Chapter 3

As they went further into the cave, the Princess could not help but express her uneasiness in a complaint.

"Where are we and why are we here ?"...she asked .

Yan gave her no reply but continued to walk till he got to what looked like the far end of the cave . It wasn't a far ended cave as it was rather small , but it's space could contain at least 50 men who sought a place to hide . He pulled up a stone from on top of a rope and immediately, a tarp made of seaweed covered the cave's entrance. Yan used this as some kind of camouflage whenever he was hiding out from something or just avoiding a deep conversation with Vernon. Closing the entrance of the cave made it dark and so, he lit a fire in their midst and sat on a big rock.

"I asked where we were !"...…she raised her voice in annoyance at his silence.

"if there is one thing I know about the bandits of mono, it is their inability to run away without coming back. We must hide out here until sun down, just in case they come looking for you again. Afterwards I will take you back to your chambers "... he finally answered.

she seemed satisfied with his answer and so she sat at the other end of the fire on a wooden log.

"ahh"… she Moaned to herself in pain. Yan noticed her gestures and observed her for a while. After a deep sigh, he got up and moved towards her. She leaned backwards in fright and confusion as to why he was coming close to her. The thoughts of being raped by a commoner in a cave rushed through her mind.

"What are you doing?"...she asked in curiosity, following him with her eyes.

he ignored her and knelt in front of her. Without a single word still, he raised her traditional gown slightly to reveal her knees which left her completely uncomfortable and in a haste to escape this creepy and untrustworthy peasant's company.

"How dare u try to touch me!, I will have u beheaded you lowly—"….

"I hope you understand that if I had let those bandits kill you, you would have been dead. So if I decide to kill you in this lonely place, it would make no difference so if I were you, I'd watch my tongue at least till I leave this place".

a look of fright plastered her face as she watched him blow on the cut on her knee. A small feeling of relief melted the fear in her heart as she continued to watch him caress her knee in attempt to stop the bleeding.

"How did you get this ?"... he asked without looking up to her.

"When the bandits pulled me out of my travel box, I scrapped my knee"…. She replied, staring at his long black hair, held up in a loose ponytail.

He sighed and glanced around as though he were looking for something but couldn't find it.

"We can't let this get infected, unless it would turn into a sore "....

she continued to stare at him until she found herself slightly blushing. He pulled out his hair tie and wrapped her knee with it. She immediately lost focus of her injured leg at the sight of how handsome he was with his hair let down . He looked up to catch her staring at him and immediately, a smirk grew on his face . He got up to his feet and dusted his knee off the sand from the floor.

"I'll come back and check on you later but for now, I have to submit my tax before father gets hit again "....

"When will you come back?"...she asked.

"I'll be back as soon as the guards are done beating the villagers for not submitting their taxes"….

he didn't look back at her as he left the cave. He picked up his antelope and left, unknowing that the eyes of the princess watched him as he escaped the mountain where the cave sat.

The villagers gathered, murmuring to themselves in fear and agony as they watched the police guards whip an old man who wiggled on the dusty floor in pain. They all watched with pity as the guards embarrassed and manhandled the man even though no one tried to help him, for fear of being treated the same way by the officers . Their horses stood afar off, chewing on grass and neighing to themselves.

"You promised to pay your tax today and as usual you have failed to do so, so you must suffer for disobeying his majesty's orders. Whenever your stupid son gets here, he'll receive his own beating "…..Minster Yanqua chuckled evilly as he constantly signaled to the police officers to whip him some more . The young police officers felt pity as they continued to lash the old man but they could do nothing but follow the orders of the Minister of tax affairs.

"Stop stop!"... a palace maiden came running from amongst the crowds. She fell on the old man, shielding him with her back from the painful lashes of the Cain.

"Stop"… the minister signaled to the officers who in turn, seized from flogging the old man and maiden on the floor.

"What are you doing outside your mistress's Chambers?"...he asked.

"I was on the way to the south river to fetch some water when I saw your majesty harassing my father"...she looked up to him in submission.

"He has refused to pay his tax and until his son arrives with the tax meat, I will continue to flog him. so,move aside unless you want to join him"...

"But...But…But My lord, this man is too old for this type of punishment. What if he dies?"….

"The palace doesn't care about you peasant. so, why should I?, after all you are all nothing but dirty folks who work to feed the nobles "…..

"Yiro….stop, I'll be fine "...the old man slowly held unto her hands . He had managed to get on his butt while Yiro begged the Minister on her knees , to consider Vernon's old age.

"Surely my lord, you possess a heart and so you must show mercy "....she continued to beg.

"Yiro, I said to stop that"….. his voice became louder and more authoritative.

Yiro ignored Vernon and continued begging. An evil smile grew on the minister's face as he watched Yiro plead for the old man on her knees while holding unto the lower part of his garment.

"If I spare him, will you do whatever I tell you ?"...

"yes …Yes …Yes My lord, whatever you say just let the old man go "...

Vernon looked up to see the the minister's facial expression and immediately, a rush of anger and disgust ran through his veins.

"Yiro I said stop that !"...he yelled loudly.

The minister, disgusted at his audacity, signaled to the officers to continue flogging him regardless of yiro's begging.

"Minister Yanqua please I beg—-"...

An antelope came flying through the air and into the midst of the people. They all turned to see Yan standing there with anger in his eyes at the sight of his beaten up father on the floor. He turned to see Yiro begging and the sight folded his hands into a fist. He managed to control his anger as he walked in the minister's direction with his eyes fixed on him.

"That's our tax, now let my father and Yiro go!".... He glared at him uninterrupted. The minister looked straight into his eyes without fear as though he had been waiting for him all the while .

"You are just as stubborn as your father and one day I'll ruin the both of you. I'm just sad that that day is not today. Count yourself lucky Yan"…

Yan said nothing as he watched the minister and guards walk away. meanwhile,Yiro was still on her knees and Vernon still on the floor . As soon as they left and the crowd faded out, Yiro rushed up to her feet and went to help Vernon up. Yan did nothing but watched them leave as he fought hard to remain sane after what they had just done to his abducted father.

"Yan come help me with grandpa"….. Yiro interrupted his thoughts. Yan looked away from the fading officers and rushed over to help grandpa who continued to moan in pain as they led him to the cottage where he and Yan stayed.

Yiro had successfully put Vernon to sleep after treating his wounds and feeding him. She came out to meet Yan who sat on the bench, staring at the small tree in front of the wooden fence. She could tell he was unhappy with what had happened and instead of yelling or hitting him in the head like she always did when he forgot to pay his taxes or didn't pay it on time, she sat beside him on the bench and sought a way to comfort him. Even though Yiro was four years younger than Yan, the two always behaved like best friends who were the same age. They did everything together until she became old enough to be a palace maiden and he became a hunter.

"Are you okay?"...…she asked.

"should I be okay !"....he snapped, soon regretting it. He turned sadly to meet her eyes which assured him that she understood how he felt and wasn't offended at his outburst.

"I'm sorry Yiro"…..

"it's okay Yan, I would also be mad if I had to see granpa in that kind of position again."...

A feeling of relieve filled his heart at the thought of Yiro's sense of understanding. His thoughts were distracted by the sight of scars on Yiro's arms from the flogging.

"Your arms "... he seemed concerned.

she looked down at them and then back at him and smiled.

"I'm fine. I'm just glad Vernon is strong enough to take hits like that. "....

"But I need to —-"…..

"I'm fine Yan, really I am"...she assured him.

After a silent while, she noticed his undone hair and immediately loosened a tie from her hair. She got up and stood behind him, leaving him to question what she was doing.

"I told you to stop leaving your hair out like this Yan, now I have to do it again"…..

Yan immediately smiled at this statement. He knew yiro couldn't resist the urge to tie his Long black hair and he loved whenever she ran her hands through his hair. The relaxing sensation often put him to sleep and for some reason, only Yiro's hands could do that to him.

As she tied his hair, he felt relaxed and soothed. He wanted her to continue tying his hair forever but when she noticed he enjoyed her hands in his hair, she chuckled and then ran her fingers across his edges.

"Yeah that's the stuff"...he blurted out which left Yiro laughing.

"You are such a child "…..

"it was as though God made your hands for my hair "...he chuckled as well.

"Do you feel better now?"...she asked

"I do"…. He let out a loud sigh. "Thanks Yiro, for everything ".

"Good. Since everyone is fine, I'll be going now. I don't want to get in trouble with my mistress"….

"Do your really have to go ?"…..Yan asked in a sad tone as though he were sad she was going.

"I'll come back tomorrow evening, I promise "…..she assured him as she walked away and then out of sight.

As Yan watched her , he blushed to himself. He felt happy and grateful that he had her in his life even though he in no ways showed her that.