Promise- Minsung

Chapter Fifty Three

The group of three did start off early the next morning, riding out of the tall grass field and into a light forest.

Minho took the lead from here as he was beginning to know where he was. They had been past here before, he and Yongbok together. And then again when he had been first going to the Han Kingdom.

Looking after Hei-ran while also keeping a look out for Black Masks on this side of the mountain proved to be very hard as Changbin and Minho were constantly having to switch jobs. At some point, Hei-ran ended up riding with Minho at the front of the saddle with Geumbi trailing behind them without a heavy load, much to her delight.

As nothing happened the entire day, they made quick time and were near the edge of the woods by the time the sun had started to go down.

Changbin glanced around as they stood at the bed of a stream. "We can keep going and reach there after the sun has gone down, or we can rest and wait till tomorrow to arrive."

"We should get there as soon as possible so that we can be leaving as soon as possible," Minho looked around as he spoke. "There is plenty of wood. Let's make torches and keep going as long as we can."

"Alright," Changbin pulled his sword from its sheath and pressed his horse onward through the stream and back onto dry land.

Danbi and Geumbi followed after, making sure not to lose sight of the horse in front of them. If they were to be separated, they would be in danger.

The capitol city was coming up as they galloped across the land. Changbin made sure to light his torch so that the people could see them coming from a distance.

They would have to go through the city, which was the safest way to the palace from here.

"OPEN THE GATES!" Changbin yelled as they were galloping through the open space from the forest to the gates, which would have been the most dangerous spot.

"Stop!" The guards yelled, not being able to recognize the former crown prince after he had been away almost three years.

"OPEN THE GATES FOR THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS!" Changbin bellowed again, getting more anxious as they were held out of the city. They were forced to stop outside the gates as their guards didn't dare open the gates yet.

"Watch out!" Minho yelled as he spotted a masked archer on the rooftop. "Duck!"

Changbin ducked right on time, the arrow just missing his back where his head would have been.

Minho let his own arrow fly a matter of seconds after the first arrow was shot at Changbin, hitting the arch square in the chest and knocking him off the tower.

"Stop!" the guards, even more alarmed now that they realized the two men in front of their gates were armed and dangerous. "State your name and purpose or leave immediately!"

Minho sighed and reached into his pocket, holding up the family seal in his right hand. "I am Prince Lee Minho. Open the gate at once!"

The guards peered down at the royal seal before glancing at each other. "Open the gates!"

The large wooden gates were pulled open as Changbin and Minho's horses pushed through them. They were still not safe. While not out in the open, if there were more Black Masks within the city, they were bound to be targeted.

"A warning would have been nice," Changbin muttered as Minho ran beside him. "Master Sang-hyuk didn't tell me the invasion here was so bad."

"I didn't know either," Minho muttered as their horses panted under them. Minho reached forward to pat Danbi's neck. "We're almost there!"