Yun, Yona and Sen stood in front of the suspicious shop. To the casual observer, it may have seemed like a shop just like any other, perhaps a bit on the luxurious side, but to them, it was no different from the gates of Hell. Neither of them were particularly eager to enter.
"The firework is in my sash," Yun told them after they stood for a good five minutes in silence, "just in case I can't make it."
"Don't say that," Yona said quickly. "We'll be fine."
"If I fail, I have a letter with Gi-gan I'd like one of you to send," Sen added. The princess thought she was joking until she saw the woman's eyes completely devoid of humor.
"We'll all be fine!" Yona repeated, more to herself than anyone else. Taking a deep breath, she entered the shop, the others following close behind. A man with a scholarly appearance and a long, white beard came to greet them.
"Good morning, ladies," he said. "Is there anything I can help you with?" He smiled, although only with his mouth. His eyes only shone with greed.
"A good morning to you, too!" Sen answered with a polite smile, bobbing her head in greeting. "We have heard rumours about a job here. Are they true?"
"Mhmm, yes, yes." The old man rubbed his fingers together which crackled like fireworks, eyeing the three of them carefully. Yona tried not to recoil in disgust at the sight of his eyes which traced every inch of her body like hands that left a trail of slime as they ventured across her skin.
"We didn't plan to hire any more workers," the shopkeeper said after a moment's thought, "but at first glance, you all qualify. My colleague will ask a few questions to make sure, alright? This way please—"
He led the three of them to a room in the back of the store, far from the street and ushered them inside. The door closed behind them and the key turned in the lock twice.
"What's going on?" Sen asked loudly, acting surprised. "Please—I think this is the wrong place—"
As she spoke, the floor opened beneath them and the three of them fell, dropping down a story or two in the dark. None of them dared so much as scream. Yona hissed as she hit the ground, but didn't dare express the pain aloud. As though on cue, a soldier entered through a small opening in the wall and guided them to a room full of women without speaking a word. Sen and Yun hurried in, but Yona stopped and looked around. Hatred boiled up in her. Keeping people against their will underground. How disgusting! What a horrible—
"Get in!" said the man, speaking for the first time as pushed her in. Yona yelped in pain and fell down, the hem of her skirt rising to reveal her ankles. On one of them blossomed a painful-looking bruise of purple. It was clear that she was not well. Now I have a limping girl with me on top of everything, Yun thought irritably, leaning down to inspect her injury. What a perfect situation.
No one around them seemed to care about the pain of their new companion. Some girls were sobbing and wiped away their tears with their dirty hands, leaving their faces grubby. Others wandered aimlessly in circles, staring at the floor with empty eyes.
"Let us out!" a blonde girl screamed, hitting the door with her fists. After a moment, the sound of heavy footsteps drew near. A man with a deep voice asked: "What now?"
"Let me out! I beg you, let me out now," she shouted. The only reply to her pleas was a cold laugh, and the guard went away once more.
"They won't, they won't," she sobbed, kneeling down and scratching the door. "I've been here three days, just let me leave, I've done nothing wrong…"
It was evident she had been doing this all three days of her stay, as no one moved to comfort her. Her cries echoed off the bumpy walls and low ceilings, giving the whole place an eerie atmosphere. A young girl in the corner shivered and hid her head in her hands and started counting her breaths out loud, clearly in an effort to comfort herself as a cool breeze blew through the air vents cut in the ceilings. Although neither of those present knew, those tiny tunnels connected their cell to the surface right beneath the window of the room their captor, Yang Kum-ji, was listening to the report of his trusty 'shopkeeper' in.
"...there really are some fine jewels among them. And a stroke of luck! A red-haired girl! The most beautiful one I've ever seen. But my lowly eyes may not be as discerning as Lord Yang's," he added with a sigh, "so I request that your Lordship should take a look at them first. Kai deserves the best of the best."
"I don't see why not," Kum-ji replied with a smile. Perhaps he had been a little too bored these days, but seeing a few beauties would certainly amuse him. Indeed, the tiring journey down the stairs was more than worth it.
"Well, Awa has it's benefits, I guess," he laughed upon entering the cell of the soon-to-be slaves and looking around. "I knew I could trust you, what's-yer-name."
The shopkeeper bowed low and expressed his gratitude with flowery words that would put even poets to shame. As he complimented his superior, he inevitably uttered his Lordship's name. The eyes of the women lit up with hope.
"Lord Kum-ji, what is going on here?" cried the blonde girl, sitting up. "What happened to the job?"
"Kum-ji?" a guard asked coolly, sending her a glare. "Calling Lord Yang by his given name, do you wish to die early? To you, he's Lord Yang!"
"Lord Yang, forgive me!" the poor woman begged. "But please... what is going on?"
"Oh, you'll find out tomorrow," Kum-ji answered, unbothered by the desperation in her eyes. He had seen similar eyes many times before and had lost interest in that expression long ago. He turned his head to look for something far more exciting. "What's-your-name, where is the—ah, found her!"
Taking huge strides, he hurried over to the speck of colour that he hoped would brighten his day. Grabbing Yona's hair, he pulled her towards him to inspect her face. There was something about that face of hers no bigger than his palm that drew him in, something far more interesting than the mere beauty he was used to. He pinched her nose and cheeks and looked at his fingers. There was only a hint of powder on her skin. Becoming more and more fascinated by this rare find, he pried open her mouth and looked at her teeth.
"You're right, she'll sell high," he said, a hint of sorrow in his voice. The more he looked at the pretty face of that girl, the less he wanted to let her go. He mumbled thoughtfully, "What would happen if I kept her to myself...?"
"My Lord, these are slaves—you can not!" a guard reminded him. At his words, Yang Kum-ji flew into a rage and kicked him in the stomach. The guard keeled forward and dropped to the ground.
"Who are you to tell me what I can do and what I can't?" Kum-ji shouted."Take her to my room immediately!"
The guard hesitated as he got to his feet, trembling. He still had a spark of humanity beneath all his armour and felt sorry for the redhead. The women in the room shot Yona pitying glances, but not one of them dared to say a thing. Yona shut her eyes and was about to give in to fate when—
"I can do better!" Yun exclaimed, standing up. "I can satisfy you, Your Highness. If only you let her go, and let me stay by your side..."
Slowly, Kum-ji turned to look at him, all the while holding onto Yona's hair. Though the boy wore a coquettish smile, he felt nauseous. If he finds me out, I'm dead, he thought. His heart was pounding in his throat, beating faster with every step Kum-ji took towards him.
"You are beautiful, too. But—" Kum-ji sneered, throwing him to the side, "I despise impudent women. Women should be obedient, like your red-haired friend here."
He pointed at the girl. It was a pity he only saw her limp body, for her eyes glowed with loathing and her lips were twisted into the most frightening scowl. She looked more like a ferocious beast than a princess, much less an obedient one.
Sen glanced at Yona, at that tiny face scrunched up in pain and anger. She knew that look in her gray eyes very well and knew it would mean nothing. Her resolve was admirable, but the world was cruel and she would eventually be trampled upon. It hurt Sen's heart to think of what would happen next, but what could she do? Lord Yang would kill her the moment he saw her.
"A few bed warmers have died, it's only fair if I get new ones," Kum-ji decreed. "Little girl, if you disobey me, I'll have crows pick out those pretty eyes of yours as you beg for death. Now come!"
Yona shivered in disgust. She could only endure helplessly as Kum-ji dragged her out of the room. Just as he reached to close the door, a sharp voice called out, "Wait!"
Yona watched Sen in disbelief.
Don't, she mouthed. Despite her warning, Sen added, "Lord Yang, is it truly you?"
"Who are you?" Kum-ji asked, disgusted. He stared at Sen thoughtfully for a moment before laughing out loud. "Why, the mistress is back to life! I thought you were dead, Mayu, but you just ran off to grow so much fatter than before. I only recognised you 'cause of your eyes!"
Mayu?
Yun looked at Sen questioningly, but the woman pretended not to see. Her face was the picture of gentleness as she took a faltering step towards Kum-ji.
"Darling," she said softly, her eyes brimming with tears, "I'm so glad to see you. It's been so long..."
Yona gaped at this girl who could lie so smoothly. Yang Kum-ji, however, didn't seem half as impressed
"We'll see about that," he said dryly. He turned to the soldier next to him. "I'm taking her back instead. Don't even think of stopping me, you hear me?"
The guard bowed stiffly. Kum-ji grabbed Sen by the arm and dragged her out beside him before closing the door behind him with a bang.
...
Not too far away, Hak stood as stiff as a rock, staring at the ocean as if guarding something precious. Ki-ja walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder.
"You should probably get some rest," he said. "You'll be of greater use if you actually have the strength to fight."
"Probably..." Hak replied through a yawn before his tired eyes lit up with realization. "Ki-ja, weren't you the one who has been running around like a poisoned rat ever since Yona left? I'm just sleeping while standing."
Ki-ja went red. It took him a moment before he could retort with, "Sleeping, indeed! Lowly creature, you just wish you had this power of mine to make Kum-ji crumble in an instant."
"Hoho, hear the white snake's show of dragon powers," Hak sneered. "Who wants it? I'm strong without magic!"
"Do not speak the dragon's name in vain! 'Tis not magic, but the gift of the Heavens you behold. May the dragons grant you a long life filled with endless suffering, may they—"
"Calm down, Ki-ja!" Jae-ha interrupted. He had just arrived from who-knows-where, and the first thing he witnessed was Ki-ja calling dragon powers "the gift of the Heavens", irritating him to no end. What was the good of gifts that no one had asked for? "Same goes to you, Hak. Nothing good comes of fighting each other. I know you're worried about Yona, but try to get some sleep or at least let others do so!"
"Why should I worry?" Hak said viciously. "You all guaranteed she would be fine."
"I never said such a thing," Ki-ja replied, glaring. "It was that blasphemous wench who ignored the fate of the Dragons and sent our Master into devastation and probably caused her untimely death."
Jae-ha's mouth twitched.
Will I turn into an idiot of such caliber once I acknowledge Yona?
"She'll be fine," Shin-ah muttered, comforting himself more than anyone else and startling Jae-ha. It was the first time he had heard Shin-ah speak.
"So the blue dragon can talk? What a surprise," he said. "As for the rest of you, aren't you guys worrying too much?"
"You sat in the crow's nest all afternoon," Shin-ah said, "looking in the direction Yona left."
Jae-ha turned a pretty shade of red but held his chin high. His pride wouldn't allow him to admit his worry.
"That is in no way possible. I was in the red light district, fooling around, just the usual."
Hak gave a sinister grin.
"Oh, so you don't worry about her at all," he mocked. "You never thought the silent Shin-ah would cause your downfall, eh?"
"Downfall is a little overdramatic," the green dragon protested. "And I really was at the—"
"He wasn't," Shin-ah said. Jae-ha gave them a glare.
Could this guy at least let me finish my sentence before shooting me down?
"Alright, you caught me," he sighed, elegantly leaning against a wall. "I feel a little uneasy when I think of that delicate little girl treated like a slave..."
"I don't see why worrying is more shameful than chasing women," Hak commented.
"Honour is a very complicated thing," Jae-ha explained. "Also, is really no one worried about the boy? He looked every bit as weak as Yona."
The three of them shook their heads in unison and gave Jae-ha a look that clearly indicated that no, they were not.
"Yun's a smart boy."
"He'll figure things out."
Shin-ah nodded.
"Never mind. Honour is complicated, but your feelings are even more so. I can't deal with this. I'm off to bed."
As Jae-ha was about to leave, Gi-gan rushed on deck.
"Has anyone seen that lazy brat, Sen? I need to ask her something."
"Could she have gone to send letters again?" Jae-ha asked. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her since yesterday night."
"Me neither," Ki-ja said. Shin-ah shook his head. Hak just turned his head to the sky.
"I haven't," he answered mildly, sparking Gi-gan's suspicion.
"Oh, really, Hak?"she asked, narrowing her eyes. "I don't suppose you have anything to do with her disappearance?"
"Maybe," he said, trying his best to sound innocent. "It might have been something I said…"
"Just what did you do?" Gi-gan went on patiently.
"Nothing much," he muttered. "She just decided to help out Yona and—"
"Terrific! Just absolutely perfect!" the captain fumed, throwing her hands in the air. "Decided? I'm not buying that! You know why I didn't force her? It would be a death sentence. She was Kum-ji's lover."
Hak, to say the least, felt awful. He looked at the floor.
"I didn't know," he said meekly, probably for the first time in his life. Gi-gan poked him in the chest with a wrinkled finger.
"Didn't know, didn't know—you were just too preoccupied with your Yona to ask," she hissed. "In case you didn't realise—if she dies, it's your fault."
Jae-ha's heart turned cold. Sen would not just die like that. She probably escaped long ago. He wanted to punch Hak, to shout at him, but knew it wouldn't help. Forcing himself to not react, he slipped away while Gi-gan lectured Hak and went down the steps leading below the deck. He looked around and felt as though someone was piling rocks on his chest. There were so many people here, how did not one of them miss her? How did she not confide in one of them? Why did she throw herself into danger just like that? He found herself standing before her room and walked inside after a moment's hesitation. Everything was in its place—the bamboo mattress, the heap of clothes, the makeshift desk. All strength seemed to leave his limbs as he dropped down before the desk and reached for the booklet left open on it, the treasure containing her handwriting. He leafed through the pages thoughtlessly before resting his head on the desk as he sighed. She would be fine. He closed his eyes and forced himself to smile. She would be safe. Eventually, those and all other thoughts left him as he dozed off in spite of himself.
Despite somehow falling asleep, he found no comfort in his rest. Many things appeared in his dreams: spiraling figures, the smell of blood, lunatic laughter—and Sen. These pictures in his mind, though grotesque, felt very real.
That night, not far from Jae-ha, Hak had a strange dream as well, probably due to the guilt of his subconscious. He watched Sen die slowly and horribly. After a few minutes of silence, she came back to life and crawled towards him, her right eye missing and her body shriveled up. She clung to his knee and cried, blaming him and begging for her necklace.
He woke up to the cry of a seagull, thanking his stars it was morning. The blue of the sea washed away the memories of Sen's brown eye that had stared at him so accusingly in his dream.