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“It’s a beaver moon,” Nani mumbled as Jimin tugged her along again. 

He’d finally released her – a little reluctantly – a moment ago and reached down to grasp her hand once more.

“A beaver moon?” he queried, once again gazing up at that glowing ball, its brightness dimmed by its sanguine shade.

“That’s what it’s called.  Back home.”

“Why?”

“Because this is the season when beavers prepare for winter.”

“Ah.”  He glanced down at the light dusting of snow on the ground.  “I think it would be more aptly named the Snow Moon.”

She smiled.  “I like that name better too.”  She grimaced.  “Of course, tonight, it resembles an apple more than snow.”

“An apple,” he chuckled.

She glanced up at him, and they shared a smile before her gaze shifted towards the small group tromping through the snow ahead of them.  “Where are we going?”

“We’re headed into the next province.  It’s safer there.”

“Why were you here then?”

“We worked here.  As scholars in the king’s court.  Or, actually, as apprentices to the scholars.  We have a few more years of study left before we can be considered scholars ourselves.  But…now we won’t be.  It’s become too dangerous for us to be here.”

“Why?”

“Because not everyone in our circle fully supported the king, and he decided to…purge the court of all its scholars.”

“What?”  Aghast, she stared up at him.  “The king wants to kill all of you?”

He nodded.  “He does.  But once we’ve entered the next province, we’ll blend in better.  We can take on new identities.”  He grimaced.  “The worst part is…we may be forced to split up.  They’ll be looking for seven of us.  Not one.”

“No,” gasped Nani.  “You’ll have to leave your friends behind?”

—

“He’ll be the safest amongst us,” insisted Tae as he and Jungkook continued to outpace the girl and their friend.  “Not a single soldier will be looking for a man and his wife.  The court well knows we all left it unmarried.”

Jungkook nodded.  “Tis true.  Perhaps we should all find a wife.”

Tae chuckled. 

The younger man sobered.  “Will we really all have to split up?”  He gazed sadly at his friend.

Tae sighed.  “That might be the wisest course of action.  Of course, we might be just as safe in smaller groups.  I do think we can’t all stay together.”

“I don’t want to leave Joon alone.  Not while he’s injured,” Jungkook insisted worriedly.

Tae nodded.  “Perhaps the three of us can venture further west.  Jimin and Jin can take the girl north.  Yoongi and Hobi could stay closer to the center.”

“Yoongi would probably agree to that.  Expending less energy,” remarked Jungkook, and both men laughed.

“Do you think I could catch the eye of a girl in the next village, Tae?” Jungkook queried.

Tae glanced down at his friend’s cake-covered shirt.  “Oh, aye, Jungkookie, I do.  She’s bound to smell you from a mile away.”  He grimaced.  “What is that sweet stuff anyway?”  He reached out to run a finger through the chocolate frosting before lifting it to his nose to sniff it.  Then his tongue darted out to taste it.  “Mmm.  That is terribly sweet.”

Jungkook ran the tip of his finger through some more of the frosting before popping it into his mouth.  He shook his head as grief seemed to slip across his features.  “To think…I could have eaten the entire cake but for that horrid army pursuing us.  This is so…delicious.  Even better than the king’s delicacies.”  He glanced back at the girl.  “Do you think she’s…some foreign princess?”

“Dressed like that?” Tae scoffed.  “I highly doubt it.”

Jungkook shrugged.  “I wonder if she has a recipe for that cake.”

“Perhaps you’d rather travel with her and Jimin?” Tae queried.

“Perhaps.  I might find it easier to find a wife with her along.”

Tae chuckled.  “I never knew you were so interested in girls, Jungkookie.”

Jungkook cast an exasperated glance his way.  Everyone had known of his crush on Soomi.  Of course, he’d been crushed when she’d married a different man a year ago.  Since then, he hadn’t looked at another girl, preferring instead to concentrate on his work as an apprentice to one of the older scholars.  But seeing Jimin with this girl made him recall all the dreams of his youth.  When he’d wanted a marriage like his parents’ happy one.

“It’s up to you, Jungkookie.  You can head north with Jimin if you like.”

“Do you think we’ll ever be reunited?  The seven of us?”

Tae shrugged.  “I have no idea.  I think, right now, the most important thing is staying alive.”

Jungkook had to agree with him.  But as he stared at his best friend, he couldn’t help but feel his heart aching at the thought of their coming separation.