My Tender-Hearted Knight

3 - A Knight's Mandate (5)

"Are you sure about this, my Lady?" Eunji asked, concern etched upon her face as she looked at Serin with anxious eyes.

She nodded, trying to hide her excitement beneath a confident smile. Serin had missed the beautiful liveliness of the White Reach. Of course, Suneo in its entirety was beautiful, but she had fond memories of when her mother would take her to the Northern part of the city and show her the view from Varka's Hill, which overlooked the whole of Suneo's capital city. You could see the glimmering castle among the shining waters of the Bay, the city of Boyang across the waters while the sun slowly set over the horizon. She would spend hours watching the sunset over the city as a child, drinking in the beauty of all the colors, wondering how much farther the world would go before there would be no map left to chart it.

It had taken Eunji quite a bit of convincing, but Serin was finally able to make her concede to making the short trip on foot without knights or servants accompanying her. After all, the trip to Varka's Hill wasn't too long— a thirty-minute walk at most— and the weather was pleasant enough. They'd only have to walk one hour total at most.

"Are you sure you don't want anyone else along?" Eunji insisted once more, biting down hard onto her lower lip. Her worried eyes stared at Serin pleadingly.

"Eunji," Serin laughed, wrapping her arm around her friend's slender waist in a comforting gesture. "Don't fret so much."

"If you say so, my lady."

The journey through the city streets wasn't difficult. Serin enjoyed the scenery, admiring the buildings they passed by, gazing with wonder at each and every one of them. The streets were clean and well-kept. People were bustling about, carrying various things in carts and other vehicles, walking leisurely alongside each other in the lively atmosphere of the town center.

A gentle breeze fluttered past her cheek, the warmth causing goosebumps to erupt on her skin. She could already see the shining white villas atop the Hill, decorated with flowers and vines, their intricate carvings and ornate windows gleaming in the bright sunlight. There were even a few small children running excitedly through the street, laughing with joy as they chased each other, some carrying toys and other trinkets in their little hands.

Serin sighed contently, resting on the short stone wall that served as the overlook point of the hill overlooking the main part of the city. The granite and brick scratched and slightly caught the fabric of her dress. The view was like that out of a story book. Even a noblewoman like her could recognize it so. Serin inagined her favorite scene of her favorite novel, "To My Lady of Thorns," in which the characters, the prickly Lady Rosalyne and her soft-hearted bodyguard, Dain, went on a date in a delightfully mediterranean setting, only to have it ruined by a downpour. If she squinted just right, she supposed the villas wouldn't look too out of place from the book's description. She suddenly regretted having left her copy at home. What a pity, it would've made a good spot to daydream.

The hill was crowned by a large marble statue, carved by skilled artisans centuries ago with the words, Greetings to the King, carved elegantly below the marble carving of a tall man with a crown adorning his head.

Serin's lips curved upwards into a soft smile. She turned and walked toward it. After looking both ways, she nudged one of the white pavers creating the border of the garden around the elevated platform. The statue cast a cold shadow over her small body. A sliver of glittery rock peeked through the solid ground. She brushed the dirt off, revealing a small heart-shaped stone.

She laughed lightly and picked it up. It was still here, after all those years. Her mother had shown her the stone in the fountain near the lower edge of the Hill when she was younger.

"If you make a wish on a heart stone," she'd told her, "it'll come true."

Serin pressed the stone into her hand, holding it tightly. She had made her wish when she was younger. A wish that had already come true. She placed the stone back where she'd found it, covering it up with dirt and patting it lightly. In her heart, she knew. She didn't know what to wish for, these days.

"I ardently admire you," Rosalyne told him, her lip quivering with passion. "If I were only half the woman that you deserved, I think I'd be content."

He held her head, his hands shaking as he moved her drenched bangs out of her face, eyes lingering over her face, memorizing every corner and wrinkle he could find. "Do not ever speak such ridiculous words, my love. You are everything that is worth living for. If I could have you, I would. And you should know that I love you with all my heart, no matter your faults or my flaws."

Mmm. A romance then. Let it be so, she wished quietly, setting the paver back in place. Though you have already fulfilled my wish, let it be so.

***

Eunji had not been able to abstain from following her. Serin had found her, hiding in the bushes, spying on her actions, but didn't say anything. In truth, she had hoped she would go away. But Eunji could become odd about these sorts of things; once she'd set her mind on some improbable event happening, she was convinced it would.

Serin entered into a bookstore. Eunji had followed, grabbing a random book, not realizing that she was reading it upside down. Serin left and went into a pet store. She could hear Eunji's tell-tale squeaky sneezes as her cat allergy flared up. Serin stopped by a gourmet bakery and ordered some luxurious, limited edition sweets. As she left, she could hear the cashier ask her maidservant to leave and make room for the next customer if she wasn't going to purchase anything. This was getting ridiculous. Serin wasn't necessarily fond of sweets— she hadn't expected Eunji to follow her even there. This had to stop.

After paying for the treats and leaving the shop with two cartons in tow, Serin exited the building and sat down in a bench on the side of the road, crossing her legs underneath herself. From here, she couldn't see Eunji, only hear her sneezing loudly in a bush behind her, obviously trying to hide.

Serin coughed politely. Eunji jumped out of the bush immediately, looking completely frazzled. She took several deep breaths before she calmed herself down.

"I hate cats," she muttered under her breath, glaring in the direction of the shop.

"I think they're cute," Serin said quietly.

"Well, I don't," Eunji said derisively, dusting the hair and leaves and dirt off her skirt. "What took you so long? You were gone for so long!"

"You followed me," Serin pointed out flatly. She handed one of the packages to her friend and stood up from the bench. Eunji frowned at her before gently opening the packaging, taking out one of the sweet cakes and stuffing it in her mouth.

"You really should let me come with you, next time," she said, taking another sweet cake out of the package before popping it into her own mouth. "It's not safe to go alone."

Serin ticked. She was growing weary of having the same conversation over and over again. "This is Suneo. I'm perfectly safe here."

"Thief! Thief! Someone, stop him!"

Eunji rose a brow. "You were saying, my Lady?"

Serin froze midstep as she tried to place the direction she had heard the scream from. She heard two sets of footsteps approaching from behind.

A hand grabbed her hair twisting and turning her sharply. She yelped in pain. A knife glinted in the sun as it was opened with a swip. It pressed at her throat. Serin gasped, holding her chin high so he wouldn't cut her. Her eyes looked down at him with fear, and she could barely make out his features under the mask he wore over his mouth.

The second set of footprints had stopped, having caught up with the thief.

"Unhand her," a familiar voice commanded icily. "In the name of the Duke, and of the Knights of Suneo, I order you to release her immediately."

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still sick. not edited. enjoy. qotd when i feel better.