[ENG] Like a Fish on the Dry // Arthdal Chronicles

Chapter 5

Tagon,
The Momo ambassador and her daughter will stay in Arthdal.
Niruha wants me to stay, too, because he needs a translator so I won't come back for now.
I'll keep you updated.
Yeonbal

Even his hands trembled from exhaustion, Yeonbal managed to write a short note to Tagon.

The Daekan camp was outside the city and deserted save for some houskeepers and he was staying at the City Troops quarters. But he still went down to use the Daekan's own pigeonry.
He wasn't sure if contacting Tagon would rise awareness to the wrong people.

When he entered his room he fell onto his bed, head-first.
No, his condition wasn't that bad.
Yes, he wanted back to his friends and brothers but those two women didn't bother him as he expected.

And with the image of Erika smiling at him on his mind he drifted into sleep, at last.

***

The next morning Yeonbal felt fully recovered as he walked up to Erikas house.
He noticed that overnight, there had  a guard been placed outside the house.
He instantly saluted upon seeing Yeonbal.
He returned the greeting, smiling inwardly. Now I get saluted first by soldiers twice my age, maybe my task really isn't that bad.
He relieved the guard and took his place.

When he heard shuffling on the inside he carefully knocked on the door.
Erika opened, cordially greeted him with her cheerful self and invited him in.
But Yeonbal galantly refused. "I'll rather wait outside until you're good to go."
The palace district was crowded as usual and he really didn't want to arise any nasty rumors about Erika by entering her home.

The two women took their time. He had to wait for about an hour until Erika and Karika finally came out.
They would have this day off as their first appointment would be only tomorrow, so Yeonbal showed them around the city, starting with the market.
Erika bought quite a few things, glad that some of the merchants knew some Momo.

Despite Karika being really shy and clinging to her mother's dress she was soon invited to play with the other merchant's kids and hesitantly accepted.
Yeonbal made sure, that some city guard was nearby watching over her and accompanied Erika on her shopping trip.

After she found a maid and sent her home with her goods they sat down at one of the cookshops to watch Karika engaging with the other kids.

"You know, that face suits you", Erika suddenly said.
"What face?", Yeonbal asked, perplexed.
"It's peaceful." There was that smile again!
He smirked. Despite longing to be with his brothers, he really had enjoyed this relaxed day.

When the sun was slowly descending, he accompanied the women back home.
The guard was already waiting for them in front of the house.
Karika hugged his waist. "Why do you have to go?", she nagged.
Yeonbal smiled inwardly. Seemed like the girl really had a thing for him.
"I told you honey, that's not appropiate, me entering your home."
"That's dumb."
He helplessly looked at Erika who gently pulled her daughter off him. "Karika, I don't like that, either but we have to respect the customs here, I told you so."
Karika just harrumphed but let her mother lead her inside.

Just on his way back to his quarters, Yeonbal realized, what Erika said: I don't like that either.
His heart skipped a beat. Yeah, it had indeed been a good day!

***

"Aaah, this filthy son of a bitch!"
"Mo-om, you told me not to say that and now you do it yourself!", Karika complained with an accusing look.
Erika winced.
"Sorry honey, but...", she stopped and looked at Yeonbal. "This man is an..", she mouthed asshole, "how can you keep up with him?"
He shrugged. "He's my Niruha, I'm in no position to judge."

Indeed, the behaviour of Sanung Niruha towards Erika had been sickeningly. For the past two hours Yeonbal had tried to translate in his favour but his continous derogative comments, Erika had understood just by his intonation.
Sanung didn't meet her eye-to-eye.
Obviously now, Erika had been sent to Arthdal to negotiate on claims of the eastern coastline.
Apparently the whole Shore was under Momo control - except Osan, of course - and the Saenyeok wanted to establish some more outposts there.
But instead of bargainig, the Niruha had immediatley threatend her with the troop strength of Arthdal.
How pathetic!

Erika was furious and Karika obviously didn't know what to make of her mother's behaviour.
Yeonbal turned to the girl. "Hey, thanks for waiting so patiently. Would you like to meet up with your friends from yesterday now?"

Karika hesitated for a moment. "Yeah", she finally said, but halfheartedly.

Like the day before, Karika engaged with the other merchant's kids, while Yeonbal and Erika sat down and watched her from afar.

"That's cute, watching the kids playing together without any bias", Erika noted.
He he quickly glanced at her with a smile, seeing her gloomy face as she watched Karika.
"And they understand each other only by looks and gestures", she reflected and faced him. "Why don't we?"
Aghast, he stared at her. "Pardon?"
Her hand reached over the table, gently covering his. "Understanding just by the looks."
There was something in her expression that made him uncomfortable. He quickly glanced away.
"We wouldn't have invented language if it was that easy", he stated.
"But with looks, you can't lie." Erika sighed and sat back watching Karika, continuing her musings in silence.

***

Tagon,
Sorry for not contacting you for so long. Niruha and the Momo are negotiating on land claims on the eastern coast but I doubt your father plays with open cards.
Yeonbal

It had been already a month until Yeonbal had finally gotten the chance to send a letter to Tagon.
But really, nothing had changed, the negotiations didn't progress.

While spending all the days with the two Momo women, accompanying them on Erika's days off, too, he noticed a change in Karikas behaviour.
The little one slowly drifted back to her old, grumpy self, often refused the other kids when they asked her to play to be by herself.

Of course, Erika had noticed it, too. "She misses the ocean", she simply told him one day when they observed Karika sitting alone in a corner of the marketplace. "Don't worry, it will go away."
"I expected something like that", Yeonbal mused. He thought about it for a moment, then asked: "I suppose we're free tomorrow?"
Erika nodded.
"Then expect me early, I have a surprise that might cheer up both of you", he told her with a grin.