Fate's Prisoners

chapter 9

Youngbae

The blade missed me but the sudden attacked frightened us. Luna let out a scream and I moved away grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the carriage to see it surrounded by bandits. "Do you know who you stand before?" I shouted at the men. I held Luna's hand and the other on my sword under my coat. "We do not fear us you, worthless emperor, All you do is drive this empire into the ground." One claimed. "Nonsense, Emperor Won has kept this empire standing. He is a wonderful emperor." Luna defended me. "Why do you think so? Because he sleeps with you? Because you want to be empress. If he is dead, a new emperor must be found." A man says Luna stands in front of me and blocks anything. "You can't hurt the emperor, nor will I allow it." they laughed at her protecting me. "Grab her." One guy says but I pulled Luna back close to me. " cowards, you attack my carriage and hide your faces to express your opinion what pride do you have in yourselves," I warned them drawing my weapon to keep them back. "You don't scare us, you against all of us, an easy victory." The man claimed. "If you were a real man you would have a one on one battle instead of relying on others to do it." I shot back increasing their angry. They charged at me as I held Luna close and used one arm to fight. Even Though she can fight I still worried about her because she was not armed and not wearing any protection. They kept trying to attack where Luna is in my arms emperor it harder to defend two people at once.

Luna

I could tell it was hard for the emperor to protect us both being surrounded. If we are going to make it, I will have to get my hands on a weapon. I looked around until I saw an attacker who was very unaware of what was going on around. I surprised the emperor when I moved from his arm and attacked the bandit. Everyone was surprised by how I simply took him down and took his weapon. While I did so, I took down two more who were in my left and right. I hurried back over to the emperor now armed. "You don't have to worry I can take care of myself," I said before charging at the bandits much to their surprise. I made them all fall to their knees, but I didn't kill them. The emperor did the same now that he was free to do so. With all my enemies down, I turned my attention to the emperor who was doing well but a bandit was sneaking up from behind the emperor. If he turned around that would give the other ones a chance to kill him. But if he didn't the guy behind him would. I didn't have enough time to run to him, so my first instinct was to throw my sword. When I did, the sword passed the emperor and hit the bandit behind him. I got over to him and disarmed him, but we were stuck in a wrestle. At one point he had gotten an upper leg and turned us over pinning me underneath him. There was no way in hell I was gonna let him win but this was gonna take a little bit. I was growing tired of keeping the man away from me, but I can't give up. The emperor is still getting rid of the others while I deal with this one. Every bandit that was not attacking emperor us at the moment is knocked out on the ground but soon I will tire out and I don't know what to do. finally, the man's body was pulled off of me and it emperor Won, he was tired and angry by the attack but he held up very well. we both did but I know I still have some to learn because the bandit was able to get the upper hand at one point. he knocked out the man and reached his hand to help me up, I got up and cleaned up myself. "are you alright?" he asked as he checked me for injuries. " I'm fine your majesty you, however..." I said pointing to his arm. During the fight, he had gotten cut by a bandit's weapon and was now bleeding. I hurried to the carriage and pulled out my bag. "it's better to leave the carriage here for when they wake up, so they won't try and follow us." " I agree but lets at least take the horse, we can get back to the others much quicker than by foot." he says, and I just agreed. " let's get a bit farther away, I don't want them to wake up while your wound is open," I advised and he just nodded his head. We rode for a bit till we got to the entrance of the plum blossom forest. I wanted to look at it but I needed to treat the emperor so his injury would get infected. He sat on a boulder and the horses were waiting on the road. I took things out of my bag to find medical supplies but when I looked up the emperor had opened one of my scrolls. "How did you figure this stuff out?" he asked surprised by my discovery. "Well, it was pretty easy, during war the empire goes throw a certain pattern that constantly repeats. I also fear that I have been able to figure it out others have as well." I said finishing his arm as I explained. " Did you study previous wars?" He asked. "script from previous wars contains all the evidence I needed to create the pattern and it was not missed once," I explained emperor Won was very impressed by my knowledge. " Luna we have arrived in the plum blossom forest, why don't we look around for a bit," he says I looked at him confused. " Don't we have to get to the meeting, it is supposed to start soon." I reminded him. " well they can't really start without me and I would make sure they don't start without you. with the brain you have we could use you well." he says I smiled. we walked silently through the forest. I enjoyed the beautiful colors, the smells, and the weather in the forest but I looked over and he noticed he was watching me.

Youngbae

I was at peace watching Luna look around, the many times I have passed through plumb blossoms forest I was never interested in what was around but now I want to be here all the time." Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked making me realize I was staring." Pardon?" I asked looking away quickly. "Um, I was just.... admiring. " I said honestly, I have nothing to hide. I am the emperor for God's sake. " yes, the blossoms are beautiful. " she says, I knew she knew I was not talking about the blossoms but didn't want to think I was. "I was not talking about the flowers Luna," I said not using honorifics. "Then, what are you talking about your majesty?" She asked with a bit of hesitation in her voice. "Luna, if I told you I have feelings for you, would you accept them?" I no longer wanted to hide or hesitate. She said nothing but put her head down. "Luna would you accept my feelings sincerely and honestly, not because I am the emperor but because you feel the same way towards me, " I said she was very surprised and flustered at my confession. "Your majesty, may I tell you the truth?" She asked and I just nodded my head. "Your majesty I am surprised by your confession, after the whole situation with the concubines I assumed you didn't really have feelings for me when you told me you didn't. As for accepting your feelings, I truly do not know if I can. Not because you are the emperor and not if I feel the same but because of a fear I have." She explained. "Anything you fear I can protect you from, anyone who dares hurt you will have to kill me before I let them get to you," I said grabbing her waist and pulling her to me closely. "I do not fear people or their opinions, I don't fear your concubines and their methods of punishment. What I fear from loving you back, can only be done by you." She says my eyes grew big; she is afraid of me.

Luna

The emperor has confessed to having feelings for me, I can't deny that I am happy but I will not get myself into a situation I cannot handle. "How could I be the one to hurt you?" He asked he held my body close to his, but I looked away from him. "Your majesty my greatest fear is not pain, nor poverty because I have lived with both. My fear is not even death itself, what I fear is a lack of faithfulness." I confessed. "A one-sided love, why do you fear that when I love you back, " he asked. " Because infatuation, lust, and desire are strong things and can draw people to do things they may or may not regret. I don't mean to say you would do that but, in this lifestyle, especially I would rather not take a chance." I said he still didn't let me go. "I am a loyal man like my father, he only loved my mother and I will only love you as long as I live." He says I looked him in the eyes touched. "Why me, why am I the one you fell for?" I asked not knowing what is so special about me. "I cannot tell you because I am not sure myself, but that doesn't mean I love you any less. Luna, I beg you to give me a chance if you have the same feeling for me." "Your majesty I am honored you feel so strongly for me; however, I still worry. I am still trying to earn money for my family, and I can't risk any distractions." I said hesitant to accept him but he took my hand gently. " Luna I am the emperor; I can save your parents easily." He says but I shake my head. "No, I don't want to bother others with my problems, and I don't want to depend on others to solve them," I moved out of his arms and distancing myself from him. I turned my back to him and was about to mount my horse when arms wrapped around me. I was surprised and shook a bit at the action. "Your majesty what are you. " I was unable to finish before he spoke. "I understand you are worried and unsure, but I hope you will eventually see my heart is true. I will give you time to think about it, but I will be by your side showing you my love no matter how long it takes or where we are." I didn't know what to say but we stayed this way for a moment before he spoke again. "We should get going if we want to catch up to the others." He says I could only nod my head as he let me go." Don't forget I'll be waiting for your answer when the time comes." He says after he helps me mount my horse. He mounted his own and we set off to the meeting hoping to catch up to the others. All I could think about was if I am truly ready to give my heart to someone yet.