Kingdom

49. Truce (7)

Nori hurries towards the door, lantern in hand, bag on the shoulder. She stumbles on her feet but doesn't slow down. She sees nothing but the door she is desperate to reach. Unnamed madness is giving her power and pushing her forward. She has little hope to catch up with the King, little hope that he would want to see her. But neither the Palace rules nor the importance of the marriage matter to her now. All her concerns and fears have evaporated. Only the desire to follow after the King remains.

For so long she hated him; for so long she wanted to see him pay for what he did, to see him suffer the consequences of his actions. Now she cannot bear to witness how this broken man punishes himself for being nothing more than another victim of this twisted world.

Why did the King's tears upset her so much? Is it remorse or sympathy that moves her tired limbs forward? She doesn't know. Without a fight, she surrenders to the insanity that has taken over her.

Namjoon used to scold Nori for being impulsive, teaching her to be patient and wise. Yet, all she had learnt over the years is now forgotten; her troubled and confused mind making decisions based on instinct and not on logic or common sense.

Nori reaches her hand to open the door, ready to do whatever is necessary to make Yoongi understand that ...

"Going out inappropriately dressed again?" the King's voice cuts through the air.

Nori freezes. Goosebumps run down her spine. She turns around, her eyes frantically searching the darkness. Her gaze stops at a figure hidden in the shadows: the King. He is sitting by the garden entrance, leaning on the wall not far from the Princess. The sliding doors besides him are wide open; a cold wind blows from outside, splashing raindrops inside.

"You are still here?" Nori steps towards him, her eyes squinting to see him better."Why?"

He gestures towards the garden. A thick wave of rain is pouring outside as a semi-transparent curtain that hides the room from the world.

"You can ask someone to bring an umbrella." Nori walks slowly as if stepping on thin ice. The wind swirls in to bite her skin. She shivers; her nightgown too light and thin to offer her any real protection from the cold.

"They will get drenched before they bring it." the King says with a dry tone."I don't want people to get sick. I prefer to wait for the rain to stop. But the question is: where were you going?"

"To give you this." Nori pats the pillow bag.

"Why, you don't want it?" The King rises to his feet, a huge menacing shadow spreading behind him."You think the pillow is useless? I presume you do." He steps backwards, away from the lantern's reach as if its light bothers him.

"You forgot all about the pillow when you saw RJ." he adds. "I guess you want to get rid of my gift the same way you threw my robe away; the same way you always refuse anything I offer you."

"It's not like that." Nori leaves the lantern on the floor and steps into the twilight where the King is hiding. "This pillow is soft and magical, but I do not deserve it. I was selfish. I thought I am the only one troubled by the past; the only one with nightmares that won't let them sleep. But you need this pillow, too."

Nori takes the strap off her shoulder and raises the bag in her hands."You need comfort and reassurance more than I do tonight. You should take this."

The King tilts his head to the side; his expression turns so cold and lifeless as if Winter itself has carved his features.

"Why? Do I look pathetic in your eyes?" he asks.

Nori shakes her head but finds no words to say. The King's coldness has frozen her desire to reach out to him. Any sign of softness, kindness and humanity has left his eyes. With his pale skin, light grey hanbok and bright hair he resembles a diabolic wraith that has been awoken by an ancient spell; a demon that has creeped into this world with the sole intention to destroy all it touches.