A Warrior's Heart

Chapter 28; Fight in the woods pt.2

Birds were chirping, the wind was slowly moving the leaves, crickets were softly making that weird sound and sunlight poured down on the ground as it shone through the tall trees.

Taehyun gasped and jolted awake. He panted for a moment before he squeezed his eyes shut up, coughing heavily and groaning as he sat up, muscles protesting with the movements. He reopened his eyes and brought a hand to his head. It pounded and it hurt, and he couldn't remember what he was doing and how he got here.

He looked up at the sky through the leaves of the trees, seeing the clear blue colour and the white clouds slowly passing by. He could tell he was deep in the woods, but he didn't know how deep.

The boy scrambled to his feet, starting to walk. He didn't know where to, but he wasn't planning on staying there the rest of his day. The further he got the more and more he felt like he was being watched. Goosebumps appeared all over his arms and he frowned. He didn't know what was up with this place but he knew it couldn't be good.

Walking hurt. Everytime he took a step forward he felt a sharp pain his in side. He used the bamboo plants growing from the ground as leverage.

When his eyes raked over a certain set of trees he suddenly saw something, it looked like a soldier on a horse. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes, but he didn't see it anymore. It had left as soon as it came.

And then it came crashing to him. Like a thousand bricks it hit him, and he suddenly remembered why he was here, the shock of falling into the forest wearing off. Why he was in this forest and why he woke up laying there on the ground.

His eyes widened in realization and he whipped his head around. He hadn't seen anyone laying next to him or close to him but he had to be around here somewhere. "Beomgyu?!" He yelled, hoping for a response. Of course there was none, so he continued to walk, quickening his pace a bit as he yelled for the boy every once in a while.

When he came to a small abyss he saw the familiar platinum blonde color, and when he approached more he saw the boy he was looking for, but not in the state he was hoping to find him in.

The prince was tied up in the middle of a circle formed of smaller circles made out of stone. In the middle of the big circle stood a platform, build up by wood and ropes and the boy stood on it.

He was still dressed in the silk, red robe he had been wearing for the wedding. It hung loosely from his shoulders and was tied at his waist with a golden belt, making it appear like a dress. The gold was slightly dirty from the fight but it still sparkled in the sun everytime he moved.

His hair hung over his forehead messily, the strands disshelved and tangled. The few golden clippings that had held a few strands together had sagged down, not making difference anymore and the chains hanging from it were knotted together now.

"Beomgyu!" Taehyun yelled for him. The prince didn't reply and the younger was guessing he was out cold. He didn't give up though, he needed the boy to respond. "Beomgyu!" He hissed again.

The prince slowly moved his head, squeezing his eyes before letting them flutter open. "Tae..?" He muttered under his breath and looked around to find him. Taehyun rushed to jump down the small abyss, almost toppling over but managing to keep his balance. He climbed up the platform and stood in front of the prince, getting a look at his face now.

The smaller boy looked so tired and worn out, his limbs weak and he almost couldn't keep his eyes open. His skin was pale, lips chapped and a small cut had been made in his cheek during the fight. Taehyun mentally cursed the man who had caused that.

"Im here, I'm here," He told the boy reassuringly. "Are you okay?" He asked and reached his hands up to tug at the restraints. Beomgyu exhaled shakily and watched the younger struggle to get the knots undone.