The Sun's Muse

II- Alcohol

Chapter two- Alcohol

"The prince is within the capital?"

"Aish, it's just baseless gossip, you know that these posters are not legitimate!"

"Even so, his head must be worth a hefty price!"

"Shut it! You can't just say things like that so openly!"

The news stirred up the people's interest; more civilians approached the wall in order to see what everyone was so intrigued about.

Prince Yeon took a step back, eyes still wide in fright.

"My Lord, are you all right?" Chul asked from behind.

Prince Yeon lifted his palm to his chest, trying to control his staggered breathing. He took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh; he was already worried that something like this might happen.

The moment he stepped out of the royal palace was like an open invitation for the queen's people to get rid of him for good. He knew that if he wanted to survive out here, he had to be extra cautious of the people surrounding him.

"My Lord?" Chul repeated.

Prince Yeon stared at him blankly at first, but quickly snapped out of it and proceeded to give him a continuous nod.

"Yeah, yeah. Jeez, I need a drink." The young prince said, brushing off the bothersome thoughts, then proceeding to walk ahead of Chul.

The two young gentleman walked along the dirt road until they reached a narrow street that led to a gated residence. Prince Yeon slowly tiptoed his way to the left part of the residence where there were no guards, and slowly climbed over the low wall.

Chul, unable to stop his young master, just stood behind the wall, clutching his sword tightly by his side. He was contemplating on what to do next, when the young prince called out to him.

"Hey, Chul! Come on! Quickly!" Prince Yeon whisper-yelled.

The young man complied and jumped over the low wall swiftly, without a sound.

Prince Yeon picked up a few stones below the wall and carefully walked to a spot directly below the closest window. As he was about to throw a pebble against the windowsill, a voice from behind startled him, preventing him from doing so.

"I'm right here, don't bother." A young man said. He was sitting on a giant rock near the flower bed, reading a book, and he looked at Prince Yeon with a straight face.

"Ah, really, Jang Han-gyeol, you gave me a fright!" Prince Yeon said with a relieved sigh, clutching his chest with his fist as an exaggeration.

"What brings you here, Your highness?" The young Lord, Han-gyeol asked with an unamused tone.

"Ya! I told you not to call me that anymore! You and Chul are both so...Aish! Really, why was I cursed with such serious friends?" Prince Yeon exclaimed dramatically, which earned a light laugh from the young Lord.

"Oh gosh. All right, Lord Yeon, no need to cry me a river. Come inside, I know you two came here for a drink." Lord Han-gyeol said with a grin, closing the book he was reading.

The three gentlemen have been friends for as long as they could remember. Jang Han-gyeol, the son of the Minister of Rites, and Kim Chul, the son of the country's most well-known general, were Prince Yeon's most trusted people.

"Hey, next time, just ask for me and enter through the gate, alright? If one of the guards see you, they might mistake you for thieves. You don't want to get decapitated inside my residence, do you?" Lord Han-gyeol jokingly warned while shaking his head.

Prince Yeon unconsciously groaned at his words, remembering the poster that he saw earlier, obviously bothered by what might happen to him.

What if he was decapitated?

Lord Han-gyeol curiously stared at his troubled friend as he poured him a glass of alcohol. He handed the small cup to Prince Yeon but he grabbed the jar away instead and took a big swig.

"What's his problem?" Lord Han-gyeol asked Chul, nudging his arm.

"Rumor posters of the prince being outside of the palace has been circulating in the capital. He is worried that his life might be in danger." Chul explained, swirling the cup of alcohol in his hands.

Prince Yeon raised his brow when Lord Han-gyeol suddenly burst out laughing.

"Ya, Jang Han-gyeol! Why are you laughing?? This is a serious matter! Honestly, you are unbelievable, you have a straight face on when I want you to laugh, and you laugh when I expect you to be serious." Prince Yeon muttered, with his cheek rested against the mahogany table.

Lord Han-gyeol continued laughing like no tomorrow, and wiped a lone tear that escaped from his eyes. He slapped Prince Yeon's back, which made both Chul and the young prince jump in surprise.

"Stop being ridiculous, Your Highness. You worry as if you are helpless; you're probably more skilled in fighting than most men from the capital! I'm sure you can put up a fight! And-and if all else fails, you know you have a one-man army right here," The young Lord said to Prince Yeon, referring to Chul, who sat and sipped his alcohol as if he were drinking tea.

The alcohol had started to take a toll on Prince Yeon and Lord Han-gyeol, and Chul couldn't stop shaking his head at their drunken behavior.

"Hey, hey you- Jang Han-gyeol, will you let me marry your sister?" Prince Yeon asked with a drunken laugh.

Chul's forehead wrinkled in confusion, and Lord Han-gyeol snorted at his question.

"No way! N-no you can't... H-have, wait, wait, I don't even have a sister! I don't have... what are you talk...ing-"

Lord Han-gyeol's head hit the table as he passed out, unable to finish his sentence. Prince Yeon let out a snicker as he looked at his friend, shaking his head. His mind started drifting when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his temples. He hissed at the sensation, and held his face in his palms.

As the room grew quiet, he started to remember the things he thought he would've forgotten at this state. Memories he wasn't sure of; memories he wanted so badly to forget.

He was on his knees, and there was blood on the floor. He crawled to her side slowly, and saw how pale she was. He touched the side of her face and it felt cold against his warm hands.

"Mother...." He muttered.

"Your Highness!"

Prince Yeon immediately woke up once he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

He turned to his side and saw Chul, with an expression as worried as Chul can get.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Chul asked.

Prince Yeon gave him a small smile and nodded assuringly.

"I'll be alright. Let's go, we must be on our way."

***

A/N: Hi! I have actually been thinking about the portrayers for the characters, and I imagine Prince Yeon as Lee Joon-gi, Lord Han-gyeol as Kim Soo-hyun, and Chul as Song Jae-rim. I hope you are enjoying the story so far!!