Outside the palace lay a scene of bloody chaos.
The palace guards fought valiantly against the minister, Lord Shikryeom's men.
Lord Shikryeom's head guard rushed down the stairs, his sword dangling at his side.
"The queen has escaped! We are going to bring her back!" he barked, his gaze fierce and his voice roaring.
The soldiers scattered, each mounting their horses and riding out of the palace in search of the queen.
---
Queen Jiyeon rode her horse faster, squinting her eyes as she tried to fight the dizziness clouding her mind.
Her breath came in ragged gasps; the rain fell heavily, the droplets making soft splashes as her horse trampled across the wet ground.
Her breathing grew shallow. Unable to hold herself upright, she lost control of the reins and fell hard, tumbling down the mountain.
Through the pain, she clutched the newborn prince tightly to her chest, protecting him from harm.
The child wouldn't bear a single scar.
In fright, the young prince cried out.
She patted him weakly, stood up, and staggered toward a tree, her torn clothes clinging to her body.
She tugged her baby closer.
Her vision blurred as the prince's cries echoed in her ears; the sound pierced her like a hammer, tearing her heart into pieces.
She muttered a silent prayer.
A malicious thought crept into her heart.
"I hope the minister meets his doom," she whispered bitterly.
---
Halfway into the woods, the minister's head guard spotted the queen's horse.
He dismounted and walked toward it, his men coming to a halt behind him.
He bent down, but the wet ground made it impossible to see her footprints.
He stared ahead, his gaze unwavering, then turned to his men.
"Go into the forest! Search every crook and canal, and do not come back without the queen!" he ordered, his tone laced with authority.
"Yes!" his men shouted, scattering in different directions to carry out his command.
The air grew tense.
He knew the queen couldn't have gone far—not when exhaustion still weighed on her.
As he pondered, a faint rustle stirred from the bushes.
Swiftly, he turned, but saw nothing.
He kept his pace steady, eyes sharp. Then he heard it again—the same rustling sound, closer this time.
He gripped his sword and ran toward it.
Up ahead, a shadow flickered between the trees.
Inside the dark, cold forest, Queen Jiyeon let out a scream — one that was quickly muffled by a hand covering her mouth.
Her eyes widened in terror as fear consumed her. She clutched the young prince tightly, her trembling hands refusing to let go. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her body. She struggled to keep her eyes open, forcing herself to stay awake for the sake of her son.
Though she couldn't make out the face of the intruder, instinct told her that danger was near. With the minister's men on her trail, she knew her son wasn't safe. She tried to fight the dizziness, to stay strong — but fatigue won. Her vision blurred, and she collapsed to the cold ground, still holding her baby close.
---
Shadow, the minister's head guard, raced through the woods, still chasing the unknown figure ahead. His breath came out in ragged gasps, but he didn't slow down.
Then, a scream pierced the silence. He stopped abruptly, his gaze darting toward the direction of the sound. His eyes flickered between the fading shadow and the echo of the scream. After a brief hesitation, he turned and ran toward the sound that broke through the stillness of the forest.
He found the queen slumped against a tree, her back pressed to the trunk and her head resting weakly on her shoulder—unconscious.
Without hesitation, he ordered a few of his men to escort the queen back to the palace. His expression tightened, rage boiling beneath his calm exterior.
"Take the queen back to the palace and inform the minister that I'll return shortly with the prince," he said, his tone firm and unquestionable.
Once his men disappeared into the woods, he continued forward with a smaller group, following the trail of the prince's abductor. There was no doubt now—the unknown intruder was working with the kidnappers.
---
The fleeing man ran desperately, the minister's head guard close behind him, until he reached the very edge of the mountain. There was no path forward and no way to retreat.
He looked around for an escape, but a blade slashed across his left arm, cutting deep. He staggered back, gripping the wound as the head guard stepped forward with a cold smirk, his sword pointed straight at him.
"You thought you could get away with this?" the man choked out, coughing blood.
Shadow let out a low chuckle. "Subject Joonho."
"Don't you fear the heavens?" Joonho gasped, pain twisting his voice.
"What was that? The heavens?" Shadow laughed, then swung his sword, plunging it into Joonho's chest.
Joonho stumbled backward, only a single step away from the cliff's edge. Pain contorted his face, yet he forced out his final words.
"I'll be watching you… and Lord Shikryeom… get punished… for all your wrongdoings…"
"Alright," Shadow said with a glint in his eyes.
He turned sharply—almost theatrically—and swung again. The strike sent Joonho flying, his scream echoing across the mountain as he fell into the darkness below.
Shadow smirked.