Chapter 2: CHAPTER TWO
That night would have been a joyful night throughout Ji-Seok but it wasn't because their Commander was unconscious. Every household were praying for his life. Normally, after any victory, the soldiers would feast but that time was different. Everywhere was quiet in Ji-Seok. As for Baek-Hyun, she was sad and moody all night long. Everyone saw her as a heroin and truly, she was for if it weren't for her, their Commander would have died.
They admired her for her bravery and she knew many more suitors were coming her way. But she had a plan. She wasn't going to marry anyone and she wasn't going to disclose her plan as well. Her parents were so proud of her and her father boasted here and there about her. She was now free; she had proven herself to be worthy. Her family thought of her as mature and responsible. Nobody would boss her around or take decisions for her any longer.
That night, she wouldn't stay home. She wanted to stay really close to healer's chambers where the Commander was being treated. She never truly knew why but she did it anyway. "why did you cry so much?" Man-Chun asked Baek-Hyun. He had been staring at her for a while. "I think he's the fortress himself and if he dies, then what's our worth?". She replied sincerely. Man-Chun stared at her for a while before asking another question. "why did you fight? It's not like you're even a soldier." "I fought because I had to. I felt like it would make a difference even if it was just a fraction". She replied. "you're really brave and we need more girls like you in Ji-Seok". Man-Chun said before walking away. It was getting really late and still no info about the Commander.
Baek-Hyun was feeling sleepy. As the perfect daughter, she had never even been outside her house during the early hours of evening but now, she was still outside of nowhere by midnight. It shocked her how busy the streets were even at that time. The taverns and some inns were open. There were many wounded soldiers that were being treated. Some wounds were scary. Witnessing that day's battle had changed Baek-Hyun forever. She had never seen so many people die all at once. She wasn't even wounded yet she was that traumatized though her whole body ached from such stress. She wondered to what extent the other soldiers were traumatized. She never saw her brother again and that also added to her worries. But now wasn't the time to go find him. She wasn't ready to receive any other bad news. She would save the headache for the next day.
Baek-Hyun didn't go home that night. She stayed up all night beside the Commander and prayed to the heavens. But finally, she fell asleep…, mistakenly. Man-Chun who has been staring at her since couldn't help but wonder why she was so devoted to the Commander.
It was early morning and the cock had crowed. Chi-Yang the Commander was now awake. He was in a lot of pain but he never complained because he never learnt to be weak. Man-Chun never left, he was still in the old position as the night before and he was glad when the Commander woke up but he never revealed it. "Good morning to you Commander". He greeted with a bow, but the Commander just stared at him blankly. "The Commander is alive". A young maiden that was passing by shouted and almost immediately, everyone gathered to greet the Commander.
It took him a while for him to notice that there was a girl sleeping inside the chambers. He looked at Man-Chun for an explanation but he replied so casually with a shrug "She wouldn't go away". "shush, shhh. You don't want to wake her up". The Commander told the people who instantly became curious who would dare sleep inside there. Soon, all those people were gone leaving behind the trio again. "who is she?" the Commander asked Man-Chun. "I don't know but she cried herself to sleep few hours ago. I was beginning to think that you might have perhaps been dating a girl without my knowledge". Man-Chun replied with his usual serious face. He never for once looked unserious, not even when he was saying a joke. Hearing that, the Commander decided to take a closer look at the sleeping girl. That was when he realised who the strange girl been all along even if he never remembered her personality. "she saved me!"! he exclaimed. "yes, if not you would have been dead by now. I think she should join the soldiers. I saw her fly arrows greatly". Man-Chun said. "And you didn't say a word when I asked you who she was?". The commander said almost yelling and Man-Chun shrugged.
"I'm wondering why she wanted to kill herself by joining the fight when she has had no training." The Commander added. "well, she's gifted in flying arrows. She needs no training whatsoever" Man-Chun said. "we won. The battle was a victory!". Man-Chun exclaimed as if he had long forgotten. "Now Gi won't attack carelessly". Man-Chun added but the Commander remained silent. That was when Baek-Hyun stirred from her sleep. She woke up with a yawn which left Man-Chun wondering why her mouth was so big. She immediately stood up when she noticed the Commander's eyes on her. "Good Morning Commander, Good morning …. Man-Chun". She greeted with a bow of uncertainty because she didn't know how to refer to Man-Chun. It was her first time of having to greet him. The Commander nodded in response but Man-Chun just kept staring at her.
She was about to speak but she was interrupted. "You saved me". The Commander said as confirmation but it sounded more like a question but Baek-Hyun ignored anyways and looked away. "Are your knees broken?" Man-Chun asked. "No, why?" Baek-Hyun asked. "Aren't you supposed to genuflect?" Man-Chun asked her and gave her a look that made her seem crazy. Again, she purported not hearing him. "let her be Man-Chun". The Commander said. "I remain indebted to you". The commander said to Baek-Hyun. "you don't have to be Commander, it's our duty as the citizen of Ji-Seok to serve our commander, the protector of our fortress". Baek-Hyun said with a bow.
All those while, she didn't stare directly into the Commander's face. Her head was slightly bent. "have we met before?". The Commander asked her and Baek-Hyun nodded with a mild smile that she tried so much to hide. "few years ago in the fields during the war time with Yang kingdom". Baek-Hyun said. "you were the strange girl with a basket of scrolls?". The Commander asked her and she nodded. "you have also saved my life Commander". Baek-Hyun said. "your name is Baek-Hyun, right?" the Commander asked again and she nodded. Their conversation left Man-Chun secluded. "who's your father?". The Commander asked again. "Tang. My father's name is Tang and he is the head of the miners in Ji-Seok. My generational name is In-Su". Baek-Hyun said it all. She didn't want to attain anymore questions. "In-Su. She comes from an upright generation Commander." Man-Chun chirped in when he was tired of being invincible. "isn't your brother Kyong the flagbearer?". Man-Chun asked Baek-Hyun and she nodded.
"she indeed is the daughter of the soil." Man-Chun said to the Commander. "Feast with us Baek-Hyun, I shall invite your father over". The Commander offered. "Thank you Commander Chi-Yang but I have another request". Baek-Hyun said. That was unheard of, refusing the Commander's invitation. Chi-Yang immediately tagged her as #daring# in his mind. "no you don't!" Man-Chun half yelled. "Let her be Chun." The Commander said. "Name it". He said again referring to Baek-Hyun. "My father wants to marry me out to any rich merchant that comes by. Help me Commander. I don't want to get married now. I want to fight; I want to be a warrior". Baek-Hyun said with tears streaming down her eyes. She really faked the tears so that the commander would have pity on her. "But every young maiden is expected to get married at your age, why should you be fighting when you should be married?" Man-Chun said and immediately, Baek-Hyun hated him. "Let her be Man-Chun". The commander protested. "I'll talk to your father; you will be a warrior just as you have wished". The Commander said dismissively because the healer just stepped in and after much gratitude, Baek-Hyun left the healing chambers.
Immediately after Baek-Hyun left the Chamber, the trumpet sounded. It indicated war. Everyone was running here and there. Gi was attacking again. They didn't even wait for the sun to rise. They wanted to prey on Ji-Seok when they least expected. This time, they came with half of their soldiers; 280,000 men to capture such a small fortress. "Commander, Gi warriors are here, they are already inside the fortress. There was nothing we could do. They already broke our walls and before anyone could be alerted, half of our men were killed by arrows all at once." Baek-Hyun could hear a soldier report to the Commander. "why wasn't I informed immediately?". The Commander yelled at the soldier. "I'm sorry Commander but it happened all at once. It was a well thought out attack". The soldier said.
"Baek-Hy…. un" Baek-Hyun heard someone shout out her name. it was her mother and her sister. They were running to her. "Mother!". Baek-Hyun shouted back as she ran to them as well. "father has been killed by an arrow". Hana, Baek-Hyun's younger sister cried out. "what? where's father?". Baek-Hyun said with hot tears rolling down her face. "our house has been set ablaze by flaming arrows" Baek-ha, Baek-Hyun's mother cried out. "Run, Baek, run, take your sister and run". Her mother shouted. "Stop it mother, we're going together". Bae-Hyun cried out but just then, an arrow flew directly at her mother and pierced her deep on the chest.
Splashes of the blood stained on Baek-Hyun's face. Her mother fell to the ground and Baek-Hyun ran mad. She shook and shook her mother's half dead body. "Promise you will survive this battle with your sister". Her mother struggled to say as blood oozed out of her mouth. "No mother, we will survive together, I'll protect you, stay with me". Baek-Hyun cried out. "al…ways re... re… member that y...y...you have a ve…ry bri…ght... fut…ure ahead of you. you will do great things". Her mother said and gave up the ghost. Baek-Hyun cried so much.
She wouldn't stop crying even when her sister was begging her to stop. "go look for the medium Hana, mother's spirit must be close by, let her join back mother's soul and body". Baek-Hyun cried out but her sister wasn't going nowhere. "We are going to die as well if you don't do something about it". Hana cried out but it fell on deaf ears. "Baek-Hyun." The commander called but Baek-Hyun wasn't going nowhere. Then he ran to her and carried her like a toy and ran away with Hana.
Baek-Hyun cried even more when she was separated from her mother's body. The inner room in the Commander's chamber was the safest place in the fortress that moment and that was where Chi-yang took Baek-Hyun and Hana to. "Baek-Hyun, do you want to kill yourself?" the commander yelled at her. "I know you loosed a lot today but you still have a lot left as well. Your sister and your brother is still there and I promise to do everything possible to keep you three safe okay?". The commander said again but Baek-Hyun ignored him with great snub so Hana took her place and nodded to the Commander.
There were no more tears left in Baek-Hyun's eyes. That day had left a great scar in her heart. She had always thought that she hated her father but she just realised how much she loved him. "he left without saying goodbye, without even scolding me for sleeping out all night". Baek-Hyun said and the Commander who was about moving out stopped in his track. He remembered when his parent both left without even seeing the meat that he had brought back home from his hunt. And so did their King. "they always leave that way". He said before walking out. Baek-Hyun knew she should have been out there defending her home, but no. she was weak to the bones. She didn't even know why her sister wasn't affected, or perhaps she had always hated their parent to the point that even during their death, she was too heartless to cry.
Outside the chamber, almost all the Ji-Seok warriors were dead. People were burning and others were just dropping dead by arrows. Chi-Yang the commander was no more fighting Gi soldiers, he was battling the arrows. They were so much. Both Gi and Ji-Seok soldiers were dropping dead. Young girls were being seized and their parents who protested were killed. Chi-Yang never went too far from his chamber. He fought nearby and stopped Gi soldiers from entering and discovering Baek-Hyun and her sister. He even asked her brother to stop fighting and join his sisters in their hideout but he refused. "That would only make me a coward". Kyong protested. He fought alongside his commander and they were doing great.
Chi-Yang wasn't so strong. He hadn't even recovered from his last attack and due to stress, blood was oozing out of the wound again. He was becoming dizzy due to the loss of blood but he never stopped fighting. Until an arrow slashed through him. Then another and another and another. The last one made him loose his balance and fell to the ground. Kyong was frightened. With his sword, he stopped all the arrows from hitting him or the half dead commander, but it was null and void because when he wasn't looking, a Gi soldiers stabbed the Commander again on his right stomach again and he twisted the sword. The Commander groaned in pain of agony and Kyong cut off the head of that Gi soldier instantly. "tak... ta… take ca… ca… care of Baek-Hyun". Were the commander's last words before he died.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone