He Walks Alone in the Moonlight

SELFLESS SELF-DESTRUCTION

Minjoo rose to greet the Crown Prince, bowing slightly. "I had him eat as soon as he woke up, but there hasn't been much progress otherwise." The Crown Prince eyed the tray full of a half-eaten meal. His eyes met Jihyun's, and the servant noticed the dark circles under them, how tired the prince looked overall, as if he had not slept a wink last night.

"Did you not like the food?" As soon as the prince addressed him, Jihyun ducked his head.

"I-It is not t-that, your highness. I am just not used to such a large m-meal," Jihyun stuttered as he twisted the blanket between his hands, willing himself to stop shaking.

"Very well. I will keep that in mind next time. I told them to prepare the finest, but I suppose it would be best to feed you what you are used to." The Crown Prince motioned for the doctor to go ahead, and the white-robed man knelt beside Jihyun, opening his case that smelled of earthy medicines. Jihyun crinkled his nose but offered a small smile to the doctor. His name was Min Raejoon, and he had been the camp doctor for as long as Jihyun could remember. He was the one who had nursed Jihyun's mother through her sickness, and for the longest time, Jihyun could see the regret in the man's eyes every time he looked a Jihyun, as, in the end, he had been unable to save her. It was only in the recent years, after Jihyun had suffered a sever fever, that the two had gotten close, and Jihyun had come to view Raejoon as a most trusted senior, as close to a father as Jihyun had ever known. It was why Jihyun had been treated despite the Crown Prince's order. Raejoon had threatened to leave the camp if they didn't allow him to treat Jihyun, and had promised to take full responsibility for any trouble that came after.

"How are you feeling, Jihyun?" Raejoon's voice calmed him as Jihyun decided to focus solely on the doctor, pretending entirely that the other two men in the room did not exist, he didn't think he'd be able to breathe otherwise.

"I am alright. What about you? Nothing happened?" Jihyun's dark eyes scanned Raejoon's body for any signs of injury. Raejoon chuckled as he began to pull various small jars of salves from his bag. Satisfied that Raejoon was unscathed, Jihyun reached for the roll of bandages and began to roll out strips of cloth for the doctor to use. "Let me help you, I know it is a lot of work to take care of me, especially in the cold season where so many others need your expertise." Jihyun thought of one of the pregnant maids, and his heart wrenched with guilt that he may be taking away the time and supplies she would need in a month's time. "How little of this can we use? I know Maeri is pregnant, and it will be hard to get more supplies when the snow falls, perhaps-" Raejoon placed a wrinkled hand on Jihyun's arm, shaking his head firmly.

"In a time even like this, you are worrying about others. I have enough to treat you, and Maeri is not due for several more weeks. However, you are hurt now, so you will be treated now, Jihyun." Raejoon grabbed the roll of cloth from Jihyun and motioned for him to take off his shirt. All at once Jihyun  once again became aware of the other two men in the room, and his face flushed with embarrassment. They had seen his body before when he was chained to the whipping post, but to allow himself to be so vulnerable again in front of them, in front of him, Jihyun shuddered at the thought.

As if sensing his train of thought, Minjoo said "We should probably go, your highness." It was obvious the Crown prince wished to protest, but the look in Minjoo's eyes said there was no room for bargaining. So quietly only the prince could hear, Minjoo added, "if you want him to trust you, start by giving him his privacy. Besides, seeing his wounds will only upset you now." The crown prince let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms, before making his way to the door and exiting the room, Minjoo hot on his trail.

The crown prince was angry, but not at Minjoo, for forcing him out of the room, and not at his other companions, who had barraged him with questions until dawn, but at himself. He couldn't bring himself to breathe as he watched Jihyun smile at the doctor, as he watched the injured servant prepare his own dressings, as he heard Jihyun voice his concern for his fellow servant, offering to skimp on his own treatment for the off chance that there might not be enough medicine. For the crown prince to be paired with such a person, he found that fate was as unbelievably cruel to Jihyun as it was blessed to him. Minjoo cleared his throat when they exited the house, greeted by Chang, Jaeon, and Songmin.

"Minjoo, do you know what the hell is going on? He wouldn't tell us anything," Chang whined, lacing his arm through Minjoo's who pushed him off and cast a glance at Jaeon. "Don't start, Chang. I can't tell you anything without his highness' permission."

"So there is something going on," Songmin discerned, pushing lightly at his bifocals. "Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that you wanted to bring that servant back to the palace with us?" the scholar questioned.

"Let's talk of this in private. It will be easier to explain in detail with all of you together." Minjoo and the crown prince shared an unspoken agreement in their gaze as the party made their way across the yard and into the crown prince's temporary residence. No matter what was spoken, bringing up the vision of the coup, and of Jihyun's death, was forbidden.