General Woong Ja and his troops have set out early before sunrise.
The King orders, "Be cautious. Don't forget your orders. Don't get into unnecessary fights."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yoon-gi watches their departure.
He asks, "Jimin, have you made the purchase?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
IU is staring to a distance. She looks troubled.
Yoon-gi asks, "What's wrong?"
IU shakes her head. The King has a lot in his mind. No need to bother him right now. He couldn't do anything even if he knew the truth.
She has walked back into her tent. Two agents are waiting for her arrival.
She asks, "Are you sure about them?"
"Yes. They are here in Namseo."
"Find them. Don't let them mess up the tides of this war."
Her agents have left her tent. She stretches her neck. Too much tension.
She walks out of her tent.
Yoon-gi is standing not too far from her tent as if waiting for her. He stares her while thinking about her wish.
Namseo Kingdom is her birth place. Coming back here again. Must be painful memories for her. How much have she suffered in the past? Being a leader of an evil organization isn't an easy feat.
IU walks toward him. He smiles to her. She pretends to remain calm.
She asks, "Your Majesty, what are you thinking?"
"I'm hoping things would go smoothly for Woong Ja. That guy got distracted quiet easily."
"Have more faith on him."
"You looked troubled earlier. Something happened?"
"It's nothing. Maybe I'm just worried too much."
Yoon-gi asks, "Would you like to walk with me?"
"It's my pleasure, Your Majesty."
They are hiking the nearest hill. As usual, his bodyguards are guarding him closely.
Yoon-gi says, "I shall never get used to them. Having them around me. To think I used to travel alone in my younger days. Sky as my ceiling. Grass as my carpet."
IU chuckles. He must be the first King who complained for having luxuries in his life.
Yoon-gi smirks.
He comments, "You got a pretty smile. You should smile often."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
They keep on walking. Silence feels comfortable among them.
Finally they reach the top of the hill.
Yoon-gi orders, "Nam Joon, leave us."
"Your Majesty, we can't..."
"Well, walk a bit further. Give us a bit privacy."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Jimin has finally arrived with a picnic basket. He is the last in their line earlier. He is catching his breath right now.
Yoon-gi says, "You should work out more, Jimin. You are such a slowpoke. When we got back, I shall train you personally."
"Your Majesty, please spare me. Your training methods might kill me."
"Nonsense. Two hundreds push-ups a day would do you good."
Jimin serves Kimbap for Yoon-gi and IU. He stays by his side if he needs more assistance.
Yoon-gi asks, "Are you still sad about losing him?"
IU got choked. She stares him with questioning eyes.
"I heard you were his lover for many years."
"Yes. We almost got married back then."
"Lee Jun Ki was an excellent warrior."
IU asks, "Aren't you mad at him?"
Yoon-gi sighs. He stares the horizon at the far distance.
He confesses, "I almost went insane when Hyungsik died. I wanted to destroy Lee Jun Ki's corpse to avenge him."
He inhales a deep breath.
"It ain't right. Namseo King has taken his grandma as a hostage. If I were him, I would probably do the same."
IU is still silent.
Finally she asks, "That's why you ordered his cremation?"
"Yes. He was a good man. I still couldn't forgive him for Hyungsik's death. It didn't mean I should disrespect his corpse."
"You are different from other men, my King. No one has a big heart like yours."
Suddenly Jimin asks, "Something has been bugging me. Why you spare Your Majesty? Circle was his enemy for years."
IU stares Yoon-gi as if weighing her answer.
Finally she replies, "I have my personal reasons."
She stares the horizon.
She says, "Nothing last forever. My love for that man has withered away since he killed my brother."
She accepts a cup of wine from Jimin. She drinks it silently.
Yoon-gi refuses the cup. He snatches the wine bottle from Jimin. He drinks it straight from it.
He wipes his lips with his sleeve.
He comments, "I'm just a humble general. I don't think I could ever got used to this."
Yoon-gi asks, "Would you stay in Namseo after all of this over?"
"No. There is nothing left here for me."
"I see..."
Jimin tilts his head. He couldn't shake uneasy feelings.
The King and IU have walked back.
In King's tent, that afternoon...
Yoon-gi is writing another letter for his wife. He is an evil husband. He is never around when she was pregnant. His daughter, Min Yoon Jin is almost two years old now.
Jimin asks, "Your Majesty, about her wish?"
"Huh?"
"I think you should think more carefully. She is a cunning woman after all."
"She said it won't harm me. I think she only wanted to quit as the Shadow Moon leader. It's a pity. Hard to find someone like her. Smart and ruthless."
Jimin asks, "What if she asked..."
"Yes?"
"No. Never mind. Maybe I got worried for nothing. Is the princess well?"
"She is good. I'm more worried about my son. Hope I could see them soon."
The Prince has lost his right arm. He hasn't been coping well with it. He has refused to study since that day. Always slacking off.
The Queen has changed many Royal tutor for him. Still no improvements.
*****
The next day, the King goes hiking again. He doesn't ask IU to join him this time. Jimin and his bodyguards tag along as usual.
Yoon-gi stares into the horizon. As if he is waiting for something.
A week has passed. The King has made a daily habit of hiking the nearest hill every morning. He would stare to the horizon for hours.
Something is different today. Dusts are sent flying. Horses are galloping toward their direction right now.
Yoon-gi smiles widely.
Jimin comments, "They are finally here. Why you ordered them, Your Majesty? We already have cavalier troops."
A Barbarian raider and his men have arrived. The King has bought many horses from them.
That guy tries to hug Jennie but he got slammed to the ground.
"Ouch! Don't you miss me, Darling?"
"Stop. You are giving me goosebumps, Kai."
Her fiancee, Kai rises back to his feet again. He is the businessman who sold his horses to the Dongbuk King.
He says cheerfully, "I hope this war ends soon. Then we could get marry."
"Just marry Aigi. She is madly in love with you."
"Are you jealous? She agreed to be my concubine after we got married."
"Nope. I will never marry you. You'll be dead if you ever touch me."
Jimin has signed the parchment so Kai should be going back. The horse tamer decides to linger more in Namseo Kingdom.
Kai is walking next to Jennie.
He flirts, "You look very cool in that uniform."
"Thanks."
"Why are you so cold to me? We love each others."
"Drop dead."
Jennie looks disgusted as if she's going to vomit.
Kai pretends to sniff.
He laments, "My fiancee is a cold hearted woman. Sob...sob...sob..."
Jennie stops walking. She draws her swords.
She threatens, "If you don't leave, I shall beat you to death."
The horses are tired from running so they are resting right now.
Yoon-gi rubs a horse's head.
He asks a stable boy, "Is one day enough rest for them?"
"Your Majesty, please let them rest for two days."
"I see. Look after them well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A horn is blown.
Namseo troops are attacking them again from the rear. Lately they are under attacks from the front and rear. The enemy is trying to cut their escape route.
Jennie climbs up her horse to battle them.
Kai has marched forward to slay her foes. He wants to impress his future bride. He falls down from his horse after a soldier injures him.
Jennie sighs. This useless man. She ends up saving his ass. She reaches a hand to him and they end up riding the same horse.
"My hero," says him.
"Shut up."
Dongbuk troops manage to defeat their enemy again.
*****
Three days later...
The horses have been released. They are running ahead at full speed across the bomb fields. Bombs explode continuously, blowing them up to bits.
Kai has fainted when he saw what happened to his children. Jennie sighs. This was the reason the King bought 200 horses from him.
Another wave of horses got sent out. More bombs explode this time. The horses won't stop running when the bombs are blowing the other horses to bits.
Jimin asks, "Your Majesty, why the horses don't stop running?"
"I had chilly paste applied to their asses. They can't stop running even if death are waiting for them."
Savage King.
He has unique ways to deal with his problems. It's impossible using humans to go across bomb fields. He sacrificed horses.
No more bombs have explode.
Yoon-gi orders, "March ahead! Take down that Fort! Victory is ours!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
His men march ahead to conquer that city. Fierce battles from morning till sunset. Finally the impenetrable Fortress is taken.
Kai has regained his consciousness again. He kneels down and touches the ground. Barbarians respect horses like old friends. Seeing they got bombed to bits like that. A traumatic experience for him.
Yoon-gi taps on his soldiers.
He comments, "Your horses are the real heroes today. I shall award you well."
Kai really cries this time. He has raised them since they are still foals.
Yoon-gi sighs. There is no other way. This is the only way to reach victory. Nothing could stop them from heading to the Capital city.
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Please vote and comment :)
This is really a blast to victory.
Warning: no horse or other animal is sacrificed in writing this story. I don't want to get protests from animal lovers ;)