Chapter Twenty-Six: An almost confession
A/n: I actually am doing this a bit different than how I've previously done these type of chappies, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Regardless, thanks so much to everyone who has given this story attention! You are all amazing! Happy readings!
It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!
I gotta move! I gotta move! I gotta move!
Why can't I move?!
If I don't get out of here they will kill me!
They will kill me!
Someone, anyone, help!
If I stay here, I will die!
I can't die! I can't die! I can't die!
No matter how much Tian screamed, her body refused to move. It felt as though her body was frozen in place.
As she opened her eyes, she realized she was surrounded in darkness, which scared her even more.
My sight!
Why can't I see?! Why can't I see?!
What's happening!
Tian opened her mouth to scream, but once again, nothing came out. Her throat swelled, rendering her unable to even so much as whimper. She put her hands around her throat, trying to get her voice to work once again.
My sight!
My voice!
Someone help me!
I don't know what to do!
What's happening!
I'm scared!
Tian felt tears go down her face as fear overcame every other emotion.
She looked around again, surprised to see a familiar, and yet distant, place.
Mud-made homes with straw and wood covering the tops in a slanted, make-shift way of a home. Her voice hitched slightly.
Home. Rykoryuu Village.
Tian realized, wiping at the tears on her face, but oddly enough, it was empty.
As she was able to stand up, and move around, she noticed every home was empty. It seemed as though the people just got up, and left.
Half eaten, rotten food, and rotten milk sat around the tables in busted cups and broken plates. Half made beds were completely empty. Grass, which was withered and too high, was inching up the buildings.
It's empty because Jae-Ha and I left.
She realized, standing in the center of the village.
She looked around, and then, was plunged into darkness once again, which once again scared her.
Not darkness!
I need to see!
What's going on?!
Tian fell to her knees, closing her eyes as fear overcame her once again.
This time, it was her hearing that came to her.
She heard the sounds of children laughing as they played games. Tian's voice hitched as she came to recognize Ha-Seon's voice.
She opened her eyes, but was once again in darkness.
Her eyes filled with tears once again.
The next thing she heard was the sounds of whips.
The sounds of flesh being torn apart, and then the smell of blood permeated the air.
Screaming and yelling was heard as people tried to do something.
The smell of dirt being mixed in with water, and the pounding of tools together.
The fort.
The fort.
The fort.
Tian repeated, holding her breath.
She looked around once again, wildly this time.
She was in desperate need to get away.
She needed someone to tell her it was alright.
Yet, she felt as though she was losing her mind.
Something wasn't right about this nightmare.
Light filled her vision, and she was beginning to see something else.
Her voice hitched, no longer sure if she wanted to see anything else.
Sure enough, whether she liked it or not, she looked down at her hands.
Her hands were filled with red blood.
Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
She lifted her hands, only for the blood to drip off her hands, and onto her kimono.
She looked around, noticing bodies littered the ground. Her voice hitched. Her hands reached out with a shake.
She tried to stand up, but her knees failed her, and she fell to the ground.
She grunted slightly, closing her eyes out of pain, but something told her to crawl, which she did.
She crawled, and crawled, and crawled again until her hand touched something.
It took her a moment to realize it was hair.
Her hand immediately jumped back, and she opened her eyes.
Right in front of her was the bloody body of her best friend, Min-Soo.
Tian felt shocked. She felt scared.
She jumped back, falling to her butt as she looked around.
Bodies of those she cared about were around her. All of them dead and bloody.
What made it worse was that each of them had their eyes open. Lifeless eyes. The light gone from forever. And all of them were looking right at her, as if accusing her of something she didn't quiet understand.
Her voice hitched, tears continuing to fall down. She let out a yell that felt as though her throat would be ripped to shreds.
GET ME OUT OF THIS HELL!
She yelled, but once again, nobody answered her. She cried out, but nobody seemed to answer her.
"Tian!" Tian gasped, sitting straight up as Yun broke through the nightmare, jolting her awake. Her heart raced wildly in her chest, and her eyes looked around. She could feel a sheen of sweat cling to her body.
"Wh...What happened?" She questioned, taking the soaked rag Yun offered her, and wiping her face, neck, and exposed hands with it.
"You were yelling. We couldn't wake you up." Tian froze as she heard the familiar voice. An image of long, curly, blonde hair marred with the stain of red blood entered her vision. Tian's voice caught in her throat, and she squeezed her eyes tight to keep the tears from flowing. Her hands tightened on the rag.
"It's ok. It was just a nightmare." Yun told her, but Tian didn't need him to tell her that. Still, Tian was reluctant to open her eyes, and look at Min-Soo. Why was she even there in the first place?
"Tian?" Min-Soo questioned tilting her head slightly as Tian opened her eyes, and just stared at the woman. Tian then pulled the blonde woman into a tight embrace."T-Tian... You're... You're crushing me here." Min-Soo stuttered, trying to get her breath back. Tian laughed slightly, and let go of her friend. Tian smiled at her."It must have been a pretty bad dream." Min-Soo said softly, taking the rag from Tian, and wiping her cheeks with it. Tian could only nod just the slightest.
"Where is everyone?" Tian questioned, looking around.
"They're outside of the tent. Min-Soo was stubborn about seeing you first. Are you sure you're ok?" Yun questioned, looking back at Tian. Tian looked at the teen boy, and smiled slightly.
"Don't worry about me, Yun. I'm perfectly fine." Yun gave Tian an expression that told Tian he didn't believe her words, but chose not to comment as he shrugged, and turned around.
"Well... Just hurry up and get ready. I'll be outside." Yun took one last, worried look at Tian before exiting the tent.
"I'll brush your hair for you." Min-Soo said softly, speaking as though Tian were a child. But, like a child, Tian nodded, turned around on her knees to where her back was facing Min-Soo, and let the blonde woman softly brush through Tian's dark hair."I envy your hair. It's no manageable." Min-Soo laughed slightly, trying to cheer her friend up, but her laugh awkwardly died down when she noticed the sullen look on her friend's face." You don't have to talk about the dream. In fact, I probably don't want to know honestly, but...It was just a dream. You don't have to-"
"You don't have to talk to me as though I'm a child." Tian said, her eyebrows drawing together. Min-Soo nodded, thinning her lips out as she continued to brush through Tian's hair."I just... Don't like the fact that I had a dream like that when everything else is going on." Tian finally said, sighing as she shook her head. Once again, Min-Soo found herself unable to say anything."I'm actually scared." Tian admitted softly, surprising Min-Soo. In all the time she had known the girl, Tian had never once admitted any weakness.
"You're not alone, though. You have people to rely on." Min-Soo said after a moment, twisting Tian's hair up into the usual bun. Tian shrugged slightly.
"I don't want to lose any of you..." Tian's voice was so low, Min-Soo struggled to hear her friend. Min-Soo could only thin her lips out, shaking her head.
"And you won't, alright? You just have to stay safe." Min-Soo said, finishing the last touches of Tian's hair. Tian nodded, looking over her shoulder at her friend.
"I know." She said softly. Min-Soo smiled, pulling her friend into a tight embrace. It took a moment for Tian to embrace back.
Min-Soo had come for a visit. She made that clear from the beginning. Wether she meant everyone, or just Tian, none of them could be exactly sure, but after seeing Tian in the state she was in, Min-Soo stuck close by Tian.
Tian was still mostly in robot mode, not queite registering anything. It worried Min-Soo, and frustrated Min-Soo all at once. She wanted to help her friend, but had absolutely no idea where to even begin.
"Tian?" Tian jumped slightly when Min-Soo touched her shoulder." Are you ok?" She questioned, tilting her head. Tian shrugged, looking off.
"It's a nice day." She said softly, and then looked at her friend."So, why are you here?" Tian asked. Min-Soo smiled softly.
"I wanted to visit, but I know that you're staying out of town to avoid being seen. The officers have your face plastered all over the village. They questioned Ae-Cha and BaaBaa, but both said they didn't know where you were staying. It wasn't a total lie. I mean, they don't know where in the forest you're staying. I came for a visit, and to give you this." She handed Tian another bag filled with money. Tian looked up with her eyebrows drawn together.
"We still have money from-"
"I know, I know. BaaBaa wants you to take this, and get the hell out of town. She doesn't think it would be a good idea for you to stay any longer, and quiet frankly neither do I. Besides, with them leaving for the trade, it would be a good idea-"
"No! I don't want to leave."Tian's eyebrows drew together, almost glaring. Min-Soo's lips drew into a tight line, sighing as she shook her head.
"It would be for the best." Min-Soo said, gripping both of Tian's wrists in her hands. Tian looked at her wrists, and then at Min-Soo, scowling.
"I don't want to leave." She said stubbornly, her voice dropping to half a growl. Min-Soo sighed, biting her inner lips as she rolled her eyes.
Min-Soo knew it was going to be a battle to get Tian to see sense. As such, she knew that in order for this to work, she would need back up to get Tian to see sense. Now if only she could just find the right person...
"Tian, could you help me get this wood over here please?" Jae-Ha called, smiling over at Tian as she looked at him with an eyebrow raised. She sighed, looking back at Min-Soo with a hardened expression.
"I'm not leaving." She said firmly, and then turned on her heels to help Jae-Ha.
Jae-Ha had been watching Tian and Min-Soo for some time with a slightly more intense, serious expression. The two seemed to be having an intense argument, which, for as far as he could tell, was rather rare for the two. It was for the fact that he believed they didn't fight often, much less like this, that made him wonder just what in the world they were possibly speaking about.
"Hey, Droopy Eyes, what are you thinking about?" Hak surprised Jae-Ha by approaching him so casually, though the green haired man also wondered why he was so taken off guard. Perhaps it was because he was too engaged trying to think of what Min-Soo and Tian could be arguing so intensely about.
Jae-Ha glanced over at Hak as he bit into an apple, leaning casually against the tree. A single arm was draped across his chest, supporting the other arm that was holding the apple. Hak looked over at Jae-Ha, who was standing beside him, as he took another bit into the fruit, and then looked at Tian with a slight nod of his head.
"You thinking about her?" He questioned as he swallowed the piece of apple he had just eaten. Jae-Ha shrugged, looking off. He felt slightly embarrassed. Had he been so easily figured out? Or was Hak just that perceptive from his own feelings towards Yona? Jae-Ha was almost certain it was a mixture of both.
"I'm just surprised. Min-Soo and Tian hardly ever fight. They've been arguing intensely for a while." Jae-Ha replied after a few more moments of silence, glancing over at Hak as if he expected the dark haired man to have the answers to the questions he had. Hak shrugged slightly, taking a few more bites, chewing, and swallowing with a satisfied sigh before answering.
"Apparently Min-Soo and BaaBaa are wanting Tian to leave. Tian is wanting to stay. That's the basics of what they're arguing about." Hak replied, his tone getting more serious. Jae-Ha paused, furrowing his eyebrows together."Frankly, I don't blame Min-Soo or BaaBaa trying to get Tian to leave. Her mission is over, but she's a wanted person. Eventually, they'll find her, and when they do..." Hak's voice trailed off. Jae-Ha's jaw tightened slightly as his frown deepened.
They'll torture her. Send her back to the fort to be a slave again. Or... Kill her...
Jae-Ha's inner voice trailed off as a sickly feeling settled in the pits of his stomach. He didn't like any of those ideas at all.
I want her to stay safe. Suddenly the whole tying her up and putting in a cave far, far away where nobody could find her sounds like a really good idea the more I think about it.
"She'll be safe. Tian always... She always finds a way to get herself out of situations..." Jae-Ha's voice trailed off, eyebrows drawing together.
"And what happens when she can't?" Hak questioned, looking at Jae-Ha. Hak wasn't asking because he was saying that he wouldn't protect Tian if things came to worse. In fact, he would protect Tian with his life. It was more about Hak wanting to hear what Jae-Ha would say...
"I would protect her, but I'm no saint who will go easy on those who have hurt her." Hak felt slight chills go down his spine at Jae-Ha's low, protective, and almost deadly sounding tone. Hak smirked slightly, nodding as he looked off.
Of course. I wouldn't expect anything less from him. Hak thought, nodding slightly.
Tian sighed in frustration, balling up her fists, and hitting g the nearest tree as she yelled out in frustration. Apparently everyone thought it was for the best if she left. Joo-Ri. BaaBaa. Ae-Cha. Everyone!
Tian couldn't leave, though. Not now. Not when so much has happened. Not when there was so much work left to be done! Besides, if she left... Where would she go? This place was her home. This place was the most important place to her, and she couldn't bear the stand of leaving it. Not when she finally, finally had a place to call home after so many years of wondering around, lost. She refused to leave. She couldn't stand the thought of leaving, and starting again. A life on the road was no life at all...
That's when a crazy idea struck her. If she could sneak into town while everyone was asleep, she could simply take down all the posters. They couldn't catch her if they couldn't identify her. With a slight smirk on her face, she grabbed the cloak Yun had finished, draped it properly over herself, and then made her way to the town.
Once again, it was Jae-Ha's turn to go on patrol. He first checked on those that he could see.
Kija was sound asleep by the dead fire, his two hands supporting his head. Zeno was asleep by some tree, his head hanging back while his mouth hung open. Hak was sitting criss-cross style by a log, his head leaning forward with his arms crossed over his chest with a scowl on his face. Everything was alright with the guys.
With that confirmed, Jae-Ha then looked at the tent where Yona, Yun, Min-Soo, and Tian were supposed to be sleeping. He frowned slightly when he noticed that the flap of the tent was slightly different than what it normally was like.
It's been opened. Someone left.
Jae-Ha, with a scowl on his face, made fast steps towards the tent, and immediately opened it.
The first person he could see in the darkness was Yona. Her mouth hung open in a small o-shape, her hands supporting her head as she slept soundly. Yun was on his back, arms crossed over a tattered book with a scowl on his own face. He then saw Min-Soo, sleeping soundly on her side. His eyes scanned the entire tent over ten times, but still couldn't see Tian. His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing as he closed the tent, and looked over the camp.
Dammit! Where could she have gone?!
Jae-Ha thought as he jumped into the skies so it would be easier to look for her. Much to his relief, or perhaps anger, he quickly spotted Tian. She was in town, taking down some wanted posters of himself. With her hood over her hair, protecting her identity, she looked around before making further, faster steps. Jae-Ha scowled, landing right behind her.
"Tian." He spoke firmly, but low, crossing his arms over his chest. Tian gasped, jumping slightly. She made a gesture as if to run away, but Jae-Ha quickly put a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. She looked at him in surprise.
"Jae-Ha?" She questioned, still looking surprised for a moment, and then scowled."What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that. Why are you here?! Do you want to be captured?" He whispered, but still managed to sound angry. His green eyes looked around to make sure that nobody would see or overhear them. Tian looked at him, and then shrugged, scowling slightly.
"I don't plan to get captured, Jae-Ha. I'm taking down these posters. They can't capture me if they can't recognize me." She stated simply, attempting to move again, but Jae-Ha stopped her by putting both of his hands on her shoulders. Tian scowled once again.
"Let me go." She said in a low voice, almost growling.
"Listen to me dammit! You need to go back to camp! Even if you manage to take down all these posters, it's just chance that someone saw them, and will recognize you! I don't want you to be in danger!" It was the first time that Tian had ever heard Jae-Ha raise his voice. It was the first time he even sounded angry. For the first time in a while, Tian didn't know how to react or what to say. For a few moments that was anyways.
"It'll be my mistake then." She whispered, looking away." Besides, I don't see how this concerns you. This is no longer your guys fight. You're free to leave-"
Tian was cut off with a surprised gasp as Jae-Ha suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her to him. He then wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly, securely, to himself. One hand gently wove itself into her dark hair while the other gently wrapped around her waist. Even if he was gently holding her in his arms, it was also firm, as if he were afraid somehow. Tian's heart raced, a deep blush quickly forming on her face as he turned his head to her hair, inhaling slightly.
"Jae-Ha..." Tian's voice trailed off as she realized she wasn't even sure what she could possibly say. Her mind ran with a million thoughts, but nothing seemed to fit this situation.
She liked the feeling of being in his arms. Much to her surprise, they were as strong as they looked, but they were also gentle, as if afraid to break her. His hands were just as strong, but also, strangely, comforting. One of his hands let loose it's hold on her hair, and instead gently stroked it as he cupped her face. This action caused Tian to look into his eyes. Once again, she was surprised by the expression that was in those dark green eyes. It was a passionate look for sure, but there was something hidden in those eyes that she couldn't understand.
"Nobody is going anywhere without you." He spoke softly, leaning his forehead against her forehead." Espically me." Tian's heart raced once again as his voice came out so low that she strained to hear him. She found that all breath seemed to leave her as he tilted his head, and pressed his lips against her own lips...