Kingdom

34. Memories (1)

The little village seems deserted, all its residents hiding from the storm.

A cloaked man runs in the pouring rain towards a small inn in the distance. He stops under the cover of the eaves, turns his head in all directions and pulls a map from his inner pocket.

"Have you lost your way?" a voice asks.

The man turns abruptly, dropping the map. His eyes widen in surprise. He could swear that no one was following him. Yet, a woman stands in front of him. A long white veil falls from the edges of her pink umbrella and dances around her slender figure. It covers her face entirely, making it hard to distinguish its features. Where did she come from? Is she a human or a ghost?

"That's an interesting sight," she says, "Wondu, the banished traitor, has secretly entered Daegu. The King will be thrilled to know about this unexpected visit."

"Who the hell are you?" Wondu asks, his hand sliding towards his knife.

"Someone who wants to share a piece of wisdom with you." the strange woman smiles. She wears a soft pink coat, painted with white flowers; the colors of her dress shine bright in contrast to the thick veil of rain falling behind her.

"I don't need your wisdom."

The woman chuckles.

"Do you honestly believe the pathetic rebellion you are organising will be a success? The King will crush you. You will become food for the crows."

A huge bird perches on Wondu's shoulder and digs its claws into his skin. He curses and jumps sideways. The crow flies in the air, hovers over his head and lands on the woman's shoulder, staring at Wondu with its dead eyes. It resembles a dark spirit who has come to claim the soul of an innocent maiden. The two creatures are in complete contrast, but Wondu knows they are children of the same darkness. He is now fully aware exactly who he is dealing with. He smirks.

"You and your little pet bird don't scare me. The foolish usurper you call King doesn't bother me, either. If he thinks the Ilsan Princess will secure him any protection, he is wrong. No one believes his fake promise to stop the war campaigns. I have powerful friends, I will bring him down."

"The war has ended, Wondu. Your little conspiracy is history. Neither the King of Ilsan, nor the King of Gwandju will support you any longer. Busan will never take your side. I heard Prince Taehyung threw you out of the Palace as soon as you arrived. All your powerful 'friends' have turned their backs on you. The Kings you mentioned only care for their own interest, not yours. You have nothing to offer them anymore. But you still have a chance to regain your position."

The crow cries out and flies away in the rain, landing on a nearby rooftop. Over a dozen other crows are standing there, unbothered by the rain or by the storm. They glare at Wondu like predators identifying their prey.

"There is another way to get what you want." the woman continues, taking a step closer. The color of her clothes transforms: the pink turns to black, the flowers fade away. "Without lifting a finger you can tie the King's hands and make him choke in frustration. It will be a revenge much sweeter than the bloodbath you were preparing."

Wondu steps backwards, his hand moving from his knife to his hidden talisman.

"What do you want from me, woman?" he frowns.

"I want to help you regain your position as a Lord of Hwagae."

Wondu squints his eyes, trying to read the woman's expression behind her black veil.

"Why do you want to help me? Aren't you on friendly terms with the King? Or did he leave you behind after getting married?"

The veil of the woman turns darker, hiding her face completely, only her red lips remaining visible.

"I want to help you because I am a generous person, someone willing to assist a lost traveler to find their way."

Wondu's brow furrows.

"You have something to gain from this, don't you. What is it?"

Yona smiles but doesn't answer. 

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a/n: hi, everyone! sorry, for the long wait. the update is finally here! I will post all parts by the end of the day. I hope you will like it :)