Clink.Clank.Clink.Clank.
The sound of clashing metals filled my ears as the ticklish, sharp stick slowly went down from my forehead to my nose. I kept my eyes closed, trying to focus on my prayers.
God...No! Yun is ticklish!
I giggled quietly. The man whose whole being was loud walked in circles around me. His stick was still on my face, then it went down to my shoulders before it reached my chest.
"This... child. What kind of fate is this?" The man murmured and then pushed his stick deeply into my chest, the sharp blade went through, sending a cold touch to my heart.
I couldn't help but giggle silently and unclasped my hands, touching my chest, scratching it because it was itchy.
The man suddenly pulled back his stick as I opened my eyes, slowly looking at him.
His red eyes were looking straight at me.
"Sensitive, huh? Most wouldn't feel my spear... it seems you really were sent by the Lord." The man mumbled and then shook his head before turning his back.
The soldiers and Father remained praying silently; they were still ignoring the man. How mean can they be?
I looked at the man, he was scratching the back of his head with various ugh and tsks. He held his stick tightly, the metal cracking before he pushed it to the ground, making it stand like a tall pole.
"Haaah. It seems I've taken way too long here. Sidron[1] already sent a new aid." He kept on whispering before he harshly looked back at Yun.
My eyes beamed. The loud man walked towards me and then suddenly bent his knees, looking straight at Yun.
Smile. Yun should smile so he knows Yun is kind.
I reached my hand and then patted his forehead that was frowning. The man was taken aback before he ended up laughing.
"You see me, child? Your fate is strong, it seems." He mumbled and then patted Yun's head, making me frown and push his hands away, shaking my head.
No touching Yun's head.
The man smiled and then simply looked around at my Father and the soldiers. He stood up, picked up his stick, and then looked at me.
"Stay here for the night, the... Goddess would love to cater to you here. Let's meet again once we're both done with our duties, alright?" He said, and then started walking away, which made me tilt my head.
The cold wind blew towards me from him, a very strong smell same as the red liquid that always poured from someone's wound, was carried by the air.
I quickly tried to stand up and follow, but a warm hand suddenly touched my shoulders, and Father's eyes focused on me.
"Yun." Father's voice was heavy as well as his hands, making me stay in my place. Only my eyes managed to follow the man who had already made his way far, his bright red body eaten by the darkness of the forest.
The sounds of animals jumping and following him echoed, as well as the wind's happy hum. I slowly smiled and then raised my hand even though it was late.
Bye.Bye. I waved my hand and then looked at Father, whose heart started beating fast.
I opened my mouth but immediately stopped when I remembered I had no voice, and simply grabbed onto his clothes, then used my right hand to point to the place where the man went.
"Y-Yun? Don't... don't point out wherever—" Father hurriedly pulled my hand down, making me frown.
I looked up at him; his sweat was dripping as the echoes of the moving eyes of the soldiers echoed in my ears.
I simply smiled and then pulled on his clothes, trying to stand up, but his strong hands quickly pushed me down, my legs cracking loudly as I suddenly collapsed on the ground.
Ah? Is it Yun's legs?
I looked down at my legs and tried to touch them, but Father started shaking Yun very hard. My head was making so many noises, and my eyes couldn't just focus on one thing.
"W-where? No, s-son... You can't leave. Stay, okay? There was nothing there...nothing."
A sudden itch that became so hot flowed from my legs, forcing me to cry. I tried to move them, but the same cracking sounds echoed, but my legs never moved, no matter how much Yun tried.
Ha? Why is my leg not moving?
Why so itchy and hot? I started scratching my leg, and even reached out to pull up my clothes so I could scratch it.
I looked around. Yun didn't know what to do. So... so... so itchy and hot, Yun doesn't know this.
Tears formed in my eyes. Father's hands are trembling as my tears dripped down on my lap. I looked down again and immediately ended up wailing.
My legs... my legs are broken.
I tried to hold onto Father and try to stand up again, but Yun's legs won't move, and Father won't help Yun stand up.
Father is even pushing Yun down more. Sharp things inside my body are poking Yun.
"Why do you not listen!? I told you to stay still!" Father's voice boomed, making me cover my ears as I cried and cried.
Mean. So mean.
I looked at my legs. I can hear warm liquid suddenly bursting inside, and many loud cracking sounds echoed as the sharp things kept on poking my legs from the inside.
Yun wanted to cry and tell Father. But Yun can no longer talk.
Father... my legs. Yun needs these legs to play. My legs. They won't move.
I looked up at my Father whose eyes were bulging and red, shouting and being mad at Yun. His words that were not talking about Yun's legs, I don't want to hear. I tightened my grip on my ears and shook my head as I cried.
My eyes looking at the soldiers but all of them just looked away, making my lips quiver.
"They are not real! Listen! Listen! Those things are not real! Do you understand!?" Father kept on shouting at Yun. Not worried at all about my legs. Not worried about Yun's tears.
But Yun is listening... It is Father who won't listen to Yun.
I let go of my ears and hit him with my hands. I hit his mouth, his mean mouth. I hit his eyes, his chest, and everything. Yun beat Father.
"Yun— Yun... Stop, stop this instant—"
I grabbed his clothes as he told me to stop, forcing my legs to stand. I quickly leaned and bit his nose, my teeth dug deep, and I finally got to know the taste of the red, warm liquid.
"Y-Your Highness!?" The soldiers immediately stood up, but were unable to do anything as I bit Father.
My teeth ground loudly as my mouth made clicking sounds, putting all of my strength into my bite. I raised my hand and grabbed his hair with one hand, and his ear with another, while he tried to hold both my wrists.
"YUN! What are you doing—"
Yun growled. I have no voice. But animals don't have one too; they only growl. So I did and bite harder.
Father broke Yun's legs.
Yun will break Father's face.
Father stood up, carrying Yun. But I did not stop biting. If Father doesn't listen to me, then Yun will make him listen.
I pulled his hair harder as he raised me from the ground, my unmoving legs danggling like Mother's earrings whenever she moves.
"Yun! Stop this!" Father shouted, making me flinch as my ears felt hot. Soldiers surrounding us two, fingers and arms moving so much but never taking another step.
"Y-Your Highness? Should we... Should we take the Eiko[2]?"
"Eiko Yun... Eiko Yun, stop biting. O-Okay? Let... let the Geikoshi[3] go?"
"I— I will bring you inside to play, Your Highness? L-Let go of the Geikoshi—"
I listened to their voices as Father tried to push my face away. His breathing was heavy, trying to talk to me, but I simply let go of his ear and put my hand on his mouth.
So noisy. So noisy! Talk only if you talk about Yun's legs!
Tears kept falling from my eyes as I tried to growl to my Father. But till now he hasn't understood. Dumb. Dumb Father!
Look at my legs. You broke my legs! How can Yun play now!?
I felt the soldiers going near; one was way smarter than most. His eyes bulged as his gaze fell on my legs. I caught a glance at him, making me stop biting Father.
My quivering lips immediately smiled while crying, then let go of Father, and pointed to my dangling legs.
The soldier's eyes went wide before he gasped and then looked at the other soldiers trying to pull me away from Father.
"Y-Your Highness? The Eiko's[4] legs seem to be...broken?" The soldier muttered slowly and weakly, making me stop fully.
My weak sobs echoed as everyone went quiet, red liquid dripping out of my legs that had been messed up before their hearts all paused at once.
"What... B-Blood? Yun? Yun? You're bleeding!" Father's voice suddenly trembled as he quickly fell on the ground and let me down on the cloth that I had knelt on earlier.
I watched him while growling, like some animal far away in the forest, before I scratched my legs and cried again.
Father's eyes went wide, bulging almost coming out, as his fingers slowly reached out to scratch my legs. My lips quivered, then pulled my clothes up to show him what he had done.
Look... You broke Yun.
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out; only my tears are the sign of my sadness.
Father completely fell, kneeling on the ground as he suddenly cried silently. He looked at me and then tried to touch my legs but immediately clenched his hands.
"N-No, no... sorry. Sorry, Father didn't know." He kept on mumbling as soldiers around us all hurriedly opened the carriages, looking for something.
My tears stopped as Father's fell. Once again, Father looked so sad.
My heart felt warm, even warmer than my itchy legs, as I took his hands and then made him pat my legs.
"No, don't, it shouldn't be touched right now—"
A giggle escaped my lips.
I looked at his big, cold hands that I kept patting on my legs, as well as the droplets of tears falling on them. My legs were usually pale, but now they're red.
So itchy and so hot. Every time my Father's hands pat my legs, I wanted to cry, but I pursed my lips tightly not to.
Yun's legs are already broken, it would be sad if Father's heart breaks too.
Slowly, it was no longer just Father's tears that dropped on my legs, but also a small ball of white coldness.
"Snow?"
"What? Of all times! Hurry lit up some fire!"
"Where is the medicine!? Why is it taking so long? Look! It's even snowing now!"
The noises around me were too much. Everyone is moving, the carriages are being opened, the soldiers are looking for medicine, Father is sobbing, and everyone's breathing and heartbeats are so loud.
However... So pretty.
This white ball of coldness they call snow made me forget about everything, even Father's breaking heart.
_____
[1] Heaven Realm
[2] Prince
[3] King
[4] Prince