After learning the secret Enoria shared with Yangcha, Tanya had kept quiet as she had promised to be and the two women had become quite close. They didn't make their new friendship too obvious to not draw attention. When they were not alone, Enoria kept on purpose a distant attitude towards Tanya, as she had always done, but when they were alone, the two got along well. The Igutu didn't get the chance to tell Yangcha about what Tanya now knew but as she didn't seem to be a threat for their secret at the moment, she assumed she could tell him later.
Unlike Tanya, Saya seemed more and more suspicious of Enoria since the day he had witnessed her putting a dagger on Tanya's throat. He knew the two women sometimes secretly met, Enoria was discreet but Tanya was less, and he disliked that. He disliked the fact she was close with Tanya, as much as he disliked the way she was close with Tagon. And so, he kind of felt irritated when she was in his field of sight.
Enoria felt his change of behavior and so, she mirrored his attitude, if he was going to be cold and suspicious towards her, she would be too.
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The sun was slowly rising and the light had started entering the room where Tagon and Taealha were resting. She was snuggled next to him, he was gently caressing her hand. They were both silent, lost in their own thoughts when Taealha broke it:
"Aren't you curious about that girl?" she finally asked, "the Igutu one, I mean."
"I am. She is interesting."
Taealha gave a faint smile, she knew Enoria was not only interesting, she was beautiful too and she knew Tagon had eyes. "I know she is an interesting beauty," she said in a sigh as she rose to a sitting position before slipping out of the bed. She put on a gown to cover her body and went to the window. She stayed silent a moment, a silence Tagon didn't interrupt, he was watching her, waiting for her to continue. "Still, she is a threat. Have you searched for her partners?"
"I have but I didn't find anything. Nobody seems to know her here."
Taealha smirked but he didn't see it. He had searched for her partners but had he done everything to find them? Absolutely not, he appreciated her and so he actually didn't want to seriously search for the people working for her. "Aren't you going to interrogate her more? What if she is plotting behind your back?"
That time, it was Tagon who didn't answer right away. Taealha had turned to look at him, arms crossed against her breast, waiting for him to admit she was right and he was reckless.
"Maybe she is," Tagon finally answered, "but if she really wanted to harm us she would have done it already. I trust her, I have a feeling she would be more helpful than harmful. After all, she has all the cards in her hands to destroy us but she hasn't done it."
Taealha rolled her eyes and sighed again before she approached the bed. "Yet, she hasn't done it yet, Tagon. When it comes to Igutus you really lose your common sense," she said and he just looked at her with a smile on his face, "your love for lost Igutu will cause your own loss."
"You may be right," Tagon replied with a smile.
"I don't like her," Taealha said as she sat on the bed again, "she doesn't know where her place is, she needs to be taught a lesson."
"No, Taealha, don't do anything that could piss her off. We don't know what she is capable of and I don't want to know. She is not a threat for now so just let her be," he warned.
Taealha rolled her eyes and sighed again but she didn't reply. Instead, she approached and, in silence, snuggled once more against her lover who welcomed her in a warm embrace.
Tagon couldn't see the small evil smile that had appeared on Taealha's face. There was no way she was going to be as nice as Tagon with the Igutu woman. She was going to tame the savage wolf Enoria was, with or without Tagon's consent.
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Later in the morning, Saya arrived quietly in the room where Taealha was waiting for him.
She had summoned him to question him about Enoria. As he had spent time with Enoria before she became Tagon's new guard, she wanted to know what he had learnt about her. But she didn't get information from Saya. Her adoptive son hadn't learnt much since Enoria never talked about herself, she actually didn't talk or show much and had never done anything suspicious. But for Taealha, the fact that Enoria was always on the defensive and careful was definitely the sign that she was hiding something. She acknowledged that as a sufficient reason to interrogate her as she gave herself the mission to discover what it was so that she could have all control she wanted over the Igutu.
Taealha warned Saya to be careful around the igutu woman and to never drop his guard then she left him without saying more. She smiled in an evil way as she set her plan up in her mind. She was going to do what Tagon didn't want to, because she thought they need to know her secrets to protect theirs. She turned to HaeTuak and whispered something to her. The servant bowed and went to execute the order she had just received.
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At sunset, Enoria was on her way to go back to her room after being by Tagon's side all day. She was welcomed by HaeTuak who informed her that Taealha wanted to talk to her. The Igutu followed without much concern, according to the facial expression of the maid and the path they were taking, Enoria kind of knew already what Taealha was going to do. She had anticipated this move, and she knew that, soon or later, Taealha or Tagon would take action. She was actually surprised it took them so much time to make the decision.
When the two women arrived, Taealha was already in the room, that special room where Enoria had killed her own mother a few weeks ago. Taealha asked her to sit down on the chair in the middle of the room, tapping the chair back with a malicious smile. Next to her was standing one of her private guards, tall, imposing, he still didn't get scared Enoria who just smirked before sitting.
"Don't you have other things to do? Such a waste of time. It's going to be useless, I won't say anything," Enoria said with a confidence that annoyed Taealha.
"Well, I have something to convince you," Taealha replied with an evil smile, while showing her a small bottle, "do you know what it is?"
"Gosh, you are so predictable, it must be hallucinogen," Enoria replied before she let out a small mocking laugh, "I wonder what is the thing you are really curious about."
"Everything, you are going to tell everything. One way or another."
"Oh I highly doubt that," Enoria replied. It seemed to her that Taealha had forgotten she had come to Arthdal well prepared. There was no way she was going to give away her secrets that easily.
"We'll see if you still want to laugh after I discover all you are hiding. Are you going to drink it on your own or should I make you drink?"
"I am going to drink it by myself," she replied before she took the small bottle from Taealha's hand and drank its contents without hesitation.
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Taealha waited a little, pacing back and forth in front of Enoria, the time for the hallucinogen to do effect. When the Igutu's pupils were dilated as they should be because of the product, she smiled, satisfied.
She started by asking simple questions to which the answers she got were the same as what Enoria had told them before and so, she concluded the Igutu wasn't lying on everything. As Taealha started asking new questions, the Igutu's attitude changed, she wasn't replying the way Taealha wanted to.
"What do you have in mind? Who are you working with? Who is helping you?" Taealha asked, already losing patience.
Enoria didn't reply right away, it took focus not to let the hallucinogen take the hold on her body. "If I had something else in my mind, do you really think I would tell you? And if I am working with someone do you think I will put them in danger by telling you?" she murmured before she let out a small mocking laugh.
"What? How can you not reply to my questions? You can't lie or escape questions while the hallucinogen is effective!" Taealha replied, confused.
"But I told you before that I would tell you nothing."
"How can you-"
"The hallucinogen," Enoria started before she raised her head to look at Taealha, "it doesn't work on me."
Taealha couldn't hide her surprise, that was the first time she encountered someone who was able to resist it and she was curious about what was the secret to be able to do that. The Igutu smirked before telling her she had trained on purpose to be able to resist its effect.
"So you definitely have something to hide," Taealha murmured to her ear, "well, there's another way to make you talk. Though it will be a shame to damage such a beauty."
She made a sign to her personal warrior who nodded to confirm he had understood the silent order. The warrior took big ropes to tie Enoria to the chair she was sitting on. The Igutu laughed mockingly and let the warrior do so. She informed Taealha that torturing her would be as inefficient as giving her the hallucinogen, it was a waste of time because she wasn't going to say a single word. Then, she threatened Taealha's warrior to tighten correctly the ropes he was using to tie her to the chair as she was an Igutu and she could use them to strangle him at the moment. The warrior didn't reply but quickly adjusted the ropes.
"By the way Taealha, does Tagon know what you are doing?" Enoria asked.
"Why are you asking? Do you think he will actually come for you?" she hissed.
"So he doesn't know, it seems that your lover actually trusts me," Enoria provoked her.
Taealha swallowed her anger, she couldn't let her provocation reach her but she didn't understand how Tagon could actually truly trust her. She told Enoria she didn't want to have to do what she was about to do but for them to have her under control, she had to find out who the Igutu really was and what she was hiding, then, based on her answers she would just continue her duties as a guard or her head would decorate a pike outside the palace.
Enoria sneered at Taealha's words. Taealha could torture her as much as she wanted, she wouldn't get what she was waiting for.
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Taealha didn't go easy on torturing Enoria but she heard nothing from her, not even a scream. Three days had passed and yet she discovered nothing. Her personal guard was in charge of everything as Taealha didn't want to dirty herself. He was also the one who made sure Enoria, whose body was now full of bruises, cuts, blood and sweat, didn't escape when Taealha was not there.
It would have been easy for the Igutu to escape if she wanted to but she knew it was better not to do that. Firstly, because she knew that Tagon would certainly come, though he seemed to take his time to realize something was wrong. He was probably thinking she had ran away with his secrets despite the order to stay close but, when he would realize she had not shown up because his lover was torturing her, she thought he would trust her even more, as she could play on the Igutu empathy nerve. Secondly, because that way, Tagon and Taealha would now understand that trying to find out more about her was useless. Thirdly, because next she would show them she wasn't joking around when she threatened them.
That evening, when Taealha entered the special room, she scanned Enoria. The Igutu was in a bad state, blood was slowly flowing from the fresh cuts while dried blood decorated her skin where the cuts were older. She had raised her head when Taealha had entered, her dark eyes spitting fire at her. Her body was covered with sweat and she had difficulty breathing but she still found the strength to smirk at Taealha.
"Has she finally said something?" Taealha asked her warrior who shook his head.
"Not a word, my Lady," the warrior said, "actually, not even a scream."
"Can't you just tell me what I want to hear? Aren't you tired of resisting?" Taealha asked, annoyed.
"Not really. Is that all you have?" Enoria asked back with a smirk on her face.
"What's wrong with you, girl? It almost looks like you are having fun."
"Seeing you so desperate to get something you'll never have is quite funny indeed."
"How did you learn everything you know about us? Who are you working with?" Taealha shouted as she grabbed her chin.
"I have nothing to tell you, Taealha," Enoria replied, looking straight into her eyes.
Taealha slapped her cheek violently, she was tired of how provocative and disrespectful the Igutu was, she was even more knowing that she could torture her for days, she wouldn't get the answers she needed to prove Tagon he was wrong to trust the girl.
Taealha had just raised her hand again when the door of the room suddenly opened. Tagon stood by the door and he looked angry.
Behind his leader, Yangcha clenched his fists and frowned, seeing Enoria covered with her own blood. At the moment, he gave Taealha a black look and the thoughts he had towards her were murderous but he quickly pulled himself together and returned to a blank expression on his face as he realized he shouldn't react like that, he couldn't show he cared.
"Taealha! What have you done?!" Tagon shouted.
"I did what you were unable to do. I interrogated her," Taealha replied calmly.
"Did you think about the consequences it could have?! Are you that reckless?!"
"You are the reckless one!" Taealha accused as she approached him, "that girl learnt how to resist the effects of hallucinogen and is insensible to torture, that is not something a normal person knows how to do."
The Union Leader shook his head in disapproval, no matter what Enoria was, the fact she could split their secrets was a sufficient reason not to touch her. He didn't reply to Taealha, it wasn't the right place, nor the right moment, they would have plenty of time to argue on her actions.
He turned to Enoria who complained he could have been faster to understand there was something wrong as she had promised she was staying close so he should have been sure she hadn't escaped. Tagon apologized before ordering Taealha's warrior to release her. The warrior approached, ready to execute the order but Enoria sighed before releasing herself easily from the ropes that were tiying her. Then, she stood up quickly and took the warrior's dagger to stab him in the neck while repeating she had warned him to tighten the ropes in the first place. Afterward, she had to lean on the wall for a short moment because of the pain caused by the injuries she had all over her body and Yangcha had to restrain himself from his desire to help her.
"You- if you knew you were able to release yourself why haven't you done it before?" Taealha asked, confused, "why kill my warrior only now?"
"I wanted to know how far you would go to get what you wanted," Enoria replied, as she straightened herself, "for your warrior, I just thought it wouldn't be a good thing to keep him alive as it is not safe if it is known that an Igutu is in the Union Leader's surroundings. It was also because he kind of annoyed me a little during those three days. Or you can also say it was a reflex action if you want. Plus, you should just be happy that it wasn't your neck anyway, you know, I don't really like you," Enoria threatened while approaching Taealha.
Taealha clenched her fist, then she raised her hand, ready to slap Enoria's face once more but Tagon caught her wrist preventing her from executing her action.
- I forbid you to lay a hand on her again. He threatened Taealha who quickly freed herself from Tagon's grip after giving him a dark look.
The little smirk Enoria had on her face annoyed Taealha even more. "You, don't get on my nerves," she warned.
"I would have loved to tell you to not get on mine but you already did, you'll probably regret getting on my wrong side."
"Stop, both of you," Tagon interrupted.
Taealha rolled her eyes, then she took a deep breath and turned to Tagon. "Do you really trust her? She is definitively hiding something."
"I don't care what she is hiding. As long as she doesn't put me in trouble, it doesn't matter. So don't ever hurt her again, please."
"We should just kill her and deal with the consequences later."
"We can't and you know that. It is not worth the risk, Taealha," Tagon calmly replied.
"Just tell the truth, Tagon, you don't want to kill her because you like her," Taealha sniggered, annoyed.
"Get out now, we'll talk later," Tagon simply said as Taealha was already heading to the door to leave the room.
As she left the room Taealha passed in front of Yangcha who was standing still next to the door.
"Do you know what I want to do to you for having put her in that state?" The masked warrior threatened her in his mind. She didn't pay attention to the deadly expression in his eyes when he looked at her briefly, she couldn't even imagine that at the moment he just wanted to wrap his chains around her neck and tighten them as hard as he could. He was pulled out from his murderous thoughts towards Taealha by Tagon's voice and he went back to listen to the conversation between his master and Enoria, trying not to show anything on his face.
The Union Leader sighed before turning to Enoria who had sat on one of the furniture while he and Taealha were arguing.
"Be careful with Taealha, she has not my patience, you shouldn't provoke or underestimate her," Tagon said to Enoria.
"Have you ever thought she was the one who shouldn't provoke and underestimate me?" she asked as she had ripped a part of her clothings to bandage some of the injuries she had.
"I didn't want her to do that. I have nothing to do with what happened. So don't try to do anything."
"Are you going to let me leave freely?"
"I can't let you leave freely like that as I don't know what you are going to do."
Enoria smirked, of course he wouldn't, it was predictable. He was probably going to lock her up somewhere, meaning she would be watched over and wouldn't be able to find opportunities to meet with Yangcha and for that, Taealha would definitely pay. "Well, what are you going to do with me then?"
Tagon took a moment to think, he knew he couldn't take the risk to kill her, actually, he didn't want to kill her. Taealha was right, he found her interesting and he appreciated her, she was smart, skilled, beautiful, had a strong personality and moreover, she was an Igutu just like him.
"You stay locked up in your room. Under watch, day and night so that I am sure you will not avenge yourself for Taealha's actions."
"For how long?" she asked with a frown.
"Until I decide what to do with you. You won't do anything stupid, will you?"
"You are going to make me watch so how could I do anything anyway?" she asked as she got down with difficulty from the furniture she had sat on.
She exchanged a quick glance with Yangcha. He knew she didn't mean what she had just said, she was going to make Taealha regret what she had done. And though he was worried about her putting herself in danger, he didn't mind her avenging on Taealha.
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Tagon personally accompanied Enoria to her room after he sent one of his guards to search for the two warriors he had summoned to keep an eye on her for a few days. She had covered herself with a long black cape so that the injuries she had not bandaged were not seen. It was night already and there was no one in the streets but they couldn't take too many risks.
Tagon was walking near her, she was walking with a limp because of her wounds so he gave his arm for her to lean on him and walk more easily. She refused at first, too proud to recognize she was in pain but also because Yangcha was walking just behind them and she didn't want him to misapprehend. When she stumbled, Tagon prevented her from falling by catching her arm gently, then he reminded her in a murmure that Igutus were maybe strong but not invincible or insensible to pain and she finally accepted, not without sighing, to lean on him to walk.
Yangcha was just behind them and even if he knew his master was just helping her to walk more easily he couldn't help but not liking him being close to her like that. He actually wanted to be the one helping her at the moment and he sighed as he realized he was just being jealous.
"The reason you are here, is it really the reason you gave me?" Tagon asked as they were walking.
"Yes, I am here to help," she replied. It wasn't really a lie. She was there to help him become the King he wanted to be, she just needed him, after that, to do what she wanted him to do.
"Are you sure you don't want me dead like so many others?"
"Trust me Tagon, if I wanted you dead you would already be, I would have killed you a long time ago, I almost did it actually, when I was 16, I was ready to shoot an arrow in your neck."
"Why didn't you do it?"
"Because I wasn't a killer at that time yet," she replied, "and because I was surprised by something coming from a bush."
"What was it?"
"Me." Yangcha thought as he was following the conversation.
"At first I thought it was a dangerous animal and I was scared it could hurt me or even kill me but then I realized it was an inoffensive one that had no intention to do that."
Behind them, Yangcha smiled as he remembered their first true encounter. She was the dangerous one at that time. It was her who had attacked him, kicked his leg and bit his hand to set herself free. It was a chance for her, she was making him the inoffensive animal.
- After it left, I realized that maybe you were like it, that you may look dangerous but in fact you were inoffensive, so I did my research and came to think you didn't deserve to die after all, as you weren't really responsible for the Great Hunt. And I decided to punish the three who really were responsible, the ones who gave the orders in the first place. But what could I do? I was a 16 years old girl who knew nothing, I wasn't strong enough to kill them, I would have been the one getting killed, I couldn't just act like a reckless idiot... Enoria added as she knew well that Yangcha was listening to their conversation just behind.
"After all this time you are still teasing me with those words..." Yangcha thought, amused.
"So I decided to stay near you and the Daekans to learn how to fight, slowly but surely. I trained hard to become a warrior too so that now I have nothing and no one to be afraid of and I can finally take my revenge," she finished explaining.
Tagon stayed silent for a moment. He was indeed not the one who had decided of the Great Hunt but he was still the one who had led it for years. How could she not want to punish him for having taken away her family and every person of her, of their, kind? Maybe she was right, maybe he didn't have to carry the guilt of what had happened. "Interesting way of thinking," he simply replied with a smile on his face.
The two stopped talking as they arrived at their destination. Enoria removed the cape she was wearing as she entered the room. Tagon wanted to summon someone to take care of her injuries but she asked him to not bother, she knew how to take care of herself and they couldn't do that as she was an Igutu anyway, though she knew well that the Doctor Harim didn't mind that fact.
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A moment later, the two warriors Tagon had summoned, Gitoha and Bakryangpung, arrived in the room, after receiving their order.
They bowed respectfully to the Union Leader before their eyes turned to the Igutu woman.
"What happened to her?" Gitoha asked in a murmur, surprised to see Enoria in the state she was.
"Long story," Tagon simply replied, "I need you to keep an eye on her, day and night, take turns to do so. Use the room beside hers. Make me know if anything suspicious happens."
"Yes, Niruha!" the two Daekans answered with a cheerful voice which surprised the Union Leader.
"What make you so cheerful?" Tagon asked, curious and amused.
"Well, Niruha, eventhough she is an Igutu, she is a beautiful woman," Gitoha murmured.
It didn't please Enoria's ears to hear such a thing and she approached the two warriors with a threatening expression on her face. "I am warning you, if you try anything, you are dead. Am I clear?"
"What are you imagining? That I am a pervert or something?" Gitoha gave a forced laugh, "I am not that kind of person!"
"The Daeakans don't do such a thing," Bakryangpung added.
"Lay a single hand on me and this will be the last time you have hands," she warned them.
"Niruha, maybe we should take her weapons," Bakryangpung complained to Tagon.
"Just in case you forgot: I am an Igutu. I don't need a weapon to kill you, I can simply rip your heart out," Enoria replied, making her eyes glow purple for a short moment.
The two warriors gave her a dumbfounded expression. Tagon laughed lightly, she was provoking them on purpose, just like she liked to do with Taealha. She was right, it would have been unnecessary to take away her weapons. "As long as you don't piss her off, she will behave herself," he reassured his warriors, "won't you?" he asked, looking at Enoria.
"Yes, Niruha. At least I will try my best."
Before leaving, he remembered her to wait patiently and not to try doing something stupid such as killing his warriors or escaping.
She reassured him, she had no intention to do that, she was going to wait patiently until he came back knowing what he was going to do with her. Then she teased him with the fact that if he really thought she was a threat he would have asked more warriors to watch her as one or two definitely wouldn't have been enough to stop her.
Tagon didn't answer, he just smiled at her before leaving. She wasn't wrong. He couldn't help it, he trusted her. After all, she knew his secrets and yet she hadn't said a word.
Enoria smiled at Tagon too as he was leaving, she had no intention to kill his warriors or to escape for sure but she already knew what she was going to do.
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"Are you going to watch me get changed or do you think it's possible for you to turn over for a short moment?"
"But Tagon Niruha said to keep an eye on you day and night," Gitoha retorted.
"He didn't ask you to be a voyeur! Plus this is the room he gave me, my room, my rules, I am the Niruha here!" Enoria raised her voice.
"But-"
"But nothing. Turn over. Right now," she interrupted with gritted teeth and a threatening expression on her face.
Gitoha finally turned to face the wall, complaining that she didn't have to get mad at him as he was just following Tagon's orders. Enoria laughed discreetly and took time to clean and bandage her wounds then she got changed. A moment later, she was done and Gitoha turned again.
He looked at her and the bandages all over her body. Surprisingly concerned, he asked her if they hurt. To the unexpected question, Enoria sniggered before pouring herself a drink that she drank in one go. She doubted he truly cared if she was really hurt or not as he almost caught and killed her during the Great Hunt. At that time he didn't look concerned about her. Seeing him confused about what she had just said, Enoria refreshed his memory, he may have forgotten but for sure she had not, she remembered well how he and Mugwang chased after her like an animal and how, if she hadn't jumped over a cliff, one of them would have killed her for sure.
Gitoha stayed quiet for a moment, as Enoria poured herself a second drink. He actually remembered that moment, because Mugwang was so frustrated she escaped that he complained for one whole week.
"I was just following orders, you know. If it was to happen again, I would just do the exa-"
"I know, but don't pretend to be concerned about me when you are not, it's hateful," she interrupted, having another drink.
"How come you are still alive? You are an Igutu, half a Neanthal and so-"
"So what? Do I look like a monster who has to be killed?"
"Actually, no," Gitoha answered. He didn't share his thoughts with her but surprisingly enough, the Daekans, him included, weren't really bothered by the fact Enoria was an Igutu, it wasn't like it was shown on her face. To them she looked quite normal, a pretty warrior, who they thought was in a relationship with Tagon as that was the only reason they thought about for her being so quickly close to him. "Hey, don't drink too much, you will get drunk! It is not water!" Gitoha said, interrupting his thoughts as he saw Enoria was having another drink.
She smirked and silently drank a few more, ate the dish that was brought to her and then went to bed.
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Later that night, the door of the room quietly opened as Bakryangpung arrived to take his watch.
"Is she already sleeping?" he asked in a low voice, surprised to see Enoria in her bed.
"Yes, she suffered a lot, she obviously needed to rest, moreover she drank a lot that probably didn't help her to stay awake," Gitoha murmured.
"You- do you pity her or something?" Bakryangpung asked, confused by the tone of Gitoha's voice.
"I do, a little, how could I not, I mean, look at her, she is so beautiful."
"Gitoha, you should not have those kinds of thoughts," he accused, "aren't you married?"
"I am. But if I wasn't- Hey, don't you think I can have two wives?"
"What? I doubt she will want you as her husband though, she will rip your heart out if you annoy her, she is scary."
"That's right, women with strong personalities are the best."
"Plus she is an Igutu, and her and Tagon Niruha probab-"
"We don't know if that's true or not for Niruha and her and Igutu or not, you can't deny she is a goddess."
"You really are talking nonsense. Did she cast a spell on you or something? Just go to bed, you crazy fool!"
Gitoha cursed Bakryangpung for calling him a crazy fool but he finally went out of the room. Bakryangpung sighed, looking at Enoria sleeping deeply. Was she beautiful? Yes, she was, only a fool would say the opposite but she was a dangerous woman, capable of taking the heart out of someone's chest as quickly as it was to blink. He shivered, no matter what he couldn't lower his guard or else she could jump on him so fast that he wouldn't be able to defend himself.
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Four days had passed. Enoria was still locked up in her room, under watch. She wasn't able to get out and the only people she could talk to to make the time pass more quickly were actually the two warriors who were watching over her. She wouldn't have said she enjoyed talking to them but it kept her from being too bored. They surprisingly were gentle and caring with her though she still kept her dagger tied to her ankle anytime, just in case.
That day, she was humming a song under the questioning look of Gitoha who found her particularly joyful for someone locked up for several days. She took a box from one of the closets, put it on the table, ignored Gitoha's questions, and just sat on the table.
Her eyes fixed on the door, she was waiting for Tagon to come. She knew he had received her message and he was probably not happy about her action.
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Tagon had visited the Daekans headquarters as some of his warriors were sick and even the Doctor Harim, who was the best doctor of the city, didn't know what had caused the sickness. Taealha had informed him earlier that HaeTuak was suffering from the same thing. It was strange but at least it didn't seem lethal.
The Union Leader was just about to enter the Palace when an arrow landed in the middle of the path, surprising him, Yangcha and two other Daekans who were just behind him. They immediately looked around but they saw no one. Tagon ordered the two Daekans to search for the bowman. Tagon's eyes went back to the arrow, it had landed quite far from him so it wasn't shot to hurt him or if it was the bowman was a bad one. When he noticed something was tied to the arrow, he approached, took it, and his eyes widened as he read the message written on it:
'You better tell your lover not to hurt her again if you don't want the people of the Union finding out you share the same blood color as hers.
Be sure Taealha never again lay a single hand on her, just like you forbid her to do.
This is a warning. Don't provoke or underestimate us.
As long as she is safe we'll stay quiet, hurt her again and your secrets will no longer be ones.
Your warriors and Taealha's maid were in contact with a toxic plant, that's why they are suffering.
The antidote is in her possession. She is waiting for you.
Greetings from Enoria's friends.'
Tagon felt the anger rising. Enoria was under watch, she shouldn't have been able to send a message to her friends and yet, the words they had used were the same they had shared in the special room. He clenched his fists as he realized that Enoria wasn't joking around when she threatened them and that, because of Taealha's actions, something bad could have happened.
He refolded the paper letting out a heavy sigh and changed direction, it was time to pay a little visit to his special guest.
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Not long after, as she predicted, Tagon arrived in her room. She exchanged a short glance with Yangcha who seemed to silently ask her what she had done again. She couldn't answer his worries, she got down from the table and looked straight into Tagon's eyes who was examining her in silence. "I was waiting for you," she told him, "you must have received my friends' message."
"Yes, I received it," Tagon replied with gritted teeth, throwing the piece of paper to her. She caught it and read it while Tagon questioned Gitoha.
The warrior informed the Union Leader that she had not done anything suspicious while he or Bakryangpung were on watch. She had stayed in the room without causing trouble. They had monitored all her actions and most of the time she just read silently the books that were in the room. He added she didn't even approach the window and Tagon concluded she couldn't have sent a sign or a message to her friends that way.
"Are you sure nothing suspicious happened?" Tagon asked his warrior.
"Yes, Niruha. She only drank, ate, read, slept and talked, actually she talked a lot, I was surprised!" Gitoha laughed before feeling Enoria's dark glance on him.
As Tagon and Gitoha were talking, Yangcha took the opportunity to look at Enoria. He didn't know what was written on the message Tagon had received but it was obviously a threat as he had rushed to see her, and the masked warrior couldn't help but to be worried about the consequences her action could have.
She saw the worries in his eyes and even though she couldn't reassure him with words yet she gave him a reassuring look, she knew what she was doing.
Then Gitoha explained to Tagon that he was surprised to discover she was scared of birds. Three days before, a little bird came in the room by the window, and the warrior explained that Enoria completely freaked out, gesticulating wildly to make it out and he even thought she was going to cry. "That's ridiculous isn't it? Being scared of birds when you are someone capable to rip out a heart! Anyway, except that, nothing in particular happened," Gitoha continued.
Another glance exchanged and Yangcha understood. She had fooled her two guards. She wasn't scared of birds, she had surely called the bird inside and let it carry the message she must have written beforehand.
Tagon's eyebrows furrowed, one way or another she had managed to contact her friends and he needed to know how.
"Is that the antidote?" he asked as he approached the table and checked the content of the small box on it. She just nodded. "How can I be sure that is not some poison?"
"Should I drink one vial to prove you it is safe?" she proposed.
"You could have taken an antidote beforehand."
"Then make one of them drink it," she said as she looked at the two warriors behind him.
"They are my brothers, I won't risk their lives," Tagon imediately replied before he ordered Gitoha to take the antidote, to test it on a prisoner or a slave before giving it to their sick comrades and Hae Tuak.
His brothers, that was how Tagon considered his warriors and yet, Enoria couldn't help but to worry about what he would do if he was to discover that Yangcha, one of his brothers, was in a secret relationship with her.
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Gitoha out, Tagon questioned Enoria, he wanted to know how and why she had done that as she had said she wasn't going to do anything.
She gave him back the message for Taealha to read later, then she reassured him: that was only a warning, not really for him but rather for his lover. She needed to prove to her she was serious and capable of actually putting her words into actions so that she wouldn't underestimate her. It was also because she wanted Taealha to stop trying to know more about her. She explained that she had made her friends poison some of the Daekans and HaeTuak to show Tagon and Taealha what they were capable of. She could have had them killed but rather than killing them she asked for the use of a poison which was not lethal, it just made people sick for a few days. She also told him that she could have spread his secrets all over the Union but she hadn't so he didn't have to doubt her intentions. She meant him no harm and was there to help, as she already told him, so he could still trust her as, as long as she was safe, he and his secrets were too.
Tagon knew that well, she had been clear when they met. As long as they were walking on the same path, she would keep his secrets, if not she would reveal everything and she had just proved to him she could really do that. He sighed as he realized that, just like Taealha, he may have underestimated her. She wasn't just a pretty woman who loved to provoke people, she was also cunning and had, without doubt, prepared well for the game she was playing now. He had no other choice but to accept he didn't have the control over her so the only thing he could do was trusting the fact she wasn't going to say anything about him and that as long as he protected her, she would protect him too.
"How did you communicate with your friends?"
"I am disappointed, you still haven't got it? Gitoha told you though," Enoria said as she had leaned against the table. She silently waited for him to make the connection.
"You used the bird, but how? Gitoha said you didn't do anything suspicious, that means he didn't see you write either, so how?"
"The fact your two warriors didn't actually see me write doesn't mean I haven't written anything," she murmured, looking at her bed then looking back at Tagon again.
Tagon passed by her and walked to the bed. He lifted the blanket and saw everything necessary to write a message. She told Tagon that she didn't think it would have been so easy to fool them but it seemed they didn't know that an Igutu didn't get drunk easily so they had not noticed she was neither drunk, nor sleeping. After the message was written, she just had to call the bird in to take it while pretending to be scared of it so it could take the message without looking suspicious.
"What do you mean you called it in?" Tagon asked, as he approached her with a frown.
"Do you remember when we first met, I told you my tribe members thought I was special but that despite my Igutu mark which is a little different from other Igutus, there was nothing truly special about me?"
"Yes, I remember. So what?"
"I lied," she said. She explained to him she could do things others weren't able to do. She could talk to animals and order them whatever she wanted. That was why she was able to call in the bird making it look like it was lost and yet asking it to carry a message to the right person without no one noticing. Using birds was one of her ways to collect information. She couldn't tell him before because, if she had introduced herself as a special Igutu who could talk and control animals, he would have thought she was disturbed.
Tagon just smirked, that sounded ridiculous in his ears. No one was able to do such a thing and he wouldn't believe that. She must have trained a bird to answer her call but there was no way she was actually talking to it.
She knew he didn't believe her, of course he wouldn't, a rational person wouldn't believe such a thing and it was good for her if he doubted her words.
"My ability is how I got a special information," she said, "would you be interested?"
"Depends of what it is."
"What if I told you I know something that could lead to the end of Asa Ron?"
"What is it?" Tagon asked, his voice betraying his interest.
"Mubaek. You should talk to him."
Tagon smirked, "so that's all? Talk to Mubaek? That's your information?" he mocked.
"Yes. That's all. He found something interesting in Iark that could definitely help you get rid of Asa Ron. I can't tell you what it is, for now at least, because you need to know if Mubaek is with you or if he is with him. If he tells you what he found, you will have a way to get rid of Asa Ron. If he doesn't, I will and you will still have a way to get rid of the old man but you will also know that Mubaek is not on your side."
"Are you doubting Mubaek's loyalty to me?"
"Yes, and I am right to do so, after all he had not talked to you about what he found yet," she replied. They were in Arthdal, she basically doubted everyone.
Tagon smirked, he didn't want to imagine Mubaek plotting behind his back but she was right, he needed to know if Mubaek was on his side or not, the older warrior was probably skeptical about what really happened to Sanung. He was one of his most powerful Daekan, and half of the Daekans Forces would probably follow him if he was rebelling. He knew he had recently met with Asa Sakan, the mother of White Mountain Tribe, so he was certainly up to something. If Mubaek was really in possession of something that could help get rid of Asa Ron, Tagon needed to find out what it was as soon as possible.
"You stay locked here until I figure out more," Tagon said before heading for the door.
"As you wish, but send another Daekan to watch over me, I am tired of the actual two."
Tagon turned and looked at her in confusion as her demand sounded a bit too much like an order to his ears.
"Please, Niruha?" Enoria corrected herself, looking at him with puppy eyes.
Tagon gave a faint smile he didn't allow her to see but which Yangcha noticed. The masked warrior's eyes met the ones of his leader and he quickly lowered his head.
"Here's your new guard," Tagon said, looking at Yangcha.
"Her guard? Good idea. I completely approved that order." Yangcha thought as Enoria and him looked briefly at each other, pleased with the idea they were going to be alone together.
"Among all your warriors you choose the one who can't talk, how boring. Choose another one, this one can't distract me," she put on an act, faking to be annoyed when she was actually more than pleased it went the way she wanted.
"You wanted a new one, I gave you one. Don't complain."
She wanted to answer but the look Tagon gave her convinced her not to, she just pouted and stayed silent. Tagon had no idea she was completely satisfied with the Daekan he chose to watch over her.
Then, Tagon turned to address his warrior: "Yangcha, make sure she doesn't do anything suspicious even if you have to tie her to a chair. Knock her out if she annoys you. I will come back later."
The warrior just nodded and bowed to his leader who closed the door behind him.
Enoria continued to complain to the closed door that knocking her out seemed a little bit extreme, then she waited until she couldn't hear Tagon's steps in the hall anymore.
"Tagon, sorry, I fooled you," she whispered with a small mischievous smile on her face.
"What a troublemaker you are," Yangcha said, making her turn, "are you having fun?"
"You have no idea," she replied, before they both laughed while hugging each other.
"How are your wounds?" he asked scanning her with his eyes to see if she was still injured.
"I am fine, don't worry. You know I heal fast."
"I really hope you know what you are doing, my little Igutu," he said, stroking her cheek gently.
"Most of the time I know, when I don't, I improvise, I adapt and I overcome what wasn't planned," she replied as she put her hand on his.
"Is there anything you actually hadn't planned?" he asked, amused.
"Actually yes. There's something that happened that wasn't planned at all."
"What is it?"
"Tanya."
"Who is that?" he asked, frowning.
"The Wahan girl you caught in Iark, the one who cursed Mugwang."
Tanya had told her about the curse she had put on Mugwang when they were on their way to Arthdal. Her curse stated that underneath the crescent moon a hand would rip out Mugwang's heart. Everyone in the Daekans Forces made fun of him for that. By describing Tanya like that, Enoria had no doubt Yangcha knew exactly who she was talking about.
"Ah, her. So what's wrong with her?"
"She knows about us."
Yangcha was surprised to hear that, but he knew that if that girl had learnt for them it wasn't because Enoria had told her voluntarily.
Enoria explained to him that Tanya could hear people's thoughts and that she had heard her thinking about him so that was how she came to know about their relationship. She didn't think she would talk about them because firstly, she had threatened her and she agreed to stay quiet. Secondly, because they, kind of, had become good friends since she knew.
Yangcha was confused learning the Wahan girl had such an ability, it could be dangerous if she heard things she wasn't supposed to, but he wasn't worried as he doubted Tanya would betray Enoria if she considered her as a friend, plus, she had nothing to win betraying them anyway.
He was also curious about why Enoria hadn't just killed her so she explained to him that she had thought about it, she wished she could do that as it would have been way easier and safer for them, but she couldn't. If she was right, Tanya was going to be the new High Priestess soon. She knew Mubaek had found Asa Sin's byeoldaya in the belonging of the Wahan Tribe. After learning that, she made the connection with what Tanya had told her about her tribe and their first Great Mother whom they called the Great White Wolf. She thought the Great White Wolf was probably Asa Sin as it was possible her and her lover, Risan, had fled to the South, that would explain why the Wahan people spoke Arthdal's language when no one else in Iark did. If it was true, Tanya, who was supposed to be the next Great Mother of their tribe, was a direct descendant of the Asa Clan making her the true owner of the psychic ability of the gods and a great replacement for Asa Ron. She couldn't confirm everything as long as Mubaek didn't hand over the byeoldaya for Tanya to see it, as the only way to make her recognize as a direct descendant of the Asa Clan was finding Asa Sin's bell which was hidden in the Great Shrine. But she thought that the possibility for that reasoning to be correct was high.
As she was telling Yangcha everything, she went back and forth in front of him who didn't take his eyes off her, listening attentively to her brilliant reasoning. When she had finished, she stopped walking and looked at him waiting for a reaction to everything she had just explained.
"Your cleverness makes you attractive," he just said.
"Thank you," she replied with a smile. He had kept his mask on but she could see he was smiling through his eyes.
"So, how can the boring guard I am distract you? Should I tie you to a chair?"
"Why does it sound quite pervert coming from your mouth?"
"You only hear what you want to hear," he said in a laugh she joined. She approached him and untied the mask on his face, "do you want to play with fire?" he asked as his face was left uncovered.
"Do you?" she asked back with a mischievous smile.
He didn't reply. It was difficult for them to see each other in private and having her so close every day without being able to talk to her, to touch her, to kiss her, was difficult for him to bear. He just wanted to have her as close as he could while he had the opportunity and so, he leaned his face to hers and took her lips in a passionate kiss.
She had her answer.
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They spent the afternoon together, enjoying the close presence of each other while they still could. They had been careful to be discreet so that no one outside of the room would hear them but Enoria knew about her roommates' habits, most of the time they weren't here during the day. Hae Tuak was by Taealha's side, probably at the Fortress of Fire while Saya and Tanya were either at the library or at that hut Saya had built in the forest.
When the couple learnt, thanks to Enoria's birds which were watching over him, that the Union Leader was coming back to them, Yangcha quickly tied back the mask on his face and went back to a standing still position near the door as if nothing had happened.
Enoria stayed on her seat, in front of the mirror, pretending to just finish braiding her hair when it was actually Yangcha who was doing it a few minutes before. The two exchanged a last knowing smile before the door opened and they put blank expressions on their faces.
"I see you are not tied to a chair," Tagon joked around, completely clueless about what had happened between the two while he was away.
"And, lucky me, he didn't knock me out either as you can see."
Tagon smiled before ordering Yangcha to follow him. He was going to talk to Mubaek, taking precautions so he needed him.
Another Daekan warrior was summoned to watch over Enoria and she enjoyed his company way less than her previous guard.
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Later that day, Tagon got from Mubaek the information he needed. The Daekan warrior informed him of what he had found in Iark. He explained to Tagon the same thing Enoria explained to Yangcha and the Union Leader was more than pleased as it was the perfect way to get rid of Asa Ron for good.
Few days later, Tanya found Asa Sin's bell in the Great Shrine, she was made the High Priestess and took Asa Ron's place.
Tagon was officially recognized as Aramun Haesulla second coming thanks to the new High Priestess.
When Tanya arrived behind Tagon in the ruling room to greet the leaders of the different clans, she felt uncomfortable as they passed in front of everyone who bowed to them. Nervous about her new status, she accidentally tripped over the long white dress she was wearing, not familiar with such clothes. Yangcha, who was walking just behind her, prevented her from falling by catching her arm to help her find her balance.
The whole room had gone silent, everyone was looking at them, especially at her, and she felt thankful for Yangcha's gesture, at least she had not fallen in front of everyone, it would have been embarrassing.
"Is clumsy her second name too?" The masked warrior thought, amused, remembering the numerous times he prevented Enoria from falling too.
Tanya heard the warrior's thoughts and they exchanged a quick glance. That was the first time she was "hearing" him and she was surprised by the softness of the warrior's voice who, for her, was only the one who brutally caught her in Iark and separated her from Eunseom.
Seeing Tanya hesitant to take her place next to Tagon, Yangcha gently tugged at the sleeve of her dress to show her where she should stand. Their eyes met again and she let him guide her until she was standing near the Union Leader. Then, Yangcha took his place beside her.
Tanya couldn't believe the situation she was in right now. But that was real, she had found the bell, thanks to the Spirit Dance who was passed from Great Mother to Great Mother in the Wahan Tribe. She was now the new High Priestess of Arthdal, a direct descendant of Asa Sin, the Great Mother of this land, the Wahan's Great White Wolf.
The atmosphere in the room was tense, and yet, she didn't know why but she somehow felt like Yangcha's quiet presence and gentle gestures relieved her worries a little, maybe because he was her friend's man and so, as she trusted Enoria, she felt like she could trust the masked warrior too.
After the meeting, Tanya moved to the Great Shrine. Under her order the Wahans were freed from their slave condition.
The Union Leader allowed Enoria to move freely again. She had participated in making Tanya the new High Priestess and had proved herself more than useful. He didn't want her to stay locked up anyway. She was going to take back her place as a guard.
Few hours later, Enoria knocked at Tanya's door. When the High Priestess gave the authorisation to enter, Enoria did.
"So, do I have to call you Niruha now?" Enoria asked to tease her.
"Definitely, show some respect," Tanya responded to her teasing with a serious face.
The two looked at each other then laughed lightly before Tanya told her everything that happened while she was locked up from the moment Tagon confronted her with the byeoldaya to the first meeting she assisted and Yangcha's gentle gestures.