Torches led her shadow on as she headed to the practice grounds. Juang passed a few people sitting outside their houses. A group of men sat sharing a jug of spirits near the kitchen area. She moved on, searching for Sang. Not that it was a difficult task. As soon as she entered the practice grounds, she heard the sound of wood being mutilated by metal.
Sang was beating at a wooden pole, a fake enemy, slicing every bit of it.
Juang watched for a minute, her heart weighed down to her stomach ever since Thap and Sang had gone for each others throats that day.
"P'Sang!"
Sang swung around and nearly didn't lift his sword in time to block her attack. "Juang!" Juang had sneaked up on him. She stepped back, bringing her sword away. "Were you trying to kill me?"
"I was just testing you. See? You were so enraged at the wooden pole, you didn't even hear me come near you. How are you going to fight the next battle like this?"
He clenched his jaw and looked away. "There might not be too many more battles to fight after this. Your brother has fallen for Jai's trick. Soon, Bangrajun will open its doors to enemies because of ai Jai."
"Since when can you predict the future? And another thing, you cant just overlook the fact that he did save p'Thap."
He tossed his sword at the ground in anger. "This isn't something hard to see. Jai has never been trustworthy. I know he had a hand in killing Dokrak. No matter how much he sacrifices to make himself seem like a good person, hes still loyal to those bastards that he serves, the ones who want to conquer our land."
Juang sighed, trying her remain calm. "I don't feel at ease, seeing you fight with p'Thap. Cant you try to see it from his perspective too? What if Jai really isn't on the enemy's side?"
"I'm not wrong!" Sang punched the wooden pole.
"P'Sang!" She stepped towards him, afraid he had hurt himself.
"There's no time for giving people chances. If there's someone who is even a little bit of a risk to this village, I want them outside of these gates. We've lost so many fighters that we've had to rely on women to fight on the battlefield."
Juang frowned and swung at him again.
Sang ducked just in time. "Juang!" She didn't stop. She followed his every step, stabbing and swinging the sword without mercy at him. "Juang, what are you doing?"
"You are looking down on me too much!" She turned to cut at him again as he jumped away. "Even though I'm a woman, I have enough strength to fight anyone who tries to steal my homeland."
"Juang, don't be like this." He dipped down, grabbed his sword and blocked her again. They paused in their battle stance. Sang grabbed her weapon and wrenched it from her. They both frowned at each other. "I'm not blaming you. I get that you don't want to sit at home and wait. But still, you should know that women aren't used to fighting."
He stuck both swords in the ground and turned away. Juang ran and kicked him behind his knees, bringing him down with a yell. She pushed him onto his back and sat on him, hitting him.
"Hey! Stop it, Juang!" He held up his arms to protect himself.
"Have you forgotten that I've fought you ever since we knew each other? Women are used to fighting. Its only now, that we finally get our hands on weapons." She kept smacking him.
"Ow!" Sang caught her hands. "Are you going to stop or no?"
Juang tried to swing her fists at him but he had them grasped in his hands already. Sang rolled over on top of her until she stopped struggling.
She glared up at him. "Don't you realize that fighting with p'Thap isn't going to solve anything? He isn't the type of person to just act without thinking."
Sang said, "And you? Do you trust me?"
Juang looked into his eyes, determined not to waver in showing her trust in him.
"Remember I promised you that I would be a good person. That I would help Thap rid our land of those bastards."
"I remember." Tears stung her eyes, seeing that he himself struggled internally after arguing with Thap.
"Even if no one else believes me, as long as you understand and trust that I'm doing things to keep you safe, that's all I need."
"What are you going to do, p'Sang?"
His silence quickened her unease. Then, Sang lowered his lips, pressing them over her eyelid, then the other. He kissed her temple to pat away her tears that had slipped out.
"I'm going to protect Bangrajun. I'm going to protect you."
She closed her eyes again as he pressed his lips to hers, gently.
"I love you," he said.
He shifted onto his back, wrapping her in his arms at his side. Juang snuggled into his embrace, feeling the earth cradle the two of them. She never wanted to give up protecting their land and she was never giving up on Sang.
"I love you too, p'Sang."
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