Missed Chances

Young-Sik's eyes widened in alarm as he quickly placed a hand over her mouth, his voice urgent but low. "Are you crazy? If someone hears you, you'll get your head cut off!" He glanced around, paranoia creeping into his expression. In one swift motion, he led her behind a marble pillar, shielding her from prying ears.

"I don't care!" she protested, fiercely removing his hand. Her gaze was unwavering, a storm of emotions swirling behind her tears. "What I care about is your well-being, your safety, and no one else's."

A soft smile broke through Young-Sik's worried demeanor as he met her gaze. "I'm sorry that you need to worry about me, but I have to fulfill my duties and defend this realm against its enemies," he said gently, his voice soothing, though it barely masked the impending weight of his responsibilities.

"But why?" Jin-Ri's voice trembled as she sobbed, the thought of his sacrifice breaking her heart. "Everyone else gets to sit this war out and live in safety, while you? Where will you sleep? What will you eat? Who will take care of you? Why can't you take me with you so I can care for you?"

He lifted her chin tenderly, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her heartache. "You know I can't. It's too dangerous. I will be more at ease knowing you are here, safe and away from the war."

Biting her lips, Jin-Ri embraced him tightly, the warmth of his presence a fleeting comfort. "It's unfair, it's so unfair," she whispered, her voice shaking with desperation. "You are the prince—why should you be on the front lines? Can't you just tell someone what to do and stay here… with me?"

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and though she braced herself for his inevitable response, hope flickered within her heart, fighting against the darkness of reality.

The lit torches cast long shadows over the Western gates as Captain Gi approached. The air was tense with anticipation, the kind that hung heavy before a storm. As he neared the gathered soldiers, they snapped to attention, their disciplined formation a testament to their training. In unison, they bowed their heads slightly in respect.

"How are preparations doing?" Captain Gi asked, his voice steady, betraying none of the unease that simmered beneath the surface.

"Everything has been secured in those wagons, Captain," replied an officer, gesturing towards the line of sturdy wooden wagons, each filled with supplies and weaponry, ready for the impending conflict.

"Good. How about the men? Are they all accounted for?" He pressed, his gaze sweeping across the faces of his soldiers, searching for any signs of worry.

The officer turned, scanning the newly arrived platoons. "The last platoon from the Southern gates is running late. Once they arrive, the army units will be complete, and we can deploy at any time."

Captain Gi felt a flicker of satisfaction at the report. Everything seemed to be on track, and he was about to head off to inspect the remaining sections of the army when a shout erupted from atop the ramparts.

"A carrier falcon! A carrier falcon has just arrived!" The guard's voice echoed, slicing through the atmosphere.

Instinctively, Captain Gi sprinted up the stone steps to the ramparts, urgency fueling his ascent. "Does it have a message?" he called out, his heart racing.

A soldier hastily inspected the small bamboo tube secured to the falcon's leg. With trembling hands, he pulled out a piece of rolled parchment and handed it to Captain Gi.

Unrolling the parchment, Captain Gi's eyes widened in disbelief. "The Aranese have already taken Byuonga village. It means we only have two days at most before they exit the corridors!"

He thrust the message into the hands of a nearby soldier. "Take this to the King immediately!" Without waiting for a response, he descended the stairs in a rush, his mind racing with the implications.

"Send a messenger to the southern brigade" he barked at a junior officer. "They have to get here right now. Make a final count of our fighting force, supplies, and weapons. Once you have that, prepare everyone and everything for deployment!"

"Sir! Yes, Sir!" the officer replied, urgency written across his face as he bolted away.

Mounting a nearby horse, Captain Gi felt the weight of the moment settles on his shoulders. "The enemy is nearly out of the corridors! The guards won't stand a chance if we don't reinforce them as soon as possible!" he thought, spurring the horse into a gallop, his heart pounding with the unpredictability of war.

The night brought a gentle breeze that enveloped Young-Sik and Jin-Ri as they stood entwined in each other's arms. Time seemed to suspend in the embrace of their love, but reality loomed like a dark cloud overhead. Young-Sik gently pulled away, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her heartache.

"Jin-Ri," he began, his voice soft yet resolute. "You must understand, that my role as prince compels me to leave. It's my responsibility! I can't say when, but I vow to return to you." For the first time, the weight of his words revealed the depth of his feelings, a promise that transcended the imminent separation.

Tears brimmed in Jin-Ri's eyes, a storm of emotions swirling within her. She reached for her necklace, her fingers trembling slightly as she unfastened it. With care, she placed the jade pendant, a circle featuring a fierce dragon at its heart, around Young-Sik's neck. He looked down at it, awed.

"Hold onto this, never take it off," she whispered, her voice breaking with the love she longed to express but felt stifled by the moment. "It will guard you."

They leaned in, sharing a fragile moment that felt as if it could bridge any distance between them. Just as their lips were about to meet, the sudden clatter of hooves broke the spell. Captain Gi appeared on horseback, urgency etched on his face. "I apologize, your Highness, but you are needed at the western gates," he called out, the gravity of his words slicing through the tender atmosphere.

Alarmed, Young-Sik turned, his concern palpable. "What is it?" he asked, his voice barely concealing the anxiety that had begun to rise.

"Your Highness... the Aranese have already taken Byuonga village," Captain Gi replied swiftly, each word a bitter blow.

"What?" Young-Sik's voice fell to a whisper, disbelief washing over him. He had believed they had days before the enemy would reach the western corridors. "I..." Words failed him, lost amidst the shock of the news.

Jin-Ri, sensing the urgency, reluctantly let go of his hand. "You must go," she urged softly, tears spilling down her cheeks, her heart heavy with sorrow.

He nodded, understanding the weight of her words as he climbed onto his horse. Just before he turned to ride away, he looked back, urgency threading his voice. "Meet me at the western gates at first light. There's something important I need to tell you."

"I have something important to say too," Jin-Ri replied, her heart aching with all the words left unspoken.

"I'll be waiting for you at the western gates," Young-Sik assured her, and with a swift nod to Captain Gi, they sped off into the fading light.

As Jin-Ri wiped the tears from her cheeks, she turned to make her way back to the prince's residence, her heart heavy with unfulfilled promises and the weight of a love strained by the cruel hand of war.

Dawn the next morning, Jin-Ri came running to the western gates, only to find it empty. She rushed to one of the guards and asked "The soldiers? Prince Young-Sik where is he?"

The palace guard replied "They already left, they received information last night that the Aranese forces have doubled their pace and are nearing the western corridor. If you have a horse, you might still catch them at the western edge of the capital"

Without a word, Jin-Ri ran towards the directed area. At that time, Young-Sik was at the head of the marching army, looking at the pendant that Jin-Ri gave him. He suddenly turned his horse around "Continue on your march, I need to see someone first, I won't be long" he told Captain Gi

The prince sped back to the palace, after just half an hour at full gallop, Young-Sik reached the western gates, He was about to go to his residence when he saw Jin-Ri was not there, but the guards immediately informed him "Your Highness, a court maiden was looking for you, I said that she may catch up with you and army at the western edge of the capital."

"What?" Young-Sik snapped the reins of his horse and sped his way back to the western edge, his mind racing at the thought of not seeing Jin-Ri and not telling how he felt for her.

Jin-Ri on the other hand, ran as fast as she could through a small forest, some fields, and streams just to catch up with the army. After what seemed like an hour of continuous running, she arrived at the village on the western edge of the capital. She heads straight to the western gates and finds it already closed, to her dismay, she realizes she was too late; the army has already long passed the area.

Jin-Ri saddened by the realization that she did not have a chance to see the prince broke down and cried she was filled with regret not telling the prince how she felt about him when she had the chance. After a while, she stood up and leaned over one of the houses, crying as she slowly made her way back to the palace. She looked back at the Western gates "I will pray for your safety my prince, I will wait for the day of your return so I can tell you how much I love you, please be safe my love"

Jin-Ri with a heavy heart turned a corner, as she started her way back to the palace. Just as she left the gates, Young-Sik arrived too late and they missed each other by mere seconds. He turned his head left and right trying to find any sign of her. Panting, he gritted his teeth, and with great sorrow, he directed the guards to open the gates, he drove his horse westward and galloped to catch up with the royal army.

Young-Sik feeling the same heartache she was feeling, embraced her tightly in his heart and mind "I have to go, I have to protect our nation...I have to protect you."