WILE

1

25 years have passed since that fateful day. The sound of his rapid footsteps echoed through the forest as he sprinted, his heart pounding in his chest. Beads of sweat trickled down his face as he struggled to catch his breath. Seeking refuge in a secluded area, he clutched his bow tightly, feeling the weight of his quiver filled with arrows against his back. Suddenly, a stray arrow sliced through the air, grazing his arm and causing him to stumble. Collapsing to his knees, he winced in agony, his eyes flashing with pain as he sought shelter in the safety of the hidden spot.

With unwavering determination shining in his eyes, he raised his sleek bow, the polished wood gleaming in the sunlight. With practiced precision, he notched his arrow, the fletching brushing against his fingertips. With a steady hand, he drew back the bowstring, feeling the tension build as he took careful aim. As he released the arrow, it soared through the air, cutting through the wind with a faint whistle, hurtling toward the lurking assassin with deadly intent. He sighed in relief as he saw the arrow strike his chest and he looked down to his wound. Breathing heavily he sucked his teeth with the lust in his eyes, the lust to kill! He had always taken care of every assassin sent to him but this particular one seemed persistent, he's been on his tail since he was 18.

The words of his father, the king, echoed in his mind, "You have to survive no matter what!"

"Yoon, you have us. There's nothing for you to fear, take out anyone in your way" reassured his brother.

"I won't forgive you if you get hurt!" his sister's scream resonated through the air.

"Man," his best friend muttered as he patted his back, offering silent support.

His face lit up with a smile as he reminisced about the time his family had scolded him for embarking on this trip. A wince of pain crossed his face as his muscles came into view. Despite his robust physique and towering height, his countenance softened as he thought about his mother. She had secluded herself in her chambers upon learning that he was venturing out for a hunt without any guards, refusing to emerge. He dismissed his mother's childish behavior with a scoff as he shifted his position. It stung that he couldn't bid his mother farewell, but he understood that it was her way of expressing love.

He peeped again to check if the assassin was still present but was stuck with an arrow on his back muscles as he whined in outermost pain, another arrow sturk as his face was bloodshot, and his gaze shifted towards the face of the man as he collapsed onto his knees. As he muttered, "Let's do this," he prepared to take action. Determined to identify his target, he swiftly aimed his arrow in the direction of the assassin. With a precise shot, the arrow struck the assassin's mask, revealing the face beneath. Suddenly, everything went blank.

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Frustrated and exasperated, she forcefully stomped her feet on the ground, causing a cacophony of dried leaves. She clenched her teeth, muttering under her breath, "Where on earth do they expect me to find this rare herb?" Her fingers plunged into her silky, soft hair in a display of frustration.

Suddenly, her attention was seized by the sight of an arrow gracefully slicing through the air, prompting a gasp to escape from her parted lips, she curiously hurried to see which animal was so unlucky to get stuck by the striking arrow, “the aim was so perfect” she thought as she took steps forward.

Her eyes widened as she saw a man with an arrow stuck in his chest blood splattering on his black robe, she hurriedly put her two hands on her mouth to stop the loud gasp she was about to make. She crouched behind a tall oak tree, her heart racing as she witnessed the man wrenching the arrow from his chest with a pained grimace. "That must hurt," she murmured, her voice laced with genuine concern. Glancing down at the herb bag secured around her waist, she felt a strong urge to assist him. As she tentatively started to approach, her steps faltered as she observed him rising from the ground, his muttered curses barely audible. "Where is he off to now?" she wondered, frustration evident in her hushed breath.

She carefully tracked his movements as he weaved through the dense forest, using the trees as cover. It appeared as though he was fleeing from something, and she observed him from a distance, her heart pounding with curiosity. Silently, she followed, ensuring that her steps made no noise. Her face went pale as she saw the man fire an arrow mercilessly to another figure who seemed to be in hiding.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to remain silent. The man cloaked in black seemed to embody an ominous presence, and she realized that she would be his next target if she were discovered. "My damn curiosity," she muttered under her breath.

Her attention snapped back to the present as she caught the anguished cry of the other man, his face bloodshot. “sure, let's do this” escaped his mouth as he released an arrow, she looked closely as the arrow sturk the assassin's mask revealing his face underneath.

Kyung Ah couldn't resist her curiosity and edged closer to the scene, where the assassin was approaching the unconscious man. With a swift movement, the assassin retrieved a gleaming dagger from his boots, sending shivers down her spine.

“Is he going to kill him? What do I do?” She felt a surge of worry as she watched him raise his gleaming dagger, but to her astonishment, the assassin hesitated, letting out a heavy sigh. Unintentionally making a rustling sound with her legs, Kyung Ah inched forward, but the assassin caught on, turning his face in her direction. Reacting swiftly, he hurriedly covered his face with his arm, revealing only his intense eyes as he swiftly darted away.

She rushed over to the unconscious man, frantically trying to rouse him. "Excuse me, can you hear me?" she called out but soon realized he was purposefully bleeding from his wounds. Carefully, she removed his clothes and applied first aid using the herbs she had gathered that day.

"What do I do? There's no one around to help," she muttered to herself, feeling overwhelmed as she assessed the man's large frame. He seemed like a giant, and she wondered how she would manage to get him home all by herself.

_________________

"I don’t want to go to the market square! You know how much I hate it," Kim Ji Hye stormed into the huge 99-room tile-roofed house as her sister ran after her. Catching up with her, Kim Ji Hyun clung to her little sister’s arm, pouting and giving a cute puppy face.

"It’s going to be fun, please come with me," Ji Hyun mumbled as they walked to the maru, a wide wooden floor area in the house, and sat on the floor.

"Unnie, you'll be the only one having fun. I don’t like anything about the market square—the smell of the oily foods, the dust that gets in my eyes, and the sight of those annoying kids running around," her sister whined. "I hate them," she scoffed further.

"Whoa, you never told me all these things when we went there together," she wondered.

"That’s because I don’t want to make you feel bad, just like you’re doing now, but I enjoy seeing you having so much fun,” Ji Hye said with a warm smile. “The way you interact with the people in the market, I wish I could do that too,” she sighed, her eyes filled with longing.

“Kim Ji Hye, you’re perfect the way you are. We all love you, so you don’t need to force something on yourself,” she said, smiling at her little sister and gently patting her long, silky hair, which fell gracefully down her back.

“What’s with you? Why are you being so sweet?” Ji Hye eyed her suspiciously.

“There you go again, try to be romantic at times. You should have given me a tight hug as a response to my sweetness,” she teased with a playful glint in her eyes.

“Oh, it seems my older sister craves a big hug,” Ji Hye teased, as she playfully dragged her sister into a warm embrace.

“Well, it seems my little sister loves to satisfy her older sister’s cravings,” she teased, patting her sister’s back and chuckling.

"Unnie, what are you planning to pick up from the market this time?" Ji Hye asked her older sister.

"Hey, look at this, I thought you hated going to the market," Ji Hyun remarked with a smile as she gently pulled her sister away from her thoughts.

"It's not that... I was just curious," Ji Hye muttered, looking around the huge compound with a hint of interest.

"Come on, tell me what you want," Ji Hyun urged, noticing her sister's curiosity.

"Unnie, I really need a perfume pouch. It's quite popular among noble ladies as it gives them a lovely fragrance. I'd love to buy one, but you know I dislike going to the market. Can you please get one for me?" Ji Hye pleaded, giving her sister an earnest look.

"Why me? You could easily send one of the maids," Ji Hyun questioned, slightly puzzled by her sister's request.

"Please, only you understand my taste so well. I really can't trust just anyone to pick it out for me," Ji Hye explained softly, hoping her sister would understand.

"All of this because of the crown prince? He doesn't even look your way," Ji hyun scoffed.

"He doesn't look at any maiden’s way also, but I will make him notice me," Ji hye declared with determination.

"Does he even seem interested in anyone at all right now?" Ji hyun questioned, trying to reason with her.

"Unnie, we both know the crown prince has had a difficult life. It's natural for him to be distant," Ji hye defended.

"Fine, I've heard you. I'll go to the market now," she relented.

"Don't forget to buy the perfume pouch," Ji hye reminded her.

"Alright, alright! You nag so much," she teased, waving at her sister as she hurriedly left the maru and headed towards the main gate of the house.

"Don't even think about coming back without that pouch," her sister's voice echoed as she let out a chuckle.

The Palace

The Queen’s Palace

"I'm sorry, Wangja Gun," Court Lady Kim said respectfully to Prince Yi Kang, "the queen has requested not to see anyone until the crown prince returns."

Prince Yi Kang groaned in frustration as he paced back and forth in front of his mother's palace. "What on earth is mother thinking? She hasn't come out of her quarters since Yoon left," he muttered, wiping his face with his muscular hands, revealing his manly character.

Princess Yuri rushed through the queen's palace gates and headed to her brother, hoping he had already sorted it out. With disappointment written all over her face, she went straight to the court lady at the door. "Did you tell her we're here waiting?"

"Yes, Gongju jaga," the court lady replied.

"Tell this to my mother. Yoon has left her in our care, and we'll always be incomplete without him. He's our older brother, and we trust that he'll be back," she said with a straight face. "By the time I make my way back here, I'll be forcing myself in without thinking of the consequences," she screamed with tears laced in her eyes as she stormed towards the gate of the queen's palace.

"Whoa, my older sister has quite a temper," Yi Kang chuckled playfully as he ran after her, letting his worries out.

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Princess Yuri's palace was a grand and opulent sight, with its large rooms and exquisite decor. In one such room, three figures sat around a lavish table, their expressions a mix of concern and frustration. The atmosphere in the room was tense as the queen had secluded herself in her chambers for days. Inpyeong, with worry etched on his face, voiced his concern about the queen's prolonged absence, his face was etched with worry as he exclaimed, "What do we do? The queen has been in there for days."

"Why does mother do this all the time? She should at least have some faith in her son. Didn't she know what she was getting herself into when she bore the crown prince?" Yi Kang complained.

Yuri fixed her gaze on Yi Kang with a stern expression. "Yi Kang, do I need to involve father before you start taking things seriously?" she asked.

Yi Kang met her gaze, offering an apologetic look. "Sorry," he responded.

"Can you two just get along for once?" Inpyeong expressed his frustration.

"You should tell that to him," Yuri remarked, eyeing Yi Kang.

"When's Yoon supposed to be back?" Inpyeong redirected the conversation.

"He should be back by noon tomorrow. The meat he's bringing back will be used for the feast," Yi Kang replied.

"His life was already at stake. Was it necessary for him to embark on this royal hunting?" Yuri expressed her concern.

"We all know his majesty won't allow that. He has to. All future kings have to," Inpyeong stated.

"Argh, so annoying!" Yi Kang banged his hand on the table as they all groaned in frustration. They had to wait until noon the next day.

_________________

His back throbbed with intense pain as he gradually opened his eyes, emitting a low groan. Confused and disoriented, he sat up and surveyed his surroundings. "Where am I?" he wondered. Suddenly, he heard voices coming from outside the room. Struggling to stand from the mat on which he had been lying, his wounds causing him considerable distress, he let out a loud groan. In response, a robust, youthful maiden swiftly entered the room, her face etched with worry.

"Why did you stand up? Your wounds will reopen," she scolded as she approached him, helping him to sit back on the mat. She carefully examined his wounds on his back, and he noticed that he was without a shirt. His blood-soaked shirt, along with his bow and arrow, lay on the ground. Anxious, he swallowed hard as she thoroughly assessed his body, causing him to shift uncomfortably. Sensing his unease, Kyung Ah frowned but offered a reassuring smile. "Come on, let me see if you have any more wou..." Her sentence trailed off abruptly as if she had just witnessed something unexpected.

"Whoa, I finally get to meet our red-eyed crown prince," she murmured with a hint of amusement. "How pretty," she breathed out in further admiration.

Yoon felt a rush of excitement coursing through his body as he heard her words. "Pretty?" he pondered to himself. He was overcome with mixed emotions and didn't know how to react. He had never received such a compliment from an outsider in his life. All he had ever heard were derogatory terms like "monster," "demon," "Mawang," and "The red-eyed water demon."

Leaping from his seat, clad only in his underpants, he brandished the dagger, raising it menacingly towards Kyung Ah's throat, causing her to gasp in fear.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his eyes fixed sternly on her.

"Who sent you?" he repeated, lifting the edge of the dagger closer to her throat as she struggled to catch her breath, tears streaming down her face.

To be continued...