The Three Bannermen | Vminkook ✓

Seventeen: Sewn Up

Jihoon 

A messenger ran up the long pathway leading up to the largest mansion in the north. 

In his hand he bore a letter from one of the insiders of the Oak Castle. He needed to deliver it to Jihoon as fast as possible.  It was midday, so the messenger figured Jihoon was likely outside in the garden. Jihoon always complained about how stuffy it was in his mansion, how it was too small for his tastes, how he preferred the open air much better. 

The messenger thought that all of Noirwood might be just what Jihoon needed in terms of space. 

The messenger's thin legs carried him to the top of the hill behind the large mansion. He scoured the huge yard for any sign of movement. Just as he was about to check for Jihoon inside, the messenger spotted his master near the new swath of crops planted only a few weeks prior. The messenger had no clue what the crops were; to him, they looked like fields of useless weeds. 

But to Jihoon, they were extremely important. He made sure they received enough water, sunlight, and tending. If his gardeners were doing a poor job in any of these areas, he yelled at them. Punished them severely.

They must be important to him...

The messenger called out to Jihoon from atop the hill. The man lifted his chin, and the young boy let his long legs carry him to his master. Once the messenger was close enough to the middle aged man, he began talking between huge breaths. 

"Sir, I-I mean...King Jeon, there is news from..." The messenger wiped the sweat from his brow and took another deep breath. "...from the Oak Castle...it's contained in this letter." The messenger held out the letter to Jihoon, who snatched it out of his hand. The man tore at the seal violently, curiously.

The messenger stuck around, interested in the contents of the letter. As Jihoon's spy, he wasn't paid much in money...but a bit of gossip went a long way for him; he loved to hear what was happening down south in Noirwood. 

Jihoon pulled the letter out of the envelope, staring intently at the letters scrawled sloppily down the page. A smile began to grow on his face. He grunted in amusement. 

"Jungkook is clueless...this is a letter he wrote to the Laurel Castle, signed early yesterday." Jihoon laughed hysterically, pointing out his nephew's signature to the messenger. "He still doesn't know about the spies I have in his castle...this is good. Now we know that he meant to send thousands of reinforcements from the Laurel Castle up to the Stone Castle under the Stone Prince's command."

The messenger butt in proudly at hearing his master speak with such joy. "But obviously the letter didn't make it to the Laurel Castle! That means that the Laurel Castle won't get the message and send men up north! Sir, this is great for you!"

Jihoon hardly paid the messenger any attention. "This also means...the three princes have to be in contact right now if they're organizing this. They must be talking..." Jihoon paused, pondering something. "But would they...be together? Or are they in separate locations to-"

"Oh, sir, sir!" The messenger interrupted, trying to get Jihoon to look at him. "When your, uh, source, gave this letter to me, he told me that there were lots of people at the castle because of royal visitors--and to be careful as I left." The messenger stood there dumbly, waiting for Jihoon to address him with praise. 

"Dumbass!" Jihoon slapped the messenger across the face. "Do you not understand what 'Don't interrupt me when I'm talking' means?" Jihoon gazed off into the distance, mulling over something. "But...this means the three princes are definitely all at the Oak Castle! Fantastic! I'll have extra spies watching them. Ah...that idiot Jungkook is only hurting himself by associating with them..." Jihoon looked at the messenger, a scowl on his face. "Why are you still here?! Run off already!"