An Ode to Maehwa | kth

Chapter 50: The Cost

There was a lava whirling in the stomach, and it always came out passing through throat burning, and splatter the white sheet with crimson. Lady Myungok knew she was dying. She didn't know the reason why, though. She was born with a healthy physique, not really needing a doctor as she grew up. She was determined to live longer than Eunjeong, who seemed so fragile a wind could crush her. But here she was, painting her bed sheets with her own blood.

But she couldn't die. Not until she saw her son sit on the throne. Not until she earned the title as an Empress and not a consort. But why won't Namjoon, her only son, her treasured son listen to her anymore? All she wished for was the best of him, and she knew she could lead him through under her wings, yet now he seemed to be so far away.

Why? Why? Why?

"Lady," a voice was heard.

She snapped her head up and flipped her head frantically. No one should be here. After Namjoon had left, she was supposed to be left alone. Then she spotted a silhouette on her paper window, shone by the moonlight. It was a full moon, outline of the person clearly man, but it wasn't enough to differentiate a friend from foe.

"Who's that!" she demanded.

"I'm your humble servant," the silhouette replied. "Tonight I came here to complete the order and collect our pay."

Lady Myungok glared at the silhouette, standing there, not approaching or leaving.

"I came here to assassinate the one you despise."

"Black Lotus?" she huffed. "It's about time you stop failing and prove what you have been gloating as your worth."

"Certainly," the man said. "We keep our words, and that's our principle."

She scoffed. As if their failure at killing Misun and her fetus and killing Seokjin wasn't enough of an embarrassment.

"And we expect our customers to keep their words too. When they break, they will get back what they deserve."

"What?"

"Our plan was to kill the Crown Prince on the way back, with your son being on our side. Then why are my men dead by your son's sword?"

"Wait-"

"It costs you his life, Lady. You shall pay the price."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

And the shadow was gone.

"No-"

Lady Myungok heaved, standing up on her weakened legs, and ran out of her room, crying for her son.

"Namjoon! Namjoon-"

The night was eerily quiet as the four prodded their way back to their residence. Sure, they used the backdoor to not gather unwanted attention to them, but it seemed too quiet. The courtyard seemed dead, with not a single person around, not even a sound of an owl.

Suddenly, a black figure landed before Seokjin, and he didn't need to think twice to draw his sword.

"Hyungnim!" Taehyung yelled from the back, wanting to assist but he himself was faced by two other assassins, who sneakily approached from behind. Three swords clashed, one with Taehyung, one with Jungkook, one with Hoseok who stood in between the one aiming for Seokjin.

Namjoon was trailing them closely until he lost their sight. Shit, he groaned. Maybe he should inform the guards, but where were they anyway? His thoughts were cut off when he heard a desperate cry of his name.

"...Joon! Namjoon!"

"Mother?"

He widened his eyes at seeing his sickly mother run to him, and he caught her midway. She was panting, her hair dishevelled and she looked desperate.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be-"

"Go hide yourself! Go lock yourself up in a room and don't ever come out! Not until the morning. I'll hire the guards and, and-"

"What are you saying?"

Then he heard a clashing sound. He gasped. He'd never mistake the sound of swords, and there was a fight, he needed to go.

"No, Namjoon, wait!"

His mother cried for him, but he slipped out of her hold, and ran.

"Why are you heading to the royal residence?"

You huffed as you followed Yoongi from behind. He was walking too briskly and you were having a hard time catching up.

"And at the middle of the night?"

"It's none of your business. And I told you to go back to your room."

"Not when you look like that!"

It was a total coincidence when you got up somewhere in the night, and strangely felt jittery inside. You couldn't get back to sleep, so you decided to take a walk, bumping into Yoongi who wore a stern face. The Yoongi you were used to had a deadpan face almost like nothing in the world mattered, or a smug face when he found the fun in taunting you, or rolling his eyes when he was so done with you. But never this. Never looking like he was over the edge, his breath so shallow.

You were sure some guard would stop you on the way, because even if you were an official, you couldn't just visit royals, definitely not late at night. But there was no one. It was silent. And everything was out of the ordinary. You felt the jitter swell in your stomach.

"Hyung!" Jungkook yelled, fending a strike.

Black Lotus, Taehyung thought. He didn't have a glance at the tattoo, but he was sure of it. Feeling the heaviness of the blow that numbed his arms, he knew they were of another level from who he had fought in the city. He quickly glanced around to see Jungkook and Hoseok fighting two other men—but were they only three? There was a chance there could be more, and anxiety coiled in his gut. He couldn't use so much time on one assassin.

Seokjin must have thought the same as he dashed to his residence, desperate to protect his wife and his unborn child. It was also when Jungkook gave a fatal strike on the man's leg. The one Taehyung was holding back caught a glimpse of Seokjin going away, and decided he wouldn't.

"Don't you dare!" Taehyung growled, chasing after the man when he caught you arriving at the courtyard at the corner of his eyes.

What is y/n doing here?

And that short loss of track had let the man go. Hoseok wouldn't let the assassin touch his master. Giving a strong blow to the man he was fighting back, he bought time to run after Seokjin, but now he had two men against him.

"Hyungnim!" another cry was heard. It was Namjoon heaving in air at the corner of the building, followed by his mother gasping for air, crying for her son.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion, yet it was only a snap.

A man in front of Hoseok snapped his sword, Hoseok receiving the blow.

A man behind Hoseok lounging at him, as Taehyung and Jungkook rushed, still far away from him to do anything.

A sword slid against Hoseok's back, as he became unable to withstand, kneeling on one knee to the ground.

Seokjin turned around at the sound. He stumbled at Hoseok being vulnerable.

The two assassins gloated, both raising their swords at the weakened enemy.

Taehyung snaps on one of them.

The other one shoves his sword forward. It sinks in the body.

There's a cry echoing through the night sky. No one knows if it was you, Namjoon, Jungkook, or maybe, everybody.

Seokjin felt a heavy burn on his abdomen.

The full moon was implausibly beautiful that night.