ELLIOTT

A mimic

Chapter Three.

Silence fell between them.

"A commoner like me shouldn't have such thoughts..."

"Yeonhwa..." the king interrupted, weary of hearing the same response repeated over and over.

It had been three years. The first time he laid eyes on her during his visit to the temple, he finally understood what love meant, or perhaps that it truly existed at all. Until then, he had never known.

He restrained himself, knowing that loving someone from the temple was forbidden. Even if such love were possible, she would have to abandon her position as a sage. He knew Yeonhwa would never give up her sacred duties merely to become his concubine, so he buried his feelings.

But he could no longer endure it.

For the past three months, he had continuously made advances toward her, yet she always refused him. Surely there had to be a way, a way for the woman he loved would not have to lose herself for loving him. Yet he did not even know if she felt same way for him.

Yeonhwa suddenly dropped to her knees, dumbfounded and unable to find the right words.

"Please, help me, my king. I fear I cannot even harbour such thoughts. I fear I cannot give Your Majesty an answer. I deserve to be beheaded."

Her voice trembled.

Though her head remained lowered, he knew she was fighting back tears. He did not wish to torment the woman he loved for the sake of his selfish desires.

"Rise."

Yeonhwa slowly stood to her feet.

"You shouldn't use the word 'behead' so carelessly before a king. He may very well take the suggestion. You should remember this in the future ," he advised as he stepped closer to her.

Yeonhwa shut her eyes, wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into, when she suddenly felt warm hands cradle her cheeks. Hyeonjo gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before lifting her face to meet his gaze.

Yeonhwa slowly opened her eyes.

"I had my tailor design a white yungbok. It was among the gifts I sent to your quarters. If I could see you wearing it at my brother's handover ceremony, I would be glad."

Hyeonjo gently withdrew his hands and stepped back.

"Your wish is my command, Your Majesty."

"Mm-mm. Not as a command, as a request. I'll never force you to do something you do not wish to do, Yeonhwa. I promise you, I'll find a way for our love. Perhaps then, I will finally hear you say you love me too. Please... wait for me until then."

Yeonhwa remained silent, uncertain of what to say.

"Let me not keep my brother waiting any longer. You may leave."

Yeonhwa bowed before stepping backward respectfully, only turning once she had enough distance from the king. The doors closed behind her.

She hurried toward her people waiting atop their horses. Bowing briefly to Cheonsu, she noticed the soft exhale that escaped him before climbing onto her horse. Yul glanced at her momentarily before looking away.

In the distance, the king approached with Lincoln and his train of maids following behind him.

"It was nice having you here after so long. I hope we do this more often."

"I hope so too. I'll see you at my handover ceremony, brother," Cheonsu replied with a knowing smile before raising his hand into the air.

The night had already grown deep, and he did not wish to disturb the city's peace. A portal opened before them, and he led his knights through it before it vanished without a trace.

The five horses passed through the temple gates the moment they opened, only to be met with chaos among the students.

A fight had broken out, though the crowd made it difficult to see clearly. The atmosphere was loud and frantic.

"There's a camouflage," Nari muttered.

Everyone turned toward her, understanding exactly what that meant.

Nari froze, her eyes widening. She had seen something.

Their gazes shifted cautiously, searching for the spirit hidden among them.

Suddenly, the rowdy students collapsed to the ground, leaving only one standing at the centre.

She appeared possessed.

Her eyes had turned completely white.

The students regained their senses and immediately scrambled away in terror, crawling across the ground while screaming in fear.

Cheonsu and the four knights remained atop their horses, completely unfazed.

The possessed girl staggered toward them. Her bones crackled grotesquely, breaking and snapping back into place as she moved.

"Hah... hah... hah..." She laughed. Two voices echoed from her mouth simultaneously.

"A beast will be born, who will kill his mother, kill his father and lover, and ascend the throne."

The terrified students hiding nearby murmured amongst themselves.

Her words were familiar.

They were the final words of a witch.

Black magic had long been forbidden in Joseon, though some still practiced it in secret. Years ago, during an investigation led by the temple, a hidden coven had been discovered and raided. One of the witches had been captured, and before she was burned alive, she cursed the land with those exact words.

The memory replayed vividly in Cheonsu's mind, the flames, her voice, her agonizing screams.

He swallowed hard.

"Nari," Cheonsu called.

"It's not her."

Nari could see no trace of black energy radiating from the possessed student. Someone else was controlling her.

She turned sharply to her left and spotted a girl standing silently beside a pillar.

A dark shadow lingered beside her.

Nari's eyes widened in shock. The girl wore a red yungbok, meaning she was a student. Without hesitation, Nari launched herself from her horse and flew toward the girl. In one swift motion, she struck the girl with the dark shadow at the neck.

The possessed one instantly collapsed unconscious.

The invader twirled away, clutching her neck in pain as she quickly took a defensive stance. One of the students a close friend of the girl whose appearance the invader had taken, stood frozen in utter shock. She knew her friend was not an invader. Surely, Nari had made a mistake.

A fierce combat immediately broke out between Nari and the invader.

Nari unsheathed her daggers while the girl moved swiftly, dodging every strike with unnatural speed. Yeonhwa noticed she was preparing to flee.

The invader leapt high into the air, but Yeonhwa was already there waiting for her. She intercepted the girl midair and slammed her back to the ground.

Min instantly flew down from his horse and stretched his hand toward a burning lamp stand nearby. The flames obeyed his command, spiralling toward him before he thrust them at the invader, whom Yeonhwa had already forced onto her knees. The fire coiled tightly around the girl's wrists like blazing handcuffs.

Yeonhwa tilted her head slightly.

Yul immediately understood.

He leapt into the air, drawing his sword before landing gracefully before them. Without hesitation, he swung his blade, aiming to behead the invader.

Clang!

Nari drew her own sword and blocked his strike.

"Nari!" Cheonsu shouted as he dismounted from his horse, confusion flashing across his face.

He could not understand why she had stopped Yul.

At once, the girl's friend collapsed to her knees.

"Please don't kill my friend! I do not wish to question your judgement, but you must be mistaken! She is one of us, Senior!" she cried desperately through tears.

The four of them turned toward the kneeling girl, bewildered by her reaction.

"She is a mimic. If we kill her, we will kill one of our own." Nari explained.

"She obviously disguised herself as one of us. She is not one of our own," Yeonhwa countered sharply.

"I said she is a mimic!" Nari snapped. "If she is able to use the face of one of us, then she must be holding the real person hostage somewhere. Killing her will kill that person too. We must separate them first."

Understanding immediately dawned upon them.

Cheonsu turned toward the kneeling girl. She wore the same red yungbok as the invader, they were the reds.

"You recognize her?"

The girl nodded repeatedly.

Cheonsu shifted his gaze toward the group of red-robed students.

"Is she familiar to all of you?"

They all nodded in confirmation.

Yul slowly lowered his sword.

"Can you locate the girl's energy?" he asked.

Nari closed her eyes briefly, attempting to sense it. Moments later, she opened them and turned to Cheonsu, shaking her head.

"Where is she?" Cheonsu demanded, his gaze darkening as he looked at the invader.

"I'd rather die than tell you," she laughed hysterically.

Cheonsu walked toward her and stretched out his hand. His energy intensified instantly, inflicting unbearable pain upon her.

The invader screamed in agony, but Yeonhwa held her firmly in place.

"Nari!" Cheonsu called.

Nari immediately leapt into the air. Her eyes scanned through the temple grounds until she finally sensed a faint energy source.

"The storage room!"

Yeonhwa instantly released the invader and rushed toward Min. In mere seconds, the two of them appeared before the storage room.

Min kicked the door open.

Inside, a girl lay motionless atop a pile of hay. Min hurried toward her and checked her pulse. He looked back at Yeonhwa and nodded.

She was still alive.

He carefully lifted the unconscious girl into his arms before stepping outside to meet Yeonhwa. In the blink of an eye, they returned to the courtyard.

Min gently lowered the girl onto the ground, supporting her upright against him. Her friend gasped in relief before rushing forward and kneeling beside her in tears.

"She doesn't have much time left," Min warned anxiously.

"You should all prepare yourselves! Doom is coming!" the invader screamed before bursting into hysterical laughter once more.

The blue streaks within Yeonhwa's eyes brightened intensely. Energy surged through her palms as she struck the invader with overwhelming force.

The power engulfed the girl's entire body in radiant light. Yeonhwa continued pouring energy into her despite the strain causing her own body to tremble.

The invader screamed violently.

Then suddenly,

Her body crumbled into dust.

A white flame emerged from the ashes and floated through the air before entering the unconscious girl's chest.

Everyone watched in tense silence.

The courtyard remained completely still.

Then suddenly,

The girl gasped sharply and opened her eyes. A collective sigh of relief swept through the crowd as her friend immediately embraced her tightly. Min quietly stepped aside to give them space.

Cheonsu turned toward the remaining students as they slowly assembled in the courtyard once more.

"A mimic entered the temple, a witch. Such a thing has never happened before," Cheonsu declared firmly. "This is an open threat. An indication that they no longer fear us. A declaration of war."

His voice deepened.

"Joseon has never stood with them, and it never will. This is a warning to us all. Prepare yourselves, so none of you become weak enough to fall victim."

"Yes, my Lord!" they chorused in unison.

"You may all retire."

One by one, the students departed from the courtyard.

The girl helped her rescued friend to her feet before they both bowed gratefully to Min, who returned the gesture with a slight nod.

Soon, the courtyard was empty, leaving only Cheonsu and the four knights standing before him.

"They knew the exact moment to attack," Yul said.

"All the teachers had left the temple, and we were at the palace," Nari added.

"Someone gave them information. That could not have happened through mere coincidence," Min said.

"The audacity to infiltrate this temple..." Cheonsu muttered darkly.

"It's an open declaration of war," Yeonhwa said quietly.

Cheonsu nodded before turning toward them. "You should all retire. You've had a long day." The four bowed respectfully and began walking away when Cheonsu suddenly called out.

"Yeonhwa."

His voice was gentler this time.

Yeonhwa stopped walking and turned back while the others continued ahead, leaving the two of them alone in the courtyard.

"I will not ask what you discussed with my brother," Cheonsu began quietly, "however, I hope you remember the greater purpose for which you were chosen."

He took a slow breath before turning away and leaving her standing alone beneath the moonlit sky.

Yeonhwa slowly entered her room and shut the door behind her. Her eyes immediately landed on three boxes wrapped in royal silk resting on the floor.

The king's gifts.

She walked toward them and sat beside the boxes before carefully unwrapping the first one.

Inside was a beautiful white yungbok.

She lifted it gently, admiring the pale pink petals embroidered delicately across the fabric.

A faint smile touched her lips.

It was beautiful.

She carefully folded the robe and placed it back into the box before wrapping it once more.

Opening the second box, she found a beautiful red card tied neatly with a ribbon. She untied it carefully and opened the card, revealing a folded letter inside.

Yeonhwa unfolded the paper.

It read:

Love didn't even choose me. It chose you, and you led it to me.

A blush spread across Yeonhwa's cheeks.

She carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into the card.

Finally, she opened the last box. Inside rested a necklace with a green jade pendant. It appeared to be only half of a complete piece. She noticed a small note inside the box and picked it up.

It read:

I have the other half, and I know this half will be safest with you.

Her cheeks flushed even deeper.

Yeonhwa gently placed the necklace around her neck and held the pendant softly in her hand.

But slowly, her smile faded.

She immediately set the card and note aside before wrapping the boxes once more.

Walking toward her drawer, she opened it to reveal several similar red cards already stored neatly inside. She placed the new letter among them before shutting and locking the drawer.

Yeonhwa then walked toward her bed and sat beside it, crossing her legs as she prepared to meditate.

Yet the moment she closed her eyes,

A memory of Hyeonjo flashed through her mind.