The Last Stand
913 Words
The prince stood at the front with only a handful of soldiers beside him.
The air trembled with distant shouting.
It grew louder with each passing moment—until it became a roar.
The sound of marching feet echoed through the mountains like thunder.
Then they appeared.
A swarm of farmers and common folk, armed with bladed weapons, surges toward them.
One of the soldiers stepped forward.
“Your Highness… they are peasants. This is no army.”
Seo-Joon did not look away.
“Perhaps,” he said calmly. “But they have murdered the Queen and threaten the King.”
His grip tightened around his sword.
“They are traitors.”
He raised his blade and pointed forward.
“They will answer for it.”
His gaze shifted briefly to Yoo-Na.
“Archers.”
Princess Yoo-Na and her maidens stepped forward, already drawing an arrow.
She did not hesitate.
“Release!”
A rain of arrows descended.
The first wave of attackers fell almost instantly—struck cleanly in the chest, throat, and eyes. The archers moved with deadly precision, their hands steady despite the chaos.
“Reload,” she commanded.
Another volley.
“Release!”
More bodies dropped—but the mass did not stop.
They kept coming.
“Charge!”
Seo-Joon’s voice cut through the noise like thunder.
The soldiers surged forward with a unified cry, spears leveled.
Seo-Joon rode ahead of them, sword raised.
His first strike came fast—an upward s***h that tore through a man rushing from his left.
He turned, bringing his blade down to block another attacker before cutting him down in a single motion.
Two men lunged at him with spears.
Too fast.
The strikes pierced his horse.
The animal collapsed beneath him.
Seo-Joon hit the ground—but rolled, already moving.
Before the two men could react, he closed the distance.
One s***h—
Both heads fell.
He did not stop.
He moved through them like a storm, cutting down the next man, then the next—his movements precise, relentless.
Nearby—
Eun-Ae clutched Young-Sik’s arm.
“Your Highness… we must hide,” she said, her voice trembling.
Around them, the maiden archers were being overwhelmed.
One by one—
They fell.
“Your Highness, please!” she urged. “We must follow the Queen’s orders!”
But Young-Sik did not hear her.
He clung to his mother’s arm, his head lowered, refusing to let go.
Yoo-Na saw him.
She broke from her position and rushed to his side.
“Take the prince and the girl,” she ordered a handmaiden. “Go. I will draw them away.”
The handmaiden nodded and moved forward—
An arrow struck her neck.
She dropped instantly.
Yoo-Na did not falter.
She slung her bow over her shoulder and seized Young-Sik herself.
“We regroup with the prince,” she said quickly.
She grabbed his hand.
Another handmaiden pulled Eun-Ae along.
They ran.
The path was chaos.
Two more handmaidens fell behind—ambushed and cut down before they could cry out.
The remaining archers fired as they moved, trying to carve a path forward.
But the enemy pressed harder.
Closer.
Closer—
At last, they reached Seo-Joon.
Near the cliff.
Only two archers remained.
Five soldiers.
That was all.
“My Princess… your group?” Seo-Joon asked.
Yoo-Na only shook her head.
Seo-Joon looked around at what remained of their forces.
Then he nodded.
“This is where we make our stand.”
He turned immediately to Young-Sik.
Lifting him into his arms, he scanned the area until he spotted dense shrubs near tall pine trees.
He carried him there, pulling Eun-Ae along.
He knelt and placed his brother down.
“If you go that way,” he said, pointing north, “in two days you will reach Grandfather’s lands.”
His voice softened—but remained firm.
“Stay there until Father, or I come for you.”
He turned to Eun-Ae.
“Whatever happens, you take him and go. Do not stop. Do you understand?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes… Your Highness.”
“Brother…” Young-Sik said, his voice shaking. “You and sister are not coming with us?”
“We will follow,” Seo-Joon replied gently. “Once we make sure no one will trail behind us.”
He knelt and held his brother’s shoulders.
“I need you to be brave.”
His voice lowered.
“No matter what you hear… do not cry.”
Young-Sik nodded weakly.
Seo-Joon pulled him into a tight embrace.
Then—
He took Eun-Ae’s hand.
And placed it in Young-Sik’s.
“Go.”
Eun-Ae did not hesitate this time.
She pulled the prince away—
and they disappeared into the thick vegetation.
Seo-Joon watched them go.
Then turned back.
He walked to Yoo-Na.
Without a word, he pulled her close and kissed her.
“You should have gone with them,” he murmured. “This is no place for you.”
“My place is with you,” she replied without hesitation. “Even if it costs me my life.”
He closed his eyes briefly.
“I am sorry… that it has come to this.”
Then he turned to the soldiers.
“There are few of us left,” he said. “But it is my honor to stand beside you.”
The soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
Ahead—
At least twenty-five men approached.
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