"In your quest to lay claim upon me, my body, my land, and my people, heed this, Seungcheol: my heart shall forever remain an unconquered fortress," Jeonghan declared, his gaze piercing as he locked eyes with Seungcheol.
"Time shall reveal the truth...
Seungcheol carefully laid Jeonghan down on the plush bed, his movements deliberate as he pulled the silk covers up to cocoon him in warmth. Jeonghan's forehead felt feverish to the touch, a troubling sign that Seungcheol couldn't ignore. Was it merely the chill of the rain that had settled in his bones, or something more sinister? Seungcheol dared not voice his suspicions, lest they become reality.
His heart pounded with apprehension as he watched the medicinal lady sprinkle herbs over Jeonghan's head, her practiced hands moving with precision. Seungcheol sank onto the couch, the weight of his worry pressing down on him like a leaden cloak. Was Junhui's ominous prediction coming to fruition? Seungcheol fervently prayed that it was not so.
"Your Majesty, the traitor lurks within the palace walls," Junhui declared, his voice carrying a note of urgency as he presented a large royal map book.
Seungcheol's jaw clenched at the accusation, his gaze icy as it bore into Junhui's. But the torn pages within the map book could not be ignored, casting a shadow of doubt over the palace's security.
Seungcheol bit his lip in frustration, his mind racing as he searched for clues amidst the chaos. "Could it truly be you, my rose?" he murmured, his heart heavy with despair as he watched the medicinal lady depart, leaving behind a cloud of uncertainty.
Lost in thought, Seungcheol retraced his steps, his mind whirling with possibilities. Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck him—the messenger dove.
Hurrying to the designated chamber, Seungcheol found Jeonghan standing by the door, a white dove perched delicately on his outstretched hand. The bird took flight as Seungcheol entered, disappearing into the sky with a flutter of wings.
"Seungcheol—" Jeonghan began, his voice tinged with concern, but Seungcheol's attention was elsewhere.
"My rose," Seungcheol greeted him warmly, stepping closer. "Did a dove find its way into our chamber?" he inquired, scanning the room for any trace of the bird.
Jeonghan breathed a sigh of relief, moving to stand beside Seungcheol. "Yes, it appears one slipped in when I left the window ajar this morning," he explained, guiding Seungcheol away from the window's chill.
Seungcheol's hand clenched at his side as he watched Jeonghan recline on the bed, a tumult of emotions churning within him. How could his beloved deceive him so? Yet, beneath the layers of doubt, he sensed the unwavering devotion that Jeonghan had woven around him.
"Was it all a deception, my rose?" Seungcheol murmured, grappling with the conflicting emotions that warred within him. Despite the doubts that gnawed at his heart, he found himself unable to extinguish the flame of love that burned for Jeonghan, a beacon of hope amidst the shadows of uncertainty.
As Seungcheol dwells upon the first instance of betrayal, his mind is swiftly drawn to the second—the letter.
Entering the chamber, Seungcheol's eyes fall upon Jeonghan, who is engrossed in writing on the brown sheets of paper. His brows knit together in a deep frown, a mixture of confusion and concern clouding his expression.
"What are you doing, my rose?" Seungcheol's voice breaks the silence, causing Jeonghan to startle, guilt evident in his wide eyes as he hastily tries to conceal the letter he was writing.
"Nothing, just writing a letter to Jisoo—" Jeonghan's voice wavers as he struggles to explain, his nervousness betraying him as he wipes the beads of sweat from his forehead and discreetly tucks the letter into his clothes. Seungcheol nods, though a pang of suspicion gnaws at his gut, prompting a flood of tumultuous thoughts.
Seungcheol feels as though his head might explode at any moment. "What caused you to do this, my rose? Hm? Was my love not enough for you?" Seungcheol regrets letting his guard down. He shouldn't have allowed Jeonghan to be in such close proximity. It was bound to happen—one day, Jeonghan would betray him. And why wouldn't he? Jeonghan had every right to act as he did, but... were the vows of love they shared also fake? The moments of happiness, the laces of joy they wore, the songs of laughter they sang together, and the paints of love they adorned each other with—were they all in vain?
"Your Majesty, you are needed at the courthouse!" Mingyu's urgent voice shatters the suffocating silence, pulling Seungcheol back to the present moment. His teary eyes meet Mingyu's determined gaze, and with a firm resolve, he wipes away his glossy tears, pushing aside the pain of his shattered trust. This is not the time to wallow in despair. The fate of his kingdom hangs in the balance, threatened by looming dangers on the horizon.
"What's wrong?" Seungcheol's voice is steady, though his heart still aches with unspoken sorrow. He rises to his feet, determination shining through the remnants of his shattered illusions. This is a moment of reckoning, a test of his resilience in the face of adversity.
"Let's go," Seungcheol commands, his voice echoing with a newfound resolve as he strides purposefully alongside Mingyu towards the courthouse. Their hearts may be heavy with the weight of betrayal, but their duty as guardians of the realm cannot be forsaken. As they reach the imposing doors of the courthouse, they steel themselves for the challenges that lie ahead, their bond forged anew amidst the trials of betrayal and deceit.
Seungcheol's steps come to a halt as he beholds the harrowing sight before him. His valiant soldiers lay strewn across the courtyard, their bodies mutilated in the most merciless fashion. Heads severed, limbs rent asunder—the scene reeks of unspeakable brutality.
"What is the meaning of this?" A thunderous roar echoes through the courtyard as the heavy doors of the courthouse are pounded upon. Seungcheol's hand instinctively reaches for the hilt of his sword, his grip tightening around the cold steel as he strides forward to confront the source of this carnage.
Entering the courthouse, Seungcheol's eyes narrow in fury as they fall upon the man responsible, standing defiantly amidst the chaos, a maid held captive in his grasp.
"Ah, welcome, my esteemed friend," the intruder taunts, his voice dripping with malice as he meets Seungcheol's glare with a smug smirk. Clad in formidable armor, his blond hair glinting in the dim light, he exudes an aura of menace.
"Release her at once, lest you face the consequences," Seungcheol commands, his voice ringing with authority as he takes a resolute step forward.
"Oh? Is that so?" The intruder's words are laced with contempt as he drags the blade agonizingly across the maid's neck, her desperate gasps filling the chamber as life slowly ebbs away.
"Kwon Soonyoung regrets nothing!" he sneers, his defiance echoing through the hall as the maid falls to the ground, her pleas for mercy silenced forevermore.
-----
-Vaish
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Oops-- it's okay, just think of this soonyoung as someone else y'all, cause this man is evil. 😭
I hope this chapter was a little helpful? If still confused? You can put your doubts here and I'll answer it, about last night, nothing much, they talked and Cheol talks about his father's possesiveness over his mother. Nothing more over that.
