STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

13. SAVING A DRAGON

"Who told you to go get drunk?"

"I'm not drunk, Young Master-nim."

South put on the black cape and felt very comfortable. Being undercover was what he did most in his life.

"So what are you going to do?" Cale asked. "Be my meatshield?"

"No, Choi Han-ssi can do that for you."

Cale sighed and looked at Choi Han. And then he sighed again because Choi Han looked like he was perfectly content doing just that.

He rubbed his head in annoyance.

"What is wrong with you two..."

South reached down and let the kitties sniff his hands, both of them cringing at the smell. "Is it that bad?"

"But you smell like those gross knights," On said.

"And alcohol!" Hong said, "it's all over you ew!"

South hummed. "I guess the horses won't like this either. Gimme a second, I'll go cover myself in mud."

"What? No," Cale called him back quickly, "absolutely not!"

-

"Ah... this one's not good," South frowned. He held the needle in one hand and looked through the tattoos on his hand. "The bigger ones are over an artery... I guess there were a lot of guards."

"What are you talking about, South-ssi?"

"Ah, Choi Han-ssi, let's clean up here quickly."

Cale went on inside to the dungeon. He'll be fine, since the cats are with him.

South looked over all the guards in their way, coming as backup— and they had to be dealt with before even more people were alerted.

"Choi Han-ssi, I trust that you can take them out easily, but we don't want them to make too much noise shouting for help while you do it," he said. "Give me a second, I'll make them stand still for you."

Choi Han;s jaw dropped when South aimed the needle into the center of his wrist— and then slowly pushed it in like his arm was a pincushion, until the glistening red needle as thick as a chopstick stuck out on the other side.

"What are you doi—"

"Pay attention."

South left the needle still halfway inside his hand, watching the blood trail down his arm to his elbow, and dripping to the ground.

And three, two, one.

Instantly, the knights headed for then stumbled with a shout, collapsing onto the ground, their swords barely holding them up.

"What the— hell??"

"My body suddenly..."

"I can't move!"

"My knees!"

Choi Han understood his job quickly, diving in and taking them out with a swing of his sword. Blood sprayed across the ground as they fell silent and lifeless, one after another.

"What's going on there—"

"Who is that?"

"A swordsmaster!"

"Intruder! Call for backup— what are you doing, get up!"

"Wait, sir I can't— I don't know why, but I can't get up! It's like my knees are chained to the ground!"

"My sword... my sword is so heavy!"

More people were coming, but the second they came into view, they collapsed, too.

"Hold on, I'll get somewhere higher," South said, and Choi Han looked back only to be flabbergasted when he saw that South was climbing a tree, his bleeding arm leaving bloody handprints and drips on the bark. "It only works as far as I can see, so I'm sorry if I miss any."

"Ah... yeah."

Choi Han decided that since he didn't share his own story, he wasn't about to question anything.

"Let's clean up here quickly and meet up with Cale-nim."

-

"Why are you bleeding again?"

"Don't worry about it, Young Master-nim."

Choi Han was staring apprehensively at the needle, now being used to put half of South's hair up in a bun. It was still slightly crusty and red.

South was using a handkerchief, probably taken from one of the knight's bodies, and applying pressure to a bleeding wound on his wrist. It wouldn't stop flowing.

Cale decided it was better for his blood pressure that he did not ask.

He carried the black dragon out of the cave and they escaped until they were out of the mountain. After cutting off the collar and giving him an expensive potion, it seemed like the dragon would be alright now.

"So what are you two doing?"

Now Choi Han was trying to bandage the wound on South's arm. It seemed like he also got tired of looking at South struggle to tied the tape himself.

"It won't stop bleeding Cale-nim," Choi Han said.

"Well yeah it hit an artery," South said, like he was talking about something so casual. "It's not easy to tie a bandage around my own arm. Choi Han-ssi is so bad at it."

Choi Han couldn't even argue about that one.

Cale had to take a moment, "how haven't you bled to death yet? Stop that, come here. I'll do it."

As Kim Rok Soo, he bandaged wounds very often— so, this was easy to him. There was nothing to do about how cold South's body felt or how much blood he already lost, but at least they managed to wrap it up cleanly.

When they left, the dragon's eyes were trained on them skeptically, but Cale ignored it.

"You two go clean up the rest and make sure it doesn't get traced back to us," Cale ordered them, "On, Hong, with me."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

"Will do, Young Master-nim."