Ilgop
(seven)
"What happened?" He asked the back of her head, as she'd turned away from him. A medicine woman silently dapped at the still bleeding wounds on her back.
"She called me a savage Wangja-nim. She said that only a savage holds the life that I have because the gods did not favor me." At that, he swallowed thickly and for the first time since coming into the tent, tore his eyes away from her.
"I could not allow her to just... say these things and get away with it-OW!" Turning back towards her, the medicine woman now pressed a bit harder than what was necessary.
"Chun-hei-ah, thank you for your kindness. I will further attend to her." The older woman blinked as she turned eyes upward.
"Pyeha, she has wounds on her backside and legs.... wounds that only a female attendant should treat." Smiling softly, he nodded in agreement.
"Eun-jung-ah will continue her treatment." At being dismissed, she blinked but bowed her head before stepping out. A fellow attendant stepped in and bowing her head at him, began to continue where Chun-hei left off.
"Tiye," He said with an exasperated sigh, glancing at the small amounts of flayed skin that rose up on her back.
"You have to be mindful...mindful of what I told you. Not everyone here will be as tolerant of you as I am."
"I don't need you or anybody else to be tolerant of me." He came to the head of the table and gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"Is that so? Then, should I have let them flog you to death?" At that, she swallowed tightly, pain entering her features once more as the girl began to slowly peel the silk away from her rear. He watched with bated breath as the girl carefully pulled, trying not to bring any skin with it until the whole of her behind was exposed. Tiye let out a groan, gripping the edge of the table to filth.
"P-pyeha.... if you would like, you may leave the room while I finish." The girl squeaked, face as red as her jeodori. Letting go of her chin, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her sweaty brow.
"We will finish this conversation later eolin-i." Letting her go, he smiled in thanks to the attendant and left, quietly closing the doors.
***
Hours and hours it seemed that she was on that table but when the cooling salve was spread and the linen wrapped around her tender wounds, she felt that she could finally breathe a sigh of actual relief.
"Thank you..." She said with a grimaced smile at the girl.
"Please take care of yourself Tiye-ah." Feeling her heart warm, she watched as the girl left. Her whole body was in excruciating pain but even so... even now... she hadn't regret anything. Soon, she heard the door slide open and in stepped Wangja-nim. Their eyes met and his throat grew tight.
"I won't apologize." She started, dropping her gaze.
"I'm not asking you to." He replied, coming to draw up a chair next to her. Turning his hand, palm up, he waited patiently until she lifted her hand and placed it into his. Swallowing hers up, he smiled at the sight.
