Hana
(one)
1045 AD
The wind carried the sound of the drum and it was bittersweet to her ears. Braids loose around her, she smiled down at the sleeping man who rested in her lap.
"Shall we go then my love?" Fingers nestled into the man's onyx strands, she pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Let us go before they try to capture us. Let us go to paradise." Pulling out a small celadon vial, she smiled again as the man's eyes opened and looked up at her. For the longest time, they looked into hers and a myriad of emotions traveled between them. At long last, he sighed and turned to press his face against her.
"There is nothing to fear my love." She said softly, lightly scratching his scalp with short fingernails. Humming, he tightened his hug on her hips before laying as he did once before, body stretched out comfortably in front of her.
"What I feel is not fear Tiye."
"Is it peace that surrounds you? It is the only thing you should feel." Twisting the small top off of the vial, she looked out across the horizon and with a small sigh, she lifted the vial to her lips, drinking some of the contents.
"You are the greatest king this world has seen and it shall remain. Now and forevermore." She spoke softly as she glanced down at him.
"You've done so much for your people." He smiled, eyes soft as they glanced up at her.
"Yes but now I must retire. Into your arms I must go."
"And how warm they will be, enclosed around you." He took a breath, eyes never having left hers.
"Welcome me then sarang." Lifting the vial again to her lips, she took more than before into her mouth. Softly brushing his jaw with her fingertips, she leaned down and kissed him, letting the liquid therein saturate his mouth, coat his throat and travel down into his awaiting belly. Pulling back some, she wiped the excess from his lips and finally his gaze, intense, hard even drew away from her as his lids closed.
"In this life and in the next thousand lives, you...my love, my dearest..." Pain began to enter his expression but he fought through, continuing,
"You, my wife, friend, held in the highest regard, shall always be mine." Tears began to well up in his eyes the same as hers but she softly... quietly kissed his away.
"As you wish it Taewang-nim." He was wet with sweat, soaked from head to toe and she could see the light fading from his beautiful eyes. The love however, struck her to the core. He lifted a hand and touched her face, letting his fingers run sloppily across her skin.
"My beautiful...beautiful Yeonwang." His hand fell away from her and she caught it, bringing it back up to her face.
"Sweet one... my dearest love...here I come...." Her mother tongue flowed from her lips softly as she began to feel the fiery tendrils of pain as they snaked through her body. At long last, not a moment later her body fell limp, fell forward on top of him, their entwined hands upon the dirt soon growing cold.
***
Theirs was a tale that was intentionally blotted out from the history books. Brought on by a hatred of a King, a King they rumored ruled with an iron fist. A tyrant who murdered babies still in the womb of the mother, cut out the hearts and tongues of innocent men. A King who made a savage a wife, brought her into the palace and defiled all that was sacred. This they reasoned was inexcusable. This they reasoned was unforgivable.
