“Continue to train with me, little cousin,” Kyoung said. “You’re making a great impression not only on your officers but also your soldiers. The officers are proud to see you at all the meetings, listening carefully and asking such intelligent questions, and your men are grateful when you walk among them. You are proving yourself a worthy king.”
Kira was relieved to hear how Taejo had been spending his days. She’d felt guilty at pushing him away, but now she realized it was a good thing. He was becoming a man. He was becoming their king.
Preparing to move a vast army was always a tumultuous project. Both her brothers were too busy now to train with her, but she had her own preparations. Kira stayed out of the way, getting ready for the coming war in her own fashion. She thanked the women servants who had taken such good care of her. They’d made several new outfits for all of their party, to replace those that had become old and worn. This was especially helpful for Taejo, who had grown so much.
Kira repacked her old sack and then stayed in the privacy of her room. Her hand fluttered to her chest to where the tidal stone and her little haetae should have been. Her hand brushed against the silver dragon on its long chain.
“I fear that there will be more danger and heartache ahead for you. And you must stay strong, no matter how difficult it proves to be. No matter how beaten down you feel, you must not give up. Rely on your strengths and have faith in yourself. No one else can do that but you.”
The Dragon King had been right. But staying strong had been harder than Kira ever imagined. Her hand strayed lower to where a new tiny bag sat on her chest. She fingered the edges of the little tiger Jaewon had made her. Having lost her father’s haetae, Jaewon’s tiger had now become her solace, a reminder of the tiger spirit that she had loved so dearly. And while it could never replace the little haetae that her father had given her, the very fact that Jaewon had made it for her was reason alone to cherish it forever. She sighed deeply. Jaewon was avoiding her again. But this time she couldn’t blame him and she didn’t have anything to say that would help the situation.
There was a knock outside her room. When she opened the door, she found herself looking up into Shin Bo Hyun’s face.
“Kang Kira, may I have a moment alone with you?” Shin asked.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I would prefer to talk to you somewhere else, if you don’t mind,” he said. “I don’t want your brother catching me here alone with you. He still hates me and would need very little excuse to slit my throat.”
“Don’t exaggerate,” Kira responded. “He’s grateful for your presence and all of your men. He wouldn’t hurt you.”
Shin smirked at her. “I beg to differ. And he may not need to kill me, only maim me a little.”
Kira sighed. “There’s a small backyard. No one will disturb us there. Follow me.”
They walked the narrow hallways of the house and came out in the back, near the kitchens. The backyard had a henhouse and a garden. All the women servants had been sent to the magistrate’s kitchens, where they were busy preparing food for the march.
Shin paced around the yard, a nervous bundle of energy.
“When the queen first told me about our betrothal, I was surprised but happy. I’ve always known that you were the only woman I could stomach the idea of marriage with. But I also knew how unhappy you were about our betrothal,” he said. “It was something forced upon you by your aunt, the queen. And yet I couldn’t help but hope that in time you would come around.”
Kira listened to him with a growing sense of dread, unsure how to stop him.
“Then everything worsened with my traitorous uncle and his demands upon my fealty.” Shin placed his hands on top of his head, a chagrined expression on his face. “Believe me, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I was persuaded by my uncle that it was the right thing to do, but I should have known better.”
He now stepped closer, facing Kira as he took hold of her hands.
“Times have changed and I have become a worthier person. Even I like myself better now.” He gave her his little side smile. “I think maybe you too have changed your feelings toward me. And although my uncle was a traitor, he was still the nephew to the king of Kudara. I am a cousin to the royal line and of noble blood. I am a good match for you, Kang Kira.”
She pulled her hands away and placed distance between them, uncomfortably aware of his overwhelming masculine presence.
“Shin Bo Hyun,” she started carefully. “I am sorry, but I don’t feel the same way that you do.”