Of Roses and Daisies | Rawoong +18

Just This Once

He heard Hwanwoong quietly sighing as he looked at him from head to toe: "You didn't even bring a weapon with you?" He asked, quite informally, noticing the other was dressed the same simple way as he had been the previous day and that he had only a small satchel with him, probably for the book. "I can't believe this is happening to me..." He whispered to himself, clearing his voice right after. "We should be very careful, Your Majesty. I will take both of us out of here..."

"Thank you, Ser Yeo-"

"-but please..." The prince of the Kingdom of Daisies put his index finger in front of his own lips. "Keep quiet, Your Majesty."

Youngjo offered the other a smile before they resumed walking in silence.

The more they moved forward, the more the cave looked darker and Hwanwoong couldn't believe the way back was taking them so long differently from how quickly he had reached the bottom of the cave on his own. He was impressed the prince hadn't shared a word with him since he had told him to do so and he was glad for the other's collaboration. Youngjo had been so silent, the prince of Daisies had even turned around more than once to check if everything was alright and he had always found the other's eyes staring at his back like a black stray cat in the darkness.

He still couldn't believe he was leading the other prince out of the cave instead of killing him right away but, on second thoughts, it would have been better for him not to do it there. They were in the middle of an official royal trial which meant anyone could have discovered him and sound the alarm. He had to be careful, he couldn't just kill the other that way. He needed a better plan and he needed to become someone close to the prince so that no one would have never had suspects on him. Despite the king of the Kingdom of Daisies had told him to simply kill the other prince, Hwanwoong had morals and he knew he had hesitated at the bottom of the cave also because to take his opponent's life while he was asleep would have been such a dishonor for his title, for his people. He had been preparing for so long he couldn't help wishing to beat the other prince in a fair fight at least.

Hwanwoong abruptly stopped as soon as he clearly heard the grunt of a wild boar very close to them.

"What-" Youngjo started whispering before the knight rushed his hand towards his mouth. Then, Ser Yeo put his free hand on the other's chest to push him until his back hit the wall of the cave. Their eyes met and the prince of Roses nodded to make Hwanwoong understand he had gotten his message.

When he did, the knight immediately reached out to both his own oil lamp and the prince's to turn them off. They stood dead silent in the darkness, waiting. Youngjo could feel the other's heart beating fast through their bodies pressed against each other, until a big wild boar appeared not far from them. It was a female, judging by the group of cute piglets walking closely behind her: they all seemed very peaceful but the prince of Roses had read a book about wild animals and he knew female boars were the most likely to attack only when they felt threatened.

Youngjo sighed in relief when he realized the happy family would have probably walked past them ignoring them if they had stood as hidden in that corner of the cave as they were. Suddenly, the prince looked down when he felt Hwanwoong's wrist moving: he had his hand around the handle of his sword and his big eyes were focused on the animal as if he were ready to attack anytime soon.

Ser Yeo gave him a very confused look when the prince put a hand on his own, keeping him from pulling out his sword and catch a good prize for his upcoming dinner. Youngjo desperately tried to make the other understand he shouldn't have attacked them not to provoke them but the knight was determined to do what hunters usually do, pushing the prince's hand away. Youngjo tightened his grip around the other's hand and, when Hwanwoong tried to push him away again and the prince of Roses tried to get in his way, he inadvertently hit their oil lamps, making them fall with a loud sound.