The King's Man XI
Title: The King's Man
Pairing: Chanhee/Byunghun
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten
Disclaimer: They belong to Andy, not me.
The following night, as if the weather had predicted the mood of the king's palace, fog rolled over the grounds. It muffled sound and sight with a thickness lanterns could not pierce more than a few feet. In the early morning hours, Minsoo walked through it carefully, his keen eyes flicking this way and that as his dim light made shadowy enemies appear in the heavy mist.
Fog reminded him of home. Home reminded him of people he didn't want to think about.
His free hand moved to his waist when he heard the footsteps, fingers clasping tight around his sword. The movements were tentative, halting, as if the person were a little lost. It was certainly not surprising in this fog, but there were no telltale sounds of a soldier, and the servants should have long since gone to their posts or their quarters.
Minsoo silently slipped his sword from its scabbard as the steps drew closer.
"Hello?" the soft voice whispered, and Minsoo flinched. As soft and unintrusive as it was... he knew the voice and it grated at his very existence. "Who's there?"
His fingers squeezed tighter on his sword as Jonghyun materialised before him, almost as if his form itself was made of fog. He looked upset, his arms crossed and fingers clutching at the cloth of his sleeves, eyes filled with unpleasant emotions.
"M-Minsoo hyung..."
Minsoo stiffened. "You shouldn't be out here, especially alone."
"I couldn't sleep... Changhyun stayed with Byunghunnie, he's afraid to be alone now..." Jonghyun looked at him, and Minsoo felt his stomach jerk a little. The child looked like a lost, abused puppy. "They didn't find the man who hurt him."
"Which is why it isn't safe for you out here." He slid his sword into its sheath and motioned with the lantern. "Come. I'll escort you back."
Jonghyun shook his head and stayed where he was.
"I don't want to go back just yet..." he attempted a flimsy smile, one Minsoo didn't see as he was staring resolutely at the ground before him. "The fog makes me think of the lake back home. How much fun we had there when we were younger-" Minsoo twitched, and Jonghyun bit his lip, trailing off.
"Come. Please."
Jonghyun hung his head and nodded, and Minsoo started off in the direction of the boys' pavilion. The younger boy followed behind him, never drawing any closer to the guard than he already had. He chewed his lip and simply watched Minsoo's back as they walked silently. It was so early, and the fog so heavy, that for those few minutes everything else had disappeared, and they were the only two in the world.
The soft glow of the lights from the room he shared with Byunghun broke that illusion, and Minsoo stepped to one side and waited for Jonghyun to go inside.
The boy paused at the top of the steps and looked back at the guard. The young man's form was already being circled by fog, shrouded in white tendrils that disfigured the outline of his form.
"Hyung... I don't know why you hate me now, but when you can't even look at me... it makes me sad."
He turned to go inside; he didn't see how Minsoo did indeed look at him, nor did he see the sadness that crept into his eyes.
~ ~ ~
"I told you not to fail me!"
The scene was much the same as it had been the last time Minjung and Daniel had met. He was kneeling silently, eyes fixed on the floor just before where the shouting woman sat. She was furious beyond anything he'd seen previously, and already he bit his tongue to hold back the sharp words he had for her.
"You did nothing I asked!" she fumed, her hands folded into small fists in her lap. "You drove them closer to each other, you foolish little child. The boy never leaves the king's mind now!"
"If you continue shouting, my queen... the guards will come."
"Let them come. Your uselessness deserves nothing less." Minjung stared at him coldly, and Daniel lifted his head to meet her eyes. Her angry gaze crashed against his, and the coldness of his eyes doused the heat of hers.
"You know better than that, my lady. Your sense of self- preservation is stronger than your need to see my blood."
Indeed it was. If the boy were caught in her chambers, she had no doubts that she would be brought down with him - their link would be exposed, and the King would punish her as much as he could. She wouldn't be able to explain it away easily.
She cleared her throat and averted her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice was much calmer.
"I cannot let them find you just yet, unfortunately. I'm still in need of your services."
A smile tugged at Daniel's lips. "You still mean to separate the boy and the king? He will be guarded... watched constantly. My escape guaranteed that. The risk of capture is too great now, you'd have me die for your vengeance?"
Minjung went silent, but her slender body visibly shook with the rage inside her. This stupid boy had fouled up her plan, ruined it and made the situation even more intolerable... Chanhee had gone to the thief's chambers! He had left her and gone to that child, and even worse, he'd been openly warm to him. Her husband was showing affection to his whores in front of servants and guards... making a mockery of her.
"Stay away for a fortnight. Give the boy time to heal, and my husband time to settle back into his ways. Give them time to forget that they should fear the shadows." Daniel tilted his head, confused. Minjung fixed him with a dark look, and a vicious smile curled her lips. "Wait until the boy feels safe and then, when he begins to breathe easily again... take his life."
Daniel made a quiet noise in the back of his throat, his demeanour darkening immediately.
"You certainly moved up to murder quickly, your grace," he said evenly. "Are you sure this is the best course of action? Is that boy really deserving of death?"
Minjung folded her hands in her lap. When she spoke, her voice held an icy edge, and Daniel felt a shiver run unbidden up his spine.
"He's a thief and a whore, he deserves much worse than what he'll be given. Don't question me. After all, I am the reason you're still alive yourself." She waved a hand at him. "Go, and don't get caught."
Daniel gritted his teeth, and without another word he stood and slipped out. Not a soul saw him go.
~ ~ ~
In the wonchungs' chambers Byunghun laid in his bed, curled in on himself, face buried in his blankets. Changhyun was lying next to him, the edge of his blankets overlapping Byunghun's; he had dragged his bedding into their room when the king had left, and had refused to leave. He insisted he'd be sleeping in their room until further notice, and had merely given Byunghun a petulant look when the boy had asked about it being uncomfortable for him.
The small boy was lying on his own blankets, watching Byunghun intently. His arm was stretched out, his hand resting on top of Byunghun's; every so often, Byunghun would shift around under the blankets, and Changhyun would rub his hand gently until he went still again.
The boy started at the sound of Jonghyun's footsteps as he came inside, and Changhyun bit his lip as he sat up.
"Where were you?" Changhyun asked softly, looking up at Jonghyun as the boy lingered guiltily in the doorway. The tall child shook his head and closed the door as quietly as possible before sitting himself by Byunghun's side. "Jonghyun, it isn't safe for you to be wandering alone at night. Please refrain from doing it again... I was worried."
"I'm sorry." He dragged his fingers through Byunghun's hair, and sighed softly when the boy shuddered under his covers. "Don't worry Byunghunnie... Minsoo hyung is outside tonight."
He flopped on his side and wiggled close to Byunghun, snuggling up to his back the best he could with the blanket between them. The warmth, and the protective way Jonghyun's arm wrapped around him soon had both of the young men sleeping; Changhyun smiled softly and draped Jonghyun's blanket over him before he curled up on his own bed.
He slept with his hand on top of Byunghun's, not willing to leave him unattended again for even a moment.
~ ~ ~
When Chanhee woke in the morning, he found Minsoo had returned to his chambers. The guard was sitting under the window as he always did, his head drooping as he dozed. The secondary guard, a tall man several years older than both Minsoo and the king, was sitting against the door opposite him; he too seemed to be sleeping, his head leaned back against the wall. Chanhee sat up and looked between the two men as he stretched his arms above his head.
If there was one thing to be said about the men Chanhee surrounded himself with, it was that they were all, in truth, rather breathtaking. Even the secondary guard had a face and a form that made the women of the palace whisper behind their hands. He wasn't often seen in the company of the king; his particular skills weren't necessary in Chanhee's day to day decisions and activities, so the man spent most of his time with the other soldiers in the king's force. He was with him most when he travelled. That was the best time to have the quiet giant around.
When the king moved, the tall man's eyes opened; he didn't move, save for his fingers tightening around the dagger in his hand, and Chanhee smiled softly at him before looking to Minsoo. It was obvious he was exhausted, because he hadn't even opened his eyes as he too would usually do. Chanhee let his gaze wander back to the secondary guard, and he gave the man a small wave of dismissal.
"You may go," he said softly, watching as the man moved lithely to his feet. He picked up the sword that had lain by his side all night, tucked the dagger away in his clothes, and inclined his head in a small bow to the king. "Don't stray too far from these walls. Your services may be required again soon."
The guard's lips twitched, a small smile breaking his stoic expression for a moment, and he stepped out of the room. The door slid closed behind him, and Minsoo finally straightened up against the wall with a quiet yawn.
"He doesn't talk much, it's a little unsettling," Minsoo murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. Chanhee chuckled and turned his back on the guard as he dressed himself. "I've met a great deal of quiet people, but he's surely the worst of it."
"He is good at what he does, Minsoo," the king reminded him as he fixed his clothes. The guard stood, wobbling a little in his fatigue, though Chanhee took no notice. "Being quiet is not a negative trait, the world would be much more comfortable if a greater number of people were endowed with it."
Minsoo grumbled to himself and averted his eyes, and Chanhee turned toward him again.
"I assume your wanderings last night provided no answers as to who the man is." The guard shook his head, and the king caught a flicker of annoyance as it crossed the man's face. "Don't be hard on yourself. I didn't expect you to find anything... this man crept in without alerting a single guard of his presence, it stands to reason that there'd be no trace of him left behind."
Still, Minsoo hung his head. "We have the drawing based on what the boys told the guards... though it was not his full face. He will still be caught, your highness."
"I don't doubt you." Chanhee moved to the doors, and Minsoo made to follow; the king, however, held up a hand to stop him. "Rest. You've worked yourself to exhaustion again, you'll be of no use to me as protection like this."
The guard frowned and straightened up, his fingers curling into fists at his sides to show his determination. "I'm of even less use to you if I'm sleeping far from your side when you're attacked, you know..."
The king smiled and shook his head, reaching out his hand to pat Minsoo's cheek. The taller man felt his skin burn with an unruly blush; he was used to seeing the king act like this with the boys he kept, and the queen, but it was rare that he showed this kind of affection toward his guard. In the back of his mind, he realised that it was probably because of Byunghun... the way he had opened up the king's heart and somehow managed to make him into a more human man was seeping into Chanhee's interactions with everyone else. At that thought, a small smile tipped his lips.
"Rest. The palace guards can handle me for a few hours, and when I tire of them I'll send for you." He nodded resolutely before turning and disappearing out the door, leaving Minsoo no choice but to move back to his spot under the window for a few hours of well-deserved rest.
It was a slow, lazy day for everybody in the palace, a day that was well-deserved for all after the stresses of the previous nights. The fog continued to hang over them all most of the day; it wasn't until late afternoon that the sun finally broke through the clouds, once again bathing the palace and its inhabitants in a warm, comforting light. As he sat in chambers with his ministers and his advisors, Chanhee watched the brightness illuminate everything through the open windows, and another soft smile curled the corners of his lips. The sunlight was a gentle reminder that even though things were bad at that very moment... everything would fall together in the end. It always did.
I apologise for this not being the best. I was having trouble with it. ^^;; I promise the next chapter will be better.
Pairing: Chanhee/Byunghun
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU
Previous Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten
Disclaimer: They belong to Andy, not me.
The following night, as if the weather had predicted the mood of the king's palace, fog rolled over the grounds. It muffled sound and sight with a thickness lanterns could not pierce more than a few feet. In the early morning hours, Minsoo walked through it carefully, his keen eyes flicking this way and that as his dim light made shadowy enemies appear in the heavy mist.
Fog reminded him of home. Home reminded him of people he didn't want to think about.
His free hand moved to his waist when he heard the footsteps, fingers clasping tight around his sword. The movements were tentative, halting, as if the person were a little lost. It was certainly not surprising in this fog, but there were no telltale sounds of a soldier, and the servants should have long since gone to their posts or their quarters.
Minsoo silently slipped his sword from its scabbard as the steps drew closer.
"Hello?" the soft voice whispered, and Minsoo flinched. As soft and unintrusive as it was... he knew the voice and it grated at his very existence. "Who's there?"
His fingers squeezed tighter on his sword as Jonghyun materialised before him, almost as if his form itself was made of fog. He looked upset, his arms crossed and fingers clutching at the cloth of his sleeves, eyes filled with unpleasant emotions.
"M-Minsoo hyung..."
Minsoo stiffened. "You shouldn't be out here, especially alone."
"I couldn't sleep... Changhyun stayed with Byunghunnie, he's afraid to be alone now..." Jonghyun looked at him, and Minsoo felt his stomach jerk a little. The child looked like a lost, abused puppy. "They didn't find the man who hurt him."
"Which is why it isn't safe for you out here." He slid his sword into its sheath and motioned with the lantern. "Come. I'll escort you back."
Jonghyun shook his head and stayed where he was.
"I don't want to go back just yet..." he attempted a flimsy smile, one Minsoo didn't see as he was staring resolutely at the ground before him. "The fog makes me think of the lake back home. How much fun we had there when we were younger-" Minsoo twitched, and Jonghyun bit his lip, trailing off.
"Come. Please."
Jonghyun hung his head and nodded, and Minsoo started off in the direction of the boys' pavilion. The younger boy followed behind him, never drawing any closer to the guard than he already had. He chewed his lip and simply watched Minsoo's back as they walked silently. It was so early, and the fog so heavy, that for those few minutes everything else had disappeared, and they were the only two in the world.
The soft glow of the lights from the room he shared with Byunghun broke that illusion, and Minsoo stepped to one side and waited for Jonghyun to go inside.
The boy paused at the top of the steps and looked back at the guard. The young man's form was already being circled by fog, shrouded in white tendrils that disfigured the outline of his form.
"Hyung... I don't know why you hate me now, but when you can't even look at me... it makes me sad."
He turned to go inside; he didn't see how Minsoo did indeed look at him, nor did he see the sadness that crept into his eyes.
~ ~ ~
"I told you not to fail me!"
The scene was much the same as it had been the last time Minjung and Daniel had met. He was kneeling silently, eyes fixed on the floor just before where the shouting woman sat. She was furious beyond anything he'd seen previously, and already he bit his tongue to hold back the sharp words he had for her.
"You did nothing I asked!" she fumed, her hands folded into small fists in her lap. "You drove them closer to each other, you foolish little child. The boy never leaves the king's mind now!"
"If you continue shouting, my queen... the guards will come."
"Let them come. Your uselessness deserves nothing less." Minjung stared at him coldly, and Daniel lifted his head to meet her eyes. Her angry gaze crashed against his, and the coldness of his eyes doused the heat of hers.
"You know better than that, my lady. Your sense of self- preservation is stronger than your need to see my blood."
Indeed it was. If the boy were caught in her chambers, she had no doubts that she would be brought down with him - their link would be exposed, and the King would punish her as much as he could. She wouldn't be able to explain it away easily.
She cleared her throat and averted her eyes. When she spoke again, her voice was much calmer.
"I cannot let them find you just yet, unfortunately. I'm still in need of your services."
A smile tugged at Daniel's lips. "You still mean to separate the boy and the king? He will be guarded... watched constantly. My escape guaranteed that. The risk of capture is too great now, you'd have me die for your vengeance?"
Minjung went silent, but her slender body visibly shook with the rage inside her. This stupid boy had fouled up her plan, ruined it and made the situation even more intolerable... Chanhee had gone to the thief's chambers! He had left her and gone to that child, and even worse, he'd been openly warm to him. Her husband was showing affection to his whores in front of servants and guards... making a mockery of her.
"Stay away for a fortnight. Give the boy time to heal, and my husband time to settle back into his ways. Give them time to forget that they should fear the shadows." Daniel tilted his head, confused. Minjung fixed him with a dark look, and a vicious smile curled her lips. "Wait until the boy feels safe and then, when he begins to breathe easily again... take his life."
Daniel made a quiet noise in the back of his throat, his demeanour darkening immediately.
"You certainly moved up to murder quickly, your grace," he said evenly. "Are you sure this is the best course of action? Is that boy really deserving of death?"
Minjung folded her hands in her lap. When she spoke, her voice held an icy edge, and Daniel felt a shiver run unbidden up his spine.
"He's a thief and a whore, he deserves much worse than what he'll be given. Don't question me. After all, I am the reason you're still alive yourself." She waved a hand at him. "Go, and don't get caught."
Daniel gritted his teeth, and without another word he stood and slipped out. Not a soul saw him go.
~ ~ ~
In the wonchungs' chambers Byunghun laid in his bed, curled in on himself, face buried in his blankets. Changhyun was lying next to him, the edge of his blankets overlapping Byunghun's; he had dragged his bedding into their room when the king had left, and had refused to leave. He insisted he'd be sleeping in their room until further notice, and had merely given Byunghun a petulant look when the boy had asked about it being uncomfortable for him.
The small boy was lying on his own blankets, watching Byunghun intently. His arm was stretched out, his hand resting on top of Byunghun's; every so often, Byunghun would shift around under the blankets, and Changhyun would rub his hand gently until he went still again.
The boy started at the sound of Jonghyun's footsteps as he came inside, and Changhyun bit his lip as he sat up.
"Where were you?" Changhyun asked softly, looking up at Jonghyun as the boy lingered guiltily in the doorway. The tall child shook his head and closed the door as quietly as possible before sitting himself by Byunghun's side. "Jonghyun, it isn't safe for you to be wandering alone at night. Please refrain from doing it again... I was worried."
"I'm sorry." He dragged his fingers through Byunghun's hair, and sighed softly when the boy shuddered under his covers. "Don't worry Byunghunnie... Minsoo hyung is outside tonight."
He flopped on his side and wiggled close to Byunghun, snuggling up to his back the best he could with the blanket between them. The warmth, and the protective way Jonghyun's arm wrapped around him soon had both of the young men sleeping; Changhyun smiled softly and draped Jonghyun's blanket over him before he curled up on his own bed.
He slept with his hand on top of Byunghun's, not willing to leave him unattended again for even a moment.
~ ~ ~
When Chanhee woke in the morning, he found Minsoo had returned to his chambers. The guard was sitting under the window as he always did, his head drooping as he dozed. The secondary guard, a tall man several years older than both Minsoo and the king, was sitting against the door opposite him; he too seemed to be sleeping, his head leaned back against the wall. Chanhee sat up and looked between the two men as he stretched his arms above his head.
If there was one thing to be said about the men Chanhee surrounded himself with, it was that they were all, in truth, rather breathtaking. Even the secondary guard had a face and a form that made the women of the palace whisper behind their hands. He wasn't often seen in the company of the king; his particular skills weren't necessary in Chanhee's day to day decisions and activities, so the man spent most of his time with the other soldiers in the king's force. He was with him most when he travelled. That was the best time to have the quiet giant around.
When the king moved, the tall man's eyes opened; he didn't move, save for his fingers tightening around the dagger in his hand, and Chanhee smiled softly at him before looking to Minsoo. It was obvious he was exhausted, because he hadn't even opened his eyes as he too would usually do. Chanhee let his gaze wander back to the secondary guard, and he gave the man a small wave of dismissal.
"You may go," he said softly, watching as the man moved lithely to his feet. He picked up the sword that had lain by his side all night, tucked the dagger away in his clothes, and inclined his head in a small bow to the king. "Don't stray too far from these walls. Your services may be required again soon."
The guard's lips twitched, a small smile breaking his stoic expression for a moment, and he stepped out of the room. The door slid closed behind him, and Minsoo finally straightened up against the wall with a quiet yawn.
"He doesn't talk much, it's a little unsettling," Minsoo murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. Chanhee chuckled and turned his back on the guard as he dressed himself. "I've met a great deal of quiet people, but he's surely the worst of it."
"He is good at what he does, Minsoo," the king reminded him as he fixed his clothes. The guard stood, wobbling a little in his fatigue, though Chanhee took no notice. "Being quiet is not a negative trait, the world would be much more comfortable if a greater number of people were endowed with it."
Minsoo grumbled to himself and averted his eyes, and Chanhee turned toward him again.
"I assume your wanderings last night provided no answers as to who the man is." The guard shook his head, and the king caught a flicker of annoyance as it crossed the man's face. "Don't be hard on yourself. I didn't expect you to find anything... this man crept in without alerting a single guard of his presence, it stands to reason that there'd be no trace of him left behind."
Still, Minsoo hung his head. "We have the drawing based on what the boys told the guards... though it was not his full face. He will still be caught, your highness."
"I don't doubt you." Chanhee moved to the doors, and Minsoo made to follow; the king, however, held up a hand to stop him. "Rest. You've worked yourself to exhaustion again, you'll be of no use to me as protection like this."
The guard frowned and straightened up, his fingers curling into fists at his sides to show his determination. "I'm of even less use to you if I'm sleeping far from your side when you're attacked, you know..."
The king smiled and shook his head, reaching out his hand to pat Minsoo's cheek. The taller man felt his skin burn with an unruly blush; he was used to seeing the king act like this with the boys he kept, and the queen, but it was rare that he showed this kind of affection toward his guard. In the back of his mind, he realised that it was probably because of Byunghun... the way he had opened up the king's heart and somehow managed to make him into a more human man was seeping into Chanhee's interactions with everyone else. At that thought, a small smile tipped his lips.
"Rest. The palace guards can handle me for a few hours, and when I tire of them I'll send for you." He nodded resolutely before turning and disappearing out the door, leaving Minsoo no choice but to move back to his spot under the window for a few hours of well-deserved rest.
It was a slow, lazy day for everybody in the palace, a day that was well-deserved for all after the stresses of the previous nights. The fog continued to hang over them all most of the day; it wasn't until late afternoon that the sun finally broke through the clouds, once again bathing the palace and its inhabitants in a warm, comforting light. As he sat in chambers with his ministers and his advisors, Chanhee watched the brightness illuminate everything through the open windows, and another soft smile curled the corners of his lips. The sunlight was a gentle reminder that even though things were bad at that very moment... everything would fall together in the end. It always did.
I apologise for this not being the best. I was having trouble with it. ^^;; I promise the next chapter will be better.