The Cold Emperor

Chapter 7

When Yoon walked out of the inn with Jungkook, his entire demeanour changed. The usual cold and rigid emperor transformed into the cheerful and warm Yoon. This behaviour was a sham; it was all acting, but he wasn't sure which version of himself was his true self anymore. While walking around in the packed streets, in a seemingly innocent way, his eyes were continuously darting around to spot potential danger. This happy and go-lucky version of Yoon had been killed at a very young age. Being the future emperor means that you have to be careful and calculating at all times. You never know when someone you trust ends up shoving a knife in your back. Being an emperor means that you either kill or get killed; and the Tiger King was notorious for beheading his enemies. Over time, he found out that this cold and ruthless mask was nearly impossible to pull off, making him incapable of showing his true self to anyone.

Yoon was pulled out of his solemn thoughts when Jungkook pointed at the tavern on their left. When they walked inside, they saw that the tavern was dimly lit and occasional drunk laughter could be heard. It was heavily packed with guests, but fortunately they both found a small table to sit. Jungkook ordered two jars of rice wine and as they pretended to have a light-hearted conversation, while their ears were busy with analysing the conversations around them. As expected, there was no one who was openly discussing an assassination attempt on the emperor's life in public, but there were a few men who were discussing the increasing violence on the streets. "Excuse me gentlemen, I am travelling through this area and overheard you saying that it is quite dangerous to do so," Yoon said as he tried to join their conversation. "Should my brother-in-law and I return?" He asked with concern. "No, that is not necessary," the man assured as he waved Yoon and Jungkook to sit with them.

"There have been more attacks and threats by gangs lately, but those were mostly targeted to people living here," the man explained. "How awful," Jungkook said as he shook his head, "Have you tried to inform the Emperor about it?" The man let out a bitter scoff, "The emperor doesn't care about people like us; he is just safely sitting in his palace sipping wine, while being surrounded by his 1000 concubines." Yoon tried hard not to scowl or clench his fists after hearing the taunt; all he ever did was worry about his people. "Who are behind these attacks specifically?" Jungkook inquired, "Are there multiple gangs on the rise or is it just one?" The man shook is his head after downing another shot of rice wine, "It's the Silver Tongues; lead by a man who calls himself the Boss." Yoon and Jungkook briefly looked at each other; this was exactly the information that they needed. "If you don't agree with their demands or if you complain about them to a government official, they will kill you and your entire family," the man continued.

"Why are they called the Silver Tongues?" Yoon asked while taking another shot. "They use a specific poison that is completely flavourless, is without a scent or colour, but leaves your tongue silver-white after your dead," he muttered, making Yoon's stomach drop. The situation was even more serious than he expected. Jungkook and Yoon stayed another hour to socialize and not grab any unwanted attention; but at the same time his brain was desperately trying to look for a solution. Who was this Boss? And how was he going to get him? After the other men in the tavern started to leave, Jungkook and Yoon headed back to the inn was well. Before they could head to their rooms, the innkeeper's wife intercepted them; "There you are! I ran a hot bath for you and your wife to freshen up. Go ahead and join her!" Jungkook's eyes widened in shock after hearing her words and Yoon couldn't help but feel heat rush to his cheeks.

He quickly rushed to his room to grab a washcloth and a clean robe. In a sober state he might had made an excuse to not join you, but the alcohol rushing through his system told him otherwise. From the first moment he had met you; he was strangely drawn to you. There was something about your liveliness, warrior spirit and unapologetic behaviour, that made you constantly enter his thoughts. Then of course, there was your blinding beauty that haunted his not-so-appropriate dreams as night. A wave of heat rushed through his body when he thought about finding you in a steaming tub. Your hair cascading around you like a halo and finding tiny drops of water gliding down your smooth skin. Every cell in his body wanted to push your hair to the side and touch your damp skin; to feel the softness of it on his callused fingers. His lips and tongue would explore the sensitive skin of you neck, trying to find the spot that would make you gasp. He groaned and forced his eyes shut when he felt blood rush to his groin.

This was wrong, so wrong, he kept saying, trying to stop himself from thinking about the vivid imagery. You didn't like him that way; you had made that quite clear when you refused to be his concubine. Here he was; unable to stop fantasizing about you while he stood in front of the washroom. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, while mentally preparing himself for what he would find inside. No fantasy could prepare him for what he saw: nothing. He rushed inside and called your name, but you weren't there. His heart was frantically pounding in his chest, his mind could only imagine the worst. That's when he looked up and saw the open window.

The second that Mrs Choi had suggested you to take a bath; you thought that is was the perfect moment to survey and patrol the area. You were taught that whenever the emperor entered a new environment, the guards should make sure that the area was secure.

You knew that Jungkook had not done it yet, so this was to perfect opportunity for you to check the area, without anyone noticing your absence. You climbed through the window and started to scan the area around you. You had the advantage over the people on the streets, as you were hidden in the darkness and were sneaking on the roofs of buildings. Everything seemed to be fine, until you saw two suspicious-looking figures. They were more heavily armed than anyone else on the street and they were covering their faces. Slowly and quietly, you followed them to a narrow ally. They stopped there and started to whisper in a hushed tone. You crouched down on the roof and tried to bend your body forward as much as possible, trying to hear what they were saying. "...the next birthday should be his last. That's when we will end his damned reign," you overheard, turning your blood to ice. When you tried to get up and rush back,

Someone pressed their hand on your mouth and crashed their body against yours

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