Myth

You can deny the fact but you can’t avoid the fate that it brought to you. *** Palace is full of two-faced people. They're all smiles and sunshine in front of you, then they talk trash right after you turn your back on them. You should have gotten used to that by now. They bow to you and praise you, but they're also the ones who want you to disappear from there. “What a disgusting pest.” “At least lower your tone a bit.” “Then let them not hear that compliment? That’s a waste.” “Lin!” “God, you'll be a fussy king, you know?” “Thank the Lord that you’re my sister because I really want to kill you.” “Oh, I beg to differ; you know you can’t do it even if you can.” “And what does that mean?” “You have no skill in that, your highness.” “I swear, I must have been a sinner in my past.” “There you go with your stupid ramble, Yong.” You rolled your eyes at your brother. He keeps putting that small smile on his lips even though he really wants to yell at you. He puts his hand on your back and naturally pushes you, so you'll walk faster. A smile is plastered under your mask, which no one would know. Everyone stops in their tracks once they see you and your brother. They wait for you to walk past them as they bow their heads. “Finally!” The two of you arrive at the private room that you and your brother share. He slumps on the couch after closing the door. You chuckle and walk to the table in the corner to get some drinks. You put a glass on the small table beside the couch for your brother. You take off your mask. “Why do you have to wear that mask? Isn’t it burdensome?” Yong mumbled. “You already know why.” You rolled your eyes at him. “Indeed, and it never fails to amaze me how ridiculous the reason is.” “Just stay out of my business, will you?” “How? You’re my sister, my baby girl~” He cooed. “Gross, it’s disgusting if you do that.” You scrunched your nose in disgust. “Aren’t you too mean, my baby girl?” He said overly cute. “HEY!!” He yelled when you throw one of the thick books in the room at him. This place is the only place where you can do whatever you want to him because outside the room, he is not only your brother but also The Crown Prince. He has never liked the idea of you putting up a distance between him in front of people. “Your fault.” You shrugged at him, and he fumes in annoyance. “Really, Lin, just try to be cute or sweet once.” “You mean become a cheering-parrot like those girls who swoon over you?” “Not to that extent, but I don’t mind if you become one of them.” He smirked. “In your dream, Yong.” KNOCK . . KNOCK . . KNOCK . . You take your mask and put it on in a flash before walking to the door and opening it. Instead of opening the door wide, you just step outside and close the door behind you. There stands a soldier. He bows to you slightly before looking up at you. “Marshal Lin, the court asks for your presence at the moment.” “What is it about?” “It’s about the usual visit to the border.” “I’ll be right there in a few minutes.” After relaying the message, he disappears down the corridor. Inside the room, Yong already knows what happened. He rubs his face before standing up. You come inside the room to get your cape and bid goodbye to your brother. He has a grim face and a frown as you put on your cape. “I have to go.” “Can’t you just decline it?” “Yong, we know that I can’t.” You hug him briefly before vanishing behind the door. Yong lets out a heavy sigh. You're a princess, he's a prince. It's supposed to be like that, but you chose a difficult path. He's never liked the idea of you joining the military, and he's still against that decision. Everyone respects him as The Crown Prince, but not for you. You've asked them to address you by your military rank. *** “This is nonsense!” You gritted your teeth. “This is the decision from the court and the royals; you have to obey.” “What?” “You heard us.” “Over the years, we’ve lived peacefully. There’s no need to start a war!” You shouted. “Well, that’s our land that they use, dear cousin.” At that moment, you didn’t know what to do first: kill the stupid court or your cousin. Your head felt like it was going to explode any second. You rarely showed any emotion in front of them, but this time you really couldn’t stand their absurdity. Your cousin smirked at you as he walked towards you. He was never a bearer of good news; you knew it as soon as you stepped into the room. “It’s time to take what’s ours,” he said. “It’s not even ours to begin with, Wei.” “Are you sure—“ “I suggest you read our history once again if you’ve forgotten.” “It’s ours!” “No, it’s just your greed and ego!” You growled. “Enough!” The whole room fell silent as the voice boomed inside the room. The king made his entrance gracefully. You moved aside and bowed to him like the others. He took his seat in the center of the room. The King cleared his throat before he started to speak. “May I know what is happening here?” “Your Majesty, this decision is absurd and dangerous.” “Tell me your reason, Marshal.” “We all have our land divided fairly by our ancestors, and this decision will render everything they built in vain. We know how strong they are.” You explained. “Acceptable.” The King nodded; you sighed in relief. “But Your Majesty—“ Wei interrupted. “Silence.” “Your Majesty, I suggest that it would be better if we keep our treaty as it is,” you said. “Your Majesty, this is our opportunity to expand our land.” Wei said. “And start a war?” You added. “We’re stronger than them.” He glared. “How do you know? As far as I remember, you’ve never encountered their kind.” “Ohh, are you siding with them, Marshal Lin?” “I’m just stating the truth, Prince Wei.” Wei couldn’t help but glare at you the entire time. On the other side, your mouth really itched to scoff at him. There are some royals and court members who still oppose the decision of Yong becoming the Crown Prince instead of Wei. This decision absolutely came from Wei; you knew Yong wouldn’t make such a stupid move. “I agree with Marshal Lin,” the King spoke, causing the people there to gasp and murmur in protest, especially Wei. “Silence.” “Marshal Lin, I still need you to visit them.” “Pardon me?” “We won’t start a war because we know how strong they are, but we will negotiate with them about the land.” “Your Majesty—“ “We won’t take their land; we just want permission to conduct some business in their land. Is it clear, Marshal?” “Yes, Your Majesty.” “Good, all of you are dismissed.” They started to empty the room. It was only The King, Wei, and you who remained in there. You still didn’t agree with the idea, but you couldn’t object to the King’s order. Thanks to your mask, no one could tell what you were feeling at the moment. Wei kept that smug smile on his face. “Lin.” “Your Majesty.” “Oh please, there’s no one else here, Lin.” The king said. “She’s just being a good soldier, father.” Wei said. “Stop talking, Wei.” The King scolded. “Fine!” “Lin, I know you’re upset about this decision, but I can’t do anything. The royals and some Court members are on this.” “I know, Uncle Lei.” You answered, keeping your tone flat. “I hope you’re not mad at me.” He said. “Why should I be? It’s fine, uncle.” You said. “Good then. One more thing though.” “What is it?” “Prince Wang has asked to meet with you.” You saw Wei grin behind your uncle. How you wished you could wipe that stupid grin from his face at that moment. Lei smiled gently at you as he put his hand on your shoulder. You just looked up at him. You were thinking of more excuses to avoid the meeting since you knew how it would end. “Uncle, I have to prepare for my visit tonight,” you said. “Come on, just for a while. Besides, you’ll leave tomorrow evening. There’s still plenty of time to prepare.” “But I—“ “Lin, you know that his family also holds an important role here.” “You’re playing that card again.” “It’s not my intention, honey. That’s the truth, and you know it will greatly help us if he’s on our side. The proposal—“ “Let’s not talk about that because I won’t change my mind.” “Fine! You’re so cold, Lin.” Lei chuckled. “Anyway, I have to go. Remember the meeting with Prince Wang.” Lei added. Lei hugged you before leaving you with Wei. You wanted to leave as well, but Wei blocked the door. You glared at him while he smirked at you. Wei wasn’t fond of you, and neither were you of him. He never liked you or your brother. When the decision for Yong to become the Crown Prince was announced, he went berserk. You getting a higher rank in the military only made things worse for him. “Move.” “You should thank me that some people want to date you.” “Oh, thank you, but I’m taking that back. I don’t need that useless favor.” You said; he scoffed. “Tell me, Lin, why do you keep wearing this crappy mask?” He asked. “None of your business.” “Your pendant, it always mesmerizes me.” He said again and brought his hand to touch it. “Don’t touch it.” You slapped his hand. “Feisty, no wonder men like you.” He smirked. “Come on, let’s end this sweet conversation because I can’t stand it.” “What if I don’t want to? I love talking with you, cousin.” “You chose that.” Without a word, you hooked your foot onto his knee, making him fall to his knees. Wei growled in anger as you left him like that. He stood up and stormed out of the room as well. You couldn’t care less about his stupid rants. Swiftly turning to the end of the corridor, you arrived at your room. To no surprise, you found your brother there, comfortably laid on your bed. “How was the meeting?” He asked. “Drop the act; I’ll kick you out of here.” “You know, that’s Wei’s idea, and those stupid royals and court members are lured.” Yong said. “I wasn’t surprised by that. I just wish I could have punched him back then.” “They won’t be pleased with that, but it would be interesting.” Yong grinned. “I guess you already know about Wang.” “Ahh, he’s quite persistent.” “He’s just hopeless and stupid.” You rolled your eyes as you took off your mask and cape. “Give him a chance; who knows, you might find your heart with him.” Yong said. “Yeah, I’ll just try not to break his bones.” “Coldhearted bitch.” He snorted. “Noisy asshole.” You retorted. You only had Yong, and so did he. The two of you kept supporting each other, especially when there were always people trying to put you in danger. One of your reasons for joining the military was just that. Now, they couldn’t do anything without your permission since you controlled the military. “I’ll go tomorrow evening.” “Can’t you go while the sun is still shining?” “Then arrive there at night and spend one night there? You know you can’t live without me.” “Tell me I heard that wrong, conceited brat.” Yong scoffed. “Aww, you know I don’t mind if you can’t stay away from me.” You teased him. “Hey! I’m not that clingy.” Yong hissed. “Sure, sure, sure.” “It’s just a little bit.” He said; you just looked at him playfully. “Okay, okay, I am!” He hissed. You laughed and joined him in your bed. “So annoying.” Yong mumbled in annoyance. “Quit it, Yong. Now, go to your room and get ready!” You rolled your eyes. “Get ready for what?” “You’re going to accompany me. I don’t want to meet Wang alone.” “Hey! Who said that?” “Me. You heard it clearly; now shoo~” “Hell no! You and your stupid admirer.” “Come on! He tried to kiss me last time.” “I’ll be back in ten.” With that, he left your room. You chuckled at his behavior. Yong was protective over you, even though you could defend yourself better than he could. He didn’t even realize that you had fooled him. There was no way Wang could get near you; you wouldn’t allow it. “Stupid Yong.” *** The Border is the place where humans and immortals use to discuss matters. It's not that they live apart; they actually live together and coexist with humans. Only the royals have the notion that immortals are loners. Many humans also live in the land of the immortals. It's true that immortals possess power and do not age, which in itself makes humans appear weak. Going back centuries ago, there was a treaty between immortals and humans. Immortals might be superior to humans, but humans possess something that immortals don't—an ability to kill them. If war were to break out, these weapons would come into play and aid humans in defeating the immortals. The immortals never knew what these weapons were, but they feared them. "Take care of yourself," Yong hugged you. "I will, and don't get into trouble while I'm away," you hugged him back. "As if I can." He rolled his eyes, and you scoffed at him. "I'll be back tomorrow night." "I know. Don't forget to buy me something and say hi to Rei for me." "Rei or Rin?" "God! You want to die?" He hissed. "Fine, fine, I'll be going now." "Yeah, just go away, annoying brat." "Asshole." You gave him a final hug before grabbing your bag and sword. Yong adjusted your mask and cape before you left his room. You headed to the main gate quietly. Along the way, you held your pendant and rubbed it; it always gave you peace and strength. With a smile, you tucked it away, hidden behind your clothes, as you couldn't afford to lose it. "Is everyone ready?" You asked your commander. "Yes." "Great, we'll leave now." You ordered. "Yes, Ma'am." "Minhyuk, you lead the way," you told the man beside you. He nodded. In this journey, you brought along 10 people along with one of your generals, Minhyuk. Everyone mounted their horses, and you did as well. Occasionally, you'd engage in conversation to keep them awake. It would take 7 hours by horse during the day, but only 5 to 6 hours at night, as there would be no people wandering on the road. "Lin." "What is it?" "I heard something." "I know, just keep moving and stand by. Inform the others." Minhyuk spurred his horse to inform the other soldiers. They nodded slightly and remained on high alert. You focused on the sounds of the forest around you; you had been hearing them since entering the forest. You were almost at the border. Sensing that their movements were getting closer, you urged the others to quicken their pace. "We're almost there," you said loudly enough for them to hear. "Keep moving." Minhyuk ordered, alongside you. You could only hope they would lose track of you, as you really didn't want to fight right now. One, you'd be covered in blood, and it wouldn't be a pleasant sight when you arrived at the border. Two, you didn't have any extra clothes with you, just your official uniform, which would only exacerbate the first reason. As you were still halfway to the border, one of your men fell off his horse. "Everyone, stand by! Keep your swords raised!" The next thing you knew, some masked men were attacking you. From their movements, you could tell they were well-trained. Disembarking from your horse, you drew your sword high and joined the fight. The others followed suit. You knew it wouldn't end well. "Minhyuk, tell them to keep moving. Find an open space," you yelled to him. "They've surrounded us. It'll be hard to move. And damn, they're skilled too!" He exclaimed in annoyance. "No need to tell me, smartypants." "Then let's just fight, Lin." Regrettably, some of your men died, and others were injured. Only you and Minhyuk remained safe and sound without any injuries or wounds. You were about to stab the man in front of you when he blew something in your face, causing you to stumble backward. Minhyuk caught you in time, and you thanked him. Glaring at the man, you killed him. Then you smelled something, and your head began to feel light. "Damn it!" You managed to keep standing and defend yourself. Curses kept escaping your mouth as you struggled to stay awake and fight. Unfortunately, the drug's effects were stronger than you thought. You yelled at Minhyuk one last time before losing consciousness, sinking into darkness. *** "Where is she?!" Yong shouted. "Calm down, she's fine." Lei comforted him. "How?" "We still don't know; everyone else died except her." Yong stormed into the room, quickly taking a seat beside your bed. He held your hand and pressed it to his lips. He nearly froze when Lei told him about the attack on your group. Some people in the forest found you, and upon seeing the uniform in your bag, they brought you back to the palace immediately. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the royals and the court have requested a meeting with both of you." "No," you sternly said. "Yong—" "Uncle, I can't leave her alone!" "It's just for a while. We need to attend," Lei said softly. "But—" "Come on, the sooner we go, the sooner we'll be back." He didn't have much of a choice but to follow his uncle. He gave you a kiss on your forehead before leaving. Meanwhile, Wei was already in the hall with the royals and court members. Yong and Lei made their entrance, and everyone bowed to them. Once Lei and Yong were seated, they began to speak. "We want to take Marshal Lin to the Higher Court for judgment."