Death of a King
788 Words
Dae-Hyun
It had been a few days since my father passed. I couldn't think straight and I hated knowing I was next in line to take the throne. Gon had accompanied me during this time. He knew what I was feeling and I hated the whole idea that out of all of my brothers, I had to take this responsibility.
"How the hell am I going to run an entire kingdom, Gon?" I asked.
He nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and took a bite out of an apple he had grabbed on his way to my room. "See, Dae, you worry too much. You've spent the last three years learning this. You can't back down now. I mean you don't have a choice but you know what I mean."
I sighed, knowing he was right. But I couldn't help the fact that I was not in the mood to deal with all of this right away. I needed to get to the bottom of this and I needed to do it quickly. I already have a suspect, but without the proper evidence, there is only so much I can do.
Hours later, we prepared the burial ceremony. We dressed my father in his all gold hanbok and proceeded to burn his body after offering some of his belongings to the ancestors. I didn't take long to mourn the dead, but I also didn't want to step into the king's position right away, so I left it in limbo for a couple of weeks while I spent that time investigating that treacherous man, Bool-He.
Thunderous footsteps rushed me from behind. I knew it was the guards I had sent to find any sort of evidence in the kitchen that could have led to my father's death.
"Your majesty, there was this small vile that we found in the kitchen. We have no idea how it got there but the harem girls had no idea who could have brought it in." one guard mentioned with a deep bow while the one beside him opened a handkerchief with a small pink vial with the remnants of a dark substance.
I furrowed my brow when I leaned down to examine it. "That looks like the same one we found when my mother was killed."
"Yes, but we still have no clue as to who brought it in." the guard replied.
Nodding my head, I straightened my posture and sighed. "Okay, send that to Gon and have him check the harem and even the headmistress. Someone has to know where this came from."
"Yes, your majesty." the guards said in unison before stalking off toward Gon's office.
I made Gon the head of my guards at the time since he had not had the training nor the experience to be promoted to general, but I knew my best friend would one day take his father's place as I have. He was the closest thing I had to a brother and of course, our parents were good friends.
Someone beside me cleared their throat loudly. "Your majesty. May I have a word?"
I turned to see one of the elder magistrates by himself with his hands folded behind his back. This man was old but I did not realize his health was declining quickly.
Raising a brow I scanned him from head to toe. "Yes. What is it?"
He let out a heavy breath, one I could feel burdening him. "I have some news for you, good and bad. Which would you like first?"
"I would like the bad news first. So spill it." I replied.
He grumbled and nodded his head. "Very well, the bad news is, your horse suddenly fell ill and passed this morning."
I twisted my expression into one of confusion. What was the importance of my horse? And why the hell did I care at a time like this? "Is there relevance to this, or am I missing something?"
His eyes searched the space around us before he returned his attention to me. "We found another vial of that poison next to the stalls."
I gritted my teeth at the news. "What?" I grounded out, "Then what the hell is the good news?"
"We found out who makes the vials and we got you a new horse."
I rolled my eyes, pinched the bridge of my nose, and exhaled a long and annoyed breath. "Go report all of your findings to Gon. We will catch this bastard and have him tried for treason."
He held up his finger. “Ah, your majesty, that we cannot do. His body was hung from the town center late last night it seems.”
“Great, now we are back to square one.”
- Writer
