Runaway // Hak

07

Sighing, I stood, leaning against a tree as I watched the stars flicker against the dark blue sky. The kingdom's lights shone brightly throughout the area, the loud cheers and voices being heard in celebration for Princess Yona's new age.

She got two more years with her father than I did.

Lucky little brat.

I closed my eyes at my own jealousy, calming myself down as I knew she held nothing against me, despite me being the one her love wanted to marry.

If I could, I would happily tell Princess Yona that he didn't love me either, though he was quite ecstatic for the wedding so he'd get my name with his.

I should be doing something productive like making sure that the whole kingdom doesn't fall tonight along with the King.

Instead, here I was, standing in my miserable jealousy that princess got to stay with her family longer than I did.

Pathetic queen I am.

Scoffing, I kicked my foot off the back of the tree, standing tall again. I adjusted the bow and arrows that I had equipped myself with a few moments earlier. They had my insignia over them, as well as did any of my weapons. It was for those who found the dead bodies to know who killed them.

Of course it was a family tradition, so I kept it on.

In a moment's spur, I clutched the bow until it nearly snapped, trembling in realization.

If I died, everything died with me.

What my ancestors created, what my people admired and kept pride and honor in, what my parents worked on, our kingdom, our legacy, our each and every detail.

Finished along with me.

Determination striking, I focused my vision forward as I let my reflexes and instincts take over.

I won't die easy.

I couldn't do that to my people. The people who gave their very lives and so much more in my name.

Them?

Die on those people?

Not happening.

Especially not on him.

The one who's stayed by my side since birth. His whole family stayed by my own. His parents were the ones who guarded my parents. Then when I came along, they brought another life with them as well, giving birth to the one who would guard me.

Yet it seemed to go both ways with my family. We guarded those who guarded us and as my guard was born after me, I looked after him more than he did for me. And I loved it that way. Ever since he was brought into this world, I raised him. Then when my parents were killed, his were as well, making me the only one he had left.

Even then, I hadn't fell to my knees.

But what happened soon after that killed me.

"Queen!" I snapped my head at the voice that directly caught my attention, my brow raising at a rushed Hak.

"Wh-"

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" He came to grab my shoulders as I gulped at him pulling my face close to his while he raged at me. "Do you know that something could have happened to you!? What were you thinki-"

He froze as his eyes strayed to my hand as I looked down as well, my eyes widening at the bleeding hand I had. I had completely forgotten I was holding an arrow in my hand as the tip had ripped the skin of my hand open as blood seeped out.

"What did you do?! Are you trying to hurt yourself? Don't tell me th-"

"Don't worry about me," I snapped, coming back to my senses as I pushed his arms off of me. "I never asked for anyone to worry for me, all that happens is they're put in danger until they are killed," I stepped away as he stood frozen.

As our backs faced each other, I turned my head to the side, looking back as I clutched the arrow stained with my fresh blood, screaming at him.

"SO HEED THE WARNING AND STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!"

Throwing my bloody arrow down right next to his foot, I let it stick in the grass as I walked away. There's no point in getting tied up with petty emotions that will do nothing other than weigh me down.

I live to make him proud, not embarrassed or ashamed.

As I walked through the halls, I saw princess scurrying off somewhere, calling out for her father. If she's lucky enough, she can see him getting killed by the man she's oh so in love with.

Scoffing, I felt a rush of bitterness that I wasn't accustomed to. It was as though the girl had an entirely different life than I, even with both of us as royals.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I stared down at my bloody hand, glad I hadn't been holding a poison tipped arrow.

I continued to walk until I heard a scream and the familiar chatter between Kye-Sook and Soo-Won. I crossed the corner and as I stood in front of the room, there laid a bloody king with a desperate princess trying to get Soo-Won to help him as I stepped back with confusion.

Was she just plain stupid?

Soo-Won just killed him, why would he help him live?

He wanted the king to die.

Bloody arrows, the princess even saw him kill the king!

I felt irritation build up as I rolled my eyes at the pathetic scene before.

"Rolling your eyes at such a heartbreaking scene, are you? That's quite cold of you, I thought you'd be more sympathetic," Soo-Won cooed as he held the sword that dripped with blood at the cold metal tip.

"I've seen more deaths than times I've rolled my eyes, and I'm quite fond of rolling my eyes at other's stupidities," I scoffed, leaning against the side of the pillar.

"Ah, yes. As true as that is, you have a heart for this kingdom, especially for this family and this very girl," Kye-Sook spoke darkly, gesturing to the princess and fallen king.

I tightened my grip over my bow as I picked up on what he was hinting at.

"I mean, after all, Arashi loved this kingdom and family, and we all know how much you loved Arashi," he sneered as I felt my patience snap, raising an arrow against him in a second as I let it fly through my fingers.

He seemed paralyzed with fear and shock over my actions and barely had time to jerk his head to the side as the arrow sliced the skin of his neck, tearing it open as blood dripped out, staining his pale skin.

"Are you crazy?! You're a top ranked archer! The arrow would have gone straight through my throat!!" He screeched as the arrow stuck itself in the wall behind him.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY HIS NAME!"

The king has now fallen! Oh well, seems like pony man lives another chapter *sigh* I wanted to show a more cruel and colder side to the queen because duh, you're a queen, ya gotta be heartless sometimes XD