Six figures were standing outside of Juwon’s yurt when Song and Mae arrived. Three were Juwon’s aides, and the other three were Seojoon’s lackeys. All six were talented members of the Lee family’s youngest generation, who’d been picked from the various branches. It was easy to see the competing heir’s preferences, as Juwon’s followers were more bookish, with spectacles and scholar’s robes, while Seojoon’s had the strong bodies of first-rate martial artists, though they lacked the Sign of true cultivators. While ostensibly acting as guards, they were currently preoccupied with glaring daggers at each other.
Song ignored the six of them, and they in turn ignored him. Coming to a stop outside the yurt, Song could hear the sound of raised voices coming through the fabric. He peeked through the flap to reveal the two older men in a heated conversation.
“Big Br-” Mae began, but Song stopped her with an arm across her mouth, and held his finger to his lips. Thankfully, Juwon and Seojoon hadn’t noticed her.
“It’s been almost a decade, Juwon, and you just barely got through your bottleneck. Just accept that I’m going to pass you and let there be no hard feelings between us,” Seojoon explained, his tone conciliatory.
“Nothing’s set in stone, and possibilities are just that,” Juwon said, matter of factly. “I could pass through my final bottleneck tomorrow for all you know.”
“Unlikely,” Seojoon snorted. “And even if you do, you’ll probably never get past novice foundation level. It’ll be a waste of the Family’s hard gathered ritual components. It took me half the time to get to where you are now, and I’m more proficient in the Way of the Ram.”
Juwon didn’t look impressed. “Wook’s faster than both of us.”
Seojoon shrugged. “Good for Wook. He's a credit to the clan. But everyone knows that he’s obsessed with martial arts. He has no desire or drive to lead. And you lack the skill. You’re more suited to an administrative role as an elder, and we both know it. I speak for the Family when I say that it’s past time for the Patriarch to announce an heir, and you’re not worthy.”
Song clenched his fingers until they drew blood from his palm. How dare Seojoon claim to speak for the rest of the family! Beside him, Mae looked between her brother and Song with worry.
“Who are you to speak for the rest of the family?” Juwon snapped, echoing Song’s indignation.
“Part of that family!” Seojoon shot back, drawing himself up to his considerable height. He stepped into Juwon’s space while thrusting his finger. “Do you know what your branch has done to our Lee family’s reputation? A first son stuck at adept refinement for over a decade. A second son who spends all his spare time lazing about instead of training his martial arts. A third son who spends all his silver on weights and elixirs. And now a youngest who’s a failure of a cultivator!”
“You dare–” Juwon made to retort, but Seojoon talked over him.
“Have you heard what the people in the village are saying? That Song’s hiding away because he’s been horrifically mutated by his Sign, or that he’s fallen to an Inner Demon and the family is hiding it. And now the Patriarch is reaching out at great expense to try and get him a teacher! That’s the foolish emotional decision of a Father, not a Patriarch! His eyes are blind to the damage being caused to our Lee family.”
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Juwon paled under Seojoon’s onslaught, then his face twisted in anger as he pushed back with his chest. “Show some respect to the Patriarch. And Song works harder than anyone! You shut your wagging tongue! He’s as deserving as any for a chance to succeed.”
“And his attitude is admirable,” Seojoon acknowledged. “He’ll make a fine man of the Lee family one day. But you and I both know that Song has no talent to speak of; spending all that money on someone who’ll never get out of refinement level is a waste!”
“You don’t know that. He just hasn’t found his path. One fortuitous encounter and he’ll shine bright as the stars in the sky.”
“Psh. Are they handing out fortuitous encounters like mare’s milk these days? That’s blind hope and you know it.”
Every word from Seojoon felt like a blow. Song stumbled back, wishing to the Great Ones that lightning would fall from the sky and smite him dead. Was that truly how the village thought of his Lee family? Surely not! He and his brothers worked so hard to care for the horses that the merchants traveled from far and wide to buy, bringing many gold nyangs to the village. And it was normal for new cultivators to withdraw into seclusion when they broke through, in order to stabilize their cultivation and solidify their first techniques.
“You take that BACK!” A small voice shouted with anger, as Mae burst through the flap to the great surprise of all three men.
“Mae?” Seojoon flinched as his little sister, barely the height of his naval, advanced on him while waving her finger.
“Song’s smart, and kind, and hard working! He’s not a waste! I can’t even do the first form of Goat Stance yet, do you think I’m a waste too!”
“Maaaaae, the grown ups are talking,” Seojoon ground out. “Don’t speak of things you don't understand!”
“I understand that big brother’s an idiot! I hate you!”
Seojoon fell back as though struck, then held his hands up defensively as Mae did strike him, her tiny fists beating against his thighs.
“Idiot, idiot, idiot!”
Song stared in horror as the two older men tried to soothe his little cousin. His pride crashed down around him; had he truly fallen so far that he was being protected by a little girl?? And the worst part was that he couldn’t even say Seojoon was wrong! His cousin cared about the Lee family as much as any of them!
His mind a jumble of thoughts, and his heart awash with shame, Song fled past the six guards, dropping the tray of buns as he left.
Hearing the sound, Juwon lifted the tent flap in time to catch his brother’s fleeting shadow. “Song?”
Song fled through the Lee family compound, heedless of worried questions sent his way. He held back tears as he ran as fast as his over-worked muscles could take him. He had to leave, he needed to be gone from here. He needed to be out on the open plain where not a single other person could see him or call his name. As a thirteen year old, he now had that right, though he still had to stay within sight of the hill.
He made his way to the family stables, and saddled up his horse. Bongbong nickered with concern as Song’s gasps finally broke into sobs, but thankfully stayed still long enough for him to saddle the big beast up.
When he made sure that everything was properly cinched, Song climbed up into the saddle and sent Bongbong trotting down the hill of the village as fast as was safe to do so. His blurry sights were set on the green hills and sparkling blue river.
Out in the peaceful plains of Nakjo, dotted with chanpgo flowers.
