One Year

Attack

When Siri came back to her clean and shiny courtyard, she sat at her desk and started finishing the painting she started three days ago. She had found, painting calming and enjoyable, which caused her to go into a zen state of mind. Everything in the outside world would mean nothing to her as she painted. It gave her a chance to breathe and think about her situation and what she could do to overcome it.

She needed to survive a year as his wife to ensure her safety. If she could just run away, she would, but in this world and this dimension, women relied on the strength of a man. Women were subugated to the whims of men. If they didn't have the protection of a man, then they would have to be a powerful person. Someone with the tyrannical strength and genus skills of a martial fighter who could beat anyone who insulted her.

And at the moment she didn't even have enough money to take with her to survive. Her dowery was immediately taken to the storage of the Prince and the key was in his hands. She didn't care for her dowery, but she knew that her small courtyard was given a monthly stipend that could help her save money. She could sell her jewelry as well, but she needed enough money for four people if she was to run away. She couldn't just leave her maids behind to suffer the consequences, so she needed to stay until the year was up to gain back all her dowery back and have enough money on her person for the four of them to survive.

Stuck in her situation, she knew she needed to stay and do what she promised Prince Ryu to ensure her life and safety.

"One year." She whispered to herself. But unbeknownst to her, Ryu had been wheeled inside her home and have been waiting at her door watching her paint for the past 30 minutes.

"Counting down the days already?" Ryu said as he rolled himself closer to her to see what she painted.

Her head flipped up and saw him come closer to her as she fell deeper into her chair.

"No, just thinking how to best serve you." She told him with a tight smile.

Ryu came next to her and looked at her painting and he was surprised by it. The colors were brightly painted in some areas as other areas were so light that it was as if, her brush hardly touched the paper. Her painting was a willow tree that grew on the shore of a rocky stream. Under the willow tree was a white cat sitting on it's hind legs as it reached up to swap the multicolored butterfly of orange, black and yellow. In the water was a blue and white heron and several pads of white, pink and purple lotus flowers drifted down the stream.

"The willow tree, representing one's will to bend, but not break. The cat and butterfly represents, one's wish to live to old age. The heron with lotus flowers represents one's wish for a positive future, for a successful outcome." Ryu said. "Are you trying to tell me that you that you are willing to bend to my rules and my actions, but you will never break? That you only wish to live to an old age so I shouldn't kill you? And wish that this one year as my wife will be as successful as you proposed?"

"It is only a painting." She told him, even though he completely understood her painting. For it spoke exactly what was inside her heart. "Don't think too much on it. It's only an image I saw in my mind and decided to paint. It has no meaning."

Ryu raised his eye brow at her to question her and just when he was about to question her further an arrow flew through the window behind them and directly between them hitting the desk. Ryu threw himself on top of her as the both of them flew down to the ground. The sound of fighting could be heard outside as groans and cries for help could be heard from her room.

"My guards will see to the danger and handle the assassins." He told her calmly.

"Assassins!?!" She shouted as fear ran through her. All she wanted to do was live a quiet life, and now there were assassins in her courtyard who would want to kill her? She doesn't have any enemies!

"They are not here for you, they are here for me." He told her as if he could read her thoughts.

Her body slightly relaxed as the sound of fighting came closer and closer. Her doors banged open as two men dressed from head to toe in black, with a cover over their face scanned the room and when they found Siri and Ryu they ran towards them with their swords out and cried out in a battle cry.

"Die!" One man shouted as he ran.

Just when they almost reached the desk, they were immediately stopped by Ryu's shadow guards that show up out of nowhere. Siri looked around her room to see if there were more, but she didn't see anyone else in the room. It was as if they showed up out of thin air. Their martial skills must be high to be able to accomplish such a feat.

The two assassins fought the two guards then suddenly four more assassins came through the door and attacked.

"There must be more than we thought." Ryu said.

"You knew about this?!? You knew and yet you came here and put my life in danger!?" She screeched.

"My life is always in danger." He told her. "I just never know when they will attack me. Should I've know they would do it now, I wouldn't have put your life as well as your maid's lives in danger."

Siri's heart beat faster and louder as she listened. How could she believe him. This was the perfect opportunity for him to kill her and blame it on the assassins. He saw the doubt in her face, but didn't call her out on it. It was better for her to fear him so she would comply to his demands.