The Makings Of a Prince | Changlix

| II |

"Hey, did you hear?" Yongbok listens into the quiet murmurings between two guards in the back. Though they tried to be quiet, Yongbok could still hear them from the front of the group; the still, quiet forest not an ideal place to hide their gossip. "Rumors just spread from Silla the other day. Silla's crown prince is dead."

"How?"

Yongbok heard someone finally got to him. Yeah, he also heard the rumors. Mostly from Seungmin, who's in all kinds of gossip that hustled its way into town, through traders and travelers and whatnot. The younger was more interested in whatever went on between two neighbors instead of the politics he promised to study. Either way, Yongbok still listened.

He heard that it happened during a supposed "diplomatic" feast. That, and the slightly more interesting rumor that his personal guard had something to do with it.

It was a shame, really. While most royalty would take this sort of news with a celebratory toast (and a careful grain of salt, as they were rumors, after all), Yongbok couldn't help but scoff. He knew that princes and their kings are held highest of regards in a kingdom. That every guard, official, general, peasant alike should always commit to their king. But, despite their verbal dedication to their monarchs, wouldn't the heart and the mind matter more?

An example of such things could be taken with the late Silla crown prince. His personal guard said he committed his life with the prince. But there was only betrayal and slaughter. And all for what? Selfishness? Morality? The greater good? Please. Don't make him laugh.

One's morals, whether be selfishness or anything good, would always outweigh their supposed dedication to their monarch. Everyone was out for themselves. Even princes, kings. Officials and generals, nobility, peasantry.

Despite all these guards, not one of them would Yongbok definitely say he could trust. Because just like with the Silla prince, one of them could betray him at any moment. They wouldn't risk their lives because of the greater good or a sense of duty. They would risk their lives, because they knew that if they didn't, the monarchy punishes them.

"Who's talking in the back?" Yongbok halts his horse, the other guards and eunuchs doing the same behind him. He turns, glancing past the guards that kept their head low, eyeing the one far in the back.

Curly, dark-haired, pale; a recruit or some other. Really, Yongbok didn't understand why the general insisted that the new sentry goes. He thought he'd need capable men in case of an attack. Maybe this really was just an easily disposable group for a quieter attack from the assassins.

"Don't talk again," Yongbok dismisses, nudging his horse into a walk. Usually, he'd be harsh on the guards. They were, after all, only guards. But he was a recruit. If they were to die during this mission, he might as well die without dipping his toes any further into royalty. 

---

It took about a day and a half to get to the village.

They were reasonably far from Ungjin, somewhere near the borders to Silla and probably even closer to the territories of Gaya. If anyone heard from either neighboring nation that the prince was in this village, there'd be nothing but endless trouble, maybe a siege and an early funeral.

So before they entered the vicinities of the town, Yongbok changed his clothes, wore a guard outfit to blend in with the others. He'd not enter the town as a prince, but as a general of the king. It'd be less conspicuous this way, maybe less intimidating too. Besides, if the Goguryeo spies ever heard of the prince's arrival, surely they'd escape within the day. As a general, at least, they'd hold on to hope.