POV from Yunho

After his capture, I haven’t been able to do anything else.

I know he tried to assassinate me. Or rather, I got lucky like the usually lucky man I am. If I hadn’t discovered those ‘tools’, he might have succeeded for real.

This is enough to show me what kind of a person he is, so disgustingly malicious and devious. He planned my murder step by step and I wonder about his personality. It’s not like I care! … I’m just curious about how evil and cunning he really is. That is what I choose to tell myself.

I am also mind slapping myself for doubting my initial judgement after seeing him rescue the two kids back then. In fact, I believe it’s my stupid idea to test his reflexes that had given him an opening to invade my thoughts and take over my logical thinking! Hell I even took such great pains to comfort him and ensure that he is well taken care of, comparing him to my Suie even though they are two totally different persons.

How silly of me! Though I wouldn’t admit that I have made a hell lot of the wrong moves, I still have a little of that compulsion to find out more about him even if I am probably going to make more mistakes by sparing him.  I could’ve allowed my men to end him there and then, but he is still very much alive in some dark corner of my palace at this moment.

I should know by now that as long as he is alive, my life would forever be at stake, but why can’t I stop playing with fire?! My excuses to keep him alive and get a confession so I can nail that monster for sending an assassin are just mere excuses. I know it’s impossible to do so. We all know that.

What proof do I have? That dagger or those two pathetic bottle or poison? Even if they are evidence enough, there will be no difference as long as it is that Yuchun we are talking about. What can I do with a confession? Ask him nicely why he did it? Threaten him so he would feel bad for wronging me?

Was I just being naïve by wishing that I can somehow change my situation? Bring Suie back, take my ancestor’s land back… who am I kidding? I knew from the beginning that I am just fortunate enough to have foiled the assassination.

These negative thoughts just make me want to execute him for his brazen attempt to assassinate me… but I just can’t give the order to go ahead. My head of security is egging me on every day, waiting for the edict to end him. Why can’t I just condemn him?

It’s not like I will ever see his face ever again. I have already given the investigation department the liberty to do whatever they deem fit to squeeze out any information from him since I don’t really care anymore, but why am I feeling so troubled? Why the pain in my chest whenever I walk pass his former chamber… and the gardens…

 I can’t breathe whenever my men report their list of actions taken and the lack of a confession on his part. I try to distance myself and avoid the assassination topic but it’s not really working since my officials don’t think that I should run away from the problem.

Truthfully, that monster is right for the first time… when he said Suie is his and he has the rights to do as he deems fit. The same applies for me and him. He is mine. I have the freedom to do as I desire. Even if I were to permit his execution, that monster can’t interfere! But I doubt he would give a damn… and just thinking about this makes me soooo mad!!! I actually feel bad for him to have such a heartless brother.

That monster OBVIOUSLY sent him!! He was clearly given the orders to kill me by his dearest bastard of a brother… yet he wouldn’t admit it!! And it’s not even about me benefiting from his confession anymore. It’s kind of like I want a reassurance from him that he did it not out of his own free but because he was coerced. I want badly to know that it is not because of something that happened between us that is driving him to harm me but rather because of an external force. BUT WHY DO I EVEN GIVE A DAMN!?

Why am I so bent on linking his assassination attempt to his brother anyways?! Is it because of the way he hesitated time and again even when he clearly had the upper hand?! Is it because he looked as though he was suffering when he had to attack me?! WHY DOES HE MAKE ME WAVER LIKE THAT?!

If only he hadn’t looked so reluctant to kill me!! If only he had injured me at all!! He is fully capable of doing irreversible damage to me but there isn’t even a scratch on me now!! WHY!! WHY DOES HE HAVE TO RUFFLE ME UP LIKE THAT?! WHAT RIGHTS DOES HE HAVE TO MAKE ME FEEL SO UNSETTLED?!                    

He committed a felony punishable by death. How I wish I can treat him as a criminal and dish out the punishment without all this dawdling.

Fine. I admit it. I was wishing to talk to him again… not just the simple chit chat we had just before his capture. I want a heart to heart talk with him to find out why he did it and what drove him to do it… But what does wanting that make me?

A crazy man.

The root cause of my problem now is ultimately the fact that I was hoping he is forced to do it so I will have a reason to spare him and forgive him. Acquit him even. Those words he said about me being in the way of that monster becoming stronger. Does he know how much it hurt me when he said those words to me? Even if I knew he was just blabbering nonsense, it still stung me!

I am his everything now, since the moment he left his brother’s wings. Did I not treat him well enough to replace every longing he has for his brother. I guess duty is a and his family traditions and upbringing had screwed up his brain pretty badly.

I don’t want to accuse him of anything. I want to believe he is the same childlike and demure person… I have grown to like.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lying in his own bed, ‘resting’ as prescribed by the physicians, Yunho shield his eyes with his forearm while the other hand remains tucked beneath his head.

Suspiring loudly and getting out of bed at last, the king paced around in his make shift room since the original one was wrecked during his tussle with Jejung. Staring at the sword returned to the display, the king ran his fingers across the ones Jejung used, forcing himself not to remember the latter’s complex expression which he only saw briefly beneath the curtain of hair.

Muttering his empress’s name, the emperor gave up fighting himself at last and donned on his outing wear meant for archery. Shocking the servants waiting on him from the outside as he throws the door open, the emperor made his way to the shooting range while they trail behind, begging him to rethink his decision to head out.

Not bothering himself with them, the emperor took his time, strolling there unhurriedly. He is stopped in his track by his head of security who apparently has news for him.

“Your majesty!” The heavily armoured man addressed him while kneeling. The king pauses for a moment before turning his attention to the other.

“Your majesty! He is ready to give us a confession but he wants you to be present.” The tall royally dressed man sighed deeply in response, hand crossed with a deep frown on his forehead.

“He said he will confess?” The emperor asked at last, suspiciously. He wondered if Jejung has some trick up his sleeves but the curiosity and temptation to go and listen to what the prince has to say is too much for him.

Taking a detour and following the subordinate, the king ignored more cries for him to change his mind. Lumbering slowly behind with heavy footsteps, the king felt the familiar ache in his heart the moment he sees the long bludgeoning devices, iron clamps and chains dangling from the small panels attached to the stone walls. He hardly ever comes here except for that once when his uncle was charged for conspiring against him in order to usurp the throne.

Cursing at himself under his breath when he started to hope that the branding irons was never used on Jejung’s beautiful skin, the emperor suddently regretted leaving him at the mercy of others. The head of security seems to sense the king’s secret concern and reassures him that their techniques usually does not leave scars and would preserve the captive’s dignity at all cost, just in case they’ve gotten the wrong person. To which Yunho brushed him off quickly.

Entering the small open space in the pathetic courtyard with nothing but objects of mutilation as decorations, the king took a deep breath and entered through the open door. He is met with a much cleaner looking Jejung than he had expected since his imagination was running wild earlier on.

Apparently, Jejung had asked for a change of clothes and water to tidy himself up. He looked absolutely stunning despite the depressing surrounding. Tied down to a chair as his longish pure white kimono hides the bruises, only the purple discolorations and small knicks on his face are visible.

Seeing Yunho enter, the prisoner smiled a bitter one, hauntingly mesmeric, fascinating since he had obviously been put through a whole lot of agony. The emperor supressed the longing to take a second look at the criminal, simply averting his eyes to the area next to the prisoner while pretending to be incensed, observing the mouldy bricks.

Not paying attention was another one fatal mistake he made. Jejung had already loosened the rope earlier and before the guards can intercept, the convict is up and about. Hurling himself at Yunho after grabbing a random metal shard on the ground beside him, the latter positioned himself behind the king and rests the metal surface on the back of his neck.

All the guards are frantic by now, screaming for backup as they take pains not to provoke Jejung any further. Yunho rolled his eyes at this and was about to break free, knowing Jejung probably wouldn’t hurt him, when the freed captive whispered into his ears. “I am desperate now. Don’t be so sure that I won’t hurt you.” Jejung sounded almost seductive, befitting of his temptress image, not that he wanted to look so bewitching to begin with.

Yunho then moved backward slowly according to Jejung’s instructions, not knowing what the crazed prince is planning on doing. The king finds it incredibly absurd as well as amusing that he has to be held hostage for the second time in two days though no one else finds his situation anywhere near hilarious.

Feeling Jejung limp with every step and the soft body he had pined for leaning against his back as he retreats with the prince pressed close to his back, Yunho knew his empress is injured. The escaped prisoner is almost using him as a walking frame and the king is tempted to try something funny like jostling him off, but the soft hisses of pain coming from behind kept him compliant.

He even helped Jejung along at some point in time when they had to mount the horse. Signalling for the guards to back off even though he knows he stands a high chance of escaping whenever the prince is at a disadvantageous position, the king baffled everyone with his weird antics.

Even as the king rides with a whole bunch of escorts tailing close behind, no one made a move since Yunho refuses to give his permission. Riding on as he kept going, the king knows where he is headed since Jejung did give specific instructions. They are headed to the famous mountainous area somewhere behind the palace and though the sceneries there are usually breath-taking, Yunho doubt that their purpose for going there is for leisure.

As they ride against the chilly wind, Yunho could even feel Jejung shiver a little. Curbing the urge to take off his outer coat and donate it to the smaller person riding behind him, the king kept a straight face as they continue on their journey.

Gasping a little when Jejung laid a cheek on his back, Yunho recovered quickly and arched his neck a little to face the smaller person. The prince is looking dangerously pale and noticeably in pain, however, he still looked serene, almost enjoying the fact that he is in such close proximity to his supposed arch enemy- Yunho. The look is somewhat close to resigned too, with moist orbs and Yunho’s sympathy is roused.

Arriving at the nearest cliff after a long ride, the king waited for Jejung to give a clear indication but the prince is silent. Taking over the reins from Yunho with a free hand, Jejung’s hand felt cold when it brushed against his warm ones. The king is once again tempted to rub them till they heat up.

The horse moved slowly towards the edge but the animal is reluctant to go anywhere further which is cue for them to dismount. The group of pursuers feared for their king’s life as they watch the prince pull the king along close to the border of the rocky structure.

Wondering why he isn’t dreading their stroll along the danger zone as much as he should, the king allowed Jejung to control him like a puppeteer. “So this is how you want it to end?” Yunho asked at last and the escorts immediately started to shout, willing the couple to stop travelling down the road to no return.

“Yes…” Jejung whispered. Watching the prince from the corner of his eyes, Yunho saw tears, glistening as they roll down those lovely cheeks. “I have to do this.”

“If only… you weren’t you…” Jejung said softly. “I am so sorry… you don’t have to forgive me.” Leaning in to kiss Yunho on the cheek as the man turns his head around a little.

“Just tell me one thing... I know his words are absolute but is he really worth you doing all this?” Yunho asked gently and Jejung paused before nodding.

“I will make it up to you in our next life. I will do anything you want me to.” “This will ensure that I keep my promise.” Dangling a piece of red rope he had snitched from his bounds earlier in front of Yunho, the king knew what Jejung meant but still moved on to tie their wrists together as instructed. Finally getting a chance to hold his spouse’s hands for the first time, rather lovingly, no one knows what is really going through the emperor’s mind as he plays along.