2. ...is just a beginning.

Saehon opened her eyes. She was tranquil and calm, feeling nothing and floating in her consciousness. The sky she saw above her head was blue, like never before. A sky like that existed only on paintings and in dreams. Now even kids always drew the sky in gray. But this one was blue. That is why even though the sun blinded her she refused to close her eyes.

She didn't know how long she lay there without blinking. She didn't think about anything, she didn't want to remember blood and pain that marked the last moments of her life. She didn't want to remember betrayal. The only thing she knew was the color of the sky and the lovely feeling of grass between her fingers. This sky was so blue. So blue.... The grass felt soft and wet, it was cold and sleek. There was no dust on it. She could feel it as it slightly tickled her hand.

She thought for a moment that if this would be the last thing she saw she wouldn't mind dying.

But unfortunately the reality had to catch up to her. It came with the pain in her forehead, a soft voice and a warm hand on her back.

Saehon knew better than to sit on the ground in the presence of a stranger. She tried to stand up, but she tripped over her dress.

She never wore a dress. Damn, she has never even seen one!

She violently shook her head and felt something warm dripping on her finger. A too-familiar scent of blood reached her nose, so she raised her hand to her forehead and touched the hurting place. Her fingers returned stained red.

SNAP!

She woke up from her lethargy suddenly aware of everything. She was sitting on a field of flowers with a man right behind her. He was supporting her and talking to her.

"Miss! Are you alright?"

"I..." Was she? She didn't know. But she couldn't let him know that. She didn't know him. She couldn't trust him.

"I'm fine." Once again she attempted to stand up. She managed to do so with the man's help. She moved away from him and looked at his face. He was very beautiful with bright skin, dark, round eyes and full, coral lips. Most of his long, shining black hair fell on his back, but some were tied in a small bun on top of his head. He had a golden accessory pinned to it, it looked similar to the ones she saw on ancient paintings in their hideout. He was tall, at least a head taller than her. His shoulders were wide and he was dressed in gold. The fabric had very high quality, higher than Saehon has ever seen.

"Who..." she cleared her throat, hearing her hoarse voice. "Who are you?"

"You don't know who I am?" He seemed to be very surprised by her question. Saehon only shook her head.

"My name is Wang Selgion."

Saehon nod her head making sure she remembered that.

This was surely not the reaction he expected.

"You still don't know who I am?"

"Am I supposed to?" She asked carelessly and looked around.

"Where are we? Are we in heaven? The colors are very bright and lively."

The man didn't respond. He seemed worried.

"Sit down and let me have a look at your head."

Saehon looked at him suspiciously.

"I can manage."

"Young miss, you are bleeding. I am a physician, I can help you."

He looked at her with concern.

"So you're a physician?"

Saehon asked, now understanding why he thought she should know him. After all there were very few doctors. In her group of two hundred rebels they had only three. Only one of them survived the attack a month ago. Finally she sat down. If he really wanted to harm her he would have done so a long time ago. But that didn't mean that she let her guard down.

Wang Selgion sighed and took a closer look at her injury.

"May I know your name, lady?" He suddenly asked.

Saehon stayed silent. And that wasn't because she didn't want to answer him, she just wasn't sure if she knew the answer. She was slowly understanding that this was a different world. Was her name still Saehon?

"I..." She trailed off, not sure what to say. She changed her position feeling awkward, but she felt something pressing against her leg. She felt around with her hand and took out a silver pendant. She looked at it closely. It was beautifully craved with a bird design, something like a swallow.

"What's this?" She mumbled to herself.

"Stay still for a moment, please. I am almost done."

Wang Selgion said patiently and calmly. Then he saw the pendant in her hands.

"Your family pendant?" He asked and gently took it out of her fingers.

"So you're from minister Yan's family. That means that you can only be Yan Meijin."

Saehon looked at him surprised.

"Yan Meijin?" She thought for a moment. "I like that name. I can be Yan Meijin."

Wang Selgion glanced at her, a look of understanding appearing on his face.

"If I'm not wrong, you lost your memories. That's why you don't know me."

For a time silence fell. Saehon didn't have anything to say, while Wang Selgion was busy bandaging her head. When he was done he gave her a little, round, white pill.

"Eat it. It'll keep the pain away."

Saehon took the pill from him and swallowed it without a question. He was a bit surprised, but he didn't show it. He thought that she would still be suspicious, but now it seemed as if she decided to trust him.

The atmosphere became very nice, they both felt like their shallow relationship somehow changed. Saehon was afraid of breaking this state of lightness, so she didn't speak a word. Instead she looked at him. At first he appeared very beautiful, nearly perfect. But now she noticed that his eyebrows were slightly uneven. She couldn't help but smile as she found this little flaw.

After another moment of silence he stood up and offered her a hand.

"Since miss doesn't remember anything I can lead you to your father."

Saehon nod in response and stood up with his help. She shouldn't go with him. He could take her anywhere, but she felt a weird feeling of trust towards this rich, young man. There was also another reason for her decision.

The word "father" triggered her most beautiful memories, the word "father" meant trust, protection, warmth and love. It meant safety. She couldn't help but hope that it was really her father, that the past month and what happened before was nothing but a bad dream. She wanted to believe that this world was real and she was really a noble's daughter found by a physician. Or maybe this was a beautiful dream after death. A picture her brain gave her, a "what if". What if I lived in a different world.

They reached the mansion within half an hour, because Saehon had to stop and rest for a bit. Why was she this weak? She looked up to see the building and froze.

"Am I... a princess?" She asked, but before Wang Selgion could answer someone ran out the door.

"Meijin-ah!"

When her fathers voice reached her, she was heavily disappointed. Although she tried not to rise her expectations it still hurt when an unfamiliar voice called her. Unfamiliar voice with an unfamiliar face. Her father's face was round with thin messy beard and mustache, but this man had thin face with barely any facial hair. He wore a funny, tall hat and had his long hair tied tightly in a bun. He was dressed in a weird ancient clothing.

"Father...?"

"What happened to you?" The man ran to her, but she backed away.

"Are you my father?"

"Meijin-ah... Do you... not recognize me?"

Saehon shook her head.

"This young miss hit her head very hard and lost her memories as a result. There is a chance they will return, but she will most likely never get them back."

The man in gold spoke attracting Meijin's father's attention. The old man paled.

"Your..."

He started saying, but one look from the man made him go quiet. After a little thought he asked.

"If I may have young master's name..."

Wang Selgion stiffened a little, before truthfully answering.

"My name is Wang Selgion."

Minister Yan hesitantly turned back to his daughter.

"Meijin-ah... Why don't you come inside? Would you like to come for a cup of tea, young master?"

Wang Selgion nod his head and they all walked inside. Saehon tried to keep her mouth closed as she looked with awe at her surroundings. She was actually dazed by the beauty of her new house. It was the most amazing place she has ever seen! The walls were white like snow and the wood had a very rich, orange-red color. The paintings seemed real. It was like an entirely new world!

"Are you a prince? This place looks like a palace." Saehon asked as soon as they sat down.

"Not really, my dear. I am just the king's cousin and his advisor." He sat in front of her, but his eyes still looked at the bandage on her forehead.

"Does it hurt a lot?" He sounded really concerned.

She was about to lie, but then she realized that she doesn't need to be strong anymore. She was a noble's daughter now, not a survivor. She was not an outcast. She can let go. She can rest. With a sigh she leaned back on the pillows.

"It hurts. A lot. And I am so tired. I am so, so tired. But at the same time I feel so light. Like I don't weight a thing. It's... It's lovely." She said with a smile and looked at her father's worried face.

Wang Selgion looked at her with a small smile.

"And you actually said that "you're fine" when I asked you."

Saehon straightened awkwardly, but didn't say anything. The physician laughed softly.

They talked for half an hour longer, before Wang Selgion had to excuse himself. Her father assigned for Saehon three maids and a bodyguard to follow her wherever she went.

When the rich man left, Saehon let herself fall onto the pillows. She felt weird in this new world. It was like suddenly coming from hell to heaven. She was so happy she laughed. No more responsibility, no more caring and worrying about food or shelter. No more pain, sorrow, fear. No more death. She really felt very light, like a feather. The great burden was taken off of her shoulders and suddenly she could breathe. She felt like a little girl again, free of worries, playing with her mom and dad and Sengo... Her heart ached when she remembered him. She still wasn't sure if she hated him or loved him. It hurt her when she imagined what they might have done to him to get that much out of him, but she was also hurt because of his betrayal. So many people died.

"Honey!"

The old man's voice reached her.

She slowly opened her eyes. She didn't even know when she closed them. Everything was blurry as she realized that she was crying. She touched her cheek. For the first time in years she felt her own tears. But once one of them fell the others followed and there was no stopping to that river. She still tried, but she was so exhausted that she was helpless in this matter.

"Don't cry... There, there. Don't be sad. We'll get your memories back somehow."

Her father hugged her while she cried her heart out, but she pushed him away. She didn't want him, she wanted her real father. She couldn't bear to look at the thin man who replaced her. Crying helped a little, the tears were soothing and cleansing. They took away her pain and fear, all tension from the past few years. They cleared her soul and her mind. It's like pain flowed out of her instead of water.

"Thank you. I'm alright now." She spoke quietly after some time and looked back at the unfamiliar man.

"I'll go rest now." She stood up and immediately three maids and a bodyguard were by her side.

"Lead me to my room."

Once she reached her destination she looked at the four people in front of her.

"Tell me your names."

They seemed to be taken aback by her request, but the old maid quickly composed herself and answered.

"Those are Nabi and Nari" she pointed at two young, twin girls and then at the bodyguard; "...and this is Jonyu. I am Mangya."

Saehon nod her head. She wanted to cry in peace so she dismissed them.

"You may go. I am going to sleep now."

When they left the room she lay down on her bed and let the tears flow once again. She felt like she has fallen apart.

When the war took her mother away she was shattered. But she had no time to work on building herself again, so she just glued her parts together without caring where they belonged. As the result she had spikes and she was somehow like a hastily put together machine that worked against all rules of this world. So now she was falling apart, the glue letting go, because she had time to build herself. She had time to fix herself and be a solid person again.

She was falling apart and it felt wonderful.