In The King's Court

Chapter 11

I hated ettiquet class with a passion.  I wasn't really learning anything I hadn't already had drilled into my head as a child growing up in a noble household.  I tried my best to ignore how some of the older girls were obviously trying to act extra proper in audience with the Queen Minseo.   Ha-na and I sat next to each other and would look at each other everytime one of the girls would act overly sweet tried to hide our laughter.  

   Our lesson came to an end when an attendant came into the room and whispered something to the queen and handed her a small black earpiece. It must have been urgent.

    "Ladies, we will be putting an end to our lesson today.  I need you all to quickly, and quietly follow me.  No questions."  Queen Minseo said sternly.  We all got up quickly and quietly, looking at eachother confused as we all followed out after the briskly walking queen who was following the attendant.  As we were walking guards began to flank around us.  

    "What is going on?"  I dared to whisper to Ha-na.  

"No idea, it seems serious though....something must have happened.   We were told nothing as we were led down a series of hallways and stairs.  Soon we were all ushered into a collection of rooms with no window that I assumed was in the underground level of the castle.   Whispering began to breakout and a couple of the girls began actually quietly cry they were so scared.   I put on a brave face and approcached the queen who was talking to her attendant.  They both turned and looked at me.  

    "Your highness, if I may ask.  What has happened?  Are we under attack?"  I asked softly, yet urgently.   Her eyes flicked from me to the girls who were huddled around in the room.

     "There has been a breech of the castle grounds.  Three guards were found dead near the second floor east wing, possibly more. We are to stay here until the castle is secured."  she infromed me.  I wasa actually a bit surprised that she had even shared the information with me...but then I came to a realization.   

    "...that's where Prince Seokjin and Prince Taehung's bedrooms are!"  I gasped out looking at her with wide eyes.  She nodded solemnly.  

    "They are still trying to locate the princes..."   Soon there was the sound of a voice over what sounded like a radio.  I looked and saw that the black earpiece that the attendant had handed her.  She listen to the voice.

   "They found Jin...Taehung is still unnacounted for."  she infromed the attendant and I, her voice wavering slightly.     A voice began to talk on the voice piece again.

     "They found Taehyung...he's been injured."  she almost whispered.  I could see the fear in her eyes, something I had never seen from her before.   There was more talking over the earpiece, but she didn't share anymore with me.  Suddenly the attendant spoke up.

   "Ladies, you may all return back to your quarters.  You will all be escorted by your new personal guards.  I will call your name to let you out to be escorted."  he announced.   

    "Princess Kang Ki-hwi!"  he anounced the first girl.  I was tugged away from the queen over by Ha-na.

   "What is happening?  Why are we suddenly having our personal guards escourt us?"  she hissed.

    "Apprently there was an attack, the castle was breeched, at least three guards kill in east wing and...and Taehyung is injured."  I whispered back softly.  I heard her suck in a little gasp of shock.

    "Who the hell is trying to break into here?  Bangtan is known for being a peaceful nation."  she hissed.

   "I know, I don't know...whoever it is must know about how the castle works to able to get this far into it."  I replied lowly.  Ha-na thought for a moment.

    "You're right...that would mean..." she started.

"...that it is probably an inside job...and from where the attack was it looks like they were going after the princes.  It was near Jin and Taehyung's chambers.  Who would want to kill the princes?"  

   "I don't know...do you think they are going after all of them?  Or is there one in particular?...what if Taehyung is being targeted..."  trailed Ha-na shakily.  I shook my head.  

   "No...no, don't say that.  Let's just, take a step back and let the king and queen handle this....its their castle and their children."  I said not wanting to think that Taehyung maybe being targeted by someone who wants to kill him.  Ha-na didn't get time to answer since her name was called.  She gave me a look as if this conversation was not over.  

I waited for my name to be called and I was led out by two large male guards and one female guard.  

    "Um...miss...can you please lead me over to the hospital wing instead of my room?"  I asked nervously.

    "We have direct orders to bring all of the members of the Collection straight to their chambers for the rest of the night."  answered one of the male guards.  I felt my hope deflate.  

    "Oh...okay."  I replied dejected.  We got to my rooms and the two male guards stationed themselves outside me room and the female guard followed me inside.  

   "I'll take you to hospital wing."   she told me softly as soon as the door.  I looked at her with wide eyes.

    "Really?"  I asked my voice going up hopefully.  She nodded.

"I know that you and Prince Taehyung are close friends.  We'll have to take the servants way out, they won't question you as long as I am with you."  she infromed me.   I nodded.  I followed through a maze of little hallways and some stairs until we arrived at the hospital wing.   As soon as I cracked the door open I saw the there were others in there.  My female guard and I hid behind one of the curtians to one of the other rooms.  

    "We are lucky this wasn't more serious than it was.  How could this have  happened?  How did they know when guards were being changed?  How did they know that both Seokjin and Taehyung would both be in their rooms?"  snapped a voice I regonised as King Sejin.

    "Your Highness...it might be best to not talk about this with so many ears around.  You're son needs to rest.  He will be okay."  assured another voice.  I heard a loud sigh.

    "You are right.  I will be back to check on him soon.  Keep me up to date on his condition."  commanded the king before I saw him walk out with several people through a crack in the curtian.  I waited until it became silent other than the beeping and running of machinery.  I peaked my head out to see that the room Taehyung was in seemed to be empty.   I quickly snuck across the hall with my guard at my heels.  I peaked in the room and saw what made me almost cry out.  Taehyung was lying there hooked up to a couple of different monitors and had an IV drip in his arm.  I felt a presence behind me and both my guard and I turned to see Ha-na behind us.  I about let out a shriek in fright from her sudden apperence.

    "How the hell did you get away from your guards?"  I hissed at her in shock.

    "Because they are my father's guards, they let me do whatever I want...that and I know how to use some of the secret passages here in the castle after Tae showed me..."  she trailed as she looked over at the sleeping Taehyung in a hopital gown.

    "What kind of injuries did he get?"  asked Ha-na.

"He has a mild concussion, some brusing to the ribs, and a gash in his side from a knife that was meant to try and kill him."  suddenly infromed my guard.  We both looked from her back to Taehyung.  

    "Holy shit."  muttered Ha-na.

"No kidding...is he going to be alright?"  I asked the guard.

   "From what I heard he defended himself and Prince Seokjin well until more guards got there.  He apprently distracted them so that Prince Seokjin could go get help.  They had both been coming out of Prince Seokjin's chambers."  she informed us.  Ha-na and I looked at eachother in shock.  So Taehyung may no have been the real target for this attack....it was Jin!