The sun rising woke me up. I felt pain in my throat. There was more pain in my tensed muscles but it has been about a week since I've last eaten.
I felt movement on my head. I hear people saying they survived the night. I open my eyes and my eyes meet Chang's eyes. I blush and lift my head off his shoulder.
Chang got up off his seat and looked up at the sky. Muyeong walked to the barakade on the gate and started moving it out the way. He looks through one of the cracks on the wood of the gate.
"Your Highness. The monsters are going away."
Yeongshin ran to the wall and jumped to get on the roof. He was looking to see if what Muyeong said is true.
I got up from my spot and moved to Seobi.
"They are all gone!" Yeongshin said.
Chang looked relieved.
I helped Seobi move the things from the barn to get the people hiding out.
"They are gone now. You can come out." Seobi said softly to the people.
A little girl ran out and hugged Seobi.
I see Chang walk to a room. I walked after him to see him sitting and his hand shaking a little bit.
I grab his hand to stop the shaking. I snap my fingers at him to get his attention. I mouth and signed, 'Thank you.'
He softly smiled at me and said, "Your welcome. I'm just worried about these people."
After he said that I pulled him into a hug. He hugged me back.
'I love his heart. He cares for these people not like the other officials.' I thought.
I pulled away and was about to walk out till Chang said, "Kwan, while you were asleep... Yeongshin and Seobi showed us a little sign language so it could be easier to talk to you."
To test out if he was telling the truth I signed, 'Thank you.'
He smiled and chuckled.
"Your Royal Highness. May I come in?" Muyeong said from outside.
"You may come in."
Muyeong walks in and sees me.
"Good morning Kwan." Muyeong said while smiling at me.
I mouth and signed, 'Good morning.'
"What did you want Muyeong?"
"Your Highness, I think you should come out."
He got up and walked out. I walked behind him just to see the people bowing their heads at Chang.
An older man in the front said, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness. Thank you for saving us!"
The people all said thank you.
"Treat the wounds and prepare some food to eat." Chang said.
I hear a "Yes, Your Highness."
I walked to the little kids just to see Yeongshin tying it to a rope ball. He kicked it and the kids ran.
Yeongshin was smiling and so was I. I ran after the kids leaving behind Yeongshin.
I was kicking the ball with them.
I passed the ball to a little girl. She passed it back to me and I kicked it thinking I was aiming at the little boy but the ball hit Chang's leg. Muyeong looked at him and they both looked back to see me and the kids.
"Your Highness.." Muyeong said.
"Bring those children to me." Chang said.
I got a bit scared.
'I just got those kids into trouble..' My smile slipped from my face.
Muyeong looked shocked and said "Your Highness.."
But Chang walked away. Muyeong walked towards the kids.
"Hey you kids! Come here." Muyeong said.
I could feel that the kids are scared. I gave them a small hug and they walked to Mueyong.
When the kids got in front of Chang the little girl known as Deoki cried saying, "Your Royal Highness. We deserve to be killed for what we did."
The people looked at him.
Chang gave Deoki a piece of meat.
"What is this?" Deoki said.
"It's food. Eat." Chang said.
He then gave the other three kids food. He smiled when he saw them eating the piece of meat. He picked up the ball at his feet.
"Now go on and play." Chang said and handed the ball to Deoki.
He looks at me and I shyly look away.
"Kwan." Chang called out to me.
I walk up to him.
"Here. Eat this." He handed me a piece of meat.
He then handed the pouch to Muyeong.
"Hand these out."
Muyeong took it and walked to the people.
Chang looked at me and said, "Eat it."
My stomach grumbled loudly and I blushed. He chuckled and then asked, "How long since you last ate?"
I held up six fingers.
He looked at me shocked. I nodded my head.
"Eat up. Then you can play with the little ones."
I stuffed the whole piece of meat in my mouth and ran back to the kids.
'Wait, where'd he get the meat from? Was this his own?' I thought. I looked back at him to see him looking at the people.
The ball landed in front of me and I looked back at the little kids. I smiled and kicked the ball towards them. I ran at them but tripped.
The kids laughed and I chuckled myself. I dusted myself off.
We played for a good two hours. Even with a few breaks in between.
The sky got cloudy making everything look a bit darker.
I heard yelling but didn't think anything about it. We passed the ball back and forth to each other.
I look up in the air to see something fly down towards us. I pushed Deoki out of the way but it was not fast enough for me to get grazed. I pushed Deoki to hide behind the wall.
I ran to get the other kids. I headed towards the two little boys but one of them got shot down. I grabbed the other one and pushed his towards Deoki.
I saw the other little girl. I ran towards her but things felt like it was in slow motion. I saw the arrow flying in her direction. My arm pushed out in front of me to push the girl out of the way.
Blood stained my cheeks from the little boy getting shot before.
I almost pushed her out of the way but she fell down. I turned her over to see the arrow sticking out of her stomach. The blood seeped through her clothing.
I pushed down on the wound to stop the bleeding. She was crying. The little girl put her tiny bloodied hand on my cheek. Her breathing labored.
Her eyes closed and her hand slipped from my cheek.
Tears were beginning to fall down my cheek.
I picked her up and ran to the wall. Some of the people there hiding from the arrows.
Yeongshin and Muyeong were yelling at each other but when I reached them they stopped. Muyeong looked at me and gasped. I fell and leaned my body over the little girls. My tears falling on the ground.
'Im sorry. I'm sorry.' I thought over and over again.
I cover my mouth to muffle my crying. I fail to notice that Chang is looking at me.
He was breathing heavily and his eyes got teary.
They came up with a plan. I would be lying if I said I was quiet. Which I am but my face had a neutral expression. I was pissed at those people shooting at us.
Those people made it inside but were getting taken down by Yeongshin shooting. Myeong and Chang stalked away somewhere.
Two soldiers walked with raised guns. Yeongshin raised his gun about to fire but fired at one that snuck up on him.
The two soldiers shot their guns at Yeongshin. I snuck up behind one and struck my sickle angrily. Instantly killing him.
I shoved the other soldier and hit him to the ground. I continuously hit him in the face. My vision turned red blinding everything around me.
Someone pulled me away and I continued trying to fight back but I was restrained.
"Kwan, Kwan.. He's dead. Stop!" At those words I stopped fighting, Yeongshin was grabbing me.
Seobi ran to the hut that the people were hiding in. She opened it and said, "Come on out! It's too dangerous to stay here with us. Go to Yangsan before the sun sets. Hurry!" The people ran.
"I'm sorry.." I horsely said without thinking. I walked away towards the little girl's body. I took the arrow out and picked her up.
I walked to a building and set her down peacefully. I covered her up and walked out.
I ran with Yeongshin and Seobi to the woods. There were four horses with us. We waited for Chang and Muyeong to come up.
Yeongshin loaded his gun and pointed it in front of him.
A hand reached out and put the gun down. Yeongshin put the gun down. Muyeong ran up to us and said, "Let's go."
Chang and Muyeong were on their own horses. Yeongshin and Seobi were sharing a horse. I was on my own horse holding the reigns. My knuckles split and bloody.
The adrenaline in me slowed down. I started feeling the pain from my graze but continued riding.
There was silence between all of us. We were riding through a grassy plain with the sun going down. I have been feeling the fatigue from the blood loss.
My head was spinning. I felt myself going side to side.
I let go of the reigns and slumped over the horse.
I fell off the side of the horse with a thump.
"Kwan!" Someone yelled.
My eyes started closing.
Someone came next to me and yelled, "Don't close your eyes! Seobi is going to fix you."
They lift me up and I hear someone trying to say something. But everything sounded muffled.
I fully closed my eyes and knocked out.