"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," the princess breathes. "That they will be whoever they want to be, and that they'll never ever have to carry a sword wherever they go."
"I live for you," Jeongguk answers. Simply because, he...
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THAT NIGHT Saeron dreams.
She's never been to a battlefield in person before, but somehow her brain is clever enough to form the image according to stories she's heard from her father as a child and the illustrated paintings that hang on the walls throughout the castle.
It's like she's invisible as men crash into each other with loud clangs when their swords collide. Loud shouts and battle cries echo in her ear and the intensity of the noise makes it feel as though she's standing inside a large empty room instead of an open field.
A field littered with fresh blood, unmoving bodies—
And fire. There's so much fire and smoke that she can't see much besides the faded silhouettes of fighting men.
Saeron flinches at the sound of a loud growl and turns around to see a man staring in her direction, a bloody sword hanging from a tired arm at his side. The look in his eyes is animalistic and his cheeks are covered in dirt and grime and blood; whether it be his or one of his victims.
The man's features twist repeatedly, as if her mind is struggling to conjure up a proper face. And then he launches himself onto her with a furious snarl, closing the distance with supernatural speed.
Terrified, she flinches and cowers, covering her head with her arms as she braces for impact and the impending pain. But instead, she hears a loud rustling of fabric before a large body curls itself around her protectively. A gut-wrenching sound follows after, and she freezes up when she finally takes a look at her protector's face.
Jeongguk crumples down in front of her like wet sheet, blood seeping out of the corner of his lips. The pointed edge of the sword retracts from his chest, leaving a fatal hole in its wake.
"N-No, no, please n-no..." She cups her hands around his face, her voice sounding foreign as it trembles uncontrollably, just as much as her entire body. "This can't be happening please—"
She exhales shakily. Besides the familiar features, its like he's a total stranger. Empty, hollow eyes flash right at her as he whispers, "You did this."
