When Sana arrived in front of the High Priestess' office to assure her guard with Yangcha, he was already there. Standing straight, she guessed he hadn't been allowed in yet because Tanya wasn't ready after the night. "She is angry at us, isn't she?" she had asked him after having greeted him.
He shook his head, even if she had raised her voice, it wasn't because of anger she had done so.
"I am sure she is, she is disappointed, we failed her," Sana continued.
Yangcha sighed, he saw the tears in Sana's eyes and he understood how strong her bond with Enoria was. "She is not angry, just worried," he told the young warrior whose eyes widened out of surprise, hearing Yangcha's voice for the first time.
Sana was about to say something but Yangcha escaped a potential conversation when the maids who had finished preparing Tanya went out and he was able to take back his place inside the Priestess' room.
And it was with a smile that Sana entered just behind him.
-----------------------------------------------------------
At lunchtime, the Priestess went once again to help feed the children of the stone factory. They all greeted her with happy faces when she entered. They knew it was a break time from their work when she was there, though the owner disapproved of that and didn't miss to show it though he was saying nothing.
She enjoyed being with them. They were simple, innocent and she wished sometimes she could go back to being simple rather than having so many responsibilities. Sana's popularity among the children had risen at the moment she had entered the factory with biscuits to share, and though Yangcha always stayed far from them, Tanya could hear in his mind he didn't actually dislike them.
When it was time to leave them to their work again, it was with a pang Tanya said goodbye to them. She wished she could do more for them but how? They were slaves and even if Tagon was to accept for their names to be changed into workers, would it really change something for them?
She was walking back to the Shrine, concentrating on trying to find a solution when she heard murmures: "Why is she doing this?"
"What did you say?" she asked, turning to Yangcha and Sana who were just behind her.
"Nothing, Niruha," Sana had replied.
She had looked at Yangcha too but she knew his voice and it wasn't his she had just heard. She looked around her, there were many people outside at that time of the day and she wondered who had said those words but no one was talking to her. The people had bowed to her then had gone back to their respective works.
"Does she actually enjoy seeing us working? Life must be easy for her in her luxury room."
She almost turned to her two warriors again but she didn't. It wasn't them she was hearing, and it wasn't someone talking either, thoughts, she was hearing the people' thoughts.
"She cares more about the slaves than us. They are fifthly people, why does she pass her time with them?"
"Are you feeling alright, Niruha?" Sana asked the Priestess who didn't seem to hear her.
Tanya was too focused on looking all around her in the hope to find whose thoughts she was hearing.
"After all, she is a barbarian too, that must be why she is close to them."
"Niruha, what's wrong?" That time, Tanya had recognized that voice: Yangcha, who had come closer to her as her distress was visible.
"Thoughts, I hear their thoughts, they are entering my head without me being able to control them," she explained to her two bodyguards.
"What about my children, would she come to feed them if they were to starve?"
"How offend the Gods must be that the High Priestess gave all our gifts to dirty slaves? Asa Ron Niruha would have never done that."
"She is not even from here, how could the Gods have chosen her?"
"Is she not shameful to come here and to show how wealthy she is with her silk dresses and well done hair?"
Tanya felt the anger coming to her at the idea that was what they were all thinking behind their smiles, and the flow of thoughts coming to her head only intensified to the point she felt submerged by them. "Stop it," she said in a murmur as she felt drained out from all energy. She put her hands on her head like it was going to prevent the thoughts of entering her head.
"Don't let them in, Niruha," Yangcha thought for her to hear.
"I can't, there are too many," she replied with difficulty. She was struggling and both her bodyguards felt helpless. The people around were watching, wondering if she had gone crazy or if she was receiving an oracle. "Stop it!"
Yangcha knew it wasn't good for her to be witnessed in that state and so he allowed himself something he wouldn't have dared to do in other circumstances. He placed himself in front of her, took her head into his hands which he knew was really inappropriate, and he forced her to look him in the eyes."Focus on me, Niruha," he ordered her.
She tried to do as he told her and after a moment of struggling against the many thoughts that were coming to her mind, she managed to only focus on the warrior in front of her who encouraged her more than once to pay attention to his mind only. Her heart calmed down, her breathing got slower and she blushed when she finally realized how close they were.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked her, as he released her face and took a step back.
She nodded before she looked at the people around them, they were whispering between them but she couldn't hear their thoughts anymore and she felt glad for it. She had Sana's hand in hers and when she noticed with how much strength she had been holding it she freed the young warrior and apologized. "I am sorry, I couldn't do anything, it just kept coming to my mind."
"All gifts come with a prize, Niruha," Yangcha reminded her. That was what he had told her the day they had searched for Enoria after she had helped Tagon with the hunt to soothe the people after the coup and so, she understood now what was the prize she had to pay for hers: if not careful, she could be submerged by unwanted thoughts."We should go back to the Great Shrine, you need to rest."
"No, I don't think we should, if it happened now there must be a reason," Tanya said.
And soon, she found that reason. Not far from where they were, a man rushed outside of his house, beating up a woman who was crawling on the ground and begging him to stop.
"Stop him," Tanya ordered and in a fraction of seconds, chains were unwrapped and folded around the man's wrist who ended up on the ground because of how much strength Yangcha had used to pull him towards him. "Not like that!" Tanya complained.
"You told me to stop him, Niruha", the warrior said, confused, as he approached the fallen man and made sure he was staying still.
"Nicely, Yangcha! Next time do it nicely," Tanya explained as she approached the woman.
He raised an eyebrow to the Priestess' words. "Nonsense," he complained in his mind, it wasn't even his neck he had grabbed, and he earnt an annoyed look from Tanya.
"Are you okay?" Tanya asked the woman on the ground who had gotten on her knees, forehead on the floor in sign of great respect. But the woman didn't raise her head, she was a slave, she didn't think the High Priestess was addressing her. "Please raise," she told the woman whom she noticed had been severely beaten and not for the first time.
"I am sorry, Niruha," the woman mumbled but she didn't raise nor stood up, "I deserve to be punished!"
"What are you talking about? Why would you deserve to be punished? What happened?"
"She is a thief!" the man said, "she dared to steal the precious ressources you, Niruha, gave to us!"
"The ressources I gave from the Great Shrine were for everyone," Tanya pointed out as she stood up.
"She is just a slave, Niruha, and I apologize if she had disturbed your day, she'll get the punishment she deserves for that."
"You should be the one to be punished for beating her. Slave or not, she is a woman before everything."
"But Niruh-"
"Why did you steal?" Tanya addressed the woman without paying attention to the one complaining.
"I was hungry and I know that is no reason to steal but I was worried for the baby I am carrying," the woman replied before she put her forehead back on the ground.
"You beat up a pregnant woman?" Tanya asked, looking angrily at the owner.
"I- I owe her Niruha, I was just disciplining her for stealing," the man answered.
Tanya contained her anger and squatted again near the woman, "who is the father of your baby?"
"He is," the woman replied with a lump in her throat, and it wasn't complicated to understand it wasn't a baby conceived with love.
"Is that not punished in Arthdal?" Tanya turned and asked Yangcha who shook his head.
"One word from you and he is dead," the masked warrior thought. Even if it wasn't a crime in Arthdal, he didn't tolerate those kinds of things and Tanya heard that more than well in his thoughts.
"Why should it be punished? I bought her, she is mine, she is my property."
"Stop. I won't tolerate anything like that anymore," she said before she turned to the crowd, "you saw what happened to me earlier, didn't you?" she started as loudly as she could so that many people would hear her. "The Gods had spoken to me and I, the descendant of Asa Sin, the owner of the Great Shrine, I, Asa Tanya, must respect their words," she continued. The people had stopped their activities and approached, forming a large audience for the Priestess.
"Niruha, don't do anything without the King's approval."
But Tanya didn't listen to Yangcha's warning. She took a deep breath, straightened herself and head-high continued the plan she had just set up in her mind. "No one can own lands because it is like owning the sky and wind, and no one else than the Gods should own someone else's life. That is why, I, Asa Sin's descendant, cast a spell on all of you, subjects of Arthdal. From now on, the ones you used to call slaves will be called workers, and as workers the Gods are giving them their protection just like they protect all of you. You, who once thought you were superior to them, will provide them with what they need to live decently as your equals. The one who will raise an evil hand on them, or spread evil words about them will suffer from the wrath of the eight Gods of Arthdal and so, from this day to the end of all days." She saw confusion of the people' faces, she wasn't that sure herself of what she was doing but she hoped it would help the people under slavery to be treated like humans. "Will you obey the will of the Gods?"
"We will obey, Niruha," they all replied in unison.
Satisfied, she turned again to the man who was bowing to her. "You are going to treat her, to feed her three times a day and you will never touch her again. If you disobey, if the Gods don't punish you quickly enough, my bodyguard's chains will be wrapped around your neck instead of your wrist, do you understand what I am saying?" she asked him. He felt like complaining but, after a short look at Yangcha, didn't dare to and quickly nodded, bowing even more to the High Priestess who turned to her two warriors, "let's go back to the Great Shrine."
She walked away under the interrogative looks of the crowd, if she could have heard their thoughts at the moment she would have heard all the confusion her words had had on them. Slaves had always been not important, lower beings, just like chicken, the fact they would have to treat them like equals now made no sense to them.
When the High Priestess and her bodyguards were further, the woman who had been beaten finally stood up and looked at her owner. When a smirk appeared on her face, already forgetting the words of the Priestess, the man raised his hand to punish the insolence and when his punch made the woman go on the floor again, he realized what he had just done and so did the people around him who murmured he was going to be punished. He himself got on his knees, apologizing and asking for mercy.
The scene made Tanya turn back and she was going to say something when the man quickly approached her begging for forgiveness. Before he got too close to Tanya, Yangcha violently pushed him away, forbidding someone like him to even dare trying to touch the High Priestess. The man didn't stand up, he got on his knees, asked for mercy and promised he would not do it again, but his words that were until then clear and loud started to be deformed as he was struggling to find air to fill his lungs. He stood up with difficulty, his hands on his neck and he searched for help but no one approached the one who they believed was being punished for his gesture. He tried to approach the Priestess once again to ask for forgiveness but Yangcha, imitated by Sana, was still protectively standing in front of the Niruha. When the man collapsed not far from them, everyone stayed still, before Sana carefully approached him to check his pulse.
"He is dead," she said in a murmur before she turned to Tanya and repeated louder.
Tears started filling Tanya's eyes. She had done that, her curse had worked. She had just killed a man with her words. She felt weak on her knees but she didn't allow herself to waver, too many people were watching and it was time to show her power. "That is what happens when the words of the Gods are not respected," she stated, making sure her voice stayed stable and for the first time, she saw fear in the eyes of the people who all got on their knees, assuring they would respect the Gods' will and their High Priestess' words not to be punished.
"We should go back to the Shrine now, Niruha," Sana said as she came back to Tanya and took her hand in hers. She could feel she was shaken but wasn't showing it, on that point, she was similar to Enoria and even though she wasn't close to the High Priestess yet, she still didn't want to see her in that state.
Tanya's words were quick to spread into the Kingdom, and several mysterious deaths happened all around the city. Everyone seemed agitated and as Tanya was keeping her composure while going back to the Shrine, she couldn't help but to feel torn between feeling bad about the words she had spoken and the good it would do for Arthdal to finally have everyone on an equal level.
Once she was in her office she allowed herself to fall on a chair. She removed the jewelry on her ears and hair and rested her head on the table as she allowed a few tears to go down from her eyes.
"It's not going to please the King," Yangcha thought and the look he exchanged with the Priestess who had raised her head, proved to him that she had heard him loud and clear and that she was well aware of that.
-----------------------------------------------------------
While he was going to the Great Shrine, the Prince had seen many people with arms full of gifts for the Gods to forgive them and he had quickened his steps after having heard about the origin of the agitation.
He knocked at Tanya's office and allowed himself in before she even had the time to authorize him. "What have you done? My Father is not going to be pleased about that, you should have talked to me before acting," he scolded her.
"I didn't have the time to discuss with you before, Saya, it all happened all of a sudden," Tanya defended herself.
"Do you understand the consequences it can have? You discredited the King in the eyes of the people. The King owns everything however you said no one owns the land or people except the Gods! You belittled him and he is probably not going to let that pass."
"Are you worried about what he could do to me or are you afraid about the consequences it can have for him?" Tanya sharply asked.
Saya sighed, he was worried about both but, as he had hurried to her first, he thought she would understand how important she was for him. "We will need to fix that," he simply said.
"There's nothing to be fixed. I don't regret what I have done. People are going to live as equals and that's what I want."
"The slaves will never be our equals, Tanya! You gave the slaves a sort of immunity they are going to use against their owners, the people of Arthdal will never accept that."
"They will! Tanya Niruha told them to!" Sana intervened.
Saya turned to look at the new face he had not even paid attention to when he had come in. He looked at her up and down, she seemed familiar though he was sure he had never met her before. "And may I know who you are?"
"It's you who are you to talk like that to Niruha?" she asked back with a disgusted expression on her face.
"I am your Prince, don't you have manners? If you dare talking like that to me again I am goi-"
"And what will you do, huh? I have been training for longer than you have, I'll kick your ass before you'll have put a ha-"
Yangcha didn't allow her to continue disrespecting Tagon's son. He covered her mouth with his hand, preventing her from saying more, though she was complaining in muffled words.
"You," Saya started as he pointed at Sana, "you are one of Enoria's relatives, aren't you?" He now understood why she seemed familiar, from the way she styled her hair, dressed, talked, the pride and confidence he could see in her eyes, she was the young version of his teacher.
"Don't you have manners?" she complained as she freed herself from Yangcha who regretted having allowed her to escape, "it's Lady Enoria for you, moron!"
"'moron'?" Saya asked, dumbfounded, "you should be careful about your words if you don't want them to be the last you say."
"Pff, you are even more stupid than I thought if you actually think you are scari-"
"Stop that, both of you," Tanya intervened, "or if you want to fight, go outside, I am not in the mood. Saya, Sana is my new assistant and protector you'll have to get used to the fact she is going to be by my side. As for you Sana, please make an effort, he has done nothing wrong to you so don't provoke him just for fun," she continued in a sigh.
The two who just got scolded exchanged a look, they weren't done yet but they silently agreed to make an effort at the moment, for Tanya. Saya broke eye contact first and turned to the Priestess, "so, what's your plan now?" he asked her.
-----------------------------------------------------------
When Tagon went out of the Palace to take some fresh air, he quickly noticed the agitation in the streets. His people seemed panicked over something he hadn't been informed about yet and he called out for Gilseon, one of the Kingdom's guards, as soon as he saw him passing by.
Gilseon apologized, as they were busy taking care of the corpses, they hadn't had the time to inform him yet about the situation. When he explained several people had died, Tagon first worried about some kind of rebellion or contagious disease but Gilseon quickly told him that whatever it was, the citizens thought it was the curse the High Priestess had put on them, then he reported to him about everything she had said according to those who had assisted to the scene.
Just behind Tagon, Enoria attentively listened too, and when Gilseon had finished explaining everything, she could feel how angry Tanya's words had just made him. Though she feared the consequences it could have for Tanya, she could understand the King's anger, it wasn't nothing to put everyone on an equal level, especially if it was done by menacing the other part of the population. Moreover, the fact that the curse had worked was giving more credit to the Priestess and, though so far he hadn't really seen her like a threat, Tagon could now see Tanya's power as something he would have to get rid of. She wasn't in his control and had disobeyed the order not to do anything without asking him first and she felt that if she was acting too independently from him, he wouldn't let it pass.
Without asking for permission and though she was supposed to, Enoria didn't follow Tagon who went to see the damage Tanya had done, she slipped out and headed for the Great Shrine.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Before going to the Shrine, Enoria had stopped by one of her own people for a confirmation of what had happened.
After her friend had confirmed the version she had heard thanks to one of them having directly listened to the High Priestess' talk, Enoria hurried to the Shrine, she knew Tagon would pay a visit to her too.
She burst into the Priestess' office without announcing herself.
"Tagon is not pleased at all with your actions, he'll probably be here soon, you'll have to convince him you were right to act as you had," she informed before she turned to her little protégée, "Sana, you leave," she ordered, "go back to your room and let no one enter."
"But my Lad-"
"It's an order, get out of here, now," she repeated.
To the tone her leader had used, Sana understood the emergency of the situation. Enoria feared Tagon would try to hurt Tanya and she didn't want her there if that happened. She took Enoria in her arms while asking her to be careful then she left the room as she had been asked.
When the young warrior had left, Enoria looked at Yangcha who quickly understood what she was silently telling him, then she turned to Saya. "We don't know exactly how Tagon will react so if he ever tries to hur-"
"There's no way we can let him do that," the Prince interrupted.
"Agree," she replied before she positioned herself not far from Tanya, imitated by Saya and Yangcha.
-----------------------------------------------------------
As predicted, Tagon wasn't long to show up at the Great Shrine. He hadn't bothered himself knocking and he burst in the office in a way that let show how angry he was.
Attentive, the three warriors had heard him coming, and they were ready to protect the Priestess if necessary.
"What exactly did you think you were doing?!" Tagon shouted as he had barely entered the room. He disliked what he was seeing, Saya had come even closer to Tanya when he had entered and it hadn't gone unnoticed. When he approached the group of four, Saya dared to try calming him down by taking a step forward, and it only angered Tagon even more who sent him violently against the wall. The Prince fell to the floor and didn't stand up.
Enoria was fast to react against Tagon's gesture but the King was stronger than her and, after having punched her in the stomach, he sent her violently against one of the furniture and she ended up on the floor as well.
Yangcha had stayed a little bit further, though he had been as ready as the two others to intervene, he was more cool-headed than them. He didn't particularly like that situation but after having seen with his own eyes the curse of Tanya becoming real, he wouldn't take any risk with the life of the woman he loved, they were cursed too and they had no choice but to help the Priestess even if that meant he would have to act against his own leader.
The masked warrior put himself in front of the Priestess but without any gesture against his King who just stopped in front of him and looked straight into his eyes. "Even you?" Tagon asked with gritted teeth.
Yangcha didn't answer, move or even blink. He had been asked to protect the High Priestess and so, what he was doing wasn't going against any orders he had received.
"Move," the King ordered, and so, Tanya's bodyguard, after a slight moment of hesitation, took a step to the side, and bowed his head to his leader, leaving him the way to the Priestess who didn't appreciate his obedience.
"What were you expecting?" Tagon asked the Priestess, "do you really think they can defend you against me, huh?!" he screamed to her face.
The clear sound of a sword unsheathing was heard and Tagon felt the cold of a blade on his neck.
"If you touch her-"
"If I touch her then what?" he mocked as he turned to Enoria. He put a hand on the sword, his leather glove preventing blood from flowing, "you are going to kill me? Do you think you are actually capable of doing that?"
She wasn't, he was already controlling her sword with the strength he was using to hold it. With a quick move, he made her dropped her sword, brought her closer to him, and grabbed her by the collar, "if you don't want my hands to end up on your neck once again you better know where your place is," he warned before he released her, pushing her so that she lost her balance and Yangcha had to catch her for her not to fall. "Now, you," he addressed the Priestess who hadn't flinched when he had approached her closer, "what have you done?"
"Father, please, we can talk abou-" Saya started to say, after he had stood up with difficulty.
"Yes, talking, that's what I want to do but how can I when you are shielding her as if I was going to kill her?!"
"You don't really look like someone who wants to talk," Enoria said. She took a step forward to put herself between the King and the Priestess again but Yangcha prevented her from doing so and the look he had quickly exchanged with Tanya confirmed he was doing right. The Priestess had been the one causing trouble and so she would assume her actions and there was no reason for other people to get involved. He didn't think Tagon was going to hurt Tanya, she was too precious for the Kingdom. They were there if things were to go wrong, but at that very moment, he just wanted Enoria to be safe by not opposing his leader and that, Tanya heard it well in his thoughts.
"Keep your sharp claws in, I don't want to hurt her," Tagon replied. He hadn't really paid attention to that before but he had to recognize Taealha was right on some points: Enoria sometimes did look like a savage wolf capable of jumping on her prey at any moment. "And you aren't supposed to disappear as it pleases you," he accused.
"I am not your puppy," she replied with gritted teeth.
"Puppy or wolf, it doesn't matter, they bite anyway," he sharply replied, "now Yangcha, take your woman out of here."
The masked warrior bowed to his King, he was careful not to look at the Priestess for approval as he knew Tagon would not appreciate it, and he forced Enoria to follow his lead.
Enoria exchanged a glance with the Priestess, assuring her in silence she was not far if needed. Then she let herself be guided outside by Yangcha, who wasn't really giving her the choice, even though she didn't want to leave the Priestess with the angry King.
"You leave too," Tagon addressed Saya.
"I am not leaving," Saya stated, "Tanya is my future wife, I have all the right to stay. What she had done could be turned into your advantages, if the two of you work together no one will dare to oppose you. And as the future Princess she just proved her wort-"
"Leave before I make you," he warned.
"Working with her is the best option you have now. Taealha is not reliable anymo-"
"Leave!" Tagon shouted.
"I don't want to," he dared to reply, earning an angry look from his adoptive father.
"Saya, it's okay, do as he said, I am not afraid," Tanya finally intervened.
The Prince finally reluctantly left the room after having been asked to correctly close the door Tagon knew Enoria had left slightly opened.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tanya was standing straight, head-high and it almost seemed to Tagon she was proud of what she had done and he was surprised by her calmness.
"What are you playing at?" the King calmly asked her as he approached.
"I already told you, I am not playing. I am the High Priestess, I share the messages of the Gods."
"Don't try using your tricks on me, what do you have in mind? Do you understand the consequences your recent action had? You are killing off my people with your tricks to give rights to the slaves, on which right do you allow yourself to do that?! Didn't I tell you not to do anything without my consent?!"
"The ones you called slaves will now live decently without fearing to be beaten or worst, what is so bad about it?"
Tagon scoffed, "you are too naïve, if not stupid, by helping the slaves, you set the citizens against you."
"They will learn to live differently."
"And you will learn that the citizens' loyalty and love is as fragile as a young tree in a heavy storm," he replied with gritted teeth, "you'll end up being killed by rebels if you continue."
"Then you'll be rid of me, it should please you."
"If I wanted you dead, Tanya Niruha, you would already be," he warned.
"I can't undo the curse I put on the citizens, you'll have to consent to the decision I took."
"You'll modify your words, I am the King, the people must respect my words more than those supposedly coming from the Gods."
"Or else what?" Tanya provoked.
"Or else, I will make you regret not having stayed obedient," he warned as he approached her again. To his surprise, she didn't back up, instead she stared back at him. "Your father, that little girl, what was her name already? Ah, yes, Doti, the other Wahans who, I can assure you, are being well watched over or the children slaves you like to pass time with, one word from me and they will all be executed," he said with a smirk.
Tears came to Tanya's eyes. As long as she had people she cared for, they would always be used against her.
"Ah and of course, who could I ask to kill them? The Daekans? Too easy. Enoria? I bet she won't disobey if I threaten Yangcha's life, and him do you think he will disobey for you? What about your future husband then? Should I make him put his practice into real acts?"
"You are hateful," Tanya said as she was trying to contain her tears.
"Hateful?" he asked with a smirk, "no, I gave you an easy life so far. Learn where your place is, I am your King, and you are one of my subjects, do not forget that."
"I only serve the Gods," she stated.
"If you don't want to join them sooner than you should, you better obey. If you push me to my limits, I may separate your head from the rest of your body."
"You can't do that," Tanya said as he was on his way to leave, "you may have made me the High Priestess but I made you the King, you are Aramun Haesulla because I am the descendant of Asa Sin, our destinies are linked, just like a curse."
He approached her quickly. With a fast gesture he sent one of the flower pots crashing into the wall, breaking it into several pieces. That time, Tanya stepped back, scared of what he was going to do. His hand caught her neck and he lifted her from the ground. "You have lost your mind if you think I am going to let you threaten me like that. What are you going to do now? You can't scream for help and no one can come to your rescue, that will be my last warning, don't dare to forget you are alive because I want you to," he continued before he released her and she fell to the ground, coughing, her eyes filled with tears.
"Work with me," Tanya proposed between two coughing fits, "I promise it will benefit you."
"In which way exactly?" he asked with a smirk, "I don't need you."
"You need me to keep peace in Arthdal, and you need me to become the living God you dream to be."
She didn't want to make him that way but Saya had assured her of two things: first, Tagon didn't want his blood to be discovered, that was his biggest fear, second, he would do anything to keep his position, his biggest dream was to be worshipped the way Aramun Haesulla was. And so, she had come to the conclusion she had to use both against him, his hope and his fear so that she would control him, so that he would be her puppet for whom she would pull the strings.
Tagon studied her for a moment, the fire in her eyes was at the same time intriguing and annoying him. "Then try, try to convince me," he said before he extended his hand to help her stand up and they both sat around the table.
-----------------------------------------------------------
For once, it wasn't Enoria that was nervously pacing back and forth lost in her thoughts but Saya.
"Stop that, you are making me feel sick," Enoria complained.
"And you know what is making me feel sick? The fact that we don't know what's happening inside that room and that Tanya could be in danger and we are here doing nothing," he replied before he let out a heavy sigh.
"And what do you think is happening inside? They are probably talking, nothing more that's why it's taking so long, or else it's because he is cutting her into tiny pieces," she tried to joke.
"That's not funny," the Prince complained.
"You are maybe lacking humor," she shrugged.
"That's your humor that is lacking."
"Poor Tanya is going to die of boredom with you as a husband," she murmured.
But Saya didn't listen to her words anymore, he approached the door with fast steps, complaining he couldn't stand anymore to wait outside and that he was going inside at that exact moment.
Yangcha almost rolled his eyes at the impatience of the Prince, he knew everything was going well inside, Tagon wouldn't kill the Priestess without a great plan not to be accused of it and so, being alone with her in her office after everyone in the Kingdom had seen him angrily come to the Great Shrine wasn't the ideal time which assured Tanya's safety.
Saya was about to open the door but Tagon did it before him. The Prince questioned his father with his eyes without getting the answers he needed and yet, he was unable to ask what he wanted and he let Tagon walk away in silence.
Saya burst into the Priestess' office to inquire about Tanya, leaving Yangcha and Enoria outside. The two exchanged a concerned look. They both were aware something had happened and they wondered if that was going to be a good or a bad thing knowing Tagon looked at the same time confused and excited when he had gone out.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tanya was leaned against the edge of her balcony, showing only her back to the worried Prince who had hurried inside.
"Tanya! Are you okay?" he asked, approaching her but, hearing her sobs, he stopped as quickly as he had started to approach her. She was crying and he didn't know what to do. From what he could see she wasn't physically hurt and yet, she seemed in pain. He couldn't stand seeing her in that state and yet, he was unable to approach and comfort her. He didn't know how to do that, no one had ever shown him how to comfort someone else and he thought maybe that was because he had himself never been comforted. He stood there, frozen, looking at the woman he was in love with, suffering without him being able to act.
He went out of his thoughts when Enoria passed by him, reaching for the Priestess and taking her into her arms in a silent comforting hug. He watched Enoria passing a gentle hand on Tanya's hair, murmuring things were going to be okay and that she could cry for as long as she needed to because she was going to stay by her side as long as she needed a shoulder to continue crying on. And he wondered how she could do that so naturally and how he was incapable of doing just the same. He lowered his head, maybe he wasn't good enough for Tanya.
"Dozens of people died because of me, because of the curse I put on the people today," Tanya finally said between two sobs, "I am as much as a monster as Tagon, I am no different, I use, manipulate and deceive people, I killed them with my words, I am scared of what I am becoming, I feel like I am suffocating."
Enoria didn't try to convince her of the opposite, she knew too well how Tanya could be feeling at the moment and so, how it would be impossible to even try to reason with her. "What can I do to help you?" she gently asked, dropping a soft kiss on her head before she pulled out from the hug they were sharing and took the Priestess' shaking hands in hers.
"I want to go back to Iark, I can't live here, if I stay here I'll lose myself even more, I don't want to become everything I hate," Tanya said, breathing with difficulty.
Enoria slowly guided her to the nearest chair and made her sit on it. She squatted near her, caressing the hands she had not let go but she didn't speak immediately. She let the Priestess take a hold of herself and calmed down the distress she was in so that she would receive the words she was going to share with her. When Tanya seemed ready to listen again, Enoria cupped the Wahan girl's face into her hands to force her to look at her. "I assure you that you won't lose yourself. You may not be able to go back to Iark for now but it is with you, no matter what you have to do as Asa Tanya, Wahan's Tanya is here," she said as she placed an hand on Tanya's heart, "and as long as you don't forget where you come from and what you have been taught, you will always be that girl."
"But-"
"But nothing, Tanya," she interrupted as she wiped a tear from Tanya's cheek, "we all do things we are not proud of and, you too, you will have to learn to live with it."
"I do not feel like I am living, I am surviving at most!"
"Trust me, I do understand how you are feeling, I have been there too," she said as a tear fell on her own cheek, "living is not an easy thing, surviving is even less but despite you having to struggle to live your own life you also fight for others to be able to live their owns too."
"No, I only made things worse, I killed those people with my curse!"
"And you saved the lives of many others by doing so! In that city we are in right now, slaves die every day because of mistreatment or malnutrition, but you, by changing theirs status, by forbidding the others to do harm to them, you gave them a chance to survive."
"I don't want them to survive, I want them to live."
"And they will, because they have you! You are their hope Tanya, the light in their darkness. You have started to change things in that damn city and you will even more in the future but changing an entire city takes time and you'll have to be patient, that's why you can't give up now."
"And how am I going to do that when I am scared of my power, of what I did, of what I can do, of that city, of Tagon, of what I could become? I have already changed so much, what if I end up not being myself anymore?"
"Changes are necessary to grow. The you you are today is not the you you were yesterday nor the one you will be tomorrow. The guilt you are facing right now is the consequences of the responsibilities you own and, as much as I would like to tell you you will get used to it, I know you will never never truly accept that having to decide who lives and who dies is what a leader must do at times, because you have too much of a good heart, Asa Tanya Niruha," she finished with a smile the Priestess gave back.
"How do you do it?" Tanya asked, "how do you live with all the lives you took?"
"I learnt to deal with my guilt by making sure not to be swallowed by it."
"Have you forgotten? The faces of the people you've killed? Them begging for help? The look in their eyes before they took their last breath because of you?"
"It will become blur one day but you will never truly forget how you felt," she replied, giving the Priestess a compassionate smile.
Tanya stayed silent for a moment, calming the storm inside of her. "Thank you," she finally said to the woman still squatting in front of her.
"You don't need to thank me," Enoria said with a smile. She thought she was the one who should thank her for reminding her how she used to be, before, when she wasn't yet the killer she was now. She glanced at Yangcha who seemed to be the second person in the room to hear her thoughts. He could understand the affection the woman he loved had for Tanya. In a way, the Priestess was more or less the innocent and younger version of Enoria who too, more than once had found herself lost between the beliefs and values she had been taught and the duties she had as the leader of Eneam. She too, had cried over things she had not wanted to do but had done because it had to be done and when she had needed to be comforted, it was Yangcha she had reached for and who had told her words similar to those she had just shared with the Priestess. He took a deep breath before he approached the table, poured water in one of the cups and gave it to Tanya who appreciated the intention, then he took a step back to put appropriate distance between the Niruha and him.
Saya had watched everything without saying a word. He knew Tanya valued every life the Gods were giving but he wouldn't have been able to comfort her the way Enoria had done because he simply didn't understand her reaction. For him, what Tanya had done was a good thing, as the High Priestess and future Princess, it gave her more power and credit while going towards the goal she had and he couldn't understand how the deaths of unknown people could affect her that much. "What happened with my Father?" he finally asked her.
"He didn't hurt me and he will not be a problem, we made an agreement," Tanya replied.
"What kind of agreement?"
"I can't talk about it, this is part of it."
"But-"
"I am going to ask you this one more and I hope one last time," Enoria interrupted the Prince, "are you sure of what you are doing?"
"No I am not," Tanya honestly replied, "but I have all of you by my side if things don't go as planned, haven't I?"
"Yes, of course, you have us," Enoria replied with a smile, "at least until you remove that curse you put on us because I have to say I am kind of scared too now," she joked in a low voice, making the Priestess finally laugh a bit. "You are prettier when you smile," she said as she wiped the last tears on Tanya's cheeks who just smiled at the one who was showing her a side of her she didn't know yet, a sort of maternal instinct she appreciated to see.
Tanya swallowed her last tears then she stood up and said: "take me out of the city."
"What?" Enoria asked, taken aback, standing up as well.
"I want some fresh air, I want to walk barefoot in the grass and feel the wind in my messy hair so I am asking you to make me leave this city," she explained with a serious face before she noticed the confused expression on her friend's face, "I am not asking you to take me back to Iark, just to allow me to breath outside of those walls."
"What about the appointments you have today?" Saya asked.
"I'll cancel them."
"Then how will you explain you are not here?"
"I'll just pretend to still be here," she explained before she turned to Enoria, "how many time would it take you to spread in the Shrine the rumor I am deep in my prayers for the Gods to grant us rain, that I will not be available for anyone until I decide overwise and to organize a way for us to leave without anyone following us?"
"Not long," Enoria replied.
"Then go, and come back with Sana, I would like her to join us too."
"As you wish, Niruha," she said before she bowed, passed by Saya, brushed her fingers over Yangcha's as she passed by him and disappeared from the room.
"Saya, while we are waiting for her to come back, I would like you to continue teaching me those letters you showed me yesterday," she said to him before she noticed he was quite confused about the situation, "I would understand if you prefer going back to your activities and not staying with me to sneak out from here."
He shook his head, "no, I am staying," he said before he reached for the table and organized the writing fournitures and books. He wouldn't have been able to explain it properly but Tanya impressed her. He had just witnessed her crying her eyes out a moment ago and she was already back on her feet, he admired the strength she had within her to be able to do so. As he looked at her, studying the letters he was showing her, he thought that, even if he wasn't good enough for him, he would have her, no matter what.
Yangcha had taken back his position as a guard, in silence, he observed. But he didn't like what he saw in Saya's eyes, it wasn't the look of someone in love, it was the look of someone who wanted to own and it worried him on the fact that, even if for now Saya was not a threat for Tanya, he could be one later. He took a deep breath and sighed, chasing his inappropriate worries away, he was to assure the High Priestess' safety, not to take care of her love life, and he knew he would react the appropriate way if someone -no matter who- was to try hurting her.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Enoria wasn't long to show up again after having accomplished her mission and the group of five sneaked out of the city, guided by Enoria. After having obtained Yangcha's discreet approval, she had led the group to one of the places she loved the most in Arthdal, her secret place, her wooden house near the river.
It was well-hidden, difficult to access for someone ignoring its existence and that was one of the reasons she liked it: no one bothered her there.
Tanya looked around the place which was beautifully flowered and she wondered if it was natural or if Enoria's abilities had something to do with that but she didn't ask. She took a deep breath and under the confused look of Saya who repeated that it was inappropriate to do so, she took off the shoes that were bothering her, untied her hair and lied in the grass, imitated by Sana then by Enoria.
"As the future Princess, you shou-"
"Oh shut up!" Sana interrupted him, "you are boring!"
Her spontaneity made Tanya and Enoria hardly repress their laughter and when Saya asked them not to laugh they couldn't help themselves and mocked the Prince.
"We had enough of one Enoria, now we have two," Saya murmured in a sigh.
"Hey! I already told you it's Lady Enoria for you! How disrespectful!" Sana stated as she clicked her tongue.
" 'Disrespectful'? It suits you to say that," he said, ironic.
"What about the two of you train a little?" Enoria proposed with a mischievous smile, she knew well what would be the result of a fight between her little protégé and her new student.
"Sure! I am going to show everyone here what it means to be Lady Enoria's first and favorite disciple," Sana said as she stood up and started stretching herself.
"I didn't agree to that," Saya protested.
"Are you afraid I may hurt you?" Sana asked in a mocking voice, "you have reason to be, you stand no chance against me. I have been training for years and I have a really great teacher who was herself taught by a really great teacher."
Sana found training weapons in the wooden house and she quickly came back and handed one to Saya who didn't really want to train at the moment but who, by pride, didn't dare to refuse.
Enoria and Tanya had sat cross-legged on the ground, ready to watch the fight that was going to happen under their eyes. Further, Yangcha had leaned against a tree, curious to see his lover's disciple in action but still attentive to any potential danger around.
-----------------------------------------------------------
As she had expected, it was an easy fight for Sana, not that Saya was bad but he was a beginner and it showed in his movements. He was predictable and didn't think of his sword as an extension of his arm and so he didn't use it that well.
"I won," Sana said with a satisfied smile after she had disarmed her opponent and pointed her own sword to his neck, "I told you you stood no chance against me."
It hurt Saya's pride to recognize it but he had no other choice: that girl he had in front of him was way better than he was and he still had a lot to learn to be as good as her.
Proud of herself, Sana went to give a high-five to her teacher who didn't hide how proud she was of her. Then the young warrior reassured Tanya of her capacities to defend her if necessary and the High Priestess just thanked her and applauded her for her victory.
"Again," Saya ordered.
"Be careful you are going to develop a taste for defeat," Sana mocked before they went for another round.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Saya lost the second round and the one after that but they equalized at the next one as he started to understand how Sana was fighting.
"Not bad for a beginner," Sana praised with a smile before she turned to Enoria, "my Lady, fight with me! In memory of the old good times! It's been way too long!" she said as she had taken Enoria's hand to pull her up.
And so, Enoria and Saya exchanged places, he sat next to Tanya while she went to train with her protégé.
"I still have a lot to learn, haven't I?" he asked Tanya as they were watching the training fight.
"You are good Saya," Tanya replied, "well, I am saying that though I can't say I know what I am talking about, but I can see they are just better than average."
"I am going to be better, to train more, for you," he said, looking straight into her eyes.
It made her uncomfortable and she looked away, focusing on the two women training. "You shouldn't do that for me but only for you."
"Why? Is that so wrong that I want to do that for you?"
She shook her head before she looked at him again, "it's just-, I don't kno-"
"I am not expecting anything from you, Tanya," Saya interrupted, "don't worry, you have been clear, I know you don't feel the way I feel towards you."
He knew and yet, he wouldn't give up and that, Tanya heard it in his mind very clearly and she didn't know how it made her feel. Tanya lost herself in her thoughts as she thought again about what Enoria had told her before. Could she have feelings for Saya? She looked at him as if the answer was writing on his face and when he caught her eyes, she quickly escaped from the awkwardness of the moment they had just shared by congratulating Enoria who had just won her friendly fight against Sana.
Enoria noticed how Tanya suddenly seemed uncomfortable and she gave her a questioning look that she quickly avoided making the Igutu sigh as she was quite easy to read and the source of her discomfort easily identified.
"Now, I want to see you and sir Yangcha fight together!" Sana said, pulling Enoria's arm.
" 'Sir Yangcha'"? Enoria questioned as she looked at him then back at Sana, "have you been calling him like that since you arrived?"
"Yes! It's appropriate and he hates that, two reasons to keep it that way."
It made Enoria laugh and she turned to Yangcha, "then sir Yangcha," she said with a mocking tone, "would you like to train with me?"
Yangcha smirked under his mask, it had been a while they hadn't seriously trained even though he didn't doubt he would have the upper hand -as he had always had-, and he nodded to the demand before he approached to take the practise sword Sana was handing him over. Then the little warrior went to sit between Tanya and Saya so that the two wouldn't be too close.
"Was it really necessary for you to sit here?" Saya complained as he had no other choice but to budge to be comfortable.
"Yes, it was. Obviously," Sana said. She looked at him up and down, stuck her tongue at him and then focused again on her teacher's fight under the amused look of Tanya.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The smile on Enoria's face betrayed how happy she was at the moment. She had forgotten they had an audience, she was back three years or even more before, when it was only Yangcha and her and their regular practice. She wouldn't have said it was simple back then, she usually did several trips to Eneam during the year and they had spent time apart but when she was alone with him, time always stopped. He was her bubble of happiness, taking her away from her responsibilities or the harsh things of the real world, he was the one making her alive and she wished nothing more but to be by his side for as long as he would want her to be there.
He had the feeling of going back in time as well and he enjoyed seeing a spontaneous Enoria. He loved seeing her laugh or smile as if no one was around, free to show her true self, a thing she didn't usually allow herself in Arthdal. She was always careful not to make her invisible mask fall but at that moment, it seemed to him she could only see him and it pleased him. He would do everything for her smile, he would kill for her, destroy everyone who would try to hurt her, who would go against her ideas or would even try taking her away from him. From the first time his eyes had rested on her, he had known she was his special person and as they had passed more and more time together, he had slowly realized what love meant.
They had fallen in love while practising swordsmanship and everytime they were raising swords against each other, they were reminded of the time when they were only teenagers slowly realizing they wouldn't manage to live without one another.
He disarmed her and made her lose her balance but he dropped his own weapon, caught her wrist and pulled her against him before she fell to the ground. One hand behind her back, the other holding firmly her wrist, they just looked each other in the eyes for a moment and he could have stayed like that until the night came. There were so many things she was saying through her eyes that sometimes it still disconcerted him that someone could look at him that way, as if she was owning his entire soul while giving away hers.
"Hey Daekan," she interrupted his thoughts, "I know I am really pretty but remove that hand right now before I cut it."
He had himself finished her sentence in his mind, she had teased him more than once with that kind of sentence.
"And the next time I look at you like that, you are going to kill me?" he questioned her in his thoughts with an amused smile on his smile she perceived well.
"I can't kill you, I am not strong enough yet," she continued in a murmur as if she had heard his question.
They were spitting love at each other in silence, as if there was no one else near them and yet, they quickly came back to reality when Sana interrupted their moment: "are you two actually fighting or flirting?" she teased them, making Tanya laugh, she had asked them that too once.
Enoria straightened herself, then cleared her throat, stated that they were seriously fighting before she noticed the look Sana was giving her and just asked her to be quiet and not to judge adults.
"I am hungry!" Sana said, "is there something to eat in that house?"
"Most probably," Enoria replied, "you know what? I am gonna check," she added before she quickly headed to the wooden house.
"She is cute," Sana murmured before she looked at Yangcha, "what are you waiting for? Go with her, I am staying here and keeping an eye on Niruha. Lady Enoria needs you more than we do, you must know just like I do that she is dangerous when it comes to cooking."
Yangcha hesitated, he wondered if Sana had also been a victim of Enoria's cooking skills, then he looked at Tanya for approval.
"I feel very safe with Sana and Saya, you can go," she reassured him, "I am actually hungry too so I am asking you to make something delicious for me to eat."
He bowed his head before he left the trio and disappeared inside the wooden house.
"We make a great team Niruha," Sana said with a satisfied smile, "they won't allow themselves to show their love in front of others so we have to give them some private time."
Tanya just smiled at those words, if Sana could have heard their thoughts, she wouldn't doubt that they didn't need private times to show their love to each other, each of their looks or gestures was full of love.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Put down that knife before hurting yourself," Yangcha teased after he had closed the door behind him and approached to take the dangerous object from her hand.
She smiled but didn't oppose resistance when he took the knife, she knew well how to use it, just not when it was for cooking. "Let me guess: Sana sent you here, didn't she?"
"It seems she doesn't trust your cooking skills, I wonder why," he teased.
"I wonder too," she replied before they both laughed.
They didn't stay alone together for long, there wasn't much in the house and they realized that they had to hunt if they wanted to have a decent meal. Enoria quickly went back outside to the trio's surprise, and asked for a hunting companion. Tanya was about to propose herself but Sana did first, challenging Saya to try hunting better than she could and the proud Prince stood up, determined to show what he was capable of, though hunting in the forests wasn't something he usually did. Enoria followed them with the strange feeling of having to watch over two kids, making Tanya laugh before she joined Yangcha in the house.
----------------------------------------------------------
Tanya silently entered the house Yangcha was in, he respectfully bowed to her, asking through his eyes where all the others were.
"They all went hunting," Tanya explained, "Sana challenged Saya and I guess Enoria didn't have the choice but to follow them to make sure they wouldn't actually hunt each other," she joked.
Yangcha just nodded to that and went back to his preparation. Tanya watched him do so, and just like when she had seen him draw the mark on Enoria's back, she had to recognize once again that the way he was delicately doing things was nice to witness.
She noticed she had been staring at him again and, remembering the last time he had caught her doing that, she quickly looked away and searched for a way to start a conversation so that the silence wouldn't be awkward between them. "So you can cook?" she finally asked him.
"I know the basics," he answered her, focused on his task.
"I see, and is Enoria that bad?"
"A true danger," he mocked in thoughts that weren't destined to be heard by the Priestess. He raised his head, caught her eyes, not sure if she had heard his words, "she has many skills but cooking is not one of them," he rectified.
Tanya smiled discreetly, he was always trying hard to stay formal in his thoughts but she liked hearing the ones he didn't direct to her the most. "How did you fall in love with Enoria?" she asked him.
Caught off guard by the sudden question, he stopped what he was doing, put the knife on the table, and looked at her in silence for a moment.
"I heard you earlier," Tanya explained with a smile, "a smile on her face and it was like you fell in love with her all over again."
"Those were private thoughts," Yangcha accused, "what is it that you want to know exactly?"
"Was my question unclear?"
He knew well the Priestess was stubborn and wouldn't leave him alone until he had answered her question and so he just sighed. "I don't know," he finally replied, "it happened naturally." He wouldn't explain to her how he had fallen in love because he himself didn't know. He didn't even know what was love back then and it had taken him time to put words on the feelings he had.
"How would you explain what love is?" she questioned.
Once again, her questions disconcerted him. Only one person had asked him those kinds of things in the past and it was the person he was in love with. To explain that to someone else felt wrong and uncomfortable. "Is that a true question you are asking me or are you trying to make fun of me, Niruha?"
"I am not trying to make fun of you," she defended herself, "I am trying to understand you."
"Don't, I am not an interesting person for you to get to know," he thought before he went back to his cutting.
"Are you afraid I may discover a side of you that is not despicable?" she asked him.
He raised his eyes again, she had the same expression on her face than when she had confronted Tagon, as if she had a plan in her mind and was determined to make it work. "I already told you, I do not mind what you think of me, Niruha."
She wouldn't have shown it but his words hurt her. With all the time he had passed by her side, she had come to appreciate his silent presence and knowing it wasn't the same for him annoyed her. She didn't question him again but she still stayed attentive to the thoughts he couldn't control. He hadn't wanted to directly answer her question about love and yet, consciously or not, he was giving her the answer she had wanted.
For him, love was something that had changed the whole world he had known before. It was the need to be with her, it was her happiness and needs being his own. It was feeling understood without a word and yet being able to share every private thought, to be vulnerable without fearing to be judged or rejected. It was accepting each other with qualities and flaws. It was having someone you saw yourself growing old with, someone you couldn't imagine not being with in happy or hard times. He would fight for her, kill her enemies, cheer her up when she wanted to give up, pick her up when she was feeling down, give his smile when it was hard for her to find hers, make her laugh if she felt like crying. In the end, if she was happy it was enough for him, no matter what kind of life he would be himself living.
Tanya just stayed silent too. She could have commented about the thoughts she had just caught but she didn't. He hadn't directed them to her and he would be offended again if she was to confess she had disrespected his privacy once more. The love he had for Enoria was strong, and she wondered herself if that was the same kind of love Eunseom and her shared. Eunseom had always been there for her, he was the one she wanted to see when something good or bad happened and yet, even though she knew she loved him, she now wondered if she had not misunderstood the kind of love she harbored for him.
Are you in love with Eunseom or are you hiding yourself behind your love for him because you are too scared to admit you may have feelings for Saya?
That question Enoria had asked came back to her mind and she just loudly exhaled, murmured she didn't understand a single thing and she went outside leaving a confused Yangcha inside.