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Taejun stumbled into the clinic, his arm was freshly bandaged and he was battered up. Someone from his brother’s army was urging him to rest but he refused. Heukchi and his personal men followed him into the makeshift clinic where the war doctors were slaving away trying to save those that had been hurt on the battlefield. The entire clinic smelled of blood and medicine. It would have made Taejun want to throw up if he hadn’t gotten used to the smell of an overcrowded clinic a long time ago.
King Soowon had ordered for them to fall back momentarily. Not because they were losing the war, but so that everyone could rest up and they could go through strategies again. The other side had also pulled back for the night. Both side had seen several casualties and Taejun himself had only just managed to count his own men as Kilsung had tended to his wounds. Taejun thought it was a good thing that they all had come to learn how to treat others.
“Taejun sama! Can I please help you and your men?” A tired doctor asked, looking like the last thing he needed was Taejun and his men asking him for help.
“No,” Taejun waved him off. The man blinked, suprised. Taejun turned to his own men. “As of now, these doctors are all your superiors. Work with them to help the other soldiers and do whatever you can. If you feel like there is something you cannot do, come to me. I am going with Heukchi to go see if there are any more men on the battlefield that we can bring in. Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir!” His men all spread out through the clinic and Taejun, followed by Heukchi went back out to the scene of carnage. There were dying fires and fallen weapons. There was blood everywhere and dead horses. The smell of burning corpses was overwhelming and Taejun ended up struggling to not breathe through his nose. Taejun tried not to avert his eyes as he moved forward, calling out for anyone who might still be alive.
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.
Taejun continued to sit there on the ground, clutching his sword to himself. And he prayed to the Gods that his worst fears wouldn’t come to pass.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jaeha and Yoon arrived in his tent just as he had closed his eyes to at least attempt to rest. Heukchi had told him that regardless of what happened, he couldn’t be tired on the battlefield. Yoon had put his hand over Taejun’s mouth to muffle his screech of surprise.
“We came to get you and give you information.” Yoon put his bag down and then took Taejun’s bandaged arm. “I’ll check on you while Jaeha briefs you,” Yoon told him.
“Shinah and I searched and we found your brother and a group of his soldiers.” Jaeha said. Taejun’s eyes widened in relief. “Don’t relax yet,” Jaeha told him. Worry and fear twisted in Taejun’s stomach. Jaeha offered him an uncomfortable smile. “He hasn’t betrayed the country and King if that is what you’re worried about.” Jaeha paused and Taejun clenched his fists and Yoon hissed at him to stop. “He and his soldiers have been taken as hostages. Hak was concerned because it shouldn’t be that easy to capture a general and his elite force. So we did some investigating. It seems there’s a traitor on the inside of the Fire Tribe army.”
“Who?” Taejun asked, his lips baring in a snarl.
“We’re not sure, but we nabbed a lookout and questioned them. That’s all the information that we could get.” Jaeha frowned. “This is where you come in, Young Master Taejun. We will rescue your brother before the battle breaks out in the morning and the other army announces that they have a General and soldiers hostage. But it will be easier to do if you come with us. Your brother trusts you more than he will ever trust us. And, you need to come up with something to tell the King in case we do not return on time.”
“I will come with you!” Taejun snapped.
“That’s what Yona thought,” Yoon sighed.
“Then I ask that you move quickly,” Jaeha nodded.
“Hold up, I’m almost done!” Yoon wrapped another fresh bandage around Taejun’s arm tightly and then nodded. “You’re good to go. Try not to put too much stress on it.”
Taejun wasted no time in grabbing his sword and dashing out of the tent. The Fire Tribe soldier on watch outside his tent started and then quickly rushed after him. Taejun paused outside the King’s tent where the two Sky Tribe soldiers blinked at him in confusion.
“I need to speak with the King, this is urgent,” Taejun said. They glanced at each other and then knocked on the ten pole and then announced Taejun’s arrival. Then they swept open the tent and Taejun took at deep breath before entering. Soowon was sitting at the table and holding a scroll, he glanced at Taejun curiously and then got to his feet.
“May I help you, Young Master Taejun?” he asked.
“He’s being held hostage. You know why they take war hostages. Because they want to have the upper hand or the advantage.” Taejun wasted no time in sharing what he knew. Soowon frowned and then looked towards the tent flap and then he spoke in low tones.
“I will not ask how you know this, but we have no plans on negotiating. Hostage or no hostage.” Soowon sternly looked at him and Taejun clenched his fists. He knew this. He had seen how the King played his cards over the past year. He had followed his brother’s back and had watched the King from his brother’s shadow.
“I know. That’s why, I’m going to go rescue him,” Taejun said simply. Soowon’s gaze sharpened and he seemed to be glaring at Taejun. Instantly Taejun felt overwhelmed and it felt like he was a child again and his father was glaring down at him for having failed a sword test.
“I will not allow that,” Soowon said coldly.
“He’s my brother,” Taejun snapped. “He’s my only brother. I’m going.”
“And I say no, Stand In Fire Tribe General. Or should I say Future Fire Tribe General?” Soowon’s tone was sharp and cool and it lit Taejun on fire.
“Don't call me that!” he roared. The soldiers outside glanced in in concern and Soowon’s expression easily transformed into a smile and he waved them away. Once things were quiet again, he turned to Taejun, his expression cold again.
“We are on a battlefield, Young Master Taejun. This is no place for weakness. Did you really come here so unprepared? People lose their lives easily. Even those close to you.” Soowon was only speaking logically and thinking logically. And yet, Taejun refused to believe that was the only answer. It couldn’t be. What had he learned over the past year, toiling with poor farmers and risking his life in dirty clinics? Surely it wasn’t to leave a dying man to die all by himself.
“Even so, as the Representative of the Fire Tribe General, it is my duty to try and save every Fire Tribe Citizen. I’m afraid this is where our views clash, Your Highness.” Taejun straightened up, trying to match the glare in Soowon’s eyes. He held Soowon’s gaze for a full minute before the King sighed and rubbed a hand against his temple.
“It is truly surprising how much the men of the Fire Tribe change every day. I never expected such stubbornness from you of all people, Young Master Taejun.” Soowon chuckled quietly and then looked up, his gaze commanding. “I want you back before dawn. That is an order. You are to lead the Fire Tribe armies today whether you succeed in retrieving your brother or not. Is that clear?”
“Yes,” Taejun said firmly.
“You are dismissed.” Soowon waved his hand at him and Taejun bowed before turning to leave the tent. Just as he was leaving he heard Soowon call his name. There was a small smile on his face. “Try to make sure the lot of you don’t make too much of a fuss.” Taejun sucked in a sharp breath.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Taejun dipped his head in a bow again and then rushed back to his tent. Heukchi was waiting outside of his tent, an almost knowing look on his face. “I will be back before dawn. Keep everyone in line,” Taejun said simply, before slipping into his tent.
“I take it the talk went well?” Jaeha asked, seeing the look on his face.
“Yes,” Taejun nodded before grabbing a handful of knives to slip into his clothes.
“Try not to strain your arm. I will be here to tend to General Kyoga as soon as he arrives here,” Yoon said.
“Understood. Heukchi is outside and should be aware of this situation. Go over it with him.” Taejun told Yoon. Yoon nodded and then Taejun and Jaeha slipped out underneath a loose end at the back of Taejun’s tent.