Faceless King, Hidden Princess (COMPLETED)

Chapter 20

My sword was pressed to the back of Seonu's neck. My brother gestured to me to take it off his neck. I hesitated, but reluctantly removed it. "In my mind I have killed you over and over again because you killed my one and only friend. So, I can't forgive you. Whenever I see you, I still couldn't kill you even after I knew you were the King. I wanted to believe that you weren't the King." They were silent before my brother lowered his sword, and threw it to the side. He looked defeated. "If you must kill me in order for it to end, strike me. But will it really end if you kill me? How many more must you kill for it to end? Will it end if you kill the officials and the noblemen? It won't. Someone else takes their place and they will do the same thing. Whom will you kill then? I wanted to change Silla with you. I wanted to prevent deaths caused by the Bone Rank System. I dreamed of becoming more than Silla and unifying the three Kingdoms. But if this is where it ends.." My brother was cut off as Seonu violently and quickly lowered his sword, I jumped, hearing something that sounded like something being sliced. I waited to see would my brother collapse to the ground, but he didn't. Something caught my eye on the ground, and when I looked I saw my brother's King's bracelet, in two pieces on the ground, blood from my brother's wrist dripping on top of it.

"Now, we are no longer in debt." Seonu said. Silent tears felt from my brother's face. "Is this the end?"

"We have different paths." Seonu told him. "Then, I guess the next time we meet, we will be enemies." That made me so uneasy.

A day later, my brother was coming to Hwarang House because he had an announcement to make. We were all standing in a formation, waiting for him to appear.

When he did all the boys were looking at him. He looked so cool in the King-like clothes he was wearing. They suited him. All the boys were saying different things about him. "He looks cold hearted and cruel." One of them said. I glared at the kid who said it and he cowered as soon as he saw me looking at him. "Watch it." I warned, getting irritated, but Banryu, who was beside me, took my hand, calming me.

"Hwarangs, show respect to the King." We were told, and we did so. "I'm the Master of Hwarang, King Jinheung. While I was in Hwarang, I saw how lazy and weak you were. You were spoiled children of powerful families." He wasn't wrong. The privilege that some of them felt they had at the start just because of their parent's status was shocking. I mean, Banryu is fine now, but at the start he was the same. A lot of them were.

"However, Hwarang will now be reborn from head to toe under the control of Silla's Royal Family which will help you become strong warriors." Sounds fair.

A voice spoke up behind us. "Is the King standing over there any different?" It was Seonu. He walked to the top and spoke to my brother. "I believe both you and Hwarang are weak and powerless, Your Majesty." Seonu said. "Seonu, show your respect." My brother asked him. Seonu continued to stare at him. "Seonu, I said show your respect." He demanded again. He still refused. If I had my sword....

Jinheung ignored him and continued talking. "There will be an abdication four days from now. As the Royal guards and Hwarangs that serve the King, you shall fulfil your obligations."

Seonu interrupted. "Hwarang must be free. Only when they think and move on their free will, they are able to dream of the future of a new Silla. I'm sure you have heard this before, Your Majesty."

"Are you going against me now?" My brother challenged. "I'm telling you that we will decide for ourselves, if we will accept you as our King! Aren't you confident that you will be chosen?"

"Tea?" My brother asked. Suho called the two of us to the palace. Apparently, the Queen has been drinking diluted poisoned tea for years, and it's starting to show effects now. "Did you just say tea?" I asked, unsure if I heard it correctly.