HWARANG Rewritten✅

51. First mission

Chapter 51.
First mission.

Shortly after that meeting, Seon-woo went on his first mission abroad and for months and months, he saw more of Baekje than he ever wanted to. He travelled the countryside in disguise, alongside Sa-do and Dan-se, gathering intel.

He met up with the King and the other princes of South Buyeo and even crowned Prince Chang. Prince Chang seemed to be delivering hatred through his eyes when he saw him and Sa-do. He was not happy about being lied to.

He had greeted Seon-woo with an, "ahh it's the imposter King!" and Sa-do had sassily snapped back, "ahh it's the Prince who was foolish enough to fall for a trick." Their meetings had been stiff and the two Hwarangs had been more than happy to leave him alone afterwards.

Seon-woo sat in his temporary room in an inn with an unwrapped parcel. There was a knock and Sa-do entered. "Oraboni let's have an early dinner tonight. We have to start at dawn if we are to reach the capital before nightfall," she said and then glancing at the package she mused knowingly, "Ah-ro?"

The lady doctor had taken to sending small care packages to Seon-woo while he was away, with small trinkets and sometimes some imperishable foods and also Sun-dried chrysanthemum flowers. Seon-woo nodded towards the envelope in his sister's hand and asked just as knowingly, "Jinheung?"

Sa-do rolled her eyes but nodded. "Sleep early," she called back as she was leaving, "if you fall off your horse tomorrow, I promise to ride on without you." Seon-woo chuckled at her usual honest bluntness.

...

Jinheung rubbed his shoulders as the chilly evening air blew around him. He readjusted the cloth that covered his face as he stared at the sky. The moon looked faint but beautiful in the pink tinted sky of dusk. He knew that he shouldn't be out here, hence why he had to be secretive.

He was supposed to stay within the palace walls, protected by royal guards but as he had lived outside of the palace most of his life, his rightful home felt suffocating at times. Which was why he made it a habit to sneak out every now and then despite knowing that Pa-oh would be worried sick and would immediately notify Soo-ho, who would panic and send out a Hwarang search party to find him.

He walked around the almost empty streets of the capital. It was relaxing and it allowed him to obtusely inspect his city.

"How much longer do you plan to stay here, Your Majesty?"

Jinheung turned to face Ban-ryu. "You found me fast," he commented.

"It's become rather easy since you keep coming to the same place. It's merely a matter of riding here from Seonmoon," Ban-ryu teased as he nodded to the huge entrance gates of the capital.

There was the sound of horse hoofs followed by an agitated, "hiya Kim Ji-dwi! Do you entertain yourself by making us search the capital for you to check if you are dead or alive?"

"You really need to learn how to talk respectfully to your King," Jinheung tutted at Soo-ho though he was amused by the other.