He Walks Alone in the Moonlight [COMPLETED]

PITY THE POWERFUL

Despite his rising discomfort and anxiety, Jihyun could not tear his eyes away from the sights, sounds, and smells of the capital. Jihyun spent his whole life, from birth to present, confined to the training camp far from civilization. The finely dressed nobles and exotic food tickled his senses, so much so that he could not hide his interest.

"Everyone will be able to tell you're a country bumpkin if you keep gawking like that," Chang teased with a smile in his voice. It was the first time anyone had spoken since they left the inn. Upon entering the city limits a royal escort appeared seemingly out of nowhere to lead the Crown Prince through the city. After that, Jaeon and the Crown Prince spilt from the rest of the group, leaving Minjoo, Chang, and Songmin behind. What bothered Jihyun was how aware he was of the Crown Prince's absence, and not in a good way. Jihyun felt antsy and exposed, his eyes straining for a glimpse of the back of the prince's head. If Chang had noticed Jihyun's searching, he didn't say it.

"I am a country bumpkin," Jihyun whispered back, his gaze fluttering nervously back and forth between the guards and servants accompanying them. "Just relax, I'll handle any questions, and we'll be at Horangi Palace in no time."

"Do you all live there? I thought it was just the Crown Prince's residence." Chang shook his head at Jihyun's question.

"Minjoo and Jaeon are the only two that actually live on palace grounds besides the Prince. Jaeon stays at Horangi Palace, and Minjoo lives at Nabi Palace with his mother."

"Nabi Palace?" Jihyun questioned. He'd never heard of such a palace before. Although he'd never had any sort of teaching at the camp, most people knew the names of each palace.

"Mhmm. It was renamed when Minjoo's mother moved in. It used to be a palace for a royal concubine, but the King arranged for her to live there as the royal seamstress," Chang spoke softly, peering at Minjoo through the corner of his eye. Jihyun was curious about the nature of Minjoo's mother and the King's relationship, but the tone of Chang's voice suggested that that was all the information he would provide.

"What about you and Advisor Songmin?"Jihyun opted to change the topic, wanting to maintain the distraction of Chang's conversation.

"We both have residences outside of the palace. I watch over my father's house, while Songmin lives with both his parents. Although he spends more time at Horangi palace than his own home."

"Why?" Chang hesitated to answer, unable to explicitly say that it's because Songmin wanted to overthrow the government his father and the King ruled.

"Let's just say he despises his father. Or they despise each other, really." Jihyun pressed his lips together in thought. He'd never known his father, so in some way he could understand the nature of Songmin and his parents' relationship, but it still saddened him. Perhaps the animosity between his family was the reason Songmin seemed so spiteful. Out of all the men that were close to the Crown Prince, Songmin made his dislike of Jihyun most obvious.

"You've gone quiet, what thoughts are spinning around in that pretty little head of yours?" Chang teased, lightly tapping Jihyun temple.

"It's just... you all seem so magnificent. Your arrival was discussed for days when we heard you all would be coming to the training camp, but now..." Jihyun fell silent, unsure whether to speak his next words out loud.

"But now?" Chang prompted.

"Now you all seem... pitiful. It seems like I should pity you all." Jihyun thought of Minjoo's story, and the information he'd just learned about Songmin. He was sure that the others had stories of their own. Chang barked out a laugh, jolting Jihyun in the saddle.