The Boy of The River; K.TH & J.JK .:Completed:.

Chapter 42: A Close Ally.

The couple stood frozen in the prince's chambers for what felt like a few minutes, but was really around twenty seconds. They looked at each other before looking back to the door. Taehyung gave the warlock a look that practically said not to make a peep. Jeongguk nodded and stood his ground. The prince looked back to the door, licked his lips and gulped a little, before letting out a small breath that had previously hitched in the back of his throat.

With a hesitant step forward, he made his way to the door. His shoes clicked against the floor as he walked, but grew quiet across the carpet only to be loud again. When Taehyung was close enough he heard the person knock again and almost jumped from the sudden noise. He gave one last glance to the warlock before grabbing the handle and opening the door.

"Sire, I've come bearing some news" Ji-hun gave a small bow to the prince.

"Oh! It's just you, quickly come in" Taehyung felt relief wash over his being as he let the knight in, shutting the door behind him.

"What seems to be the news?" The prince asked as he walked back toward Jeongguk.

"Well, you see, I heard a rumor going around the knights that there is a traitor amongst us.." Ji-hun cleared his throat. "Some say it could be one knight or another but… I suspect.."

"Bae Joon." Jeongguk nodded. "Is this due to your gut feeling?" He questioned.

"Yes, that and how he acted with the King earlier" The knight nodded.

"Your suspicions are of great value to both Jeongguk and me," Taehyung nodded. "May I ask if there have been any rumors about Bae Joon's plan with my father?"

"No, none I've heard Sire" Ji-hun shook his head. "Though… I do suspect that based on what he tried to do and his past with trying to… win you over, to say the least, he may have tried to get on the king's good side and worm his way into the position…"

"I thought he had stopped a while ago.." Taehyung sighed. "I guess not.."

"It does add up though…" Jeongguk started. "I mean, with what he had said while we were hunting, it makes sense" his voice softened at the end.

Taehyung's eyes went wide as soon as the warlock said that. It did make sense after all. Bae Joon, pushing his way up to the highest position possible and tricking the king into letting him marry Taehyung. It was almost the perfect plan. Almost. If they hadn't caught on. If they hadn't heard that one conversation that one morning, they wouldn't have known the origins of his plan. But it seemed too easy to figure out.

"There must be something else, something we aren't seeing," Taehyung muttered.

"Why? He wanted to be with you at one point, still does obviously… he'd do whatever he could to win the king over" Jeongguk pointed out. "What more could he be planning to do?"

"The annual knight duels are coming up" Ji-hun spoke in reply. "Though… we have plenty of time to train for it"

"Oh, right, the summer one…" Taehyung rubbed his forehead.

"Annual knight duels?" The warlock questioned.

"In the mid summer" The prince replied. "It's just a training session to see who can still be a knight after their training and who can't"

"He may use it to try to impress the king again," Ji-hun suggested. "Though if he fails, he'll be sentenced to death"

"Wait.. what do you mean?" Jeongguk asked. "I thought it was only if they broke the oath"

"Not only that, but if you fail your duel, you don't live," Taehyung answered. "It's like your final exam in a way, we do it every year do keep the knights trained well"