Here is a poll for you angels to answer for me, if you would be so kind. I even googled how to make one because I am technically inept ^^'

"Y- Your highness?" 

Taekwoon groaned as he felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking it gently. Why was his neck so sore? He raised a hand and rubbed it tenderly, opening his eyes and looking around. He was in the hallway, leaning on his father's bedroom door while curled up on the floor. He glanced upwards to see Wonshik's worried eyes trained on him. "Your highness, are you okay?" 

The prince frowned, puzzled and sat up, wincing at the pain in his back "What are you doing here?" It was dark outside, moonlight flooding in through the window; Wonshik should have been in his lodgings by now. "Lord Woobin has enlisted all the servants to help him move into his new chambers. I've been looking for you for a while, are you okay?" Taekwoon nodded groggily, rubbing his eyes but the peasant didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?" He whispered "You seemed distressed, like you were having a nightmare or something."

"Wonshik, I am fine," the prince sighed, struggling to get to his feet. However, he was still a lttle too disoriented and fell back onto his backside heavily with a small grunt. The other man frowned and bent down, making to scoop him up into his arms "You can't walk up the stairs like this," he mumbled. Taekwoon hummed a small protest but ended up pressing into the warmness of Wonshik's body while gripping his loose, white shirt. He hadn't appreciated how chilly the hallway actually was. With a small groan, he felt his body being lifted from the floor and cradled in the other man's arms. Normally, he would've been against anyone picking him up and manhandling him but for now, he didn't mind as he nuzzled the man's muscular chest, enjoying the heat being radiated off of him. It wasn't long before his eyes slipped to a close again. Wonshik was actually shocked at how easy he was to lift considering they were practically the same height and almost the same build.

Cautiously, Wonshik made his way towards the staircase, making sure there were no guards around that would see them. He had decided he did not like the palace at night. It was too dark, empty and imposing without the servants and lords milling around. It lacked it's usual warm glow; usually, despite it's size, it could still feel somewhat homely. But not at night. 

He tiptoed up the stairs, taking them one, sometimes two, at a time, thanking his lucky stars that the prince's chamber wasn't too far down the corridor. He used his elbow to awkwardly push down the silver handle and shouldered the door open with a soft grunt, bouncing Taekwoon in his arms as he moved. The prince stirred and he froze, eyes darting around in hope there was nobody around to hear his sleepy . Every sound seemed amplified to Wonshik in his state of high alert.

When he was sure the coast was clear, he shuffled into the room and kicked the door shut as quietly as he could, before hurrying to lay Taekwoon on his bed. His head sunk into the soft pillows instantly and Wonshik couldn't help but smile as he took the fur-lined throw from the bottom of the mattress and layed it over the sleeping man, pulling it up to his chest. 

He stood staring at him for a few moments, fighting the urge to give the prince a kiss on the forehead or his hair; he didn't want to wake him up. However, before he could walk back towards the door, heading home for the night, he felt something grab his shirt. "Mm," Taekwoon tossed slightly, his face creasing into a deep frown and eyes screwing up tightly. "Wonshik... Don't... leave me..." He whimpered. For a moment, Wonshik wondered if he was awake but, when he looked closer, he found the prince was definitely asleep. Was he having another nightmare? 

Hesitantly, he pried the fingers from his clothes and bit his lip, debating whether to leave or not. He contemplated going to fetch Hakyeon but decided against it on the grounds nobody could know he was in Taekwoon's room. Then he thought maybe he could soothe him and then leave, but he didn't want to risk the prince having another dream and having nobody to look after him- unless he was screaming, it was very unlikely anybody would hear him. He didn't want him being distressed with nobody to help. 

So, gingerly, he crept round to the other side of the bed and lay down beside him, looping an arm loosely round the prince's waist. He seemed to calm down instantly at the contact and Wonshik grinned, closing his eyes. "Good night, your highness."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jaewhan let out a frustrated huff and folded his arms "Where the Hell is he? It's six o'clock in the morning, work started half an hour ago!" Wonshik hadn't come home the night before and it had kept him up most of the night worrying. He scowled and Sanghyuk sighed, setting down his shovel and enveloping his friend in a tight backhug "Come on, I'm sure he's fine. Let's just work, okay?"

But the elder shook him off "What if he's hurt?"

Sanghyuk watched him and bit his lip. Jaewhan had been like this, restless, for hours. In a way, he was more angry than worried for Wonshik for making their oldest friends so worked up- would it have killed him to tell them where he was? "I'm going to look for him," Jaewhan told him sharply, beginning to storm off "I don't care if I interrupt him and his lover-"

"Wait!" the younger man cried, stopping him before he could go any further "I'll go. You stay and cool off, yes? Try and shovel a little more of this manure before somebody comes to check on us." He knew it was better for him to go; safer for everybody with Jaewhan's firey temper. Before the elder couldprotest, he took off in a jog out of the yard, throwing off his gloves.

He intended to go and check under the same tree he had found the prince and Wonshik under the other day.

However, he didn't even get past the farmhouse before a pair of voices stopped him in his tracks:

"Everything is going to plan," one of the royal guard's gruff voices mumbled "The Queen is dead, the King is so deep into grief, he is neglecting his sons... Woobin will have no problem in manipulating the princes into complying with him."

"But how?" Another guard asked curiously "They're strong willed." 

There was a snort "How hard can it be to take away their freedom and fill those pretty little heads of theirs with a bunch of mindless jargon? They'll be his puppets in no time; then he can get rid of them. For good." Sanghyuk's eyes widened to the size of saucers and he put a hand over his mouth to stifle his gasp. 

"Then there will be no heir..."

"And the King will not hesitate to name his loyal adviser and his children's caregiver as the next King- there is no one else." 

Dun Dun Dun!

But shame on Wonshik for sleeping in with the prince when he should be working, hmmm? XD

Thank you for reading! Your comments really motivte me and make this worth while ^^

I hope you are enjoying this x