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Over the past month, the gentle rains had arrived to soak the earth with Heaven’s kiss.  They had left the land bright with blossoming blooms.   But today as Nuri glanced out a window, those rains were descending once again to blur her view of the garden in which she had met Hobi a week ago.  The flowers were just a splattering of color.  No distinct lines.  Today’s rain was far from gentle.  It was battering the ground with a vengeance.  Rivulets were forming like tiny streams breaking forth in the dirt which now resembled a mud bath.  

Nuri sighed as she leaned her head against the window frame.  How she longed to see Hobi again!  To be in a place of amazing freedom with a man who had shown her only kindness.  She could still remember the gentle touch of his hands on her.  Drawing her close to him.  Tenderly.  

“Nuri!” snapped Beomsu, the kitchen-master, from behind her.  “Why are you dawdling?  I need your help in the kitchen!  Now!”

She cringed as she turned towards him.  He reached out and grabbed her roughly by her hair and dragged her towards the kitchen.  Hobi had rounded a corner right before this little exchange began, so he saw it from start to finish.  His face filled with sorrow as he witnessed both the man’s rough behavior towards the girl and her fearful demeanor.  The man clearly terrified her.  Was it simply because he was physically abusive towards her?  Or was something even worse transpiring between them?

Hobi had caught the gleam in the man’s eyes as they raked the girl from head to toe.  Lingering a little too long on certain parts of her anatomy.  Hugging the corner of the wall where two hallways connected, Hobi watched as the man hauled her up against him.  He reached out and slid his hand down her chest.  Nuri winced, but she didn’t try to move away from that seeking hand.  Rather, she sealed her eyes shut as an expression of absolute agony rippled across her face.  In that moment, Hobi knew.  He knew Nuri’s dark secret.  And his heart rebelled against it.  

No!  Not sweet, innocent Nuri!  

She was just a very young woman.  How could a man use her so mercilessly?

Hobi’s lip curled.  The man was a dog.  

In that moment, Hobi purposed in his heart to find a way to bring the man down.  And to free the girl Hobi had come to look upon with such affection.

—

“Tae?” Mari whispered as she watched the sun rising along the wall.

Tae continued the perusal of his fingertips along her bare spine as he seemed to hum in response to her question.

“I have to leave for Queen Moonflower’s chamber soon.”

“Hmm,” he replied again as he drew her closer to him and bent his head to claim her lips in a passionate kiss.

“Perhaps she’ll understand if I’m late.”  Her lips curved into a smile under his.  “Just this once.”