[Arthdal Chronicles] Fight for freedom

CHAPTER 24: The rise of Asa Sin's descendant begins.

Tanya had woken up early, in fact, she had not really slept, she had thought a lot about what she was going to do that day. After her maids had come to prepare her, she went out. She was supposed to meet MuMyungjin for the usual lessons she gave her about the Gods and customs of Arthdal but she found herself being distracted during her lesson, she had only one thing in her mind: her plan to sooth Saya. She couldn't let him think she wasn't on her side anymore, he would be more dangerous if he was on his guard, that was why she needed to make him lower his guard, completely. He wanted her to be his but he would become hers.

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At lunch time, she went back to her office. The table was set as she had asked, now, she only had to wait for her guest to come. 

While waiting for him, she passed nervously back and forth in the room until a knock was finally heard. 

With a head sign, she gave Yangcha the order to open the door and so he let the Prince enter.

"Niruha," Saya respectfully greeted her.

She was about to say something but he didn't give her the time to recite what she had practiced.

"Why is he here?" he asked as he looked at Yangcha who, after having closed the door behind him, had resumed his place, guarding the Priestess from inside the room, "you don't trust me enough to stay alone with me?"

"No, Saya," Tanya said with a calm voice, "it's not like that at all," she continued before she ordered Yangcha to wait outside and so the warrior left. She needed Saya to think she truly trusted him, that wasn't the case though, she had ordered her bodyguard to be attentive and to let the door slightly open in case something was to happen, he had to intervene only if she asked for it or if he felt like her life was threatened. "I know you will never hurt me," Tanya added.

"Do you?" he asked with a smirk, it didn't seem like it was the case the day before.

"Yes, we are on the same side, aren't we?" 

"Of course," he said before he approached her, "as long as you don't keep secrets from me anymore. Don't ever lie to me again, Tanya," he continued as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

To his surprise, she didn't step back and accepted his touch, he felt his heart beating faster when she smiled at him and put her hand on his cheek as she nodded in understanding.

She had slapped that cheek the day before, she didn't regret it but she had thought a lot about it and she didn't think being angry at Saya was the best way to handle him, she needed to do the exact opposite, she needed to sooth him, completely, and to do so she would give him what he desperately wanted: the affection he had been deprived of for so many years. She was already in his heart, everyone around her had told her that, but she would entirely own his heart and so his loyalty. She wasn't like Tagon, she didn't want to make people stay by her side because of the fear he inspired them, she would make them stay because of the love they would feel for her and she would use that love to protect those she cared about. 

"I am sorry about yesterday," she said with a soft voice, "will you forgive me?"

The way she was looking at him confused him, and he took a step back before he went to the table that had been set, "I told you I already forgave you, about that, and the lies too," he replied in a low voice.

"Thank you, Saya," she said, joining him, "I was hoping you to have lunch with me, only if you aren't too busy of course, as you said, we have a lot to talk about." 

He accepted her invitation, it had been a while since they hadn't eaten together, she had often rejected his invitations during the past few weeks, either she was too busy or too tired, or she may have just come up with excuses to avoid him. He was quite troubled with the way she was acting that day, she was so angry the day before and she seemed to be a completely different person now.

Tanya could see the confusion in Saya's eyes, and she took that as an opportunity to confuse him even more. She sat on the chair next to him instead of sitting in front of him and she took his hands in hers, "we are the children of the prophecy Saya, the three of us, we will change the world together," she told him.

We? Together? His heart missed a beat, he wasn't used to be included like that in a project, as if he was important, as if he had a place that was truly his.

Hope, that was her power, she inspired people, and so she would give some hope to Saya too. There was good in him, she was sure of that, and if only she could make that part of him get the upper hand on his evil side she was sure Saya could be a valuable ally. And if she could make him care about Eunseom the same way he seemed to care about her, then Eunseom would be safe. 

He didn't like the way she was looking at him, it always confused his mind and warmed his heart in a way he couldn't control, and he didn't like not being in control. He didn't know if she meant what she had said, if she really wanted him by her side or if she was just playing with him because she was afraid of what he could do to Eunseom if he ever came to see him face to face.

"Do you like him?" Saya asked, looking away, "my brother, do you like him?"

My brother, those were weird words to say but he actually didn't dislike them. 

"Yes, I do," Tanya replied, "he is my friend so it's only normal I like him, but you are my friend too."

Was Eunseom truly only her childhood friend and nothing more? Even the Wahans had not been able to answer that question when he had asked them, but was Tanya lying to him again? He looked directly into her eyes, he would see if she was lying to him again. "And so? Do you like me too?" he questioned.

Tanya didn't look away from him, instead she smiled at him, "of course I do," she quickly replied. It wasn't really a lie, she appreciated Saya, most of the time. She didn't like him the way she liked Eunseom but he didn't need to know that.

Saya found his heart beating faster as her words confused him even more than he already was. He didn't think she was lying, and yet he couldn't help but to doubt her, maybe she was just trying to play with his feelings, no one had ever sincerely liked him, except maybe Saenarae. He forced himself not to think too much about her being sincere or not, even if it was fake for now, he would make it real, in the end, he would do anything to make her his.

"Could you tell me more about the days you pass with my twin? I would like to know more about him," Saya said, "after all, he is my family."

An imperceptible shiver ran through Tanya's body, but she couldn't say no, if she refused Saya would know she didn't entirely trust him, she needed to make him feel like family, without revealing too much. "Sure," she replied, smiling back at him.

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They spent a long moment together, Tanya stayed careful not to mention too much though she tried her best to make Saya sympathize with the Eunseom she was describing to him. 

Saya had mixed feelings about everything he was learning, he found himself curious about his brother and at the same time, he knew he already hated him for the place he was taking in Tanya's heart. But the fact was, Tanya was happy telling him about Eunseom, or at least she seemed to be, so what if the way to her heart was showing an interest for his brother? 

But he also found that unfair, his brother had lived with Tanya by her side half his life while he was deprived of that. He couldn't help but to think Eunseom's life could have been his. If only it was his brother Tagon had found and not him, he would have grown up in Iark but instead, he had grown up in Arthdal, Taealha as a mother's figure who didn't even bother giving him a name. 'Hey', 'you', 'boy', that was how she had called him for ten years, until he summoned the courage to ask her to call him by the name he had chosen for himself. For years, he had to stay locked up in a tower because Taealha feared the color of his blood would be discovered. He had respected her choice, fearing too much what she would do to him if he was to disobey. To keep him occupied she had taught him how to read and write so that he would immerse himself in books and knowledge without thinking about the outside world that was forbidden to him. 

But he had always thought about it, the world beyond the walls of his tower he was only able to escape in his dreams. 

Dreams in which he had never held a book or saw letters in but in which he was free. Free to run in the forest, to hurt himself without fearing the consequences, to eat whatever he wanted and found, in which he laughed and smiled surrounded by friends, and most importantly, Tanya was always by his side in them. 

He had always enjoyed his dreams for the freedom they were giving him and yet, he also hated them once he woke up because they reminded him of what he didn't have. 

However, now that he knew about his brother's existence he wondered if those dreams were truly his, could the fact Tanya and him be both linked by dreams be a lie too? 

"You said you saw me in your dreams," Saya started making Tanya nervous, "that was a lie, wasn't it?"

She didn't know if it was the best strategy to play the honesty card but they had promised not to lie to each other again, "I have never dreamt before, I think you and Eunseom saw through each other's eyes in your dreams."

"So was everything about you and I a lie?" Saya asked as he didn't know if he was angry or disappointed to learn that.

"No, Saya, that doesn't change the fact you and I are linked. We were destined to meet, the three of us have to be together," she tried to reassure.

"So you have true affection for me?" he asked.

"Of course, I already told you."

"I guess that's enough then," he simply replied with a smile, it was enough, for now at least. Then he excused himself, he had to go back to his activities just like Tanya had to go back to hers. 

Before he opened the door which wasn't completely closed, Tanya called his name in a soft voice "we'll make the world a better place Saya, I need you for that so stay by my side, please," she told him.

"I'll always be by your side, Tanya Niruha," he replied before he bowed to her and left. 

As he passed near Yangcha, the warrior slightly bowed to him, but Saya didn't pay attention to him and just went his way, he had a lot to think about.

After he had left her, Tanya loudly sighed, closed her eyes and let her head rest on the table. 'Maybe you still have things to learn about Arthdal but you do already understand how to use people for your own goals,'  those words Yangcha had told her came back to her mind, he was right, she was using people too, she would use Saya or at least she wanted to, but was she manipulative enough to do so? 

She heard a soft knock on the door but no announcement was made. Yangcha, she thought before she raised her head, straightened herself and allowed him to enter.

"Is everything ok, Niruha?" he simply asked as he stood still at the door.

"I hope so, Yangcha," she replied, "I can't read in Saya's mind as easily as I read in yours. I don't know what he thinks about everything I told him." 

She wished she could have entered his head and learnt something useful about Eunseom, next time, she promised herself, she would ask him if he had recently dreamt, she just had to be patient, she couldn't rush Saya, he needed to be handled carefully.

"Is there something I can do for you, Niruha?"  Yangcha asked.

She slowly shook her head as she gave him a faint smile, she appreciated the intention but there was nothing to do at the moment.

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Tanya was taking a break in the Fire Room when MuMyungjin came in to inform her that her father wanted to see her. The Priestess invited him and noticed how agitated he was, he was carrying something hidden in a long piece of fabric and asked Tanya for a secure place to talk.

The father and daughter went to the Priestess' office, followed by Yangcha who was allowed to stay. 

"What is it? Why are you so agitated?" Tanya asked, "are you ok? Did something happen?"

"Look, my daughter," Yeolson said as he unwrapped what he had brought, "this is the sword I made I told you about yesterday."

Tanya just looked without touching it, she didn't like swords, bronze or steel. 

Unlike her, Yangcha found himself drawn by the weapon the High Priestess' father had put on the table and he approached without even asking for permission. "May I?" he asked when his eyes met Tanya's. She gave him the authorization with a single head sign, and he took the sword to examine it, "is that solid enough?"  he questioned. 

Though it wasn't really directed to anyone, Tanya repeated the question for her father who thought it was indeed solid even though he hadn't tested it against another sword. 

"This is incredible,"  Yangcha praised, though Yeolson couldn't hear him. 

The way her bodyguard seemed fascinated by that sword kind of disturbed Tanya, swords were used to kill so what was so good about them?  "I thought you had lost it though," she told her father.

"I found it back this morning, it was at the same place as I had left it," Yeolson replied, "I have a break right now but I should probably go back soon before someone notices I am gone."

"It's a trap,"  Yangcha informed while putting back the sword on the table. Then, he stepped back as he realized he was too close to his Niruha.

"What do you mean?" Tanya asked him.

"It was probably put back on purpose, to see if someone was going to take it back,"  the warrior explained.

"Taealha?"

"Most likely. She is probably searching for the one who has made it."

"If my father goes back to the bronze workshop what is going to happen to him then?"

"Probably summoned and questioned."

"Or worse if he doesn't give the answers she wants, isn't it?"

Yangcha didn't reply to that, Tanya was smart and she probably already knew what was going to happen to her father if he was questioned.

"So you really are talking to him," Yeolson observed, "did I do something wrong?" he asked looking at both his daughter and her bodyguard.

"No, Father," Tanya replied, it wasn't his fault, it was the fault of the way Arthdal was. She insisted on offering her father a cup of tea and though he complained he had to go back to his work, she told him Yangcha would not let him get out of her room without her authorization. It was enough for him to accept to sit and sip his tea in silence as she passed back and forth, thinking about a way to protect her father from Taealha.

But what could she possibly do against the Queen Taealha herself? 

She thought about asking for help, Saya or Enoria would probably come with a solution, they were both strategists, used to Arthdal's games, but they weren't there, and not only she had not the time to ask to see them since Taealha could come for her father any time but also, she didn't want them to get involved if things went wrong.

The conversation she had had with Enoria the night before came back to her mind, 'your strength is within you and when you will have understood the power you hold you may be the strongest of us all,'  the Igutu had told her. Tanya took a deep breath, right, she thought as she straightened herself, she was powerful, she was going to protect her father on her own and she had just found out how. 

She hid the sword back in the piece of tissue, gave it back to Yeolson before she asked her father and her bodyguard to follow her.

"Where are we going?" Yeolson asked.

"To the Palace," Tanya replied. 

"Tagon?"  Yangcha thought.

"Yes," she answered her silent guard's question. Working for Tagon was something she didn't want to do, but working with him was something she could tolerate, as long as she was the one to pull the strings.

Behind her, a strange feeling ran through the warrior, he wouldn't have been able to explain it but there was something different about Tanya that day.

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When she arrived at the Palace, she asked, or rather she ordered, the Guards to announce her visit to the King and to relay her demand for an urgent meeting. 

Her words were quick to spread but the King made her wait, and it was only later he showed himself, followed by Enoria and Mungtae.

"Tanya Niruha, what brings you all the way here?" Tagon asked her.

To Tanya's relief, he seemed in a good mood and she thought it may be easier to deal with him that way. "My King," she respectfully greeted him, though she hated having to call him like that, "I have urgent matters to discuss with you."

"Is that so?" Tagon asked with a smile, the fact Tanya's father was just behind her had not gone unnoticed and he wondered what she could be up to, "then follow me, Niruha," he said, gesturing her the way. 

Tanya moved to his level, he was the King, she was a Niruha, but she would walk by his side and not behind him.

Tagon noticed her sudden assertiveness but he didn't comment on it, he found it amusing, at least at the moment.

Enoria and Yangcha followed just behind. She exchanged a questioning look with him, worried about what Tanya could be up to but it wasn't like he could reassure her, not only because he couldn't communicate with her at the moment but also because he didn't know what the Priestess had in mind.

Before following too, Yeolson gave a dark look to Mungtae, he wouldn't forgive the fact he had helped the two Daekans capture the Wahans for Saya. The Palace guard just lowered his head, embarrassed, even if he didn't regret having obeyed. It seemed to him he was the only one who had fully understood what it was like to live in Arthdal.

When they arrived at his office, the King gestured to the warriors to stay outside but Tanya insisted for the two Daekans to come in.

"Why? Are you afraid I may try to slice your throat and they'll protect you from that?" Tagon asked, amused, "don't forget they are both my warriors."

And they are both under my curse, Tanya thought, even if she didn't know if the two would take her defense if things went wrong she still preferred having them inside than outside. "I need them inside," Tanya replied, "but maybe you are the one who is afraid they will slice your throat?"

Tagon just looked straight in Tanya's eyes, intrigued by how imputent she was showing herself that day. To his surprise she didn't look away, instead she seemed to give back his stare.

"My warriors would never do such a thing," Tagon finally answered, "I am their King."

"And, of course, no subjects would do such a horrible thing to their beloved King," Tanya replied, "that is why, since we both aren't afraid, they can come inside and listen to our conversation."

"Sure," he said, "would you like him to come in too?" he asked, glancing at Mungtae, "after all, he was a member of the Wahans too."

"No," Tanya sharply replied, "I don't need him and I don't trust him."

Mungtae's eyes met Tanya's for a fraction of seconds but he quickly lowered his head, he guessed she already knew he had helped Saya in the Wahans' captures and she probably hated him for that. It didn't matter, if she knew what happened to Eunseom because of him, she would hate him anyway.

Tagon didn't comment on that, he didn't care about the problems Tanya had with her former tribe members and, when he finally entered his office, the Priestess and her father followed, so did the two Daekans, leaving the Palace Guard in the corridor trying to fight away the guilt he was feeling.

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"So?" Tagon asked as he sat behind his desk, "what is that urgent matter you have to discuss with me, Tanya Niruha?" 

Tanya didn't sit, she stayed in front of him, trying to look as convincing in her role as she could, she couldn't let him think she was insecure about what she was doing, she needed to put a mask to hide what she was feeling inside, just like Yangcha and Enoria were always doing.

"I want my father and my other relatives to be protected by guards," Tanya stated.

"What for? No one would dare to hurt the High Priestess' relatives," Tagon replied.

"The Queen Taealha would."

At the mention of his wife, Tagon frowned, his eyes went to Yeolson, he knew he was working in the Bronze Factory, he was the one who had let him there so that he could spy for him but so far each report of the Priestess' father had not been interesting for him. "Did you figure out anything about the bronze?" he directly addressed Tanya's father as his eyes went to the package he was holding. He had noticed Yeolson was nervous and it wasn't like he hadn't felt Tanya was up to something, "what is it you are holding?"

Behind Tanya, Yeolson looked uncomfortable, he ignored what her daughter was up to and she had asked him not to say anything so he didn't know what to reply to the King.

Tagon didn't even wait for a reply and with a simple look and a head sign he ordered Yangcha to bring him the package Yeolson had in his hands. Without even realising, the masked warrior glanced at Tanya as if to wait for a confirmation he was allowed to do that, but he quickly came back to his senses, he was serving Tagon not the Priestess, and he went to take the package from Tanya's father's hands.

The short hesitation of his warrior didn't go unnoticed and Tagon thought maybe his loyal companion was passing too much time by the Priestess' side and he had to change that.

Yangcha brought the package to his leader, he had passed near the Priestess and she hadn't shown any signs of protest against his action and so he had concluded that showing the sword to Tagon was probably what she wanted to do anyway. For a short moment he questioned himself on why he cared about what Tanya wanted, him who had always been a loyal and supportive warrior to his one and only leader. He put the sword still hidden in tissues on Tagon's desk, bowed to him and went back to his place, near Enoria who he felt was tensed.

Tagon carefully unwrapped the tissue hiding the content of the package his warrior had brought him, and when he discovered the steel sword, he couldn't even hide his surprise. In silence, he took the sword in his hands and slowly inspected it. For a second he felt like laughing, the secret of the bronze was something he wanted to know but the Priestess was bringing him something even better than that. 

Enoria's eyes were also stuck on the sword and when Tagon noticed, he turned it for her to take, "test it," he told her before he glanced at Yangcha who nodded, understanding the silent order. 

She stared at it for a short moment, it was a prettier sword than the ones she had, it was also lighter and she was really curious of what it would be like to fight with such an object.

Tagon liked the sound it made when the steel sword she was holding clashed with Yangcha's bronze sword and he also noticed how strong it was, it didn't break as he was expecting it to do. If it was as strong as a bronze sword or even stronger he didn't need to go after the bronze secret anymore and that idea more than pleased him.

"Enough," Tagon said, making his two warriors immediately stop their fight and bow to him.

Enoria put back the sword on the King's desk, still amazed by what she was holding, she murmured how incredible it was, making Tagon smile and then, she went back to her place.

It almost made Tanya smile too because she was having, again, the same reaction as Yangcha had had but the Priestess kept her seriousness, she needed to convince Tagon she wasn't someone he should think little of.

 "Is that the fruit of your work?" the King asked Yeolson.

Yeolson didn't reply to Tagon right away, he glanced at Tanya who, with a nod, gave her approval for him to say the truth. "Yes, King Tagon," he simply replied.

"How?" 

"Well, I am not that sure, I had tried many times but it was the first time it succeeded."

"Mere coincidence huh?" Tagon asked with a smirk, well, if it was possible to make one, it was possible to make thousands of those, "did someone else see it?"

"We suspected Queen Taealha to be aware of it," Tanya replied for him.

"And so? Why did you bring it to me?" he questioned, curious.

"The Queen owns the secret of the bronze, what about you, my King, owns the secret of the steel?" she proposed, "my father could give that to you, in exchange, you'll have to accept my conditions."

"Why would I do that? I could just have him tortured to get that knowledge after he found out more."

Tanya straightened herself, she had expected him to say something like that, he wasn't any better than Taealha, they were two of the same kind, maybe that was why they loved each other, but she wouldn't let anyone torture her father and for that she would use her own power. "I am Asa Sin's descendant, I am the vessel of the Gods, and I announced you as Aramun Haesulla's second coming just like I crowned you a King in the name of the Gods, don't you think they could take back what they gave if you upset their messenger?" she asked him.

Tagon didn't reply right away, he stood up, his face impassive, walked around his desk and slowly approached Tanya under the worried looks of her father and the two Daekans watching silently the scene. 

Though she didn't let it show, Enoria was more than tensed as she questioned herself on what she would do if Tagon was to try hurting Tanya. But the way she was already in a protective position was giving her the answer to her interrogation, in case things were to go wrong, she had already chosen Tanya's side.

Tagon approached Tanya who didn't move. When he was close enough, he leaned towards her. With his face close to hers, he looked at her straight in the eyes, smirked, and asked with a menacing tone: "is Asa Sin's descendant threatening her King right now?"

"No," Tanya answered without looking away, "she is warning him."

The King straightened himself and smirked at how cheeky she was. "What is it that you want in exchange for your father's knowledge?" he asked, curious.

"His safety as well as the Wahans'."

"Is that all?" he asked, going back to his desk as he wondered if she was stupid or if she truly had no idea how valuable her father's knowledge could be.

"No, I also want to participate in every meeting concerning Arthdal, so that I would share my opinions and ideas which you will listen very carefully to."

If she wanted a chair at the meetings he could give her one, even if he listened to her ideas it didn't mean the other councillors would follow her. Tagon let himself fall into his chair again, "why not trying to keep the knowledge for yourself?" he asked her.

"I don't have any interest in knowing how to make swords, moreover Queen Taealha already knows about it, my father is not safe here."

"And so you need me to assure your father's protection?"

No, she didn't need him, Enoria's people could have assured her father's protection she was sure of it, she was only using what he covet against him, if he wanted the secret of the steel he would have to follow her lead, she was the one pulling the strings now. 

"Do you trust me for that?" Tagon asked, amused.

"No, I don't. But didn't you say the balance between us was good so far? All I want is for Arthdal to be a good place to live in, so, we can work together, maintain the balance as it is and try to make of this place a better place or, if you refuse my conditions, we can fight against each other and I'll make sure to win, your choice."

"Is that another warning?" Tagon asked with a smirk, he liked having interesting people in his surroundings and Tanya was becoming interesting enough for him to show interest in her. He didn't know where her assurance came from but it was a funny thing to witness, she was trying hard to keep her composure but he knew inside she was shaking like a leaf. He had to recognize her boldness though, she understood now what it was to be a Niruha, she looked and spoke like one. 

He didn't mind about her conditions, protecting the one who could end up giving him the secret of the steel was something he could do, and if needed, he could still get rid of Yeolson later. For now, he preferred working with the Priestess than having to fight against her, he didn't want her to be like a second Asa Ron. "Right, fine, let's do that," Tagon replied. He felt like she had something else in mind but whatever she wanted, it was nothing compared to the possibility of getting the knowledge of the fabrication of steel swords. "Let's work together, Tanya Niruha."

Tagon gave his directives, he couldn't send back Yeolson to the bronze factory as Taealha would get hold of him if she truly was already aware of the fact it was Tanya's father who had made the steel sword. 

He summoned Mubaek to accompany him to the Daekans headquarters without being seen. His two Daekan warriors present in the room would have done the job perfectly too but he knew that Taealha was probably already searching for Yeolson and so she would look for those who were close to the Priestess.

The plan wasn't to make Yeolson stay at the headquarters, he had to disappear from Taealha's sight and so from Arthdal itself. The day after, Tagon wanted his two trusted warriors to accompany the Priestess' Father to a distant village in which he would be safe and guarded and, most importantly, he would be able to work on finding out the process of fabrication of steel swords. Enoria suggested one which had an iron mine not far, of course it wasn't the only reason for which she had proposed that one but Tagon didn't need to know about it. There was only one road to go there and Tagon advised to go through the woods so that no one would see them, no one could know where the High Priestess' father was just like no one should know on what he would be working.

The King refused Tanya's demand to accompany her father to the headquarters, she needed to be seen outside of the Palace as if nothing important happened so that she wouldn't look suspicious in Taealha's eyes. She insisted on the fact she, at least, would accompany him to the village they had chosen for him to stay and work and made clear it was not negotiable. 

Tagon didn't oppose that decision and suggested her to find a way for the priests of the shrine not to suspect anything. He didn't suggest anything. If she was going to work with him she would have to prove him she was worth it and smart enough to do what was necessary. 

Finally, Tagon informed them, the Priestess and her father, as well as his two warriors charged to accompany them, would be joined by other warriors he would have chosen so that they would protect Yeolson as well as keep an eye and assist him in his researches.

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In the Fortress of Fire, Taealha was tapping impatiently her finger on her desk, "so have you found out who had made that sword?" she asked the chief of the bronze workshop.

"I did as you asked my Queen, I put the sword where I had found it-"

"And?" the Queen interrupted, maybe it was because of her pregnancy, maybe it was because the stakes were too big for her to show herself patient anyway.

"Someone took it," the man answered.

"Who?"

"Well, the thing is, it was Tanya Niruha's Father, my Queen."

"Is that so? Could that dujeumsaeng have made that sword?" Taealha asked for herself, surprised, "bring him to me right now."

"Well, I am sorry my Queen, he went to see Tanya Niruha earlier and on my way here, I saw him going to the Palace with the High Priestess."

Taealha scoffed, she was late because of how incompetent her own people were, she wondered if Tagon was behind all of that or if she had just underestimated Tanya. 

She sighed before she sent back the chief of the workshop to his work asking him to try to replicate the steel sword he had seen. Then she addressed Hae Tuak: "have you checked out about what we talked about yesterday?" 

"Yes, yes," Hae Tuak replied, "the owner of that inn is most likely working for her, they were talking together and that woman discreetly left after that."

"To do what?"

"We don't know, we lost her track, maybe she knew she was being followed and lured us, or she could have been ordered to be cautious."

Taealha sighed, of course, they were cautious, that was why Tagon had not found any of her people -if he had ever truly searched for them-, but she was probably organized in networks and she would find them, no matter how many time it took her. She smiled at the idea of what she was going to do once she would have a way of exerting pressure on Tagon's precious lady.

"So? What is your order? Do you want us to kidnap and torture that woman to get informations?" Hae Tuak asked.

Taealha shook her head, "no, let her be for now, keep an eye on her, she may lead you to other people working for our dear Daekan Lady. And of course, keep a very discreet eye on Enoria too, she must not suspect anything."

"Yes, my Queen," the maid replied before she left to relay Taealha's new orders.

Alone in her office, Taealha sighed loudly again. If Tagon knew about the steel sword he would put the High Priestess' father out of her reach for sure. He had promised not to go after the secret of the bronze but not only she didn't truly trust him on that but also, if he was to find out on his own how to make steel swords she would lose an advantage, he wouldn't need her anymore for making weapons. 

And what would he do to her if he didn't need her anymore? Nothing, she thought as she softly stroked her stomach, he would do nothing to her as long as she had that little life growing inside of her and she would not hesitate to use it against him if necessary.

She called out for her guards and ordered them to find Tanya's father without being too obvious, the secret of making weapons had been in the possession of the Hae Tribe since they came into Arthdal and so it should stay that way, either the secret of the steel would be hers, either no one would have it. She had killed her own father so she wouldn't even hesitate one second to kill the Priestess' one.

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The Queen was informed later the High Priestess' father was nowhere to be seen and that Tanya, followed by her bodyguard, had gone back to her casual activities after her visit to the Palace.

She could have waited to know more but she was tired of waiting, and she headed for the Shrine while mumbling how incompetent her warriors were if they were incapable of finding an old man who didn't even know the city. 

She was received by Tanya in her office, she was formally greeted, and without asking permission, she made herself comfortable and sat on a chair, inviting the Priestess to do the same. "So, Tanya Niruha, is everything going the way you want?"

"I am getting used to my priestess' activities, if it's what you want to know, my Queen."

"That's a great thing," Taealha replied with a fake smile, "your father didn't come back to work after his break earlier, where is he?"

Tanya wasn't surprised by Taealha's words, Tagon had warned her that she would come to her and that she would probably go straight to the point, it was up to her to convince the queen she had nothing to hide, though she had. "My father had decided to quit working in the bronze factory, he is not that young anymore and it was too tiring for him to keep going, that is why he came to see me earlier and, after that, we went to the Palace for the King to give him his approval in that decision," Tanya calmly explained, "may I offer you a cup of tea?" she proposed with a fake smile.

"No, thank you, dear," Taealha replied, she didn't like how calm the Priestess was, she knew she was hiding her father from her, and her beloved husband was probably the one who had murmured those well-constructed lies for her to repeat. She was wrong though, it was Tanya who had suggested that idea to Tagon, they had come up with a story to explain the Priestess coming to the Palace with her father. "But, your father was working for me, how could he leave without talking to me first?" Taealha asked.

"My father is a free man, he doesn't owe you anything," Tanya simply answered.

The Queen gave her an interrogative look, it didn't seem to her Tanya looked that confident and comfortable with her before, there was something different about her that day. 

Yangcha had noticed that too, he had been attentive to the Priestess and had tried to figure out what was going on with her until he had finally understood what it was: power, her power was showing, in the way she talked or simply moved, in the way she had looked at Tagon and the way she was now looking at Taealha. And yet, it was a different aura than when he was near Tagon, even though he wouldn't have been able to exactly describe in which way it was different.

"I should at least thank him for the time he spent with us so tell me, where is he?" Taealha asked.

It sounded more like a disguised threat than a simple question to Tanya's ears but she knew her father was safe. Mubaek would never let something happen to him and by now, they probably already were at the headquarters, surrounded by Daekan warriors who only listened to Tagon's orders.

"Resting, I will pass him your message of gratitude, my Queen," Tanya answered, impassive.

"I would prefer giving that message by myself."

"I am afraid it is not going to be possible," the Priestess replied, looking straight into Taealha's eyes.

Of course the Queen didn't look away, Tanya was playing with her and she looked like another arrogant girl she knew and didn't like. 

"I hope you are not forgetting your place, Tanya Niruha," Taealha threatened, "you would not be where you are without us."

"Don't worry my Queen, I know exactly what place is mine, the Gods had chosen me to be where I am," she said, and before Taealha had the time to reply to her she continued: "now, if you don't mind, I have to go back to my activities, you see, as the High Priestess, I have a lot to do."

Inside, Taealha was boiling over, wondering how a former slave dared to speak to her that way but also dared to chase her, yet, she didn't let anything show. She raised from her chair, looked at Tanya up and down, and left the Priestess' office, head-high.

As soon as the door closed and Tanya was alone again she let out a loud sigh. From her conversation with Tagon to that one with the Queen, it had been hard to keep her composure, she felt exhausted, it was harder than she thought to play the game of power.

"I don't know if I am capable of continuing like that," she complained.

"You did well, Niruha,"  Yangcha thought for her to hear. He was hesitant with his words, there was something that was telling him he shouldn't encourage her in her ways and yet, he didn't know why but there was also a part of him that was telling him to help her, maybe it was because of the spell she had cast on him or maybe it was because of the hope of a better Arthdal for his family to live in.

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After her visit to Tanya, Taealha went to the Palace, she needed to have a conversation with her husband. She waited for him in the throne room, she wouldn't be the one going to him, he would be the one coming to her. 

Just like she had done on the day of the coronation ceremony, she stared at the throne, thinking that maybe she would have to act more quickly than she thought to get rid of those who were standing in her way, Enoria, Saya, Tanya and also Tagon, she wanted all of them out of her way.

When the large door of the throne room opened, she turned and smiled to the man she had married, she was glad to see he had let his warriors outside.

"Shouldn't you be resting? You weren't feeling that well this morning," Tagon said as he approached and took her in a warm embrace. 

"I am feeling just fine, I am pregnant, not ill," she replied. His embrace didn't feel like it used to and yet, she still liked having his arms around her, maybe that was what had made her nauseous in the morning.

"I would still prefer you resting, don't overwork yourself, you have to take care of yourself and our baby."

Taealha smirked at those words but he didn't see it, everything she was doing now was for herself and for her baby. "I am the Queen, I have many things to do and worry about," she said.

"What are you worrying about?" Tagon asked, looking at her.

"One of my workers left the bronze factory today."

"Ah yes, I know, Tanya's father," Tagon replied, he knew she would bring out that subject, "well, I guess working with the bronze is not something given to everybody. I gave him my permission to quit his work."

"Yes, I know that, I went to see Tanya since her father was nowhere to be found, she explained everything to me, but, I wanted to thank him for the time he gave to the workshop. However, she refused to tell me where he was, perhaps do you know where he went?" she asked with a smile.

Tagon wasn't duped, he knew well the smile she was giving him, it was the kind of smile she used when she knew something was going on and she was trying to figure everything out but he wouldn't tell her anything that time. "I have no idea," he answered.

Liar, she thought, she could see it in his eyes, he was in league with Tanya, it was just another betrayal to add to his list. "Is that so? What a shame," she replied, maybe she had been too nice with him those past few years, maybe he had forgotten what she was capable of, maybe she would have to remind him. "Have you thought about what we will do about Saya? I don't think he will be that happy with my pregnancy, after all, you told him he was going to be your heir," she changed the subject. 

"I am not going to let the child of a stranger inherit Arthdal when I will have an heir sharing my bloodline. Don't worry about him, he won't be a problem and we still have time before your pregnancy starts showing."

"Send him to war," Taealha suggested, "he had trained all his life to please you, let him show you what he is capable of."

"That's an option I thought about but it's too risky, he only knows about wars through the books he read. A real war is different, knowing about war strategies is not enough for him to survive in the middle of a battlefield."

"Then find someone to teach him how to fight, as you said, we still have time before the war, he is an Igutu, he will learn fast. What about your Daekan Lady? As an Igutu too she will be perfect for that job and we won't have to fear his blood being discovered during the training."

"And she'll end up killing him before the war begins," Tagon joked, "you know they can't stand each other."

"Isn't she your warrior? Make her obey."

"Do you trust Saya enough to let him lead a war for us? Or do you want Saya to die there?" Tagon asked.

She smiled, Tagon knew her too well. "I just don't want him to try to kill our heir," she replied. She knew Saya, she had raised him, and if he knew about the baby growing inside of her, if he knew that that unborn child had already taken his place as Tagon's heir, he would probably kill it, maybe even before it was born, and that was a risk she didn't want to take.

"He won't do that," Tagon replied, "because I am going to give him something he wants and who will set him aside from the throne."

"What is it?" 

"Tanya."

He had noticed well Saya enjoyed being by the Priestess' side, he had seen how he was protective over her when he had confronted her about the way she had changed the speech she was supposed to recite after the coup, he knew his adoptive son wanted her and so, he would be the one giving her to him. 

Of course, it wasn't only to please him he was thinking about marrying him to the Priestess. Once the husband of the High Priestess, Saya wouldn't be able to become a King after him, he would stay as a servant of the Great Shrine, a Niruha at most. But he also didn't intend to make of Saya his enemy, he didn't want to make the same mistake as his own father, he would keep his adoptive son close in his heart and mind. And, once the marriage would be sealed and if a child was to be born from the union then, if Tanya became a problem and was to disappear, Saya would be the one in control of the Shrine and his child would after him: it was a perfect way to be at the same time in the control of Arthdal, of the Shrine and of the Gods.

"Good idea," Taealha replied with a smile, "Saya is going to be happy about that, they should marry before the war, our subjects would be happy about that!" she faked a sudden enthusiasm.

She liked the idea, not for the same reason as Tagon though, she didn't trust Saya enough to think he would just accept to live happily in the shrine with his future wife but, if, indeed, the two conceived a child and they were both to disappear, she would be able to raise that child as her own and she would have the control of the Shrine and Gods.

"I will talk to Saya soon," Tagon responded.

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At the end of the afternoon, Saya knocked at his father's office and, with the latter's authorization, he entered and found a smiling Tagon at his desk.

"You asked for me, Father," Saya said as he bowed to him.

"Yes, son, take a seat, let's talk," Tagon replied, gesturing to him to take a chair.

Saya smiled awkwardly but did as he was asked. In silence, he watched as Tagon poured alcohol into two cups.

"How have you been?" the King asked as he held out the cup to Saya.

Saya looked at him in surprise, when he was summoned he thought his father would ask him about how his researches for the secret of the bronze were going but, though he had wished for it for a long time, he hadn't expected a relaxed conversation.

"I- I am doing fine," he replied.

"That's a great thing, I am happy to hear that," Tagon replied with a smile, before he sipped his drink and Saya imitated him, though he didn't really like drinking alcohol, "I was wondering, do you like Tanya?" 

To those words, Saya almost spitted what he had in his mouth and he put back the cup on the table while coughing.

"Was I too straightforward?" Tagon asked with a small laugh.

"I am sorry, I wasn't expecting such a question," Saya replied, trying hard not to cough again. When he looked at Tagon, he could see he was still waiting for the answer to his question, " it's complicated, I am not quite sure to understand women, they are hard to figure out," he finally replied.

"Yes, I must agree. They like to play hard to get but isn't that what makes them interesting?" he asked before he filled the two cups again, "Taealha was like that too," he added before he went on explaining how he had managed to finally seduce the woman who had become his wife.

Saya listened carefully, not because he absolutely wanted to know how his father and Taealha had met and seduced each other but because he finally had the feeling of creating a bond with the one he called his father and that was what he had wanted for years.

"But see, in the end, she is my wife now, though it's still complicated," Tagon finished with a smile, "have you ever thought about marriage yet? Because if you like Tanya, you should put a ring on her finger before someone else do it, she is pretty, and powerful too."

Saya felt nervous at those last words, did Tagon think about Tanya as a threat? Did he have a plan for her?

"She would never accept such a thing," Saya replied as he shook his head. He didn't like the name of the person that came to his mind when Tagon had mentioned someone else to do it, if Tanya was to reunite with Eunseom, would they end up married together? He couldn't let that happen, Tagon was right, he had to marry her before anyone else take the chance but how would he do to make her accept that? Or should he find a way for her not to have the chance to refuse?

"So you like her?" Tagon asked with a knowing smile.

Saya looked at him with surprise before he realized he had just confessed his feelings, but as his father only smiled at him he finally allowed himself to say it, "yes, I like her, but I don't think she likes me the way I love her," he said as he lowered his head, embarrassed.

"Well, if you like her, seduce her, I will gladly allow the two of you to marry," Tagon said, "however, you should do that before the time for war comes."

"Why?" 

"Because you will be the one leading it."

Saya just looked at him with a surprised expression, then he quickly stood up and dropped on his knees in respect, "I will not disappoint you, Father, I have studied strategies and wars for years, I will lead our troops to victory and bring glory to Arthdal."

Tagon smiled at the view, "yes, I am sure you will, however I can't send you there with only book knowledge."

"Hae Tuak taught me basic moves, I can defend myself."

"You will be going to war against the Agos, basic moves won't be enough. You will take intensive lessons, everyday, until the war," he said, before he called out for Enoria who was standing guard outside, she silently entered and bowed, "here is your special teacher, son," he addressed Saya who just snorted at the idea that she, out of all the people, was going to teach him.

Enoria looked at Tagon then at Saya with a confused expression, "do you mind explaining?" she asked.

"Saya will be the one leading the war against the Ago Tribe, I want you to teach him swordsmanship so that I won't have to worry nor about him getting killed, nor about his blood being revealed. This is an order and you are not allowed to complain in my presence. You start next week."

She smirked, "why would I complain when you are actually giving me the authorization to kick his ass?" she asked before she was asked to watch her language. She apologized before she looked at Saya, "you are not ready for what is coming for you little Prince," she teased him.

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At the Great Shrine, Tanya could have enjoyed the view the sunset was giving her from the balcony of her office but she was too lost in her thoughts for that. That day, for one of the first times since she had gotten the Niruha title, she had truly felt the power she had.

 And she had enjoyed that. 

She had liked threatening Tagon without flinching and she had liked lying to Taealha's face knowing the Queen wouldn't get what she wanted.

It must be an illness or something, she thought as she remembered her time with Eunseom.

But was it truly ok for her to act like that? Maybe Tagon would plan something behind her back and not respect their deal. Maybe Taealha would find where they were going to hide her father and she would kill him. Maybe Tagon would order someone to get rid of her because she had dared to threaten him or maybe Taealha would do so because she had dared to play with her.

She sighed, she wanted to pull the strings but what if she wasn't up to it? Tagon and Taealha were strong opponents and she didn't possess the resources and knowledge they had. And yet, it was only when she was alone in her room -or almost alone- that she allowed herself to doubt her own capacities, she hoped neither the King, nor the Queen had noticed she wasn't entirely confident about what she was doing.

Tanya jumped when she heard a knock on the door. The aggressiveness with which she asked who it was surprised the masked warrior who was guarding her from inside, but when Enoria announced herself from the other side of the door, Tanya softened right away, it wasn't someone with whom she had to play a role. 

When her friend was finally inside and the door behind her closed, Tanya surprised her by taking her into her arms.

Enoria didn't push her away, Tanya had a powerful title but she still felt like a little sister to her and so she would give her some comfort if she needed some. "Are you ok?" she asked.

Tanya just nodded before she freed her friend from her arms.

 "Great, then tell me little Niruha, are you a genius, an idiot or do you actually have suicidal tendencies?" Enoria asked.

"I knew what I was doing," Tanya defended herself, "and it's you who encouraged me to work with him."

"Not by threatening him first! You threatened to take his throne away from him, do you really think it was a good idea? Are you aware of the fact that if he thinks you are a problem for him and his power, you are as good as dead? Do you want to end up like Asa Ron?"

"I thought it was better to make things clear rather than rubbing him up the right way," Tanya explained.

"And what exactly do you think you can do against him? Even if you work with him, even if you won yourself a place to the Kingdom's meetings, it doesn't mean he would listen to you, he could use that against you or he co-"

"Thank you," Tanya interrupted, "thank you for worrying about me," she continued as she took the Igutu's hands in hers, "you told me I should learn by myself for me to own my power completely, so trust me, I have a plan."

Enoria sighed, she didn't want Tanya to get hurt in the process of learning. She wasn't sure she liked caring that much about the priestess, she didn't even know her for so long and yet, there was something that was telling her she should do everything she could to protect her and assist her in her plans, maybe that was because of the spell Tanya had cast on her or maybe there was a part of her that actually wanted Tanya to win over Tagon.

She sprawled on one of the priestess' chairs and closed her eyes for a moment, wondering why the days always seemed so long and complicated in Arthdal. It wasn't the first time that the idea Tanya could be a better ruler than Tagon for Arthdal was crossing her mind. If it wasn't for Yangcha who strongly believed in his master's capacities, she would have gladly helped the Priestess getting rid of the actual King, but she couldn't do that, she would have the impression of betraying her lover if she did so. In the end, it wasn't a bad thing if the Priestess and the King were working together, if they could truly balance each other, Arthdal could change for the best.

Tanya joined her friend by sitting on the chair next to hers, "I have thought about how I am going to do to quietly leave the Shrine tomorrow," she started as the Igutu opened her eyes and raised from her position to sit in a more acceptable way to listen carefully to her words, "I need some preparation for that, would you help me?" she asked with a smile.

"Tell me what you need, little Niruha," Enoria answered with the same knowing smile. 

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The morning after, as planned, Yangcha took his watch earlier than usual so that the Priestess could quietly leave the Shrine to accompany her father to the village he would live in.

Enoria wasn't long to arrive just after, as Tanya had asked, she had picked up some clothes for the Priestess to change in. Her usual white dress was not only too easily recognizable but also wasn't the most comfortable clothes for the path they were going to take. 

After having dressed, Tanya looked at herself in the mirror. The clothes Enoria had given her were simple, dark pants, a pair of boots, and a shirt, its color a little lighter than the pants she had. She smiled, she actually looked a little like Enoria dressed like that and she liked the fact she looked more like Wahan Tanya than Asa Tanya that way.

"All ready," the Igutu said as she put a cape on the Priestess' shoulders.

At that moment, a soft knock was heard on the door and Yangcha entered the room he had left to give the Priestess the privacy needed for her to change. 

"They are here,"  he informed in his mind.

"Can we truly trust them?" Tanya asked Enoria.

"Yes, I can assure you you can," the Igutu reassured.

The Priestess straightened herself and ordered Yangcha to make them come inside. The small group of priests entered Tanya's office and gestured their respect. 

"I think the situation was already explained to you, wasn't it?" Tanya asked.

"Yes, Niruha, your order will be respected, for all Arthdal, you will be sick and unable to carry your activities for the day, we'll pretend to be taking care of you, no one else is to enter that room," one of them answered before they all told in unison they would carry well the order.

"Thank you, I am counting on you," Tanya replied before Enoria pressed her for them to leave, the sun would be up soon and MuMyungjin and her usual maids would be there in no time, they had to leave before they arrived.

Outside, the Daekans who were summoned to assure that truly no one unwanted was to enter the Priestess' room had arrived too. They bowed to Tanya as she went out with her hood on. 

"You have received your orders, haven't you?" Tanya asked them.

"Yes, Niruha, King Tagon explained to us about the secret mission," Gitoha replied, "we'll make sure no one enters your room while you are away so you can go do what you have to do." 

The day before, Enoria had relayed to Tagon Tanya's demand. For her cover, the Priestess needed to make everyone believed she was still there but without guards at her door, she was afraid someone -like Saya or MuMyungjin- would try to enter to check on her anyway. With guards and priests all around, forbidding them to do such a thing, Tanya thought she would be able to keep her departure a secret for the day. Enoria could have asked the Daekans herself for such a thing but by passing by Tagon she was sure they would respect the order they were given and the secret of Tanya's absence. 

The warriors didn't know where Tanya and the two warriors were going, nor what they were going to do, but as it was Tagon's orders, they didn't ask questions and just respected what they were asked to do.

Tanya thanked them before she asked Yangcha to lead the way and left the Daekans to their own mission. 

Before she could follow the two, Mugwang grabbed Enoria's wrist making her turn, "whatever the three of you are going to do, be careful little wolf," he told her.

"Oh don't worry Mugwang, I will come back soon enough to piss you off and rob your money," she replied with a smile before she freed herself and quickly caught up with the ones she was leaving with.

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The two warriors quietly led the Priestess to the Daekans headquarters, even though the caps they were wearing were hiding them, they still had to be careful not to be seen. They had noticed that, since the day before, Taealha's warriors were on the move.

Thankfully, they didn't encounter any problem on their way and the three people picked up Yeolson without lingering, they had a long way to go and most importantly, it was better to leave Arthdal as soon as possible.

They used horses for their trips, they couldn't use the roads and had to go through the forest but, for the good horseriders the two warriors were, it wasn't that difficult to ride in such conditions. 

Tanya's father was riding with Yangcha while the two women were together on another horse. To balance the weights, it would have been better for Tanya to ride with her masked bodyguard but at the mention of that, her father had firmly opposed that, he didn't want her to be that close to him. Enoria didn't try to argue, it wasn't like she would have enjoyed seeing Tanya and Yangcha that close either.

On the way, only Yeolseon's voice could be heard and from time to time Enoria took a look at Yangcha whom she swore would have killed him if he wasn't his Niruha's father.

"Ah really, if someone had told me one day I would be riding a horse, I wouldn't have believed it," Yeolson said with a small laugh.

Yangcha took a deep breath, he was trying hard to be patient and understanding but Tanya's father was way too talkative for him, he kept asking questions about how they had managed to catch the horse or make him follow their lead, he also kept being amazed by little things like the horse's saddle and rein while talking about how in the Wahan Tribe they had never thought about taming animals to ride them. 

"Can you tame every horse? Or when you search for one is there criteria to respect? I heard there were white horses too, do you have some in Arthdal? I have never seen any in Iark," Yeolson continued.

In front of them, Enoria was restraining herself from laughing, she couldn't read her lover's thoughts but she was sure he was silently screaming for help.

He kind of was, Yeolseon was just like Mugwang, he never stopped talking though at least the Priestess' father wasn't talking about women. Sometimes Yangcha answered him in his mind and only nodded or shook his head to give him the answers he wanted, his thoughts betrayed how bored he was though. Sometimes he wondered why he was the one under the punishment of silence when there were such talkative people in this world and sometimes, he just wished he could gag him to get the silence he wanted.

"Do you start training at a young age for riding a horse? It probably takes many years to master horseriding, doesn't it? Do you keep the same horse all your life?"

"Sir," Enoria interrupted Yeolson with a smile, "you should know that your horseman is a man of few words, why don't you give him a break?"

"Am I too talkative?" Yeolson asked, "I just have so many questions, sorry. I will stay quiet from now on," he continued with a laugh, making the two women laugh too as they both noticed how Yangcha seemed relieved to hear that.

They continued for a while, in silence, before Tanya discreetly asked her horsewoman for a break, maybe she just wasn't used to it but being on a horse for so long wasn't that comfortable.

They stopped a little further and the two former Wahans got off of the horses with difficulties. Their reactions amused the two warriors as they complained about the fact their legs kind of hurt despite the horses having been the ones walking.

Yeolson just sat on the ground, resting his back on a tree while he sipped water from his flask while Yangcha, helped by Enoria, just awkwardly pretended to take care of the horses as he didn't want the Priestess' father to start asking him questions again. 

"Aren't the horses going to run away if we don't tie them up?" Yeolson asked as the two warriors were removing the horses' saddles and reins for their comfort.

"No," Enoria replied, "because I asked them to stay here."

"You asked them?"

"Yes, I can communicate with them, kind of like your daughter can hear our minds."

"Oh I see," he replied, "were you the Great Mother of your tribe too?"

"No, I was just the weird kiddo, sir," she answered with a small laugh.

A weird kiddo, Yeolson thought, just like his Tanya. People saw in her the descendant of someone important, for him, she was just his precious and only daughter, his child, cursed with a heavy destiny to accomplish. He couldn't help but to worry about what the Gods had forecasted for her, what would she do all alone against Arthdal? 

His eyes went back to the two warriors and he realised maybe he was wrong, she wasn't all alone, he didn't know that much about Enoria but his father's instinct was telling him she was worth the trust his daughter had in her. "You," he called out the woman warrior, "you are a nice and polite kid, and my daughter likes you, can I count on you to protect her?"

Enoria restrained herself from laughing, in Arthdal and among those she had passed time with she was more known as an arrogant and annoying bitch than a nice and polite kid. "I will do my best so that nothing happens to your daughter, you have my words, sir," she reassured. She had sincere affection for the Priestess and she wouldn't have been able to explain why she had started caring for her at the moment she had seen her.

Tanya didn't hear about his father's question to her friend, careful to always stay in the sight of the warriors who didn't want her to go too far, she had walked a little further as soon as they had gotten down on the horses. She was lost in her thoughts at the view she was offered. From where she was, she could see all Arthdal. It seemed big and small, majestic and miserable at the same time and she wondered why people were staying in such a complicated place.

Enoria joined her later but she didn't say anything and, just like the Priestess, she silently watched that city she didn't really like. With her eyes she followed the big wall that was surrounding the city, the citizens saw it as a protection, for her, walls were just restrictions, just like the chickens they locked in cages at the market, that wall was the citizens' cage.

"I could run away, I could never come back to Arthdal," Tanya murmured.

"Yes, you could, just like Asa Sin did before you," Enoria replied, "but will Tanya Niruha do that?"

She wished she could do that, it would be so easy at the moment, she was already far from Arthdal. But she couldn't, she had sworn to protect the people living there. If she was to run away, she would abandon them and break that promise, and nothing would ever change for those who were suffering in the city. 

She hated herself for always being so torn between the duties she had as Asa Tanya Niruha, the child of the prophecy who had to change the world, and her desire to go back to her simple life as Wahan Tanya, it was like there were two Tanya constantly fighting inside of her, one who wanted to fulfill her destiny and one who wanted to escape it. "I just miss home," she replied in a sigh, "don't you miss yours too?"

"If by home you mean a particular place then no, I have no specific attachment to any place, I just can live everywhere, my home is not a place."

Tanya frowned, not sure to understand what her friend meant by that, "what is it then?"

"A person," Enoria replied before she turned her head to look at Yangcha, "he is my home."

Tanya followed with her eyes the Igutu's look even though it wasn't necessary to know whom she was talking about. 

When Yangcha noticed the two women had their eyes on him, he frowned, wondering for a second if he had done something wrong and then he just bowed to the Priestess making Enoria smile at his awkwardness.

"Why? I mean, how can a person be your home?" Tanya asked, looking back at Enoria.

"Isn't home where you think you belong? The place you want to return to over and over again and you feel safe in?" Enoria asked, "that place for me is when I am near him. You see your home as four walls, I see it as two eyes and a heartbeat, as two arms around me when I am at my best but also when I am at my worst."

Tanya just nodded in understanding, she had never thought about it that way before, could she tell Eunseom was her home then? Back in Iark, he was the one she wanted near him when she felt sick or sad, but he was also the one she reached for first when she was happy. And even now that she was in Arthdal, Eunseom was often in her thoughts. Maybe if he was with her, if he was by her side again, she would feel like she was home, even if it wasn't Iark, but she still didn't know where he was or even if he was still alive.

"When did you realize you had feelings for him?" Tanya asked, to distract herself from worrying about Eunseom, "didn't you hate him at first?"

"I did, though he had spared my life, twice, I hated him so much for all he represented," Enoria answered with a small laugh as she remembered how the 16 years old girl she was was so persuaded she would never forgive him and was so determined to hate him for the rest of her life, "when my anger slowly faded away and I actually started enjoying seeing him, I told myself it was ok just to be friends, until I realized friends don't actually make your heart beats faster when they look at you," she continued with a knowing smile, "I am not sure about when exactly I fell in love with him though, my feelings grew with each day who passed but I only truly realized I loved him when he finally decided he was done waiting and made the first move."

"And after that you two became inseparable," Tanya said with a knowing smile.

"No," Enoria laughed, "I pushed him away and left him on the spot."

"You did that? How cruel!"

"I was 18! I panicked! I was thinking too much back then, plus I came back. Two days after. Because I got lost. I ended up confessing and let go all my fears, my feelings and my clothes too," she finished with a small laugh.

"I don't want to know about that!" Tanya said before she joined Enoria laughing.

Further, Yangcha was trying hard to listen to the two women' conversations, the way they had both looked at him earlier had been suspicious and he wanted to know what they were talking about. But even though he was half an Igutu and had a better hearing than most Sarams, it wasn't enough to hear what the two were murmuring and laughing about.

Yeolson, who hadn't moved from where he was apparently comfortably sat, noticed how the masked warrior was constantly looking in the direction of the two girls talking. "Hey, you," he called out, surprising Yangcha who just turned to look at him, "stop looking at my daughter like that."

The warrior would have liked to tell him it wasn't at his daughter he was looking at but at the woman he loved but he unfortunately couldn't and had to listen to the Priestess father's reprimands for something he wasn't guilty of. He rolled his eyes when Yeolson actually explained him he would never agree for his daughter and him to be together because of the harm he had caused to their tribe, adding that, in the Wahan Tribe, it was really important the couple was approved by the parents to marry and so that would never happen for them. 

Yangcha had always been a patient man but Yeolson was pushing his limits, he wondered if Enoria's father would have been like that too if he had still been living, maybe it was a protective father thing but he made himself the silent promise not to become like that if he was to have a daughter one day.

To the warrior's relief, the two women finally came back to them and so he decided to make things clear for the Priestess' father. He quickly approached Enoria and took her hand in his, looking at Yeolson with insistence while hoping the message was clear enough and easily understandable for him.

The Igutu just looked at her lover with a questioning look, he wasn't too much of someone showing affection in front of others, especially when there was someone with a high status like Tanya near. She felt kind of shy all of a sudden but he didn't let go of her hand, he wouldn't until he was sure the message had been passed: there was a woman in his heart but it wasn't the Priestess.

"You," Yeolson started as he pointed at him, "and you," he continued pointing at Enoria, "were you-, so with my Tanya-, you are not-"

"Father! I already told you it wasn't like that!" Tanya scolded.

"Yangcha and I are together, sir, if that is what it is about," Enoria mumbled to Yeolson, confused about what was going on.

"Oh I see! I am relieved then!" Yeolson replied, "I thought there was something going on between him and my precious daughter! I am glad it's not the case."

Yangcha could have been offended by the fact Tanya's father was relieved nothing was going on between his daughter and him but he didn't mind, he was himself relieved things were now clear.

"I am glad too," Enoria replied with gritted teeth before she squished Yangcha's hand with all the strength she had and looked at him, "is there a reason he was thinking that way? Is there something you are not that proud of or you would like to confess while there are witnesses preventing me to kill you?"

Yangcha frowned at the strength she was using with her hand, he was sure she would be capable of breaking it if she actually wanted to. He looked at her straight in her eyes and shook his head, he had done nothing wrong, but he found her reaction quite adorable though he hoped she would just give him back his hand in one piece. 

"Nothing happened!" Tanya replied for Yangcha who couldn't use words to defend himself, "my father was just imagining things!"

"Is that so?" Enoria asked as she released the firm grab she had on her lover's hand, "then we are all good right?" she continued before she brought the hand she had mistreated to her mouth, left a soft kiss there and then just walked away as if nothing happened, informing they should continue on their way as their break had lasted long enough.

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The second part of their trip was quiet, before Yeolson forgot he had promised not to be too talkative.

When Tanya heard Yangcha thinking about gagging her father again, she turned her head and gave him a dark look to which he just raised an eyebrow in interrogation. "Hey, be careful what you say," she warned him.

"I don't say anything, Niruha,"  he replied, he couldn't believe that not only she was listening to his thoughts again but she also 'hey' him now, so far only Enoria had dared to be like that with him.

"If I could not listen I would, your thoughts just keep coming into my head, it's not under my control!" Tanya defended herself, "and I 'hey' you if I want, I am the High Priestess," she replied with a satisfied smile.

Enoria just loudly sighed, she didn't like when they were doing that, she felt left out and she wished she had the ability to listen into his mind too.

"If you keep listening you are going to regret it, Niruha,"  Yangcha thought. His lover had suggested him a way to force Tanya out of his mind and he had just decided maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all.

"Is that a threat?" the Priestess asked.

"No, a warning, Niruha,"  Yangcha replied, echoing her last conversation with Tagon.

Tanya just tch-ed him as she had well noted he was using her own tricks against her, she told him to go ahead, to make her regret, she was supposed to practise to get the control over her gift anyway. 

She was the one who had proposed the practise but as he had warned her, she quickly regretted it. Nothing would have prepared her for the dirty thoughts her bodyguard let his mind being filled with, and she felt her cheeks becoming redder at the indecency.

He was quite amused with her reaction, his thoughts were still quite innocent and he wondered how she would reacted if she heard more. If he needed to, he would make sure she would never dare to listen to his mind ever again.

Tanya's face was burning from embarrassment, she couldn't bear what she was hearing after all and she didn't successfully block his thoughts from coming into her head. "How can you have such indecent thoughts towards her when she is here?! You are disgusting!" she scolded as she turned to look at Yangcha.

"I wasn't even being indecent yet,"  Yangcha teased, amused.

"What's going on?" Enoria asked Tanya whom she noticed was all red, then she turned to her lover, "what have you done?"

"To force me to leave his head he is describing what he likes to do to you in private!" Tanya murmured to her so that her father couldn't hear.

Enoria laughed, "and so? At which part did you start feeling embarrassed?" she asked before she looked at him with a knowing smile, "I hope you don't go too much in details," she told him.

"You find that funny?! I don't want to know what kissing you feels like!" she scolded in a low voice.

"Are you sure? I am open-minded you know," the Igutu joked, "if you got embarrassed by the description of a kiss, you better leave his head now before he starts describing what else he does to me with his mouth and tongue," she whispered.

"Don't start too! You two are both indecent beings! Sinners!" she said trying not to be too loud, "I want another break! Right now!" she ordered. 

Enoria laughed again, Tanya's embarrassment was funny to witness and she felt glad now Yangcha, who was at first so against that idea she had suggested him, had found an efficient way to make her leave his head whenever she was invading it. "No need for a break, we have arrived," she informed.

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The four people got down on their two horses as the villagers approached to greet them. It was a small village, more or less thirty people from what Tanya could estimate.

"Please, raise," Tanya told them as they had gotten on one knee to pay their respects.

"No offense, Asa Tanya Niruha, but it's not to you we are bowing to," a woman who seemed to be the chief of the village said, "we do not recognize the authority of Arthdal here, it's not against you, we just follow the one we have chosen," she continued, glancing at Enoria who was just behind the Priestess.

"Do as she said," Enoria ordered before they all raised from their position without trying to argue.

Tanya looked at her, something different emanated from her friend, it was the same feeling as when she was near Tagon or Taealha, she had such a presence that it seemed to her Enoria was the one with the powerful title at the moment. She wondered if it was like that people looked at you when you had power over them. She couldn't help but to think about how the Igutu had managed to make those people, just like those priests who had helped her leave Arthdal in the morning, her own. She wondered how many people were working with her friend, since she had made her her ally, she could need them one day. Despite her interrogations, she also felt thankful, if Enoria was the one in control of the village, she was now sure her father would be safe there.

Yangcha didn't know that part of her either, he knew she was a leader, she was the one leading that place they never really talked about, but he hadn't seen her act as one before. That was a view he liked, authority suited her.

"We have prepared everything you have asked for, my Qu-"

Enoria clicked her tongue once to interrupt and get the attention of the village chief, then she shook her head, she didn't want her to reveal too much. "I am thankful, I hope it won't cause harm to all of you."

"There's no reason it would," the villager answered but they all knew there was, if Taealha was to discover it was in there the Priestess' Father was hiding, she would probably find a reason to make them all executed. 

"It's not like you can't defend yourselves, is it?" Enoria asked with a knowing smile.

"Do you want to test us?" the woman questioned back before they both smiled, embraced each other and started talking like two old friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time.

The other villagers approached the three visitors, they reassured Tanya on the fact they would take care of Yeolson just like they took care of one another, then they proposed to make them visit the village which they accepted. 

Tanya started to follow their guide but she glanced behind her, she had gotten used to have a silent shadow in her steps and the look she gave to her bodyguard was asking him to follow.

Yangcha hesitated to follow as his role was to protect the High Priestess but Enoria grabbed his wrist for him to stay by her side, "she is not in danger here," she reassured him before she made a head sign at Tanya who understood the message and went away.

He followed the woman he loved as she caught up on every villager's news. She was different from when she was in Arthdal, she wasn't on the defensive, ready to bare fangs anytime, she was smiling brightly, just like when they were alone together. She was showing her true self she hid in Arthdal. And as much as he liked seeing her like that he also felt bad she was obliged to live in that city she was obviously not well in.

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Tanya and her father weren't long to show up again, the village was small and there wasn't that much to see. The Priestess had enjoyed her visit and so did her father, it had reminded them of Iark, the people there were living really simply, compared to the richness the people of Arthdal had, they had nothing and yet they seemed happier than the citizens. They had come back with a bunch of children who ran to Enoria with smiles on their faces. The kids had all grown-up since the last time she had seen them and they didn't miss but to complain about Enoria not coming to see them more often. She apologized before she explained that as a grown-up she had many things to do.

"But, big sister, it's him right? Your sweetheart," a little girl murmured as the kids all looked at Yangcha who was just standing still a little further.

Enoria almost laughed at the idea of her calling him sweetheart in private but she just smiled, "yes, it's him," she murmured before the kids all screamed about her being in love while some shouted it was gross. 

Yangcha was surprised by the kids' enthusiasm and they only confirmed what he already knew: children were noisy and unpredictable little beings.

"And that is exactly why we didn't allow them to come directly to you when you arrived," the chief village, Jia, explained, shoo-ing the kids away who ran still screaming and laughing.

Enoria stood up laughing, she found them cute, she then looked at Tanya and her father who had approached. "Did you enjoy the visit?" she asked them.

"Yes!" Yeolson replied, enthusiastic, "I already know where we will build a copy of the factory they have in Arthdal! And the house they are going to give me seems really comfortable!" he continued as he thanked his hosts.

It was also for Tanya he was showing himself enthusiastic, he knew she was worried about his well-being and he didn't want that. Parents were the ones supposed to worry about their children, he already knew he would be well-treated there and would be able to work with the steel as he wanted.

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While Yeolson stayed in the company of the villagers who already treated him like one of them, Jia led the Priestess and the two warriors to the fields the village owned, sharing on the way the concerns the people under her care had charged her to relay: they weren't worried about the fact some Daekan warriors would come there since they would be ordered to protect Yeolson and the villagers all already knew what they had to do if the warriors' order was to change. They were worried about their food supplies, it hadn't rained for weeks and their fields weren't that productive even before that. She knew that place was also suffering from the drought just like Arthdal was. She explained they had tried cultivating further but they were robbed each time as they didn't have enough people to secure at the same time the village and their grounds.

Enoria attentively listened to Jia's concerns, and she assured her she would send people to them so that they would be able to farm enough to assure their needs. She had understood why Jia was leading them to the fields, they needed a temporary help at the moment and so she would do what she could for them, after all what was her gift for if not to assist others?

Tanya was trying to follow the conversation but the more the two talked the more questions she had to ask. 

The young sprouts planted in the fields were visibly suffering, it was a small piece of land but enough to nourish the entire village at the condition they could also hunt. 

Tanya felt sorry for them, in Arthdal she had seen people wasting food and there they didn't have enough. Her thoughts went to the children of the factory, she had thought they were malnourished because they were slaves but in fact, even some of the citizens of Arthdal were suffering from the same problem. She wondered how many places like that existed, how many people were suffering from hunger while some of the richest people of Arthdal were throwing away the foods some people worked hard to produce. Was there something she could do to stop that as the High Priestess?

She was pulled out of her wonders when she saw Enoria squatting in the middle of the small parcel and put her hand on the soil which was soon filled with healthy grown-up plants. 

Enoria then stood up and apologized to the village chief for only being able to do just that at the moment, but it was already of great help for them and the woman thanked her before she joked on the fact she didn't think she would ever get used to seeing such a thing happening in front of her eyes.

She wasn't the only one surprised by that, and, in silence, Tanya just passed a hand through the newly grown plants before she looked at Enoria in interrogation.

"Ah, that's right, I hadn't told you about that," the Igutu started, "not only can I communicate with animals but I can also make plants grow, as you saw. I hope I am not scar-"

"How?" Tanya interrupted.

"I don't really know," Enoria replied as she shrugged, "I feel the energy passing through the plants and in the ground and I can influence it," she explained.

Tanya didn't reply to that and she just looked again at what had appeared in front of her eyes, it wasn't only an amazing thing, it could be more than useful too.

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They went back to the center of the village and they were proposed some foods and drinks, they had to stay there until the Daekans, ordered to assure Yeolson's safety and to keep an eye on him and his work progress, would arrive.

Tanya and Yeolson joyfully joined the villagers while Enoria and Yangcha withdrew themselves. Because Yangcha was who he was he wouldn't have allowed himself to eat or drink in front of everyone and his lover knew he also needed a break.

It was in Jia's house they went, she had brought them foods and drinks too before she left them not without giving Enoria a knowing smile. 

"Do they all know about us?" Yangcha asked the Igutu as soon as the door was closed.

"Of course they do, how could they respect my ultimate rule if they didn't?" she replied, removing the mask from his face.

"What rule?"

"The first one who lays a single finger on you will die by my hand regardless of who that person is, that's the ultimate rule they all have to respect. They are my friends, you are my family, I will burn all Arth for you."

He smiled as he wondered if it was normal he found her attractive when she was saying such things. "I will do just the same," he replied before he captured her lips in a soft kiss, "but tell me, Igutu, how many people are working with you exactly?"

"A few," she simply said. He had already asked that weeks ago and she had given him the exact same answer, he would probably freak out if he knew the truth, and he didn't need to know at the moment.

He smiled, he knew she was going to say that, he didn't insist, and they both sat comfortably to enjoy the lunch that was brought to them. 

"Does that place still don't have a name?" he asked.

It did, it was for safety reasons they didn't use its name before. Eneam, that was its name, it was the contraction of 'Enoria's dream'  because she had found that place for her people to live in thanks to a dream she had had years ago.

"I like how it sounds," Yangcha said.

She didn't, it was always embarrassing for her to explain the meaning behind it, but they hadn't given her the choice, she had come back there one day and they had already all agreed with the name.

"Let's just continue to call that place, that place or there, or you-know-where."

Yangcha laughed lightly, "if we have a baby we should call it Enoby, you know, for 'Enoria's baby'."

"No way, that sounds horrible," she complained before they both laughed.

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Outside, the atmosphere was light too, Yeolson was getting along well with the villagers while Tanya was chatting with Jia, the chief village.

"Can I ask you something?" Tanya asked.

"Yes, go ahead, Niruha."

"Earlier, you said you didn't recognize the authority of Arthdal and only followed the one you have chosen, why?"

Jia smiled before she explained to her that Arthdal had never done anything for them, the Union, which she knew was now a Kingdom, had abandoned them a long time ago and so did they. When they were starving, it was Enoria who had helped them, without conditions, without expecting something in return, that was why they had chosen her, she was someone who cared for them when no one else did. She was gifted, not only because she knew how to make plants grow, but because she had something more precious than that: leadership and kindness. They all knew she was stubborn, hot-tempered, kept a lot of things for herself and they also were aware she had done bad things she wasn't really proud of but she was honest and she was trying, to live according to her values, to make that world better and that was why they had given their trust and loyalty to her. They knew what she was capable of but it didn't change the fact they respected and loved her as a leader. They weren't obliged to follow her, they were free to do as they wanted but they had chosen to assist her so that one day, even in Arthdal, people would all be able to be recognized as free people. 

Jia continued by telling the Priestess that Enoria wasn't an easy person to be close to, she didn't give her trust easily, not because she was the cold and insensitive woman she acted as, but because she was afraid to be hurt if her trust was to be betrayed. But she knew the Igutu trusted and cared about Tanya and, even though they didn't recognize the authority of Arthdal, as their leader was putting her trust in her, as she wanted to help her, so would they. 

Tanya wasn't too sure of how to interpret those words, would they follow her if she kept on working with Enoria? Was that how she would gather people under her authority?

No, she didn't want people to follow her because they were following her allies, she needed people to be by her side because they wanted to, just like they were working with Enoria. 

'The title in itself doesn't really matter, it's the way you act that is important', Enoria had told her and so she would act for them, she would give them a reason to work with her too, on their free will, not for the Niruha, the High Priestess of Arthdal she was but for herself, just Tanya.

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"How was Jia going to call you earlier?" Yangcha asked as they finished cleaning.

Enoria didn't answer right away, she took time to think about something that could suit, "my quite cute little friend," she replied.

"Yeah, sure, it sounds really convincing," he joked, "doesn't my queen sound better?" he asked, holding her by the waist, "you aren't just a leader to them right? You are their queen, aren't you?"

"That's the same thing for me, it doesn't matter," she murmured.

"How does it not matter? You are a queen," he said.

 "And so? Does it turn you on to know you sleep with a queen, sweetheart?" she teased.

"You could be a beggar you would still have the same effect on me, my little Igutu queen," he replied, making her smile. 

She didn't really like being called like that, she maybe was the one taking most of the decisions for Eneam but she didn't consider herself above the others and so she disliked having a title that resulted in a difference of status between her people and herself. She asked him to be careful not to think about that title or about Eneam when he was guarding Tanya, she didn't want her to know about everything, at least not yet.

They were interrupted in their conversation by Jia who informed them the Daekan warriors had arrived. They went out just after, going back to Tanya and her father's side.

The warriors didn't seem that happy to have been given that mission but it reassured Tanya to know Mubaek was the one in charge and in private, she asked him not to let anything happen to her father and he promised he would do his best to assure his protection.

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Before she left with the two warriors to go back to Arthdal, Tanya discreetly asked Jia to often give news but also to report to her about her father's progress with the work of the steel and that, before the Daekans would report to Tagon. She needed to keep the upper hand she had on that at the moment. The village chief glanced at Enoria first but with her approval, she agreed to Tanya's demand.

Tanya embraced her father for a long time, she felt bad to have to isolate him from the other Wahans even if it was for his safety. She felt sad not knowing when she would be able to see him again. Yeolson told her to be careful and not to worry about him but she still left him with a heavy-heart.

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Tanya was quiet on the way back to Arthdal, she thought again about how those villagers she had met were living, just like she was back in Iark, she wondered if the people living between the big walls of Arthdal would be content with very little like they were. 

She thought about solutions for the lack of food the people were suffering from, she had an idea of what to do but she didn't know if the plan she had in her mind was good. She felt like asking Enoria for advice but she didn't do it, she couldn't always count on others, especially knowing the Igutu would go to war soon, she would be on her own after that and so she needed to prove herself before the war so that people would follow her.

'The three children will end the world,'  that prophecy Asa Sakan had shared with Mubaek came back to her mind. She still didn't understand what it was supposed to mean. In which way did she have to end the world? She was the bell, to echo throughout the world but what did she have to echo? Did she have to teach the people to live with what they have without longing for richness? But how? Saya had told her the people of Arthdal didn't eat to fill their stomachs but to fill their hearts, would she be able to fill their hearts with something else than greed and power? And what was Saya and Eunseom's role in all of that? Why was everything so complicated to understand?

She looked up at the blue sky above her, the bright sun was hurting her eyes and she closed them. In the silence the forest was offering her, she asked the Great White Wolf to send her a sign, to guide her so that she could understand what she had to do.

When she opened her eyes again, she sighed before she asked for a break the two warriors accepted to give her. 

While the two warriors were taking care of the horses, Tanya just looked around. She had always liked the forest, it was beautiful and quiet. She started when she saw something a little further, she squinted in order to see better and without even thinking about it she started walking towards that white point she was seeing. 

She didn't hear Enoria's warning not to go too far, the only thing she could hear was that little voice in her head telling her to follow the white point. And so she did. Until she saw it. A large white wolf. Startled, she took a step back and fell to the ground because of a tree stump. She was surprised but she wasn't afraid. She didn't feel the need to scream for help or to run away, no, she knew, she felt she wasn't in danger.

"The Great White Wolf, our Great Mother," she murmured as she bowed respectfully. Had she gone crazy? Was she hallucinating? She didn't know, it seemed real and unreal at the same time. Too many questions came to her mind and she didn't know by which one she should start. "Great Mother, to share your wisdom and teachings, I ask for your guida-"

She didn't have the time to finish your sentence, she got interrupted by a voice she heard in her head: 'Keep the descendant of the Great Black Wolf close, she will help you, our two people have to unite again. Nothing is coincidence in this world, my daughter.'

"Who is she?"

'The one who is by your side from the beginning and who will stay by your side until the end.'

A particular name came to Tanya's mind but she couldn't ask confirmation because the White Wolf spoke to her again:

'Accomplish your destiny, dear daughter, fix my mistake and share our teachings to those who had forgotten them. Guide those who have lost themselves back on the right path.'

That was the last thing Tanya heard before the Great White Wolf disappeared from her sight. She stayed on the ground, still not believing what had happened and when she came back to her senses, it was Enoria's voice she heard calling her name.

"I am here," Tanya murmured, her voice was low and she wished she could have called louder but she was still too shook for that.

But Enoria was an Igutu and she had heard the Priestess' voice. She found Tanya a fraction of seconds later. "What were you doing?! We told you not to go too far!" she scolded before she realized the Priestess was on the ground. She quickly kneeled next to her and examined her, "Are you ok? Did you hurt yourself?"

"You," Tanya started, "who are you?" she asked, looking straight in Enoria's eyes.

Confused, the woman warrior didn't answer right away, "it's me, Enoria, don't you recognize me? Have you fallen and hurt your head? Did you eat something wrong?" she questioned, looking around for traces of what could have happened to the Priestess.

"No, I am fine," Tanya replied, "the Great White Wolf appeared and talked to me," she explained.

"Is that so? Well, I hope that whatever you wanted from her, she helped you," Enoria simply said.

"You believe me?"

"Why wouldn't I? There are obviously strange things in that world, you, hearing people's minds and I, making flowers grow, are the proof of that, so if you tell me you saw and talked to Asa Sin, I believe you, of course," she replied with a smile.

Tanya didn't reply, she was too busy wondering if the Black Wolf her Great Mother had talked about could be the one who was just in front of her at the moment. 

She sighed before she stood up, she didn't know if the words of her ancestor had helped her after all, it seemed she would have, again, a lot to think about.

On the way back to Yangcha who was waiting for them with the horses, Tanya was lost in her thoughts though she still could hear Enoria scolding her for having disappeared. She heard her friend warning her about how wild boars, bears or even tigers were dangerous, just like the people they could encounter. 

Back to Yangcha, she heard him inquire about her well-being but let Enoria explain for her. 

"Tanya!" Enoria called her out, making the Priestess out of her thoughts, "just to be sure, who is he?" she asked, showing the masked warrior with her hand.

Tanya could have answered it was a stupid question and that she knew perfectly who he was but she wanted to tease her friend who was overworrying at the moment: "Mugwang, who else?" she said with a serious face.

Yangcha frowned, confused but maybe a little bit offended too.

"What do we do?" Enoria asked him in a murmure as she had forced him to turn so that the Priestess was facing their backs, "she is not feverish, she said she didn't hurt herself and hadn't eaten anything weird either, but she asked me who I was and now she doesn't even recognize you! What if she had just lost it? We will be bringing back a deficient High Priestess to Arthdal and we will get killed! I am too young and pretty to die!"

Yangcha raised an eyebrow then looked at the Priestess, he took Enoria's hand and wrote something in it. 

'Making fun of you,'  the Igutu read before she quickly turned to look at Tanya who was struggling to keep her seriousness. "How dare you make fun of me? Do you want to die?" Enoria asked.

"I am the High Priestess, doesn't that give me the right to make fun of you? And, aren't I too young and pretty to die?" she teased.

"I am going to gag you for the rest of the trip," she warned.

"You wouldn't dare," the priestess replied.

"Don't tempt me and put quickly your pretty butt on that pretty horse, Tanya Niruha," Enoria said before they both lightly laughed.

Yangcha just discreetly smiled as he rode his own horse, he didn't know if Tanya was starting to look like the woman he loved or if, just like the latter, she had always had a mischievous side but the two women were similar in a lot of ways and it was funny to see them together.

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Tanya didn't miss to tease Enoria more on the way back but they all stayed quiet when they arrived near Arthdal.

They went back very discreetly to the Great Shrine as no one could know they had been out for the day. They had let the horses further as it was more discreet to be by foot. It was already night, Tanya couldn't see anything and, hand in hand, she let Enoria guiding her in the dark as seeing in the dark was one of the advantages of being an Igutu.

Yangcha was opening the path, though he couldn't see as clearly as Enoria, his half Igutu blood allowed him to find his ways when the moon wasn't visible.

The three shadows stopped at a precise place but it confused the High Priestess as there was no entrance where they were. She only understood how they would actually enter when she saw Yangcha uncoil his chains.

"Oh no," Tanya said, "no way. We are not climbing."

"Oh yes we are," Enoria replied, "we left early this morning and still, we were lucky no one saw us but at this time you know just like I do that the Shrine is full of priests, we are not taking the risk of someone seeing us."

"But-"

"But nothing! You let him carry you on his back to your room and you try not to strangle him while holding yourself."

"I will not let you fall Niruha," Yangcha reassured, he could feel she was afraid, she wasn't like Enoria, an Igutu jumping from tree to tree for fun and the consequences of a fall would not be the same either if it happened.

Tanya reluctantly let herself convince, she didn't really have the choice though and he only had to remind her once to be careful not to hold herself too tightly so that he could still breathe.

Enoria wasn't long to join them and when she jumped into the room, she gave the chains back to Yangcha, complaining she had forgotten how heavy they were.

They asked for a report and they were informed no one had entered, MuMyungjin had tried to but she was stopped by the Daekans and gave up when she saw many priests were already entering and leaving the room the Priestess was supposedly sick in, concluding she was being well taken care of. 

However, Saya had tried entering too but unlike the assistant, he had not left. He had passed the entire day in front of the door, inquiring about Tanya everytime he saw someone leaving the room. He was worried and wanted to check on the Priestess but didn't insist on entering as the priests had told her she wasn't feeling good enough to see anyone.

Tanya felt bad about that, that side of Saya was a side she appreciated, a kind side which made him similar to Eunseom. She felt guilty knowing he had been worrying about her health when she wasn't even sick.

"Your choice," Enoria told her, "either you tell him the truth, or you lie to him." 

Tanya hesitated, but she didn't think lying to him was what she had to do, they had promised to be honest towards each other and she didn't want to already break that promise.

The priests who had faked taking care of Tanya all day were thanked, dismissed and asked to let Saya in.

He entered in a hurry and immediately approached Tanya to check on her. "Are you ok?" he asked as he put a hand on her forehead to see if she was feverish, "you seem to feel better, I am relieved, I was so worried," he continued in a sigh. 

She reassured him that she felt good, thanked him and apologized too for having made him worried.

He shook his head, he was just glad she was well and he thought it was normal for him to worry for her. When she smiled at him he felt finally reassured of her health and he swept the room with his eyes, he didn't know if he was surprised or unhappy the two warriors were there. He  eventually noticed the clothes the Priestess was wearing and frowned in confusion, there weren't clothes someone sick would be wearing and he gave Tanya a questioning look.

"Can the explanation wait until tomorrow?" Tanya asked him.

"I-"

"Trust me, I will tell you everything but not tonight, I am tired," she interrupted him.

He nodded and didn't insist, having worried about her all day had tired him too. She proposed to him to come to her in the early morning as she would take time for him. He accepted and after having shown concern one more time about her health, wished her a good night and left with his questions.

When he was outside, Enoria worried about Tanya's decision to tell everything to the Prince but the Priestess asked her not to trouble herself over it, Saya was one of the children of the blue comet, they had to trust each other if they wanted to realize the prophecy.

The Igutu didn't discuss Tanya's choice, she was free to make her own decisions and it wasn't because she didn't really trust Saya that it had to be the same for the Priestess. 

The two warriors were thanked for their assistance for the day then they left Tanya for the night.

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"Hey Nori, did you have a great day?" Mugwang asked with a big smile as soon as the door closed behind her and Yangcha. He didn't even let her time to actually answer and try to pinch her cheek.

Yangcha grabbed his wrist before he reached for her face. With a simple dark look and step forward he made himself understood that he didn't like Mugwang's proximity.

"Ok dude, chill, I won't do that again, at least not when you are here," Mugwang said with an annoying smile which only led to Yangcha tightening his grip, "now give me back my wrist before you break it."

Yangcha freed him, took Enoria's hand, gave his comrades-in-arms another dark look and left with his woman.

"Told you, he is the jealous type, I won, you lost, give me your purses," Mugwang said to his brothers who loudly sighed and complied as he smiled, satisfied.

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No matter the number of priests they saw on their way back to their own room, Yangcha didn't let go of her hand. He didn't mind what they could think, with Yeolson thinking he was interested in his daughter earlier, he had understood that things were better if they were clear and so, he would let everyone know Enoria was the woman his heart was beating faster for. He smiled when she murmured to him she liked when he acted like that because she found him attractive doing so. When she whispered she wanted him to do something, he stopped walking and looked at her, waiting for her to say more.

"Carry me to our room," she requested before she explained she hadn't liked the fact he had carried the Priestess on his back so the only thing he could do to balance that was to carry her too. 

It made him laugh lightly but soon enough he had one arm under her legs and another one supporting her back as he told her he would do anything for his queen.

She usually didn't like being called like that but she liked it coming from his mouth. She threw one of her arms around his neck and pointed to the empty corridor leading to their room, "to the room!" she said enthusiastically before he scolded her for being loud and they both laughed.