Chapter Text
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Lady Minji of Noveron loved the Queen. When most of the royal court called foul on Minji's family for their blasphemous ways—not believing in the goddess Privia as the other noble families did—Queen Yubin stood on Minji's side time and again; unrelentingly dismissing the irate voices trying to bring the Noveron family to its knees.
Thus, it was an undeniable fact that Minji owed the Queen many favors.
She would do anything for Her Majesty.
Just—just not taking a squire under her reign.
"Your Majesty," Lady Minji gasped as a start when the Queen made said proposal. She leaned heavily on her cane as she continued. "I'm not entirely sure I would be..." she blinked, still processing the request. "...the right person to do this."
And true to the nature of the request, Queen Yubin was indeed asking for a huge favor from the lady knight.
The realm's most promising (and most maddening) page had just turned of age to begin her duties as a squire—and she would be in need of a knight to act as her lord. The lord knight were to be expected to train, nurture and act as the squire's guardian for three years before the squire were cleared for the knighting trials.
Said squire was of the royal blood. Gahyeon of Sarail was the Queen's young cousin.
Lady Minji of Noveron would do anything for the Queen, except perhaps take on Her Majesty's cousin as her squire.
"How about Yoohyeon?" Minji thought that her dearest—her fellow lady knight—would be a better option for such a demand. "Wouldn't Lady Yoohyeon be a better teacher for Squire Gahyeon?"
The Queen hugged her body as she pondered the question, but Minji knew from the awkward posture that she had an answer for her alternative solution at the ready. "No, Lady Yoohyeon had already trained two decorated knights during her years of service to the crown. She deserved at least a year of rest without shouldering this responsibility again."
"Exactly," Minji tried. "She had experience. Your Majesty, I—I've never had a squire before."
Yubin's eyes softened. "During the war... You refused to get a squire assigned to you because you knew they'd get dragged to fight in the war. And you didn't want that. You didn't want the future leaders of this kingdom to get killed needlessly," the Queen reached out and squeezed Minji's hand, reassuring her knight. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. The war's over. It has been a long struggle, but Privia has achieved peace once again."
Minji was acutely aware that the Queen was right. That there really was no other viable option but to accept the Queen's request. Still—she was worried. She kept mum as Yubin studied her, focusing on Minji's dazed eyes—lost and full of uncertainty.
"I understand," the Queen breathed softly as she let the lady knight's hand go. "I will grant you a day to think this over. But, remember this, Lady Minji. You are one of my trusted confidants, and I have no reason to believe that you'd be lacking in seeing this request of mine through. I love my dear cousin, and I think that you'd do well in training her. I believe in you."
Minji knew what a dismissal sounded like. She wordlessly gave her Queen a gracious bow. Then, she left the royal study, her uncertainty growing ever so slightly with every step she took, dragging her cane along the tiles.
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Her mindless trudging brought her to the knights' training ground—because of course her brain thought she'd just need to beat a training dummy senseless and she'd find a solution right away—only to find her lover in the midst of a sparring session.
It looked like Yoohyeon was sparring against a group of pages and squires. She had a long wooden spear in her hold and was unapologetically dishing out a beating to the young ones with it. She ducked, dodged and even parried the blows coming from the group of fighters in training, all of them wielding wooden swords.
Thwack!
"Gah!"
Thud!
"Ow!"
Swoosh!
"That's so not fair, Ser! This stick's reach is too far!"
Numerous complaints came from the group Yoohyeon was sparring—training—with; all of them had zero qualms in voicing their thoughts.
Yoohyeon smirked a little. "You can't pick your opponents when it is time to fight your battle."
Minji thought both sides were logical—still, she snuck around the grounds, exchanging her walking cane with a wooden sword from the weapons racks as she made her way to the sparring circle. Everyone there was too focused on the ongoing spar to notice her quiet, trained approach. Just as Yoohyeon parried another blow and sent the attacking squire a few steps back, Minji made her move, weaving behind the squire and out of Yoohyeon's sight. Her lover could then barely parry Minji's well timed, hidden jab.
A chorus of gasps and exclamations rang from the group of youngsters watching. Some of them even hastily lowered their heads, bowing in respect to the lady knight.
Minji retreated just slightly, her stance still on the offensive, while Yoohyeon had her spear ready to defend incoming attacks.
"Well. Good morning to you too, my love." Yoohyeon flashed Minji a smile as she moved her right leg a pace behind—wide stance to make up for the speed Minji could utilize against her.
If Minji was bothered by the audible gasps caused by the endeared name coming from the group of inexperienced-with-love, hormonal teenagers; she didn't make it obvious. "Lovely morning to teach the pages and squires a little lesson?"
Yoohyeon moved her weapon slightly as she shrugged. "I was doing drills by myself when they all came begging to spar with me."
"Thank you for accepting our request, Lady Yoohyeon." One of the older squires said. Others nodded quickly in agreement as Minji's eyes flew towards their direction. They didn't seem to know what to do while they were under Minji's rapt attention. Even unrelated squires fear her—honestly, what would Minji do if she had her own squire? At least they seemed sincere with their gratitude, Minji supposed.
She focused on Yoohyeon again. There was already a coat of sweat glistening off of Yoohyeon's fair skin. And she looked to be flushed red with exertion. Minji wondered just how long Yoohyeon had been humoring the young ones' request. She didn't need to—but Minji was well aware of Yoohyeon's kind reputation. She would never turn a request away, and the people—noble blood or not—loved her dearly for it.
"You won't even hesitate if the Queen asked you to take Gahyeon under your care..." Minji's shoulders relaxed, murmuring softly to herself.
"What was that, milady?" Yoohyeon moved closer to catch Minji's low voice.
"It is nothing," Minji tightened her hand around the hilt of her sword and finally made her move. "Guard!"
Lady Yoohyeon of Vembert prided herself for her speed and technique. Given a proper lance, she could make quick work of any fighter thrown her way. Lady Minji, however was not just any foe. While Yoohyeon was very much a technical fighter, Minji was pure strength. Her wounded leg had healed considerably well, but she wasn't quite back to her full might—(she didn't think that she'd achieve that level of physicality ever again)—that said, Minji was still a formidable fighter. And she showed it. Minji's first connected blow sent Yoohyeon a full step back, her hands shaking from the contact with Minji's sword. Minji closed in so quickly that Yoohyeon couldn't make full use of her spear's reach, even forcing the pages and squires to scatter; making a bigger sparring circle for the two dueling knights.
They traded blows, with mostly Minji going on the offensive—twirling her way out of Yoohyeon's pull-and-jab, wielding her weapon in a half-swording style—one hand on the hilt and another on the wooden blade to block Yoohyeon's heavier swings.
They were in a stalemate for a while, just striking their weapons together and blocking any strike coming their way. After completing a combination of attacking and defensive maneuver they would also size each other up, before they began their deadly dance once again. Not long after several more heavy blows were exchanged; Minji, more mobile of the two and arguably less exhausted from continuous drills and sparring, eventually started to gain the upper hand.
After parring Yoohyeon's full-body swing and throwing her slightly off balance, Minji read the clumsy movement of Yoohyeon's upper body and reached for her spear when she trusted it forward in a predictable fashion. With a death grip and a complicated twist of her body starting from her flexible wrist—she wrenched the spear off Yoohyeon's hands. Rounding off the disarming maneuver, Minji slid a few paces back, now with her wooden sword in her right hand and Yoohyeon's wooden spear tucked just below her chest and held up strong by her left hand.
Yoohyeon still had her empty hands out—in a small shock from having her weapon snatched away from her so skilfully. After a brief pause, Yoohyeon buried her face into her red, calloused palm and laughed. Minji started a while later—softer chuckles compared to Yoohyeon's boisterous, endearing laugh.
Minji dropped the wooden weapons to the ground as Yoohyeon approached her with a sweet grin plastered on her features, her large, expressive eyes unashamed of her loss, and quite possibly sparkling in adoration—she was very much in love. She wrapped Minji's body whole, arms wide and her hold tight. Immediately, her lover was already leaning some of her weight away from her weaker leg. Yoohyeon shot one of the younger female page a look and nodded her head towards the nearby weapon rack, where Minji's walking cane rested.
They were sweaty, and the morning was just turning a little warmer with the higher sun, but neither were entirely sure about letting each other go—('Oh, Goddess, how I've missed her', Yoohyeon had thought)—not until the female page returned to the embracing knights, wearing an expectant expression as she offered Minji's walking cane to its owner. Minji nodded at the small bodied page, even gracing her with a tiny smile as she took her cane.
Yoohyeon was sure the page flushed a little and the lady knight snickered lightly to herself. Minji always had such an effect on people (Yoohyeon included), even if her lover didn't realize it herself. She kept on holding Minji's left hand as the latter adjusted her cane to support more of her weight. They shared one last eye contact that lasted mere seconds, really—but it felt like an eternity could've passed—then Yoohyeon finally peeled away before she could get lost even further in the depth of the startling burgundy that was Minji's eyes.
She addressed the group of youngsters with some points on the knights' sparring session—how Minji had turned her disadvantage on her weapon's short reach with her mobility, how Yoohyeon had to adjust the way she wielded her spear because of the close-quarters combat she was forced to engage in, and how they should not try to disarm an opponent wielding a spear that had a proper bladed tip using just their bare hands—as Lady Minji had. (Minji pouted, but understood well that her move could indeed turn out terribly should they be used in a real battle.)
The pages and squires then dispersed after Yoohyeon's briefing ended, cleaning up after themselves and returning all of their training weapons back to their racks, eventually clearing the training grounds completely. Yoohyeon's chest always grew with pride whenever she could watch the young pages and squires do their utmost best in their training, and today was no different. She blinked away from the fuss of the young ones cleaning up when a piece of cloth was dapped gently on her forehead. "Am I that sweaty?" she asked Minji with a sheepish smile as her beloved brushed her hand through her wet bangs.
Minji looked exasperated, though her eyes were gentle. "Honestly," she sighed, wiping down Yoohyeon's sweaty nape. "How long have you been out here?"
"Not that long," Yoohyeon took the hand holding the linen cloth from her neck and kissed the back of it, the touch of her lips so tender that Minji couldn't help but feel shy. "I tended to my horse at the stable earlier, changing its horseshoes and um, I had a bit more time, so I brushed and fed your horse as well, then came here to do my daily drills."
"You tended to my mare?" Minji questioned, surprised. The fair beast, while she was Minji's trusty companion—had been since she was a small filly with shaky legs—and Minji loved her so... She had never warmed up to any other hands—just like how she never had a squire, Minji also never had one of the castle's stable boy assigned to her due to her mare's temper. To hear that Yoohyeon had managed to feed and brush her mare was shocking, to say the least. Somehow, Yoohyeon was able to tame Minji's unruly mare.
At the strange tone of Minji's question, Yoohyeon could only tilt her head in confusion. "Yes? Shouldn't I have...? Would you rather I don't tend to her needs at all?"
"No, I—" Minji shook her head, not keen on Yoohyeon misunderstanding the situation. "It's just that... My mare has quite a bit of... Temper. She doesn't really let anyone else touch her. You could say I'm surprised she even allowed you in her stall."
"Truly?" Yoohyeon hummed softly. She looked pleased. "That made me feel a little special," she commented with a toothy grin. "Your mare is a smart one. Maybe she knew she could trust me, considering that we favor each other."
Minji squeezed Yoohyeon's hand, a shy smile playing along her lips. "Walk with me, my dear."
Yoohyeon gestured her free hand to her side, motioning for Minji to walk ahead. The latter did, one hand on her cane, the other held securely by Yoohyeon. They made their way out of the training ground to the corridor leading towards one of the castle's mighty hall, their steps in sync despite Minji usually being a pace slower while walking with her cane. Minji had always loved when Yoohyeon fell in sync alongside her. She could just as well march forward, but she had no hesitance to wait for Minji instead—so Minji tightened her hold on their intertwined fingers. Nothing in the world could compare to the comfort of having Yoohyeon's hand in hers; and Minji hoped her lover thought of her touches—wherever or whenever they may be—could provide the same sense of easement.
Minji must've been so highly strung, because not once did Yoohyeon sway her attention away from looking at Minji while they walked—those big eyes full of adoration and concern studying each visible surface of Minji's features—yet Yoohyeon never pressed Minji to share her troubled thoughts. She just walked quietly beside her beloved, giving Minji all the time she needed to unpack her musing.
They reached a point where the corridor panned out to part of the wide moat surrounding the castle, an extensive water defenses with major fortifications around it; when Minji finally stopped. Her hand left the security of Yoohyeon's hold as she gripped the half-wall of the castle corridor instead, overlooking the still water. Swift wind blew past the two knights, but Minji didn't feel chilly, as Yoohyeon had embraced her gently from behind. She rested her head on Minji's shoulder and closed her eyes.
It was quiet. The corridor was empty save for the two of them—even if there were other castle's occupants using the corridor, it would still feel like that space existed just for the two lady knights. Softly, Yoohyeon hummed near Minji's ears, her soft voice uplifting the latter's spirit without fail. Minji bumped the side of her head slowly with Yoohyeon, which made the taller knight release her hold on Minji.
She turned to face her and smiled as Yoohyeon dipped to plant a gentle—'it's alright,'—kiss on her forehead; right where her bangs parted. That gave Minji the final push to share her worries. "Her Majesty requested something from me."
As much as Yoohyeon loved Minji—(with all of her heart and mind and her hands were for Minji to hold and her lips for Minji to kiss and cherish)—Yoohyeon knew a large part of their life they intimately shared also belonged to the Queen; as were required in their Knight's Oath, spoken and true. And with both of them being one of the closest and trusted members of the Queen's Own group of knights, it was not at all rare for the Queen to request something from them—be it for an official or personal request. Yoohyeon continued with her soft humming, encouraging Minji to continue speaking.
"She wanted me to take on a squire."
The concern on Yoohyeon's emotive eyes switched to excitement almost immediately. "Milady, that is great for you!" she gasped happily. "I understand that you've never had a squire before."
Minji's brows scrunched all over, conveying her obvious anxiety over the sudden assignment. She looked down towards the ground, feeling smaller than ever before. "You are right, I've never..." her free hand moved to grasp on Yoohyeon's elbow, steadying herself as her world seemed to swirl all over. "What should I do? I fear as if I would not be able to rise to the demanding responsibility of nurturing a squire to maturity. What if I make mistakes? What if I ruin their future? I don't know what to do."
"Oh, dearest," Yoohyeon cooed as she cupped Minji's strong jaw with both of her hands, tender warmth spreading all around her chest. Minji had contemplated over failing her task even before she started it—which alerted Yoohyeon that she had most probably played several years of the coming future in her mind, visualizing her days training a squire to be a proper knight. "You are thinking too much," Yoohyeon blinked slowly as Minji finally looked up to meet her eyes. "The Queen loves you. Trusted you. Why else would she summon you personally to ask you to train a squire? A standard motion would have been one of the knights in charge of training the page would give the pages a list of knights interested in taking a squire; and the page would be the one to choose from the list, and approach the knight they chose with their proposal."
Minji stayed quiet, shoulders straight with only her eyes betraying her resolve.
"Could it be that the squire Her Majesty asked you to train... Is it Gahyeon of Sarail? Queen Yubin's dear cousin?"
At this, Minji nodded. "Do you know of her?"
Yoohyeon rubbed Minji's cheeks with her thumb. "I was actually interested in taking her as my next squire."
Minji's brows once again perked up. "Have you proposed this with Her Majesty?"
"No," Yoohyeon said, simply. She was disappointed that the Queen had another plan on hand for her dear cousin, yes, but that slight feeling of dismay was easily replaced with her love for Minji. Yoohyeon wanted Minji to take Gahyeon as her squire more than anything else in their world right at that moment. "And I'm glad I didn't. She seemed to have chosen you instead."
Minji didn't seem like she was convinced.
"You'll do so well," a kiss on the forehead. "I know you will," Yoohyeon went lower and pressed another kiss on Minji's cheek. "If you're feeling troubled, you can always come to me."
Minji let out a soft laugh. "I feel like that would be unavoidable."
Yoohyeon joined in with a light chuckle as well. "At the end of the day, you know where to find me."
A full roll of Minji's eyes indulged Yoohyeon's suggestion. "My dear, that is also unavoidable, we live together."
Yoohyeon only continued laughing as she walked Minji down the castle corridor towards the great hall.
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Minji's first meeting with the squire who was now under her tutelage was... abrupt and chaotic. It was not even supposed to be their official meeting.
Released from her night watch duty, Minji was looking for a fresh batch of mint at the farmers' market for one of her tea brews as she had run out; when her peaceful shopping trip was interrupted by a man in a cloak dashing towards her direction in full speed. A constant call of 'thief!' and 'stop!' gave Minji a rough idea on what was happening. She shifted her weight just so slightly as the cloaked man came even closer. Ensuring none of the other innocent market-goers were in her immediate striking zone, Minji swung her walking cane around, catching the cloaked thief's leg and sending them tumbling down to the unforgiving ground. The thief had a quick reflex, rolling back to their feet almost instantly after being hit by Minji—surprising the knight (she was sure she did not hold back on her strength)—though they couldn't quite go far, as another figure tackled them down with the full brunt of their body.
Minji walked over, watching as the thief tried to wrestle out of the hold of the person who tackled them. Minji narrowed her eyes when she noticed the person was wearing the familiar tunic that all of the castle's squires were required to wear.
"Ugh! Settle down, you miserable good-for-nothing!" The squire produced a rope seemingly out of nowhere and bound the thief with a practiced ease. Once the thief was properly tied up, she peeled away and wiped her hands, looking quite like a hunter whom was satisfied with the morning's hunt. She then turned to Minji, presumably to give her thanks, only to be completely still. "O-oh. Lady Minji."
Minji tilted her head as a greeting. Those big, round eyes and luscious, upturned lips... All of them traits that were shared by the members of the royal family. Minji had an inkling who this brave squire was. "Good morning to you, squire."
Squire Gahyeon perked up and gave Minji a practiced bow, albeit looking just a little nervous. "G-good morning, milady. Your letter found me well and I was looking forward to meeting you. Erm, just not like this?"
"Surely not." Minji assured the nervous squire. Then, her attention was taken away from Gahyeon. Her grip on her walking cane tightened as she tugged the female squire to move back.
The hood of the thief's cloak had fallen, revealing a young woman's face—furious, too—and Minji slowly knelt down to study the sack which contained the stolen goods. "What's this, then?" she asked the thief, who chose to keep quiet.
Inside the sack was a fresh batch of medicinal herbs—chickweed, coneflower, marigold, those she could identify (spending so much time with Siyeon and Bora taught her a thing or two)—and even more roots. Out of everyone peddling their wares in the market, Minji didn't think the herbalists were the target of this young thief.
By the time Minji's done looking through the sack, folks had made a busy crowd around them. Some of them were concerned over Gahyeon, some were throwing bits of curses at the thief, some were concerned that the palace guards were taking too long to arrive at the scene.
Guards? Ah. The knight on duty today was…
Yoohyeon, in her Queen's Own tunic and leathers, shoved her tall body through the crowd. When she was finally in the middle of the scene, she paused. Minji, level brows up and lips tight, had her hand up before Yoohyeon could say anything.
More soldiers fall through the crowd, shouting orders for the rest of the market goers to clear some space. But they too, stood in surprise as Minji swiftly untied the thief, helping her to sit up.
"Lady Minji!" Gahyeon gasped, actively deciding that the thief was still a threat.
Yoohyeon held onto the squire. "It's alright."
"Ser, I'm not so sure—"
"Is someone injured?" Minji's words cut the squire's caution. "These are herbs specifically used for wounds. Open wounds. Why do you need these?"
"You're not taking her away?" a disgruntled voice coming from the crowd sounded instead of the thief, with murmurs following in a clear agreement.
"Squire Gahyeon, if you'd find the peddler from which these goods are taken…" Yoohyeon instructed. "I'm not as certain as yourself as to what had happened here, but I believe…"
Gahyeon looked at the knight, growing even more anxious. "Ser?"
"Find the peddler, please," Yoohyeon said, first handing the squire some copper and silver pieces. "These should suffice for the stolen items, I hope. If not, tell them Lady Yoohyeon of Vembert owed them coins."
The coin pieces jangled on Gahyeon's palm, and albeit confused with the thief being freed—she had been the one to initially give chase—she dutifully followed Yoohyeon's instruction.
"The rest of you back to your positions." Yoohyeon ordered the soldiers accompanying her. The majority of the dissatisfied crowd were also urged to disperse with choice words by the soldiers. A select few still lingered, curiosity keeping them rooted to the spot. Yoohyeon sighed and knelt beside Minji. The thief wasn't speaking, still. "The lady asked you a question. Won't you please answer her?"
Snatching the sack from Minji's offering hand, the thief scrambled to her feet, only to buckle on her knees slightly. Minji and Yoohyeon's hands both darted out to support her.
"Easy." Yoohyeon whispered low as she saw the red welt on the girl's ankle. "Lady Minji..." she admonished her lover. "You can't hit just about anyone with your full strength."
Minji's brows were knotted and high up, and the slight shrug she gave Yoohyeon was a picture of helpless 'what was I supposed to do?'
"Sit down, please," Yoohyeon instructed. Her tone was patient, gentle. She took out a small jar of balm from her tunic's pocket. It was something she'd carry around with her all the time since Minji's leg was injured. With practiced ease—(she'd cared for Minji's injury for a long time now)—she treated the thief's ankle, smoothing the balm gently on the tender skin. Then, she closed the jar's cap and deposited it into the sack with the herbs. "You can apply this to bruises and swelling, too. Please take it. Use it well."
Gahyeon returned to them in a rush. "Ser!" she addressed them both breathlessly. "I'm afraid the few coins wasn't enough for the amount of herbs—"
Minji chucked a coin purse at the squire. "Tell them Lady Minji of Noveron is interested in buying their whole stock. Additional coins need not be returned."
"Oh, heavens." Gahyeon said, palm weighed down by the full coin purse.
Once Gahyeon left to see the merchant again, one of the few commoners who lingered, approached them. She was wearing an apron with flour dusted everywhere on her arms. She handed the thief freshly baked loaves. "I’m sure you can't eat those greens to fill you up," she nodded at the sack of herbs. Minji tried to pay for the bread but was turned down. "I know you could buy the whole market proper, Dame, but I will not accept it."
More peddlers came to offer their precious goods that their action flustered the thief red.
Yoohyeon eventually escorted the thief out of the market with nary a word coming from the young woman.
Minji sighed, looking far to the distance as Yoohyeon slipped away from her view. As the market returned to its hustle and bustle, Minji couldn’t find it in her to tear her eyes away from the last spot her lover and the thief could be seen, until—
"Lady Minji…" Gahyeon called, approaching the knight again, her voice reluctant.
"Pray, squire, do not worry. You were not wrong to give chase. We've laws to uphold and people to protect," Minji addressed her with a tone that was both gentle and firm, though she suspected Gahyeon heard her meant it more the latter, with the way the poor squire froze on the spot. "But there are also circumstances in which you could consider while making your judgment. Today… Letting the thief go is inherently my decision."
"Yes, milady."
"That said, does the Queen know of your endeavors at the market?" It was all too easy for Minji to be upset that the girl she was entrusted with seemingly had a knack of endangering herself. "Surely lurking around here isn't part of your duties as a squire?"
"No, milady."
"Well… run along now, and don't be late for our meeting this afternoon."
"Yes, milady." The squire bowed, then turned to leave.
"Gahyeon?"
Gahyeon watched as a small smile spread along Minji's lips.
"For what it's worth, your takedown technique was excellent. You landed heavily on your shoulder, though. Will you be alright?"
"Uhm—y-yes, Milady," Gahyeon stuttered. She squared up her shoulders and tried not to wince as a sharp pain shot up her nerves. Of course the lady knight would have noticed her fall. "I'll be alright."
"Very well, squire." Minji didn't seem convinced, but she brought her cane to her front and steadied her pose, willing to let the matter go. She needed to hurry and get the goods that she had procured.
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Minji's mind kept replaying the morning’s incident as she looked on to nothing in particular inside the long prayer hall. To onlookers, she may have looked to be in a daze, but her mind was going on an overdrive. Being inside the Goddess Privia’s oratory certainly didn’t help her case. The holy place made her feel scrutinized. She’s had with her the whole shipment of goods from the market, crates of them; all meant to be an offering—donations—for the House of Prayer.
Yoohyeon was speaking softly to Siyeon, the priestess taking in stock of Minji’s donation with care. Her shapely almond eyes blinked as she listened to Yoohyeon’s recollection. "Refugees?"
"Pilgrims, more like."
“Pilgrims.” Siyeon repeated with a melodic hum. "To learn of our Goddess Privia?"
"I'm really not sure, they may also have been displaced during the war while they were still in the middle of their pilgrimage," Yoohyeon guessed. "I didn't get a word out of that young lady. What little I learned is merely from my own observation."
Shame burned Minji's face. While the kingdom had done its utmost to help the needy—it was evident that many had fallen through the cracks of the kingdom's helping hands. Slums propped up everywhere, children went hungry, and those desperate enough would unfortunately turn to crime. She wondered if the young woman she encountered earlier belonged in that category.
"I understand," Siyeon's quill dragged to the end of the parchment. "I'll visit those pilgrims with a few other Sisters in the afternoon."
Yoohyeon nodded. "Please take Bora and her squadron with you." While Yoohyeon was sure the priestess meant to visit as a good grace, Yoohyeon didn't feel welcomed by the slum's inhabitants when she escorted the thief earlier. A few children had tried tricking her into going into a maze of overcrowded dwellings, and a man had also tried to swipe Yoohyeon’s meager pack while she was on her way out of the slum, only to be stopped by the knight quickly reaching for her dagger. "I'll write them off their usual patrol and guard duty. A little extra protection wouldn't hurt."
Siyeon's eyes grew big and helpful. She didn't have the time or chance to meet Bora much lately, so she was more than thankful for Yoohyeon's suggestion. "I'll definitely be less worried if I had Bora with me."
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Minji was delighted to hear that the House of Prayer's Sisters' excursion went without a hitch—well, as much as a visit to an impoverished slum could go.
Tracing Minji's cheek, Yoohyeon smiled down at her, a little breathless. "You cared." Her words came out low in volume, and from the way Minji blinked curiously at her, she might've just missed it (Yoohyeon always loved how she could catch Minji—the knight everyone assumed was always on guard—in a daze like this. Especially when her chest heaved from taking deep breaths, legs seizing, shoulder and chest wearing marks that were lovingly placed). "You cared, sometimes a little too much. His Grace," Yoohyeon meant the Duke of Noveron, Minji's father. "...wouldn't he mind you spending much of your wealth on donations to the church like this?"
Minji twined her fingers with the hand on her cheek. "I would rather not mention my father at all for a pillow talk, dearest."
Yoohyeon lightly laughed, dropping her supporting elbow down and leaning her full weight on Minji. "Noted," she said, pulling the sheets further up to cover them both. "How did your meeting with squire Gahyeon go?"
"Not as eventful as this morning at the market," Minji sighed as Yoohyeon returned to nipping gently on her nape. She was going to need a high collared tunic for her night watch tonight. "We talked over what she wished to learn from her knight master. We sparred with each other, just so I could get an idea of her abilities with several weapons. She’s skilled. She’s best with the bow and arrows, probably from all the hunting she’d done back at Sarail. I think she hurt herself a little this morning at the market, but she either got it treated or she hid it well during our meeting later on. I was worried, so I offered to brew her herbal tea, just to alleviate the pain a little. She likes the brew. She seems like a good kid."
"I see. I told you that you'd do well." Yoohyeon finally slid down Minji's chest to her side, baring her topless body for Minji to gawk at.
And gawk Minji did. Her eyes traversed the expanse of Yoohyeon's body, pausing at a patch of white just under her breasts—rough, elongated scars marred the fair skin. Minji knew Yoohyeon had gotten this wound when her battalion was caught in an ambush at the end of the war—their enemies were desperate, suicidal, even—she had a squire then too, and Yoohyeon had taken the blow meant for them.
Minji had gotten news of the ambush much later, as field reports were scarce when their lines of defense were so stretched. She was torn to hear that Yoohyeon survived only because the squire she protected was also trained as a field healer. He had taken immediate measures to staunch Yoohyeon’s bleeding, ultimately saving the knight’s life.
There were other scars almost everywhere else on Yoohyeon's body, a nub on her upper back where an arrow pierced through her cuirass, a diagonal deep scratch along her left side, another that ran almost perpendicular to it, and several nicks on her arms and legs, but the one Minji was gently caressing was the wound that had almost killed her.
Yoohyeon pressed a soft kiss on Minji's sweaty forehead, taking her away from her morbid thoughts. "Minji. I'm here."
Minji didn't realize her breathing was getting heavier. Her mind was trying to reach a depth that’s—Minji closed her eyes, unwilling to knock on doors that were better left untouched. She thought she'd calm the erratic pumping of her heart a little after reaching ecstasy; but this time—this moment of weakness—she’d relaxed so much around Yoohyeon that she slipped into the most ghastly headspace. Quick images of metal clanging against metal and seas of red pooling under her flashed behind her eyes. Minji took a deep breath and slowly let her lungs fill again. She opened her eyes to Yoohyeon cupping her jaw, her eyes gentle. Minji sighed, "Goddess knows how you managed to train two squires during the war."
"The war taught them more than I did, unfortunately. There was barely any time for me to personally train them during our march and in between skirmishes. I admit I am a little envious that you get to become squire Gahyeon's knight master while the kingdom is enjoying relative peace."
"Even if it's peaceful…" Minji turned to her side to face her lover, a low snarl leaving her lips.
"Oh!" Yoohyeon let out a gasp into her pillow, limbs thrashing as Minji's touches grew ever so intimate. "Th-the Queen…"
"Her Majesty can wait."
🗡️🗡️🗡️