Will to survive
There were once two girls who did everything together.
Beth Min smiled as she lay in bed, thinking of her and her older sister’s adventures. How life had been simple back then…
Beth was in a small village. Everyone was outside, pointing at the sky. “The sky! Look at the sky!” A huge dragon appeared in the sky.
Beth was next on a huge mountain. There was the red dragon, sleeping. No, Beth realized. It wasn't sleeping. It was bowing. A bigger dragon was in front of it, with magnificent gold scales…
Beth Min gasped. It was morning, and a steady glow of light was streaming in through the windows.
What could it have meant? Beth wondered.
However, there was no time to ponder about dreams. Beth and her husband, General Yi, were going to Queen Kate Min and her husband, King U.
Arriving at the palace, Beth Min exclaimed, “Kate! It feels like such a long time since I’ve seen you!”
The sisters embraced.
Queen Kate Min was pinning up her sister’s hair into a traditional bun when they heard the men talking about war.
“War?!” Beth said, “What do you mean? I thought we were at peace.”
Queen Kate sighed. “The invaders near the northern border are getting aggressive. The King needs to appoint a supreme commander to defeat the invaders. But I’m worried. All the generals seem over-ambitious. They want the throne, I’m afraid.”
Beth said, “Why don’t you make my husband the supreme commander? You can trust us.”
Queen Kate brightened. “Of course! I will talk to the King.”
Soon after, Beth Min and the newly promoted Supreme Commander Yi left for the North. While leading the vast army, Beth told her husband: “We have to do something about my sister and the King. They are too weak. I think it’s time for a new dragon.”
Beth explained her dream to Commander Yi.
“What? I cannot betray my loyalty to the King!”
Beth Min looked ready to explode. “If another general takes the throne, his faction won’t just kill Kate and King U. They’ll kill all potential rivals, especially us! How about your oath to protect me and our children?”
“But…What should we do?”
“After we defeat the northern invaders, we take the throne. We will become the new dragon king.”
Commander Yi nodded. “I’ll prepare the troops.”
After stopping the invasion, Commander Yi prepared a huge victory banquet for the King and Queen. When the royal family arrived, the Commander’s troops quickly arrested the King and took over the government.
At the public execution was a tearful Kate, the deposed Queen, her head forcefully bowed down to the new Queen, hailed as the ‘Dragon Queen’.
“Why would you do this, Beth Min?”
“My will to survive was greater than yours,” Beth replied.
Beth Min smiled as she lay in bed, thinking of her and her older sister’s adventures. How life had been simple back then…
Beth was in a small village. Everyone was outside, pointing at the sky. “The sky! Look at the sky!” A huge dragon appeared in the sky.
Beth was next on a huge mountain. There was the red dragon, sleeping. No, Beth realized. It wasn't sleeping. It was bowing. A bigger dragon was in front of it, with magnificent gold scales…
Beth Min gasped. It was morning, and a steady glow of light was streaming in through the windows.
What could it have meant? Beth wondered.
However, there was no time to ponder about dreams. Beth and her husband, General Yi, were going to Queen Kate Min and her husband, King U.
Arriving at the palace, Beth Min exclaimed, “Kate! It feels like such a long time since I’ve seen you!”
The sisters embraced.
Queen Kate Min was pinning up her sister’s hair into a traditional bun when they heard the men talking about war.
“War?!” Beth said, “What do you mean? I thought we were at peace.”
Queen Kate sighed. “The invaders near the northern border are getting aggressive. The King needs to appoint a supreme commander to defeat the invaders. But I’m worried. All the generals seem over-ambitious. They want the throne, I’m afraid.”
Beth said, “Why don’t you make my husband the supreme commander? You can trust us.”
Queen Kate brightened. “Of course! I will talk to the King.”
Soon after, Beth Min and the newly promoted Supreme Commander Yi left for the North. While leading the vast army, Beth told her husband: “We have to do something about my sister and the King. They are too weak. I think it’s time for a new dragon.”
Beth explained her dream to Commander Yi.
“What? I cannot betray my loyalty to the King!”
Beth Min looked ready to explode. “If another general takes the throne, his faction won’t just kill Kate and King U. They’ll kill all potential rivals, especially us! How about your oath to protect me and our children?”
“But…What should we do?”
“After we defeat the northern invaders, we take the throne. We will become the new dragon king.”
Commander Yi nodded. “I’ll prepare the troops.”
After stopping the invasion, Commander Yi prepared a huge victory banquet for the King and Queen. When the royal family arrived, the Commander’s troops quickly arrested the King and took over the government.
At the public execution was a tearful Kate, the deposed Queen, her head forcefully bowed down to the new Queen, hailed as the ‘Dragon Queen’.
“Why would you do this, Beth Min?”
“My will to survive was greater than yours,” Beth replied.
