The Makings Of a Prince | Changlix

| II |

The village was a day's travel from the nearest town. Mostly farmers resided there, though a couple of other types of laborers dotted the small population.

The commoners all bowed at their arrival, the guards asking the village leader to gather the villagers at their community building. And they did, like the shepherds herding sheep before the dogs.

Though they all trembled, eyes shaking and head low before Yongbok and the small group of guards behind him. Fascination also dotted their fear, mingling into a sick curiosity that hovered above the group of villagers.

And to think Yongbok was about to enter the town as a prince. If they couldn't even handle a general, Yongbok could only imagine how terrified they'd be if they were in the presence of anything higher.

Yongbok gestures to the nearest guard, eyeing the villagers with hands clasped behind his back.

"The kingdom of Baekje commends you of your hard work, and your dedication to His Majesty, the king," the guard said, eyes glossing over the crowd. "However, we'd like to stay and inspect the village for the following weeks."

Curious muttering washed in between each commoner, glancing at each other worriedly and turning to their village leader for any guidance.

"So be it. Could I ask why?" The village leader questions, Yongbok arching an eyebrow. "We've paid the recent tribute, caused no harm. What else would the problem be?"

"Is a there a reason for any of you to know?" Yongbok questions. "The king sent us. We need a place to stay. And here we are. Isn't that enough of a reason?"

"Of course. We'll prepare a building for you and your—"

"There's no need," Yongbok dismisses, sighing and eyes narrowing at the crowd. "Though if any of the villagers commit any trouble during our stay—" Yongbok notices someone swallow hard with wide eyes on the dirt of his shoes, fists clenching. "You. Come here."

The villagers eye the specific man, who steadily glances up, pointing to himself.

Yongbok gives him a thin smile, gesturing him over as the villager stands before him, bowing. A deathly silence filled in the curious crevices between each villager, intimidated to breathe within the guards' presence. In their village? Why here? Why now? Surely, they've done nothing wrong.

"What do you do?"

The villagers have done nothing wrong. But all of them are suspects—a potential threat to the kingdom. And if the village was housing such vermin, then they'd be also be the ones to blame. Punished, even. Was that why they were so terrified? For they knew and accepted such consequences.

"I- I help tend the field," he says, bowing again.

"Where do you live?"

"In the northern part of the village."

"Where's your family?"

"There, sir." He gestures to the two women nearest him, Yongbok leaning over with a smile and a nod. They bow to him, Yongbok turning to the guards.

"Right. Take him in."

The man perks up with eyes wide and jaw hanging unhinged, sputtering and trying to fight against the two guards that held him.

Yongbok wanted it clear that they weren't there for any peaceful diplomatic matters. They were suspected of treason. They know what they did, and if they had any moral conscious, they would give up the spies. Of course, there was the smallest chance that their own informants only gave them false information. But until any further information revealed itself, Yongbok will force an answer out of them—well, not much so force. But coax them into spilling. Unless they hold on to their false ideas and never reveal the Goguryeo spies. They'd be digging their own graves then, and Yongbok would have to tear down this entire village himself if he had to.

He was a prince. It may seem rash, but it was a responsibility he needed to hold close to himself. If anything threatened the throne, he'd have to be there to protect it in whatever way possible.

"Tie him up, lock him in the shed there." Yongbok gestures to the small hut nearby. "Take turns guarding—"

"Hold on! You can't do this!" Yongbok turns to the sudden voice, a farmer, to the side of the group, trying to yank his arm away from others holding him back. They had reason to anyway. They were smart in trying to keep the farmer from speaking up. But not even coyotes could stop a donkey.

"I can't?" Yongbok arching an eyebrow, the middle-aged woman beside the farmer muttering something frantically to the farmer. He ignores her, taking a step forward and gesturing to the guards. He was dirty all over, probably yanked out of his work on the fields to gather at the sudden arrival of the guards. His short dark hair fell over his eyes, small lips into a downward frown and narrow eyes almost glaring at Yongbok.

The prince didn't get mad at him for the audacity. A commoner speaking up against a prince? Whatever. He was most impressed that the farmer even had the guts to speak up, much more look him in the eye.

"You can't just walk in here and punish us for not doing anything wrong," he said, voice rough and low. Yongbok huffs out a laugh, taking a step toward the shorter.

"Changbin, come back here, there's no need to—" Changbin ignores the pleas of his mother, the woman falling to her knees in despair before Yongbok. "I'm sorry for my son's incompetence! He's young and naïve and—please! Please forgive him!"

"You should listen to your mother." Yongbok gestures to the sniveling woman with his head.

"You're a coward," the farmer growls out, standing firm. And Yongbok scoffs at that. "You're picking on us when we've done nothing wrong."

"How do you know?" The prince narrows his eyes, the guards holding back the farmer when he tried to take a step further. "This is an order from the prince. Commoners shouldn't question a decree from the royalty that shielded you."

"What kind of damn prince would order something like this? He should just leave us alone. Why lash out on the people under him?"

This guy really had guts. Yongbok somewhat excused his rigidness, for he currently disguised himself as a general. Surely, this mere farmer wouldn't dare speak about the prince if Yongbok truly revealed himself. Either way, it was entertaining at least. This one farmer almost made it worth traveling all the way here.

But he was right, mostly. Yongbok was a coward. Why lash out on the people under him when they didn't even know of his existence? He should lash on the people—the person above him. Who knew of his existence but never lingered much on the thought. He was a coward, that's why. And he wanted to lash out on the people below him because it was the only sort of control he could ever have in his life.

"Hm, you're right." Yongbok hums, gesturing to the guards to let the man go, instead glancing at Changbin with a thin smile. "Grab him instead. Flog him twenty times, throw him in the shed. Oh, and don't release him until I say so."