ISS 2011: FOR OHHAPPYDAGGERXD
To: ohhappydaggerxd
From: Your Secret Santa
Title: Conspiracy Theory
Pairing: Sunggyu/Woohyun (Sunggyu/Sungjong, Howon/Dongwoo, Sungyeol/Myungsoo) Rating: PG-13
Word count: 8263
Summary: Rebels plot against an uncontrollable king. His closest friends must decide if they are with him or against him. Power isn’t always everything.
"I’m sick of him thinking I’m his lapdog," Woohyun complains as he storms into his private chambers located at the East corner of the castle. This is his daily ritual of complaining profusely about the king he had devoted his life and love to so long ago. "He only keeps me around because I can make him more powerful."
These complaints always fall on the ears of the kings head guard Howon. These two formed a bond when the king brought Woohyun to the castle a little over five years ago. Howon was given the lovely task of seeing that Woohyun was never alone and always given everything he wanted. Well, these wants had limitations of course because Woohyun was not allowed to leave the castle for any reason other than with the king. He was confined to roaming around inside the castle’s barrier. Having lived so freely for the better part of his life, Woohyun’s felt like a bird with clipped wings reduced to walking when he had once been able to fly.
Howon sympathizes with Woohyun’s reaction to his harsh confinement. He too had been found by the king and stripped of his life of freedom, all because of the king’s thirst for power. Everything makes sense though. The king surrounds himself with the most powerful individuals. He trains them to follow his every command in order to ascertain absolute power. Woohyun and Howon know this, which is why neither of them are willing to oppose the king openly, no matter how strong they may be the king will always be stronger.
"Woohyun." Howon places his hand on the other’s shoulder to calm him down. "His Majesty is scared. He’s afraid of losing everything and he needs us to maintain control." Howon steps forward to face Woohyun. "Even knowing that, I also know His Majesty loves you more than we are capable of understanding or else he would have never assigned his head guard to watch after you. You are precious to him. Understand?"
His argument made sense in Woohyun’s mind, but a part of him still insisted that the king was only using him. Woohyun always feels as if he is a puppet on strings, very short strings. Even though the king, or Sunggyu as he referred to him in private, possesses the ability to control people by their minds, he insists he would never use it on Woohyun. King Sunggyu wants his lover to be a free thinker, to decide to stay with him under his own will, but a part of Woohyun knows that Sunggyu is manipulating him to a certain degree.
"I know Howon. I know," Woohyun replies. "But I just wish he would trust me a little more. I feel like I’m being suffocated in this castle!" He screams the last bit.
"Woohyun, I think you should calm down before you boost everyone’s power level in this part of the castle. I don’t think His Majesty would be happy about that." Howon smiles encouragingly at Woohyun.
"Sorry," Woohyun shrugs taking a deep breath and retracting all the energy waves he accidentally cast out in his burst of anger.
~~~
Even though Woohyun gained control over his power usage years ago, he still has moments when his emotions take over and he loses control. It happens in moments of despair and pleasure, in moments of frustration and happiness. It had been a moment of fear when King Sunggyu realized Woohyun’s skill of power augmentation, in other words Woohyun’s ability to increase or decrease the strength of other’s powers.
Sunggyu had stumbled upon Woohyun on one of his outings typically meant to ensure the surrounding village residents knew he was watching them. Woohyun was starving and desperate that day. He rushed into the store without thinking and stole two apples. He was spotted as he left the store in a rush and the guards chased him down to punish him. Thievery was unacceptable in Sunggyu’s kingdom, especially theft of food.
When he was cornered, Woohyun’s powers unconsciously took over, forcing the guards to become weak and harmless. A person’s power gives him physical strength; one begins to rely on this strength when his powers become full-grown. By having their powers drained, the guards could barely stand before Woohyun. But this also caused problems for Woohyun because he was hungry and tired and using so much power was weakening him as well.
Sunggyu felt Woohyun’s power that day; he felt Woohyun’s strong desire to survive. The young male’s power intrigued Sunggyu, so he made a deal with the other man. He agreed to take care of Woohyun and give him food, shelter, and protection in exchange for his services. Woohyun was in no position to say no to Sunggyu’s proposal, but what he didn’t realize is that Sunggyu also had a few tricks up his sleeve.
It was a few months later when Woohyun was much healthier and stronger that he realized Sunggyu was helping him make decisions. He could feel the small pull of Sunggyu’s powers on his mind. He realized Sunggyu not only specialized in telekinesis, he could also control people. Of course, when Woohyun figured out he was being manipulated he grew angry and Sunggyu having a soft spot for the man agreed to not do it anymore. Woohyun still has his doubts about Sunggyu, but he knows he’s in a better position with the king than anyone else and there is no point in going against the first person to ever give a damn about him.
Somewhere along the way, the king began to care for Woohyun a little more than he probably should have. He found the young man’s obstinate nature refreshing. Woohyun tended to neglect the king’s authority when they were alone; he liked testing him limits with Sunggyu. The needed someone like Woohyun to bring him back to earth, to keep him grounded. Woohyun’s blunt responses and honesty towards Sunggyu is what caused them to bond together so intimately. They fit perfectly in a symbiotic relationship.
~~~
Howon always soothes Woohyun and entertains him during his long days stuck in the castle. Truth is that Howon has a crush on Woohyun, but he knows that he can never touch the king’s favorite person. He’s even considered making a move on Woohyun, a simple kiss maybe, but with Sunggyu’s powers he would never be able to hide having a special relationship with Woohyun. It’s troublesome enough that Woohyun asks Howon to share his bed some night’s for fear of sleeping alone. Other nights Woohyun would be in Sunggyu’s bedchamber, but on those rare occasions he has to sleep in his own room, Woohyun finds refuge in Howon’s presence.
Sometimes during these nights of sharing a bed, Howon wakes up only to find himself completely molded with the other male. Woohyun never realizes because no one consciously knows when Howon uses his power on him. The guard has the ability to merge with others. During the merging process, Howon’s conscious mind takes over the other person’s mind, ensuring that person doesn’t remember anything that happened while merged together. Howon gains control of both people’s powers in an even stronger version than the original, which is exactly why Sunggyu keeps him around. Howon’s power is definitely something Sunggyu can use in his struggle for control.
Sunggyu is the one exception to Howon’s power control after the merging process because, for some reason, Sunggyu’s mind control abilities allow him to gain possession over Howon as the merging takes place. The younger male hates losing control over himself when Sunggyu is around. He hates feeling like a glove constantly used over and over again, getting dirty while the hand inside stays completely safe.
It’s because of the way Sunggyu treats him that Howon completely understands Woohyun’s frustrations. They are in the same situation. They are both being used, Howon a little more than Woohyun. They both wish for freedom, but neither have the courage to speak up and fight against the king. Even though neither of them like the situation they are living in very much, they both know that things could be worse, much worse.
~~~
On the other, Sunggyu has another helper he is rather fond of who goes by the name Sungjong. This young male has been at the castle since birth; he has also been very close to Sunggyu all his life. The king grew fond of Sungjong while he was still a young prince; he thought the younger male was rather interesting. It was around the time Sungjong turned seven that Sunggyu realized he could be rather helpful when his time to reign occurs.
Sungjong, much like many others, found his powers at the age of seven. He was standing in the kitchen surrounded by small chunks of Sunggyu’s favorite mug scatter across the floor. The mug had accidentally slipped through his delicate fingers in his eagerness to make Sunggyu a warm cup of his favorite tea. Sungjong knew he would face harsh consequences when Sunggyu found out his mug was no longer in one piece.
His fear encouraged his power through his desire to turn back time and rescue the mug from falling. When the event actually happened and Sungjong found himself still holding Sunggyu’s favorite mug intact once again, he stood shocked and wondering if he had dreamed up the whole event.
Sungjong slowly began to control his power before showing it to Sunggyu. It was difficult to figure out at first, but eventually Sungjong realized that he could transfer Sunggyu through time with him if he touched the older male. Transferring two people drained an untrained Sungjong, but Sunggyu was ecstatic to find his favorite friend had such a talent bestowed upon him.
Over time the two boys grew from a friendly relationship to one of master and pet. Sungjong took on the role easily because Sunggyu doted on him fairly well and the younger male didn’t mind doing things for Sunggyu, he actually enjoyed making the other happy. If he could be of assistance in any way, Sungjong gladly did what the king asked of him.
Considering Sungjong’s close relationship with the king, he didn’t like it at all when Sunggyu brought Woohyun into the castle. He didn’t like Sunggyu giving Woohyun extra attention or how he spent large amounts of time with the other male. Sungjong grew jealous and became wary of Sunggyu’s growing affection for his new pet.
Sungjong has traveled through time in hopes of seeing the future. Sungjong knows this is risky, but he can’t resist having the power to know things and not using it. He’s seen bad things and yet he can’t bring himself to change the way events will happen. He almost wants to see Sunggyu fail so that the older male will run to him begging for assistance in turning back time. He wants the king to realize how much he needs him. So for the time being, Sungjong decides it’s best to just watch events unfold before his eyes.
~~~
On the outer skirts of the village there are people plotting, a very small group of people, lead by someone referred to as a scout because of his ability to sense beyond normal limits. Sungyeol formed the rebel group months, maybe even a year ago; he isn’t sure because time seems irrelevant now. The leaders skill is his heightened senses. His ability to see, smell, taste, feel, and hear better than any other person gives him the upper hand when it comes to hiding out and avoiding people or knowing his enemies whereabouts. Sungyeol’s intuition is also stronger than normal people’s; he just seems to know things. It’s scary how easily he can sense things; the people in his group are never able to hide anything from him because Sungyeol just seems to know everything.
The only person able to withstand Sungyeol’s constant knowing is his right hand man Myungsoo. The younger of the two has the power of negation, which means he can cancel any person’s powers. When he was younger no one wanted to be around him because he was weird and he made others weak and no one likes feeling powerless. Sungyeol was also the first person to find Myungsoo’s power refreshing because it gave him relief from his overflowing hypersensitivity. They were perfect for one another, they helped one another, they had the same views on the laws of the kingdom, and they were both crazy enough to fight for change.
A two man group wasn’t enough, wasn’t nearly enough, to bring down a power hungry king, which is why they searched for assistance. Sungyeol and Myungsoo met many people on their travels around the villages surrounding the castle, but no one seemed willing to stand against the king. There was no one until they met a guy who was all smiles and carefree. He went by the name Dongwoo and was known among the villages as a great healer.
But Dongwoo is much more than a healer; he can alter the make up of things, not limited to humans. When it comes to food, he can make simple items such as potatoes more nutritious and filling. He can help plants grow faster. He can make a weak person’s body much stronger. He changes things; he gives things life. Dongwoo tends to use his talent to help people, but there is always his option of making people weaker by changing their composition and stealing their strength. Sungyeol knows Dongwoo is opposed to hurting others, but he too has a dream for a better kingdom because it pains the optimistic male to walk through the villages everyday only to be surrounded by hunger and disease. He wants to see a kingdom that is full of happiness and positive feelings.
Each of these rebels has a dream, a hope for something better, which is why they have been plotting for so long to change things. They know that the king only surrounds himself with the best people. They also know that the king takes a trip around the villages once every couple of weeks to take stock of anyone’s special powers. They know that the king will take people into the castle if he believes they will be beneficial to his goal of complete control over his kingdom. Knowing all of this, they devise a plan.
~~~
It’s one of those days that King Sunggyu is roaming around the villages. The plan is to get Dongwoo noticed so that the king will want him by his side. Dongwoo’s popularity around the villages has already caused him to gain interest in the king’s eyes. In order to pull the king in completely, the rebels have planned to have Dongwoo reveal his talents before the king. They find an ill child to use as a decoy. The child faints within the king’s view. Dongwoo hesitates before rushing to the child’s side and surveying the child’s health. The king watches curiously as Dongwoo’s hands roam over the child’s body removing illness and giving strength. His methods are fast and the child quickly changes from a sickly pallor to a healthy glow. Sunggyu sees the child stand easily and test his sudden burst of health. After hugging Dongwoo, he runs off most likely to find his family.
The king approaches Dongwoo questioning his powers; he’s fascinated with what he just saw because Dongwoo brought a boy close to death back to life. After a simple discussion, Sunggyu places Dongwoo among his followers and heads back to the castle. Sungyeol and Myungsoo watch from a safe far off distance, much farther than normal eyes could have possibly witnessed or normal ears could have possibly heard. Now all they could do was wait for Dongwoo to give them the signal they need to get into the castle. Everything was going according to plan.
~~~
Sunggyu likes watching Dongwoo perform his miracles on people and other items able to grow. Dongwoo is constantly asked to demonstrate his powers on subjects Sunggyu provides him because the king wants to gauge the extent of Dongwoo’s powers. Dongwoo knows to be careful with what knowledge he provides Sunggyu because everyone in the kingdom knows of Sunggyu’s powers of manipulation. He doesn’t want Sunggyu to force him to do any bad deeds with his given talents; Dongwoo never wants to be used to suck the strength or even life from a person because he prefers healing.
Woohyun, Sungjong, and Howon slowly become acquainted with Sunggyu’s knew follower. Dongwoo’s contagious smiles and laughter lightens the dreary mood that tends to fall on the castle grounds; life seems to follow his presence. Sungjong easily clings to Dongwoo because he thinks the older male is much kinder than anyone else he has ever met, not to mention he already knows Dongwoo’s role in the castle’s future. Woohyun likes Dongwoo because he reminds Woohyun of times outside the castle walls that he has been stuck behind for the past five years or so. Dongwoo reminds Woohyun of living freely and being full of life. Howon likes Dongwoo because he has never seen anyone smile as much as the other guy does. Howon has never met anyone as happy as Dongwoo and considering the state of the kingdom, he’s curious as to what Dongwoo has to smile about.
Having been at the castle for nearly three weeks, Dongwoo finds himself in the company of Howon quiet often. At the moment he can feel the other watching him intently. Eventually he asks, "Is there something you want to ask me Howon?"
The guard was a little surprised by Dongwoo’s bluntness, but he quickly replies, "Why are you always smiling?"
Dongwoo’s smile grew at the question. "Should I not smile?" Dongwoo crosses the room and stands in front of Howon.
Howon looks down and twiddles his fingers. "I like that you smile; I just wonder why you do it."
Dongwoo shrugs and places his hand on Howon’s shoulder. "I think you should smile more often. I think everyone should smile more often; it would make the world a much happier place." He sends a surge of warmth down Howon’s spine giving him a small boost of energy.
The energy makes Howon feel less stressed and less burdened. It’s the first time this weight he had been carrying disappears from his shoulders. For some reason, Dongwoo makes him feel what can only be classified as happy. His lips curve into a small grin as he looks up at Dongwoo’s continuously bright smile.
"That’s much better," Dongwoo laughs as he turns away from Howon and walks towards the closest window to stare out as if looking for something.
Woohyun enters the room before Howon has a chance to stop himself from grinning broadly at Dongwoo. He looks between the two and feels intrigued by the new look on his friend’s face. "What’s going on here?"
Howon jumps and looks away from Dongwoo to stare at Woohyun and says, "Nothing." It comes out a bit too quickly and high-pitched. Dongwoo shakes his head and continues to stare out the window searching.
"Have you two ever considered leaving the castle?" he wonders.
"Of course we have." Woohyun walks up beside the newest addition to their group and stares longingly out of the window. "I think about it every day."
Over these past few weeks, Dongwoo has been calculating and considering. He’s been trying his hardest to figure out whether or not he can trust his new acquaintances, his new friends. He sees how unhappy they are being held in the castle against their will. He wants to help them, but he’s still unsure as to whether or not he can trust them completely, especially when his decision always puts Sungyeol and Myungsoo lives at stake.
Having thought about this persistently, Dongwoo turns to face Woohyun and Howon. He glances between the two putting on a straight face for once. He grabs their attention as he silently stares and calculates. "What would you be willing to do to escape?"
Woohyun’s eyes light up at the idea, while Howon shifts in his seat. "What do you mean Dongwoo?" the latter whispers.
"I mean," Dongwoo pauses. "I don’t plan on staying here forever. I’m getting out and soon."
"How?" Woohyun is intrigued.
"Can I trust you?" Dongwoo questions. "I need to know I can trust you two."
Woohyun nods eagerly. "You can trust me. You can trust us."
Dongwoo surveys the room as if to check for any eavesdroppers. "This is all part of the plan. I have friends on the outside, friends willing to help. I won’t be here much longer."
Howon stands and strides across the room. "What’s your plan?"
The once carefree and smiley boy is now the epitome of seriousness as he relays his plan to the others. They ensure him that they will do anything to help because they too wish to be free. Dongwoo plans to send the signal to the other rebels within the next few days. They have a small window of opportunity when the king goes to confession. He generally takes only one guard to the temple, which means it will be infinitely easier for the rebels to attack him in this vulnerable state.
~~~
Sunggyu and Woohyun are resting in his bed after a long sleepless night. The king has his favorite person pulled close, head resting on his chest while he runs his fingers through the others hair. Woohyun doesn’t mind spending time with Sunggyu when it’s like this, when it’s simple and the other isn’t ordering people around or trying to completely control the situation. This is the only time Woohyun believes he sees the real Sunggyu. But something always changes, always happens that makes something in Sunggyu snap and brings out the harsh king everyone knows and fears.
"Woohyun?" Sunggyu pets the others hair as he hums in response to hearing his name. "What do you think of Dongwoo?"
The younger tries not to physically react to the question. "He’s nice, your majesty," Woohyun replies a little too stiffly.
Sunggyu pauses in his petting. "Do you like him?"
Woohyun considers his answer before speaking. "Sure, your majesty. He’s very kind to us."
"So, what do you two talk about together?" the king inquires.
"We talk about the outside, the villages." Woohyun stops himself feeling that familiar tug near the back of his mind as if a small fly is tickling his nerves and whispering for him to tell the truth, to continue talking. As a natural reflex, Woohyun flinches and sits up on the bed looking back at the king. "What are you doing Sunggyu?" He drops all formalities at times like these.
"What are you talking about?" Sunggyu feigns innocence.
"You’re doing it. I can feel you." Woohyun hates when the king plays tricks with his mind; he hates feeling used and pressured.
"I was just asking a question," Sunggyu counters.
Woohyun can feel the tug getting stronger. He can feel the pressure growing. As a reflex he pulls at Sunggyu’s energy trying to take away some of the kings power. He wants the king to know that he’s not simply going to back down this time.
The king watches in amusement as Woohyun drains him of a small amount of energy, just enough to stop the force of the tugging at the others mind. "I wanted to make sure you weren’t lying to me. I feel you are being dishonest lately. You’re keeping something from me." Sunggyu speaks without taking his eyes off of the man sitting in front of him now. He watches as Woohyun keeps eye contact and a straight face. This was a face the king knew he couldn’t trust on Woohyun.
"Why would I lie to you, your majesty? That would be like committing suicide." Woohyun phrases his words playfully in an attempt to distract the king. He places his hand on the king’s thigh and smiles reassuringly.
Sunggyu smirks before unleashing enough power to convince Woohyun to crawl forward and give him a kiss. He forces the other male to strip down putting on a small show for the king until he is in nothing but his underwear. Sunggyu releases his control over Woohyun after he has the younger male straddling his hips and peppering kisses down his neck. He watches as Woohyun leans back and stares into his eyes as he registers what just happened.
Woohyun’s expression can only be classified as completely shocked. He has no idea how he came to be in the position he’s in. He doesn’t recall taking his clothes off. He doesn’t know how he is suddenly in such a compromising position. A flicker of fear glints in his eyes as he takes in the male beneath him.
It’s intriguing how quickly astonishment can change to realization and realization to fear. Sunggyu raises his hand and cups the other’s chin, rubbing gently at his plump cheeks. "You should never underestimate me Woohyun." The king pulls him close for a quick kiss. "I really like you Woohyun. Please don’t make me be mean to you."
"I like you too Sunggyu," Woohyun whispers.
The king smiles after hearing those words. "Why are you trembling?" Sunggyu rubs his hands up and down the other’s arms. Woohyun shivers as he tries to hide his sudden bout anxiety.
"I feel a bit chilly without any clothes. There’s a draft." Woohyun pretends to have a cold chill, wondering if it’s okay for him to put his clothes back on or at the very least a cover. As if reading his mind, Sunggyu uses his powers to mentally pull a cover over Woohyun’s shoulders, the latter smiles in response. "Thank you."
They sit in silence a few moments before hearing a rapid succession of three knocks on the door. Sungjong enters before the king has a chance to summon him in. The young man stops in his tracks at the scene before him. "I apologize for my intrusion. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll be leaving," he says quickly before turning and nearly bolting out of the room.
But then he stops all too suddenly. Woohyun stares as the younger male slowly turns and shuffles towards the bed. He looks up and smiles at Sunggyu before climbing onto the bed and crawling across to cover the space between them. Sungjong plants a kiss on the king’s lips nearly devouring them. Woohyun watches and a part of him knows what’s happening, but he doesn’t want to believe it. He doesn’t want to believe that Sunggyu is actually controlling Sungjong right now.
They stop kissing and Sungjong looks fondly at Sunggyu as the king glances towards Woohyun. "Would you like a kiss?"
"Sungjong isn’t exactly fond of me and I wouldn’t feel right taking advantage of him," Woohyun replies. He gapes in astonishment as Sungjong directs his attention towards Woohyun and attempts to crawl into his lap. "Your majesty, please don’t do this."
"Why not?" Sunggyu chuckles. "It’s not like you two haven’t done more before."
Woohyun pauses with his hands on Sungjong shoulders as he keeps the younger man at arms length. "What do you mean by that?" Woohyun asks.
The king reaches up to stroke Sungjong’s back affectionately. "I mean you two have fucked before. It’s nothing new."
"What?" Woohyun definitely wishes he could get off the bed and leave the room without facing any consequences at this point but he knows it won’t happen.
The younger male stops trying to latch himself onto Woohyun and leans back into Sunggyu’s arms, mewling as the king showers him with attention. "You two make really great playmates. You gave me an amazing show."
"I’ve…done it…with him," Woohyun stutters feeling disgusted with himself at the idea of having done something so intimate with someone who dislikes him and he can’t even remember it happening. "How many times? How often do you force me to do it with others?"
"Don’t get so worked up about it. It only happened once." The king kisses Sungjong’s exposed shoulder. "At least for you anyways."
Woohyun gulps to find his throat and mouth dried out. He shifts away from the king slightly wishing to create as much space between him as possible because he would rather not be this close to a demented man. "What else have you made me do?" Woohyun spoke so softly others could easily think he was talking to himself.
Sunggyu reaches around the small male cuddled up in his lap and caresses Woohyun’s cheek. "I’ve only had to control you a few times." He chuckles. "Surprisingly, you are not as disobedient as some of the others. You rarely disappoint me Woohyun; that’s what I like about you."
Even though he feels like a mouse caught in a trap waiting to be found out and killed, Woohyun knows how to play his part. He places his hand against Sunggyu’s, lacing their fingers together and giving it a small kiss. He knows the king likes these small touches of affection. "I’m sorry for having disappointed you before, your majesty," Woohyun sighs.
The king grins and pulls Woohyun close by their connected hands until the younger male in leaning against his chest next to Sungjong. "I’m rather fond of you Woohyun, but I need you to know that playing games with me isn’t in your best interest." The king curls his fingers around Woohyun’s shoulder holding him close. "I don’t like it when people deceive me."
Woohyun can only think of Howon and Dongwoo and Dongwoo’s friends outside. He can only think of their plans and hopes of escaping. He sees it slowly crumbling before his eyes because Sunggyu must know. The king must know what they are planning and this is his warning for them to stop it, but Woohyun doesn’t want to stop. Even with all of this fear building up inside of him with realizing how far Sunggyu can push him, Woohyun is still determined to be free.
~~~
Dongwoo is pacing the room; he has been for the past hour, chanting something under his breath that Howon can’t really understand, but he’s been told to remain silent and that’s what he does. Howon sits quietly watching Dongwoo walk in circles while talking to himself like a mad man. He doesn’t mind though because he’s happy just to be able to watch Dongwoo. He finds himself thinking less and less about Woohyun now that his new charge keeps him company and entertains him.
There’s a small booming sound outside of the castle walls. It sounds far off which means it must be pretty loud to have heard it from their current location in the east tower. Dongwoo stops pacing and Howon stands, making his way to the window. Dongwoo smiles when Howon looks back at him questioningly. The grinning male nods signifying that this is what he’s been waiting for, that this is the signal he wanted to hear.
"How?" Howon asks.
"My friends are talented as well." Dongwoo shrugs before taking seat. "We need to go over the plan again now that you and Woohyun are involved." The third man of the group bursts into the room as soon as Howon seats himself beside Dongwoo.
"Speak of the devil," Howon chuckles. "Are you ready?"
Woohyun places his hand over his chest to catch his breath. He had been running through the castle to get here to warn the guys. He needed to tell them the plan should stop, that it was too dangerous, that they should quit before Sunggyu caught wind of what they were doing. "We…can’t," he chokes out. "Must…stop."
"What are you saying?" Howon abruptly stands. "What do you mean Woohyun?"
"He…knows," Woohyun gulps and inhales. "He knows. He’s too strong. We have to stop."
The smile has left Dongwoo’s usually bright face. Howon’s knuckles are turning white from clutching the edge of the table too hard. Woohyun takes another deep breath and continues. "He just gave me a very clear warning of what’s he’s capable of. We don’t stand a chance. He’s too powerful. You should have seen…I couldn’t…no control."
"What are you talking about?" Dongwoo reaches towards Woohyun to make him sit down. "What happened?"
"I was with him when he started asking me strange questions. I could feel him trying to control me and I got angry. Next thing I know I’m sitting practically naked in his lap kissing him. I don’t even remember how I got there." Woohyun explains. The others wait quietly, anxiously. "That’s not all. Sungjong came in and the king controlled him as well. It was so simple. Sungjong did whatever he wanted; he even attempted to kiss with me. You know how much he hates me." Woohyun pauses thinking about the extra knowledge he’s been told. "This isn’t the first time. The king confessed to having done this before with us. He’s made us do much more before. He’s probably done the same to all of us, but we can’t remember. There’s no knowing what he’s learned, what he knows about us. He said I should stop playing games and that he doesn’t like people deceiving him."
The room is silent as the information soaks in. "The way he said it." Woohyun shivers. "He definitely knows."
Howon and Dongwoo make eye contact. "Is there anyway to retract the signal?"
Dongwoo shakes his head regretfully. "He won’t be listening. He’s already in attack mode. I won’t be able to stop him."
"You sent the signal already?" Woohyun’s mouth gapes slightly. "We’re doomed."
"Maybe not," Howon interrupts before Woohyun can go into a monologue about their upcoming deaths. "Woohyun, we know you can magnify and deplete a person’s strength." He looks to Dongwoo. "You can as well. You mentioned your friend could negate a person’s powers. And I can magnify anyone of your powers."
"What are you getting at?" Woohyun inquires.
"Maybe we just need to change tactics. Maybe we don’t need to completely get rid of Sunggyu." Howon turns to pace the room as Dongwoo had been before. "Maybe we can just work together to get rid of his powers or at least make him less powerful, less in control. We don’t have to wage a war on the kingdom to win this battle."
The two seated at the table slowly think over this concept as Howon devises a plan in his mind. He realizes that everyone in their group has defensive powers, that none of them are really fighters. Sunggyu on the other hand is a fighter. Maybe five defenders against one offender will be enough to help the rebels succeed. Maybe this new strategy might be enough to change things. Maybe they can make a difference in the kingdom.
~~~
There was another booming sound not far away from the castle signaling that Sungyeol and Myungsoo would be at the castles walls in no time. Dongwoo starts pacing and chanting again as Howon works out the details of the plan with Woohyun. It seems that Woohyun plans on boosting Dongwoo’s and Howon’s powers before they merge. After they enter the temple, Woohyun’s job is to focus on stripping down the king’s powers. Sungyeol is expected to help fight the king physically since his heightened senses give him the upper hand in combat. Myungsoo simply has to focus his negation powers on stopping any of Sunggyu’s attacks. The plan is rather simple, they want to make the king powerless, declaw him so to speak.
Dongwoo is continuously whispering details for Sungyeol to follow; he is leading his friends to the safest entrance into the castle grounds. The healer is repeating these instructions over and over again until he gets another signal for the next set of instructions. Woohyun is pacing the small office type room and biting his nail in worry. He doesn’t want to think of the consequences they will receive if this plan fails, but he can’t stop having foul images of Sunggyu torturing them in some twisted mind control fashion. His stomach is churning as he continues his small circles in the middle of the floor. Woohyun tries to sweep the idea of failure out of his mind, but it’s already begun to clog up inside the cracks making it difficult to clean. Howon has been sent to retrieve Dongwoo’s friends at the entrance in the east garden, which is rarely used or visited by anyone in the castle.
The plan seems to be working fine when the guard enters the room followed closely by Sungyeol and Myungsoo, each of whom smile grandly at Dongwoo and rush to give him hugs. They’ve been worried about their friend’s safety since the day he was brought to the castle. They hated not knowing if he was truly safe and treated well.
Eventually they break apart from their affectionate embraces and Dongwoo gives brief introductions between the two groups. They discuss the plan in rushed detail because the king should be leaving to go to the temple soon and they need to be there at the right time to make sure their plan doesn’t backfire. They are all slightly worried, a bit terrified, but the time for now or never has finally come.
Howon leads the group through the castle dodging other guards and servants who may become suspicious or start asking questions. They get to the temple in time to see the king, fully dressed in his lavish purple robe only meant for prayer. They watch as Sungjong and another much more muscular guard follow him inside and close the door behind them. Two guards are stationed outside the temple as always to make sure no one disturbs the king or the temple.
The band of rebels moves closer as Myungsoo directs negating powers towards the two guards while Sungyeol and Howon charge forward knocking them out. They do not wish to hurt innocent people, but they also don’t want the entire castle to know they are attacking the king. Woohyun moves to the door and pulls it open just a crack, just enough for them to slip inside. They know they only have a few seconds before they are found out because the temple is an open spacious room with hardly any hiding spaces and high walls that echo at the slightest sound. As they make their way through the door, they witness Sunggyu kneeling at the altar head bowed in prayer with Sungjong kneeling by his side a few feet away. The guard is standing watch midway down the aisle between the altar and the door. He raises his hands contemplating the idea of attacking these intruders; he hesitates because it’s Woohyun and he’s been taught not to harm Woohyun.
Myungsoo stands beside Woohyun as Sungyeol steps forward to take down the guard. The guard attempts to send a blinding shock towards the approaching male but nothing happens. He focuses on his power again but still nothing happens and Sungyeol in closing in on him. Sungyeol smirks as he reaches the guard. "Is something wrong big guy?" he teases. The guard looks perplexed as Sungyeol punches him once in the gut and then across his temple sending the oversized man to the ground; it was far too easy for Sungyeol.
The rebels slowly make their way down the aisle towards Sunggyu and Sungjong. The king having heard the commotion is now standing and watching the gang of men approach him. "What do you think you are doing?" His tone is menacing but not enough to deter these guys.
The group remains silent. Woohyun places his hands on Howon and Dongwoo giving them another last minute surge of power before they merge together. Sungyeol moves closer towards the king readying himself for a fight. Myungsoo is also ready to begin channeling his powers towards Sunggyu. There is silence as they close the distance between themselves and the king. A look is exchanged between Sunggyu and Woohyun; there are questions in the king’s eyes, a sense of betrayal. Woohyun can feel the hairs on the back of his neck prick up as he stares into the king’s eyes.
Myungsoo is sending off his negating vibes; Howon and Dongwoo have merged together and are approaching Sunggyu directly behind Sungyeol; and Woohyun is trying to focus on depleting Sunggyu of some of his powers. The king can feel himself loosing energy, but he is still strong enough to fight. Sungyeol is within reach and the king wastes no time in throwing a punch, but the other dodges easily. Sunggyu’s robe swishes around as he attempts another attack, and another, and another, but he never makes contact with his opponent.
Sungyeol chuckles at the weakened king wondering why everyone constantly talks about his immeasurable power. The attacker finally makes contact by kicking Sunggyu in the back causing him to stumble forward towards the altar. The king grows angry at the current situation. His strong emotion pushes his power forward even though he still feels depleted with Myungsoo’s power pressing down on him. He looks to the heavy vase to his left and wills it to fly towards Myungsoo breaking the male’s concentration and releasing Sunggyu from this suffocating power. Gaining a burst of energy, the king turns to face Sungyeol and wills him to turn facing his friends. Sungyeol is mentally told to attack Howon and Dongwoo who are attempting to approach Sunggyu because Dongwoo needs to get closer for his manipulation powers to work.
Woohyun struggles to exude more force towards Sunggyu, trying his best to suck at the king’s power. He can feel himself slowly weakening from the struggle, but he gives the two merged together enough of an opening to lunge forward and latch themselves onto Sunggyu. Dongwoo, controlled by Howon, works at changing the king’s biological makeup; they are changing his cells, taking away his power abilities to the point of almost making him a normal human, something no one in this society wants to be.
During this time Sungyeol has snapped out of his trance and is now trying to pin the king into an immobile state. Myungsoo watches anxiously waiting for the moment he will be needed again. Woohyun can feel himself losing control because he hasn’t had to use this much power in years. As he watches the others hold Sunggyu against his will, something snaps inside of him. He doesn’t like seeing the king look so defeated. He doesn’t like watching others hurt his king, his Sunggyu. The male on the ground no longer looks like the strong man who saved him that day in the village and it pains Woohyun to see him this way, but a voice in the back of his mind tells him it’s for the best because Sunggyu is a tyrant king who constantly pushes people around and tortures those in the village.
Sungjong, who has been watching from the side, finally speaks up. "Stop!" he yells. "He’s had enough. You don’t have to go any further! He’s weak enough!"
Woohyun snaps out of his mental struggle and strolls forward to pull Dongwoo, Howon, and Sungyeol off of Sunggyu. The king lays depleted on the floor cloaked in his purple cape. He looks much paler than when he entered the temple.
Sungjong pushes past him and pulls the king’s head into his lap trying to get him to wake up. Woohyun grabs Sunggyu’s hand and pushes a small surge of energy into him.
The king shifts and grumbles as he opens his eyes and surveys his surroundings. "Woohyun?" he coughs reaching for the man’s face, but he can barely manage to keeps his eyes open for a few seconds before he is overcome with exhaustion and passes out once again.
"We need to get him back to the castle." Woohyun bends to pick Sunggyu up, but Sungjong pushes him away in anger. "We don’t have time for this Sungjong," Woohyun argues.
"No," the smaller male growls. "You are not allowed to touch him or go near him again. You’ve done enough." He’s angry, not because of the fact that the king is now passed out and drained of power, but because the king had called out to Woohyun instead of him. He’s angry because Sunggyu still wants Woohyun more, even after everything Woohyun has just done to him.
Woohyun ignores Sungjong’s ranting and pulls Sunggyu up into his arms, removing the robe in the process and quickly turning to go back to the castle. The other rebels follow while Sungjong clutches the purple cloth trying not to lose control of his emotions. He has the power to change everything. He has the power to go back in time and make sure the king never meets Woohyun. He can change things, but he’s seen the future that is a result to Woohyun being a part of Sunggyu’s life and he likes the way the king turns out. He just doesn’t like the idea that the king will still want to be with Woohyun more than him.
Sungjong can change everything but he chooses not to. He makes the conscious decision that he will do whatever is best for the king, whether Sungjong likes the idea or not. And right now, Woohyun is exactly who the king needs.
~~~
King Sunggyu returned to good health after a couple of weeks resting in bed. During that time he began to rely on Woohyun, as well as Sungjong to help him. It was the first time someone had willingly taken the initiative to care for him. He had always lived with telling people what to do, giving orders and getting what he wanted through mind control. He never realized that there were people who honestly cared for him without hoping for something in return. Sunggyu was used to being used, for his power, for his money, for his title. He was taught to never trust those around him and to never show weakness.
The king didn’t have a choice in the matter now. He could no longer control people with his mind and he could barely use his telekinesis. It was like he had become a dependant child again relying on others to assist him. And even after everything Woohyun had done to him, he felt grateful. Sunggyu was happy that someone cared enough to stand up against him and force him into seeing that he was not alone in this world.
As much as Woohyun wanted to escape from the castle, to run away and never look back, he chose not to because he wanted to stay by the king’s side, to take care of him, to show him true affection. Dongwoo stayed as well because he had grown fond of Howon. The healer also felt it necessary to stay by the king to make sure he was in good health after having reduced his powers to almost nothing. Dongwoo felt bad and he didn’t like the idea that he had hurt someone, nearly killed someone. So, in order to subdue his conscious, he stayed to care for the king and others within the castle. Howon was happy with his decision to stay as well.
Sungjong became more agreeable over time. He came to hate Woohyun less and found that the king was much more fond of him than he realized. They maintained an interesting and complicated relationship with one another, especially now that the king no longer had control over Sungjong when his temper flared up. Sunggyu found Sungjong’s sudden tantrums cute.
Myungsoo and Sungyeol agreed to stay in the castle for short periods of time. They liked to travel, but they visited often because they were provided with free food and shelter. They also used the excuse that Sunggyu might attempt to get his powers back and they would be needed to help keep him under control if or when that time comes.
~~~
"You know…when we fought the king," Sungyeol begins, "it was so anticlimactic." Myungsoo teasingly pushes his shoulder as he continues to nibble at his chicken leg. "We seriously didn’t do much. I thought there was going to be more fighting, more noise, more…something!" Sungyeol has been complaining for weeks about how much they had planned for their attack on the king only to have it end so melodramatically.
"I, for one, am glad there was less fighting," Myungsoo mumbles.
"That’s because you are lazy and don’t like getting your hands dirty," Sungyeol counters. "It’s like there was all this build up over the year and then…" Sungyeol makes booming noises with his mouth while flailing his hands around exaggeratedly. He suddenly becomes quiet. "Then nothing," he whispers deflated. "I wanted some action!"
Myungsoo places his arm around Sungyeol’s shoulders. "How about some action now?" he teases.
Sungyeol shoves him away chuckling at his friend’s weirdness while they finish their dinner. The kingdom has slowly changed over the past few weeks. It feels strangely different. It’s not like a change after a war or battle or some grand event. It’s more like a slow, gradual change similar to the way it feels growing up. Maybe Sungyeol thinks he would feel less uneasy if something drastic had happened to cause the change, but he can’t deny that he likes the way the future looks while sitting comfortably next to his best friend in front of a campfire watching the stars without having to worry about plotting some grand scheme to save the kingdom.
From: Your Secret Santa
Title: Conspiracy Theory
Pairing: Sunggyu/Woohyun (Sunggyu/Sungjong, Howon/Dongwoo, Sungyeol/Myungsoo) Rating: PG-13
Word count: 8263
Summary: Rebels plot against an uncontrollable king. His closest friends must decide if they are with him or against him. Power isn’t always everything.
"I’m sick of him thinking I’m his lapdog," Woohyun complains as he storms into his private chambers located at the East corner of the castle. This is his daily ritual of complaining profusely about the king he had devoted his life and love to so long ago. "He only keeps me around because I can make him more powerful."
These complaints always fall on the ears of the kings head guard Howon. These two formed a bond when the king brought Woohyun to the castle a little over five years ago. Howon was given the lovely task of seeing that Woohyun was never alone and always given everything he wanted. Well, these wants had limitations of course because Woohyun was not allowed to leave the castle for any reason other than with the king. He was confined to roaming around inside the castle’s barrier. Having lived so freely for the better part of his life, Woohyun’s felt like a bird with clipped wings reduced to walking when he had once been able to fly.
Howon sympathizes with Woohyun’s reaction to his harsh confinement. He too had been found by the king and stripped of his life of freedom, all because of the king’s thirst for power. Everything makes sense though. The king surrounds himself with the most powerful individuals. He trains them to follow his every command in order to ascertain absolute power. Woohyun and Howon know this, which is why neither of them are willing to oppose the king openly, no matter how strong they may be the king will always be stronger.
"Woohyun." Howon places his hand on the other’s shoulder to calm him down. "His Majesty is scared. He’s afraid of losing everything and he needs us to maintain control." Howon steps forward to face Woohyun. "Even knowing that, I also know His Majesty loves you more than we are capable of understanding or else he would have never assigned his head guard to watch after you. You are precious to him. Understand?"
His argument made sense in Woohyun’s mind, but a part of him still insisted that the king was only using him. Woohyun always feels as if he is a puppet on strings, very short strings. Even though the king, or Sunggyu as he referred to him in private, possesses the ability to control people by their minds, he insists he would never use it on Woohyun. King Sunggyu wants his lover to be a free thinker, to decide to stay with him under his own will, but a part of Woohyun knows that Sunggyu is manipulating him to a certain degree.
"I know Howon. I know," Woohyun replies. "But I just wish he would trust me a little more. I feel like I’m being suffocated in this castle!" He screams the last bit.
"Woohyun, I think you should calm down before you boost everyone’s power level in this part of the castle. I don’t think His Majesty would be happy about that." Howon smiles encouragingly at Woohyun.
"Sorry," Woohyun shrugs taking a deep breath and retracting all the energy waves he accidentally cast out in his burst of anger.
~~~
Even though Woohyun gained control over his power usage years ago, he still has moments when his emotions take over and he loses control. It happens in moments of despair and pleasure, in moments of frustration and happiness. It had been a moment of fear when King Sunggyu realized Woohyun’s skill of power augmentation, in other words Woohyun’s ability to increase or decrease the strength of other’s powers.
Sunggyu had stumbled upon Woohyun on one of his outings typically meant to ensure the surrounding village residents knew he was watching them. Woohyun was starving and desperate that day. He rushed into the store without thinking and stole two apples. He was spotted as he left the store in a rush and the guards chased him down to punish him. Thievery was unacceptable in Sunggyu’s kingdom, especially theft of food.
When he was cornered, Woohyun’s powers unconsciously took over, forcing the guards to become weak and harmless. A person’s power gives him physical strength; one begins to rely on this strength when his powers become full-grown. By having their powers drained, the guards could barely stand before Woohyun. But this also caused problems for Woohyun because he was hungry and tired and using so much power was weakening him as well.
Sunggyu felt Woohyun’s power that day; he felt Woohyun’s strong desire to survive. The young male’s power intrigued Sunggyu, so he made a deal with the other man. He agreed to take care of Woohyun and give him food, shelter, and protection in exchange for his services. Woohyun was in no position to say no to Sunggyu’s proposal, but what he didn’t realize is that Sunggyu also had a few tricks up his sleeve.
It was a few months later when Woohyun was much healthier and stronger that he realized Sunggyu was helping him make decisions. He could feel the small pull of Sunggyu’s powers on his mind. He realized Sunggyu not only specialized in telekinesis, he could also control people. Of course, when Woohyun figured out he was being manipulated he grew angry and Sunggyu having a soft spot for the man agreed to not do it anymore. Woohyun still has his doubts about Sunggyu, but he knows he’s in a better position with the king than anyone else and there is no point in going against the first person to ever give a damn about him.
Somewhere along the way, the king began to care for Woohyun a little more than he probably should have. He found the young man’s obstinate nature refreshing. Woohyun tended to neglect the king’s authority when they were alone; he liked testing him limits with Sunggyu. The needed someone like Woohyun to bring him back to earth, to keep him grounded. Woohyun’s blunt responses and honesty towards Sunggyu is what caused them to bond together so intimately. They fit perfectly in a symbiotic relationship.
~~~
Howon always soothes Woohyun and entertains him during his long days stuck in the castle. Truth is that Howon has a crush on Woohyun, but he knows that he can never touch the king’s favorite person. He’s even considered making a move on Woohyun, a simple kiss maybe, but with Sunggyu’s powers he would never be able to hide having a special relationship with Woohyun. It’s troublesome enough that Woohyun asks Howon to share his bed some night’s for fear of sleeping alone. Other nights Woohyun would be in Sunggyu’s bedchamber, but on those rare occasions he has to sleep in his own room, Woohyun finds refuge in Howon’s presence.
Sometimes during these nights of sharing a bed, Howon wakes up only to find himself completely molded with the other male. Woohyun never realizes because no one consciously knows when Howon uses his power on him. The guard has the ability to merge with others. During the merging process, Howon’s conscious mind takes over the other person’s mind, ensuring that person doesn’t remember anything that happened while merged together. Howon gains control of both people’s powers in an even stronger version than the original, which is exactly why Sunggyu keeps him around. Howon’s power is definitely something Sunggyu can use in his struggle for control.
Sunggyu is the one exception to Howon’s power control after the merging process because, for some reason, Sunggyu’s mind control abilities allow him to gain possession over Howon as the merging takes place. The younger male hates losing control over himself when Sunggyu is around. He hates feeling like a glove constantly used over and over again, getting dirty while the hand inside stays completely safe.
It’s because of the way Sunggyu treats him that Howon completely understands Woohyun’s frustrations. They are in the same situation. They are both being used, Howon a little more than Woohyun. They both wish for freedom, but neither have the courage to speak up and fight against the king. Even though neither of them like the situation they are living in very much, they both know that things could be worse, much worse.
~~~
On the other, Sunggyu has another helper he is rather fond of who goes by the name Sungjong. This young male has been at the castle since birth; he has also been very close to Sunggyu all his life. The king grew fond of Sungjong while he was still a young prince; he thought the younger male was rather interesting. It was around the time Sungjong turned seven that Sunggyu realized he could be rather helpful when his time to reign occurs.
Sungjong, much like many others, found his powers at the age of seven. He was standing in the kitchen surrounded by small chunks of Sunggyu’s favorite mug scatter across the floor. The mug had accidentally slipped through his delicate fingers in his eagerness to make Sunggyu a warm cup of his favorite tea. Sungjong knew he would face harsh consequences when Sunggyu found out his mug was no longer in one piece.
His fear encouraged his power through his desire to turn back time and rescue the mug from falling. When the event actually happened and Sungjong found himself still holding Sunggyu’s favorite mug intact once again, he stood shocked and wondering if he had dreamed up the whole event.
Sungjong slowly began to control his power before showing it to Sunggyu. It was difficult to figure out at first, but eventually Sungjong realized that he could transfer Sunggyu through time with him if he touched the older male. Transferring two people drained an untrained Sungjong, but Sunggyu was ecstatic to find his favorite friend had such a talent bestowed upon him.
Over time the two boys grew from a friendly relationship to one of master and pet. Sungjong took on the role easily because Sunggyu doted on him fairly well and the younger male didn’t mind doing things for Sunggyu, he actually enjoyed making the other happy. If he could be of assistance in any way, Sungjong gladly did what the king asked of him.
Considering Sungjong’s close relationship with the king, he didn’t like it at all when Sunggyu brought Woohyun into the castle. He didn’t like Sunggyu giving Woohyun extra attention or how he spent large amounts of time with the other male. Sungjong grew jealous and became wary of Sunggyu’s growing affection for his new pet.
Sungjong has traveled through time in hopes of seeing the future. Sungjong knows this is risky, but he can’t resist having the power to know things and not using it. He’s seen bad things and yet he can’t bring himself to change the way events will happen. He almost wants to see Sunggyu fail so that the older male will run to him begging for assistance in turning back time. He wants the king to realize how much he needs him. So for the time being, Sungjong decides it’s best to just watch events unfold before his eyes.
~~~
On the outer skirts of the village there are people plotting, a very small group of people, lead by someone referred to as a scout because of his ability to sense beyond normal limits. Sungyeol formed the rebel group months, maybe even a year ago; he isn’t sure because time seems irrelevant now. The leaders skill is his heightened senses. His ability to see, smell, taste, feel, and hear better than any other person gives him the upper hand when it comes to hiding out and avoiding people or knowing his enemies whereabouts. Sungyeol’s intuition is also stronger than normal people’s; he just seems to know things. It’s scary how easily he can sense things; the people in his group are never able to hide anything from him because Sungyeol just seems to know everything.
The only person able to withstand Sungyeol’s constant knowing is his right hand man Myungsoo. The younger of the two has the power of negation, which means he can cancel any person’s powers. When he was younger no one wanted to be around him because he was weird and he made others weak and no one likes feeling powerless. Sungyeol was also the first person to find Myungsoo’s power refreshing because it gave him relief from his overflowing hypersensitivity. They were perfect for one another, they helped one another, they had the same views on the laws of the kingdom, and they were both crazy enough to fight for change.
A two man group wasn’t enough, wasn’t nearly enough, to bring down a power hungry king, which is why they searched for assistance. Sungyeol and Myungsoo met many people on their travels around the villages surrounding the castle, but no one seemed willing to stand against the king. There was no one until they met a guy who was all smiles and carefree. He went by the name Dongwoo and was known among the villages as a great healer.
But Dongwoo is much more than a healer; he can alter the make up of things, not limited to humans. When it comes to food, he can make simple items such as potatoes more nutritious and filling. He can help plants grow faster. He can make a weak person’s body much stronger. He changes things; he gives things life. Dongwoo tends to use his talent to help people, but there is always his option of making people weaker by changing their composition and stealing their strength. Sungyeol knows Dongwoo is opposed to hurting others, but he too has a dream for a better kingdom because it pains the optimistic male to walk through the villages everyday only to be surrounded by hunger and disease. He wants to see a kingdom that is full of happiness and positive feelings.
Each of these rebels has a dream, a hope for something better, which is why they have been plotting for so long to change things. They know that the king only surrounds himself with the best people. They also know that the king takes a trip around the villages once every couple of weeks to take stock of anyone’s special powers. They know that the king will take people into the castle if he believes they will be beneficial to his goal of complete control over his kingdom. Knowing all of this, they devise a plan.
~~~
It’s one of those days that King Sunggyu is roaming around the villages. The plan is to get Dongwoo noticed so that the king will want him by his side. Dongwoo’s popularity around the villages has already caused him to gain interest in the king’s eyes. In order to pull the king in completely, the rebels have planned to have Dongwoo reveal his talents before the king. They find an ill child to use as a decoy. The child faints within the king’s view. Dongwoo hesitates before rushing to the child’s side and surveying the child’s health. The king watches curiously as Dongwoo’s hands roam over the child’s body removing illness and giving strength. His methods are fast and the child quickly changes from a sickly pallor to a healthy glow. Sunggyu sees the child stand easily and test his sudden burst of health. After hugging Dongwoo, he runs off most likely to find his family.
The king approaches Dongwoo questioning his powers; he’s fascinated with what he just saw because Dongwoo brought a boy close to death back to life. After a simple discussion, Sunggyu places Dongwoo among his followers and heads back to the castle. Sungyeol and Myungsoo watch from a safe far off distance, much farther than normal eyes could have possibly witnessed or normal ears could have possibly heard. Now all they could do was wait for Dongwoo to give them the signal they need to get into the castle. Everything was going according to plan.
~~~
Sunggyu likes watching Dongwoo perform his miracles on people and other items able to grow. Dongwoo is constantly asked to demonstrate his powers on subjects Sunggyu provides him because the king wants to gauge the extent of Dongwoo’s powers. Dongwoo knows to be careful with what knowledge he provides Sunggyu because everyone in the kingdom knows of Sunggyu’s powers of manipulation. He doesn’t want Sunggyu to force him to do any bad deeds with his given talents; Dongwoo never wants to be used to suck the strength or even life from a person because he prefers healing.
Woohyun, Sungjong, and Howon slowly become acquainted with Sunggyu’s knew follower. Dongwoo’s contagious smiles and laughter lightens the dreary mood that tends to fall on the castle grounds; life seems to follow his presence. Sungjong easily clings to Dongwoo because he thinks the older male is much kinder than anyone else he has ever met, not to mention he already knows Dongwoo’s role in the castle’s future. Woohyun likes Dongwoo because he reminds Woohyun of times outside the castle walls that he has been stuck behind for the past five years or so. Dongwoo reminds Woohyun of living freely and being full of life. Howon likes Dongwoo because he has never seen anyone smile as much as the other guy does. Howon has never met anyone as happy as Dongwoo and considering the state of the kingdom, he’s curious as to what Dongwoo has to smile about.
Having been at the castle for nearly three weeks, Dongwoo finds himself in the company of Howon quiet often. At the moment he can feel the other watching him intently. Eventually he asks, "Is there something you want to ask me Howon?"
The guard was a little surprised by Dongwoo’s bluntness, but he quickly replies, "Why are you always smiling?"
Dongwoo’s smile grew at the question. "Should I not smile?" Dongwoo crosses the room and stands in front of Howon.
Howon looks down and twiddles his fingers. "I like that you smile; I just wonder why you do it."
Dongwoo shrugs and places his hand on Howon’s shoulder. "I think you should smile more often. I think everyone should smile more often; it would make the world a much happier place." He sends a surge of warmth down Howon’s spine giving him a small boost of energy.
The energy makes Howon feel less stressed and less burdened. It’s the first time this weight he had been carrying disappears from his shoulders. For some reason, Dongwoo makes him feel what can only be classified as happy. His lips curve into a small grin as he looks up at Dongwoo’s continuously bright smile.
"That’s much better," Dongwoo laughs as he turns away from Howon and walks towards the closest window to stare out as if looking for something.
Woohyun enters the room before Howon has a chance to stop himself from grinning broadly at Dongwoo. He looks between the two and feels intrigued by the new look on his friend’s face. "What’s going on here?"
Howon jumps and looks away from Dongwoo to stare at Woohyun and says, "Nothing." It comes out a bit too quickly and high-pitched. Dongwoo shakes his head and continues to stare out the window searching.
"Have you two ever considered leaving the castle?" he wonders.
"Of course we have." Woohyun walks up beside the newest addition to their group and stares longingly out of the window. "I think about it every day."
Over these past few weeks, Dongwoo has been calculating and considering. He’s been trying his hardest to figure out whether or not he can trust his new acquaintances, his new friends. He sees how unhappy they are being held in the castle against their will. He wants to help them, but he’s still unsure as to whether or not he can trust them completely, especially when his decision always puts Sungyeol and Myungsoo lives at stake.
Having thought about this persistently, Dongwoo turns to face Woohyun and Howon. He glances between the two putting on a straight face for once. He grabs their attention as he silently stares and calculates. "What would you be willing to do to escape?"
Woohyun’s eyes light up at the idea, while Howon shifts in his seat. "What do you mean Dongwoo?" the latter whispers.
"I mean," Dongwoo pauses. "I don’t plan on staying here forever. I’m getting out and soon."
"How?" Woohyun is intrigued.
"Can I trust you?" Dongwoo questions. "I need to know I can trust you two."
Woohyun nods eagerly. "You can trust me. You can trust us."
Dongwoo surveys the room as if to check for any eavesdroppers. "This is all part of the plan. I have friends on the outside, friends willing to help. I won’t be here much longer."
Howon stands and strides across the room. "What’s your plan?"
The once carefree and smiley boy is now the epitome of seriousness as he relays his plan to the others. They ensure him that they will do anything to help because they too wish to be free. Dongwoo plans to send the signal to the other rebels within the next few days. They have a small window of opportunity when the king goes to confession. He generally takes only one guard to the temple, which means it will be infinitely easier for the rebels to attack him in this vulnerable state.
~~~
Sunggyu and Woohyun are resting in his bed after a long sleepless night. The king has his favorite person pulled close, head resting on his chest while he runs his fingers through the others hair. Woohyun doesn’t mind spending time with Sunggyu when it’s like this, when it’s simple and the other isn’t ordering people around or trying to completely control the situation. This is the only time Woohyun believes he sees the real Sunggyu. But something always changes, always happens that makes something in Sunggyu snap and brings out the harsh king everyone knows and fears.
"Woohyun?" Sunggyu pets the others hair as he hums in response to hearing his name. "What do you think of Dongwoo?"
The younger tries not to physically react to the question. "He’s nice, your majesty," Woohyun replies a little too stiffly.
Sunggyu pauses in his petting. "Do you like him?"
Woohyun considers his answer before speaking. "Sure, your majesty. He’s very kind to us."
"So, what do you two talk about together?" the king inquires.
"We talk about the outside, the villages." Woohyun stops himself feeling that familiar tug near the back of his mind as if a small fly is tickling his nerves and whispering for him to tell the truth, to continue talking. As a natural reflex, Woohyun flinches and sits up on the bed looking back at the king. "What are you doing Sunggyu?" He drops all formalities at times like these.
"What are you talking about?" Sunggyu feigns innocence.
"You’re doing it. I can feel you." Woohyun hates when the king plays tricks with his mind; he hates feeling used and pressured.
"I was just asking a question," Sunggyu counters.
Woohyun can feel the tug getting stronger. He can feel the pressure growing. As a reflex he pulls at Sunggyu’s energy trying to take away some of the kings power. He wants the king to know that he’s not simply going to back down this time.
The king watches in amusement as Woohyun drains him of a small amount of energy, just enough to stop the force of the tugging at the others mind. "I wanted to make sure you weren’t lying to me. I feel you are being dishonest lately. You’re keeping something from me." Sunggyu speaks without taking his eyes off of the man sitting in front of him now. He watches as Woohyun keeps eye contact and a straight face. This was a face the king knew he couldn’t trust on Woohyun.
"Why would I lie to you, your majesty? That would be like committing suicide." Woohyun phrases his words playfully in an attempt to distract the king. He places his hand on the king’s thigh and smiles reassuringly.
Sunggyu smirks before unleashing enough power to convince Woohyun to crawl forward and give him a kiss. He forces the other male to strip down putting on a small show for the king until he is in nothing but his underwear. Sunggyu releases his control over Woohyun after he has the younger male straddling his hips and peppering kisses down his neck. He watches as Woohyun leans back and stares into his eyes as he registers what just happened.
Woohyun’s expression can only be classified as completely shocked. He has no idea how he came to be in the position he’s in. He doesn’t recall taking his clothes off. He doesn’t know how he is suddenly in such a compromising position. A flicker of fear glints in his eyes as he takes in the male beneath him.
It’s intriguing how quickly astonishment can change to realization and realization to fear. Sunggyu raises his hand and cups the other’s chin, rubbing gently at his plump cheeks. "You should never underestimate me Woohyun." The king pulls him close for a quick kiss. "I really like you Woohyun. Please don’t make me be mean to you."
"I like you too Sunggyu," Woohyun whispers.
The king smiles after hearing those words. "Why are you trembling?" Sunggyu rubs his hands up and down the other’s arms. Woohyun shivers as he tries to hide his sudden bout anxiety.
"I feel a bit chilly without any clothes. There’s a draft." Woohyun pretends to have a cold chill, wondering if it’s okay for him to put his clothes back on or at the very least a cover. As if reading his mind, Sunggyu uses his powers to mentally pull a cover over Woohyun’s shoulders, the latter smiles in response. "Thank you."
They sit in silence a few moments before hearing a rapid succession of three knocks on the door. Sungjong enters before the king has a chance to summon him in. The young man stops in his tracks at the scene before him. "I apologize for my intrusion. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll be leaving," he says quickly before turning and nearly bolting out of the room.
But then he stops all too suddenly. Woohyun stares as the younger male slowly turns and shuffles towards the bed. He looks up and smiles at Sunggyu before climbing onto the bed and crawling across to cover the space between them. Sungjong plants a kiss on the king’s lips nearly devouring them. Woohyun watches and a part of him knows what’s happening, but he doesn’t want to believe it. He doesn’t want to believe that Sunggyu is actually controlling Sungjong right now.
They stop kissing and Sungjong looks fondly at Sunggyu as the king glances towards Woohyun. "Would you like a kiss?"
"Sungjong isn’t exactly fond of me and I wouldn’t feel right taking advantage of him," Woohyun replies. He gapes in astonishment as Sungjong directs his attention towards Woohyun and attempts to crawl into his lap. "Your majesty, please don’t do this."
"Why not?" Sunggyu chuckles. "It’s not like you two haven’t done more before."
Woohyun pauses with his hands on Sungjong shoulders as he keeps the younger man at arms length. "What do you mean by that?" Woohyun asks.
The king reaches up to stroke Sungjong’s back affectionately. "I mean you two have fucked before. It’s nothing new."
"What?" Woohyun definitely wishes he could get off the bed and leave the room without facing any consequences at this point but he knows it won’t happen.
The younger male stops trying to latch himself onto Woohyun and leans back into Sunggyu’s arms, mewling as the king showers him with attention. "You two make really great playmates. You gave me an amazing show."
"I’ve…done it…with him," Woohyun stutters feeling disgusted with himself at the idea of having done something so intimate with someone who dislikes him and he can’t even remember it happening. "How many times? How often do you force me to do it with others?"
"Don’t get so worked up about it. It only happened once." The king kisses Sungjong’s exposed shoulder. "At least for you anyways."
Woohyun gulps to find his throat and mouth dried out. He shifts away from the king slightly wishing to create as much space between him as possible because he would rather not be this close to a demented man. "What else have you made me do?" Woohyun spoke so softly others could easily think he was talking to himself.
Sunggyu reaches around the small male cuddled up in his lap and caresses Woohyun’s cheek. "I’ve only had to control you a few times." He chuckles. "Surprisingly, you are not as disobedient as some of the others. You rarely disappoint me Woohyun; that’s what I like about you."
Even though he feels like a mouse caught in a trap waiting to be found out and killed, Woohyun knows how to play his part. He places his hand against Sunggyu’s, lacing their fingers together and giving it a small kiss. He knows the king likes these small touches of affection. "I’m sorry for having disappointed you before, your majesty," Woohyun sighs.
The king grins and pulls Woohyun close by their connected hands until the younger male in leaning against his chest next to Sungjong. "I’m rather fond of you Woohyun, but I need you to know that playing games with me isn’t in your best interest." The king curls his fingers around Woohyun’s shoulder holding him close. "I don’t like it when people deceive me."
Woohyun can only think of Howon and Dongwoo and Dongwoo’s friends outside. He can only think of their plans and hopes of escaping. He sees it slowly crumbling before his eyes because Sunggyu must know. The king must know what they are planning and this is his warning for them to stop it, but Woohyun doesn’t want to stop. Even with all of this fear building up inside of him with realizing how far Sunggyu can push him, Woohyun is still determined to be free.
~~~
Dongwoo is pacing the room; he has been for the past hour, chanting something under his breath that Howon can’t really understand, but he’s been told to remain silent and that’s what he does. Howon sits quietly watching Dongwoo walk in circles while talking to himself like a mad man. He doesn’t mind though because he’s happy just to be able to watch Dongwoo. He finds himself thinking less and less about Woohyun now that his new charge keeps him company and entertains him.
There’s a small booming sound outside of the castle walls. It sounds far off which means it must be pretty loud to have heard it from their current location in the east tower. Dongwoo stops pacing and Howon stands, making his way to the window. Dongwoo smiles when Howon looks back at him questioningly. The grinning male nods signifying that this is what he’s been waiting for, that this is the signal he wanted to hear.
"How?" Howon asks.
"My friends are talented as well." Dongwoo shrugs before taking seat. "We need to go over the plan again now that you and Woohyun are involved." The third man of the group bursts into the room as soon as Howon seats himself beside Dongwoo.
"Speak of the devil," Howon chuckles. "Are you ready?"
Woohyun places his hand over his chest to catch his breath. He had been running through the castle to get here to warn the guys. He needed to tell them the plan should stop, that it was too dangerous, that they should quit before Sunggyu caught wind of what they were doing. "We…can’t," he chokes out. "Must…stop."
"What are you saying?" Howon abruptly stands. "What do you mean Woohyun?"
"He…knows," Woohyun gulps and inhales. "He knows. He’s too strong. We have to stop."
The smile has left Dongwoo’s usually bright face. Howon’s knuckles are turning white from clutching the edge of the table too hard. Woohyun takes another deep breath and continues. "He just gave me a very clear warning of what’s he’s capable of. We don’t stand a chance. He’s too powerful. You should have seen…I couldn’t…no control."
"What are you talking about?" Dongwoo reaches towards Woohyun to make him sit down. "What happened?"
"I was with him when he started asking me strange questions. I could feel him trying to control me and I got angry. Next thing I know I’m sitting practically naked in his lap kissing him. I don’t even remember how I got there." Woohyun explains. The others wait quietly, anxiously. "That’s not all. Sungjong came in and the king controlled him as well. It was so simple. Sungjong did whatever he wanted; he even attempted to kiss with me. You know how much he hates me." Woohyun pauses thinking about the extra knowledge he’s been told. "This isn’t the first time. The king confessed to having done this before with us. He’s made us do much more before. He’s probably done the same to all of us, but we can’t remember. There’s no knowing what he’s learned, what he knows about us. He said I should stop playing games and that he doesn’t like people deceiving him."
The room is silent as the information soaks in. "The way he said it." Woohyun shivers. "He definitely knows."
Howon and Dongwoo make eye contact. "Is there anyway to retract the signal?"
Dongwoo shakes his head regretfully. "He won’t be listening. He’s already in attack mode. I won’t be able to stop him."
"You sent the signal already?" Woohyun’s mouth gapes slightly. "We’re doomed."
"Maybe not," Howon interrupts before Woohyun can go into a monologue about their upcoming deaths. "Woohyun, we know you can magnify and deplete a person’s strength." He looks to Dongwoo. "You can as well. You mentioned your friend could negate a person’s powers. And I can magnify anyone of your powers."
"What are you getting at?" Woohyun inquires.
"Maybe we just need to change tactics. Maybe we don’t need to completely get rid of Sunggyu." Howon turns to pace the room as Dongwoo had been before. "Maybe we can just work together to get rid of his powers or at least make him less powerful, less in control. We don’t have to wage a war on the kingdom to win this battle."
The two seated at the table slowly think over this concept as Howon devises a plan in his mind. He realizes that everyone in their group has defensive powers, that none of them are really fighters. Sunggyu on the other hand is a fighter. Maybe five defenders against one offender will be enough to help the rebels succeed. Maybe this new strategy might be enough to change things. Maybe they can make a difference in the kingdom.
~~~
There was another booming sound not far away from the castle signaling that Sungyeol and Myungsoo would be at the castles walls in no time. Dongwoo starts pacing and chanting again as Howon works out the details of the plan with Woohyun. It seems that Woohyun plans on boosting Dongwoo’s and Howon’s powers before they merge. After they enter the temple, Woohyun’s job is to focus on stripping down the king’s powers. Sungyeol is expected to help fight the king physically since his heightened senses give him the upper hand in combat. Myungsoo simply has to focus his negation powers on stopping any of Sunggyu’s attacks. The plan is rather simple, they want to make the king powerless, declaw him so to speak.
Dongwoo is continuously whispering details for Sungyeol to follow; he is leading his friends to the safest entrance into the castle grounds. The healer is repeating these instructions over and over again until he gets another signal for the next set of instructions. Woohyun is pacing the small office type room and biting his nail in worry. He doesn’t want to think of the consequences they will receive if this plan fails, but he can’t stop having foul images of Sunggyu torturing them in some twisted mind control fashion. His stomach is churning as he continues his small circles in the middle of the floor. Woohyun tries to sweep the idea of failure out of his mind, but it’s already begun to clog up inside the cracks making it difficult to clean. Howon has been sent to retrieve Dongwoo’s friends at the entrance in the east garden, which is rarely used or visited by anyone in the castle.
The plan seems to be working fine when the guard enters the room followed closely by Sungyeol and Myungsoo, each of whom smile grandly at Dongwoo and rush to give him hugs. They’ve been worried about their friend’s safety since the day he was brought to the castle. They hated not knowing if he was truly safe and treated well.
Eventually they break apart from their affectionate embraces and Dongwoo gives brief introductions between the two groups. They discuss the plan in rushed detail because the king should be leaving to go to the temple soon and they need to be there at the right time to make sure their plan doesn’t backfire. They are all slightly worried, a bit terrified, but the time for now or never has finally come.
Howon leads the group through the castle dodging other guards and servants who may become suspicious or start asking questions. They get to the temple in time to see the king, fully dressed in his lavish purple robe only meant for prayer. They watch as Sungjong and another much more muscular guard follow him inside and close the door behind them. Two guards are stationed outside the temple as always to make sure no one disturbs the king or the temple.
The band of rebels moves closer as Myungsoo directs negating powers towards the two guards while Sungyeol and Howon charge forward knocking them out. They do not wish to hurt innocent people, but they also don’t want the entire castle to know they are attacking the king. Woohyun moves to the door and pulls it open just a crack, just enough for them to slip inside. They know they only have a few seconds before they are found out because the temple is an open spacious room with hardly any hiding spaces and high walls that echo at the slightest sound. As they make their way through the door, they witness Sunggyu kneeling at the altar head bowed in prayer with Sungjong kneeling by his side a few feet away. The guard is standing watch midway down the aisle between the altar and the door. He raises his hands contemplating the idea of attacking these intruders; he hesitates because it’s Woohyun and he’s been taught not to harm Woohyun.
Myungsoo stands beside Woohyun as Sungyeol steps forward to take down the guard. The guard attempts to send a blinding shock towards the approaching male but nothing happens. He focuses on his power again but still nothing happens and Sungyeol in closing in on him. Sungyeol smirks as he reaches the guard. "Is something wrong big guy?" he teases. The guard looks perplexed as Sungyeol punches him once in the gut and then across his temple sending the oversized man to the ground; it was far too easy for Sungyeol.
The rebels slowly make their way down the aisle towards Sunggyu and Sungjong. The king having heard the commotion is now standing and watching the gang of men approach him. "What do you think you are doing?" His tone is menacing but not enough to deter these guys.
The group remains silent. Woohyun places his hands on Howon and Dongwoo giving them another last minute surge of power before they merge together. Sungyeol moves closer towards the king readying himself for a fight. Myungsoo is also ready to begin channeling his powers towards Sunggyu. There is silence as they close the distance between themselves and the king. A look is exchanged between Sunggyu and Woohyun; there are questions in the king’s eyes, a sense of betrayal. Woohyun can feel the hairs on the back of his neck prick up as he stares into the king’s eyes.
Myungsoo is sending off his negating vibes; Howon and Dongwoo have merged together and are approaching Sunggyu directly behind Sungyeol; and Woohyun is trying to focus on depleting Sunggyu of some of his powers. The king can feel himself loosing energy, but he is still strong enough to fight. Sungyeol is within reach and the king wastes no time in throwing a punch, but the other dodges easily. Sunggyu’s robe swishes around as he attempts another attack, and another, and another, but he never makes contact with his opponent.
Sungyeol chuckles at the weakened king wondering why everyone constantly talks about his immeasurable power. The attacker finally makes contact by kicking Sunggyu in the back causing him to stumble forward towards the altar. The king grows angry at the current situation. His strong emotion pushes his power forward even though he still feels depleted with Myungsoo’s power pressing down on him. He looks to the heavy vase to his left and wills it to fly towards Myungsoo breaking the male’s concentration and releasing Sunggyu from this suffocating power. Gaining a burst of energy, the king turns to face Sungyeol and wills him to turn facing his friends. Sungyeol is mentally told to attack Howon and Dongwoo who are attempting to approach Sunggyu because Dongwoo needs to get closer for his manipulation powers to work.
Woohyun struggles to exude more force towards Sunggyu, trying his best to suck at the king’s power. He can feel himself slowly weakening from the struggle, but he gives the two merged together enough of an opening to lunge forward and latch themselves onto Sunggyu. Dongwoo, controlled by Howon, works at changing the king’s biological makeup; they are changing his cells, taking away his power abilities to the point of almost making him a normal human, something no one in this society wants to be.
During this time Sungyeol has snapped out of his trance and is now trying to pin the king into an immobile state. Myungsoo watches anxiously waiting for the moment he will be needed again. Woohyun can feel himself losing control because he hasn’t had to use this much power in years. As he watches the others hold Sunggyu against his will, something snaps inside of him. He doesn’t like seeing the king look so defeated. He doesn’t like watching others hurt his king, his Sunggyu. The male on the ground no longer looks like the strong man who saved him that day in the village and it pains Woohyun to see him this way, but a voice in the back of his mind tells him it’s for the best because Sunggyu is a tyrant king who constantly pushes people around and tortures those in the village.
Sungjong, who has been watching from the side, finally speaks up. "Stop!" he yells. "He’s had enough. You don’t have to go any further! He’s weak enough!"
Woohyun snaps out of his mental struggle and strolls forward to pull Dongwoo, Howon, and Sungyeol off of Sunggyu. The king lays depleted on the floor cloaked in his purple cape. He looks much paler than when he entered the temple.
Sungjong pushes past him and pulls the king’s head into his lap trying to get him to wake up. Woohyun grabs Sunggyu’s hand and pushes a small surge of energy into him.
The king shifts and grumbles as he opens his eyes and surveys his surroundings. "Woohyun?" he coughs reaching for the man’s face, but he can barely manage to keeps his eyes open for a few seconds before he is overcome with exhaustion and passes out once again.
"We need to get him back to the castle." Woohyun bends to pick Sunggyu up, but Sungjong pushes him away in anger. "We don’t have time for this Sungjong," Woohyun argues.
"No," the smaller male growls. "You are not allowed to touch him or go near him again. You’ve done enough." He’s angry, not because of the fact that the king is now passed out and drained of power, but because the king had called out to Woohyun instead of him. He’s angry because Sunggyu still wants Woohyun more, even after everything Woohyun has just done to him.
Woohyun ignores Sungjong’s ranting and pulls Sunggyu up into his arms, removing the robe in the process and quickly turning to go back to the castle. The other rebels follow while Sungjong clutches the purple cloth trying not to lose control of his emotions. He has the power to change everything. He has the power to go back in time and make sure the king never meets Woohyun. He can change things, but he’s seen the future that is a result to Woohyun being a part of Sunggyu’s life and he likes the way the king turns out. He just doesn’t like the idea that the king will still want to be with Woohyun more than him.
Sungjong can change everything but he chooses not to. He makes the conscious decision that he will do whatever is best for the king, whether Sungjong likes the idea or not. And right now, Woohyun is exactly who the king needs.
~~~
King Sunggyu returned to good health after a couple of weeks resting in bed. During that time he began to rely on Woohyun, as well as Sungjong to help him. It was the first time someone had willingly taken the initiative to care for him. He had always lived with telling people what to do, giving orders and getting what he wanted through mind control. He never realized that there were people who honestly cared for him without hoping for something in return. Sunggyu was used to being used, for his power, for his money, for his title. He was taught to never trust those around him and to never show weakness.
The king didn’t have a choice in the matter now. He could no longer control people with his mind and he could barely use his telekinesis. It was like he had become a dependant child again relying on others to assist him. And even after everything Woohyun had done to him, he felt grateful. Sunggyu was happy that someone cared enough to stand up against him and force him into seeing that he was not alone in this world.
As much as Woohyun wanted to escape from the castle, to run away and never look back, he chose not to because he wanted to stay by the king’s side, to take care of him, to show him true affection. Dongwoo stayed as well because he had grown fond of Howon. The healer also felt it necessary to stay by the king to make sure he was in good health after having reduced his powers to almost nothing. Dongwoo felt bad and he didn’t like the idea that he had hurt someone, nearly killed someone. So, in order to subdue his conscious, he stayed to care for the king and others within the castle. Howon was happy with his decision to stay as well.
Sungjong became more agreeable over time. He came to hate Woohyun less and found that the king was much more fond of him than he realized. They maintained an interesting and complicated relationship with one another, especially now that the king no longer had control over Sungjong when his temper flared up. Sunggyu found Sungjong’s sudden tantrums cute.
Myungsoo and Sungyeol agreed to stay in the castle for short periods of time. They liked to travel, but they visited often because they were provided with free food and shelter. They also used the excuse that Sunggyu might attempt to get his powers back and they would be needed to help keep him under control if or when that time comes.
~~~
"You know…when we fought the king," Sungyeol begins, "it was so anticlimactic." Myungsoo teasingly pushes his shoulder as he continues to nibble at his chicken leg. "We seriously didn’t do much. I thought there was going to be more fighting, more noise, more…something!" Sungyeol has been complaining for weeks about how much they had planned for their attack on the king only to have it end so melodramatically.
"I, for one, am glad there was less fighting," Myungsoo mumbles.
"That’s because you are lazy and don’t like getting your hands dirty," Sungyeol counters. "It’s like there was all this build up over the year and then…" Sungyeol makes booming noises with his mouth while flailing his hands around exaggeratedly. He suddenly becomes quiet. "Then nothing," he whispers deflated. "I wanted some action!"
Myungsoo places his arm around Sungyeol’s shoulders. "How about some action now?" he teases.
Sungyeol shoves him away chuckling at his friend’s weirdness while they finish their dinner. The kingdom has slowly changed over the past few weeks. It feels strangely different. It’s not like a change after a war or battle or some grand event. It’s more like a slow, gradual change similar to the way it feels growing up. Maybe Sungyeol thinks he would feel less uneasy if something drastic had happened to cause the change, but he can’t deny that he likes the way the future looks while sitting comfortably next to his best friend in front of a campfire watching the stars without having to worry about plotting some grand scheme to save the kingdom.