Mark came by Donghyuck's bedroom the morning after the incident, to check on him as well as to fill him in on what the guards had gathered from their investigation in the gardens. The first thing the king had done was put his hand on Donghyuck's shoulder and ask him if he had any pain show up, or if he was still troubled mentally. Donghyuck had blushed up to his ears and Renjun had done a poor job of concealing his giggles behind the palm of his hand.
Once he confirmed that Donghyuck wasn't in pain, and that he had recovered a lot mentally after a good night's rest, Mark then moved on to relaying what the guards had uncovered.
"Whoever it was that shot the arrow... they must have left as soon as they saw it didn't hit you, because they slipped away before the guards closed off the area. They only left two things behind... a second arrow, that I'm sure they planned to use on me if you had been successfully killed with the first one, and a bandanna with the symbol of the Red Moon embroidered into it."
Donghyuck shivered, hugging his arms around his chest and looking up at Mark. "So it was the alpha gang? They tried to kill me because I'm an omega?"
"That appears to be the case," Mark sighed, raking a hand through his hair in frustration. "We don't know how they even found out about you, we tried to keep your existence as confidential as possible for this very reason. There are rumors circulating of a mole in the palace."
"A mole? You mean a spy?" Donghyuck cried, eyes widening in alarm, "you think someone in the palace is working with the Red Moon?"
"We don't know anything for sure. But it would explain how they knew to target you, and how they knew you were in the garden at that specific time," Mark sighed heavily. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he looked like he had barely slept the night before. Donghyuck wondered if he had stayed up late into the night in order to talk with the guards and help with the investigation.
"I can't imagine who would possibly do such a thing. Especially knowing what trouble the former king had with trying to stop the omega's extinction, and seeing how that negatively impacted the kingdom," Renjun murmured. Mark looked his way, and for a split second Donghyuck was worried that the king might punish Renjun for speaking out of turn, but then Mark was nodding along agreeably.
"My thoughts exactly. It's hard for me to imagine anyone in my staff betraying me in such a way... especially since I've known most of them since I was very young."
"Well first, I think you can rule out all the betas," Donghyuck piped up, "I can't imagine why a beta would willingly help a gang that's aiming for total alpha supremacy, because with the omegas gone that just leaves betas at the bottom of the food chain. If there's a spy, it has to be an alpha."
Mark turned to him and gave him a small smile. "You're probably right, Donghyuck. For now, don't interact with any alphas that aren't in John's arsenal. I'll reorganize your guards so that they only include John and his direct subordinates, because those are the only soldiers I can completely trust."
Donghyuck nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. "Okay."
"I'll work tirelessly to make sure I find whoever is behind this. I don't want you to worry yourself over these matters... I promise you I'll take care of it."
Mark's gaze was burning with sincerity and determination as he stared down at Donghyuck. The brunette felt heat crawl up the back of his neck in response.
"I, um... I'll guess I'll leave it to you, then."
Mark nodded again, hesitating for a second like he had more to say. Donghyuck just stared at him expectantly, shifting in anticipation. After a long moment, Mark finally inhaled a deep breath and looked away.
"Have you... have you eaten yet?"
Donghyuck blinked, taken aback. "Uh... no, not yet. I was just about to go eat before you came in here."
"Well... would you like to eat with me, then?" Mark asked slowly, glancing up at the omega. Donghyuck took a long moment to consider it, weighing his options. He was still dedicated to being combative and oppositional... but he was pretty hungry, and eating with the king didn't seem that bad. It always was kind of lonely when he ate by himself anyways.
So, he shrugged and muttered, "Sure, I guess. Whatever."
Mark's eyes widened in obvious surprise. Out of the corner of his eye, Donghyuck could see Renjun smirking at him, causing irritation to bubble up once again.
"I mean... I'll probably hate every minute of it, because I can't stand you, but I guess since you offered... I'll indulge you just this once."
Renjun snorted. Mark's eyebrows raised a little in what looked like poorly concealed amusement. Donghyuck wanted to kick himself—and maybe also kick Renjun too, while he was at it, for making it oddly difficult to keep up his hostile persona in front of Mark.
"What? What's so funny?" Donghyuck snapped, directed at both of them. Mark held his hands up in playful surrender.
"My apologies. I was merely surprised that you seem to be a lot more agreeable than you usually are."
Donghyuck bit the inside of his cheek, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Well... you saved my life, and even though I still hate you, I guess I owe you a little bit of leeway... I have to repay you somehow, so I'll just be a tiny bit nicer to you as my way of saying thanks."
"You do not have to repay me, Donghyuck, I was merely fulfilling my duty to protect you. You may still treat me however you please... although I will continue to make efforts to court you," Mark chuckled.
"Whatever," Donghyuck grumbled, fighting back a blush as he turned away from Mark's stupidly handsome face.
"In that case, I'll be waiting for you in the dining room. I'll leave you to get dressed."
Mark gave him one last smile over his shoulder before he left the room, leaving Renjun and Donghyuck alone together once again.
"Shut up," Donghyuck scowled before Renjun could even open his mouth, "I don't want to hear it."
Renjun obediently did not say a word, but he didn't even try to hide his laughter as he helped Donghyuck get ready.
┈ ୨ 👑 ୧ ┈
Mark and Donghyuck were both quiet as they ate together. Besides the mumbled greetings they had exchanged when Donghyuck walked into the dining hall, neither of them said a word as the food was brought out and they began to eat. It was suffocatingly awkward, and Donghyuck was growing more and more uncomfortable as the silence stretched longer, but he refused to be the one to speak first. He already felt like he was "losing" in his hypothetical battle against the king, and he didn't want to give his enemy any more ground in their fight.
Finally, when their plates were both empty, Mark cleared his throat and looked up at Donghyuck hesitantly.
"So... I've been thinking a lot more, especially since the attack, and... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."
Donghyuck's head snapped up, looking up at the king in confusion. "Huh? For what?"
"For almost failing to protect you last night. And for bringing you here, and putting you in danger in the first place," Mark muttered, looking sheepish. "I understand your anger, and I know it was selfish of me to bring you here. I'm sorry that I will continue to be selfish in keeping you here, because even though I wish I could, I simply cannot send you back to your world."
Donghyuck's mood soured immediately, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms. "So you're apologizing, but you're not going to do anything to fix the problems you caused for me? You're not even going to consider sending me back?"
Mark let out a frustrated huff, running a hand through his hair. "I have considered sending you back, Donghyuck. The first night you were here, I watched you cry and listened to your screams to be released and I wondered if I had made a horrible mistake, if I really should just send you back like you wished."
Donghyuck clenched his fists in his lap, staring at Mark silently as he waited for him to continue.
"But I can't. I really can't, Donghyuck. Not even just for my benefit. I have to think of my staff, of all the people I'm responsible for. What will happen to everyone in this palace if I fall? If I don't secure an omega mate and produce an heir, the kingdom will initiate an uprising, and I will have to watch all of my servants die one by one until they kill me and take my throne."
Donghyuck's heart dropped down to his feet. He thought of John, of Renjun. If the kingdom rose up against Mark, what would happen to them? Would both of them die horrible gruesome deaths simply because they work and reside in the palace?
"Renjun and John," Mark said, as if he could read Donghyuck's mind, "I'm sure they come to mind for you. Yes, Renjun would probably die first, because the servants quarters are less guarded and easier to access. I imagine that the enemy would make me watch as they killed John, because he is my second in command. They would slit John's throat, and then they would sever my head, and that would be the end of my reign."
A full body shudder racked through Donghyuck. He suddenly felt sick, the food he had eaten earlier churning dangerously in the pits of his stomach.
"So I'm sorry, Donghyuck, I really am. I'm sorry that I ruined your life by bringing you here. If it were just my life on the line, maybe I would've sent you back already, but I cannot in good conscience allow so many people to die in exchange for your freedom."
"This is so stupid," Donghyuck groaned, leaning forward on his elbows and covering his face with his hands. "Why does your kingdom take this dumb mating stuff so seriously? I don't want Renjun or John to die either, Mark, I would feel terrible if they lost their lives because of me. And believe it or not, I don't even want you to die, even if I do think you're a terrible jerk."
The king gave him a sad little smile. "I appreciate that, for what it's worth. In answer to your question, me not mating and producing an heir before my time of fertility expires will mean that I have failed the country. The punishment for a king failing to fulfill his duties is always death, and to truly kill a king you must also kill everyone around him."
"That's so dumb. I can't believe this stupid place," Donghyuck grumbled miserably, taking a long moment to let everything sink in and process.
"I'm telling you all this because I'm hoping to help you understand why you were taken here, and why you can't leave," Mark said softly, looking over at Donghyuck sympathetically, "my goal is never to scare you, or make you upset. I just want to help you understand the position I'm in."
Frustratingly enough, Donghyuck did understand. Everything Mark said made perfect sense to him, and Donghyuck thought that he probably would have done the exact same things if he were in Mark's position. It sparked a myriad of emotions in him—frustration, anger, despair, hopelessness... but also, sympathy. He felt bad for Mark, having so much pressure resting on him at such a young age. He felt bad for the servants in the palace, who could lose their lives just for being associated with the king. He also allowed himself to feel a good amount of self pity, because he truly was stuck, and there was no way he could go back to his home without jeopardizing the lives of thousands of innocent people in the process.
"Thank you... for telling me," Donghyuck muttered after a while. Mark looked up at him in slight surprise. "It's obviously not great to hear that the well-being of all these people rests on us having a stupid baby... but I'm glad you told me, and put things into perspective for me. And... I'm also sorry, for taking out so much of my anger on you. I still don't really like you, but I can recognize at least that this whole situation isn't really your fault."
"I'm glad you see it that way," Mark breathed out, sounding relieved. "I know this situation isn't ideal for either of us, but I feel we should try to make the most of it."
"Well, I'm still not entirely sold on having to mate with you," Donghyuck added quickly, finally peeking up at Mark from underneath his hands, "but I'm open to being a little more... cooperative, I guess. I'll stop fighting you so much and let you do stuff for me, or whatever."
Mark let out a soft chuckle, jumping on the chance to lighten the mood. "Wow, I never thought I'd live to see the day where you cooperate with me."
"Oh shut up," Donghyuck snapped, rolling his eyes, "you make it seem like I'm the most difficult, bratty person you've ever met."
"Well, if the shoe fits..."
"Hey, watch it," Donghyuck scowled, "you still need me, remember? You better be nice to me."
"I'm always nice to you," Mark laughed teasingly, "you're the one who never accepts it."
Donghyuck just huffed, crossing his arms and turning away from him.
At the end of the day, they still had a long way to go to fully understand each other, but Donghyuck oddly felt a little better about being stuck with Mark after their conversation.
Now, at least, they had a common enemy to unite against, one that had to be defeated first before Donghyuck could even try to think of a way he could make it back to his world without causing mass death and destruction in his wake.
The Red Moon.