𝓢𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓷'𝓼 𝓒𝓪𝓵𝓵

⏳Unfortunate News⏳

A couple days go by and everyday Seonghwa looked out at the water for hours on end until someone got his attention. Hongjoong was starting to worry, trying constantly to talk to him about what was on his mind...yet every time Seonghwa would say the same thing. He'd say he doesn't know and something just "feels off".
Hong wanted to make Hwa feel better and the only way he knew how was to get his mind off of it. He decided that they were going to go get some treasure from a few islands. They went from island to island, not able to find anything.
They made their way to the final island before sundown. Anh was starting to get a little fussy because he wanted to play, so Seonghwa decided that he would play by the water with him while the others searched. When Hwa told Hongjoong, he agreed it'd be a good idea and said he'd keep an eye on them while they looked. The island wasn't too big and they'd be visible from any side, only a few palm trees blocking the way.
They dug for a bit, not able to find anything. They thought about wrapping up the search for the day and trying tomorrow. They headed back near the ship, going to get Anh and Hwa first. They noticed Seonghwa crouched, Anh standing behind him all shy. It looked like Hwa was talking to something or someone.
When they got closer, they all saw another siren. He was decked out in armor, a trident in hand. His colors matched Hwa's which meant they were from the same nation. Hongjoong walked over, confused. "Who is this?" He asked when he got to them. "You bastard. You kidnapped our prince and harmed him. You've even made him take care of your offspring and i'm sure you've made him into a slave too." The siren said quickly, accusing Hongjoong.
    Hongjoong got defensive, ready to fight. "Stop. Stop." Seonghwa said, putting his hands up before looking at the siren. "I'll repeat myself one more time. I left on my own terms. They rescued me from bad pirates. No kidnapping was involved." He said with a sigh, turing to Hongjoong. "Take Anh to the ship. He's a guard from the castle and I need to talk to him. This sounds urgent, love." Seonghwa said to Hong. He nodded and picked Anh up, going back to the ship.
He got on the ship, put Anh down, and looked back at Hwa, checking on him. Anh tugged at Hongjoong's clothes, getting his attention. "A...Appa...I'm h...hungry..." He said meekly. Hong smiled and picked him up, taking him to the kitchen. He sat Anh on the counter and gave him a snack to ease his hunger until dinner. He set Anh back on the floor and walked to the deck, keeping an eye on Hwa. He saw Hwa's expression change to worry and got concerned.
    After a bit longer, Hongjoong saw Hwa walking back to the ship. "What happened?" Hong asked when Hwa got back. "There are signs that the castle could go under attack by a neighboring kingdom...we suspect the Enaizothage Kingdom." Hong shared a worried face with Hwa. "Isn't that the one Anh is from?" Hwa nodded. Hongjoong could sense his worry. "We need to head to the castle. My people are in danger." Hwa says. "Yes, my love. We'll set sail tonight." "With the speed of the boat...it'd take...three days." Hwa said. "Do they know when the attack is supposed to happen?" Hong asked. "I'm not sure. It could happen within the next couple of weeks." Hong rubbed Hwa's arm. "Everything is going to be okay." He said softly, kissing Hwa.
    At dinner, Hongjoong told everyone else about the attack and their plan. Everyone agreed with the plan, perfectly willing to help Hwa. They set sail that night, scheduled to arrive in three days. On the voyage to the castle, Hwa started to get nervous about a different situation. That night, Hongjoong took Hwa to the top deck to talk in private. "What's wrong? I can tell it's not about the war." He asked Hwa. "I'm just nervous about everything...What's gonna happen at the castle? How are people going to react to me starting a new life after going missing...I didn't go back to them...How is this whole attack gonna play out?" As he spoken, trying to explain, tears started to form, his throat started to close, his voice breaking. He put his hands on his head, starting to cry. Hong wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back.
After Hwa took a minute to pull himself together, Hongjoong put his hand on Hwa's face, making him look in his eyes. "Hwa, everything is going to be okay. I understand why you're so nervous and you have every right to be but you aren't alone in this. We'll all be by your side on everything. Everything's going to work out." He said softly, rubbing Hwa's head. "Take a deep breath if you start feeling this way again. Don't let everyone else's opinions and thoughts get to you." Hwa nodded.
They were about to head to bed before Hwa stopped Hongjoong to say something else. "Uhm...I found out that since we could be under attack...my brother will be there..."