.
"Have you no regard for my soul? Have you any idea how angry I am right now?"
"I can see it in your eyes. But I couldn't let the man die!"
"And risk our child? Risk the one inside of you?" The tone in his voice made the child kick hard, afraid; for some reason Eun Soo could picture the baby cowering away from the man, hiding deep into her sternum, holding onto her heart to keep from trembling. "Eun Soo this child is the most important thing right now and you are fragile right now!"
"I'm not fragile! I can manage quite well!"
But she couldn't.
Piercing pain hit her belly at that moment, as if a spear had entered her uterus and were attempting to remove the child from its warm cradle. She quickly bent forward, holding her belly together, as another pulsating trust was delivered; and she cried out. In the background of her existence at the moment, she could feel Choi Young taking tight hold of her, asking (screaming actually) what was wrong, then calling out for help. The pain was blinding and Eun Soo couldn't process much of it. She was suddenly lifted by her husband and she held on tight to his neck
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"They are called Braxton Hicks contractions." She whispered softly to Lady Choi, who had taken over her caring and was currently snuggling her on the bed, covering her well so she could rest. "It's false labor or contractions by the uterus, probably because there was too much tension on the cervix. They are harmless."
"They didn't look harmless when in full bloom." Said the woman, acidly, making Eun Soo stop and look down at her hands. "High Doctor, you have been relieved of duty by the King, why did you take this call? The doctors at the Medical Hall could have handled it."
"No, they couldn't have." Murmured Eun Soo, pouting.
"While you are important, this child is even more important. Have you any idea what this little episode has done to your husband? He is beside himself. When another general comes asking for you to save the soldier who started a brawl in broad daylight in the middle of the market, please consider Choi Young's feelings, the baby in your belly, and our worry, High Doctor." Her scold was full of motherly love, of disappointment and worry. It made Eun Soo look down, as usually everyone did while been scolded by the woman.
"I'm sorry." She said softly. "But the contractions have stopped."
"Thank the faiths for that. If the child had been delivered, then what? There was no way of knowing if the child would survive." Actually it wouldn't, but Eun Soo wasn't about to say so, the thought made her hands wrap protectively around her belly, and to cower into the pillows, ashamed. Lady Choi she moved to the door, carrying the dirty linens the old room had, and the cloths and several items that helped clean the room. Because she couldn't move much the WooDalChi had brought her to their old room, where she could rest and be well cared for, and be closer if she needed a doctor. "I'll go fix some seaweed soup for you, and tell Choi Young to come in. Don't even attempt to get up, or the child might complain again." And with that the woman left. EUn Soo pouted, considering that this time those around her were right and she was ashamed of herself for once; she had considered the life of the man but not how it might affect her pregnancy. And it was true; a seven month child had no chance of survival without all those advances offered at the times she had been born…
The door opened and she looked up, Choi Young entered the room briskly, and closed the door, sighing as he went down the stairs and finally his eyes set on her. He took in a tense deep breath, pulled a chair as he neared her, and set it beside the bed, sitting angrily over it. He didn't say a word, but stared at her. "Young-ah, are you angry?"
"Yes." And he said nothing more, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm sorry."
He said nothing, but his eyes diverted to stare at another spot, probably her enlarged belly; he had commented weeks ago that she was too small to carry his child, and that her belly was sure to burst before the ninth month but he hadn't expected such a thing to happen.
The door opened and Lady Choi appeared, carrying a tray with food. Choi Young didn't move from his position and allowed the woman to sit over the bed and help Eun Soo with the meal, a disturbingly tense silence emanated from the trio, making Eun Soo realize that she had been very wrong, yet the man had survived thanks to her treatment.
"Eat all of it." Said Lady Choi, as Eun Soo attempted to set the bowl down, having barely begun to eat.
"I'm not hungry."
"Eat all of it, Imja." Warned Choi Young, still not looking at her; the harshness of his tone made the older woman shot daggers at him, and caress the growing belly and making soothing sounds, something so unlike her… the baby inside of Eun Soo stirred and moved to caress Lady Choi's hand. She gasped, surprised, and rubbed the belly in quiet delight.
"See, even the baby wants you to eat, so eat." Eun Soo picked the bowl and drank, then turned to Choi Young.
"Don't take it out on the boys, I forced them to bring me."
"They had orders, and you are no General, your rank is still one of the lowest." And he resumed his silence, Lady Choi scolded at him visually, and then lifted the cup with water.
"Drink."
"Can you leave us alone for a little while; I have to talk to him in private."
"Whatever you two discuss, I'm on his side right now." And with a bow Lady Choi walked out. If Eun Soo didn't know Choi Young so well she might have confused his stare for unbreakable anger, but she could tell his anger was easing away; his features had softened, his eyes were warmer and the tension on his shoulders was slowly receding. She took a chance and cleared her throat.
"General."
"What were you thinking really? Did you consider something might have happened to you? Or did you think you are made of some indestructible substance that the child would inherit?" The anger was still there, thought, and it filtered through his words. "I died of fear when you doubled over, I thought I was losing the child, that I was losing you!" Again her head moved down, ashamed.
"I acted wrong…"
"Yes you did!" And finally his arms uncrossed and he leaned forward, covering his face with both hands. "Imja," He breathed out, eyes closed. "I've seen you kidnapped, poisoned, and in danger of death. When I saw you double over I thought I was losing the two most important things in my life. I died a little." He confessed, lifting his tearful eyes afterwards, she wanted to reach for him, but he wouldn't let her move.
Eun Soo managed to make her general cry.
"Young-ah." She called softly. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He caressed his cheek, eyes closed, and took several deep breaths.
"You are coming home tomorrow morning." And compliant she nodded. "You are not working anymore, and if I decide to punish the boys you will be quiet." Again, although unwilling, she nodded. "I still have so much to do with you, Imja. I haven't had enough time with you, not enough." He chocked, swallowing hard his tears. "I still have so much to do with you, and this child is barely scratching the surface of our lives. Won't you… won't you simply…?" He wasn't sure what he was asking, so he stood, and moved to the bed, making sure he wouldn't move her; he rested on his side, holding her head to his shoulder, one hand around her shoulder and the other joining hers over the bulging belly. "This child's only the beginning, Imja, barely the beginning. The time we've spent together is not enough, understood? There is still too much to live for, and this child must know it too."
Eun Soo sobbed openly now, his words were clumsy, but she understood them; they still had so much to look forwards to, holding this child's hand they would live together beyond a hundred years. She simply leaned against his neck, and sniffled, crying quietly.
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Three days later Eun Soo was sitting on the large pagoda outside her room, where the maids and WooDalChi had set a hundred pillows (Dae Man and Deok Man had both counted them) on the floors, where she could rest and enjoy the wind of coming autumn. The woman thanked her husband for helping her rest over the pillows and he gave her a few instructions:
"You are not to get up, or even attempt to. You cannot walk back to our room, I don't care how close it is Imja, and if you want something to eat or drink, holler, I made sure the maids are close by. Is that understood Imja?"
"Do I get to roll around?" She asked, annoyed at his overprotectiveness.
"With that belly you can barely move, how will you roll Imja?"
"It was a bad joke."
"I know, rest. Peaceful thoughts Imja." And he moved out of the pagoda, ordering the dogs to watch over her, while moving towards the other side of the gardens.
"Madam?" Asked a shy voice, appearing from the side; her faithful maidens hiding behind the two large wooden beams of the opposite entrance of the pagoda. It made Eun Soo smile widely.
"Where have you been? I've missed you!"
"Hiding from the General's wrath." They whispered, pointing at the garden, where Choi Young had both Dae Man and Deok Man exercising hard and long; he was holding a small stick, and for hitting them when they stopped moving. Her hypothesis was proven when Deok Man realized she was staring their way and waved, making Choi Young turn and hit the boy's back, getting him back to work. Eun Soo lifted her hands, as if praying for mercy.
I'm sorry. She mouthed to them, and looked away. The maidens were wise to hide, after all their reprimand would come from the General himself, been under his care and in his house… Yet he hadn't gone to them because he was sure Lady Choi would come by and deal with the women.
"Noona, are you feeling better?"
"Is the baby alright?"
"You won't be sick again, right?" Eun Soo quieted them with lifting her hands up, suddenly feeling like a goddess in her pillowed cloud and the servants wrapped around her.
"I'll be fine, when has Noona failed you?"