The Way of The Sword 검도, 劍道

Chapter One - The Job

CW: SLIGHT VIOLENCE

My name is Hye-Jin, I'm a high class female assassin. I have lots of experience on my hands. I was training and working hard for me to become strong and powerful. I spend my days dressed as a man, in a *jumak waiting for someone to hire me for a job. This jumak is known for having high class assassins.

*An ancient word for bar or alcoholic tavern.

My under cover name is Byeong-Ho, a males name. I'm mentioning this because if someone finds out I'm a woman I could get killed. The jumak is full of assassins always bringing women along with them. I don't have much interest in men or women, I just don't have a big interest in romance.

BANG

Everyone's heads turn towards the door to see who made such an irritating entrance, is that- I squint my eyes to make sure I'm seeing things correctly, is that the Lords older brother Gyeong? Why would he be in this deserted part of town? It is quite dangerous for the Lords brother to be here, and most of all why was he in an assassins jumak? After a minute of silence everyone ignored him and returned to their drinks and the drunk girls they have around their necks.

Seeing the Lords brother here made my head race. He's probably here to get you!!! Leave but don't leave like your avoiding him. I thought to myself while I lazily tossed a few coins to the bartender for my drinks and then walked towards the door. I walk out of the tavern and a walk very calmly. The summer sun warms my skin, my traditional clothes lay loosely compared to women's. I start to head to my next job until my heart starts pounding.

Bum, bum, bum.

I can feel my heart beating out of my chest, I can feel someone's eyes on me. . .  Is he following me?  I thought to myself. I turn around swiftly and see him behind me.

"May I help you?" I say to him with respect.

"You're an assassin?" He questioned me with a puzzled look on his face.

"Well you just saw me in the jumak," Is he going to give me a job? Who would a person like Gyeong want to have dead? "But yes I am." I said to him with smirk on my face.

"My good brother, let me take you back to my palace I would like to have a few words with you." He said while getting on his horse. The familiarity in the word brother made me less worried. "Well get on!" He patted the back of the horse signaling for me to get on with him.

"Yes sir." Whatever, that job can wait, Gyeong will most definitely pay me more. While I get on the back of the horse. I set my arms on his defined shoulders. We ride to his palace which is quite big, as expected. I get off the horse and give him a short bow that says "thank you"

"Follow me." He says, I trail behind him like a dog. I can hear the creeks in the hardwood floor, as we slowly head to a small room that looks like the study. He opened the sliding door to let me in. A small table and desk, books all over the floor and the table. The study has clean hardwood floors similar to the rest of the palace, overall a nice place.

SLAM

He slams the door behind us, I turn quickly with my hand on my sword. He chuckles "You're really prepared for anything aren't you?"

"Well yes of course, I have to be prepared for everything and anything, Gyeong." I say taking my hand off my sword. I seemed to impressed him? Strange. Hopefully he'll tell me the real reason he brought me here.

"Please, sit." He says to me while offering a seat at the clean wood table with gold accents. We both get on our knees and sit down at the table. A servant comes in and serves us Yuja-Tea, Grandpas favorite- from what it smells like. He takes a sip of his tea and sighs.

"I brought you here to kill someone for me." He slowly looks down at his teacup, with his fingers slowly tracing the edge.

"It's kind of obvious that's why I'm here, but go on." I say to him with a bit of accidental attitude. His eyes widen as a see a vein pop out of his head, he takes a deep breath trying to control his anger.

"I want you to kill my brother Dae-Jung." He says in a deep monotone voice still looking at the teacup. I spit out my tea from the shock. I can't believe he just said that?! I was about to laugh it off but then I make eye contact with him and I only see his cold dark brown eyes with a serious expression on his face.

"You've got to be kidding me- There's zero chance I can kill him." I say to him, as I begin to stand up and head towards the door. Once I'm about to leave  he says to me. .

"I'll have you executed for impersonating a man." Of course blackmail.

"H-How?" I say jolting my head towards him. It would've been safer and better if I never left the jumak. He walks over to me and pins me up against the wall. He lifts up my chin, turning my head side to side. Like I'm in some cheesy romance story. He let out a a long sigh and continued examining my face.

"How did none of those men not realize?" He says barely above a whisper. "So will you reconsider?" He backs away from me.

"How do you expect me to kill him? He has guards on his side dusk till dawn!!" I say slightly raising my voice at the end of the sentence from confusion and frustration.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. You're going to act as his guard, he's been talking about wanted a female guard! You will be the closest one by him!! Gain his trust and then betraying him. HEY, just for the hell of it make him fall in love with you!!" He begins to rant at the end. A little concerning how much he had this planned out.

"How much?" I say questioning his offer This will definitely be the most dangerous job I've done, if it's not a reasonable amount I'll lea-

"3000 tongbo."

"I ACCEPT!!" I say with zero hesitation. How can I pass up this offer!

He smiles "Good, good I'm glad you accept.. I will give you some servant close and you will have to spend the night here. Tomorrow we'll head over there and I'll appoint you"