Afterlife || (OT7 X Reader) ✓

25: Silence of Manwolde

1362 AD

The King of Kaesong was discussing some problems related to the kingdom with the noblemen when the spy entered. He knelt in front of the king and he looked at him. "Princess Haeguk was slaughtered," he informed and King Taemoo sighed, nodding and dismissing him.

He exited the hall and the king continued to speak to the noblemen when Lady Miyeon, along with the other prince and princesses entered the hall. "Princess Haeguk was killed," Taemoo said and Miyeon felt a pang in her heart but remained silent, nodding in agreement while Taehyun's eyes widened at the news.

"What?"

Lady Miyeon turned to him. "Take a seat down, Prince Taehyun," she ordered in a stern tone but Taeoh walked over to his father. "Father, what is this? What do you mean by Haeguk was killed?" He asked in pure disbelief. 

"She was slaughtered by our spy on my order-"

"Father! What did you do?" Taehyun barked and rushed to his throne but the noblemen held him back. Taeoh glared at his father. "What? This doesn't make sense! How can you order your own daughter to be slaughtered?"

"Leave me!" Taehyun screamed, struggling in the hands of the noblemen. "She disrespected her own father by marrying a general and running away! This was the only choice!" Queen Yoora stated while entering the hall and looking at Taehyun.

"No! This is not fair! This is not what parents would do!" Taeoh yelled. Yugyeom and Hyeri rolled their eyes at their brother's words. "I don't want to stay in this palace a moment longer!" Taehyun shouted, yanking his hands from the others and glaring at his mother before walking away.

But suddenly a soldier entered the hall, causing him to stop. "The fort has been compromised! We have been attacked!" He screamed and everyone present in the hall was left bewildered.

"Prepare forces!" Taemoo yelled and the soldier looked at him. "But we lack a general, Your Highness," he pointed out and Taemoo rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"I will be the commander and lead the army, father!" Taeoh said and looked at Yugyeom. "Yes, we have to protect the kingdom from the Kims!" He said and Taemoo nodded. 

"Miyeon, escort the queen and others to the safety room," he ordered and Miyeon agreed, taking Taehyun and Hyeri along with Queen Yoora to the safety sector. "I will be protecting the throne!" Taemoo ordered and Taeoh and Yugyeom nodded before exiting the hall.

Taeoh ran towards the horse kept outside Manwolde and rode it towards the exterior of the fort, followed by Yugyeom. The hundreds of armies followed them with their horses, holding their swords and arrows. But they were stopped when the huge wooden door, guarding the fort was broken down.

Taeoh prepared for the battle, gripping his sword tightly in his hand but squinted his eyes when he looked at the flag of the opponent's side. It was supposed to be Kim. But instead, it read,

Jeon

"Hanseong! They are attacking us?" Taeoh questioned but Yugyeom's horse galloped forward, ready to pierce the sword at anyone who came forward but instantly he was executed while sitting on his horse, given no moment to fight back when the armored soldier glided the blade across his neck.

"Jungkook?" Taeoh whispered as he noticed Jungkook approaching him, riding the horse with the sword in his hand. Taeoh tightened his hold on the sword, waiting to fight. "The people of the kingdom weren't harmed, Prince Taeoh." One of his soldiers said to him.

Taeoh was ready to swing his sword but Jungkook put his sword back into the scabbard, approaching him with cold eyes. "Don't worry, Prince Taeoh. I won't kill you," Jungkook stated blankly, getting down from the horse but Taeoh blocked him with his sword right in front of his chest, causing him to halt on his steps and he turned to gaze at Taeoh. 

There was no fight. The soldiers of Hanseong silently entered the fort, but none of them made a move to fight. They were quietly watching Jungkook walk towards Manwolde. So were the army of Kaesong, they didn't dare point their sword at their once general. "You betrayed us, General Jeon. You actually joined Hanseong to overthrow us?" Taeoh asked. Jaehyun approached them, all armoured and with a sword in his hand.

"Address him as the Crowned Prince of Haesong, Jeon Jungkook!" He announced and everyone gasped while looking at Jungkook in surprise. Taeoh furrowed his brows, lowering his sword. "Why did you join the Kaesong army while you were younger then?" He asked and Jungkook passed him a bitter smile.

"Because I fell in love with Princess Haeguk at the Lantern Festival show when I secretly visited Kaesong with Dongmin. I wanted to be with her but Hanseong and Kaesong were rival kingdoms. No one would allow me to be near her so I hid my real identity and joined the forces and made friends with her," he mumbled, recalling the old times but his smile faltered, "But then I got to know how she was treated by her own family. I became stronger because I had to protect her from her own family. I became a general despite being a crowned prince of my own kingdom-"

"You are a liar," Taeoh whispered but Jungkook kept saying his point. "But in the end, I failed to protect her. From all of you." He said in a firm tone and glared at him from the corner of his eyes. Taeoh looked down in shame. "We didn't know that father would go to this extent-"

"You not only failed as a crowned prince but as a brother, Crowned Prince Taeoh," Jungkook said and he sucked in a breath, looking down. "You also lied to us."

"My lie didn't cause any harm. Your irresponsibility cost my wife's life," he said and looked at Taeoh who looked at him with big eyes. "She was my sister too!"

"Yes, the sister for whom you could never stand up. If I was a crowned prince and the king insulted my sister then I would never tolerate it! And forget about your sister." Jungkook said and turned to everyone.

"Remove Kang Haeguk from all of your memories as Princess Haeguk of Kaesong! She will be remembered as Jeon Jungkook's wife!" He shouted and looked at Taeoh. "And since your father  can sacrifice his own flesh and blood so easily." Jungkook mumbled and looked at the soldiers, "Do you think he will ever think for once before sacrificing one of you?" 

The soldiers looked down, Taeoh swallowed the lump in his throat and moved away from the entrance of Manwolde, clearing Jungkook's direction. No more words were exchanged, the entire palace was silent. "All you could have done was stood up for her, Prince Taeoh," Jungkook commented before walking past him. The soldiers made way for him to enter Manwolde.

Jaehyun noticed tears in Taeoh's eyes as he was looking at the ground. "I lost my sister too." He sobbed softly. Jaehyun tapped his shoulder while looking at Jungkook's back climbing up the stairs to Manwolde. His once proud shoulders seemed to be slouched but he knew why,

"You might have lost a sister. But my brother lost his wife of a few hours who was his lifeline since he was young. And he blames himself for having failed to protect her."

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You know what happens next? I don't know too. I don't know if this story is good but I missed writing thrillers and action. So here you go.