The Scarlet Heart (MarkHyuck)

2. Kwangya Palace

Prince Minhyung and his bodyguards who were part of the Lee family arrived in front of the main palace gate. He told his guard to stop, the guard in front of the gate opened it, and Prince Minhyung opened his headgear.

"I'll hand a slave over to you, prince. After the ritual is over, do not take it long and return to Shinju. You were adopted in the Lee family, so don't forget that. Please establish our surname before the King" said the head of the guard, who is also from the Lee family.

"Adoptions? I thought I was taken hostage by you all along." quipped Prince Minhyung with a cynical laugh, then spurred his horse into the palace and the gate was closed.

Arriving inside, Prince Minhyung got off his horse. But after descending he drew his sword, lifted it up high and cut it out and gave it to his horse.

Lee's family who had not left from the outside was shocked to hear the sound of horses whimpering. Blood was on the sword and part of Prince Minhyung's face. The guards who saw him were shocked.

Kim Heechul, an astrologer standing at the gate, saw Prince Minhyung and the horse lying in front of the gate.

"You must not swing a sword in the palace." said the head of the inner palace guard nervously, prince Minhyung silently and casually handed his sword to the head of the guard.

"Should I get the horse ready so you can go home later?" the guard said nervously.

"I'm not going back to Shinju" said Prince Minhyung.

Prince Minhyung walked in while wiping off the blood sticking to his cheeks. He stood right in front of the palace and sat down, 'I'm not going back there. I'm not going back to Shinju as a hostage.'

♡♡♡

Elsewhere, Donghyuck awakens to find himself in a strange, ancient room. The sound of a woman coughing, the voice was heard from the woman in front of him who looked sickly sitting waiting for him. But what puzzled the woman was wearing old-fashioned clothes. As he was about to move Donghyuck gave a stifled cry feeling the pain in his head and made the woman turn her attention to Donghyuck.

"Geechan-ah!"

Jeongra, the one who called Donghyuck while at the prince's bath, looked happy, then he turned his eyes to the woman Jeongra was leading. Donghyuck stared at the clothes they were wearing like old clothes, but suddenly his head hurt again.

"Haechan-ah, does it still hurt?" ask the lady earlier - Seo Injoon - with worry.

"Am I hurt bad, huh?" donghyuck asked, Jeongra said it must have been bad because he hit hard and thought that Donghyuck's head broke.

"You know how worried Madam Joon is?"

"Haechan"

"Sorry..but why do you always call me 'Haechan' or 'Agassi'? My name is Lee Donghyuck. I don't understand why you guys are calling me that" Donghyuck said confusedly, Madam Joon and Jeongra who heard it also stared confusedly. Then Donghyuck remembered when he drowned and thought he was dead.

"Ah, yes I'm dead."

"You didn't die, but you almost died" Jeongra said.

Surprised, Donghyuck tried to pinch his arm, but it hurt. He is not dead or dreaming. Then Donghyuck ran out of the room to ascertain what had happened, and the more shock he found the ancient house and many servants passing by, some even bowed to him.

'This is not a dream. If I'm not dead.Where am I?' inner Donghyuck confused.

Then it sounded madam Joon who called her helped Jeongra to be led out. Donghyuck felt a tight breath, then Madame Joon told Jeongra to call the healer.

"Where's this? No, no.. Who am I?"

"You can't remember at all? Your name is Seo Haechan. I'm your sixth cousin, Seo Injoon." said Madame Joon, thinking that Donghyuck lost his memory. Donghyuck confused why his name is Seo Haechan?

'Haechan? I'm Haechan? Is it not..I am in someone else's body?' inner Donghyuck while smothering his mouth with his hands. Madam Joon holds Donghyuck's hand gently and advises her to remember all of this.

"Remember, look at me clearly. You're in Songak right now, this is the house of 8th prince Jung Jeno." explained Ms. Joon.

"Broken? Is this the time of Kwangya? Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla and Kwangya.so this is the time of Kwangya?" ask Donghyuck.

"Do you remember now? Yes, it's Kwangya." said Madam Joon happily. Donghyuck with a frightened look on his face took his hand off from Madam Joon.

"Then, now.who is the king?" ask Donghyuck. Madam Joon looked at Donghyuck confused as he asked that.

"Of course, His Majesty who founded this country" said Madam Joon also touched upon seeing Donghyuck's unfamiliar attitude.

"The king who founded this Kwangya.what is possible.." muttered Donghyuck then shouted to name...

"King Jung Donghae?!"

♡♡♡

At the palace, King Donghae was in a meeting with his princes except Minhyung and the palace officials. The king looked angry and threw a bird cage in which there was a bird that had died to them.

"This is the bird that ate the Crown Prince's breakfast at the Crown Prince's residence today. The bird instantly died instantly before he even swallowed a single bite. The Crown Prince's big fortune missed his breakfast because he wasn't hungry. Why no response? Arrest the man who tried to kill the Crown Prince." Said King Donghae furious.

All that was there was just bowing their heads as well as the princes.

"We need to find out why this happened. What would change if we just caught the culprit?" said Jung Haneul. The king asked what Minister Jung Haneul said.

"Isn't the Crown Prince supposed to behave as the Crown Prince?" said Jung Haneul.

At that moment came the Crown Prince - the first Prince Jung Taeyong, hearing the King and minister Jung Haneul talk from the doorstep.

"At the assembly meeting, he only received greetings from foreign envoys and left. The Crown Prince usually only exists on the battlefield or visiting hot springs. Do you know that there are rumors...if the Crown Prince has an incurable disease?" said Jung Haneul staring at the King, Jung brothers glanced at each other.

"Therefore I, Jung Haneul, plead with you. Please dismiss the 1st Prince, Prince Taeyong as Crown Prince. I implore you to find a new Crown Prince candidate." - Jung Haneul.

The Crown Prince fell silent with restraining anger hearing that.

"Do you all agree with him?" The king asked the princes' opinion.

"Say, which of you do you think would be more suitable to fill that position than the Crown Prince?!" add the King to his princes.

The princes were silent.

"Please retract that word, Your Majesty. None of us wants to be Crown Prince." Prince Jeno kneels in front of King Donghae.

"Yes, Your Majesty.... Please pull your word." Prince Kwanhyung said on his knees.

And in the end all the princes present went to their knees and voiced the same opinion, asking the King to retract the remark.

Jung Haneul bengentung to hear it, three other Jung brothers kneeled down to beg the same thing asking to withdraw his words and prostrate in front of the King.

King Donghae called the astrologer-Kim Heechul-who had been standing next to him. Heechul introduced him to convey the will of the heavens to all those present in the courtroom.

"Crown Prince Taeyong's star was the star of the kingdom in the sky. It was the first of the five northern stars and it shone brightly every day. Shining brightly together with the palace of King Kwangya. This means Prince Taeyong deserves to be the Crown Prince ", Heechul said.

"It has been 24 years since the country was founded. The 1st Prince, Prince Jung Taeyong has fought with me against many wars. He who has established the foundation for this nation with me" said the King stirred while standing. Reminds everyone present that Prince Taeyong deserves to be crown prince.

"Kim Heechul's... During this ritual... Taeyong will cast out evil spirits. So prepare it well." The King's orders, Heechul understands.

Prince Jaehyun didn't seem to like hearing it, but he just kept quiet.

After the meeting was over, Minister Jung Haneul came to see Queen Soojung. Queen Soojung is the mother of Prince Jaehyun, Prince Minhyung and Prince Sungchan.

Minister Jung Haneul whispers something to Queen Soojung.

"The Crown Prince is very lucky. She has a long life" Queen Soojung said as she poured tea

"We're just making her more aware and alert now" Queen Soojung added with a cynical smile.

The waiter entered the room and whispered something to Queen Soojung.

"Send me a message if I don't want to see anyone." Queen Soojung said to the maid.

"It has been two years that the 4th Prince has not come here, according to the servant if he meets him now then." said the servant. Queen Soojung yells angrily that she is not feeling well right now.

"Who is he that dares to disturb the Queen?" queen Soojung shouted furiously

Prince Minhyung stood in front of his mother's room, and the waiter came to him.

"What about my mom?" asked Prince Minhyung enthusiastically he really wanted to meet his mother after 2 years of not meeting.

"Queen Soojung is asleep, and she's really sick. Maybe you should come next time" said the waiter.

Prince Minhyung was disappointed when the waiter told him the reason and he turned away from his mother's residence.

♡♡♡

Donghyuck shut himself up in his room, thinking about this strange thing that happened to him. He was really confused how he could exist in Songak, during the Kwangya dynasty. Donghyuck recalled the last time he drowned while saving a small child in the lake, Donghyuck thought that he must have been dead by then. Yes, he's dead, Donghyuck sure.

"This person named Haechan must have drowned and died in the water. Then, am I Donghyuck or Haechan? I don't know why I could be in Kwangya and be in this body." Donghyuck muttered completely in confusion, staring at his face in the mirror.

"Don't think about the no-no... Think positive, you get a chance here... Opportunity to avoid death, and stay alive.... You're very lucky here. All right, so don't let you get caught and just face this. If you can face it... If you can deal with it." muttered Donghyuck encouragingly who was initially convinced finally hesitated a little.

"But I'm not Haechan what if I get caught, and get arrested. What am I supposed to do? And how should I behave in the days of Kwangya" muttered Donghyuck.

Jeongra and Lady Injoon called out Haechan's name from outside the room while shoving around the door, Donghyuck was getting scared just by the sight of them. What if he's found out not Haechan.

"I don't know what kind of world is out there? I'mfrightened... I was scared to death. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to die. I don't know anything about Kwangya either." Donghyuck muttered in fear as he looked at the door.

"King Donghae is the founder of Kwangya. After that who ruled." muttered Donghyuck frantically and fearfully trying to remember who the next King of Kwangya.

"Jaejoong, what King after King Donghae is King Jaejoong?" donghyuck muttered less sure.

Madam Injoon and Jeongra continued to banging on Donghyuck's bedroom door anxiously. Madame Injoon coughed in front of Donghyuck's door.

Prince Jeno passed by when he saw his wife coughing and immediately approached his wife with anxiety.

"What's going on?" prince Jeno asked Jeongra.

Jeongra did not have time to answer, after calming her breath, Madame Injoon had told her husband first.

"Haechan, it sank into the water and only came out after two hours. Even the healer said, Haechan had stopped breathing" Injoon said, worried for Haechan.

"Then why did you say Haechan died?" prince Jeno said.

"Agasshi died and lived again. Maybe that's why Agasshi lost her memory and didn't know her name.." Jeongra was really worried.

"I'm afraid she'll do something dangerous, at a time like this" Injoon said, looking weak. Prince Jeno stared at Haechan's locked bedroom door.

Prince Jeno was also anxious and moments later, the door to Haechan's room suddenly collapsed kicked by Prince Jeno.

Donghyuck was sitting down and his head was shocked to see the door of his room that had been opened by being kicked, Prince Jeno entered the room looking at him. And he found Haechan cowering in fear on the floor after seeing her.

Donghyuck with eyes after crying looks really scared, then bowed like a person who really lost his memory. Prince Jeno wanted to get closer but Donghyuck was more frightened by not knowing him.

"Haechan, don't be afraid... I brought you to this place. So. I'll help you to the end." Prince Jeno said softly.

"So you're taking me to this place?" donghyuck looked at Prince Jeno.

"Avoiding this problem won't change anything. You must be strong. Can't you trust me and come with me out?" prince Jeno said as he extended his hand. Trying to convince Haechan to trust him.

"I can't go back. And I can't change what happened. I want to live! I wanted to do whatever I could to stay alive." Donghyuck muttered at Prince Jeno's hand, then finally dared to hold Prince Jeno's hand that reached out.

Haechan then thought in her heart "I can no longer go back. And I can't change the situation now. Then I must live. I want to do whatever I can to survive and stay alive."

"I want to live" Donghyuck said in his heart. And he immediately grabbed the hand of Prince Jeno.

♡♡♡

...~TBC~...