Treasure

"May you prosper…"

Seol meets his eye over the rim of her teacup, lukewarm tea that he had pronounced safe, trickles down her throat. It tastes of well-aged tea leaves, a hint of honey and a dash of rosewater. Lightening of fury in his eyes ebbs and thickens into something more twisted as she lowers the cup.

"Young master Kang."

There is a draft of winter that makes her shiver imperceptibly. Outside, just beyond the sheltered terrace where they stand – feathery snow begins to fall. Seo watches her for a moment longer, conversations around them falls into an irrelevant hum. Seol feels the shift in the air, the imperceptible shift of his gaze. He watches her as if she had crossed a line, done a foolish – yet endearing act which he is uncertain whether he should admonish her or not. The realization brings color to her cheeks and she drops her gaze, fingers tightening around the teacup.

Temper has taken the better of her, yet Seol refuses to feel the weight of judgement in his eyes. Instead, she puts down the cup – daring him to speak further. For a moment it seems that he would. But then, his eyes shifts to the falling snow and his jaw tightens. The fire builder of Naju – whose child Ohs had dragged in as the taster – prostrates himself, coal-stained hands reaching out to touch the hem of Seo's robes. Instead of addressing the man sobbing with gratitude and placating him Seo brushes his sleeves and leaves without a word of excuse.

"Oh there goes a Kang," An Ah doesn't endeavor to keep her voice down. Seol is too shocked to scowl at her. But soon the shock ebbs away anger replaces it. They both know well those Naju Ohs want him gone, thereby attaching the lands of Kangs to those of their own. Ohs have little to lose in the bargain, but she - Seol refuses to think about it and this blasted egoistic moron had to go and offer himself up as a taster!

She spends the last hour of the banquet glowering at his empty seat, ignoring the unflattering dissections of what the princess's actions had meant and stabbing her desert with a sense of violence that pretty delicate offering could not possibly inspire. Seol is glad lady Noh is by the queen's side now. Had the old lady been here she is sure to be confined to her chambers later for this less than elegant behavior. But no, she isn't and Min Ha the minion who had instead accompanied her could do very little in the face of her wrath. But she tries, disapproval obvious in her face.

"Young maidens don't share drinks with men, mama," she hisses as if Seol had not drank a cup of tea but murdered someone in the middle of the banquet hall. Even murder, which her imperial father had once or twice done in the middle of his imperial court no less – would not have volunteered such scandalous reproach. "It is a ritual limited to a wedding ceremony."

'Oh bite your tongue," Seol snaps, stabbing her snow cake anew. The mutilated dessert could no longer be recognized as anything but a mash of starch. She rises as soon as the last dish has been served. This lord Oh who does not know how to respect her own people deserves none of her respects in return.

"I consider the banquet over now," she says, shortly. "Please do not hasten yourselves on my behalf. Goodnight my lords!"

Seol pushes back the mutilated dessert and curses her heavy skirts that wouldn't take her to Seo faster. Snowfall which had thickened over the cause of the dinner has half swallowed his tracks across the courtyard of Ohs.

"Kang -"

A sharp inhale marks the moment when he notices her. Complaints that she had die on her throat as Seol takes in their surrounding. Heavy stench of boiling metal stains the air and winter cannot conceal the waves of heat blowing in their faces.

"What -"

Seo grabs her shoulder halting her in place. There is a muted warning in his eyes.

"Go back," he insists. "I have matters to investigate."

It comes to her in a flood of realization. Intentional instigation during the banquet and his subsequent departure - this visit to Ohs may not be as empty of motives as expressed.

"Mines - metal - forge - weapons?" She frowns. "Has Naju decided to forsake our protection?"

"Go!"

Seo is too preoccupied with her, with concerns for her protection that he doesn't hear the buzz in the air. Seol's eyes widens at that split second realization. He means too much.

Her arms wrap around him as she turns blocking him with the body of her own. Their hearts pressed together beats in sync- drowning her gasp when the arrow finds its target.

"Seol!"

She blinks back a pricking sense of blurriness in awe of how good her name sounds from his lips. He should have called it more, pressed that warm feeling into her memory. Seol isn't aware when she falls but he is holding her when she does. He has warm hands - Kang Seo - those hands aren't made for snow. It is shock, she realizes, that keeps the pain away. As it drains off she has to clench at his hand fighting off waves of darkness that threatens to take her under.

"Don't send word -" she mutters, worrying at how his eyes brim in anguish. "- to my father." he would know why she did it. Her father had always been so attuned to her feelings and he would hate Seo, Seol wouldn't have that, wouldn't have her father's hatred upon the man she loved because she choose to take his place.

Those warm hands caress her face and she's filled with longing, with unsaid farewells. Ah I won't be leaving you after all. She thinks with an aching heart. "Take me home - Seo..."

**