Stray Princes

Where now? | Ch5

❗️Mentions of death, violence, and blood. ⚠️

"So..father is really gone..?" Nana whispered as she held Jeongin closely locked in her arms.

"Yes..Your father passed..The kingdom is being over run. We must get you princesses out of here..The kingdom of..Ahem. Alluvia is the kingdom your father wanted you all to be held in. They are allies. Seungmin, do you mind loading everything up?" Chan said, laying on his bed, wounds wrapped to perfection over his body as Seungmin gave a curt nod and walked out of the room.

"Alluvia..But thats a long few hours from here..And all of you are injured. How will we go when our troop has no protection and is in no shape to do much saving?" Arianna said as she crossed her arms and looked around the room.

"That is exactly why we must move quickly. It's night. They're probably taking over the main kitchen in your castle and..drinking. It'll be a long journey..but we all know how to get there from here." Woojin smiled and Chan nodded as he held the wound next to his head.

"Girls you must listen to him. These..boys know what they're doing." Mother smiled slightly.

"You're coming with us..right mother?" Nana walked up to the older woman as she shook her head slightly.

"I'm sorry girls..But I must reside here. This is my country. And there may not be a king to rule it, but if there is a queen, there is hope." Mother smiled sadly as she caressed her daughters.

"But mother! What if something were to happen to you?! What if-" Arianna spoke slowly.

"They wouldn't be dumb enough to kill me..if they do however, I entrust you girls to come back and fight for the freedom of our people." Mother spoke softly into their ears. "Now go. The moonlight only lasts for so long until the sun comes to ruin your cover. I love you all. And boys...keep me paged." She said as she urged us all out of the door and closed it right behind us.

"Alright then. Which one of you  is willing to ride front line to keep me company? Chan's still recovering so I will leave him to Lady Heidi. Now, anyone?" Jisung asked as he gestured towards the front horse.

Arianna looked around and sighed, already making her way to the horse as Jisung was preparing to help her before Hyunjin swooped by and helped her up the horse himself, following right behind her. "How about two people to keep you company?" Hyunjin raised a brow.

Jisung rolled his eyes and smirked. "Alright. The more the merrier then." Jisung hopped on the other horse beside it and checked behind to make sure everyone was seated in the wooden carriages behind them. "Everyone comfy? It's going to take awhile." He said as he didn't really wait for an answer as he grabbed the reins and went full speed, Hyunjin grabbing his own reins and speeding up to keep with Jisung's pace.

Some time later..
"Okay everyone..who isn't sleeping.. The horses need to rest up for awhile and get some water. Now is a better time than ever for you guys to stretch and get some fresh air without being cooped up." Jisung spoke as he dismounted the horse and opened up the flap to the large carriage.

Wordlessly, Nana walked out and stretched by the horses and treaded along a rocky path, her feet sore from the trip leading her to be less than graceful. "Come here often?" Changbin asked as he tapped her shoulder and held out a small daisy to her.

"You mean, have regicide happen, run from my only home, abandon my people and make them loose hope for their lives, and run off to a river bank? Yeah sure. I come here often." Nana crossed her arms infront of her chest as she turned her back to the male and kept walking down the stream as Changbin struggled to keep up, at loss for words on what to say.

"Heyy..I um.. I know its hard but I promise.. once we get to Alluvia everything will.. improve. We will get your people and you guys back home. I promise." Changbin gave a light smile as he blocked the path in front of her. "May I?" He gestured the flower towards her hair.

"...You may." Nana closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Changbin stepped closer and closer until she heard him stop moving. He gently caressed the side of her face, then moved his hand towards her hair, tucking a strand gently behind her ear and placing the delicate flower right behind her ear with it.

"All done." Changbin smiled gently as he moved a few steps back. Nana raised a brow and looked at for her reflection in the water until Changbin placed his hands on both sides of her face, making soothing small strokes to her cheeks as he looked her firm in the eyes. "You look beautiful. You ARE beautiful. Always were and always are." He smiled at her as Nana took his hands off her face and clasped her hands over his own.

"Thank you, Sir Changbin." She smiled teasingly and kept walking forward, followed by a small Changbin's "WAIT UP!" Leaving them giggling as they walked down the riverbank.

Somewhere on the other side of the riverbank..

"Felix..Do you really think we can pull this kinda thing off? I mean..We were supposed to come here to be suitable for our country and people..and now that this place is being over run..Now what are we to do..I mean obviously protecting the girls and their people is our number one priority, but what about us? What do we gain from this? I mean what? We'll just have to make do and hope something new happens?" Minho sighed as he put his face in his hands and leaned his back against a tree stump with a huff and a small laugh.

"Don't talk like that. We came here for our our gain, yeah. But can't you see? We are learning about the people here and their culture. The girls. Valoria. They are our neighbors, they can come in handy as our allies one day when we need it. We don't want fuck things up here. We can't afford to. Let's listen to father's orders for now."

Minho smirked and got stepped forward to Felix with a sadistic smile. "So what? Father wants us to play family now? And we're supposed to be  pretty obedient sons who obey his beck and call. You're becoming soft. Don't think I forgot about all the events that happened one night two springs ago. Or maybe..You'd prefer if I told your new play girl?"He smirked as he pushed Felix against the tree with a knife to his neck, gently pushing it to his skin.

"You wouldn't dare. You know the consequences more than I do..Isn't that right?" Felix smirked and raised a brow towards Minho. "Don't think I don't know about you either. Let's see..How about your dear old m-"

CRUNCH!

The boys whipped their heads around as Minho stepped back and dared him to say another word, gesturing his head to follow the sound mouthing a 'we'll talk later' as they approached the woods again. Not long after they heard more leaves crunching as it would sound like someone is running away. They looked at each other and began quickly sprinting after the person. A scream being heard ahead as they heard the noises halt as they caught up to the alleged eavesdropper.

"Well well. If you're going to eavesdrop you could've done a much better job than that. And from the looks of it, you're a woman.. it's like your employer is begging me to just take you huh.." Minho smirked and edged towards the cloaked woman who was holding her now bleeding knee to her chest, the bottom of her dress in shambles. "What do you think Felix? How should we deal with her?" He smiled sadistically and looked towards him.

"I think we should question her. Should she be a threat, we'll deal with it accordingly. Go on speak up." He gestured towards the small shaking woman as he sat infront of her, holding the sword at his side tightly.

Instead of answering, she shook her head and started sliding backwards, until she is met with a tree stump to her back, knocking the wind out of her as the cloak fell from her head, hand clutching her chest as she heaved for air, her small from shaking as her eyes widen in terror at being caught.

"..Princess Mana..?"