By The Crest

❃10❃

Wooyoung's breath hitches as The Imperial Prince's cold voice enters his hears from behind. San's blade that lightly touched his neck made the tiny hairs go off on Wooyoung's skin.

"Put your hands up" The male doesn't miss a second and follows the other's order. His hand that was close to touching the lavander rose got pulled back and was place now in the air like his other hand.

"Get up and face me"

The prince's voice was void of any other emotion. It was just deep, flat, and cold. Wooyoung shifts his weight to get a knee up as he steadily gets up from the ground. While doing so, The Imperial Prince's sword follows him and stays next to his neck. Wooyoung gulps before he slowly turns to face San.

His eyes firstly land on the sword the kept him in place, then following the shiny blade of the weapon where the other's hand held tightly on the handle as if he was ready to react if Wooyoung were to try anything (Even though it was an unfair situation in Wooyoung's eyes). The male now found himself unmoving as he stares at San. This wasn't his first time seeing the man, but this was certainly the first time where he got a good look of his features. Chocolate brown orbs stared back at him with no emotions, raven black hair that was pushed back except for one strand that curves on his forehead, and pink plush lips that were pressed together to form a thin line.

"For a noble's child, one would expect that you would have manners."

"Excuse me?" The prince's voice brought Wooyoung back to reality. He was surprised that he was able to reply and that he didn't stutter despite being so close to getting his head chopped off.

"At my birthday you didn't address me properly and now you have the nerves to stare at me?" Wooyoung's eyes were wide as he racks through his brain to think of a proper response for the other male.

"I- I'm sorry?"

"Hmm" The two of them stand there with thick tension in the air between them, both staring at each other to see who would move first. That was until San finally removes his sword from the other male's neck and puts it back in his sheath that was securely attached on his waist. Wooyoung releasing the breath that he was holding. His arms aching a little from being in the air.

"State your name and business in the castle" The prince walks back to the swing, leaning on one of the poles that held it up with his arms crossed on his chest while his fox-like eyes silently scrutinize the other male. Wooyoung had his head hung low as he bit his lip and picked at his fingers.

"I'm Jung Wooyoung, the son of Duke Jung and The Imperial Tailor's new apprentice" The said male bows a full 90 degrees to the royal. This was not how their second meeting was suppose to be.

"Tell me, what's an apprentice doing roaming the castle, especially being in this private area?"

"Imperial Tailor Eden dismissed me early and that I wanted some fresh air. I just happened to stumble upon this place, Your Highness. I didn't know that this was prohibited for others" Wooyoung rambled.

Suddenly, he felt his head getting lifted up and that fingers held onto his jaw. Wooyoung's eyes immediately looked San's as he gulps at how close their faces were, shocked at how fast and silent the other's movements was for him to get close. Cold eyes stared at his face while his body remained still as a statue, staying alert if the prince tried to do anything to him. San's grip on the other male's jaw wasn't tight to the point that it would brake the bone, but more like holding it in place to intimidate the other which was definitely working on Wooyoung.

"Leave now. I better not see you again in here"

The Imperial Prince now let's got of Wooyoung's jaw as he began walking out of the secret garden. The other male's legs then gave out on him. Falling onto the grass, his breathing became rapid while tears pricked his eyes.

So much for the fresh air.

-

Silently moving a mannequin to its designated corner, Wooyoung sighed through his nose. Flashbacks of his interaction with Prince San in the garden made him grimace and scrunch his face with how it went. If Eden and Maddox somehow noticed his behavior then they most likely refrained themselves from asking the younger male.

Today was Wooyoung's day off from being an apprentice. The tailor telling him that he was out visiting a few friends from when he was still at the academy. So that left Wooyoung with not much to do, but ended up cleaning the workshop.

Compiling the sketch papers at Eden's desk, the male sets them down as he was finally finished with tidying the place up. Wooyoung looks at his accomplishment as he gets interrupted by a knock on the door. He sees Maddox peek his head in before letting the rest of him enter the room.

"You have guests"

"Guests?" The younger's head tilts in confusion. He wasn't expecting anyone nor called somebody to meet with him.

"Yes, I've led them to your quarters"

Wooyoung passes Maddox at the door as the two of them make their way to the younger's room. The servant opening the door to his room to reveal his guests.

"Woo!" Before the male knew it, he was tackled and trapped in a familiar group hug.

"What? What are you guys doing here?" He exclaimed reciprocating the hug. The four let go of each other with a smile on their faces, glad that they were once again complete.

"Why else? We're here for you dummy. Well, also for Hongjoong's older brother but mostly for you" Yeosang rubs his arm where the older slapped him after his statement.

"It's nice to see you again Wooyoung" Hongjoong smiles at him, ignoring the other male pouting in his direction while Yunho giggles at them. The four of them moving to the small lounge area where the table in the middle had tea and various cookies.

"It's nice to see you guys as well. But, Hongjoong's older brother? Bumjoong?" A memory flashed in his head as he mentioned the name. Wooyoung knows that there wasn't further information about his friends' life except for their parents in the novel, so for him to have a memory of Hongjoong's older brother yet have no recollection of it from the book must mean that he was hopefully straying from the original plot.

"Yup, Hongjoong's parents asked him to personally check up on Bumjoong because he hasn't been sending letters for a while" Yunho informed, taking a sip from his teacup.

Wooyoung nods. From what he saw from the memory, Hongjoong's older brother, Bumjoong is the Vice-Captain of the Imperial Knights. So the younger male could understand why the older hasn't been sending letters.

Out of nowhere, the image of San's sword getting near Wooyoung's neck appeared in his head. He was already doing so good at trying to forget the incident but it seems that it wasn't going to leave the male alone anytime soon. Shaking his thoughts again, Wooyoung goes back to distracting himself with talking to his friends.

"How about we go to the training grounds then. We could catch up while Maddox guides us there, what do you say Maddox?" The four males then turned to the servant who stood at the doors as if gaurding them.

"Gladly" He states.

The friends then left their tea in the youngest's room for the maids to clean while they were out. Their chatter and laughter echoing every once in a while between the grand halls of the palace as they told each other the latest news in their lives.