The Makings Of a Prince | Changlix

| VI |

Imagine that, though. A prince so far from home, a fish out of the water. No one knew who he was out here, not even the companion he traveled with. He only told one person about his whereabouts—implied about his whereabouts. So if he were to ever... disappear, he'd disappear forever, which is to assume that his father doesn't look for him. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. Either way, it won't change the fact that this dangerous territory.

He and Changbin departed from the village a day ago. While they've made tremendous progress toward their goal, it was a bit... Yongbok would describe it as unbearable.

Traveling with Changbin was a chore. No, they did little other than ride their horses in one direction, and they talked little—but the fact that they didn't talk much almost made Yongbok grow crazy. He was all for complete silence during travels, but this was just ridiculous.

There was something in the air that the younger just couldn't put his finger on—contempt? Tolerance? Silent threats? Changbin and Yongbok didn't exactly get along. No surprise there.

And it didn't make it any better they didn't have an exact location. They only had the name of a town—a town southeast of Changbin's village, into Gaya territory. Again, Yongbok, a prince, unknowingly going into Gaya territory sounded a lot more harmless than it actually is.

See, if anyone found out he was a Baekje prince, he'd be done for.

"Yah. If you're just going to sit there—" Yongbok jumps as Changbin drops the pile of sticks in front of him, glancing up and staring at the farmer. Changbin rolls his eyes, placing his hands on his hips as he gestures to the freckled prince. "Look, I get that you don't have guards under your thumb, but you can't expect me to do everything."

"Why not?" Yongbok smiles at him, to which Changbin scoffs.

"Because I'll leave you out to die if you don't help me." Changbin crouches, already leaning the sticks against each other in the beginnings of a campfire. The sun still halfway across the sky, but they haven't really settled since their departure from Changbin's village. Sure, they had breaks, but no amount of breaks could attest to their much-needed camp for the night.

"Alright, what should I do?" Yongbok huffs, picking himself off the dirt and dusting his hanbok off.

"First, we need food. We brought little provisions with us."

"You want me to hunt?" 

"Is that a problem?" The farmer arches an eyebrow, Yongbok scoffing and clasping his hands behind his back. Is there a problem? Yes, there is.

Yongbok didn't think the farmer would continue to look down on him like this. Did mothers not do their job raising children out here in the countryside?? Yongbok was already helping Changbin. What more could he want?

But sure, he'll indulge Changbin. He'll show Changbin's that he wasn't a good-for-nothing royal. That he's something more than spoiled riches. So he takes his bow and quiver from his horse, shooting a quick glance at the farmer. Changbin continued to pay him no mind, trying to get a fire going.

Yongbok waits no longer, breaking from the beginnings of their camp and out to the field.

He found little during the first hour. There was a fox or two, but Yongbok didn't think the fox would be very appealing. He had searched for something north of their camp, only to realize that it was continued grassland and south of their camp, but there was nothing there. It was as if God had specifically retracted all animals on this day. To what? Make Yongbok's life harder? Because he wanted entertainment? Well, when the second hour rolled around, Yongbok was not having fun.