The Spoiled Prince || WooSanSang

Leaving the Castle

Yeosang had woken up in a bad mood that morning, but things got better after his first class. As it turned out, Jongho had not forgotten about him completely and invited him on his outing with Princess Yuna to an outdoor market in the next town over. They were supposed to go the previous day but postponed the trip due to unfavourable weather.

Happy to be out of the castle, at least for the afternoon, Yeosang pranced to his enclosed carriage with Wooyoung in tow. Yuna and Jongho were already in the one in front of them.

"What should I buy today, Wooyoungie?" Yeosang asked when the horses started moving. It would take about an hour to get there.

"Whatever your heart calls to, my prince." That seemed to be the guard's answer to everything.

"And are you buying anything?"

"I do not have money to spend," Wooyoung admitted.

Yeosang frowned. Did the castle pay its servants, and especially the guard protecting him, so little? "Then you shall help me choose what I should purchase."

"It would be my pleasure, Your Highness."

Yeosang looked out the window to the tall trees streaking past. He counted them to pass the time, and had lost count somewhere past one thousand by the time they arrived. Wooyoung stepped out first, then held out his hand for Yeosang to grab as he jumped down. He watched Jongho do the same for the princess, then a third figure came out of the other carriage.

Yeosang groaned. "Why, of all servants, does the princess favour him?" He asked Wooyoung quietly. The guard said nothing but also looked at the servant, who was smiling at them smugly, with distaste. San waved, but Yeosang didn't so much as lift a finger in return.

Jongho and Yuna approached them. "I hope you were not too bored during the ride without me, brother," Jongho said.

"I have gotten used to it, these days," Yeosang told him with just a hint of bitterness. "Besides, Wooyoungie is company enough." He could have sworn he heard San scoff but when he looked at the servant, his face was impassive.

Princess Yuna seemed to sense some tension and looked toward the market. "Shall we begin?"

Jongho took her hand. "As my princess wishes."

The town of Halazia was unlike other towns that were closer to the castle. This one was built specifically for and by the rich. There were no thatched roofs and single-storied homes in sight No beggars on the street. Instead, only brick mansions and upperclassmen dressed in their finest.

Travellers from other towns would come to sell their items in the outdoor market in the middle of the town--fancy stalls were set up one after the other for the town's inhabitants to peruse. Merchants tried to catch shoppers' eyes as they walked past, desperate to make a sale.

Jongho and Yuna stayed with Yeosang for all of five minutes before going off on their own. Yuna had a shopping list with her and Jongho claimed that he wanted to buy Yuna the most beautiful jewel in the kingdom.

Left on his own, Yeosang took his time inspecting each stall. Some rings from a jewellery maker caught his eye. "Are these suitable for a prince, Wooyoungie?"

Wooyoung peered over Yeosang's shoulder to see what the prince was looking at. His breath was warm on Yeosang's neck as he said, "Indeed, Your Highness."

Yeosang ignored the resulting shiver and picked out a couple of rings. He paid the merchant the steep price, not quite comprehending how much he'd actually spent, and slipped them into his pocket.

A few stalls later, he found clothes made from the softest material he'd ever felt. "Wooyoungie, should I get the orange one or the pink one?" He couldn't stop running his hands over the material.