FIB Ch 9 part 1

PR by neji

MoonWon staggered as she got off her horse.

Other than the brief moments when she stopped to let the exhausted horse recover, MoonWon didn’t rest. Her knees were buckling underneath her because she hadn’t had a proper meal in days, but her mind was thinking more clearly than ever before.

“I can’t be too late…”

She had taken a wrong turn and her arrival was delayed by a few days. It weighed on her heart immensely.

Thankfully, she managed to get back on track, and she was almost home. She’d be able to see YongUn very soon.

As she looked up at the darkening sky, MoonWon’s expression grew dark as well. She needed to get to YongUn before it became completely dark. If it became nighttime, it would be easier for Consort Yu’s men to attack them, and it would also be more difficult for them to leave the residence.

“You must be tired. I’m sorry.”

After quenching its thirst, the horse approached her. MoonWon cautiously stroked its head. The horse could have rejected MoonWon’s hand because she was a stranger, but it had faithfully brought MoonWon to her destination.

“We’re almost there. I ask that you only take me a bit further.”

As if it understood, the horse licked MoonWon’s hand. As soon as MoonWon got back on it, the horse began to pick up speed. After two more hours had passed, they arrived at YongUn’s residence.

“Huu.”

MoonWon let out a deep sigh and stared nervously at the quiet residence. She felt an uncomfortable aura emanating from within. She couldn’t tell if it had already ended or whether it was coming to an end.

At the unnerving feeling, MoonWon tightened her grasp on the sword fastened to her waist.

Creeeeak.

MoonWon swallowed her anxiety and pushed the door that was already open.

A musty odor pierced her nose. Usually, SoYoon would have immediately run over to MoonWon when she realized her arrival. Yuhwa, who had always greeted her at the door, was also absent. There wasn’t even a servant in sight.

She looked around and tried to calm down. She began to think about the steps she could take in this situation.

“Father.”

Sitting on a chair in a dark room, YongUn turned his head towards her. When MoonWon saw the dagger next to him, she caught her breath.

She had abandoned Heon, and she had no choice but to give up everything she had tried to protect, but in the end, this was the best choice she could have made.

“Were you kicked out by your husband?”

MoonWon approached YongUn as she shook her head.

“My husband let me come. He told me that I could come and see you now that you were released.”

MoonWon knelt in front of him. YongUn watched her as he lifted his wrinkly hand and closed it around his daughter’s cheek.

Why hadn’t he realized it when his household had collapsed the first time? Why was it that the truth had revealed itself to him now?

His beautiful, wise daughter had always been reckless without fear. He was the one who had been wrong, but the one who paid the price was the innocent MoonWon.

“You were always like this. Your expression cannot hide the fact that you are lying.”

MoonWon’s calm eyes began to tremble. When he saw her silent answer, YongUn’s eyes softened.

“You’re the type of girl who could never say if she was hurting… Just how much suffering did you endure?”

“Please don’t say something like that.”

“You were charged with false accusations and had to listen to those harsh words directed at your character. I am to blame.”

“No, Father. Nothing like that happened.”

Although she kept telling him it wasn’t true, the tears began to burst out of her eyes. MoonWon’s tears silently dripped onto the floor.

Although she was a daughter he had received from a wife he did not like, he was happier than if she had been a son and raised her so preciously.

He had wanted to marry her off into the best household, and he wanted to be a sturdy support for her so that her husband couldn’t look down on her.

“If I was the one who was wrong, then I should be the one to receive the punishment. Why are you receiving the punishment that should be meant for me?”

MoonWon lifted her head and quickly wiped away her tears.

MoonWon enclosed YongUn’s hand in hers.

“Father, let’s leave.”

“……”

“It’s not like we need to have power. We can just live like we did before.”

“What about you?… What about your husband?”

She hadn’t lost her father as she did her mother. When she thought everything in her hands had fallen away from her grasp like sand, she had still managed to save YongUn.

“It’s okay, Father. It’ll all turn out well.”

A faint light seemed to finally shine through his dark eyes.

He had tried to kill himself.

What right did he have to see MoonWon when he was merely a burden to her?! And Consort Yu had told him that if he didn’t take MoonWon away, they would both lose their lives.

He thought that as long as he wasn’t here, Heon would at least be able to keep MoonWon safe on his own.

“I’d better live.”

MoonWon’s eyes widened at his words. With watery eyes, she clenched her hands around YongUn’s and let out a sigh of relief.

“But let’s go back to the Chief Commander.”

“Father?”

“I will prove your innocence.”

As a father who had been of no help to his daughter thus far, he could at least untangle the misunderstandings surrounding his daughter. Since Consort Yu and Heon were not the same, he believed he would be able to prove his daughter’s innocence if he spoke with Heon.

Consort Yu wasn’t the only one with tricks up her sleeve.

“My daughter must not be seen as an adulterous woman. I no longer have a thirst for power. I’m going to live quietly after absolving you of those accusations.”

Although it wouldn’t be easy, this was the best he could do for a daughter who had only suffered until now.

“We must leave quickly, Father.”

YongUn nodded at MoonWon’s urging. If the Consort had planted soldiers outside this residence, then they couldn’t leave through the main gate. As YongUn got up to leave the room, he grabbed MoonWon’s hand.

“MoonWon.”

YongUn called out to her in a low voice as she turned around. Unexpected words began to flow out of his mouth. MoonWon listened to him before asking back.

“What do you mean by that, Father?”

Before YongUn could answer, they heard a piercing sound shatter the silence.

“Ah!”

Before she could react to the familiar sound, a burning arrow pierced through the window and plunged into the wall.

* * *

“Kill them.”

As if he’d lost the will to live, YongUn did not move an inch as they sprayed the outside of the residence with oil. It wouldn’t be very difficult to kill an old man, but the difficult part was the command to drag the old man’s corpse alongside his daughter’s as proof. 

No matter how long they waited, the daughter did not come, so they decided to kill off the old man first before going after the daughter. 

But suddenly, as if the heavens were on their side, before they carried out their plans, the daughter entered the residence.

“If things go wrong, we will die. We must move with caution… Gah!”

As an arrow pierced through the man’s neck, his large body fell to the ground with a boom. While chaos and confusion erupted, more men appeared and took care of the rest.

A man calmly watched the men in black fall to the ground without a chance to let out a scream. Then his eyes turned to the burning residence.

“Get the lady out first.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Don’t forget. The only one who will make it out of there alive is the lady. We must also eliminate the Chief Commander completely.”

“Yes, sir.”

If this did not go according to plan, his life as well as his master’s life would be put in danger. They needed to save MoonWon’s life and also take the life of the Chief Commander who was on his way here right now.

“Ugh!”

The man next to him crumpled to the ground with a groan. He could see the blood pouring out of him.

He thought they had eliminated all of Consort Yu’s soldiers, but they were attacking back.

And her men’s objective and their objective were the complete opposite.

“Kill them!”

The men in black on both sides began to brandish their weapons against each other.

They didn’t know which men belonged with which faction. They merely swung their swords at each other. Blood splattered to the ground and cries rang in the air.

While this chaotic melee was taking place, Heon was racing towards the residence.

MoonWon used all her might to block the sword that was aiming for her throat. As the assassin staggered, she moved first. As she closed the distance between them, the assassin’s sword swished in the air.

As his blade grazed her neck, MoonWon’s blade plunged into his.

“Haa. Haa.”

“Die!”

Before she could catch her breath, another assassin was running towards YongUn. Although she’d killed animals before, she hadn’t killed a person like this. Her hands were trembling and her heart pounded in her chest as if it would burst. However, if she didn’t kill, then they’d be killed.

“Father!”

As she evaded the blade that was thrusting towards her heart, MoonWon grabbed YongUn and pulled. The blade that was moving towards his heart pierced her shoulder instead.

“Ugh.”

MoonWon’s actions bought her some time, and the assassin staggered. As if making up his mind to at least kill MoonWon, the assassin began to aim his sword towards her heart. Meanwhile, another assassin that was going after YongUn changed his target to MoonWon.

“MoonWon!”

As assassins began to charge towards her from both directions, MoonWon bit her lip. After completely pushing YongUn away, MoonWon gave up on the assassin coming from the side and stepped forward. 

If she could just avoid getting severely wounded, they could still escape. As she received the blow from the front, MoonWon gasped.

As a woman, it was difficult to counter the strength of a man.

Meanwhile, the assassin coming from her side aimed his sword at her ribs.

MoonWon paid no mind to the sword coming from her side. She brandished her sword with all her might as she tried to push back against the assassin in front of her.

“Aagh!”

The assassin screamed at the strange sensation. Before he could even tremble, blood burst out of him and drenched her face. She didn’t have any time to assess her situation. MoonWon turned to the side. She hadn’t been able to pay attention to that assassin because she had been focusing on evading the one in front of her. She bit her lip.

“Ugh!”

The assassin charging at her staggered as an arrow flew into him. She took this chance to pierce his throat with her sword.

“Haa.”

MoonWon never knew that death was something that could be so suffocating.

Her exhausted legs trembled as if they’d buckle, but she bit down on her bleeding lips and held on.

“Father, we’re almost there. So just wait a little bit and… Aagh!”

A burning tree cracked and fell down in front of MoonWon and YongUn. If they had taken even a step forward, they would have been crushed.

MoonWon’s eyes trembled as she stared at the assassin’s burning corpse.

Her brow was drenched in sweat from the heat, and her breaths were strained.

Her exhausted hand let go of her sword and put an arrow on the string of her bow. In this situation, her bow and arrow would be the most helpful.

“We’re there. We’re almost there.”

She couldn’t turn her head and look at YongUn. If their eyes met, she was afraid that he’d see the terror that had taken over her body.

“Ugh!”

A flaming arrow flew past and grazed her cheek.

“MoonWon!”

“I’m fine, Father! I’m not hurt.”

YongUn swallowed as he gazed at his daughter who only looked forward. She said she was fine, but he could tell that she had reached her limit. His legs felt as if they were made of cotton, but he managed to stand up and grab her hand.

“Haa. Haa.”

He couldn’t recognize what kinds of sounds were coming out of their lips. They avoided the rubble as they made their way to the exit. They saw a faint light in front of them.

“We can go now!”

He could hear delight in MoonWon’s voice. As soon as he saw the light in her eyes, YongUn was filled with dread.

He recalled the way his hateful wife had seemed on the day she had taken her own life. For some reason, he could see her in MoonWon right now. The moment YongUn turned his eyes away from MoonWon and looked forward, his hurried steps came to a halt.

“Father!”

YongUn thought he heard MoonWon’s voice, but he did not reply.

Why was a dead person standing there and holding out her hand to him? The dead wife he knew would never do something like that to him.

In the past, he would have ignored that hand and passed by her.

‘It would have all turned out this way in the end.’

This confusing situation seemed to clear up for a moment.

His heavy body suddenly felt much lighter.

This might be the first and last chance for someone like him, a man who had lived his entire life improperly.

“Father!”

“MoonWon! We should leave.”

For a moment, MoonWon thought YongUn’s behavior seemed a bit odd.

However, she didn’t have time to completely recognize what was happening.

The residence would collapse at any moment. MoonWon grabbed YongUn’s hand. The moment they stepped out of the burning building, MoonWon came to a halt.

It was complete pandemonium. The scene was filled with those who glared at them and those who tried to block their attacks. Blood flowed and soaked the ground.

“Die!”

“Stop them!”

All eyes focused on MoonWon and YongUn. The arrow on her bowstring flew at the assassin who approached them.

One arrow, one person. MoonWon was exhausted and her hands were trembling, but all she could think about was escaping out of here alive.

“MoonWon!”

MoonWon turned her head to the familiar voice.

Heon was covered in blood. When he saw her, he called out her name. They needed to move. But all eyes were on them, so where could they possibly go to escape?!

Another arrow split through the air.

It wasn’t the sound of one of her arrows. MoonWon turned her head.

“Ah…!”

MoonWon gasped as she saw the arrow head straight for her.

The vague sense of death was now staring her right in the face.

Was this the end? Was she going to die here?!

“Father!”

As soon as she saw the arrow heading towards her, MoonWon pushed YongUn away. However, YongUn didn’t move and remained firm.

“Fa…ther?”

For a moment, she felt that she saw him smile.

As if time had stood still, she watched as YongUn moved towards her.

She thought back to a time when she was young. How her father would bring her into his arms whenever she ran to him. He’d pat her back and talk about how precious she was to him. That same embrace surrounded her now.

Thud!

With MoonWon in his arms, YongUn’s body shook repeatedly.

Although she had tried to turn a blind eye to it… Although she had blocked her ears from its deafening roars… The twisted fate had reared its ugly head and forced her to witness her reality.

“Father?”

YongUn’s thin voice reached her ears.

After finishing what he had to say, YongUn smiled at her. Then he buried his face against her shoulder. His racing heart began to slow before it came to a complete stop.

MoonWon’s trembling voice called out to YongUn, but he didn’t answer back. She couldn’t even hear his breaths.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Did she make the wrong decision in coming to YongUn when he was already at death’s door?

She had always done her best to live, but why did things always turn out like this?!

‘I’m sorry.’

Why had he apologized to her?

He had done his best as a father. He didn’t have to apologize to MoonWon for anything.

“This wasn’t it.”

She dropped her bow to the ground.

She had believed that as long as she did her best, even if it wasn’t easy, it would all get better.

Just what had she done so wrong to be dragged down like this?!

“MoonWon!”

She could hear Heon’s voice.

Her eyes followed the voice and turned to him.

His body was as red as the blood on the ground. The blood flowing from his forehead covered his sharp face.

Even though she was a woman who had broken his trust, he had still come. He pierced through the assassins blocking his way as he shouted something at her, but she couldn’t hear anything above her name.

She would rather have burst into tears and cried out in pain, but her eyes remained dry.

“Why is it always… Why?”

MoonWon had been powerless as she stood in front of her mother who had hanged herself.

She had tried to protect YongUn, but in the end, the one who killed YongUn was herself.

If she hadn’t come, would things have turned out differently? MoonWon’s eyes stared at Heon. The wounds she hadn’t seen earlier were now clearly engraving themselves into her eyes.

She thought things like this wouldn’t happen once she had married Heon. She had been exhausted by a moment’s suffering and clung onto Heon as she asked for marriage.

She was the one who had said that one shouldn’t be selfish, but she was the one who had become greedy.

“Me.”

How was she wise and strong?

She shouldn’t have clung onto Heon because of a mere moment of suffering. In the end, YongUn was killed, and Heon had gotten hurt.

“I was the problem.”

The one who had killed YongUn wasn’t Consort Yu. It wasn’t this nation. It was her.

“MoonWon!”

She could hear the piercing sound that had taken YongUn’s life accompanied by Heon’s call.

The incredibly fast arrow suddenly seemed so slow.

If she pushed YongUn’s body away and escaped, she might have been able to avoid it. No, Heon was almost in front of her. He could have stood in front of her to protect her from it.

If there had to be a single person who could settle this mess of a situation…

And if she had to watch Heon die before her eyes…

“If I, the selfish one…”

The arrow flew in a clear line and hit its target.

Just as Heon was ready to leap towards MoonWon, he froze. His eyes widened in disbelief. He let out a bloodcurdling roar that rang in the air.

A pale hand floated in the air before falling to the ground. The blood slowly drenched her clothes.

The flowers were blooming.