300 𝖸𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖠𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 | 𝖸𝖾𝗈𝗇𝖡𝗂𝗇 » 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋

14 : 𝖣𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖤𝗆𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗋

「⛩️」

「Prince Soobin's POV」

At last..

I watched as the last drops of the poison went into the teacup.

All my plans are slowly unfolding to success..

Father coughed lowly behind me. We were both in his room just for a casual afternoon chatter when I decided to offer him his last cup of tea before he sees mother in the other side.

"I don't know what to do with your brother anymore, Soobin."

"You once told me, father." I smirked and gave him his drink. "Yeonjun will soon grow for the throne. You should not worry."

"I know." He sighed. "But I can't help but doubt sometimes."

"Don't we all? Drink, father. It will ease your troubles."

He smiled at me slightly and went for a gulp. Just one is already enough to take him out in a matter of seconds.

"Thank you, son. I know that I could definitely confide in you."

"It's a pleasure, father."

"I wish Yeonjun could be as wise as you." He coughed again.

"Too bad he isn't."

Father laid back on his bed and coughed harder. I stood still beside him, just watching him slowly die away in inevitable pain. He began to breathe heavily and clutch his chest. I took out a folded paper from my pocket and placed it down near his other hand. His eyes looked at me in terror.

"What.. Are you doing..?!"

I smiled, never uttered a word. Father grabbed my wrist to stop me but he was already growing weak. I let him get a grip of me until it gradually loosened. He finally closed his eyes and breathed out the last of his life.

Emperor Choi Da Eun has finally rested.

[Third Person's POV]

Y/N was in her room when she heard scurrying footsteps outside the halls. All of the servants in the palace were muttering and chatting in panic. She immediately got out to join the racket.

"What's going on?" She asked Miss Kang who was in hysterics.

"His Majesty! He's dead! He's dead!"

She felt her heart sink as the sensation of ice cold water dunked all over her body. The Emperor is dead. Prince Soobin is slowly making moves for his plans. A lot of servants flocked outside the court room to witness the unbearable news. Y/N tiptoed from behind the crowd and caught glimpse of Prince Soobin shedding a tear beside the Emperor as the royal doctor packed away after failing to revive him for the last time.

Y/N pushed through and squeezed herself between the latter. Everyone was just bummed, refusing to believe the horrible reality in front of them. She managed to get in front to pay a closer look.

"No.." She crumbled down. "No.. This can't be.."

She pitifully stared at the Emperor's lifeless body and noticed something familiar laying within his right hand. A paper. With golden weaves of thread all over.

"I.. I recognize that one.."

She recalled Prince Soobin ordering her to buy the same thing from an old shop. The exact color, texture and details woven together made it click into her mind. It was all part of Prince Soobin's stage play.

"A letter.." Prince Soobin sniffled as he picked it up and read.

"What does it say, Your Highness?"

Prince Soobin looked up at them with tears streaming down his pained face. "Father had bid us goodbye all too soon. He's taken away his own life in fear of not being able to endure all his hardships any longer.."

A few broke down while other silently sobbed. Y/N clenched her fists. She knew none of those things were true. She knew Emperor Da Eun would've wanted to live longer to witness Prince Yeonjun take over his seat. But not until Prince Soobin decided to be a monstrous traitor and change everything. She was furious. She was disgusted. She wanted to charge and him and choke the life out of his body but being jut a slave at his father's kingdom did her no good.

"STEP ASIDE!" A voice boomed from behind.

All except Y/N frantically obeyed. Prince Yeonjun came pushing everyone away. He stood beside Y/N and froze at the sight of his lifeless father on the bed. Y/N glanced at him worriedly. He was shaking. Tears were welling from his eyes.

"Father.." He spoke through pitched voice.

Y/N tried to reach. "Your H-"

"NO!!"

Prince Yeonjun bolted into the room and hugged the corpse. Unlike Prince Soobin, he let out a loud cry. The one that depicted anguish. He didn't even care about the witnesses. What was on his mind was his father and only his father who was already gone without a notice.

"Father!" He shook the old man. "Father!!"

"Stop, Yeonjun. He's never waking up." Prince Soobin said.

"NO!!" Prince Yeonjun trashed around. "NO!!"

"Yeonjun."

"Bring him back." He held the doctor's collar and violently shook him. "I ORDER YOU TO BRING HIM BACK!"

"There's no use!" Prince Soobin pulled him away. "Father is dead! He's gone!"

Y/N could no longer bear the sight. It was too much. It made her want to vomit. Covering her mouth, she rushed out of the scene and into the garden for space and air. There, she fell to her knees and cried.

"God.. Why..?!"

She sobbed and sobbed until her chest felt extremely heavy and her breath hitched. She wasn't able to save the Emperor and now, she's afraid she might not be able to do the same thing to the Prince. She thought of herself as a failure. Someone who wasn't in fit for the honor to alter the kingdom's fate.

"I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.." She whispered as if the Emperor's soul could hear her. "Forgive me, Your Majesty.."