He Walks Alone in the Moonlight [COMPLETED]

I WALK IN YOUR SHADOW PART II

11 years ago

Jaeon stood outside the door of the infirmary, trying to block out the pained whimpers of Oh Minjoo. The crown prince had insisted on staying by the boy's side during the treatment, but Jaeon had to excuse himself. The infirmary was all too familiar to him, and the sights and smells brought back memories that made his stomach churn. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps caught his attention, and Jaeon braced himself as a finely dressed woman rounded the corner. Upon recognizing her, Jaeon relaxed. It was Oh Sunhwi, Minjoo's mother. In her rush, the royal seamstress tripped up the stairs, and Jaeon's arm shot out to steady her.

"My child. Where is my child?" Her hands, calloused from her work, gripped Jaeon's arm with surprising strength. Just as he opened his mouth to answer, another of Minjoo's pitiful cries came from behind the infirmary door. Jaeon watched as blood drained from the mother's face.

"He is currently being treated by an imperial physician, Lady Sunhwi. There is no need to worry, the Crown Prince is with him." Lady Sunhwi shook her head, bringing a hand up to her mouth. Tears rolled ceaselessly down her cheeks, quiet sobs wracked her body as she slid from Jaeon's grip and onto the floor. Unsure of what to do, Jaeon remained at her side, standing in silence as the minutes dragged on.

"What happened to him? I-I rushed here as soon as I heard, but no one-" the seamstress hiccuped violently, her whole body shaking as she questioned Jaeon. Seeing no reason to keep it from her, he answered.

"We found him being harassed by three noblewomen. He is currently being treated for the severe burn on his chest, and I suspect there was either an attempt or success in sexually assaulting him as well," Jaeon gave the facts succinctly, with the tone he'd give delivering any information. It was how he coped with the nature of his work. People and instances were facts to be filed away and delivered. An emotional investment would only disrupt his purpose.

"No." Lady Sunwhi shook her head. "No. No no no no, no." Her voice became shrill, the jewelry in her hair swaying so aggressively it slapped against her tear-stained cheeks. "Tell me it is not true. Tell me!" the royal seamstress shrieked as she stood, grabbing Jaeon by the collar and shaking him.

"It is true." The boyish voice of the crown prince delivered the heavy words as he slid open the infirmary door. The smell of medicine assaulted Jaeon's senses, making him scrunch his nose. Lady Sunhwi pushed Jaeon away, dropping to her knees before the crown prince. Her forehead hit the floor, her body in a full bow as she begged.

"Please, Your Highness, I beg you to seek revenge for my son. Please punish the women who harmed him. I beg-"

"Shouldn't you go beg the King? Or has my father tired of you already?"

"Sister." The crown prince's eyes grew wide at the sight of princess Eunbin. Jaeon stepped closer to the prince, his stance protective. The princess had changed drastically since the death of the queen, and Jaeon had witnessed just how much that affected the prince. Princess Eunbin ignored the men, walking elegantly up the steps to stand over Lady Sunhwi's still-bowing body.

"You are a mother who cannot even protect her own son, yet you have the audacity to ask a child two years older than your own for protection? How utterly pathetic. Did you think entering the palace was a child's game?" Lady Sunhwi shuffled on her hands and knees until her head rested before the princess' feet.

"Please, Your Highness. All I seek is retribution for my son. All I wish is for those women to be punished for their crimes."

The princess crouched down, bringing her face level with Lady Sunhwi's. "You must protect what is precious to you. In this palace you must fight to hold on to the things you love most, or they will be taken from you. My mother did not die so a weakling like you could come cowering in her place. Those with soft hearts will suffer, and those who are weak will die. Do not allow room for others to take from you. If you want those women to be punished, do it yourself." The two women stared at each other. One on the cusp of adulthood, the other nearly twice her age. But one had spent her entire life in the palace while the other was merely a duckling struggling to keep her head above the water.