Kingdom

40.Memories (7)

The Princess sits by the water of the pool, surrounded by the magic lights that lit as soon as she came inside the enclosure.

Nori knows the truth about herself, the truth about Joon and Kook. But not about the King.

A constant doubt will linger in her mind until she knows the whole story. How big a part of his humanity was destroyed in the wars, how dark is his heart truly? Nori has to know. If she is to have any chance to succeed in sealing the marriage, the Princess must find out the truth.

She reaches for the water, touching the surface gently.

Can she trigger the magic again? Should she do it?

Nori bites her lips in hesitation. Guilt creeps down her back.

There is no other way to chase the shadows out of her mind. Those shadows will always question the King's character and motivations, they will make her doubt him and see the worst in him. Nori has to know.

"I want to understand your King," she says, her voice trembling, her hand sinking deep into the water. "I want to forgive him. I want to wash the hatred and the pain away. Would you let me know him better? Would you let me see that moment ..."

The water burns her skin and Nori jumps backwards.The whole world disappears...

---

"Attacking military targets or seizing strategic cities - that is one thing. But entering foreign territory and burning people's homes and crops, that's an entirely different story!" Yoongi protests. His voice comes from afar, muffed by invisible walls.

The darkness lifts and Nori finds herself in a small room. The setting sun shines in her eyes through the opened window. The red light spreads down on the floor where the shadows of the room slowly devour it. A sense of urgency rises in Nori's heart, the feeling of time running out.

She wishes to move away, to run from this feeling of dread. But she can't. She is not herself. She is him.

Yoongi's body aches, his muscles are tense and overworked. His breathing is quick and uneven as if he has been running or riding for hours.

There is a woman in the room with him, a strikingly beautiful woman with dark eyes. She looks young, yet she bears the aura of an older person, someone who has seen a lot and knows a lot. Her skin is pale and flawless, her plump lips painted in red. She wears a dark dress that wraps tightly around her perfectly curved body. Her posture emits confidence and power. She stands like a Queen on the throne of her Kingdom, unbothered by Yoongi's agitation and uninterested in his pain.

"You came here asking for help, that is the only help I can offer." She leans her back on the table and crosses her arms."There is no other way to erase the curse. No wizard will be able to help you and only a handful of witches can perform such spells. But I can. If you let me use your power, I can give you the solution you seek."

Yoongi hesitates; confusion tears him apart as if ropes tied around his wrists are pulling him in different directions.

The woman steps forward, her gait smooth and elegant as the movement of water.

"If you don't burn the path the fairy was taken on, the curse will spread. Once she reaches Ilsan's capital, the whole country will be doomed." the witch stops in front of Yoongi, her eyes stare at him without a hint of doubt or fear. "You have little time..."

"This could lead us into a great war... " Yoongi slides his hand over his eyes. The scar hurts, his forehead is sweaty and filthy.

"I will help you reach the Ilsan King and negotiate a solution." Yona says, "He started this in secret, he stole from you. He won't start a war, he is too fearful."