They had not mentioned it towards the superiors. What Changbin did in the hay with who they presumed was the gardener boy Felix was his affair only, and none of the two other boys was responsible for meddling with these matters. Instead, the joke sometimes passed between them when nobody was listening.
Wooyoung waited patiently and still as a statue as Yeosang got ready. One of the maids worked her way around him as she dusted the expensive tapestry off. Her ear was on the two of them most of the time, and Yeosang had informed Wooyoung that she relayed any of their conversations directly to his father.
When their eyes met, Wooyoung gave a polite nod and a smile. She skittishly murmured a greeting.
Yeosang emerged from his room, decked in his brown riding gear. It was made from expensive buckskin that wrapped around his form-fitting enough that Wooyoung sometimes considered it sinful. Even if inappropriate, he often found himself thinking about the prince in this exact gear when he laid awake at night.
There was no romantic tension between them. They were good friends in a restricted environment, and both of them were curious. Yeosang no less than Wooyoung, as he would learn later that day.
As they made their way through the corridors, easy conversation passed between them like the steady flow of a river. Wooyoung greatly enjoyed the dry humour of the prince that he showed more openly towards his friend and he added his own comments to keep Yeosang entertained. Yeosang was pretty when he laughed, orderly and ruly behind his hand. His eyes shone whenever he did, and his little teeth made an appearance that had Wooyoung swoon over the handsomeness they held.
No doubt the man was a sight to behold at any given time, but he just got all the more beautiful when life allowed joy to show on his features.
Changbin, for once not full of hay, handed them over their horses with a grimace as they further poked fun at him and his secret affair. It was not forbidden if they were of the same rank, but he could get punished if he disregarded his work for it. With the grumbled promise that he would take care, he sent them off.
Wooyoung loved the forests of Nomteh'h. The castle resided at the top of a cliff, and down the valley and towards the beach the town spread like a colourful blanket. In the other direction and further along the cliffs, thick woods offered the perfect playground for princes that needed distance from their daily chores. Whenever Yeosang entered these woods, his shoulders drooped noticeably, and his eyes became brighter.
With his mood instantly raised, Wooyoung guided his horse securely through the winding paths. Yeosang was right behind him and revelled in the ambience of birds singing and the hooves of their horses that thumped against the earth dully.
Their two mares calmly carried them to one of their frequent spots far in the north of the forest. As the sunlight filtered through the treetops with a golden glow that cast leaf-formed shadows on the white fur of the horses, Wooyoung threw a glance over his shoulder.
Yeosang had sat back in his saddle and held the reigns loosely between his fingers on his lap. With a longing expression, he was watching the nature around him that was unbound and free.
About an hour later, they reached the spring that fed into a small river deep in the forest. Dragonflies riskily whizzed past Wooyoung as he swung his leg over the back of his horse and came to stand on the earth. He dusted his uniform off as he joined Yeosang on his side and took the reigns from his loose fingers to urge his mare to stand still.
"We have arrived, your highness."
Wooyoung went down on one knee next to the horse, his boots thankfully shielding his pants from getting dirty. He reached into his lapel to bring forth a small rectangular towel and placed it over his thigh.
10. Wooyoung's Turmoil
Start from the beginning
