[C] The Most Beloved Consort || Kookv

Chapter 12

Chaeyoung gripped her sword harshly, trying to regain some focus while parrying against the swift and precise strokes of her opponent.

Her vision started to blur from the excessive blood loss and each movement is getting too heavy for her body.

"Ugh..." Umji groaned, losing consciousness in the alley. She trembled at the sight of Chaeyoung fighting a losing battle against her lover and she swallowed, knowing that she would be next.

The memories from moments ago rushed back to her.

"Just right ahead, we will get onto the carriage I had prepared for us," her lover said as he pulled her towards the dark alleys behind the inn.

Umji clutched onto her lover's hand tightly and she said, "and my mother?"

He replied with annoyance creeping into his tone, Umji being too slow for his liking, "did you think I would leave her behind? She is already on the carriage. Now hurry, you should know what consequences we would face if we are caught by our master."

Umji squeezed her lover's hand, "I-I'm sorry, you know that she and you are my only family."

"Just hurry." Her lover replied.

Umji tried to catch up but she was unable to see well in the darkness and she was already drained from the lack of rest and food after being captured by the First Royal Consort for days. With another tug from her lover, she tripped over her dress and fell to the ground, scraping her palms and elbow in the process.

"Why can't you do anything right?" Her lover snarled while stalking towards her, annoyance spilling to anger and he decided to not deal with her anymore.

He had sneaked out of the palace and the longer he takes means the more likely he would be discovered.

"W-what are you..." Umji shrieked as her lover unsheathed his sword and raised it above her head.

Umji backed away in haste and she felt the wall behind her, blocking her escape. The sword sliced towards her and the sound of steel through air sent shivers to her spine.

How could this be, how could her lover want to take her life after all that she had done for him and their master? He said they were going to escape together and start a new life and she believed him.

Yet the sting from her wounds and the solid wall against her back reminded her of how real everything was.

He said, "now that you are going to die, I will tell you the truth. I never loved you. You were only a pawn I met at a convenient time and place. Pity, it seems that you were just a useless pretty face."

The sword was inches away from her face now, and Umji regrets. She regretted trusting the man before her, regretted not giving up his name to the First Royal Consort, regretted entrusting her mother to him, oh gods, is her mother still safe?

Umji closed her eyes and prayed this was but a dream.

A sharp ringing sound echoed in the alley as Chaeyoung used her sword to block the deadly strike towards Umji.

Chaeyoung had blocked the strike from their side. Her heels dug into the ground as the sheer force of her opponent's sword pressed against hers, forcing her to crouch on one knee and her sword cut into her thigh.

There was no doubt Umji's head would have fallen if she was the one struck with such a blow.

Unfortunately, the sword still reached Umji, stabbing into her stomach.

From the conversation that Chaeyoung just heard, Umji was a simple girl who had believed the wrong man and made some wrong choices. She did not deserve to die.