Promise- Minsung

Chapter Forty One

The Black Masks were getting out of control, their attacks leaving more and more of their guards dead. The assassins were getting better, and the Han Palace was losing guards.

Jeongyeon was getting anxious with no news from her traveling husband and feeling that her baby was unsafe here in the Han Palace.

"Should I send you to the Han Palace to stay with Prince Yongbok?" Jisung had offered, but Jeongyeon had refused, saying that if she went there, the Lee princes and their people who were staying there would become targets too.

And it had become clear who the targets were now.

The king and queen, of course. And Princess Jeongyeon and young Prince Han Yeong. Jisung was sure that sending Yeong away was the best thing for the small prince, but Jeongyeon refused to let him go out of her sights, and since giving birth, she had fallen ill with a sickness that left her drained and unable to get out of bed.

It was impossible to tell if the people in the San Palace were also doing well, or even if they were dead. Starting the week before, any communications between the two palaces had been cut off as their messengers had been either gravely injured or killed trying to get letters to the San Palace. It was safe to assume the same of the San Palace's messengers.

Captain Kim was puzzled with where these men were coming from. When they attacked, they just came in small numbers and if there were assassins still alive after the attack, they would disappear without a trace.

And while this was going on, Queen Hae-won had become more and more assertive about the creation of an heir for the throne.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she began to slide her hanbok from her thin shoulder, revealing a full chest that normally Jisung would have dove to, but now... something was different.

"Stop it," he muttered, turning away. "If you don't stop, I'll have you sent back to your father's house."

"But, my dear..." she said in a sultry voice. "Don't let that man ruin you. You want me, I know you do."

"Stop," Jisung stood up and walked to the door where the night was full and the moon hung above the palace. "Know your place."

"You are the king!" the queen muttered as she quickly tied her hanbok back in place. "Isn't it your place to create an heir?"

"Leave it," Jisung growled. He slipped out of the room quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself. He had become more cautious, thinking that there could be hidden men trying to kill him at any turn.

He instead went to where he had found himself staying much of the time these days; Minho's old room.

The room had lost its scent, but still... there was something comforting even if Minho wasn't inside.

Jisung sat down on the bed, running his hand over the soft pillow. "What's wrong with me..." he murmured, rubbing his forehead. "What has become of me?"

His country was in un-rest and he couldn't figure out what to do. There was only so much he could do without knowing who these assassins were, and even as he had his men working on it, more and more of his people were dying.

Tension was growing. Jisung was sure... one of these nights a huge raid would go down. These small attacks on the palace had just been to get a feel for the Han Palace, not to actually kill the queen, king, princess or prince.

Jisung lay down among the silks, turning his face to the side. If he really tried, he could almost picture Minho still there, sharing a bed with him like they had those months ago. Even with Jisung denying the fact that he never looked at Minho with interest or desire, he still missed Minho's presence in the palace.