#heukchi

Death wasn’t a new concept to him. Before he had met Princess Yona, he had had his men hurt and kill people without a second thought. But a battlefield was something else entirely. Especially since he had grown to try and save as many people as he could. He was honestly surprised that Princess Yona’s group hadn’t shown up to the battlefield. Saving the fallen on the battlefield was gruesome work. He was covered in blood and gore up to his elbows and he had to ignore the bile threatening to rise in his throat.

“H...lp….e” Taejun froze and then rushed towards the voice he heard. There was a man laying there, a sword in his gut and the tip was buried in the ground. Taejun felt his stomach lurch as he could see some of the man’s organs. He was a Fire Tribe soldier, one that often stayed by his brother’s side. Taejun could do nothing to help this man. Taejun knelt down next to the man, ignoring the blood and the ugly squelch he heard as his knees sunk into the wet mud.

“Can you tell who I am? I am Kan Taejun,” Taejun said gently.

“Tae...n...sa...ma,” the man rasped and then choked out blood. “He...lp.” The man stretched out a shaking and bloody hand towards Taejun and Taejun didn’t even hesitate as he reached forward to grasp it.

“I cannot,” Taejun admitted. “I am sorry…”

“I...see…” The man turned his eyes towards the sky.

“I am truly sorry...if I had more power...if I knew more...I could try to help you. But I cannot.” Taejun bowed his head, pressing his forehead against the man’s hand. If he had been stronger physically and more skilled in fighting, he might have been capable of saving this man in the middle of the battle. If he had been more knowledgeable in medicine, he might have been able to at least keep this man alive. But sadly, Taejun was neither. He was horribly weak and mediocre.

“Tha...k...you…” The man said.

“I will stay with you till you pass. You have fought valiantly and surely the Gods will reward you in the next life…” Taejun whispered, just loud enough for the man to hear.

“Than…” The man never finished what he was going to say. Taejun felt his eyes burn but he shed no tears. He sat there, clutching the man’s hand for a couple more minutes, before he stood up slowly. He called for the retrieval team and they came to take the man’s corpse.

“Taejun sama,” Heukchi walked over to him with a Sky Tribe soldier. “You are being summoned to the King’s tent.”

Taejun turned, his eyes wide. He hadn’t done anything to be called. The only thing he could think of was that he had broke formation for a moment to save one of his men, but King Soowon usually allowed him small things like that. Was it because he had sent his men to help in the clinic? Did the King consider them to inexperienced? Or did he think that Taejun was wasting his men’s time or overworking them? Taking a shuddering breath, he wiped his blood stained hands on his armor.

All the Generals were in the King’s tent, standing around a table with strategic planning charts that King Soowon was explaining. All the Generals except for his brother.

Panic instantly flooded Taejun’s senses and his hands went to grip at the robes at his sides. His brother was considered a brilliant strategist that was outshined by only King Soowon. There was no way his brother wasn’t at a strategy meeting. Keeping that thought in mind, he forced himself to calm down, to kick all the worst case scenarios out of his mind, to ignore the nagging voice in his head that told him that his father’s betrayal had been a sudden surprise as well.

“Kan Taejun reporting,” he said loudly. All of the Generals turned to look at him and they all looked tired. None of them looked at him very kindly and that made Taejun feel even worse.

“Ah yes, Young Master Taejun,” Soowon offered him a thin smile. “I’m sorry to ask this of you all of a sudden, but I am currently appointing you as temporary Fire Tribe General.”

Taejun’s knees felt weak and he had to brace his hand against a table to his side to keep from falling to the ground. Regardless of how much he had been through, he was standing in front of the Generals of different tribes and...for some reason, he seemed to be representing his tribe.

What is he talking about?

“I don’t understand,” Taejun said, lifting his chin and trying not to show how weak he currently felt.

“General Kan Kyoga in missing in action. We have not found him among the fallen and I can only assume three things. One, he was forced away from the battle and has taken shelter somewhere else. Two, he was taken hostage by the other side. Three, he has betrayed Kouka-” Soowon said.

“That’s nonsense!” Taejun barked out before he could stop himself. Joodoh sent him a sharp look and Taejun tried to still his trembling limbs. “My brother...is devoted to the Fire Tribe…”

“And so was your father,” Joongi said curtly and Taejun finally tasted bile on his tongue and he willed it away desperately.

“My brother is not my father. My brother would give his life for King Soowon if he could.” Taejun sent an icy glare at Joongi. He felt small in front of all of these war seasoned generals, but he would protect his brother’s honor. And although he knew his father was a traitor, he would protect his father as well if he could.

“So I believe as well,” Soowon’s smile was still tired, but seemed genuine. Taejun didn’t know what to believe. He knew the other was a fantastic actor and had fooled the Princess and the Thunder Beast for a long time. For all Taejun knew, he could be lying to him. He could be thinking that Taejun and his brother were traitors. “However the fact remains that he is missing and as of now we don’t have anyone to lead the Fire Tribe into battle tomorrow.”

“I can’t,” Taejun said, feeling very insignificant. “I am not as skilled as my brother and I do not have his leadership qualities. I cannot abandon any of my men on the battlefield if they fall.”

“But you are also a fine fighter of the Fire Tribe. You grew with your father and your brother’s training. You are only a little behind your brother when it comes to skills. It is true that you don’t tend to use those skills, but they are there. We could see it on the battlefield today. Those of the Fire Tribe look up to you and are willing to follow you. I can choose no other person to lead the Fire Tribe in your brother’s stead tomorrow.” Soowon sounded kind and empathetic and Taejun wanted to give in and let the other comfort him by only speaking, but Taejun had become better than that.

“I canno-” Taejun began desperately. He was not his brother and he was definitely not his father.

“That’s an order,” Soowon said firmly, fixing burning eyes on Taejun. Taejun blinked, suddenly feeling like he was looking at Princes Yona.

“Understood, Your Majesty,” Taejun bowed his head.

“I understand that this is a lot to deal with. You are dismissed for two hours. Return to this tent when that time is up.” Soowon nodded at him. Taejun bent down further, his nails cutting into his palms. He walked out of the tent and then headed to his tent. Heukchi followed him quietly, asking nothing. He nodded at Heukchi and then unfolded his tent flap and it fluttered shut. He unbuckled his sword and was about to put it on the table when his legs finally gave way. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor. He clutched his sword to himself, trembling violently.

“Brother...brother...where are you?” Taejun whispered, his fingers shaking. “Help me...I don’t know what to do. Where are you?” Taejun cried. “I don’t want to take your place.”

“You seem distraught, Young Master Taejun.” Taejun’s head shot up and he saw a familiar head of blond and his heart rushed into his mouth. The Ouryuu, known as Zeno, stepped forward and planted himself in front of Taejun. “Zeno is here on behalf of the Princess. She wanted to know how things are going.” He gazed down at Taejun’s dirty face and sighed. “Things do not seem to be going well, though…”

“My brother…” Taejun croaked out. “My brother is missing. Taejun bowed his head till it touched the ground and he felt his eyes burn again. “Help me. Help me find my brother. If…” Taejun squeezed his eyes shut, the words heavy on his tongue. He didn’t want to think of such a scenario, but he had to be ready for anything. “If he has turned against Kouka...please...just return him to me. I will hide him and protect him.”

“Young Master Taejun, you do not bow to Zeno.” Taejun shakily raised his head to see Zeno frowning. “You are a friend of the little Miss. We would help you without a moment’s hesitation. Zeno will report this to the little Miss. We will contact you again.” Zeno nodded at him and then was gone before Taejun could even figure out how he had come to such a place.