Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jisoo ran a hand through her hair as she drafted the letter for the scouts situated on the other side of the ridge. She sighed loudly, the pen idle between her fingers as she twiddled it and rested her face in one hand.

All she had written was a rather splotchy opening address consisting of two sentences. Jisoo sighed again: she was going to have to get new materials to write. A general of her calibre couldn't be sending splotchy, untidy letters—it set a bad example and lost her respect.

She could have finished the darned letter long ago but her uncharacteristic daydreams were getting the better of her today, leaving her mind rather scattered.

Rather than being frustrated though, as tended to happen when her concentration dropped, she allowed herself to indulge. After all, the subject of her daydreams warranted such unfettered devotion, as she so loved to remind.

"If you bring your accursed military maps to bed, I will kick you out," Jennie threatened one time. It was hard to take her seriously when she was all sleepy and dazed from rounds of love-making, her sluggish attempts to admonish Jisoo only making her lover internally coo at her.

Jisoo had attempted to sneak out of her embrace and had successfully made it all the way to the desk buried underneath various documents to bring back some maps to pore over whilst Jennie rested and slept. Jennie was having none of it.

"It is preposterous that I have to compete for your attention with paper of all things. Is this the respect you pay to your future queen? Are you that eager to leave again?"

"I would hope my future queen realises how ridiculous she sounds complaining about sharing my attention when she occupies my mind all day long," Jisoo had teased, though she was quick to return empty-handed to the cosy sheets and kiss her petulant lover until her pouts disappeared. 

"Alright, no work in bed from now on," Jisoo said at last when the kisses threatened to flare up into heated territory, "it's just you and me."

Jennie pulled her down from her neck, eyes bright in the grey morning light. "Map me, not the paper," she whispered against her mouth, making Jisoo shiver, "explore me and discover every inch of me."

"I thought I already have," Jisoo whispered back, caressing her silky tresses.

"Then do it again. As the land beneath our feet erodes with the passage of time, so do our bodies and minds change, like the wind in the trees, the leaves that fall from the boughs and the ocean embracing the shore. I want you to explore me till we are withered and worn."

"As my future queen desires" Jisoo said solemnly, leaning in to close the gap and seal their vow, "only if she returns the favour."

Jennie smiled up at her, bright and tender. "It will be my most sacred honour."

Such were their declarations, fiery and passionate, falling easily but no less meaningfully from their lips, rising from the depth of their hearts. They had only consummated their love two winters ago, yet it felt like they were confessing their feelings for the first time every time they kissed or touched.

Jisoo smiled. Remembering the lovely times they spent in each other's company after the end of a successful military campaign made her almost wish she could drop her role and become some court ambassador like her father had been. That way, she and her beloved would never be parted. Jennie had done her fair share of gentle pleading, asking for Jisoo to switch careers.

Leaving their bed on the day of departure always tore Jisoo's heart in two, but to her credit, Jennie did her best to ease both their sorrows, softly kissing Jisoo goodbye without any histrionics.

"Just come back to me safely," she would say, smiling bravely after a final fierce hug. "Now go."

 It made Jisoo appreciate her lover more than ever: though Jennie wished for Jisoo to stay, she respected her too much to force her or guilt her into doing so.

But on the matter of dropping her duty, Jisoo held firm. She was not made for dry politicking and court drama. She had little tolerance for all the conspiracies and subterfuge that brewed within the palace. No, Jisoo felt suffocated and imprisoned just thinking about taking up the role of a counsel in court.

Her place was out on the rolling plains, the majestic mountains, commanding her armies beneath the scorching suns and sailing the unforgiving sea. Her place was with Lisa, fighting side by side as comrades in arms and together, they advanced as a formidable team that showed no sign of stopping.

Her duty she could not shirk: to bring glory to the kingdom and unite the country, winning back the land that had been taken from their people. She was brilliant as a general and even Jennie had admitted that taking Jisoo away from what she excelled, from what elevated the kingdom, from what she thrilled in doing would be too selfish for a future queen of Goryeo.

Jisoo had ambitions, ambitions to go beyond the border and punish their enemies by conquering their land instead, heading out into Manchuria and the land of the barbarous Khitans. 

Let them cower then! Let them bow down to the might of General Jisoo the Moon Viper and her blade!

With someone as dependable in battle as Captain Lisa fighting by her side, Jisoo was certain their dream would one day become reality. And then she would be able to retire and reap the fruit of what she sown: a prosperous queendom ruled by Jennie once she became of age.

The future was bright for Jisoo and she was eagerly reaching out for it, one military campaign at a time. She was the Moon Viper: beautiful and gentle as moonlight at first glance, venomous and deadly once you lowered your guard. 

She could go as far as she wanted and nobody could stop her. Fearsome armies had scattered as she skilfully attacked with fewer resources and soldiers, gaining the upper hand through sheer cunning and hard fighting. Their enemies grudgingly respected her, retreating with promises to return and fight the indomitable Moon Viper. Jisoo looked forward to wiping them all off the face of the land.

Her sacred duty and honour were intertwined, clear for all to see: General Jisoo was going to attain the impossible. Losing was simply not an option and anyone, mortal or god, who thought otherwise could go jump off a cliff.

But for now, she had to tackle the momentous task of recollecting her thoughts and focus on the darned letter in front of her.

"What's got the Moon Viper so distracted today?" someone asked behind her, barely stifling a giggle.

Jisoo whipped out the knife at her belt and slashed the air behind her chair. 

Or rather, the static wall of water behind her chair, towering above her and rippling as droplets splashed from Jisoo's knife. A mischievous giggle sounded from behind the wall.

Jisoo stared as the hazy figure behind the water came closer, revealing a short brunette decked out in rich clothes and smiling toothily, full gums on display. Jisoo's brows shot up.

"You highness?"

"Miss me?" Jennie grinned.

Jisoo withdrew the knife with a sigh. "Jendeuk, I told you not to do that, you'll get hurt." 

Though she nagged and worried, she couldn't help but be thrilled that her lover had shown up.

"No I won't get hurt. I'm too quick, even for you," Jennie shrugged, making the wall of water evaporate with a single hand movement. She opened her arms expectantly.

Jisoo raised an eyebrow before throwing a quick glance behind her to check they were truly alone. The general's tent was empty, because Jisoo preferred being alone to attend to administrative duties, but there were still the guard soldiers at the entrance that could spy on them.

"I made sure to send all the guards away. It's just you and me," Jennie reassured.

It was all the permission Jisoo needed to dart forward and scoop Jennie up in a tight hug, whirling her around joyfully as Jennie's chortling filled her ears, sweeter than music.

"You're here, you're really here," Jisoo murmured, lowering her down and stroking her cheek. "I was thinking of you."

"I should hope so. You had this ridiculous fat grin on your face, I'd have been quite upset if you were thinking of some other girl."

Jisoo resisted the urge to kiss her right away, favouring burying her face in Jennie's neck to press soft kisses there as she rocked them from side to side. Jennie clung on like a limpet, her quiet pleasured whimpers almost driving Jisoo feral.

She chuckled when she noticed small ice crystals forming at Jennie's heels.

"Feeling a bit too hot and bothered, your highness?"

She laughed and ducked when Jennie swatted at her head.

"Come now, it's endearing that a simple hug warrants you a need for a quick cool down. You don't have to hide from me," Jisoo grinned.

"Jisoo," Jennie whined, her face pink. Jisoo took her back in her embrace to spare her further embarrassment and simply held her, savouring the weight of her lover sagging against her as Jennie snuggled in close.

"Well, I think it's very useful. Us mere mortals have to simply bear with it," Jisoo cooed, pressing a kiss to her temple. They stayed locked in the embrace for a long time, simply enjoying holding each other after almost three months' absence.

Jisoo was beyond proud of her lover's advancements with her aquatic abilities. Ever since her powers had made an appearance as a child, Jennie had taken it upon herself to learn the lost art of water magic, even as people around her had expressed their distrust and wariness over the years.

Your highness, we must find a cure.

This can't possibly be natural.

What are the gods thinking? 

Why her? Is this some divine curse?

She is one half of the celestial prophecy.

All that people understood was that Jennie was host to an ancient water goddess' soul, Taeyeon. Someone else, as yet unidentified, was the host to Hanaju, a fire god linked with Taeyeon. Nobody had deciphered the full extent of the prophecy, only that if Taeyeon and Hanaju are brought together, calamity and  destruction would strike the land.

Jennie had advanced quickly, considering she was practically learning how to control her magic all by herself. But from a young age, Jisoo had witnessed the tremendous power she wielded over water, able to sculpt weapons and summon shields that more than proved her prowess in battle. Being the designated heir to the throne, she was of course forbidden from ever participating in battle, much as it rankled Jennie, but Jisoo privately agreed with the king. She wouldn't know peace if Jennie involved herself in warfare.

Being a water-bearer was embedded in Jennie's identity now. Whenever Jisoo saw a body of water like a lake or the swift river that ran next to their camp, she was reminded of Jennie. And for better or for worse, her subjects would have to accept her as their queen when she inherited the throne. 

There had been the odd rebellion here and there that vehemently opposed having a potentially liable agent of chaos seated on Goryeo's throne but besides ruling being Jennie's birthright, se had never given the general populace any cause for alarm. Her powers, largely kept under wraps to diminish people's fears, had never once created havoc or overwhelmed Jennie.

Though those in opposition favoured Jennie's brother Taehyung to take up the mantle as ruler, he wasn't popular enough to cause Jisoo any worries—few councillors supported his rigid policies to ban trade with foreign merchants. Coupled with his impulsive, hedonistic tendencies as well as his reckless spending of the royal coffers, Jisoo had filed away Jennie's hateful sibling as just a minor annoyance to keep an eye on.

Yet, Jisoo bristled to see how despite the constant campaigning on Jennie's part to be close to her subjects, there was still that undercurrent of distrust. She wished she could tell people how gentle and soft the girl they all feared could be but as Jennie told her, there was nothing to do about it.

"The people that love me will love me, and the people that do not, shall not. I will serve them as they serve me, regardless,"  Jennie often told Jisoo to soothe the latter's frustrations which she vented in the privacy of the princess's bedchambers. 

"Gods, I missed you so much," Jisoo mumbled at length, once she had her fill of Jennie's scent. "You smell so good."

She felt Jennie shake against her, letting her know she was giggling.

"Only good? Where is my eloquent, silver-tongued poet?"

"Can you blame me? I'm dizzy just gazing upon your ethereal face alone and basking in your divine presence. And that is without mentioning your eyes that peer into my very soul, like black obsidian with sparkling stars trapped in them—"

Jennie cut her off with a chuckle. "Oh there she is! Flattering as always General. I'm grateful to my past self for indulging in a bath yesterday, even though the water was freezing."

"Next on the learning list: heat up water," Jisoo grinned.

Jennie rolled her eyes. "Not in a musing mood I see. I'm still waiting to hear how good I smell," she smirked.

It was Jisoo's turn to roll her eyes, making Jennie chuckle.

"I'll bring you a bottle of the jasmine blooms next time, it will keep you inspired, and it will be a token to remember me by."

"I'd like that. And our enemies would certainly appreciate being slain by a sweet-smelling general. Not only would I look magnificent, I'd also smell incredible. They will write me in history books as the sweet-smelling maiden of the sword. No, The Deadly Moon Viper of the Jasmine Blooms!"

"You vain peacock," Jennie laughed.

Jennie always smelled faintly like jasmine (even when jasmine weren't in season) thanks to her hobby of collecting, drying and crushing the fresh blooms for later use. The smell was fresh and pure, delicately masking the underlying traces of musk beneath, reminding Jisoo of home, reminding her of her love. She surreptitiously always kept a close lookout for jasmine flowers when it was their season, priding herself on being the first to spot them and have Jennie come running to fetch some.

Jisoo could never get enough of the scent and she sneaked the chance to inhale another lungful when Jennie snuggled against her. 

It might be rather oafish of her to behave in such an unbecoming manner (not that Jennie minded), but Jisoo wanted to refresh her memory—she didn't know when she next would be blessed with her lover's presence. 

Such opportunities to reunite on the battlefield itself didn't happen, for safety reasons. This would be the first time Jennie had come out all the way past the outpost borders to where Jisoo and her squadrons had set up camp, ready to advance into enemy territory.

"How are you here?" Jisoo said, frowning. "We're more than a week's march from the last border outpost. All this time, you've been out here? Did you bring an entourage at least? Jennie, that was incredibly dangerous."

"I'm here now, I'm fine," Jennie said evasively.

"Yes but—"

Jennie cut her off with a finger to her lips.

"Can you blame me? I had to come see you, it's been so long since the last time I held you," Jennie said breathlessly and Jisoo's knees almost buckled. It was incredible how such a simple utterance had the Moon Viper giddy and weak like a chicken cowering before a bear. Lisa would laugh at her.

She cleared her throat and changed the subject quickly. "How did you get past the men at the front? They were under strict instructions not to let anyone pass—"

"Your instructions must have left out 'princess' in this case," Jennie said playfully, "or they simply had no choice but to listen to their future queen and let me through."

"Your highness, how impertinent of you to use your authority to bully my men," Jisoo chided only half-heartedly. She couldn't keep up her act for long, not when the queen of her heart smiled so radiantly at her.

"I wanted to pay a visit to the most noble and gallant warrior in all of the King's army," Jennie answered.

Jisoo smirked, chest swelling up with pride. She leaned in to finally kiss Jennie as reward.

"...and then I came to visit you too," Jennie said when Jisoo's lips were a hair's breadth away.

Jisoo groaned, the moment disrupted as Jennie chortled.

"That's not even remotely funny," Jisoo complained petulantly. "I'm your most noble and gallant warrior! Nobody else is! Do't go throwing out that title so casually! It's mine."

"Naturally," Jennie teased, winding her arms around Jisoo's waist. "Now kiss me, my grumpy love."

Jisoo tossed her head back, nose in the air. "I don't think I will. Ordering me around like a mere servant? Try flattery for once."

"We know that doesn't work on you."

"Try me."

"I have, many times. Besides, you seem to not mind when I order you around...especially in the bedroom," Jennie smiled mischievously as she trailed a finger down her cheek and thumbed at her jaw. She leaned forward, her breath caressing Jisoo's mouth, who stopped still in anticipation.

"As your future queen, I have the authority, birthright and duty to command you. But I speak now as your lover: I demand your kisses like I demand air. I cannot live without them. I crave your touch like I crave the rain on my skin. I need you like the blood in my veins that sustains me tirelessly. I need you like the water that invigorates me. I'm starving Jisoo. Feed me," Jennie whispered, her voice ragged with longing.

Her pronouncements never failed to make Jisoo stagger with the ferocious desire they inspired within her. She could only reply in kind to match the same passion with which Jennie spoke.

"Your wish is my command, my reason to live, my everything," Jisoo said tenderly as she pulled Jennie close and leaned in to bridge the gap. She stifled her grin when Jennie eagerly rolled up on her toes to meet her halfway.

"By the way, would your highness care to join your most noble and gallant warrior to dine on some roasted wild chicken?" Jisoo said just before their lips touched.

Jennie groaned in exasperation and pushed Jisoo away with a huff while Jisoo cackled.

"Two can play at your games, your highness. That's why we make the perfect match."

"You mock me, General," Jennie said balefully. "I bare my heart to you and you ask me about fowl? You dare make a mockery of my sentiments?"

"How dare your highness accuse a loyal servant of the crown of such blasphemy? That would be akin to treason," Jisoo argued back in jest, making the other girl snort.

"Of all people to fall in love with, my inclinations favoured a court jester. How the heavens have forsaken me so," Jennie sighed dramatically. If there had been a couch nearby, Jisoo knew Jennie would have thrown herself upon it, for the extra melodramatic flair.

"Consider it a boon. A court jester can better remove your frown and put a smile on your face than anybody else can," Jisoo quipped. But she couldn't endure Jennie's pouting for long—she took the princess's soft dainty hand in her own callused one and pressed it to her breastplate, wishing Jennie could hear her thumping heart that beat only for her.

"The heart of this warrior beats solely for you," Jisoo said solemnly, softly, her eyes seeing only Jennie. "If you order it to die, it will die gladly, knowing it served its princess faithfully till the last vestiges of life expire from my lips."

"Jisoo!" Jennie said, brows pinched, eyes wide. She quickly nuzzled just under chin, head on Jisoo's chest where her hand had been moments ago. Her grip on Jisoo's waist tightened. "This heart is so dear to me, how could you say such a terrible thing! To have it befall such a cruel fate is too unbearable to even consider. Don't speak like that again, I beg of you. It's no light matter."

"But jagiya, it's the truth," Jisoo said softly in an attempt to placate her distraught lover, "I am bound to you. If your will is for me to perish, I will gladly do so. But otherwise, I will consent to walk along the path of life by your side as long as you'll have me."

Jennie didn't reply: she snuggled closer, burrowing against Jisoo so fiercely she almost toppled them over.

Jisoo tactfully changed the subject, realising she had touched a rather delicate nerve. It wouldn't do to pursue the subject—she didn't want to spend her time together having Jennie being upset with her. 

"I wasn't jesting about the chicken. Join me?"

Jennie lifted her head. "Will we join the other officers in the mess tent?"

"No way," Jisoo declared, taking her hand and intertwining their fingers together, "I want you all to myself. Let's find some place better suited for...private conversation," she added slyly.

Jennie's mouth widened into an understanding smile. "I concur. You still owe me a kiss."

"This humble servant will shortly make up for any shortcomings that displease you, your highness."

Jennie giggled, swinging their joined hands. "Lead the way, General."

>

When they emerged from the tent, they made sure to keep a respectful distance, with Jisoo following in Jennie's wake as was customary etiquette.

Jennie's faithful retinue of guards immediately approached, frowning when Jennie waved them away in easy dismissal.

"I will be dining privately with General Kim. You are all dismissed to do as you please until my return. Jinsung, have you eaten yet?"

"No, your highness," said the captain of Jennie's guards.

"Then see to it that you and your men are attended to. I expect you all to be refreshed upon my return."

"But, where will you go, your highness? I hope it's not too far," Jinsung said worriedly. "These lands are treacherous, an ambush could happen at any time, our defences aren't prepared against possible attacks."

"General Kim will be with me and I have my powers. We will only be going up the grassy bluff over yonder," Jennie pointed, "besides, I trust in the general's judgement."

"This camp is well-hidden and we have lookouts posted at the crucial points," Jisoo stepped in. "We also have several hundred troops gathered here, they can launch into action at a moment's notice. Her highness is safer than safe. It's out there in the open where the danger is located."

The head guard still looked unconvinced. "General Kim, I trust you wholly but I fear you are making light of the situation. We are surrounded by hostile territories. This journey was already a risk and if the princess's whereabouts are revealed...make no mistake that our enemies will come for her. Please be more vigilant."

"Jinsung, you worry too much," Jennie said lightly, but Jisoo knew her lover well. She noticed the faint hint of frost gathering on the grass stalks at her heels, revealing her true tension.

Jennie was just as anxious about safety as her guards, yet she was preferring to pretend and keep up a cheerful charade.

Why had she made the precarious journey without notice anyway? Jisoo wondered. She resolved to ask once they were alone.

"I will protect her with my life if it comes down to it," Jisoo vowed, moving to stand next to Jennie. "And as her highness mentioned, she has her water magic. Truly, I pity the poor soul who attacks her. He is lucky whoever lives to tell the tale of the encounter."

A spatter of chuckles and vocal agreement did the rounds to Jisoo's pleasure. Jinsung shook his head though he had a little smile on before turning away and leading his officers towards the mess tent.

"Let's get a picnic," Jennie said, turning to smile at Jisoo. She frowned when she spotted Jisoo's thoughtful expression. "What?"

"Why did you come all the way to see me here?" Jisoo asked. "Not that I'm complaining," she added quickly, "but Jinsung is right. It's quite the treacherous journey. And how long do you intend to stay? We plan to start marching out tomorrow and head for the ridge, I've had scouts reporting enemy activity brewing over there. You can't join us, it's too dangerous."

Jennie bit her lip and slipped her hand in Jisoo's, squeezing tightly. "Let's talk when we get to the tree?"

"Jisoo!"

They turned to find Lisa hurrying up to them, sword clanking at her side. "Jisoo what's taking so long? Come on, the food is gonna...oh." She dropped down to one knee upon spotting Jennie.

"Your highness," she mumbled, eyes fixed on the ground.

"Rise Lisa-ya, it's only me," Jennie chuckled. "Why all the formalities?"

"Right. Apologies. I was a little startled, didn't know you were here." Lisa glanced at Jisoo, eyebrows raised in question. Jisoo only shrugged.

"How come you're here?" Lisa asked. "It's not safe to be out here right now. Jisoo, send her back."

Jisoo raised her hands. "That's not for me to decide. Jennie's perfectly capable of determining that, aren't you?"

"Yes and—"

"Jennie's not thinking. You should send her immediately, if you care about her," Lisa said tersely.

 Jisoo turned to Jennie. "She does make a point, you know. Being out in these lands is a risk."

"It's been lonely in the capital," Jennie said meekly. "I missed you all."

"So you just decided to drop everything and come here? You're not usually that irresponsible. What were you thinking?" Lisa said severely.

"Hey, go easy there, it's the princess you're addressing," Jisoo reminded.

"Oh she's the princess now, not just regular old Jennie?" Lisa tossed her head, irritated. "I'm surprised at you, Jisoo. Where's your logic gone? You know this area can be compromised."

"Lisa, you and I have ensured the surroundings have been cleared of the hordes. I feel confident enough of our current position, don't you?"

Lisa shook her head with a sigh. "Whatever. Well, how long are you intending to stay?"

"I will return shortly. My training must continue," Jennie said.

"Right. So you'll you be dining with us?"

"Actually Lisa, do you think the cook could rustle up a quick picnic?" Jisoo interjected. "Jennie and I were going to the hill up there, by the tree."

"I'm sure he can. Let me accompany you and keep a lookout up there."

"No, I want you stay here and keep an eye out while I'm gone, we won't be too long. You'll be in charge. Don't let it get to your head," Jisoo joked, clapping the captain on her back.

Lisa's mouth twitched, the corners down-turned. "Jisoo, you need protection of some sort, you'll be up there all alone, in full view of potential attackers. You have the heir with you, don't forget."

"Why is everyone so convinced that those barbarians will attack today?" Jisoo said loftily. "Do I have to issue you an order to stay behind or will you listen for once?"

Lisa gritted her teeth. "I'm always listening. You're the one that doesn't listen whenever Jennie is involved. She tends to be...somewhat of a distraction for you. You lose sight of your duties. You let down your guard."

"As if," Jisoo said indignantly. Jennie squeezed her hand, stopping her from blustering further.

"We really won't be long, Lisa-ya. I'll give you Jisoo back soon," Jennie said gently, smiling hopefully. "Please cover for her while she's gone? For me?"

Lisa sighed and tossed her head before turning on her heel, her cloak swishing behind her as she stalked off. "As you wish, my liege."

"So she says whilst turning her back on royalty," Jisoo said dryly. They watched the broody captain stomp out of sight amongst the tents. Very few men were around and the camp was rather quiet save for a burst of chatter here and there. Everyone was mostly busy stuffing their faces.

"Is Lisa alright? Her mood changed so abruptly when she saw me," Jennie said worriedly.

"She's fine, just grouchy. Probably because she hasn't had the chance to tumble a girl as of late, being out in the hinterlands as it is. Or maybe she's missing a proper chai-yok. I know I am," Jisoo sighed. "You and I are going to the jjimjilbang first thing when I get back, I am in dire need of pampering."

"I like the sound of that, but I look forward to the special private pampering that comes after," Jennie grinned, sidling closer. Her expression turned solemn. "But...will Lisa really be alright?"

"Don't worry. She's had bouts of bad temper before. She's probably hungry too. She'll feel better after lunch." Jisoo paused, thoughtful. "I suppose seeing us together with clear intentions to have our one-on-one time together has Lisa feeling...envious. Can't be helped."

"I hope she finds somebody for herself soon. I don't like when she's sad."

"I wouldn't necessarily call her sad. She's just catankerous."

"I don't know, she always seems...sad when she sees me. Sad but at the same time...angry?" Jennie frowned. "Like she's...like she's guilty about something? I don't even know."

"You're reading too much into her behaviour. Why would she be angry at you when she's just seeing you? And sad too? Jen, she's our best friend, we've known her since we were children. Don't burden your head with such nonsense."

"You're probably right. Lisa is our Lisa, always on the cranky side," Jennie nodded.

Jisoo shook her head. "Let's go have our picnic or the raiders people seem to think are going to ambush us will really come along."

>

By the time they had devoured the picnic spread under the tree, both Jennie and Jisoo were in decidedly better spirits. The grim warnings of Lisa and Jinsung were but distant memories, especially when the princess and her general were engaged in a passionate liplock.

Jisoo half-straddled Jennie, kissing her and greedily swallowing all of Jennie's whines as the latter grabbed fistfuls of Jisoo's hair and tugged, making her lover groan in answer. 

They parted only when the absolute need for air made their lungs burn but Jennie would pull her in again, gasping like a fish, but needing Jisoo to be physically, impossibly close. Likewise, Jisoo readily obliged and nuzzled closer, aching to undo Jennie's hanbok but having to content with skimming the tantalising layers of her clothes and kissing any patch of bare skin she could reach around her neck and jaw. 

She rocked against Jennie, her lover's whimpers making desire bloom and pulsate between her legs, like a second heart, yearning for more touch and slick relief. But for now, Jisoo had to settle for a small glimpse of the blazing inferno that could catch fire if they didn't douse the flames with some much-needed rationality.

"Jendeuk, we—need to—slow down," Jisoo panted, tamping down on her lust with great effort. She clenched her fists when Jennie didn't heed her and continued with her insistent mission to undo the breastplate around Jisoo's chest. "Jennie..."

"I want to feel you, that thing is in the way," Jennie pouted, helping Jisoo take it off, "no more than that, I promise."

Jisoo couldn't complain about that yet the nagging thought at the back of her head made her reluctantly push off Jennie and sit up. Jennie watched confusedly. Her bun was completely unravelled and with her swollen lips and dishevelled appearance, she was the picture of seduction beneath Jisoo, making the general grit her teeth as her control frayed.

 If she gave in to her desire, Jisoo knew she wouldn't stop until she had her way with Jennie right there beneath the tree.

"I'm sorry jagiya but one of us has to be the responsible adult to make the tough decisions," Jisoo said, smirking when Jennie groaned. "If it's any consolation, you're not the only one suffering."

"I wish I wasn't the princess sometimes," Jennie lamented, sitting up and combing through her thick luxuriant hair. "Even if I were a wool spinner, as long as you're there, I think I'd manage."

Jisoo smiled wider than before. "Are you sure about that, your highness? You wouldn't be able to have your hot baths in the palace."

"I'll live. I'll have you chop up firewood and heat water for my bath instead. You'd do that for me, wouldn't you?" Jennie said sweetly.

"Ah yes, being a glorified servant has always been my dream."

"I'm your future queen, it ought to be your proudest achievement to even breathe the same air I do," Jennie said primly. 

Jisoo laughed quietly. "Whatever you say, jagiya."

She watched Jennie fiddle with her hair, growing exasperated the longer she tried to untangle the knots.

"Didn't Chahee brush your hair last night?" Jisoo wondered.

Jennie shrugged. "I didn't bring any of the maids with me."

Jisoo raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. Instead, she gestured at Jennie's hair. "Here, let me help with that."

Beaming, Jennie quickly turned her back to Jisoo and closed her eyes when Jisoo's fingers landed on the crown of her head. 

She loved when Jisoo massaged her scalp before plaiting her hair, loved the quiet intimacy and gentle touches. Though she was a hardened general, Jisoo was just as patient as Jennie's maids, her deft and nimble fingers carefully pulling out knots and combing Jennie's thick mane thoroughly. 

Jisoo sneakily dropped a kiss to her neck here and there as well, laughing when Jennie jerked in surprise and then brazenly leaned back for more.

Hearing the general's soft controlled breaths as she focused on the task at hand soothed Jennie, making her drowsy as she settled back contentedly against Jisoo's chest and let her lover work.

The foliage grew thick and copious, such that barely a speck of sun invaded their shaded bower. It was a beautiful, clear autumn afternoon and quite warm too. Jennie watched birds flying over treetops. The camp was hidden from their spot, though if you peered over the edge of the bluff you could see it sweeping beneath you.

"Would you like an apple, Chu?" Jennie hummed at length. She pointed at the branch overhead, laden with ripe rosy apples. She had spied Jisoo eyeing them earlier.

"That would be nice. I can get us a couple later—"

Jennie flicked her fingers, sending a precise flying disc of water that sliced through the apple stalk. As the apple plummeted to the ground, a tendril of water caught it and held it, suspended in mid-air amongst the grass. Jennie pulled the suspended apple towards herself as though pulling on a string, the water disappearing with another flick of her fingers before she handed it to Jisoo, who grinned, impressed.

"New trick?"

"You're the first to see," Jennie affirmed, making Jisoo's smile broaden as she bent her head to peck her fondly on the temple.

"You're a natural. It's astounding every time I see you do anything," Jisoo complimented, resting her head on Jennie's shoulder.

"I've been practising," Jennie grinned, pleased with her reaction. Jisoo had always been one of the first she showed her tricks to, because she was the only one who didn't treat her any differently, with any wariness or hesitation. 

They divided the apple into half and sat munching companionably, Jennie's half-finished plait forgotten.

"Tell me about your campaign," Jennie said eventually, "it's unusual you haven't even mentioned it once in front of me since I arrived."

"I happened to be preoccupied admiring a certain maiden."

"If this maiden you speak of is the future queen of Goryeo, then it's quite understandable," Jennie said.

"Who's the vain peacock now?" Jisoo teased.

"Your conceited tendencies have rubbed off on me," Jennie said, smiling when she elicited a chuckle from her lover.

Jisoo didn't take long to warm up and engage in an enthusiastic account of her and Lisa's exploits, as well as her future plans, complete with hasty scrawled diagrams in the dust to help visualise better.

"...then we surround them, take them prisoners and execute them. The land will be ours. Well yours," Jisoo said feverishly, "and think about all the trade deals you could make! Also our scouts have said this area has very good arable land, which is optimal for our crops, we can grow food here, here and here to send to armies that will go further beyond and...and..."

Jisoo frowned when she noticed Jennie's vacant gaze. "Jen? Are you listening?"

Jennie blinked and shook her head quickly. She had slipped out of Jisoo's embrace to allow Jisoo the space to explain and elaborate on her war plans. "Ah right yes, farmers, mhm, crops and all that..."

Jisoo put down the stick she was using, sat back and crossed her arms. "Jendeuk, why did you really come to see me?" she asked softly. "Surely, it wasn't to hear me drone on and on about military campaigns. I appreciate you trying to be interested, but I know there must be something else behind this visit."

Her brows knitted, concern etched all over her face. "Is...is everything alright at home? Taehyung hasn't been harassing you, has he?"

"I'm alright. Nothing happened." Jennie sighed and looked away. "I just—I want to be with you and listen to you talk. And seeing you excited and happy makes me feel happy until I remember what it is that you do."

"Jennie, we've been over this," Jisoo said gently.

"I know but..." Jennie gazed at her pleadingly. "Jisoo, I'm a selfish, spoiled brat."

"What do you—"

"I want to keep you to myself. That's why I came, for the simple reason that I wanted to see you and hold on to you as long as I can before you're gone for another three months and I am left alone in my abode, fearful of a future where...where you're not there. The King keeps trying to interest me in potential alliances, Chu."

"Oh Jendeuk," Jisoo said sadly, trying very hard not to think of the eventual alliances Jennie would have to make to bolster her position. It was a princess's duty to marry and bear children to continue the royal bloodline as well. Choosing her future husband was a crucial political issue that had Jennie under a lot of pressure already.

Jennie had adamantly put off choosing, citing that she had nothing to offer at her tender age as an excuse to silence wagging tongues. Her father had acquiesced to her wish of no more suitors, at least until she took the throne, giving Jisoo a few years to breathe freely until the dilemma surfaced again. 

But it seemed her relief was short-lived, because the King was still actively preparing Jennie for her future. Jisoo couldn't fault him—he was trying to ensure his kingdom didn't crumble upon his demise. Yet, she couldn't help but feel resentful towards the deadline that threatened to upend her and Jennie's otherwise blissful existence.

Jennie wrapped her arms around herself. "Jisoo, when are you coming home?"she said in anguish.

Jisoo looked down at her hands. "I don't know Jen. I told you before. I have so much to do."

"I know. I hate asking you like this, I tried so hard to hold strong. I did it before, but now..."

 Jisoo didn't even feel mad. Her dedication to her duties as one of Goryeo's eminent generals was a subject of contention that they might never agree on. Jennie feared for Jisoo, while Jisoo relished in the thrill and glory that battle brought her. She lived for the raw, bloody and brutal clashes, of fights and duels with Lisa fighting by her side.

Jennie never understood their bloodlust, never understood the sheer enjoyment her and Lisa derived from war and conquest. Always the gentle and more timid member of the trio since they were children, Jennie's soft character was a contrast to Jisoo's unquenchable thirst for victory.

But Jisoo had long made her peace with the fact that they would never see eye to eye on this matter.

 As long as Jennie respected her wishes and didn't try to block her, she was fine.

"I had a bad dream, about two weeks ago now. It was—it was terrifying," Jennie confessed, catching Jisoo's attention. "I had to come here immediately. I didn't even tell my father when I left, because I wanted to go right away so I just summoned some guards and packed lightly and we left. I did send a messenger soon after I left, so that Father won't come after me. But I just had to see you in the flesh, to see for myself that you were alright and still alive."

"What happened in the dream?" Jisoo asked softly. She opened her arms for Jennie to fall into, and Jennie gladly sank in her embrace.

"The war took you from me," Jennie whispered. "You fell in battle, fighting bravely until the very end but you were hopelessly outnumbered and surrounded from all sides. It was a horrible death and I could do nothing but weep, drowning in my grief. My water powers were useless, they weren't working for some reason. I never felt so utterly helpless before. I couldn't save you. I woke up and... I had to come, Jisoo. I'm sorry. It—it felt too real. It frightened me. I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Stars, why should you be sorry?" Jisoo hugged her tightly. "I would have done the exact same thing if I felt you're endangered in the capital. But jagiya, that was a risk to come all the way out here. How do you think I'd feel if something happened to you?"

"I know, that's why I ask for forgiveness. Because I would have done it twenty times over, if it means reassuring my tormented mind that you are safe and sound. I can't regret coming here to see with my own eyes and feel you with my hands. My heart is at peace now." Jennie nuzzled close, impossibly closer.

Jisoo squeezed her one more time then pulled back to cup Jennie's face, making her look deep into her eyes. She didn't say anything, merely leaning in and connecting their foreheads as both their eyes fluttered shut.

"Come home," Jennie whispered. She clutched Jisoo's hands when Jisoo didn't answer. "I will never ask anything of you again, as long as you're safe where I can see you every day. Just come home with me."

Jisoo remained silent until she heard Jennie's quiet sniff. Her eyes snapped open in alarm, coming face to face with tears rolling down her lover's face.

"Oh Jendeukie, ssh, ssh, it's alright, I'm right here, I didn't mean to make you cry, come here," Jisoo murmured, helpless in the face of her lover's misery.

"I'm sorry. I know it's selfish to pull you away from something you love doing," Jennie sniffled, "but I just—I cry myself to sleep every night knowing you're risking your life for me and the country. Wondering if I had seen you for the last time. Wondering if I had made you understand well enough the depth of my adoration for you."

"Jendeuk, look at me," Jisoo said. She lifted her chin gently with the first two fingertips. "I understand perfectly and I thank the Heavens for being so gracious as to grant me the opportunity to love you, and for you to love me back. I'll always be here. I'm the Moon Viper. I have Lisa with me, she's got my back. And out there, fighting our enemies...it's where I belong, Jennie. At least for now."

When Jennie's shoulder slumped in dejection, Jisoo cupped her face to make her look up again.

"Let me finish. I love being the general of the army, your general. I don't know how I could ever move on. But...lately, I've been thinking. Maybe you're right. Squandering so much precious time that we could have spent together, always with the vague threat of never seeing you again dangling over our heads." 

Jisoo fixed Jennie with her piercing gaze. "Jagiya, don't you dare think for one second that I don't care just as much about us. I'm very well aware that every battle is a game of life and death, a gamble. I'm gambling with my life while you suffer on the side, agonising as you wait for me while the deadline for your coronation looms."

She took a deep breath. "Maybe it's time I partake in some sacrifices myself."

"You mean, sacrifices to the gods? But you do that already, you make the offerings without fail whenever you return and we visit the temples," Jennie frowned.

"Not those kinds of sacrifices." Jisoo wiped Jennie's lone tear, smiling tenderly. "I don't know when this adventure as a general of Goryeo's army will end. But I hope that in the next adventure, you feature a lot more times."

Jennie's eyes widened, hope making her eyes sparkle. "You're saying..."

"Bear with these circumstances for a little longer, my love," Jisoo said comfortingly. "I have made my decision, right here, right now." She lifted Jennie's dainty hand to her lips, lovingly kissing her knuckles. "I swear before you, beneath the sky with the gods above as our witnesses. I swear to you that this will be my final campaign. Then I shall retire. Lisa can lead in my stead. It will be a hard transition for everyone involved, and I'm sure I will meet much resistance, but it will be done."

"Y-you mean it?" Jennie said in wonder.

Jisoo nodded, albeit with somewhat of a heavy heart: concern for the army's welfare and their future campaigns, doubts about Lisa's abilities to lead, fears of their enemies stirring once they realise the seemingly invincible general was stepping down.

 Of course Jennie noticed the shadow crossing her face and she immediately rushed to comfort her.

"Thank you for your sacrifice. It won't be in vain. I will do all that I can with the power vested in me to help fortify our military despite your departure. And I will strive to make you happy every day for the rest of our lives."

"You already do, Jendeuk," Jisoo smiled. "It will just take a little getting used to the new adjustments. But we will get there, as long as we're together."

"Yes, we will. I know we will. Thank you for understanding me. I love you," Jennie whispered in her ear as she looped her arms behind Jisoo's neck and hugged her fiercely. "I love you I love you I love you."

A strange but welcome lightness washed over Jisoo at Jennie's words, sloughing off a heavy cloak of apprehension and dread that she hadn't known she was wearing as Jennie joyfully hugged and kissed her all over her face.

But she understood why the cloud had lifted: Jennie should have been her priority a long time ago. 

To stand by her side and be the solid support as her princess navigated the complex role of ruling over a country torn by factions teetering on the brink of violence: that was going to be her new role. She would gladly take up the mantle to protect her beloved from the cutthroat councilmen, just as vicious and brutal as soldiers out on the battlefield. It would take time to master but once Jisoo put her mind to something, there was little that could dissuade her from finishing what she started.

"Jisoo this is the happiest—you don't even know—I can't—I'm so happy!" Jennie laughed, brighter than Jisoo remembered. She jumped to her feet and took off twirling amongst the tall dry grass, head thrown back as she laughed, arms spread wide, gorgeous brown mane half plaited streaming behind her.

And she looked so young and free and happy and beautiful, laughing as though she had shed years after Jisoo's declaration, that Jisoo couldn't resist. She climbed to her feet and chased after Jennie, scooping her up and whirling them both around in circles.

"I love you!" Jisoo laughed as Jennie squealed.

"I love you too!" Jennie laughed back.

Dizzy from all the spinning, they flopped to the ground amongst the sweet smelling grass, Jennie on top of Jisoo, giggling with adoring eyes fixated on each other as though nothing else existed. 

"Gods, I could just stay like this and watch you forever," Jisoo said lazily, caressing Jennie's face. The sun's rays were directly behind Jennie, giving her a soft glow that made her look positively ethereal. Jisoo was mesmerised.

"The feeling is mutual," Jennie chuckled before her eyes turned hazy and she dipped her head closer, her gaze flickering to Jisoo's lips. "Kiss me, general."

Jisoo wanted to tease but the moment was too precious to ruin—not with Jennie looking at her like she was a goddess on a pedestal, worshipping her with her gaze alone.

"As you desire, my queen."

 She met Jennie in the middle, tilting her head to deepen the kiss and savouring the sensation of Jennie's soft mouth as though they were kissing for the first time. A memory that she absolutely never got tired of reliving and reinventing with every kiss and touch they shared. As her hand trailed down the curve of Jennie's hip, she smiled to feel the girl on top of her shiver. A firmer squeeze and Jennie arched up, moaning right into her mouth.

"Jisoo," she whined. Her wretched plea made Jisoo almost break. In a flash, she overturned them so that now Jennie lay spreadeagled beneath her. Eyes half-lidded, Jennie beckoned her lover closer with just her gaze, making heat bloom in Jisoo's face with the very blatant display of desire.

"Jen...we can't."

"Why not?" Jennie giggled. "There's only you and me here." She played with the collar of Jisoo's uniform, slipping her cool fingers inside to stroke along the heated skin. "I've missed you so much. Haven't you missed me?"

"Gods, beyond reason," Jisoo choked out as Jennie's exploring turned insistent.

Jennie's eyes darkened in challenge, her smile morphing into a smirk. "Then show me," she commanded.

But before Jisoo could reply, the ground rumbled beneath them, making them both pause and sit up, the heat between them rapidly dissipating to give way to confusion.

"Earthquake?" Jennie wondered.

Jisoo's mouth ran dry as her worst suspicions surfaced. "Jen—"

And then they heard it: thundering hooves and distant tumultuous roars of a mob shattering the peaceful quiet of the valley.

Jennie's name died on Jisoo's lips as their gaze snapped to each other, mirroring bewilderment and the beginning of fear in their wide eyes.

"It can't be..."

Jisoo climbed to her feet and rushed to the edge of the bluff, gazing down in horror.

A gigantic, endless wave of enemy barbarians on horseback poured out from the forest beyond Jisoo's army's camp, shouting and brandishing weapons. Scores of archers let loose a barrage of arrows that rained down on the camp, sending Jisoo's straggling soldiers scarpering for shelter. The invading army rammed through the barricades of the encampment with ease, trampling on the defenceless soldiers who were running around in panic trying to grab weapons, fighting back as best as they could amongst the chaos as the hordes swarmed them.

Jisoo could only look on, speechless, at the massacre happening right before her eyes.

"It's an ambush!" Jennie cried. Jisoo grabbed her arms before she sailed past her down the hill, reading her intentions like an open book.

"Jennie, stay here!"

"I have to help!"

"No, it's too dangerous! I won't let you," Jisoo insisted, fighting to stay calm as all her instincts screamed at her to scoop up Jennie and run.

"I have to! I have my powers!" 

Without warning, Jennie wrenched herself out of Jisoo's clutches and stepped on a suspended, shimmering round disc of rippling water that she summoned out of the air with a wave of her hand. Her eyes pleaded with Jisoo.

"I can do this! I can save everyone. The river will help me."

"Jennie no!" Jisoo screamed in terror, rushing to grab her. 

Her hands snatched thin air as Jennie shot down the hill on the water sled, heading straight into the thick of battle.

>

In all her life, Jisoo had never seen such unforgiving carnage. 

Men on all sides shouting,cries of fear and pain, the clash of swords, the sharp coppery tang of blood, fires burning and smouldering, smoke billowing from the blazes, carcasses of horses and their riders lying in pools of blood, arrows sprouting out of the ground like saplings, destroyed tents and supplies strewn across the battleground.

After the initial shock, her men had quickly managed to arm themselves but the initial wave had caught them offguard. People were shouting orders, scattered and too preoccupied fighting for their lives to care about regrouping and attacking in formation.

More worryingly, Jennie was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared down the hill and Jisoo had chased after her, yelling at the top of her lungs before she was quickly swept up in the chaos.

"Where the hell are the scouts? Why the hell didn't they raise the alarm?" Jisoo bellowed, striking down an enemy soldier and whirling around to stab another in the middle. She pulled out her bloody blade with a grunt, sweating and panting, eyes scanning desperately for any sign of Jennie or water.

If Jennie got hurt...

"Jisoo!"

She ducked just in time as an axe swung over her head. Jisoo hopped backwards, gritting her teeth as she faced the three soldiers hemming her in. But she didn't have to wait long: three arrows thudded into their foreheads and the soldiers keeled face first.

"Get your head in the game!" Lisa scolded, running up with her bow and arrow. "This is bad. What's the plan? We ca't retreat!"

"Have you seen Jennie?" Jisoo said urgently, greatly relieved to have Lisa by her side again. Things were going to be alright, they would get out of this, as long as they were fighting together, the Moon Viper and her Captain.

Lisa drew out her own sword and bent into stance next to Jisoo as they dove into the midst of fighting clusters, slicing and swinging back to back, taking out as many men as they could. The battle was fierce but Jisoo and Lisa were seasoned warriors who didn't hesitate to raze the ground in their fury. Jisoo felt they could turn the tide of the attack in their favour.

"Wait, Jennie's missing?" Lisa said incredulously in between pants.

"I know alright? I'll find her," Jisoo snapped. She paused to slice a man's head off, heedless of the blood spraying her face. "Get me to the river, that's where she said she'll be."

She had been trying to head there, carving a path through the enemy's ranks but there was so many of them that Jisoo grew disoriented, her wits deserting her because in her panic, all she could think of was Jennie. The swell of the stampede carried her further away from the river as she hacked and cut down the unfortunate souls in her way. 

"I told you she shouldn't be here," Lisa fretted.

"Behind you," Jisoo said instead. Lisa ducked. Jisoo darted forward and promptly sliced off the swordsman's arm that had been about to chop off Lisa's head. He fell with a scream, drowned by the chaos.

Soldiers decked out in barbarian armour came at her from all sides once they recognised who she was, making Jisoo curse even as she promptly dealt with the targeted assault. Her arm and leg muscles screamed and she knew she was going to be sore for many days since she had no time to get warmed up but Jisoo gritted her teeth: she was going to get out of this nightmare and gladly take any sore aches she could get if it meant staying alive and saving Jennie.

"Clear a path in these brutes, I'll bring up the rear," Jisoo decided. "We need to find her before she tires herself out."

"Why didn't you stop her?" Lisa fretted, high ponytail swinging back and forth in disapproval.

"You try stopping her next time! Now move it!" Jisoo ordered. Lisa grumbled but tossed her cloak back and threw herself into the fray alongside Jisoo.

When they finally broke rank and emerged at the river bank, sweet relief flooded Jisoo's entire being: Jennie was there, directing two tentacles of water from the churning river behind her and using them as appendages to strike out and throw any approaching soldiers. She was also hiding behind her usual shield of water, now frozen. Arrows, swords and spears clanged off the surface uselessly. 

Jennie was clearly in her element, creatively taking out the enemy around her with a volley of icicles and sending the remaining soldiers scarpering. As a new wave of soldiers attempted to launch an attack, Jennie started pulling in more water, building up a bubble of water above her head and preparing to throw it on the frozen soldiers that stood and stared in terror and awe beneath the shadow of the gigantic water sphere, eclipsing the sun.

"That's my girl, give it to them," Jisoo said proudly. "Let's go help her. Jen, we're coming!"

But Jennie never heard.

The sphere of water suddenly dissolved, cascading to the ground with an explosive force. It fell right on top of Jennie, the gargantuan downpour washing her and all those in the vicinity into the river. 

The last thing Jisoo saw was Jennie's floundering arms as she disappeared over the edge.

"No!" Jisoo shouted.

"What happened?" Lisa gasped.

Jisoo didn't care. She ran, dodging past soldiers as she stabbed and pushed and punched her way to the edge of the river.

"Jisoo, the archer!"

Jisoo swerved on instinct and an arrow narrowly missed her temple as it zipped past her. Glancing across the river, she snarled when she saw an archer concealed amongst the trees. He must have snuck across the river and shot Jennie from the back, where she had been wide open, defenceless.

"Take him out!" Jisoo hollered. No sooner were the words out of her mouth that an arrow flashed past her and struck him directly in the chest. He crumpled to the ground.

"Cover me!" Jisoo shouted to Lisa.

Lisa immediately bent into stance with her sword out, waiting to block anyone who dared interrupt Jisoo's rescue mission. Soon she was engaged fighting with soldiers that broke rank from where the majority of the battling was happen.

"Jennie!" Jisoo cried, falling to her knees on the riverbank and reaching out to her. "Grab my hand, come on!"

If she stepped into the river, she feared she'd be swept away. The water slapped against the rocks, evidence of a strong current.

"Jennie come on!" she urged, heart thudding as she reached out in desperation.

Jennie was just out of reach in the middle of the river, feebly clinging on to a slippery rock as the water tugged against her. The arrow that struck her was firmly lodged in the centre of her back. Her eyes fluttered, grip loosening.

"Jennie, hang in there!" Jisoo said frantically, on the verge of dancing. She dared to lean in farther, grasping the slippery riverbank edge tightly. "Wait, I got it!"

She feverishly undid the empty scabbard at her side and held it out to Jennie, poking her shoulder. "Jen look, just grab on."

To her joy, Jennie stirred at the touch, her heavy-lidded eyes focusing on Jisoo.

"Chu...my...powers..."

"It will be alright, I'll take care of everything, just grab on," Jisoo gabbled.

With great effort, Jennie weakly lifted one hand and grasped the scabbard. She rewarded Jisoo with the faintest smile that had Jisoo's heart do somersaults.

"That's it, you've got this—"

Jennie gave a little cry as her hand slipped off. The sudden movement shifted her off the rock and the current instantly swept her away down the river. Her terrified screams were drowned out by the roar of the water.

"No!" Jisoo screamed. She threw away the useless scabbard and turned to find Lisa, pale frozen in place.

"What are you—"

"Out of the way!" Jisoo sprinted past her.

"You're crazy! Jisoo! The drop!" Lisa bellowed but Jisoo was deaf to everything but Jennie fighting the thundering water below her. She kept an eye out as she ran, ignoring the pain in her side and her aching muscles. She didn't know what she was doing, only that she couldn't lose sight of Jennie.

Jennie was going to drown. She kept being pulled under and coming up gasping for air, flailing and crying out. Her clothes were weighing her down, heavy and water-logged. The crashing river water pounded at her from all sides as it dragged her through the white-water rapids. 

Why wasn't she using her powers?

Jisoo ran. She ran until her heart felt like it was about to burst and then she ran more, fear lending her wings. The craggy mud beneath her feet gave way to more solid sharp slabs of rocks as the landscape turned jagged and unforgiving the closer they got to the edge.

Up ahead, Jisoo noticed the edge of the river bank dropped off sharply as it widened into a gorge. 

It was the end of the line. There was nowhere to go.

But Jisoo knew her decision. 

She had always known her decision would be Jennie.

"I'm coming Jendeuk," Jisoo gritted. She pumped her legs harder, thundering the last few yards before she leaped and dived straight into the churning river below.

The water took her immediately and Jisoo didn't fight it—the force was truly terrifying as it tossed Jisoo around like driftwood but she grimly swam down, following the mass of water as it flung her towards Jennie, towards the edge of the waterfall. 

Jisoo kicked towards her, struggling to reach her in time before she went under for good. Jennie's movements had grown more sluggish.

"Jennie!" Jisoo yelled, coughing and gurgling when she swallowed some water. But it did the trick—Jennie's terrorised eyes found her, lending Jisoo new resolve.

"Jisoo!" Jennie gasped, reaching out for her. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Jisoo paddled with all her might.

Just before she reached her, Jennie was dragged underwater. Jisoo didn't hesitate to dive and blindly grab at Jennie, triumphantly snagging on her hanbok and pulling upwards as she kicked towards the surface.

They broke through with Jisoo holding Jennie close to her chest with one hand while floundering with the other, trying to stay afloat.

"Jen, your powers! We need them right now!" Jisoo shouted urgently over the roar of the water.

"Not...working..." Jennie said faintly. Her head slumped against Jisoo's chest. 

"Alright," Jisoo said numbly, trying hard not to panic. She was the Moon Viper: she did not panic.

But with Jennie a dead weight in her arms and the colossal force of the current working against her, Jisoo knew her odds were dying out, fast.

Grunting with effort, she turned them facing upwards and dug her heels in the river bed as she pushed against the powerful body of water, putting one foot after the other, holding Jennie tight in her arms.

But even she couldn't reckon with such a force of nature as a thundering river running its course. It dragged them further down the more Jisoo struggled, splashed and kicked out, pounding them from all sides. Jisoo's boots kept scraping on rock, unable to get a proper grip.

When she dared glance behind them, Jisoo's heart sank. The yawning drop Lisa warned her was fast approaching, the edge beckoning them to plunge to their doom.

But Jisoo huffed and puffed, refusing to give in, refusing to give up. She was the indomitable Moon Viper, she didn't give up, not even in the face of insurmountable odds.

When they finally took the plunge, Jisoo covered Jennie's head and relinquished their fates to the gods, staring defiantly at the ground that rushed up to meet them.

>

Jisoo burst out of the plunge pool with a gasp, coughing as she kicked and dragged herself towards a floating tree trunk nearby, one of the many detritus lying around at the bottom of the waterfall. 

She draped herself over it, heaving and spitting as her lungs burned, gasping for air like a new born. All she could smell was water and wet rock, the spray and mist from the churning waterfall reaching her even though she was closer to shore.

Jennie. Where was Jennie?

Jisoo scanned the area frantically, struggling to tamp down on her panic.

"Jennie? Jennie!"

Wincing because her leg had taken a bad hit when she splashed in the shallow pool, Jisoo treaded water, hissing when her injured foot touched the ground as she bobbed up and down, scanning the area until...

There!

Her heart almost galloped out of her chest at the welcome sight: Jennie lay on the shore of the pond. She had made it out in one piece as well.

"Jen!"

Jisoo waded and splashed her way over to the sleeping princess as fast as her legs carried her, limping and cursing as she crawled the last few steps to Jennie's side.

"Jen..."

To her dismay, Jennie didn't stir at her call. Jisoo quickly checked her pulse, relieved to feel it but at the same time worried, because it was thready and faint. 

A gash near Jennie's temple had blood flowing in a steady stream and it was not stitching back up, as what usually happened—water magic had healing properties but at the moment, no healing was happening. 

Jisoo dropped to her knees, wringing her hands in desperation. All the medical skills she usually practised on her soldiers on the battlefield deserted her. She shook Jennie from the shoulders, fighting back tears.

"Jen, Jen wake up please, you need to wake up and heal yourself! Why isn't the magic working?"

In a cold flash, she remembered the arrow that had wounded Jennie and how Jennie had seemed powerless against the merciless river driving them towards a certain death.

"Poison," Jisoo said, trembling. She feverishly scrabbled at Jennie's clothes to seek out the wound, her mind whirling. "Don't quit on me yet, Jendeuk. Stay with me Jen, please please please..."

The sound of horses whinnying and distant shouts of men drew her attention. Jisoo ceased all frenetic movement when she spotted hulking shadows on horseback approaching as they called to each other. Jisoo counted five figures on horseback and cursed.

They had been spotted, and they were outnumbered and surrounded.

"Gods, not now," Jisoo pleaded. In desperation, she scooped mud and plastered it over Jennie's face to hide her identity, splashing it over Jennie's hanbok as well to hide the rich colourful cloth, because they certainly didn't resemble a mere soldier's coarse uniform.

If Goryeo's heir fell into enemy hands, that could spell the end for all of Goryeo.

Jisoo whipped out her dagger and bent protectively over Jennie, guarding her as the men on horseback came into the clearing. They all wore furs, brandished spears and reined in their horses as they surrounded Jisoo and Jennie, daring to edge closer as they called to each other in their foreign tongue. Jisoo caught snatches of Khitan slurs, further confirming their bleak circumstances.

Two of them nocked arrows in their bows and aimed at Jisoo, seemingly as precaution because they did not fire.

"Stay back!" Jisoo barked. She knew they would have recognised her as an enemy soldier: her bright uniform was a direct contrast to their dull earthen cloth. She didn't care that they probably didn't understand her either—her tone should warn them she was hostile and not afraid to fight.

The men closest to her tried poking her with their spears but Jisoo was quick to parry their jabs, taking care not to put her weight on her injured leg. It was starting to ache though, a steady throbbing that wasn't letting her concentrate.

She wasn't sure how she was going to get out of this situation: she was cornered, with her fallen lover at her feet and no help in sight. She was all alone.

Why hadn't they attacked and shredded her to pieces? Why hadn't the archers fired their arrows? What were they waiting for?

The answer came unexpectedly before her thought even finished forming.

Jisoo only heard the swish of an arrow fly from behind her before it thudded into the left wing of her back, knocking her down with the force of impact. She arched back with a strangled cry then slammed face-first to the ground, dagger falling from her grip.

On cue, the soldiers pounced, descending from their horses and running to get her before she could stand up again.

"Let go! No!" Jisoo roared and twisted, crying out as her muscles shifted around the arrow lodged in her shoulder. "You filthy bastards—"

They overpowered her without even breaking a sweat. Her injured leg and the pain radiating from her back rendered her powerless in their brawny hands.

Eventually the Moon Viper lay tied up at their feet. But she maintained her pride, unbowed and unbroken as she spat and hissed whenever they came nearer. They had broken the arrow off, with the arrowhead still lodged in her back and now the shaft lay trampled near her head.

"Don't touch her," Jisoo snarled when one of the men edged closer to Jennie, poking her with his spear. Jennie's limp figure had Jisoo's heart clench, tears pricking her eyes.

She was supposed to protect her. She was supposed to lay her life down for Jennie, not the other way round—no no no Jennie wasn't dead, she had felt the pulse.

A second arrow sprouted just by the soldier's feet, making him leap back from the lifeless girl. His comrades stiffened around Jisoo, their grips on their swords and spears tightening.

"Leave her," said a new voice, ringing with authority. Jisoo's heart lurched in her chest, gratitude flowing as she watched Lisa emerge from the trees, arrow nocked in place.

The day was saved: Lisa was here. She could take five men in a fight easily.

 But something wasn't right.

Jisoo frowned, eyes darting around and assessing the enemy's casual stance, Lisa's confident stride as she walked up to the cluster of Khitans with her bow lowered.

Why did Lisa walk out in the open? Why didn't she take them out one by one? 

"Lisa," Jisoo called. "Lisa, watch out!"

Jisoo's heart thundered in her chest but Lisa moved forward unperturbed, crouching next to Jennie. She put two fingers to Jennie's neck, her face tightening as she looked back up.

"She's dead," Lisa said flatly. "We agreed: no casualties."

Jisoo's whole world stopped. "What?"

The men muttered and shrugged, gesturing with their hands. Lisa sighed, seeming to understand.

"Fine, can't be helped. Do as you please. Our deal is fulfilled."

Jisoo blinked, not comprehending what she was hearing. "Lisa?"

Something was terribly wrong.

She got a boot to the face from the nearest captor but Jisoo was undeterred. Spluttering as her mouth filled with blood, Jisoo gazed up at Lisa's impassive face, not wanting to believe the implication behind her words. She must have hit her head hard when she fell, it was the only logical explanation.

"Lisa—what are you—what's going on?"

Lisa never replied as she pulled the cloak off her shoulder and reverently covered Jennie's body with it before lifting her up in her arms, cradling her frighteningly still head close.

Jisoo's heart cracked in two, shattering entirely when Lisa glanced back at her, eyes carefully shuttered.

"Lisa?" Jisoo pleaded. Her voice cracked; she had never begged with Lisa before. "Please—don't do this..."

"You forgot your armour."

"What?" Jisoo said, dazed. In a flash, she remembered Jennie slipping off her breastplate beneath the tree, the very same piece of armour that would have protected her from Lisa's arrow had she been wearing it.

She didn't care about it right now. Jisoo attempted to inch forward on her stomach like a worm, desperately crawling to reach Lisa and Jennie. She had to say goodbye to Jennie, she had to have that closure. Frustratingly, she was too tied up to make any progress beyond flopping pathetically like a dying fish. Jennie stayed out of reach, her arms dangling overhead.

It felt so wrong. The whole scene before her was horribly, horribly wrong.

"Lisa, let me—let me say goodbye—please please please—"Jisoo choked out. Some part of her had surrendered, had realised the extent of Lisa's malicious treachery but she was choosing to focus on Jennie, on her love, on the one thing that mattered.

All her fault. It was all her fault.

"You should have listened when I told you to send her back," Lisa said quietly. She turned away. "Goodbye, Jisoo."

The quiver at her back contained the same kind of arrows as the one next to Jisoo's face. The terrible realisation made the wound sting worse now that she knew in certainty who had struck her down. Jisoo reared, sheer raw rage and pain making her bawl at the top of her lungs.

"You traitor bitch! How dare you—"

Someone clobbered the back of her head and Jisoo keeled over, slumping in defeat with angry tears in her eyes as all the soldiers around her prepared to leave and take her with them, the apparently agreed upon transaction with Lisa fulfilled.

Lisa had sold her out so casually, so callously. For what? Gold? Power? Some secret agreement between the nations brokered without her notice? 

Jennie was dead. 

Her Jendeukie. Her beautiful, happy, loving future queen, lifeless in the hands of the traitor they had spent all their days with, laughing and running around together.

Lisa, how could you?

Jennie, I'm so sorry.  I was supposed to protect you.

Jisoo hadn't thought such pain was possible, heart splintering like glass, shard by shard falling out of her hollow chest until all that remained was an empty, desolate void.

The Moon Viper conceded defeat when the tears finally fell. She was sore, aching, heartbroken and without any answers, which tormented her more than her injuries and wounds. They hoisted her across one of the saddles but she barely registered the smell of the horse's sweaty hinds or the roughness of his coat. Her eyes were fixated solely on Lisa's departing back.

"Lisa," she croaked, her heartbroken voice barely above a whisper. "Lisa, how could you..."

For a moment, she thought Lisa had heard her because the captain stopped in her tracks.

"Why?" Jisoo asked, raising her voice. "Why did you do this?"

Lisa never turned, never replied. But as Jisoo watched, bile rising in her throat, Lisa tenderly caressed Jennie's covered face with her free hand. She couldn't see Lisa's full face, but the gesture made Jisoo's skin crawl with the urge to claw her eyes out. Something was off about Lisa touching Jennie that way, when she had never seen Lisa even be that intimate with her.

"Stop it," Jisoo croaked helplessly. "Don't touch her like that."

Lisa lingered for a little longer, almost as though in defiance of Jisoo's words. Then without warning, she dropped her hand and walked away into the trees without a second glance back, taking Jennie with her.

Jisoo sobbed, dark spots slowly taking over her vision as pain and heartbreak threatened to smother her. A shout rang out amongst the Khitans and they lurched forward, taking Jisoo with them, crowing triumphantly for acquiring a coveted trophy.

The bumpy ride did not help Jisoo's injured leg, which shifted with every move of the horse's back leg, causing Jisoo to bite down on her lip each time, but she didn't make a sound. She didn't want to give them satisfaction. She had already spied a couple of them jeering at her when they saw her crying.

Whatever awaited her in the enemy territory involved pain and humiliation, lots of it: the Khitan barbarians had probably been more than happy to call off the entire army had they captured Jisoo earlier. She had cost them a lot of battles in the past years so taking her as revenge must have been top on their revenge list.

Thoughts swarmed Jisoo's mind, filling her head and threatening to spill out of her.

Had Lisa been in contact with the enemy? Had she planned for them to attack? Was that why she had been furious to see Jennie? Had she genuinely wanted to save Jennie? Did she care for Jennie more than friends should?

Jisoo's head spun as she thought back on all their interactions, doubts festering faster than infections.

How long had she been planning this betrayal? How long had this darkness been festering in her best friend, right under her nose? Had she really been that blind not to notice Lisa gradually turning against her?

She was on her own. Lisa would come up with some excuse, of how the general died in battle and everyone would forget her. Nobody would come to her rescue.

And Jennie, her sweet beautiful Jennie.

The final image of Jennie lying pale and motionless with blood streaming out of the gash in her forehead would be stuck in Jisoo's mind forever, ripping her conscience and what remained of her heart over and over. She was never going to hear Jennie's voice again, she was never going to kiss her, touch her, hold her or tell her she loved her again. 

In her grief, memories of their last moments together before tragedy struck returned, flashing in her mind's eye all the while the ground raced beneath her in a dizzyingly endless trail of dirt and dust kicked up by the horses. Now the memories were bittersweet, their combined blissful innocence laughable to Jisoo.

They had been so naive to think they had all the time in the world together, that nobody stood in their way, that they could do whatever they wanted. Now Goryeo had lost its heir with a traitor hiding in plain sight, the depths of her malicious machinations forever shrouded in secrecy with nobody to stop her.

Jisoo wept, hanging upside down on her captor's horse as they galloped further and further away from home, towards the cold, barren north. In one fell swoop, the Moon Viper had lost her freedom, her name, her best friend, her love and her future. 

Jisoo gladly succumbed to darkness when it eventually claimed her.

It was all she had left now.