Chapter Eighteen: And so it starts

Tian and Ha-Seon waited with baited breath for the perfect moment to escape. Tian could feel her heart beat fast in her chest. So fast that she could hear the pounding of her heart in her ears, which made her breathing even more shallow. All the while, Ha-Seon was right by her side, gripping her hand in his, as if needing some sort of support. Tian didn't mind it all that much, even welcoming the small gesture. It was a comforting reminder that he was with her. That they were in this together. That, most importantly, she wasn't alone in this anymore, and that gave her more courage.

They could hear the rumblings of the guards outside the wagons as they laughed, and drank to themselves. They were so relaxed. The guards had no fears or worries of anyone trying to escape. They were too cocky for their own good.

Tian licked her dry and cracking lips with her slightly dry tongue, and then glanced at Ha-Seon. His eyes were firmly locked on the covering of the wagon. Tian squeezed his hand. Not too tight, but not too light either. It was just firm enough to garner his attention. He quickly glanced at her. Tian smiled slightly, nodding as if to say:

We're in this together. You're not alone.

Ha-Seon seemed to understand the message as he smiled, and squeezed back. Tian nodded, looking back at the wagon's closed flap.

Just awhile longer.

Tian thought, her heart pounding a bit faster.

"How far are they?" Min-Soo questioned,her hands tightening around herself as she became nervous at the prospect of a fight.

"About three miles from here." Yun answered as they walked to where Shin-Ah was currently standing, which was by a group of trees. Shin-Ah turned as soon as the group was beside him.

"Anything new?" Hak questioned, to which Shin-Ah nodded.

"There's a group of… Guards. They're all. Relaxing and drinking." He answered, turning back as he lifted his mask up just enough to watch the soldiers once again. Min-Soo looked at the pale faced man, and then at the others as they all began planning. She sucked in her lips, a worried expression crossing her face.

Am I really ready for a fight? What if something happens? Am I going to be prepared?

"You're thinking too much. Don't worry, chances are they're carrying some trading supplies, and we won't even have to fight." Min-Soo jumped slightly as Jae-Ha was suddenly beside her, talking to her in a low whisper. She looked at him, biting her lips.

"And if they're not? What if they're carrying.. What if it's human traffickers? What if they have Tian? Or Ha-Seon? Or somebody else? We can't just-"

"You don't have to worry. There's more than enough of us to fight. If anything, you can hang back like Yun does. There's no need for you to be involved."

"But I don't want to be useless." Min-Soo stared at Jae-Ha with a hard expression. He looked at her only a second longer before looking away with a slight smirk.

"Then, you do what must be done. You're better than what you think. Just don't over think it." He replied. Min-Soo looked at him a moment longer, and then looked away with her lips bitten once again.

Truthfully, Jae-Ha was hoping that they wouldn't have to fight. He was hoping that Tian wasn't in any of those guarded wagons. He hoped that they were just traders or travelers or anything else. Even if there was a fight to free people, he hoped that Tian wasn't among them.

Yes, Jae-Ha wanted, more than anything else, to be reunited with Tian. He wanted to have her by his side once again. He wanted to be reunited with her quickly. He wanted her to be safe. However, Jae-Ha did not want her to be in those wagons. Even if those men were a part of the human trafficking that was happening, Jae-Ha knew if Tian was among the victims, and was in those wagons, he wouldn't be able to hold back his anger.

At least if she wasn't in those wagons, he could pretend that she was safe, and happy somewhere else. Even if Jae-Ha knew that scenario was less than likely to be, it gave the Green Dragon a degree of comfort. He could have those far fetched fantasies and be perfectly happy with them until they were reunited.

However, if Tian was among those victims in those wagons, if that is what was happening, Jae-Ha wouldn't have the comfort of pretending she was safe and happy somewhere safe, and far away from this trouble. He would know, or have some sort of idea, of what she could have been going through all this time. That thought alone, set a very sour taste in the Green Dragon's mouth.

"Shin-Ah, what's happening now?" Jae-Ha questioned before his mind could travel to an ugly place. His words seemed to silence everyone as they all looked towards the Blue Dragon, whose eyebrows were drawn together.

"There's a… Fight." He announced slowly, more so than usual, as if he couldn't believe what his sharp eyes were seeing.

"A fight? Between who?"

"Between the guards?"

"Bandits perhaps?" Shin-Ah shook his head at each suggestion that Yona, Hak, and Kija had suggested. His eyebrows drawing together. His next words were all that needed to be said for everyone to quickly spring into action.

"Tian."

"They're drunk. We're OK." Tian whispered under her breath, glancing over at Ha-Seon. He looked at her nodding with a hard set to his lips.

"What do you think you two are doing?" Tian and Ha-Seon both looked at the person, a man in his mid-thirties and a scar running across his face, who had called out to them in a weak, resigned voice.

"We're getting out. Are you with us?" Tian questioned. The man scoffed,and looked away.

"You're just a child if you think escaping will be so easy."

"They'll kill you if they catch you two." Another one, this time a woman, spoke out.

"At least I'll die knowing I at least tried. I'm not willing to just roll over and do nothing. Or are you so resigned to what they've done that you have no hope? No will? If that's the case then fine, but for me and my friend we have people we want to live for. We want to see those people again. So, we're breaking out. Whether any of you are with us or not is of no matter." Tian whispered,and then quickly turned around. She took one deep breath,and held it for a moment before letting it go." Let's do this." She said, crawling to the flap of the wagon, and opening it.

Tian looked left. She then looked right. Her green eyes hardened as she kept a strict watch out for anything out of place. She felt a hand on her shoulders, and then looked at Ha-Seon. He nodded slightly, a determined look on his face. Tian smiled, nodding as she opened the flap, and stepped out.

Her heart pounded as she took Ha-Seon's hand, and helped him down. He then removed his hand from hers, and stood in front of her as he looked around, and then looked at her nodding.

Tian held her breath, preparing herself to run when suddenly someone had spoken out to her.

"Do you guys really think you can escape so easily?" Tian was moved out of the way quickly as Ha-Seon had all but shoved her out of the way of the man's blow.

Tian watched with wide eyes as Ha-Seon took the blade that was meant for her to his arm. She quickly stood up, taking a step to help him, but he looked back at her, eyes hard. Tian stopped in her tracks. She had never seen such a hard look in the young man's eyes before.

"Don't mind me! Just run!" He yelled.

Tian bit her lips, reluctant to leave him. He turned his attention back to the guard, grabbing the blade out of his arm, and using it against the guard, who was quick to defend himself with another blade. Tian bit her lips, turning to run when another guard knocked her down.

"And just where are you going?!" He looked down at her with menacing eyes.

Tian scowled, standing up shakily, and ready to fight against the man when he was suddenly knocked down. Tian looked up to see a person, the same one who had challenged them in the wagon, standing just right behind where the guard was, shakily holding a stone above his head.

"I want to fight." He said with hardened eyes. Tian smirked,nodding slightly.

"Let's do this." She stated, standing as the man lowered his arms.

Tian had ran past the guard that was knocked out. A trickle of blood was running down his temple, and he didn't move. Was he dead? Some part of Tian didn't care as she looked forward, grabbing the slave by the hand, and running to another wagon, her intent was now to save them all.