As Ayesha stepped out of the hanok feeling the cold nightly air brush on her skin she walked down the path of gravel to the forest.
The old women looks up from her book out the window
"Where could she be headed at this hour.?"
The old women wondered. But brushed it off as she knew Ayesha could handle herself in the wild. As she has been for years. She then resumed her focus on the book in her hands.
Ayesha then disappeared into the dark sap trees, continuing her walk to the destination she was destined to be at. She knew it was late but she loved the night air. it made her feel free and at peace. Something she could never achieve in the daylight.
As she was up in her thoughts she didn't realize the log that fell down in the thunderstorm a few nights ago. To be in front of her. It was pitch black so she didn't notice it. She was only walking to the destination from memory. Unaware of the obstacles she might face during this walk.
Ayesha then heard rustling in the distance. It seemed the noise was 10 feet away but it was too dark to see anything. So she drew a single sword from her scabbard holding it tightly with both hands. She backed up attempting to get away from the sound
But then unaware of her surroundings from behind. She fell backwards over the log
Thump
"Mmphf.."
[how did I not notice that.. whatever doesn't matter, I need to get up and get away from this thing.. whatever it is.. I can't risk thinking it's not harmful.]
She then got up on her feet with a pain in her wrist
"Agh.. what the hell.."
She whispered not wanting to draw too much attention to herself
She continues to walk to her destination quietly unlike earlier.
after 3.2 miles the rustling sound finally stopped. And she was relieved but still had her sword out just in case.
After another 6.5 miles she finally arrived to her destination. Finally seeing light from the glowing clear blue waters and the lanterns set on the path to the blossom tree.
she walked down the path and sat down. Her back pressed against the tree.
She let out a deep sigh of relief, she finally felt safe.. something she hadn't felt in awhile.
She looked down at her wrist wanting to see why it hurt so bad.
Her eyes narrowed as she saw a deep cut. Blood trinkling down her wrist.
She softly laughed
"Guess that's going to be a scar.. out of the other 120.."
As she mentioned that her memories flash in the back of her mind. Flashing as if these were her final thoughts before death. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up to the night sky with twinkling stars.
The memories of her parents getting slaughtered.. and Ayesha barely making it out alive as the guards were slashing her back with their swords. Hard and brutal.
The mortality rate close to 1.6% as she lost a lot of blood but luckily found help..
"The old lady…"
The old lady immediately took her in and helped her with her wounds. They bonded over time.. as she saw the old women like family.. perhaps a grandma or a mother figure.
A small tear ran down Ayesha's cheek as that memory flashed in her mind. She was grateful for the old women.. she was the only person that resembled family to her.
She swore she would protect the old women no matter the consequences. whether it meant death or severe injuries. She would do it all for the person who took care of her throughout her life
"Eleven years.. Eleven years she protected me.. and now I have to do the same. To repay for all of the kindness she has shown me. I cannot bare to lose the only person that means the most to me.. the person I would sacrifice myself for.. even if she is old.. and could pass any moment.. she.. still somehow manages to look young.. like as if she was the age of 36.. come to think of it.. when she took care of me she looked the same as she does now.."
She paused for a second.
"I wonder why that is.."
_________________________________________
Yeonghon's eyes flutter open
Dazed and confused.
"Mmmph…"
He then sat up and rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he ponders
"I wonder how long I was asleep for.."
He said his voice being deep and groggy.
"Hmmf.. where's Ayesha.."
his throat felt dry and then he sees a glass filled with water in his peripheral vision. He turns his head and reaches for the glass
Greedily chugging each drop. Some droplets catching on his chin.
*gulp* *gulp*
After he was finished with the glass he sets it down on the wooden table where it originally was placed.
"I need.. to find Ayesha.."
Yeonghon then gets up slowly and pads to a nearby closet then slips a black hanbok on. With a graphic design of a dragon in steel ash grey. He then grabs his katana and slips it in his katana holster. And walks out of the room to then slide his feet into his mokhwa. And exits the hanok and steps onto the gravel.
*crunch* *crunch*
He walked over to the old lady's hanok and knocked on her front door
*knock* *knock*
The old lady tore her eyes away from the book and got up from her chair and padded to the door.
*The old lady opened the door*
"Ahh, good evening Yeonghon."
"Good evening mrs-"
Yeonghon paused, he never asked the old lady's name.
"If you don't mind me asking.. what is your name?"
"My name?"
The women cocked her eyebrow and crossed her arms.
"Why do you want to know my name.?"
*The women sighed but then said*
"amheuk."
Yeonghon cocked his eyebrow
"Amheuk..?"
Saying the name trying to see how it felt on his tounge.
"Interesting.."
Amheuk leaned against the doorframe.
[it doesn't seem like this man is familiar with my real name. Thankfully. Well.. he is young so it makes sense, I'm surprised his parents never told him the tale.]
"Anyways.. Mrs amheuk. Are you familiar with where Ayesha has decided to disappear to.?"
Amheuk cocked her eyebrow and uncrossed her arms
"She still hasn't returned..?"
[that's weird.. she was supposed to two hours ago, i wonder if she's alright.]
"No..? Was she supposed to have returned by now?"
"She was supposed to return two hours ago.. she never exactly told me where she was headed but I'm sure it was somewhere to clear her mind.."
Yeonghon nods
"Ah, alright. I'm going to go find her. I need to make sure she is safe and not slaughtered."
[considering with how weak she is I wouldn't doubt she is amputated by now, or even decapitated for that matter.]
"I'll go look for her"
"Alright, be safe out there."
Yeonghon's wears a smile at the corner of his lips
"Will do."
With that Yeonghon stepped away from the door and began his journey looking for Ayesha yet again.
He made his way into the dark eerie forest that gave him chills up and down his spine.
[why the utter fuck does this forest have to be so haunting at night. It looks like I'm going to be brutally slaughtered]
The twigs and sticks crackle beneath him as he steps onto the leaves adding an extra crunch if you will.
He makes his way deeper and deeper into what seems to be a never ending nightmare.
[maybe my thoughts will allow me to feel less paranoid and uneased.]
"Hm.."
<1.2 miles in>
[how many times are you going to disappear Ayesha.. and how many times am I going to have to search for you.. this is the 2nd time already.]
*sigh*
A loud deep wailing of a women is heard in the close distance
Yeonghon blinked in surprise but then realization hit him hard..
Fear shot upon yeonghon's face.
[wait. Why am i afraid.? I have a blade. Pfft Ayesha is really getting under my skin. Making me easily started like this. Mmm.]
Yeonghon chuckled in a low tone
"Wait… based on my research.. if it is what I am thinking of.. if wailing is heard from afar.. it means it's close and if it seems close it is far.."
Yeonghon paused before speaking again quietly.
"I have to find Ayesha."
[not sure if she wants to get possessed or haunted by the La Llorona.]
[Wait.. why the hell am I so calm about this.. I've never encountered a spirit.. let alone one that drowns her children.. although it was her husbands fault for betraying her.. it is heard that the la Llorona is always near a body of water.]
"Hmm.."
[I should be safe.. considering she is at a distance.]
"Definitely have to thank my father for telling me that tale.." he murmured.
The realization hit him again
"Wait… what is a spainish legend doing in Korea..?"
*squish*
Yeonghon looked at the ground to see what he stepped on, only then find a child's severed head that had water and barnacles on the blue ish tinted skin.
Yeonghon's face shot up with terror and disgust
[what the fuck,what the fuck, what the fuck! SHIT DOES THIS MEAN I AM CLOSE TO THE LA LLORONA???]
The wailing then seemed very very far
Hairs stood up all on Yeonghon's skin and he drew his sword from his belt.
Yeonghon then ran for his life not caring if he was heard he needed to get to safety.
The wailing got louder and louder as if it was directly in his ear.
He ran and ran for miles until his legs Wore out.
*flop*
Yeonghon thought it was the end for him until he saw glowing water and a blossom tree
His face lit up with pure joy and relief he got up and limped out of the tree's
Yeonghon then spotted Ayesha
Ayesha then spotted Yeonghon
[huh.. what's he doing here.. and why is he covered in dirt and blood..?]
Yeonghon's chest was heaving hard
His voice breaking as he said
"Fine..- finally… i found you.."
Ayesha rushed over to him to help him up
"What the hell did you go through. You look like you were a victim of execution and attempted to escape."
Yeonghon looked up from the ground and made eye contact with her
"You're not the one who nearly got killed."
He said in a low growl.
Blood was then running down yeonghon's nose as he sat up.
Ayesha pulled him close and wiped the blood off his upper lip with her thumb
Yeonghon crashed eye contact and looked away his cheeks slightly flushed at the physical contact.
Ayesha chuckled
"You know.. you're kind of cute like this. All roughed up and weak.~"
Ayesha said with a smirk
"Shut up.."
Yeonghon said in a growl
Ayesha tilted his chin up to meet her gaze
Yeonghon removed her hand from his chin and grasped her small wrist between his palm.
"Back off.."
He said lowly.
Ayesha rolled her eyes but then asked
"What did you do to make you this.. well.. fucked up"
Yeonghon glared at Ayesha his voice then dripping with venom
"Shut..up. And if you best know.. not that you would believe me or that your pea sized brain may know the legend and hey, if you do, congrats. You have proved me wrong.-"
Interrupts him, she said
"Alright, save the hate speech and tell me what happened before i make you far more injured then you already are."
Yeonghon rolled his eyes then said
"I was looking for you.. and during my walk in the forest.. I hear a deep wailing from a women that is heard very closely.. and I was wondering why there would be someone crying in a dark haunting forest.. but soon enough realization hit me.. and it hit me hard.. this wasn't just a regular women. But a legend my father would tell me about when I was small.. unsure why he would tell me at such a young age. But.. I'm now grateful he did.. tge legend is the La Llorona.. also known as the weeping women.. her story is that she fell in love with a man.. but he betrayed her and out of rage she drowned her children.. and drowned herself out of guilt. So now she is stuck between the real world and the spiritual world. Unable to get into Heaven until she finds her kids. She is usually found near bodies of water."
"Sorry for interrupting but.. we are around water.. and.. she roams around bodies of water!? ARE WE GOING TO DIE?"
Yeonghon presses a finger against her lips
"Shh.. try not to be to loud.. and no she can't get us here. Why do you think the water is glowing. It is not because of bioluminescence.. but a spell that was casted ages ago to ward off the evil. So this is a safe space. And the only safe body of water in all of korea.."
Ayesha's eyes light up in amusement
"Oooh, so this is a safe place"
She smiled warmly
"Okaehh you may continue."
Yeonghon chuckles
"Alright. But before i do…"
Yeonghon then got up and got on his knees infront of the glowing water and filled the pocket he made with his hands and pressed it up against his face
The scars and injuries on his face immediately healed
Ayesha's eyes flash open with shock
"Woah.. the water heals to?"
Yeonghon nods
"Mhm.. it can heal even the littlest injuries. And melt the coldest things. Like your heart for example."
He said the last part smirking
"Are you allowed to swim in it?"
"Yes it is safe to swim in."
she pushed him into the water
*splash*
Yeonghon then swam up surfacing himself.
"Really.. not even asking if I could swim.."
He rolled his eyes but then took of his hambok
"It's heavy.."
Ayesha blushed heavily when she caught a glimpse of his abdomen and looked away
"W..WARN ME BEFORE YOU DO THAT"
Yeonghon chuckled darkly
"What~ it's not like I'm fully exposed."
He floated on his back
"You should join me."
Ayesha then looked back at him
"Does it heal scars..?"
"As I said.. it can heal ~Anything~"
"Fine.. just don't be a pervert"
Yeonghon barks out a laugh
"Woww you really think I'm into you like that?"
*tsk*
Ayesha smirked
"Well~ considering you almost kissed me that one time.."
Yeonghon's eyes narrowed
*tsk*
"Really..? You had to bring that up.?"
"Yes, yes i did. Why? Got a problem with that.?"
"No. I don't"
"Uhuh.."
Ayesha then slipped off her hambok before getting in the water
"Hah.. it's warm.."
She stayed by the corner of the pond hanging onto the stone.
"Can you not swim or something..?"
"No.. I can it's just i prefer staying four to six feet away from you."
Yeonghon chuckled
"That's generous of you Ayesha, not ten feet but four to six feet? That's real cute."
"Shut up.."
Yeonghon swam closer to Ayesha until he was cageing her in the corner she was in.
Droplets of water run down yeonghon's lip and neck while the glow from the water illuminates on the back of his arms and hair.
Ayesha then blushed heavily
"Wh..why are you so close to me..?"
Yeonghon smirked and leaned in close. His breath fanning against her neck
"You still wanting that kiss i Never gave you.?"