Hak's P.O.V
I lean my ear down to Rin's chest. I listen, but all I can hear is the soft pitter-patter of a damping heart. Slowly, her heart begins to let go. I close my eyes as tightly as I can to stop the tears from flowing. Yun works furiously to mix the antidote. He sprints towards me with ferocious force and shoves the vile into Rin's mouth. Sweat drips heavily from his temples and tears brim his eyes. The violet liquid vanishes and we wait. We continue to wait late into the night until all of the others have fallen asleep. Still, I clutch Rin by her soft and delicate hands waiting for her to return. Unable to stay awake, I drift into a slumber filled with worry and nightmares.
Your P.O.V
The searing pain in my chest is absent and my throat no longer burns. The taste of blood still lingers between my lips. I struggle through the darkness until I find my way back to reality. Patiently and with caution I open my eyes. I try to sit myself up but a weight clings to my chest, preventing me from moving. I look down towards the pressure on my torso and notice Hak sleeping peacefully on my abdomen. His face looks drained of life, yet he is at peace. I smile to myself. Yun walks over to me and sits down. He places a cold cloth over my forehead and smiles warmly. It is refreshing and nullifies my pounding headache. The others gather around now, their eyes filled with rejoice and relief. "You look like you have seen a ghost!" I joke with a tinge of dark humor. Everyone sighs at me and Jae-ha nudges my shoulder. They take turns giving me gentle and heartfelt hugs.
"You know you almost died. You could at least be a little more serious about all this." Yun nags with a stern expression. I lean forward and give him a soft kiss on the forehead. He blushes and turns his face away. I giggle at his embarrassment.
"Thank you." I whisper between laughs. Jae-ha chimes in with a snide remark.
"I don't think the thunder beast would appreciate that, so let's just keep it a secret." He points towards the sleeping mass in my lap. Then places his finger over his lips to shush me. "He stayed up all night waiting for you to gain consciousness, he must be exhausted." I smile to myself and reach my hand out towards him. I gently brush the scattered hair from his face. He stirs. Slowly, he lifts his head up and wipes the sleep from his eyes. I flash him a 'welcome back to the land of living smile', but before I can say anything he smothers me in a warm embrace.
"Can't… breathe…" I choke out and he lets go. Tears of joy form in his eyes. This is the first time I have ever noticed his genuine care for me. I feel my heart warm in my chest. I lean forward and press my cheek to his chest. He wraps his arms around me and we sit there for a while.
A few minutes later, Shin-ah and Yona come running towards us. Shin-ah remains emotionless and Yona coughs, terrified and out of breath. "A small troop of soldiers is approaching from the North." Shin-ah states calmly. Hak swiftly stands up and I proceed to follow, but he stops me.
"You stay here." He barks and then motions for everyone else to follow. Everyone leaves the campsite and disappears into the thick forest. I quickly gather my belongings, tie up my hair, bind my chest and dress in my robe. I sprint into the forest to follow my comrades.
Shortly after, I approach the area where the soldiers have gathered. I remain hidden in the brush surrounding the clearing. A mysterious figure emerges through the crowd. His hood covers his face but he swiftly removes it. A sustained gasp falls over the group. King Soo-won has come for me. I look towards Yona. She grabs the sleeve of Hak's robe and casts her gaze to the ground. She restrains herself from sobbing. Hak clenches his fists and reaches for the spear fastened to his back. "Please do not be alarmed, we do not wish to fight you." Soo-won states nonchalantly, as if he had committed no wrongdoing. "We cannot afford to waste soldiers on harmless threats such as you."
"So you can go to war, right?" Yona sneers coldly. Soo-won is taken aback by her harsh response. It is evident that she holds a special place in Soo-won's heart. Just for a minute, it seemed as if she was able to touch the real Soo-won. But, his expression quickly returns to its solitude state. He ignores the comment and continues on with his speech.
"You have two options: return the Queen to me or face immediate execution." Hak begins to speak, but I emerge from my hidden position and cut him off mid sentence.
Hak's P.O.V
"If it is a fight you seek, then I will be your opponent." Rin taunts in a condescending tone. My anger festers from inside me. She is in for a long scolding once this is over. Soo-won quickly counters her remark.
"And who would you be?"
"Just a traveller passing by, intrigued at the sudden commotion." She lies through her teeth in order to protect us. "The match will be a one on one battle. You against me. If I win then you will return this group's freedom. If I lose they will return your beloved Queen back to you." She stares daggers at him to let him know that she is serious. He snickers to himself.
"This will be a quick fight. You haven't the slightest idea who you are up against, you naïve and ignorant fool." He sneers and a fire burns in his eyes. He unsheathes his katana from his back. "I will retrieve my Queen." Rin pulls her katana from her side and grips it firmly with both hands. She wastes no time and immediately rushes towards him at full force. If she is impulsive like that then Soo-won will surely defeat her, he is an extremely skilled swordsman. "A rookie mistake." He coos and side steps quickly, thrusting his sword towards her neck. Anxiety rises in my chest and I prepare to run towards her in order to stop the attack. But, he has fallen for her plan. She pivots and dodges right, seamlessly avoiding his attack. She slides to the right across the dry dirt until her foot is planted firmly into the ground. She lifts her left leg and spins, kicking him in the square of his back. He stumbles forward and regains his balance. She has no intention of killing him, but the bloodlust in his eyes proves that he will be in no mood to negotiate. He forcefully rushes towards her and thrashes his sword downwards. She tirelessly counters and the two begin to exchange, what would otherwise be considered, deadly blows. They move in a synchronized torrent, almost too fast to see. Their movements are calm and collected, like a beautiful dance. I cringe as I speak.
"Not even I was a match for Soo-won's swordsmanship when we fought at the palace and yet, she is effortlessly keeping pace with him." Jae-ha and Kija turn to me with looks of absolute terror plastered across their faces. They return their attention to the sword fight and watch intently with astonishment. Who is this girl? I question to myself. I turn my gaze towards Yona. She watches Soo-won's every movement. Her heart is torn in two. She does not wish harm upon her new found friend or the love of her life. To her, there will be no winner. I look back towards the battle and see Soo-won has gotten within close range of Rin. She shields herself from Soo-won's blade. Soo-won quickly takes advantage and leans into her chest and thrusts the butt-end of his sword into her ribs. She falls backward, the wind completely knocked out of her.
"You lose." He taunts with confidence. He lifts his sword to pierce her heart and I begin to run forward to stop him. Kija grabs my arm and pulls me back. I am about to scream at him when Rin kicks her foot out from under her. She hits both of Soo-won's ankles, sending him tumbling over. As he falls, Rin leaps forward and flips, balancing her weight by two fingers on the edge of his katana. She flies over top of him and lands swiftly on her feet. She swings her left leg out and kick Soo-won's right wrist. His sword launches into the air and clatters to the ground. Soo-won sits dumbfounded on the ground staring up at the menacing warrior who bested him. Rin points her swords towards him and gives an ominous look. She decides to sheathe her sword. She had no intention of killing him from the start. She offers her hand towards him and he accepts. Once he is standing, he darts towards her and grabs her by the throat. She is lifted into the air and continues to struggle beneath his grasp. A menacing aura surrounds him and his eyes glow a devilish crimson. "You foolish man." He sneers unbeknownst to the fact that he is strangling his precious wife.
"Hey!" Yona shouts. "You lost fair and square so let him go!" Soo-won sighs and releases Rin. She falls to the ground, clutching at her throat and chest. She wheezes and coughs as she tries to catch her breath.
"You had skill in a one on one battle, but you could never defeat an entire army. None of you could. Know your place you mongrels; there is no hope that you will ever defeat me. Return my wife by morning or I will burn your precious Wind Clan to ashes." Soo-won growls at Hak. Hak remains frozen in place, unable to move. The terror radiates from his body. Soon after, Soo-won disappears into the brush with the rest of his troop.
Your P.O.V
Kija rushes to my side and lifts me to my feet. I motion with my hand to let him know I am alright. I look towards Hak and his gaze is cast downward. Yona tugs on his sleeve, but upon his lack of response she turns to me with worry. I nod to tell her it will be okay. We walk back to the campsite and Hak remains silent. Yun prepares a meal and we eat in muteness. Unable to take the tension, I stand and walk into the brush. I sit on a nearby rock and sob into my hands. I have no choice now; I know what I must do.
"You're going back to him, aren't you." I am startled by Hak's sudden appearance. I turn to him with tears flowing down my reddened cheeks. I leap into his arms and sob as I sniffle into his chest. "Don't." He whispers. I look up at him with surprise. Tears form in the corners of his stern eyes. "Don't go back to that awful man."
"But, the Wind Clan is your home as much as it is mine." I plead and he just tightens his arms around me.
"We will go to the Wind Clan and warn them about the attack. They will be able to defend themselves." Hak tries to comfort me, but I know that it will be too late. I know that there is nothing I can do, but he won't let me leave.
"Okay." I reply, knowing I will be leaving late into the night without his knowledge. Hak carries me back to the campsite and lays me down on a blanket. He curls up beside me and rests his arm across my waist. He pulls me in closer, wrapping me in his warm embrace. I blush at the immense heat that flares from his body. For such an intimidating man, he is extremely gentle. I can feel his heart beat against my ear. I really do love this impulsive gorilla. I forget about my worries and the world around me. And, for a moment, the threat of death and destruction isn't a looming shadow over my being. I am no longer the Angel of Judgment, I am a normal girl. This is what love means. It means having someone to turn to, even when the world is crashing down around you. Slowly, I sink into his loving embrace and drift off to sleep. Happiness encloses me like a light shining in the middle of a blackened night. Tomorrow will be an unpredictable day. Little did I know that I wouldn't get the chance to show him my gratitude and feelings.
Eventually the sun peeks over the horizon and I am forced out of my slumber. Hak no longer holds me tightly to his chest. The perfect opportunity is in front of me. I quietly rise from the ground and untie my hair. I change into my more feminine robe and leave my belongings behind. My katana and my robe is neatly stacked in a pile for the others to find when they wake up. I look back at my family one more time, my heart full of sorrow and regret. Without hesitation I march towards Hiryuu castle, which sits only a few short kilometers away. "Goodbye." I whisper to myself, but I do not allow myself to cry because I know in my heart that this isn't a final goodbye.
Hak's P.O.V
I slowly wake from my slumber, but, at the sudden realization of what time it is, I jolt forward. I search my surroundings, but they are vacant of Rin. I place my head in my hands. I try my hardest to be angry, but I can't. Somewhere in my heart I knew this would happen. She really needs to stop putting everyone else above her own happiness. One person can only sacrifice so much before they break. She is such a foolish girl. My cheeks burn a bright crimson and I smile to myself. Yun is going to kill me when he wakes up and finds out I let her leave. Today starts our final journey. Once everyone is awake we will head for Hiryuu castle to retrieve Soo-won's battle plans. There is no doubt that Rin will be waiting for us. She may be foolish but she is also undoubtedly cunning. The only way into the castle was to hide in broad daylight. The only person Soo-won is unsuspecting of is her. This was her plan all along. I will find you Rin.