Prophecy (15 page)

“Coward.”

“Ya! You’re not that tough,” he said. “You’d be scared of her, too!”

Kira laughed at his mock anger. Jaewon’s face lit up with a smile, his eyes catching the glow of the fire.

“I love looking at your eyes,” he said. “They remind me of honey and summer.”

She was startled by his compliment.

“You’re strange,” she said. “Most people are scared of me.”

“Idiots!” he said.

“They’re not all idiots,” she said.

“Yes, they are!” Jaewon was emphatic. “These are the same people who think it’s a good idea to treat a wound with horse manure.”

“Disgusting!” she said. “So you’re comparing me to horse manure?”

Jaewon sputtered in denial, and Kira laughed.

“You should try to go to sleep,” he said. “Good night.”

Lying down, she closed her eyes, but sleep would not come. She gazed over to where Jaewon lay close by. He had draped his arm casually across his eyes. His firm lips parted slightly as his chest rose and fell.

She couldn’t help but compare him to Shin Bo Hyun. They were the same age but vast worlds apart. Yet they both claimed to find her attractive. Kira let out a frustrated groan. She didn’t want to think this way. She was a soldier, not a simpering court lady.

She glanced over at Jaewon just as he turned to face her. The light from the fire flickered over his face, accentuating his perfect features. He lay in utter stillness, his eyes filled with the infinite sadness that always seemed a part of him.

“Sleep well, Kang Kira,” he whispered.

The long and mountainous road they followed north had been a
difficult one, but it was the safest leg of their travels. There’d been no demon attacks or sightings, only imp spies that had been taken care of by Kira. Rumors spread that the Yamatos had all retreated south to prepare for a full-scale attack. It explained why Shin Bo Hyun had not come after them.

Along the way, more and more displaced soldiers joined their forces. Men came out of hiding from all over the countryside. Some had been waging guerrilla warfare against the Yamatos. Others had wandered aimlessly until they heard of Taejo’s army. They joined by the hundreds, some with full armor and weapons, others with only a sword or a homemade spear, all of them with one mission: to fight the Yamatos. But even with nearly a thousand soldiers surrounding them, Kira kept Taejo close to her at all times.

The second week of the eleventh month brought down the cold winds of the north. Half their nights were spent camping in frigid temperatures that left Kira frozen under her blankets. To keep Taejo warm, she slept next to him, with Jindo on his other side.

Twenty days later, they finally reached the legendary walls of Wando, the Guru capital. Kira was eager to see her mother’s childhood home.

Wando was a great fortified city built into the mountains; its perimeter wall stretched beyond their sight. Protruding bulwarks were strategically placed for maximum defense, and the walls themselves were built with interlocking stone blocks, a technique perfected by the Gurus.

Outside the main gates
of the capital city, they set up camp. Only Taejo, escorted by Captain Pak, Kira, and Kwan, would enter the city walls. As they approached the gates, Kira peered up at the bulwark. She made out the dark shapes of a dozen sentries.

Captain Pak addressed the palace guards. “The crown prince and heir to the throne of Hansong seeks an audience with his esteemed uncle, King Eojin. He is escorted by his cousins, the son and daughter of General Kang, niece and nephew to your king.”

The armored guard bowed respectfully to Taejo before requesting identification. Taejo pulled out a gold chain that he usually kept tucked underneath his inner tunic. On the end of the chain hung a small gold seal bearing the phoenix crescent mark of the Hansong kings.

Inside the city, a soldier escorted them to the palace, which sat nestled into the mountainside.

Wando Palace was designed to suit the nature of the land it sat upon, mountainous terrain that lifted and dipped. It was built in complicated levels connected by flights of stone steps to a hallway that led to the grand pagoda. At the foot of the palace, their horses and Jindo were led away and they parted from the captain, who would return to his men.

Entering the magnificent building, Kira gazed about her. Multicolored tiles covered the entire length of the hallway, while intricately patterned ones adorned the ceilings above. Within the pagoda, the large, well-lit room had but one simple throne on a raised dais. To either side were corridors leading east and west. The wall behind the throne was a painted mural from floor to ceiling of what appeared to be a great battle on one side and a triumphant ceremony on the other.

A voice boomed from their left. “Welcome, my young clansmen!”

They bowed at the arrival of a tall, armored man with a large entourage of soldiers and advisers. The king removed his gold-inscribed black iron helmet. He wore long vest armor over a black jacket. An ornate jeweled sword was strapped securely to his left side. Except for the mustache and trim beard, the handsome man bore a strong resemblance to Queen Ja-young.

The king came to stand directly before the prince, placing his hands on Taejo’s shoulders.

“It’s incredible!” King Eojin said. “No one can doubt your heritage!”

Eojin then turned to Kira. “I’ve heard so much about you. And now I see you in the flesh. The girl warrior who kills demons.” He laughed. “You are not as fearful as the rumors make you out to be, but you are as beautiful as your mother.”

Embarrassed, Kira flushed and looked down.

The king greeted Kwan with a broad smile. “Now, you are very much like your father!”

Kwan bowed, a look of pleasure on his face.

“Come, let us walk!” Eojin said, steering them down a spacious corridor. “It’s been over twenty years since I’ve seen my beloved sisters, Yuwa and Ja-young.” He paused and faced them. “My heart is heavy, as your arrival here confirms the news that I’ve just received from Hansong. I didn’t want to believe it. I thought my sisters would be safe. How foolish I was. No one is safe now that the war has begun.”

They followed him down a long corridor that led to a large inner room with a thick rush matting. Kira was relieved to see that it was an
ondol
room, with under-floor heating. She sighed with pleasure to sit on the warm floor, letting the heat soak into her chilled bones.

Eojin sat in the middle of the room with his legs crossed and his back perfectly straight. “We’re so far north that word reaches us much slower than it should,” he said. “Only recently did we hear of the fall of Kaya and the danger to the Jinhan Kingdom. I was worried for Hansong and thought to send an envoy down, but the Khitans have kept us busy.”

“Who are the Khitans?” Taejo asked.

“Nomadic barbarians from the north that keep raiding our villages. They get bolder every year,” Eojin said. “I myself have just returned from an extended tour of our northern borders. But before I could send anyone to Hansong, I heard the news. I would like to hear what transpired from the three of you directly.”

Kira told their uncle of their return to Hansong and Taejo’s rescue. Her throat closed up when she got to her father’s death.

“Your Majesty? Will you help me rescue my mother?” Taejo asked.

Eojin patted Taejo on his shoulder. “Do not fear for your mother, my young prince. She is a strong Guru woman; they cannot break her. And this Lord Shin is smart enough to recognize her political importance. An alliance with your mother would mean an alliance with Guru. They won’t harm her.”

Eojin rose to his feet. The others followed suit.

“All of you must be very hungry. Let’s get you some food.”

“Your Majesty, is Brother Boyuk here?” Kira asked. “We were told to seek him out.”

Eojin shook his head. “He was called away to his temple many days ago. I don’t know when he’ll return.”

Disappointment rushed over Kira. What were they supposed to do now?

Their uncle took good
care of them, providing them with luxurious rooms; new, warmer clothes; and even jasmine-perfumed bathing cakes from Cathay. After several hot baths, Kira finally felt human again.

A few days later, at their next meeting with Eojin, Kwan mentioned continuing Taejo’s military training.

“Yes, this is very important,” Eojin agreed. “In fact, I would like to take over his training.”

Kira and Kwan looked at each other in astonishment, while Taejo beamed in excitement.

“If you have the time, Your Majesty,” Kwan said.

“I will make the time,” Eojin said. “Come, princeling, show me your bow skills!”

Taejo frowned. “I am not very good with a bow. I’m better with a sword,” he admitted.

“In Guru, archery is our most prized skill,” Eojin said. “Remember, only the gods are perfect, young one. For all others, practice brings mastery.”

Kira watched as king and prince left together, easy in each other’s company. “He seems to really like Taejo,” she mused.

Kwan shrugged. “I think it’s because Taejo reminds him of his son who died.”

Eojin’s first wife was a princess of Oakcho who died in childbirth, along with the baby. Then he married a Jinhan princess who bore him two sons and a daughter, but an influenza epidemic killed them all three years ago, along with the king’s younger brothers. The king was spared because he was away battling the Khitans at the time. He returned home victorious, six months later, only to find his entire family gone. His oldest son was only ten years old when he died.

Kira liked her uncle, sensing his sharp intelligence and his aura of power. He was a mix of her aunt’s assertiveness coupled with her mother’s kindness. But once in a while, she sensed a cold ruthlessness in him. She didn’t necessarily think it was a bad thing. After all, he was ruler of the largest kingdom in the peninsula. And it was clear that Taejo already idolized their uncle.

If she were to be completely honest, some of her uneasiness stemmed from jealousy. She felt supplanted by Eojin in Taejo’s affections and she didn’t like it.

Kira shook off her discomfort and asked Kwan to spar with her.

“I have a better idea,” Kwan said. “Let’s go train with Captain Pak.”

Outside Wando, a huge tent city had been constructed. They found Captain Pak in an open field, where he had set up makeshift training grounds. Soldiers wearing a myriad of colored uniforms representing their different kingdoms sparred and trained in organized groups in every corner of the area.

Catching sight of Kwan and Kira, Captain Pak walked over to greet them.

“As you can see, I am keeping these men busy and ready for battle. We await the day that we march against the Yamatos. Do you bring any word from the Guru king?” Captain Pak asked.

When Kwan shook his head, Pak’s face fell with disappointment.

“Well, we will continue to train hard and be prepared,” he said. “I see you’ve both brought your bows with you. Care to train with us?”

Kwan nodded eagerly. “That’s what I came down for. I feel like I’m getting soft without daily training. I’d ask to come stay here, but I fear my uncle wouldn’t approve.”

“That’s as it should be,” the captain replied. “Come then! You both will be a great help keeping our soldiers fit.”

As they walked toward the training ground, Kira stopped.

“Aren’t you coming?” Kwan asked.

She shook her head. “I think I’ll go look around.”

Kwan arched an eyebrow at her. “You mean you’ll go looking for someone.”

Captain Pak seemed amused. “If you mean your two friends, then I will show you where they are.”

Walking to the edge of the field, the captain pointed to a large tent near the forest. Kira thanked him and hurried down, eager to see Jaewon and Seung again.

Inside, the tent reeked of the twenty-odd unwashed bodies packed close together around a small table where a baduk game was in progress. Kira pulled the brim of her nambawi low as she passed empty tables littered with tins of half-eaten food and joined the large group. Jaewon sat with Seung close by his side, both staring intently at the board.

Kira pushed her way to the front, where she had a clear view of the game in progress. As if sensing her presence, Jaewon looked up and caught Kira’s gaze. A slow smile spread across his face. She was surprised by how much she enjoyed the play of dimples on his cheeks.

A pile of captured white stones sat at Jaewon’s side. His opponent was a wiry man with a long, thin face and hooded eyes, wearing the green-and-black uniform of a Jinhan soldier.

The stench of the tent became overpowering. She was relieved when the Jinhan man conceded the game. Standing, he tossed a small rope of coins onto the table next to the baduk board.

“You are indeed a master-level player,” the Jinhan man said with a slight bow. “Where did you say you hailed from?”

Jaewon didn’t respond right away.

“Kaya,” he finally said.

“Who was your teacher?” the Jinhan man asked.

Jaewon didn’t respond. He passed the coins to Seung, who placed them in a small leather pouch that hung close to his body.