Black and White «COMPLETED»

Chapter Thirty One- A Lost Soul

The Crown Prince of Eondeog Mun had not uttered one word since that incident. Rumours spread within the Palace that he was a  'bad omen child' who had caused the death of his mother. The King had tried to find out what happened, but the boy never uttered a word. In the end, the Crown Prince had been banished.

.

Tae Jun did not feel anything on his banishment. In fact, it amused him that he was given a rich compound with servants to leave in. He maintained his silence.

What people did not know, was that Tae Jun had spoken in the Palace, after he was banished, but before he left. The First Prince, Tae Min had awoken in the middle of the night, to find his little brother standing above his bed, looking down at him, a sword in his hand. He had wanted to raise alarm, but Tae Jun had shifted the sword, ever so slightly, so it was fully at his throat.

A flick of his wrists could have ended it. An unbelievable skill for a child.

"Hyeong-nim." He practically sang the term, a smile on his face. "Raising alarm is no way to greet your dongsaeng, who came to visit." He stepped closer, suddenly seriously.

"T- T- Tae- Tae Jun-ah..."

"Tch! Hyeong-nim is so tense." He said calmly. It sent shivers through Tae Min. "Are you bothered that I'm looking down on you again?" He asked, literally looking down on him. "It is odd, but I never looked down on you. But now-." He laughed fully, and Tae Min wondered why the guards had not come. Tae Jun stopped laughing suddenly.

"Now I will probably look down on you forever. But Hyeong-nim." He crouched down in front of him, the sword still skillfully held to his neck. "This position that you want so much, you can have it for as long as you want!" He had been laughing as he spoke. He drew his face closer to his own.

"A big brother like you was necessary to show a foolish me, what life is truly like in the Palace." He dropped the sword suddenly and clapped.

"Kamsahabnida! (Thank you) For educating me. Now I don't want anything to do with this sad life you have here."

Tae Min made to run, but suddenly, a knife was at his throat. This time, Tae Jun allowed it nick his skin a little, and a little blood flowed. Tae Min whimpered.

"Tch! Hyeong-nim won't even let me finish. Enjoy the position well." He picked the sword up, replacing the knife with it.

"I want to kill you. I really want to kill you. I really really really want to kill you!" He was laughing again, but tears were running down his face now. "But, Appa Mama's position will be threatened without you. Right? And me? Thanks to your education, I never want to live in the Palace again. You are only alive because of Appa Mama, so Hyeong-nim," he bowed. "Be a good ruler, and be satisfied after getting what you want." He stepped away. "May we never see each other again."

As silently as he must have come, he had left, and Tae Min collapsed to the bed. Fear and relief making him weak. He had just been threatened by a mere boy! He spent a good few minutes, breathing heavily, wondering if he had been dreaming, but the tiny cut on his neck, proved he was not. He got up and ran outside to find the guards, and he did.

But they were all strewn across the ground, dead. Tae Min knew now, that his brother had spoken the truth. He could have killed him at any time.

.

Now alone in the big compound, the little boy still rarely spoke, only opening his mouth to give necessary orders. The King had sent the son of one of the training masters, Min So Yeon, to live with him. He was not completely alone, yet the two never spoke. Just sitting in silence, occasionally looking at each other.