Nami inclined her head. "Our master is too concerned for our welfare to risk losing us in this upheaval. Have our soldiers arrived?" she asked.
"Yes, along with your carriages," he replied. His eyes swept across all of them, stopping on Kira's face. She immediately dipped down and lowered her head as another gisaeng stepped in front of her with a tinkling laugh.
"Tell the truth, Officer Cho, it's me you'll miss the most!" She leaned over and patted his cheek with a saucy grin.
"Oh yes, my precious lily, the sun will no longer shine on us without your presence," the guard flirted with the gisaeng as Nami hurried the rest of them through the gate.
On the dirt road outside the palace walls, twenty soldiers guarded a caravan of horse-drawn carriages.
The carriages were designed like small rooms with tightly curtained windows. Servants lowered the rear wall of the carriage allowing Nami, Kira, and one other gisaeng to climb in. The interior was well padded with floor cushions and backrests. It was clearly a nobleman's carriage.
"The minister must care very much for you," Kira remarked.
Nami smiled. "We are not safe yet," she replied.
"Where is the prince?" Kira asked as the carriage began to move.
"He will be in the last carriage," Nami replied. "But do not fear, the rear guard is made up of your brother and friends."
Kira was relieved to hear that Kwan, Jaewon, and Seung would be near Taejo. Since Jindo was with Major Pak and Brother Woojin at the seaside port, the only person she trusted to protect the prince was her brother.
"Quickly, you must change and hide," Nami said as the conveyance began to move.
Kira was confused. "What do you mean?"
The women pushed aside the large cushions in the middle of the carriage floor and pulled up the tatami rug. Underneath was a trapdoor.
"You must stay hidden until we reach our rendezvous point," she said. "The prince will be in a similar hiding spot."
The two women removed the scarves and hairpiece and helped Kira undress. Nami opened a small oval container that held a grainy white paste, which had a light floral scent with hints of an earthy undertone.
"This is a rice bran and camellia oil paste that we use to remove our makeup," she said. "Knowing how much you enjoyed your first experience, I'm sure you're eager to take it all off."
Kira nodded gratefully. Her skin felt greasy, itchy, and suffocated. Nami slathered the paste all over Kira's face. She then filled a basin with water from a large gourd and removed all the paste and makeup with a wet cloth. Afterward, she slid open a small hatch on the bottom of the carriage and poured the water out. When it was empty, she threw the soiled cloth into the basin and put it aside.
Relieved and happy, Kira let down her hair from its topknot and quickly braided it. With a final nod of appreciation at the other women, she crawled into the narrow space beneath the carriage floor. Nami threw in a heavy rug to ward off the cold and closed the trapdoor. The weak afternoon light filtered in through the cracks of the wood at Kira's feet. She wrapped herself tight within the rug and pressed herself to one side of her box. The slow pace of the plodding horse lulled her to sleep.
She wasn't sure how long she'd slept when she heard a sharp voice ordering them to stop.
"We seek the Demon Slayer. If you allow us to search your carriage, we will not harm you," the voice said.
"Very well," a guard answered.
Kira heard the door of their carriage pulled open.
"Captain, there are only two gisaeng in here," a soldier reported.
"Search the other carriages!"
After several long minutes, the voice ordered them to continue. But still, Kira was nervous. Without seeing Taejo before her, she was unnerved and worried. When the carriage began to move again, Nami opened the trapdoor and offered Kira water and some food.
"You will have to stay there until we reach our meeting place," she said.
"How much longer will it take?" Kira asked.
"We hope to get there before night falls," Nami answered. With one last reassuring smile, she pulled the trapdoor closed leaving Kira in the darkness once more.
Kira woke up to the glow of a lantern as she was pulled from her hiding space.
"Your brother has signaled for us to stop," Nami said. "This is where you leave us."
Nodding, Kira tried to stretch her body before exiting the carriage.
"Thank you for all your help," she said. "I will never forget you."
Nami smiled. "I think it would be more truthful to say that we will never forget you, young mistress." With a bow, the gisaeng sank against the cushions and let the servants close up the carriage and continue on.
Kira felt Taejo wrap his arms around her waist.
"I was so scared when we were stopped and you weren't there with me," he said.
She hugged him and then greeted the others, grateful to see that they brought with them her travel bag, heavy coat, and weapons. Kira hurriedly put on her coat and strapped on her weapons. It was a relief to feel the weight of her bow, arrows, and sword on her back. She no longer felt as vulnerable as she did in her gisaeng outfit.
"Let's go," Kwan said.
They walked straight into the mist-covered forest and up into the mountains, vanishing into the darkness.
11
Kwan led them to a soldiers' encampment near an abandoned shrine, where fifteen men waited for their command with more than twenty horses. They would ride at night until they reached the coast.
Kira took the lead. The light of the moon filtered through the clouds above them, allowing limited visibility. They galloped when the roads were straight and clear and walked their horses when the roads were harder to see. Several hours later, they arrived at the port city of Minchu on the Yellow Sea.
They broke for camp in the forests outside the city limits, waiting for the sun to rise and the town to wake up.
In the morning, Kwan entered town alone, and returned with Major Pak and Brother Woojin. The joyous reunion between Taejo and Jindo was heartwarming to see. Despite his initial reaction, Taejo had been brave and positive throughout their planning and their escape. But seeing him with Jindo showed just how hard it had been to be parted from his faithful companion. Kira realized how much her cousin had matured.
"Good news!" Kwan said. "Major Pak bought us a ship to Uju."
"Bought? Did we really need an entire ship, Major?" Kira asked.
The major bowed and gave a small smile. "That's not quite correct," he said. "When I arrived, I came across a merchant who had fallen upon hard times. His ship was about to be auctioned for failure to pay his debts. His last cargo had been stolen by pirates. I struck a deal with him. I repaid his debts and in return he would arrange safe and completely discreet passage to Uju on his cargo ship."
"Very nice, Major!" Kira said. "But what made you believe he was worth helping?"
"Simple-instead of abandoning him, his captain and most of his crew were trying to help raise money to save his ship," the major said. "It speaks to the honor and integrity of the merchant that his crew would stand by him even during a crisis."
"I must agree with the Major's assessment," Brother Woojin said. "Master Hong is a very good man. I believe you would like him very much, young mistress."
Kira was impressed. "When do we sail?"
Major Pak looked at Kwan and nodded. "We'll set off tomorrow at dawn. I'll go tell the captain to prepare for the voyage."
For the first time in over two weeks, Kira had felt the presence of her tiger spirit revitalize her as she slept in the frigid outdoors. It kept her warm and healed all her pains from the curse. Unfortunately, the voice of the Demon Lord still haunted her. It whispered in her ear in the morning, as she washed her face and cleaned her teeth.
Come to me. I am waiting for you.
She cringed, clapping her hands over her ears and shouting the evil down with her inner voice. Kira couldn't help feeling afraid. Was she going mad or could the Demon Lord really communicate with her? Or was it the cursed dagger? She just didn't know for sure. She quickly finished her morning routine and prepared to leave. The streets into town were dark and empty when they headed toward port the next morning. Kira pulled the collar of her heavy quilted coat up around her face, her trusty nambawi, winter hat, pulled down low over her eyes. She felt inconspicuous, just one of an early group of traders coming to town.
At the harbor, they met Master Hong, the merchant whose business Major Pak had saved. He was a short, thin man with a kind face, who appeared with several servants laden with straw baskets covered with cloths.
"The major tells me that it is at your behalf that my family and I are saved," he said with a bow to Kira. "Thank you, kind sir. Please accept these baskets of food as a token of our appreciation."
The light was dim, but Kira pulled the brim of her nambawi even lower and accepted a basket with a nod and a low thank you.
The major appeared and intercepted the merchant with a warm smile.
"Master Hong, thank you for all you have done for us," he said.