The great white wolf and the gosal [Arthdal chronicles]

Chapitre 156 - God's cruelty

YANGCHA

Three days later, the public execution of the traitors was announced. It was a divine punishment from Airuju, Asa Shin and especially Aramun Haesulla. Pyres had been erected in the main square of the city. Saya had entrusted his most senior soldiers to escort the prisoners to the place of execution and to light the pyres. That is why, as a master-at-arms, Yangcha found himself next to a prisoner, escorting him through the streets of Arthdal. All along the way, the inhabitants shouted their hatred, their insults and their curses. When they arrived, Saya was sitting on his throne, overlooking the prisoners and his subjects. All had been forced to witness the execution and the majority had gathered excitedly, eager to witness the killing and suffering of the traitors. It was a distressing sight. Everyone was present except one person. And not just any person : the High Priestess was absent. Chaeeun was replacing her, and obviously reluctantly.

In a way, Yangcha was relieved that Tanya did not have to watch the execution. She would probably have been disgusted by it. Saya gave his well-practised speech and ordered the prisoners to be tied to the poles in the middle of the pyres. Jang-Geum went first with his prisoner, followed by Giltae, Jiro, Yeonbal. Yangcha went next and was followed by Gitoha, Ryung-Poong and Yong.

Yangcha tied the young man in his custody to the gallows. He could not have been more than twenty years old. This boy could have been Do-san. He was crying and terrified. He briefly met the condemned man's eyes. He seemed to be begging him to save him and his sobs were shaking his whole body. Yangcha tied him tightly and looked away, unmoved by the boy's distress. He didn't care if he died. What he had done deserved to die. He was given a torch and waited for Saya's command.

He lowered the flame to the dry wood and lit the pyre. He then returned to his place beside the Daekans. He watched the flames grow and spread over the pyre. He watched as the flames gradually licked the legs of the condemned. The first cries of pain tore the silence. The crowd began to shout out their resentment and joy. The men quickly turned into living torches. Yangcha watched the flames without batting an eyelid and listened to the cries of pain die little by little. Saya then ordered the extinction of the pyres. Yangcha started to extinguish the fire and discovered the charred corpse of the one he had tied there a few minutes before. It was all over. Saya ordered that the bodies remain exposed as a reminder of what happens when you attack Aramun.

The fate of these men did not matter to Yangcha. Only Tanya was on his mind. It had only been three days since he had seen or heard from her and he could not bear it. What was worse:  he knew that his torment was just beginning.

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Two weeks had passed since the Ceremony and Yangcha had been forced to lead a normal life while his whole being was consumed with anger. He had no news of Tanya. Neither Arang nor Do-san nor Chaeeun had been allowed to see her. The only thing he could do was to pray that she would be all right.

He hadn't been able to get much information about Saya's three shadow soldiers either. He had followed them one by one, but he had learned very little about them. He knew almost nothing about Sanmu other than his name and the fact that he was a former child of Shahati and now a black tongue assassin. When he wasn't watching Tanya, he spent his time in the city's brothels or causing trouble in the market. His behaviour forced Jang-Geum to intervene each time to restore order and he had noticed that the two men did not like each other very much. He had learned nothing about Giltae except his name and the fact that he lived alone. He didn't seem to know anyone in Arthdal and he was obviously looking after Saya's security with Yong. Sometimes, when Sanmu was off, he took over in front of Tanya's room. As for Jiro, Yangcha was able to find more information. He was the son of a rich merchant of the city and had joined the Royal Guard at 14 years old thanks to his uncle who was none other than Jang-Geum. He was tracked down. He had then joined the Daekans at the same time as Woong, Arang and Yong. As he had noticed during training, Jiro was by far the best Daekan of his generation. Well, almost, since from his point of view, Arang was more talented. Now he was assigned to protect Chaerin.