My Prince | sunwon

18

The entire ballroom fell into sheer panic and chaos the moment Mira's sword plunged into Jungwon's side. The screaming and rushing of boots echoed in Sunoo's mind but it didn't matter. All he could see was Jungwon's blood seeping into his clothing as Mira stood over him - her eyes manic and cold. He'd never been so driven by instinct alone as he gained his footing and pulled his dagger out. In two steps he had his forearm wrapped around her chest, forced her away from Jungwon, and seamlessly sliced from one side of her neck to the other. More screams filled the air as Sunoo dropped Mira's lifeless body to the ground.

Sunoo rushed forward and fell to his knees before Jungwon. He grasped his shoulders and lifted the prince into his lap as he tried to fight back tears. "My love, oh my love, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he cried. "I should have moved faster." He leaned down and pressed kisses into Jungwon's hair as his hand pressed into bleeding wound to his side. The blood was hot and sticky under his hand. "Come on, Bunny, stay with me, okay?"

The prince groaned in Sunoo's hold and lifted his shaky and clammy hand to the side of Sunoo's neck where he was still lightly bleeding. "You're hurt," he whispered.

"It's nothing, my love," he promised. Though it pained him to, he tore his gaze away from Jungwon's and towards the rushing guards. "He needs a healer!"

Jungwon's head lolled back, and he caught sight of Mira bleeding out on the floor. He then noticed the bloody dagger lying next to Sunoo's knee. "Ah, it's...it's that d-dagger again," he said as teasingly as he could. "One of these d-days, Sunoo...I'm gonna f-figure out...where you hide it."

Sunoo shuffled the prince in his hold again, rocking him gently as he continued to hold pressure on his side. "Okay, Bunny," he agreed softly, his heart not able to tease or joke in return.

He'd failed epically in his one job in life.

While it took some convincing, Sunoo finally allowed others close enough to help move Jungwon to the infirmary, where he then kicked everyone out again as he stood vigil over the room as the healer worked inside.

"Sunoo."

The guard closed his eyes and bowed his head as his heart clenched. He turned to the sound, dropped to his knees, and pressed his forehead against the cool stone floor. "Your Majesty. I'm...I'm so sorry. I have failed both my prince and my king. I shall endure any punishment you deem fitting, though none ever could be in the way I have let down the crown and the one I swore to love and protect. I would even accept death as I would deserve it, for I could never atone--"

"Oh Sunoo," the king sighed as he bent down and urged Sunoo to stand. Once he did so, the king wrapped Sunoo in his arms and hugged him tightly.

Sunoo broke down in hysterical sobs. "I k-knew loving him would endanger him."

Kunwoo pulled back and held Sunoo at arm's length. "I will hear no such thing," he said firmly. "This was not your fault."

He shook his head. "Of course it was!" he argued. "I should have seen her coming, should have neutralized the threat. I shouldn't have let Jungwon try to talk her down...all of it. It shouldn't have happened."

The king sighed. "She shouldn't have gotten to you at all though. That was a failure on the working guards' part. You deserved to enjoy that dance together, Sunoo. Your attention was exactly where it was supposed to be. On my son. On your future husband—Sunoo, I do not blame you for this."

Sunoo's tears continued to rush down his cheeks. "I can't lose him. Not again."

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed since Jungwon was brought into the healer's facilities without movement from the sun to track. It could have been minutes or hours and Sunoo wouldn't have known the difference because every second felt like an eternity. King Yang waited with him, though they spoke very little; both too pre-occupied with spiraling fears.