WHEN THE MARRIAGE COLLAPSE

twenty-three - "Save me."

┌─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┐
a few days later...
└─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┘

Yeonbyul held her bow and arrow as she listened to Ms Han explain briefly about the challenge rules. It was the annual archery challenge that the palace held and it has been going on for generations. The royal family would go hunting for boars, deer and other animals in the forest with their fathers.

Heeseung would go with his father and Yeonbyul would go hunting with Mr Park. Haesun took a deep breath as Mr Kim checked his arrows to see if they were sharp. Yeonbyul stared at the both of them, feeling envious since she doesn't have a father to go hunting with.

Heeseung laughed with his father, remembering the time before when they went hunting together. Haesun smirked, "Sorry to interrupt, but I think Her Majesty shouldn't be joining us. Her father is not here to join us."

Mr Kim chuckled and looked away to hide his laugh. Yeonbyul exhaled heavily and looked at everyone, especially her father-in-law, waiting for him to say something. The former King smiled softly, "I'm afraid you can't join, Yeonbyul."

"Yes, she can," a voice interrupted their conversation. Everyone turned around and saw Sunghoon approaching with his formal hunting attire, holding his bow and arrow. He smiled and bowed at the Kings, "I will be joining Yeonbyul for the hunt. Since she doesn't have her father with her anymore, it won't hurt for me to help her, right? Besides, I've always wanted to experience the South Kingdom culture. May I join, Your Majesty?"

The former King nodded and smiled, "You may, Prince Sunghoon. The more the merrier. Let us begin the hunting."

Yeonbyul panted as she walked up the steep hill. She was about to lose her steps but Sunghoon immediately grabbed her hand, "Be careful, my lady."

She blushed and cleared her throat before wiping her sweat, "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because I like to."

"You should call that to the woman who you love. It's nice to call that to your lover. Not a random person."

"I am."

Her eyes widened as she watched him walked ahead of her. He looked around to search for a wild animal. She stood there for a while until she heard a twig breaking. She turned around and shoot her arrow, not knowing what it was. Her eyes widened when she saw a deer falling to the ground.

"I shot a deer!" She announced happily. She ran towards it and took out her arrow, seeing the blood oozing off from its body.

"Great! We got 10 points," Sunghoon took a picture as proof to show it to the palace workers that handled the event.

"How about we split up and then meet again here?" She suggested and they both agreed before splitting up.

Sunghoon walked while humming, paying attention to the sounds around him. He narrowed his eyes and took out an arrow slowly, eyeing the boar in front of him. He shot it and ran towards it excitedly.

Suddenly, a manly figure bumped into him and they both fell down the hill. Sunghoon coughed due to the dust from the ground and winced in pain as his right foot hit a big rock. He glared at the man and saw Mr Kim groaned in pain on the ground.

"You bumped into me on purpose!" The prince said with gritted teeth. Mr Kim smirked, "Sorry, Your Highness but that boar is mine."

The minister was about to run up the hill but Sunghoon pulled him by the back of his collar, making him fell to the ground again. He pinned the minister to the ground and held an arrow near his neck, "Tell me the truth. You killed Mr Park, didn't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Sunghoon felt annoyed and stabbed the arrow into the ground, directly next to Mr Kim's face. The old man widened his eyes in fear, afraid that the prince would kill him there instantly.

"You are crazy, Your Highness!" Mr Kim spat angrily. Sunghoon glared at him, "If I'm crazy, then what does that make you?"

Mr Kim kicked him in the crotch and scoffed, "If I killed that asshole, why do you care? It's not like I killed your father. Or do you want me to do that too?"

Sunghoon punched him in the face before choking him, "You bastard! You killed Yeonbyul's father and you dared to walk around this palace freely?"

The minister coughed out some blood and smirked, "Ah I see what's going on here. You're in love with Her Majesty. That's why you're so angry right now. Silly lover boy."

"Park Sunghoon!" Heeseung came and pushed the prince away, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Ask this man himself. Ask him who did he kill a few days ago."

Heeseung looked at the prince confusedly, "You're starting to act like Yeonbyul. Mr Kim did nothing. Why do you both keep blaming him?"

Sunghoon chuckled, "Of course you wouldn't believe me, Your Majesty. Weren't you the one who killed an innocent person to cover up this bastard's crimes?"

Heeseung punched the prince in the face and clenched his fists tightly, "Don't cross the line."

ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ
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┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ˚✩ ⋆｡˚ ✩
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┊ ┊ ✩
┊ ⊹ ✯
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Yeonbyul smiled as she picked the wildflowers that grew on the ground. She blushed as she thought of giving them to Sunghoon. She heard footsteps and dried leaves being stepped on behind her. She turned around and her heart dropped when she saw Haesun aiming her arrow towards her.

She tried to search for any animals behind her and there was nothing. Her legs trembled in fear, "Haesun-ah."

The mistress smirked, "You know, Your Majesty, I'm an ace at archery. I can kill you with just one aim."

"Kim Haesun!" Yeonbyul yelled, feeling afraid and angry all at once. Haesun gritted her teeth in anger and closed one eye to make sure she aims the target. She shot her arrow and smirked.

Yeonbyul closed her eyes in fear as she waited to be stabbed by the sharp arrow. Her chest felt pain as the blood oozed out from her body. She fell to the ground and held her chest in pain, calling for help but her voice got too quiet and weak.

Haesun chuckled before leaving the place. Yeonbyul let her tears trickle down as she waited for someone to save her. She closed her eyes and fell into the darkness.