STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

20. ENDURANCE

Choi Han returned later in the night, having spent the evening training. He heard the ruckus around, but didn't expect to find South in the stables when he went to return his horse.

South was very tense— very unlike him and his usually lackadaisical nature. He clutched onto one of the horses and brushed like his life depended on it, like he didn't want to be unfocused for even a second.

Like he was desperately trying to dissociate himself from his thoughts.

"...Choi Han-ssi, welcome back," South said. A moment later, "ah, so you're the one that took Mama Northford out."

Choi Han blinked in surprise at that. "There's no horse pun in that one."

"Yes, because it's Mama North."

South told him, as if that explained anything, and came by to take the horse's reins, leading her back to her stall. Along the way the horse nosed him, and then when she found something that displeased her she refused to go back to her spot, cornering him and nuzzling in, until South had to hug her to hold her back.

"Okay, okay," he grumbled.

Turning back to Choi Han, who was staring rather curiously, South changed the topic.

"Are you taking a horse tomorrow?" South asked.

Choi Han considered that. "No, it'll be a rough journey, so I shouldn't."

South acknowledged that. He'd probably be faster without one, anyways, with how crazy this guy is.

"Did something happen?" Choi Han asked.

South didn't answer. "Can I see your sword? The cloth wrapped around the hilt is just falling apart, it looks kind of pathetic."

It took Choi Han a moment to decide to hand his sword forward.

"Are you supposed to be here? The knights were saying you were bedridden with injuries..." Choi Han seemed genuinely confused.

South settled down carefully, and now Choi Han noticed the way he favoured one side while he moved, leaning back against Mama North as she too settled down on the ground.

-

Choi Han decided to wait for his sword to be done.

It was odd. He knew the horses were affectionate to South, but today, all of them were rather clingy. They nuzzled up to him gently like they were comforting— especially the one Choi Han brought back.

Mama Northford curled around South protectively, and while she didn't stop him from working, she made sure he was as comfortable as he could be.

South began wrapping around something made of thick string and then leather around the hilt of Choi Han's sword, knotting it tightly like he'd done it all before.

Choi Han had swung that sword around for two decades in the Dark Forest, and sure, it was kind of falling apart— but he'd never actually seen someone maintain a sword's grip like that before. Maybe it was something commonly practiced in a medieval-like country like this nation, but with South, he would never know for sure.

The knights all said South had been attacked, and South did look injured. But he wasn't resting. Clearly, South was hiding something.

And Choi Han hated that the longer he looked at South, the quicker he recognized the signs.

South had on gloves— new ones that he didn't own before today. They were long enough to have a strap that tightened around his wrist, covering some of his most eye-catching tattoos up until the middle of his forearm.