The Enchantress

4.

Prince Chaeyoung.

As soon as the light peeks on my window, I got up. Took a bath, wore my running pants and went out and took a run. After 2 hours I went back and took a shower.

As i got out of the bathroom I saw my brother sitting at the sofa.

"You went running, why?"

"Tell you later go and get ready for breakfast."

"Are you okay my boy?" lady Jyung said as soon as she came in.

They knew whenever I run there's something bothering me. I run to think. Only my father, brothers and lady Jyung knows.

"He won't tell." Momo said. Lady Jyung ruffled my hair.

"And why is that?"

"I will eventually but not the right place and time. Your boy is starving."

"Yeah, he should be for he ran 2 1/2 hrs." Momo said.

"You better tell us or I'll bring in the stick." Lady jyung said with both arms on the waist.

Momo then stood and said. ''uh-oh better do it bro, it still hurts." He then walked slowly towards the door then ran once he's outside.

Even though we're all grown up she still treats us like kids. She even hits us with the stick too and damn, it still does hurts. So whenever she say that we know she's serious.

I put both hands in front and said. "I will. Okay. I will." I then walked towards her and hugged her.

"We have a meeting downstairs 30 minutes after breakfast." I whispered then i put my arm on her shoulders and led her out towards the dining room.

There's this thing we do that only my father, brothers and lady jyung knows. It's a code for a secret meeting at the secret room that only the 5 of us knows.

So before I start to eat i took the pepper and put some on my eggs. Shook it first then sprinkled it twice on my plate. All of them acknowledge it by doing the same thing.

We then talked casually about anything. I asked Tzuyu if the spy have sent reports already he said there's no news yet. After breakfast we went back to our bedrooms except father who went to his study.

After 30 minutes I then locked my door and went by the side of my bed and pulled down the lamp. The door then appeared and i pushed it to reveal a staircase. I closed the door and went down. I arrived to a well lit room with no windows. There was a dining table, a lounge and a study table by the corner.

My brothers then emerged at the west staircase. Lady Jyung showed up from the east carrying tea with one cup. My father appeared from the north.

They all sat at the sofa while i sat on the armchair. Lady Jyung went to the cupboard and took 4 more cups. She poured some tea then handed it to us. As soon as she sat by the sofa. I began to speak.

"There's a mole inside the castle. I was strolling last night doing some rounds when i came to the far east terrace there was this young soldier staring at the view. I haven't seen him before so I thought he was newly stationed there. I then saw he looked at a paper with a sketch of a girl on it. I asked if it was his girl."

"Why were you interested in her?" Momo said. I looked at him with daggers and then he made his lips zip.

"As soon as I asked he got startled and he immediately draw his sword and swung it towards me. I was fast enough to block it. A young soldier who's quick at sword drawing. He clearly he had been trained well to get that skills made for battle. You know me, i don't do small talk, but he got me curious. He said he learned to be fast from knife throwing sports, learned how to fight by working on a bar and was taught by his father with wooden swords."

I stopped, looking at them.

"All lies. We no longer have knife throwing since what 5years ago." Lady Jyung said.

"He might have lied but still that doesn't confirms he's a spy." Tzuyu said.

"I agree. I also recognized the paper used for that sketch of the girl, those were sold by merchants to the Yoon's store. A soldier who worked in a bar clearly can't afford that kind of sketch paper. If he really is a soldier."

"What's his name?" Asked Tzuyu.

"Rowan."

"I'd have him checked." He said as he wrote the name on the paper.

"Do it quietly. Have General Lim ask directly the one who's in charge with the recruiting." My father said.

"If he really is a spy, this might be a suicide mission." I said before drinking my now almost cold tea.

"As i think of it. His mission might be father. They all knew we grew in power whether in arms or in troops. They might be thinking the only way to stop us is by threathening the King's life or the Kingdom itself in exchange of not conquering their kingdom." Tzuyu said.

"I thought of the same thing. This might be a work of a kingdom we haven't taken yet."

Momo then stood and took a map from the book stand and lay it on the table. We all stood and looked at the map.

Tzuyu marked those we already conquered. Which was in every direction. 3 kingdoms remains in the south 2 in the west. The east side is all us.

"Momo get someone check the guy's room. Check every corner."

"Okay."

"Tzuyu, send a word to our spies in the south and west to check who, out of the kingdoms, have a high chance of knowing this Rowan."

"Got it."

"If he's a spy he should have a way to send messages to their kingdom. lady Jyung, have one of the maintenance people check the roofs at night see if there's a bird who comes regularly on the palace that we know nothing of."

"Okay."

"No one will change their routine even the rounding of the guards. He has just been stationed here so I don't think he will act right away. Yet still we need to act fast."

"How about me sir?" My father asked.

We all looked at him then laughed. Good thing that this room is sound proof or else we could have been heard specially Lady Jyung who's laugh is so loud.

"Just do what you do best."

"Yeah, that will be wear the crown and be the regal target." We all laughed again.

"That's it. Send codes for next meeting. Let's go."

They all went back except me who waited for lady Jyung who washed the 4 cups first then placed it back at the cupboard. I led her to her stairs and then went to back to my room. I then quickly changed into my everyday clothes and went out of the room.

My brothers and I met again at the meeting room to check on latest strategies we could do.