※ Chapter 9 ※

Yifan's POV »☆●

"Here, put it down here!"

As I head towards the castle gate to exit, I hear Chanyeol barking orders at the teamsters who just arrived with a large wagon of goods. Our practice was cut short today as the Wangluan soldiers are still adjusting. So I'm going to visit mom.

Today is the kind of day where being in the shade wouldn't really help in avoiding the heat. The birds didn't want to fly in fear

of being fried alive. The guards on watch on the front gate looked fucking baked as the sun was directly above their head. Teamsters carrying the goods were covered from head to toe to avoid the burning rays. Boots were the same as going barefoot, I could practically feel the heat of the earth blistering the soles of my feet with every fucking step. Even the trees look like they're searching for shade.

As I stop before the on-duty Chanyeol, Oyshi sends off the last baggage of goods and almost collapses on the ground below the shadow of the lychgate's roof, whining about how she didn't sign up for this job.

"All this just for dinner tonight? That's like a week's worth supplies here," I raise an eyebrow.

"Just about. We're cooking double, you know," Oyshi pants. There's no doubt that if she didn't find shelter soon, her brain would fucking fry like an egg on the pavement from the blinding heat.

"King Wang forces nearly every able-bodied person into his army. It's no wonder we're overflowing with soldiers. And another battalion of soldiers will arrive once they conquer Huangluan. Can you imagine?" Chanyeol sighs. Rivulets of sweat pours off him, his tunic soaked and clinging to his form.

"Another battalion. I've to figure out what's going on," I mutter aloud.

Chanyeol's eyes go wide as he holds back a gasp, "Hush! There are soldiers up ahead. Do you want them to hear you?" he whispers, pulling me aside.

I push his hands off me, "Don't fucking touch me," I growl and gaze at the entrance to see who's there. I spot a woman in armor arguing with a soldier.

"I won't tolerate another mistake. Prince Karry has been to lenient with you," she yells.

"Every soldier in the barracks will be ready for inspection within this week. I promise!" the Wangluan soldier responds in a heartbeat.

"You don't see that everyday. I wonder who she is. Is she Prince Karry's wife?" Chanyeol wonders.

"Nah, dressed in full armor? She's gotta be someone important in the army," I say.

"That's Bae Suzy. Close associate of King Wang," Oyshi informs.

"How do you know so much about everyone?" asks Chanyeol. In response, Oyshi just smiles with a smug face, like it's

her special attribute she's proud of.

"Isn't it crazy how everything changed within the blink of an eye?" Chanyeol's chest falls as he breathes dully, "If you told me a few days ago, I won't ever see the smiling face of King Wu again, he won't ask how my wife and children are doing, he won't take a round around the castle to make sure everyone's doing okay, I'd not believe you. In fact, I'd be mad at you. Great man he was."

Everyone here has crazy respect for King Wu. I acknowledge he was a good person, but I don't really care. All I can think about is how fucking hard it is for the princess. I can't imagine surviving without mom.

"This is a nightmare. I don't wanna do this but I really don't have much of a choice. Darn, I wish m'lady was here.." Oyshi looks

longingly at the burning sky and smiles softly, "Well, at least she's aliv-" she trails off, gasping as she realizes what she was about to say.

This is a secret between me, Chanyeol, Oyshi and Tao. Everyone else who knew is already dead. I haven't even told Marshall about it although he's a trusted person of King Wu but I'm not taking any chances on risking her life. I'm gonna find her and I'm gonna keep her safe, forever.

What the heck..

Where's this strange urge coming from?

I shake my head, I'm probably going insane.

"Thank goodness the soldiers were gone. Be careful next time," Chanyeol warns her.

"The princess.." I mutter, "Describe her to me," I ask Oyshi.

Chanyeol giggles, "Our princess must've had really captivating charms that the brave and tough warrior Antares is still not over her."

"What do you mean still not over her? I was never into her. I don't even know what she looks like," I hiss.

"That's why I said her aura must be full of charms. You haven't seen her and you're already obsessed," Chanyeol laughs mockingly.

"Shut the fuck up. I'm not obsessed with anyone, specially not with a pampered princess like her," I roll my eyes.

He raises an eyebrow, still smirking devilishly, "Really? You think I have forgotten?"

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•Flashback:

"Antares."

"Antares!"

I turn around and see Chanyeol, a castle guard.

"Bet you weren't expecting to see me," he groans, "What in three hells do you think you're doing? When will you stop?"

"Stop what?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Oh, you don't know?" he points in the front towards the royal garden, "It's the fourth time in a row that I've spotted you where the princess was. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"There's no one here," I groan.

"But she was. And you were trying to see her," he replies without missing a beat.

It's true that I tried to steal a glimpse of her whenever I could. But it's also true that I could never fucking succeed. She's always surrounded by so much protection and always behind a curtain. She'd rarely be out like this and trying to get close enough was always a huge trouble.

I had no control over the growing curiosity in me towards her. Like a power controlling my mind to try finding out about her, controlling my eyes to spot her, and controlling my feet to walk towards her just so I can only see her for once. And so I did. Against all my instincts, for reasons I don't know, I ended up where she is.

I was so helpless. I didn't even realize how long I've been following her and where I ended up in search of her. I didn't even notice Chanyeol approaching although my senses are sharp as blade.

He leans closer, "Listen, you're a respected warrior among five kingdoms. You'll not want rumours to go out that you're eyeing on the Princess. You'll be ejected and the King will have you beheaded. This isn't a threat, it's a warning. I respect you too so I'll not pass any word to the King. But you should know your place, and it's not here."

I turn to him, "I know I'm a commoner but that doesn't give you the right to talk to me like-"

He cuts me off, "You're worse than a commoner. You're a barbarian with no title, and place of belonging. You think the King is kind so he'll forgive. But you don't know how protective he is for his daughter. Don't make it any harder than it has to be unless you wanna die."

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"I was just curious, alright? The King loved her so much yet he hid her like she doesn't exist. I wanted to know why," I groan.

"I see. So I guess you risked your life to save her and fought so many people for her out of curiosity as well?" Chanyeol shrugs.

Oyshi grins, "Don't worry, sir. If you haven't fallen for her yet, you definitely will once you see her."

"And how can I see her? Any portrait? Or clue where she went so I can go find her and see her?" I question urgently.

"Why? Do you want to fall for her?" Chanyeol smirks.

I groan in annoyance, "You know what, fuck it," I turn to Oyshi, "Remember I said that you owe me?"

"You're willing to take that back? How kind of you, sir!" Oyshi exclaims.

I roll my eyes, "No the fuck not. You need to serve the food at high table today."

She frowns, "That's it? How does that help you?"

I lean close to whisper in a low voice, "I need you to spy on King Wang, you've to stand there long enough to eavesdrop on the conversation in high table. But make sure you don't draw attention. Act like you don't know crap."

She thinks for a moment, then nods, "I think I'll be able to do that."

"You must," I growl, "Or I wouldn't hesitate hurting you the way I saved you. Understood?"

"I.." her eyes go wide, "I understand."

"Good. Now leave," I command and she takes off, running towards the castle.

Chanyeol turns to me, "You're still on the escape plan?"

"Yep," I answer. He nods in acknowledgement and then places a hand on my shoulder, "I'll have you know, I'm with you in this. I'll help in any way I can."

I raise an eyebrow, "That's huge, coming from a guy who used to fucking hate me."

He shakes his head, "I didn't hate you. I just didn't want you to cross the limits. It's none of my concern anymore and what I'm doing now is because I respect you."

His hands fly off my shoulders as a pair of sharp claws prick his fingers.

"Dovey is back," he smiles.

"I told you, he only responds to Pipio," I roll my eyes. Pipio is my pet dove. I've had him for a few months now.

I put a gentle hand below his belly, and hold him with my hands.

"How's it going buddy?" I ask. As if responding to me, he chirrups. I free him from my hands, he circles around me a few times before flying away. And I remember I was about to leave too.

"I've to go now," I tell Chanyeol and head outside the castle.

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As the day wore on, the heat climbed higher, ever higher. The corn fields I pass by looked like it was fucking burnt, the air so hot the corn popped on its own. The rivers I walk by looked like it reached boiling point. The waves of heat rose off the pavement like fucking flames above a roof.

I stop before the temple and take off my boots to step inside. Mom spots me almost immediately and comes running towards me.

"My boy!" she dabs my forehead with her drape, wiping away the sweat, "Are you okay? Did the blood king hurt you?"

I frown, "Why'd he hurt me for no reason? He has better things to do. Besides if he did hurt me, I know fucking well how to protect myself. Don't worry so much."

She sighs, "I know. I just.. don't feel the same way with him as King Wu."

I nod, "That makes sense. King Wu never had problems with wage earners."

"What do you mean?" she frowns. I fill her in about yesterday.

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•Flashback:

Tao and I reach the throne room, where all of the Wuluan soldiers, servants and guards stand terrified.

Some Wuluan soldiers runs up to me. Chen, one of the soldiers, drops his voice to whisper, "King Wang is executing anyone who could be a threat. What do we do!"

Honestly, the way everyone was so loyal to King Wu, I won't be surprised if some of them refuse to surrender to King Wang. So it only makes sense he cuts off those people. I nod, "Don't panick. Just act like we don't have any plans to escape."

Tao frowns, "But what if someone betrays us?"

"Why'd someone do that?" Captain Xiao asks.

"To get on King Wang's good side, obviously," Tao rolls his eyes.

Good observation. The way some of them betrayed the princess, it's not shocking if they reveal our plan to King Wang so to play safe. But luckily, I'm always two fucking steps ahead.

"I already took care of that," I shrug, "Why do you think Shawn is missing?"

"You-?" Tao gasps, his eyes going wide, "I thought he died in the war!"

He'd die in war? He fucking sided with Wangluan as soon as he heard about King Wu's death. And quite obviously, he led all the traitors.

"Him along with all traitors has been taken care of," I smirk.

"Does that mean death? Oh my god, that means death!" Chen cries.

"Shut up," Tao growls, "I'm proud of you, brother."

"Silence, everyone! Your new king is about to speak!"

A Wangluan soldier announces standing in the front of the throne. He moves aside, revealing King Wang seating on the throne.

As everything quiets down, he slowly rises from the throne and addresses the people, "People of Wuluan, I'm aware you've served the former King for twenty years. I'm aware you've been his most loyal subjects for long. But his reign is over now."

He looks around, quickly scanning everyone's faces his eyes fall on. We put on a concentrated straight face. He smiles, "All the soldiers present here have surrendered. And the commonfolk standing alive here are no threats, my men have seen to that. Within this week, all carpenters, bakers, butchers, blacksmiths, bronzesmiths, fletchers, bowyers, potters, coopers, church workers and butlers will devote to my service only. All self-governed places will be taken under my control."

He makes a gesture and immediately, ton of soldiers march in, wheeling carts full of bodies.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Tao whispers to me as his lips twitch to a line.

"This is the least of our problems," I whisper back to him. He nods in understanding.

King Wang continues, "I offer a chance. Pledge loyalty to me. Or add more carcasses to the pile."

The Wangluan marshall unsheathes his sword, "Who's first?"

As the servants, guards and soldiers line up to take the loyalty pledge, Captain Xiao plucks at my sleeve, "Your mother serves at the temple, right? Will you bring her to work here?"

I shake my head, "We'll leave before that happens."

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"That means we don't have much time!" mom gasps.

"Yep, so say your goodbyes to your favourite people because we're leaving any scope we get," I say.

"But that's not right!" mom sighs, "Isn't there any way we can take these people too? Not all of them, of course, just the ones who've never been anything but nice to me. I feel bad abandoning them."

"Sulli?" I know she's talking about her.

"Her and a few others," mom responds.

"I don't know, mom. Are you sure that's safe? These people are fucking cowards. I really think they'd rather die than participate in something challenging," I groan.

Mom nods, "I'll talk to Sulli. We'll come up with something. Come inside. I've brought lunch for you."

"Alright," I nod and we head inside.

To Be Continued »☆●