How To Kill A King:

Episode 6:

Someone grabbed onto his leg, their nails digging into his skin until suitably painful. They tried pulling him off, to no avail. Sun’s grip on him was too strong for anyone to steal him away. His grip was painful too. If they left a bruise on his flawless skin he’d make sure their imminent paths to Hell were expedited and permanent. 

Min-jun managed to wrench his foot in such a way that he stabbed his assailant in the eye. Not enough to cause long-term damage (unfortunately), but enough to distract the man from his vice-like grip. The few seconds it took for the clutch to loosen was enough for Min-jun to kick him in the face properly. 

“Ride faster,” he told Sun, watching as the assailant slowly recuperated. 

“Are you hurt?” 

“All he did was grab my leg. Watch out for the sword!” Sun maneuvered his steed well enough that it jumped over the swing at its feet. Aiming at the horse, what shameful behavior. Min-jun had little respect for these men before but now he had none. “You should’ve given me something to defend myself with as well. I could’ve stabbed him in the hand.” 

“With all due respect, your Highness, I don’t quite trust you with a knife in your hand.” Some of the assailants were tailing them now, the others still locked in combat. 

“Will you leave the rest of them to die?” Min-jun asked, looking back toward the slaughter. 

“They are elite soldiers. It’s what they are trained to do. Do not blame yourself for their deaths. The people they are fighting were enemies of the crown long before you came along.”

What impudence. “I wasn’t blaming myself.” He would sooner blame the King. “Where are we running off to? This isn’t the way to the palace.” They had circled around, down a narrower path. The attackers wouldn’t be able to keep up. 

“To his Majesty.” 

“His Majesty?” The King had left the palace? “That sounds dangerous for the both of us.”

“Do not worry, your Highness. Only the King’s followers can enter this place.”

“Do you have some sort of protection charm on it?” Min-jun had meant it as a joke, but Sun stayed silent, his gaze on the path ahead. No sense of humor, this one. “Is it far?” His back was already getting sore.  

“No, not far.”

That was a blatant lie. They rode for hours, going by the darkening sky above them. Animals had gotten bolder now that dusk was upon them, scavenging for food and water. Foxes watched them with glowing amber eyes. Squirrels scrambled to get out of their way. The further they walked, the more the forest awakened. They were close to the river towns now. Min-jun’s father used to take him down the rivers on his rounds. He probably would’ve become a merchant if his parents hadn’t been killed, selling cloth and dyes. 

Min-jun shook his head. He couldn’t think of that now that he was so close to meeting their killer. It would be too easy to slip up that way. One expression out of place could be enough to alert them. 

“We’re here,” Sun said. Sure enough, Min-jun caught a glimpse of a flourishing garden and a tiled roof between the wild vegetation of the forest. There was so much shade in this place that the sight of such vibrant flowers in full bloom was rather striking. 

“You said it wasn’t far.” 

“It’s not far for our standards,” Sun said, tugging on the reins. The horse slowed down to a canter and Min-jun was glad to have that nauseous feeling subside. They stopped right before the stone edging of the garden. A small path had been cleared to the wooden front doors of the house. Fragrant lilac bushes grew on either side, covered in bunches of tiny, four-petaled flowers. Sun smiled at his stunned expression, proud, as if he’d planted them himself. “The King has a bit of a green thumb. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“I’ve never seen lilac bushes bloom in shade like this. He’s quite talented.” 

The doors opened with more force than necessary, and three people stood in the doorway. Two of them, Min-jun recognized as the other interviewers. The third was a young man he’d never met, only watched from afar as he paraded through the villages in Dal Province. 

His eyes couldn’t part from the man’s figure, his heartbeat erratic as a familiar fury rose in him, fiercer than he’d felt in years. It was almost comforting. 

The King stepped forward, an undoubtedly faux smile on his face, his black hair falling down in glossy waves. Ah. His eyes really were violet, luminescent. He stood a few inches taller than Min-jun, and held himself like the monarchs people dreamed about, regal and commanding. From where Min-jun stood, the King looked otherworldly, demonic. 

His eyes dipped. The King had one arm tucked behind his back as if hiding something, and Min-jun tensed. Had he miscalculated? Had he done something to give himself away? Were they going to execute him themselves? Were they that bloodthirsty?

A ridiculous question. Of course, they were. 

Min-jun stumbled back until he found himself in Sun’s arms again. The sensation of feeling cornered brought him back to long nights and sandalwood incense burning in the dark. Sun grabbed hold of his arms and pushed him forward into the King’s chest. Warmth enveloped him, and something soft brushed the nape of his neck. No fatal dagger pierced his flesh, as the King helped him regain his balance.

“Sun, there’s no need to be so forceful,” the King chided. Min-jun pushed him away, and the King let him put some much-needed space between them, still wearing that easy-going smile. The King offered him a bouquet of brilliantly red tulips, streaks of orange running through them. “I wasn’t sure which flowers to get you. I do hope you’re not allergic.” 

“Oh.” Min-jun took them from him, his hands tightening around the wet, green stems. Flowers. Of course. “No. Thank you.”

The King brightened, his smile turning into a charming grin. Of course, he was charming. He’d charmed his way into court, after all. Even after the previous King’s sudden death, when he should’ve been put on trial. Instead, he was given the throne on a silver platter. 

He shut his eyes as the King pushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. “You must be tired after your journey.” His voice was softer than he’d imagined, gentler than the hoarseness of Sun’s. The King placed an arm around his waist. “Come inside and rest. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.” 

. End Of Chapter .