Heroes in Times of Peace [Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi. Dam-Duk, Sujini, Chuh-Ro]

[imaginedyou]

31_days Day 6: 8 September 2008. heroes in times of peace. The actual prompt for the 6th was do-able, I just need more time.

Tae Wang Sa Shin Gi. Dam-Duk, Sujini, Chuh-Ro. Taking place after an alternative ending. 411 Words.

-

heroes in times of peace

-

He knows they are watching him. His movements do not falter as they sit down on the steps of the courtyard, and he does not stop immediately, nor change his exercises to something showier and more impressive. That would be unlike him. Instead he comes to a pause, and turns his head slightly in their direction. He considers them for a moment. Both Sujini and Dam-Duk stay silent, for different reasons.

Chuh-Ro lets out a breath and almost smiles as he turns away, knowing he will not rid himself of them if they are intent on watching him practice his spearmanship. He puts one foot in front of the other and lunges. Turns his feet and whirls the spear tightly around his body. There is the warm of the sun, the dust in the air and the spear is no more than an extension of himself.

"The one who taught me to use a spear was Ho Gae," Dam-Duk says presently to Sujini, but loud enough for Chuh-Ro to hear. "Back when I had a reputation for being weak of body and mind, perhaps he felt sorry for me. But he never believed I was incapable. He simply put the spear into my hand after showing me what to do, and offered me a chance."

"You gave him chances," Sujini mutters in response. "You gave him more chances than he deserved, in the end!"

"He didn't want to be caught up in it any more than I did," Dam-Duk sighs. He will not look at Sujini, only keeps his eyes forward on Chuh-Ro's stance and motion. Even now, with the hardest part behind them, he will never forget any of it. Chuh-Ro inhales, lets the spear fall into the grip of one hand only, and takes it in a backwards arc. Only when he is finished does he bring his feet together and look up. Sujini is hiding her loss for words behind a flask of wine, and Dam-Duk has his hands entwined across his belly and a pensive look on his face.

Chuh-Ro stands in front of his King and offers out his spear with one meaningful look straight in the eyes. Dam-Duk just looks back at him for a moment, considering.

"He's right, you know," Sujini says, punctuating her words with a nod and a smile in Chuh-Ro's direction as she discards her wine. "You should release the old, painful memory and replace it with a new one."

-