Chapter 7:The Oath
324 Words
CHAPTER 7: The Oath
Day 2 of 7.
Training yard.
Kadir was teaching the soldiers how to fight without killing.
"Disarm, not destroy," he said. "We are building a kingdom, not a graveyard."
Seo-ah watched from the side. Archery in her hands.
One of the Northern captains scoffed. "What does a Joseon princess know of war?"
Seo-ah didn’t answer. She just drew her bow.
Thwack. Center of the target. 50 meters.
Thwack. Again.
Thwack. Again.
The whole yard went quiet.
Kadir’s mouth twitched. "She knows enough."
After training, they walked the walls together.
"Minho won’t wait 7 days," Seo-ah said. "He’ll come on day 5."
"Then we’ll be ready on day 4," Kadir said.
He stopped walking. Turned to her.
"I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"If it comes to it... if it’s me or your kingdom... who will you choose?"
Seo-ah’s heart dropped.
"Don’t make me choose," she whispered.
"I have to know," Kadir said. "Because I already chose."
"What did you choose?"
"You," he said simply. "I choose you. Even if it costs me the North."
Snow fell between them.
Seo-ah stepped forward. Took his hand. No gloves. Skin to skin.
"Then I choose you too," she said. "Even if it costs me Joseon."
Kadir stared at their joined hands like he’d never seen hands before.
"Say it again," he whispered.
"I choose you, Kadir."
He exhaled. Like he’d been holding his breath for years.
"Then we make an oath," he said. "Not as king and princess. As us."
He drew his dagger. Cut his palm. Blood welled.
He held out his hand to her.
Seo-ah took her own dagger. Cut her palm.
She placed her bleeding hand in his.
"Blood for blood," Kadir said. "Oath for oath."
"Together," Seo-ah finished. "Against the world."
The wind howled.
Above them, the Northern flag and the Joseon ribbon she wore fluttered together.
Day 2 of 7.
And the war hadn’t even started yet.
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