The Earth Tribe (I)

Troubling thoughts and a lost fight

The sun had risen, when Lily opened her eyes. The movement of the carriage had rocked her into sleep. Like a baby. Just her thoughts hadn´t been the one of a little child. Or maybe?

In front of her was Soo Won who seemed to have been awake the whole time. He just made that impression.

His arms rested on his legs, but his eyes seemed to have been on her. The whole time?

Lily felt embarassed. Most likely she didn´t look exactly pleasant to the eye when she was doozing off. That was only a sweet image in books, but in reality people rarely succeeded in fulfilling that expectation.

However, this person seemed neither bothered, nor desinterested. Soo Won had an air of calmness around him that he wore like a second garment. His ability to appear calm was astonishing in Lily´s eyes.

Either Soo Won was unique or she guessed wrongly again. After all, Lily believed that his person had tried to tell her that he liked her without losing face.

It was maddening. This person never tried to tell her directly, so she wondered time and time again if she only imagined this development or if it was in fact the truth.

„Good morning," he greeted her and she replied by giving him a „Good morning" back.

She would have wished to have a mirror in front of her, just to risk a peek. That this person saw her like this...Lily felt so embarassed.

„How are you? We left pretty early in the morning. Are you still sleepy? We have still a little time until we arrive in the capital of the Earth Tribe," he told her calmly but his eyes were sparkling.

Only his eyes gave him away.

No. Lily was sure now that he may have an interest in her as a woman. How strange. Even though she had wished for it, since it seemed to be the proper way, the one who was not ready, appeared to be Lily.

„I am fine," she answered and wondered about the warm feeling that was filling her chest.

Lily was wondering herself right now: Why does she wish to know? After all, she liked him, but was it in the way he wished?

She doubted it. She was not ready yet, even though it was so cruel not to be absolutely sure. It was cruel, because she wished for it and was afraid of it at the same time.

„Lily, is everything alright?", he asked her raising his eyebrows.

It looked a little silly, so that Lily had to smile. Yet she was aware how sweet it was that he cared.

His way of treating her made it hard to talk to him. Her cheeks felt quite hot, when she said:" I am fine. I have been just wondering why it happened. That was all. All there is to it."

Tilting his head, obviously pretty puzzled, he asked: „I am sorry, I fail to understand what you are talking about. What do you mean?"

Quite flustered, she said:" Oh well, I just wondered why you lost on purpose in the fight against General Tae-Woo?"

Now she had that picture in her head of his battle! Great Lily!

Of course she realized just a second later what a foolish thing she had said. The question in itself was interesting, but it was like putting her nose into something that had nothing to do with her. And to top it all, it was most likely pointless since Soo Won was not the type of person to answer such a question.

Also if she was wrong, she more or less told him in other words how stupid it was that he had lost.

Well, what she really reapt after this input: Soo Won raised his eyebrows a little more than earlier. However, he didn´t seem to be impressed by that question.

„ Honestly I am quite flattered that you believe that I lost on purpose," he answered and showed her a kind smile. It even reached his eyes. He really and clearly considered her question rather amusing than insulting.

Still smiling he shortly shook his head:" I have to disappoint you. General Tae-Woo is exceptionally good with this weapon. I tried to win against him, however, there would have not been an adequate way to succeed during the fight. I lost against a master of this weapon. "

Lily would have nearly bursted into laughter. „Not an adequate way"…

In fact she was glad that he didn´t mind, but in fact she wanted to ask him something completely different.

If he had seen it in her eyes? Was she as easy to read as he was sometimes hard to understand?

Nevertheless, when she opened her mouth to ask him matter of factly, if he harbored some feelings for her or if she only deluded herself, he was a little quicker.

„Have you ever seen Chishin? The market is supposed to be quite interesting? Why don´t we visit this bustling town," he suddenly told her, still smiling, but this time it didn´t quite reach his eyes.

The market of Chishin(I)

Lily had once visited Chishin as a 13 year old girl, shortly after her mother had been deceased. In those days the town had appeared in her eyes rather modest and a little run down. Just like the castle , where the Earth Tribe General resided.

Still it had been quite a pleasant journey. Nene, the new spouse of her father had wished for this little trip and her father still pretty infatuated by his new wife had agreed to her request. She had taken her new daughter with her instead of her husband, which had been strange in the eyes of Lily. Soon she realized that it was in order to distract her from her mothers death.

The bustling town had been quite a sight. The people of the Earth Tribe were livelier as the one within the Water Tribe. They shouted and screamt in joy or pain, mercilessly promoting their goods

In those times, the variety of the merchandise had been far less exquisite than now, but the vivid expression of the people of the Earth tribe proved to be still the same as in those times!

Soo Won wore the same white coat she had seen previously so many times before. They were walking next to each other with only little space between them. Lily could hear the hissing of her own blood in her ears. Somehow it was quite a tensed atmosphere between them.

Was it only because she believed that he was interested in her? Or was it also the memory of his lost fight against General Tae Woo?

O.K. She had been a little distracted when she had observed his movements during the tournament and had thought again that he was not quite bad during a battle. Stupid! She had seen him previously fighting and why did it make a difference now?!

„Have you ever come here before?", chirped this person next to her. Somehow this guy was awfully happy, but in a pretty hectic way that reminded Lily of the tone of a little bird that was jumping up and down in fear.

Maybe this was only her wishful thinking. How much would she like it if he truly cared!

Her cheeks were still burning and she feared that he could guess her thoughts.

„Is everything all right?", he suddenly asked her.

Two dark green orbs were directed at her and seemed to eye her up. This guy stared at her face with such an intense glare, that Lily was truly and honestly startled for a moment.

„Ah...nothing. Everythings fine," was all she could press out of her mouth.

„Then...it it is fine,...I guess," he answered in a vague tone that Lily was unable to interpret.

Lily was not sure if she just imagined it that this guy had nearly sighed. What a troublesome guy!

„Are you hungry?", she asked, while surpressing her urge to smile at him. This guy really was sometimes truly funny. She herself, too. They were both stupid. Behaving like they were scared chicken!

„Hungry?", he repeated her question. Turning his head around he smiled at her in a such a sweet way that Lily´s heart skipped a beat, just like in the stories she had read as a little girl.

„I am very hungry. What do you like to have?"

„ I dunno...Maybe some soup?"

Soup! They were talking about a meal and Lily felt like she had drunk several cups of whine! Her legs felt all swishy and weak.

„Good idea. Maybe we can have a few sweet dumplings later," he replied and turned his head a little away from her.

„You surely do like sweet food. Always prefering sweets," she added and considered this statement silly only a moment later. But it didn´t matter, did it?

„The meal must be sweet if life offers a full cup of bitterness. Though I do say a little cup of whine might be not the worst offer," chirped Soo Won, obviously in a good mood, though it seemed a little odd with his earlier behaviour. He walked a few steps in front of her.

When he mentioned the bitterness, a thought suddenly hit her.

„Soo Won," she whispered," should we even be here? After all isn´t there somebody after us?"

Suddenly this person stopped, turned around and approached her, a smile on his lips.

Directly in front of her ear, he whispered:„Dear Lily, assassins tend not to murder their targets in a crowd, since it is far less risky when they are alone with the people they wish to get rid of."

„Except it is far easier to get away among so many people," she said, surpressing a shudder. His warm breath was touching her bare skin. At once she became all sensitive. It was just a little air!

„Of course," Soo Won admitted in a low voice," but then there is still the problem that quite an amount of people have become witnesses to the murder and unfortunately it proves to be impossible for a simple assassin to let them all vanish in thin air."

„A point for you. So I can say that we are safe here?," Lily asked, tilting her head in order to place a little more space between them.

Snickering, he answered:" As long as you are part of the royal family, there will never be a day when you are completely out of any danger. Unfortunately you have to always be cautious, I am afraid." His tone had become deadly serious at the end.

„Look behind you. But be careful. Don´t be too obvious."

Tetora was standing next to a woman that was trying to sell her a few bottles of parfume. Her former guardian seemed to be overly interested in the words of the older woman. Lily was turning her head a little and there she saw a person she remembered she had seen earlier within the soldiers that has accompanied them up until now.

„There are more, but we are not able to perceive them at the moment. I think your other guardian might be a few steps in front of us," he added, moving closer. Lily shuddered.

It was not that she didn´t understand why he behaved like this. In the eyes of other people they might only appear as a young couple, whispering sweet words to each other, but still!

„Are you relieved?" he asked. His eyes had the same dark green tone they had earlier in the carriage.

„I guess," she answered weakly.

Soo Won nodded and started to move.

„ I am sorry if I have infiltrated your personal space. But this is a matter that should not be discussed in the open," he replied in a so formal manner that Lily felt as if a little knife was stabbing her in the heart.

Of course this person realized when she was uncomfortable. This guy really was pretty sensitive.

Without further hesitation she asked:" Soo Won, do you mind, if I take your arm?"

Usually she had just grabbed his hand without using any kind of unnecessary words, but she felt, if he was so determined to pay attention to her wish to keep a certain distance, she could not ignore his privacy.

Soo Won´s eyes grew. Obviously this was a turn of events he had not anticipated. But it was such a simple thing, so why did it surprise him to that extent? Really! They were a couple after all. It was not just simple pretense!

„I would love to…," he answered after a little pause. There was a light in his eyes that had not been there a moment ago.

So she let her right hand rest on his left arm. She was so happy that there was so much cloth between her hand and his skin. Her ears felt awfully hot just thinking about it.

Lily wondered right now if he had just agreed, because she had wanted to….

She could actually feel how tense he was. Had she only imagined that he liked it? But she had even asked! Should she let go after all?

Slightly she shifted her hands.

„Are you interested in these goods?," he asked attentively, moving towards a guy who was trying to propose a bunch of highly expensive jewels.

„Wow. They look extraordinary," Lily exclaimed. What beautiful stones! The quality must be also not that bad considering the crowd that was trying to get their hands on these stones!

„Talking about not drawing attention to yourself," Soo Won said, while grinning from one ear to the other.

„That makes you happy?" That wasn´t a question by far.

„Of course," he said, still smiling," those stones and me – we both have a long history, dating back to my earlier days as a king."

Lily felt like all blood was leaving her. She was thinking of a certain precious item. As red as blood. But there were more valuable stones in there, than just the vivid rubies.

Yona.

This guy had once gifted her friend this beautiful, well-crafted hairpin.

Most likely this guy didn´t mean these stones, but weirdly enough, she had to think about the hairpin now.

He has never answered that question. Why did he give her this beautiful thing, if he had intended to mercilessly cut her father down? It didn´t make any sense. A trivial question that stirred something in her.

Could it be that he had wished to marry her? Lily knew that Yona had been in love with Soo Won in her previous life, when she had been still the naive little girl without a care in the world.

Somehow this was a possibility that was hard to bear.

„Lily? Lily, are you feeling unwell?"

Shocked Lily realized that Soo Won had drawn near again. This time she could see concern in his eyes.

„No. Not at all," she said, but she noticed that he didn´t believe her one word. The wrinkles on his forehead were telling her otherwise.

„Well, with this complexion you could surely compete with every ghost in town. You look even more pale than during our wedding," he said in a rather light tone.

„Oh? You thought that I looked like a ghost?"

Lily felt a little depressed, being aware of this fact now.

„I surely did, my sweet spouse," he continued in that same light tone," you were as sweet as a rose, but unfortnately as pale as a ghost."

„And I – for a note – don´t fancy wandering ghosts," he added in a more serious tone. For a moment his eyes had become several shades darker.

However this moment passed as sudden as it had occured. Light in his eyes. Now they seemed rather bluish with just small spots of green in them.

„I do like your rosy complexion now, far more than the artificial one during our wedding," he said, while he reached out his hand, slightly touching her cheeks with the tips of his fingers.

No wonder he considered her complexion „rosy"! Her cheeks felt burning hot. Most likely she got even redder!

Obviously this guy finally realized what he had said and drew his hand back as quickly as if he had burnt it on a hot oven.

„I am sorry," he said, actually also appearing rather „pinkish" to the eye.

„You do also have a rather pretty„rosy" complexion yourself, my sweet husband" giggled Lily. It was hard to hold it in, if you became an onlooker of such a sweet scene!

„Em," clearing his throat, he clearly tried to change the topic. As if he could fool her with this move!

„ Do you wish to purchase one of these jewels?", he asked.

„No," she shook her head, curtly," I think I have plenty of these things already."

Thinking about the hairpin had ruined it for her.

„Really?," commented Soo Won, raising his eyebrows comically," This is quite surprising. I thought you would have liked it, since you have already heard about the connection to General Geuntae. But obviously you are completely unaware."

„Lord Geuntae?"

What had General Geuntae to do with these sparkling jewels?

„Lord Geuntae isn´t the kind of guy to hang a bunch of jewels around his neck," Lily proclaimed in such a loud voice that a couple of people turned around.

An old guy laughed at her and responded with an equally loud voice:" What do you know, woman!"

All these reactions startled her. As if she was the clueless idiot!

„Well," Soo Won interrupted the flow of her thoughts," actually at one point he had to wear them. These sparkling jewels."

His lower lip was quivering and Lily could see how much effort this guy had to put in! This guy obviously amused himself.

Soo Won chuckled, not trying to hide his amusement anymore.

„He did?!"

Lily was speechless. Why would Lord Geuntae wear something like this? Somehow Lily felt as if her image of this person had been shaken fundamentally.

„But he didn´t like it. Completely helpess in front of Lady Yun ho."

„Why would Lady Yunho do something like this?"

There was a light shining in his eyes." Because I suggested it to her," he whispered.

Lily stared at him. Did he play a trick on Lord Geuntae in the past and the General was unaware of it? !As Lord Geuntae truly trusted this airhead over there, it had to be something like this!

„Of course! It was quite a nice joke that General Geuntae wore this kind..."

„Wrong," interrupted the seller that had listened to their talk, though Lily believed that he had not heard the part where Soo Won admitted that this had been originally his idea. The old guy was breathing heavily and shuddered as if he had heard the most unbelievable thing on Earth.

„This were the stones that our General wore during his spectacular win against his Majesty the King!"

This guy still seemed to be quite shaken.

„Do you wish to buy one of this precious stones now?", he finally asked, glaring at them as if they had committed the gravest sin.

„Soo Won, I believe you haven´t earnt a new friend," whispered Lily beside him. Now she was the one who had trouble to keep a straight face.

„I agree," said Soo Won with a smile, still pretty much amused. Obviously not even this could upset this guy.

Still smiling, he said:" Then there is nothing we can do about it then buy a few stones, isn´t that right?"

The dark clouds in that old guys face finally vanished when Soo Won bought two identical pieces. He handed one to Lily.

„These stones draw a lot of attention," she commented, but Soo Won merely shook his head.

„Look around you, Lily. I think we would rather caught somebody´s eye if we didn´t wore this gems."

True. There were quite a lot of people wearing them. Weird.

„Hey, Soo Won, say, what great victory acquired Lord Geuntae for these stones selling so well?",she whispered, while automatically putting her hand back where it belonged. On his arm.

Soo Won noticed these action, by slightly raising his eyebrows. Did he mind it?

„Oh, welll, it is just another one of my loses, dear spouse," he whispered, strangely turning pink.

„Wait...that means...he fought against you? Huh? Why would you fight against Lord Geuntae?"

„I merely suggested a little show in front of a rather big audience. A battle, but instead of dead people there were only broken dishes."

Obviously her face must have been quite a look, since there was a hint of laughter in his gestures, in his light voice and even shined brightly in his bluish eyes.

Lily pressed slightly his arm. It was such a sweet sight to glance at.

„So? Are you sure you gave it your all, dear husband? And you have to explain the part with the dishes or I imagine you and Lord Geuntae striking at dishes in order to find out who is quicker with his arms," she chuckled. The image was as vivid in front of her eyes as it could be.

Just as amused as Lily Soo Won explained:"A wonderful idea! It would have been quite an interesting sight if two grown-up man try to demolish a certain amount of dishes! Unfortunately we merely placed the dishes on the heads of people."

„Ha! What a sight! A couple of grown-up guys with dishes on their heads. I think you used wooden sticks to break them?"

Suddenly she felt how he disappeared from her grasp. Lily didn´t understand in the first moment what had happened. Then she realized that she must have leaned in and this was maybe too near for Soo Won? She had just been so caught up in the moment that she hadn´t noticed it sooner.

This guy looked all shaken up. His face could compare with Yona´s fiery red hair right now.

„Ah...I am sorry," she said and didn´t quite know what to say.

„Ah...are you hungry? I could eat a whole horse now. How about we search for a restaurant?",said Soo Won so quickly that Lily had trouble to understand him in the first moment.

„Sure...", she responded, still pretty puzzled by the recent development.

This time there was quite a distance between them, while they walked next to each other. Lily inwardly shook her head. This guy was shyer than any innocent maiden and he was supposed to have slept with another woman….

Sighing she followed him into a restaurant. Suddenly she didn´t feel hungry anymore.

There were rather few people present and Lily wondered if the meals were edible. Soo Won chose a table at the corner where hardly any other person was able to spot them, but they were able to notice everybody that would go through that door.

In front of them was an elderly couple. The woman wore blue clothes and so did her husband. The blue gemstone fitted her blue eyes. Soo Won was right, there were quite an amount of people who presented these stones like some sort of privilege.

The show he had planned must have been quite the success and most likely it was one reason why Lord Geuntae had been one of the first followers of this king.

„What do you like to have?", asked Soo Won. Obviously pretending as if the earlier scene had never happened.

Lily chuckled. Soo Won seemed to be surprised.

„Are you alright?"

Tilting her head, Lily wondered if it was the right moment to ask, to try again, but she realized that this place was as as good as any other. Maybe even better since the probability that Soo Won could suddenly disappear was rather low.

This time it would be harder for him to avoid the topic.

„Soo Won I have a question that doesn´´t go out of my head….So..."

However, before she could even utter one more word, he raised his hand, telling her:" Please no...not yet...Please not yet. I am not sure myself...I still have trouble sorting out...if...or when...and because...I don´t know if you understand."

„Not one word," thought Lily.

Now it was on Lily to be lost. She didn´t quite know how to correctly respond. All what she could say, was:" How do you know what I wanted to ask you?"

This question wasn´t what he had expected. She could see it in his eyes and in the way how he suddenly drew his shoulders back...as if he wanted to draw a line between them…

„You….You wished to ask about why I behaved differently, didn´t you?"

Differently? You are weird, my friend. You behave more strangly than me during my wildest phase of love, when I was still madly in love with Lord Geuntae.

Huh? I wonder...if….

„Lily?"

„Yes?"

„What were you thinking?..."

He was leaning a little over the table and a few strands of his blonde hair were falling losely on his shoulders. Lily smiled.

„I just wondered about something...and I think I am going to tell you, when I am sure about it,"she said. Somehow this scene calmed her emotions more effectively than any words.

Soo Won´s eyes widened slightly, but this expression immediately turned into a smile. His eyes were looking at her so kindly ,that Lily could feel the warmth seeping through her to the tip of her toes.

„Yes, ...I think I am going to follow you in your example. I am going to tell you, when I can have more confidence regarding that matter. Right now…I am still pretty uncertain."

In contrast to his words, his eyes still shined warmly on her.

„I think that this is good for now," she answered. Why should she pressure him? They had talked about it and if he was not able to tell her right now….it didn´t matter, did it?

„What do you wish to eat?", she changed the topic.

„I think I am going to start with a soup. A warm meal would be fine. A few dumplings...I am not sure about the meat...Let´s see."

„You are surely hungry," she commented grinning from one ear to the other," I think when you are older, you have to watch out more."

Reciprocating her grin, he answered:" I bet that you will get rounder before me, though you will be surely a sweeter sight than me."

Eyeing him, Lily wondered: „Does this guy behave like this on purpose? This is already the second time that he has said something like this? Does he wish to drive me mad?"

Suddenly her face felt so hot. Was this revenge for last time?

„You surely consider this amusing?", Lily hissed bitterly.

„I do," was the immediate answer.

„You behave like a child."

„That may be so, but you are actually the one who is pouting right now," answered Soo Won in a light tone.

Tilting his head, he asked:" Have I seriously hurt you?"

Raising her hand, she said:" I´ll survive. I swear I will survive this little teasing."

„That was not my intention….I only..."

„Alright," she interrupted him," Really! It is alright! No greater damage taken. Really, you do not have to take it that seriously or things are gonna be akward between us!"

Soo Won laughed: „You mean, more akward than now?"

Nodding Lily commented:" That´s right."

She just had to answer his smile.

Cupping his hands, he answered:" As you wish."

Sighing, she said:"Actually I was far more upset that you said that you would consider me cute even if I should become fat one day."

Lily could feel her cheeks getting warm. It was so embarrasing, but she thought she should clear the misunderstanding.

Soo Won opened his mouth and it seemed as if he wanted to say something, but closed it before the words had been formed.

„I am sorry. I did not really think much about it. When I am with you, I feel sometimes so light. If I go sometimes too far because of that, it is good to know."

„You know, there are two kinds of people. The ones you don´t take such flatteries to heart and the ones who do. Unfortunately I am the last category."

There was a pressure on her chest she could not get rid of. It hurt. Kind words could actually hurt. Who would have believed that? Yes, he might like her, but most likely not to that extent. That is why it hurt. The hope she felt when she listened to his words was tormenting. That – she had learnt in her last relationship.

She was trying to hide her face with her right hand. It was so embarrasing.

„I am sorry. Maybe I am overreacting. I mean, you said a couple of nice things to me and here I am all getting flustered over it and such….Even though there are just things that one says to his wife...Ah...it is really...I am sorry," she stammered. Strangely she felt ready to cry.

„Lily?

Suddenly her hand seemed to move on her own. Soo Won put slightly pressure on it.

„It was no lie, Lily. Maybe I was going a little too far, but I cannot imagine right now to...to….to not... think ...well, that you are cute."

Lily swore, she had never seen a person blush harder than Soo Won did right now.

She smiled. Right now, she was so happy that she could have shouted. She was pressing his hand as well.

„Thank you...and I am sorry for misunderstanding you."

„Lily," Soo Won said, still holding her hand," don´t you think that it is strange that there has been no waitress here yet?"

Chuckling she responded:" I think it would have been rather strange if that guy would have interrupted us, right?"

Quite content, Soo Won asked: „How can you be sure that there is a waiter? When we entered this restaurant, there was only one waitress serving the tables."

Rolling her eyes, she commented:" You just had to say this!"

Supporting his head with his right hand, he said: „Of course. But look. The waitress realized that „our quarrel" has passed."

It was just like Soo Won had said: An old woman was approaching them. She looked tired and Lily could imagine why she had avoided them earlier. You don´t want to be involved with a disagreement of people who have nothing to do with you.

Pretty quickly they had chosen their meals and Lily was surprised that Soo Won didn´t take every dish he had chosen before.

„It was merely a joke, that you get fat. That you can eat a lot more than me, is only natural," Lily said, when the waitress had come again with two cups and a jug of steaming hot tea. Somehow it disturbed her that he may have taken her words to heart. Earlier she had complained that he used his words thoughtlessly, yet she must have hit a sensible spot!

„So? Maybe I am also quite sensible regarding this matter," he said, but his expression and gestures made it pretty clear, that he was actually mocking her.

„Sheessh! Soo Won, can´t you be serious for once?"

„It is alright, Lily. I really didn´t mind that you made this joke earlier,...it is just that…,"here he suddenly paused and fell silent.

Just in time he had stopped himself from throwing another statement between them that would undoubtly lead to misunderstandings, or worse, she would be able to see that he felt still pretty shaken concerning her earlier reaction.

That these words he had expressed just a short while ago, had actually hurt her….He still felt upset about it and whenever he was upset, he had actually a pretty little appetite. That was why he hasn´t chosen many dishes. He would be barely able to eat them, so it would be just a waste.

But then he had actually told her! Soo Won was so embarrased that he wished he could just vanish in air right now! It was not supposed to be like this! He had wanted to sort it out, to become clear about his own feelings and not….

He really wanted to hide his face right now!

Outwardly Lily was able to observe his suddenly changing complexion. At first this person had become pale, just to blush so deeply. This sight!

When she wished to drink a little tea, she saw that Soo Won´s eyes first grew, but then his lips curved and his eyes were sparkling.

Huh?

„Ah...well," he said.

„Yes?"

„Lily...this was actually my cup. But don´t worry...Pfff...I just..."

Before he could even utter one more word, she had raised her hand and presented the cup in front of him.

„Do you mind to share?", she asked cooly, but it was hard not to laugh as well.

„Sure," he said, placing his hands over hers.

„Your meals," interrupted the waitress them suddenly. She was so tired of waiting until these two fools had finished!

They were both so startled ,that they both let go and the cup flew up into the air.

Gossiping waitresses

„Young love must be splendid," argued a younger waitress.

Her older colleague was just rolling her eyes. She had enough of these senseless couples these days. She was tired and she had to wait an awful long time, until she could serve this two fools!

„Well, they were at least not well accustomed to each other," replied the older waitress. They were both so sensitive towards each other that it could have been endearing, if she had not been completely tired. She was getting too old for this job!

„They were both so dramatic and over the top..."

The older waitress just had to shake her head.

„It gets better," the younger waitress who has been married for several years, said.

„Sometimes," the older one commented," and sometimes it gets worse."

The market of Chishin (II)

The evening was quickly approaching. The setting sun was coloring the world in a tender golden light. Fewer people were roaming around the market. Lily and Soo Won – they both had forgotten the time.

Soo Won realized that General Ju do would be most likely fuming. Lily had taken his hand, when they had left the restaurant and he had finally felt a little more comfortable.

Most likely because they both were tired of tip-toeing around each other.

„Look,they even sell animals here."

„He most likely collected them from other countries. I don´t think that these kind of apes exist here."

„There were once human beings sold here," whispered Lily.

„Though it was a long time ago."

„Yes," Soo Won replied," and they are still sold in other countries."

„What are you thinking?", she asked.

„Originally I just wished to spend with you a nice time together, but somehow ….."

He sounded a little depressed.

„Have I ruined it?", she asked.

Soo Won glanced at her, looked into her eyes and shook slowly his head.

„No. Maybe it was just not possible."

Lily smiled and looked into his eyes. She really wished to convey that this was completely alright. It was completely alright and that she liked being with him here.

„The day isn´t over yet. Look there are books right there," she tried to put these feelings into her voice.

Soo Won nodded slowly and followed her. He felt like a knot in his chest had been finally released.

„The quality is actually good," he exlaimed, a little surprised.

„That you are interested in that kind of books," she said, while tipping on the book.

„I thought you hated their guts."

Really that this guy wanted to read a book about philosophy that was so clearly influenced by religion.

„Know your friends well , and know your enemies even better. I am sure you are aware of that saying!", he said, while he closed the book.

„ I am seriously considering to buy this book," he mumbled, rubbing his chin.

This guy bought 2 books at the end and Lily also took her fare share. The sun was already setting at the moment.

„Ju do must be out of his mind," commented Lily who was currently occupied with reading the book she had purchased.

„I am aware that we have not much time left, Lily. Just one more moment," Soo Won said while he turned the page.

Both were sitting right now at the shore of a river, Lily failed to remember.

„You aren´t too eager to meet Lord Geuntae?", asked Lily curiously, since she had expected that Soo Won was actually quite fond of this followers of his. Unconsciously she was moving her body closer to him.

„I am not, but that has not that much to do with the General himself. I just fear that there will be plenty of occasions for certain moments. But I am actually excited to meet them," explained Soo Won, meeting her eyes.

„What kind of book have you chosen?"

„Me?" She flipped the book," It is only a book about pretty common fairy tales. I remembered that I had a similar one during my childhood."

„So...this is a book for that child?", Soo Won asked. His eyes appeared rather dark in that light. Lily was wondering if she imagined things right now.

„Yes." She observed her hands, clenching them tightly in her skirt. Somehow Soo Won must have noticed her movement.

„Are you cold?"

Surprisedly Soo Won´s own other robe was placed on her shoulders. Lily stared at him.

„Soo Won, have you read any romance novels in the past?"

It was the first question that came to her mind. This was such a typical occurence in this kind of stories that…

Soo Won stared at her.

„Lily, do you really think that I had the time during my childhood to read these?"

His tone was very suspicious. No doubt about it.

„Have you?," she repeated the question patiently.

His mouth stood open. Not much, but enough that she knew that she had hit the point.

„How could you know...that I …?"

„I was right! I knew you must have taken a few glances!"," she triumphed!

Covering his face with his hands, he sighed deeply.

„ Oh come on, Soo Won. It´s not that much of a crime! I am sure every guy has looked at least once in such a book, just to know why girls are so crazy about them!",Lily was quite enjoying herself.

„I was merely curious! I only wanted to know what Yona was talking about! That was all," he moaned.

It hit. Hearing that name from him. It hurt.

„Soo Won," she heard herself ask," have you ever wished to marry Yona?"

The question was out before she knew what she was doing.