Dark Embrace [Hoseok FF] [SOF Prequel 0.2] ✔

Chapter 25

Her breathing paused.

Slowly, all sounds dimmed in her ears, a shrill screeching sound drowning her.

Every bit of her actions, her body felt disjointed.

With trembling lips, she asked, "How?" it was almost inaudible.

"One remaining house of the Minister of Finance has decided to help me. During the banquet, I will have backing from them when in the assembly hall I, the most trusted man of the General, will account to all the misdeeds he has done. My standing alone will make them all believe me.

The network of spies has been divided for a while now, my benefactor's people hiding among them. No one knows their identities while I know the ones who are still loyal to Hoseok. I will give the King their identities, they too will be proclaimed as traitors."

"This will not be enough! It is no where near enough to achieve what you are claiming you can do." Anya spoke fast because she knew that Hoon Chul was still not revealing something that was the key to the promise he had made regarding Hoseok's fate.

But to Hoon Chul it translated as panic of giving her false hope.

He shook his head, gesturing for her to calm down, "You asked me when I came in why I addressed you as such, did you not?"

Her brows wrinkled in a premonition, her back slowly started getting soaked in a cold sweat.

"Had you ever asked you adopted parents on how they got you? From where?"

Anya shook her head.

"Then did you never question yourself about the colour of your eyes? or. . . . . better yet, answer this. Do you have a birthmark just below your left shoulder in the shape of wings?"

Anya stood up and retreated quickly, her eyes growing bigger.

Hoon Chul kept sitting where he was, "Do you have a burn scar on your right waist? And a circular symbol burnt in your skin right beside it?"

"SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY!" Anya screamed, not understanding how he could know the details of her body which only Hoseok and Arissa had seen.

Hoon Chul sadly smiled, "Those are the identification marks of the little girl child that was given away to be hidden in this country by the King of Jeogdal. The girl, was his child. The Princess who has been missing for sixteen years. Princess Anya."

"No. No. NO! what are you saying??" Anya vehemently tried to deny it.

"As you know, Jeogdal is a Kingdom more bigger and influential than ours. The Princess was the daughter of the Queen that the King loved the most. But Palace politics had put her life at risk, the attempt on her life were the burn marks and seal.

The King being childhood friends with one another, had asked the princess to be hidden. But before that exchange, Bandits had attacked the secret rendezvous point and taken the child away. The Princess, was believed to have been killed.

It was half a year back that a spy had sent word of the Princess being alive, but had died before he could say anything more. The King had asked Hoseok to investigate the matter because he had plans of strengthening the connections between the two Kingdoms via marriage of the Princess to the Crown Prince. The spy, had come from the area of your village.

It was no coincidence that the mighty General of this Kingdom had gone to fight a small battle against local tribes. He had gone to find the Princess.

He had gone, to find you."

Anya kept shaking her head.

Hoon Chul came towards her, "Hoseok knew who you were. He had to have, because he knew of the birthmarks. He knew who you were Princess, yet he raped you, kept you captive. I am willing to bet he was going to take you away too. He would never reveal your identity, because if he does, not only will he be punished for staging your death, he will also receive the death of a Traitor by the method I mentioned to keep the peace between the Kingdom once the truth of him imprisoning and raping you comes out!"