Till The Ryu Tree Blossoms

**** (Stigma)

Royal Magistrate's Chambers, the Palace

"THE TRACKS WENT UP the mountain pass."

"Both?"

No-mu shook his head. "Another one went into the woods. We couldn't track it any further, which is weird really. A monster of that size can't not leave behind a trail of destruction wherever it goes. The tracks went up to a certain point, and then it was as if it just vanished. The mountain pass one as well. Broken trees, scuffed up stones all the way till the beginning of the pass, then poof! Gone. No idea how."

The lamps in Yoon-ki's chambers threw bright light all around the table, where they were seated. Five round chairs, one stone table. One chair was empty.

Faye frowned. "But those two demons are pretty much twin images of one another. Why did they head different ways?"

"That's something else we need to look into," No-mu replied. "As a general rule, demons are nothing more than animals with supernatural abilities. They don't possess intelligence, so to speak. They congregate in a herd and follow the alpha, eat when they're hungry and attack when they're threatened. Following this logic, hunting them should play out a similar pattern to hunting that polar bear creature from the other day."

Faye thought. “So you're telling me they're just like all the others we've hunted before? Very strong, very dangerous, but ultimately – able to be outwitted?”

Vigorously, No-mu nodded. “Yes. That's just how demons are.”

Ryu hesitated. Her broken arm was aching again.

"Are you sure? I don't . . . I don't think that's the case this time."

"What do you mean?"

All three were now looking at her. Suddenly she felt self-conscious.

She wavered, not sure how to begin. "Well I'm not trying to just - dismiss - what you guys have said, I mean, you guys have spent way more time hunting demons than I have, but . . . the ones we faced . . . they were different, somehow. I don't know. If it's true what you said, that demons attack based on the same reasons animals do, then that means they attacked the palace for only three possible reasons - food, territory and self-defense.

"But none of that makes any sense. They attacked first, so it wasn't self-defense. And the palace isn't breaching some sort of demonic territory. Plus, I don't think demons would crash a banquet to steal some roasted duck and rice wine?"

"So what are you suggesting?"

"I'm saying that it seems like they attacked us . . . just because. I mean, look at the victims. None of them were killed outright; they were all maimed, mutilated in some way and then died from those injuries. It was as if - "

" - they were playing with us," Faye finished. "And us dying was just a side outcome."

"Yes." Ryu went quiet. "Exactly.”

No-mu frowned. “But that’s impossible. Demons don’t have that kind of mental intellect. They’re literally just overpowered dumb beasts. Maybe something about the banquet caught their attention and they wandered in, then freaked out when we freaked out.”

“You weren’t there, No-mu. You didn’t see how they were like,” Ryu insisted. “They weren’t freaking out, they were – they were having fun.”

No-mu looked at Yoon-ki. “Is this true?”

From where Ryu was sitting, half of Yoon-ki’s face was cast in shadow. The other half that was visible was unreadable. Since the beginning of their meeting until now, the royal magistrate had said in total less than three sentences.

“Yoon-ki?”

Yoon-ki shifted. “No-mu is right. For demons of the norm, yes. Demons we usually tackle, yes.”

A pause.

“Demons from seven days ago . . . no.”

No-mu’s eyes widened like saucers and his jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“This breed is different.” Yoon-ki’s tone was the grimmest Ryu had ever heard coming out from his lips. “And Ryu is right, they like to toy. They like to play. They had so many chances to kill the people in the banquet hall, but they didn’t. Instead they decided to tear apart a shoulder here, a leg there . . . gouging out a random eye and chomping a bite out of someone’s waist.

“The demon that gave me my wound? It was juggling an eunuch up and down. Throwing him up with one claw and catching him with the next. The poor man was screaming his head off until one claw pierced him right in the chest and ended his misery. And even then the demon wasn’t satisfied.” Yoon-ki sounded increasingly agitated. “It shook the dead body up and down like a child wondering why their plaything wasn’t working anymore, before tossing him aside.”

In Ryu’s mind she could see clearly the scene from that night, like it was being played out in front of her. She swallowed.

“The two demons that caught me, they did the same thing. Smash me against the wall first. Then picked me up and tried to rip me apart. And they were laughing, all the while they were laughing – ”

“Hold up.” No-mu raised a hand. “What do you mean, laughing? Like – an animal cackling?”

“No. Laughing. As in human laughing.”

“That’s ridi – ”

Faye snapped her fingers, sharp. “There’s something all of you should know. I wanted to bring it up but Yoon-ki was bedridden and the funeral occupied all my time. Here’s the thing – the demons spoke. As in they spoke in a comprehensible, human language, using a – a little girl’s voice. We could hear them. In our heads. They were saying – ”

“Come play with us. Where are you going?” Ryu shivered. “You don’t forget something like that in your lifetime.”

“And not just that,” Faye continued. “When the second prince asked them why they were doing this, they answered – because we’re still hungry. That’s what they said.”

No-mu stood up so fast his chair toppled over. A little bit of color had drained from his cheeks.

“Now that’s just bullcrap. Y’all are pulling my leg. That stuff ain’t real. What – you’re telling me they not only know how to speak our language, but also understand it? And they also display signs of intelligent thought? This is just – it’s not – this ain’t possible, man.”

“What I don’t understand,” Yoon-ki cut in, “is why we haven’t encountered them before. They’re obviously a higher level being of the demonic breed. Clever, mischievous, and most likely intelligent. Maybe that’s why they split ways. To confuse us, throw us off, whatever. The point is if they’re so damn smart, why haven’t we heard anything about them? Why have they not attempted this previously? Why is it, that for the past ten years, we’ve been hunting demons that now look like mere bugs in comparison to them? Did we set them off? A trigger perhaps, that make them step out of their hermit cave and take action? What did we do to invite their presence?”

Yoon-ki’s fist curled into itself. “Why have they suddenly decided to show up, kill, then vanish? What is the purpose?”

“Was the polar bear their underling or something?” Faye ventured. “Did we killing it make them go mad?”

There was something niggling at the back of Ryu’s mind. A thought, something begging to be noticed and put on the podium, something begging to be given a chance to speak. Something she was missing out on. Something she needed to remember.

In a flash, it came.

Her eyes enlarged, her voice rose, and she just about shot out of her chair.

“There was a person of magic there that night!”

The whole room stilled. Even the lamplight it seemed, ceased to flicker in their holders.

“Excuse me?” Yoon-ki asked.

“I saw it.” The words tumbled out of Ryu’s mouth in their haste to be heard. “I saw it – it was after Taehyung had left – Faye was gone, too – it was when it was just me, in the banquet hall. I saw it, there was someone there, just before I passed out – I saw him. A person with silver hair . . .”

No-mu threw up his hands in exasperation. “What is this – Shock The Hell Out of No-mu Day? Why are all of you only revealing these things to me a whole seven days after it happened? Did the incident gave you guys temporary amnesia, and y’all only remembered about it now? Goddamn!”

Yoon-ki was leaning forward in his chair, tone intense. “What happened? What did you see? Tell me exactly what went down, Ryu. This could really help us out. A person of magic showing up at the same time with demons of intelligent thought . . .”

Ryu’s eyebrows pulled together as she struggled to pull the information from her hazy memory.

“They had gotten me, the demons . . . they were pulling me apart. Then they just stopped. Disappeared. I fell, and when I was laying there . . . I was laying on the floor . . .”

Warmth. Light. A shrieking sound.

“The demons were being attacked by something. Like a – a light. Silver light. Like – liquid fire? But silver. They went completely bananas over it, full-out panic mode. That’s all I saw. And then just before I blacked out I saw the figure, someone standing near who had long silver hair. I don’t – it’s either I don’t remember or I didn’t see, but I don’t know the face. Or whether it’s male or female.”

Ryu stopped. “Whoever it was, it had silver hair. I’m highly sure of that.”

Faye spoke slowly. “So . . . a mysterious person with silver hair stepped in and saved your life then?”

Yoon-ki interrupted before Ryu could reply. “Or it could be a mysterious person with silver hair let the demons into the palace and reined them in when he or she decided they had wreck enough havoc. Magic isn’t something to be trusted. At all. Remember that.”

“Or maybe the person didn’t even have magic at all,” No-mu said hopefully. “Maybe he just dyed his hair silver. You know. For the heck of it. And he just happened to be there.”

Yoon-ki gave him a look. No-mu turned sheepish.

“Yea I – I didn’t think that was possible either.”

Firmly, the royal magistrate clapped his knees and leaned back. There was an odd look of satisfaction on his face, as if Ryu’s testimony had answered an unasked question.

“Well this throws a whole new light on things. Let’s lay out the facts.”

Yoon-ki raised a thumb. “One. A new level of demons capable of human speech and possible intelligence, thus displaying a very high danger factor, has initiated an attack on the palace for reasons unknown. This incident is the first of its kind.”

The index finger came up. “Two. A person of magic was seen using magic during this incident, probably causing the demons to stop their attacks and leave the palace. Again, for reasons unknown.

“Lastly, three. The incident has left behind a high mortality rate and public pressure for the court to act and re-establish a sense of reassurance in the society. Which in turn, leads to the King placing pressure on us, the royal hunting party, to track down the demons who have vanished in two different geographical regions. Also, we are currently one member short and have no idea what the hell is going on.”

Yoon-ki brought his hands together in a loud clap and forced a smile on his face.

“I’d say we’re off on a pretty good start, aren’t we?”

☯

“Why can’t we find it? We’ve searched everywhere, Your Highness, simply everywhere, the baths, your room . . .”

“I’m aware of that, Eunuch Jo. Calm down.”

“ . . . the funeral pyre, the corridors between here and the courtyard, the gardens – anywhere you’ve been to for the past week, Your Highness, we’ve searched them all!”

“It’s been a tremendous load on you, I know. I apologize. It’s all due to my carelessness. Thank you for your hard work.”

The pointed-toe shoes of the eunuch fretted over the light timber floor. “I don’t understand, someone must have taken it, someone must have, there is no way that it can just disappear on its own – ”

“My dear man. Calm down.”

“ – without the bangle, your right to the throne is denied! Without the bangle you cannot claim the kingdom as your inheritance, you have lost your position, you might even be denounced as Crown Prince – ”

“By Baro’s beard, will you calm the hell down?” Hoseok just about yelled.

Eunuch Jo completely froze, staring at the Crown Prince in shock. It was the first time he had heard a profanity slip from the prince’s lips, and it was also the first time he had ever been shouted at.

Regretting the sentence the moment it had left his lips, Hoseok squeezed his eyes shut. Silence reigned in the room for a moment. The beginnings of a pounding headache was showing itself, and reaching a hand up Hoseok massaged his temples. Seeing his discomfort, Eunuch Jo took a tentative step forward.

“Your Highness, are you al – ”

“Just – don’t for a second.” Hoseok could still hear the frustration in his voice and wrestled to keep it down. “Just don’t.”

Silence.

Wind ruffled the leaves of the tree outside, the sound coming in through the opened window. Eunuch Jo kept quiet. The Crown Prince was sitting behind his desk, quill in one hand and a parchment in the other. There were more papers still on the floor, stacked up in a haphazard pile. Bounded volumes of manuscripts as well with their blue faded covers, sitting patiently on the other side of the desk. The Crown Prince had been working on them since morning.

After a minute or two Hoseok spoke again, and this time he looked more like his usual self. A little rueful, tone apologetic, that gentle smile back on his features. Eunuch Jo relaxed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice at you, it’s just – ” Hoseok sighed. “I must present to Father what I’ve learned by noon, and there’s a lot more material I haven’t covered, I’m afraid. And of course, losing the bangle. I’ve placed an additional burden on your shoulders to locate it, and that makes me feel extremely guilty.”

If Eunuch Jo had reacted any faster he would have sprained his neck. Gesturing vehemently he said,

“Do not concern yourself about that, Your Highness! I am your loyal servant, your well-being is my onus! My whole existence is to aid you in any way possible, so that you may perform well in your role as heir expectant, please – let me take care of the things that interfere in your princely duties. It gives me great pleasure and honor to do so.”

Hoseok smiled. “You are too kind, Eunuch Jo. I dare say, with you around my heart lightens.”

A bell tolled, loud and clear, twice. Hoseok laid down his quill.

“Ah, the hour has come to meet my Father. I shall need to change out of these robes. Will you do me the favour of taking this current one to wash, Eunuch Jo? I’m afraid some of the ink has spilled.”

“Of course, Your Highness. I shall meet you outside the King’s chambers then, when I am done.”

The Crown Prince changed and left, and Eunuch Jo took the worn robes. Indeed there was ink spilled on it, a medium-sized blot near the hem. Eunuch Jo frowned. This was silk clothing, and the ink might have spread. The maids would have some trouble with this one.

He hastened out of the Crown Prince’s chambers, down the corridor and into the courtyard, looking round as he walked. It was a routine day in the court, a little more subdued than usual perhaps, due to recent events, but otherwise not straying far from normal. Though he did see a new face. A girl with a broken arm – what was she part of again? – ah yes. The royal hunting party. Eunuch Jo had never seen them before.

The laundry house was near the kitchens and already the maids were busy at work. Outside on the flagstones, there were girls working the hand crank to fill up washing tubs with water, and there was a whole deal of pounding and scrubbing going on. This was how most of the court had their clothes cleaned. But the King’s direct family had a different treatment.

Eunuch Jo entered the laundry house. Steam was everywhere, along with a pleasurable floral fragrance, from soap that was used only for royal clothing. Here the King, Queen and their children had their clothes first soaked, washed and the dirt beaten out, before being soaked again in soap and washed. Finally the clothes were heated, so when they reached back to the royal family it was warm and inviting to wear.

Eunuch Jo laid down the soiled robe next to a maid and gave her instructions on how to deal with it. The girl nodded. He took another look around the laundry house and was just about to leave when –

“Emi! What is this? How many times have I told you to bring only clothing inside the laundry house, and nothing else? If this falls into the furnace or jams up the water wheel, I will hold you responsible for it!”

The girl called Emi hurried forward with haste to stand in front of the head matron. “It wasn’t my fault, Ma’am! I found it inside a pair of trousers and thought I would return it to the owner later.”

The head matron waved the bangle around and Eunuch Jo’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

“Well you better find its owner soon and return it because I am not having – ”

Like a stone from a slingshot let loose, Eunuch Jo shoved his way forward and grabbed the bangle out from the head matron’s fingers. He stared at it for a moment to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him.

Looking back at Emi he asked, “In a pair of trousers you say? Whose?”

Emi blinked. “It – It was clothing from a patient. A patient from the sanitorium.”

“Do you have a name?” He was eager.

“Well – yes, I believe so. The sanitorium labelled everything.” Emi made her way to a large mountain of clothing, dried and folded. The clothes were all divided into bundles of different thickness, with a small note stuck to each. Emi picked out a bundle.

“There we go.” She read the neat handwriting out loud. “Han Ryu, royal hunting party.”

Han Ryu, royal hunting party.

The eunuch’s eyes gleamed. The Crown Prince’s bangle dug into his palm, so tight was his grip.

“Thank you. That’s all I need to know.”

☯

Ryu walked through the courtyard, kicking pebbles that her feet stumbled upon. It was deathly boring, waiting for her arm to heal. She couldn’t help Faye with training. She couldn’t practice her bow. She pretty much couldn’t do anything.

The rest of the hunting party was so busy. Well, except for Taehyung, maybe. She had no idea where he had went. And as each day passed, the more she got worried. They had fought before with each other, the entire party had. But this time it seemed different. Yoon-ki was being Yoon-ki – blunt and full of candor. These were the facts, this was our current situation. Deal with it. Besides, he had far more pressing matters to attend to and could hardly be expected to coax Taehyung to come back.

So in the end it was up to Taehyung himself to let go and move on. But he was taking an awfully long time about it, and Ryu was beginning to think that he never would.

She looked up, exhaling in a heavy sigh. A head of purple hair bobbed somewhere up ahead.

Ryu brightened. “Taehyung!”

The purple hair began moving slightly out of sight. Ryu walked faster, then jogged, and in the end outright ran.

“Taehyung! Taehyung – wait!”

She didn’t get any further however, because at that moment a man dressed in green robes with a black hat on his head cut abruptly into her path, right in front of her. Ryu skidded to a stop.

That was when she noticed the semi-circle of guards surrounding her on all sides, spears up and pointing. A constable stood just behind, arms crossed.

With triumph in his voice, Eunuch Jo declared,

“Han Ryu! I hereby declare you guilty of theft of the Crown Prince’s bangle. You – are under arrest!”