Oh my... Final chapter, angels!

"You brat," Woobin grunted as Sanghyuk bound his wrists together, the boy making sure to do them painfully tight and cause as much discomfort to the lord as he could. It had been decided that Jaehwan would stay at the palace with the King, as the old man did not yet understand the situation. Also, it had been decided that they would move faster with one less person with them as Wonshik insisted upon bringing Woobin with them. Sanghyuk understood that. The lord had a network of people in the palace; if they left him, there was no sating he wouldn't just be freed. Then everybody would be in danger. 

With an effort, both the peasants wrestled him up one of the horses before Wonshik leapt up behind him, digging his knees into the older man's thighs hard and eliciting a wince. "Let's go," the peasant ordered Sanghyuk as he flicked the reins, urging his horse forward and progressing swiftly into a gallop. The younger kept pace with him easily, having tied a third horse to the horn of his saddle, ready for two of the princes to ride back on- he was sure Wonshik would want Taekwoon with him. 

Ju-Guem Ledge was known to be three miles away from the palace grounds, bordering a dense forest. People very rarely went anywhere near the area for fear of the legends that surrounded it. There were all sorts of tales spun by village people and even soldiers who claimed o have journeyed there on patrol: some tornados that apparently people in, moving slabs that pushed you over the edge, some even said it was the gateway to Hell. Of course, Wonshik knew none of that was true at all. The people that dies there were usually those who went climbing or travellers that were ignorant about the terrain and tried to cross the narrow bridge connecting the forest to the other side. There were no barriers or even a grassy upward slope to minimise the risk. It would be all too easy to drag the princes from the carriage and throw them off into the rapids below.

 "We'll never get there in time!" Sanghyuk cried as he dug his heels into his horse's side in an attempt to speed up further "There has to be another way!" He was right. The princes, Taekwoon, would be dead before they cleared the full distance. There had to be a shortcut. Wonshik looked around desperately as Woobin began to chuckle to himself darkly. "Tick tock, tick... tock."

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

"They still out?"

The horseman snorted as they pulled up on the side of the road, lighting up a cigar and skulking round to the door of the carriage and unlatching it. He laughed loudly when he saw the young princes all slumped over in their seats, eyes sealed closed. "Like lights," he called over his shoulder. 

He stepped back and was about to close the door when he heard a small groan from his left. "," he cursed under his breath as he spotted Taekwoon beginning to stir slightly. The prince's eyelids began to flutter slightly and his head rolled to the side, his fuzzy gaze landing on Hakyeon, who was till unconscious beside him, and the man stood outside. "W- What's happening?" He mumbled, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper "A- Are we there?"

"Not yet, your highness," the horseman hissed, gesturing for the footman to come to the door with him, which he did swiftly. "Here," he smiled, climbing inside and picking up one of the goblets from the side "Have a drink and go back to sleep, hm?" He lifted the silver to Taekwoon's lips and tilted it slightly, grinning as the prince's lips slipped open drowsily.

However, almost as soon as the liquid made contact with his tongue, his eyes widened and realisation flooded his system. He attempted to spit it back when the goblet was taken away. "Hold him down, idiot!" The footman scowled as he took the poison from his companion. 

Taekwoon let out a muffled cry as a hand was slammed over his mouth, stopping him from getting rid of the revolting liquid. He writhed and bucked, attempting to claw at the hand with his blunt nails and kicking out in panic.

"Hurry up!"

Suddenly, his nose was pinched harshly, cutting off his air supply as well as his muffled cries for help. He raised one of his hands to remove the fingers but the horesman wasn't going to budge. "Swallow it, you stubborn bastard" he growled. The insult was drowned out by the ringing that was beginning to resonate in Taekwoon's ears as his stuggling started to become weaker.

In a moment of weakness, he allowed the wine to slide down his throat.

The grip on him was immediately removed and he fell back against the seat, spluttering loudly as the substance burned his throat, dark shadows beginning to invade his vision. The horseman stepped back and clambered out of the carriage, slamming the door closed and locking it.

"Come on, let's get this over with before another one wakes up."

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

"Sanghyuk!" Wonshik yelled as he sharply reared his horse off the road "Come on, I have an idea!"

It would be faster if they cut through the fields rather than followed the pathway- looking into the distance, it would cut at least a mile off their journey. "Are you insane?" The younger man screamed back as he reluctantly followed, galloping through a gap in the fencing as Wonshik cleared it in one jump. Long grass tickled their knees as they sped through the fields, heading straight for the forest. 

Wonshik growled as he darted in and out of the trees- he wasn't going fast enough. 

Suddenly, he let go of the reins and shoved Woobin to the side, forcing him to fall from the saddle and roll on the hard ground. "What are you doing?" Sanghyuk gasped as they carried on riding, leaving the dazed lord behind in the middle of the wilderness. "We don't need the extra weight, he's slowing us down!"

"What if he goes back to the palace?"

"He's stranded in the middle of the forest and will have to go on foot!" Wonshik called; it beat his original plan of throwing him off Ju-Guem Ledge, "Trust me, we'll be fine!" Sanghyuk wasn't convinced but went along with it anyway. 

You had better know what you're doing.

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

"Your majesty, we must have a serious talk. There are very important issues we need to discuss and most you will not like.”

“Yes, boy, what is it?” The King asked, raising his head up from where it rested in his palms. Jaehwan bit his lip and knelt before the old man, gazing up at him with wide eyes. He had to be serious about this. Not the mention quick. There was no time for dancing around the subject, for lightheartedness; nor for lack of detail. "I do not wish to cause trouble, as you know, but Lord Woobin has done a very bad thing."

The king frowned "Woobin? What... Is that what all that was about?"

The peasant nodded slowly "It is about the princes, your sons, your majesty." He watched as the old man paled and went still. "He is making an attempt upon their lives. In your absence, he has become a tyrant, forced them to stop attending their lessons and socialising with others in order to manipulate them into following his orders.

"From what I understand, when he realised it wasn't working, he decided to use the pretense of sending them away for he could kill them." He looked at the floor, cheeks flushed a deep red as the King got to his feet, his scraggly, grey beard. "What event convinced the man of this?"

The colour of Jaehwan's cheeks deepened "Uh, um- well.."

"Spit it out, boy!"

The younger man jumped and screwed his eyes shut, swallowing the lump in his throat. "H- He was caught with one of the servants. Th- They were doing... things, had been for a while. He had fallen in love with a peasant and the servant realised the plan Lord Woobin had. He had them arrested and then had the princes sent away." 

There was a long pause before the King put a finger underneath Jaehwan's chin, lifting it so they were eye to eye. "That young man," he mumbled "That young man who attacked Lord Woobin. It was him, wasn't it?" The peasant's eyes watered as he nodded slowly, seriously dearing for Wonshik's life; he might have just signed and sealed his friend's death warrant. "P- Please don't," he whimpered "W- We'll go, leave here forever, just please don't hurt Wonshik- he's all me and Sanghyuk have." 

Frowning, the king let him go and stumbled back, slouching in his chair. Taekwoon in love with a servant? A peasant? A man?  "Is this true?"

"What?"

"Is what my son feels for your friend real? Or is it just some cruel trick to enable him status?"

"No!" Jaehwan cried, shaking his head furiously "It's real, God, is it real. Do you really think Wonshik would have followed them to Ju-Guem Ledge if it wasn't? He loves your son, and the prince loved him enough to be with him no matter what his status. Why can't you just see that love is love?" He knew his voice was slowly raising but didn't care as is face began to twist angrily "Status and gender don't matter! And it is bigotted to think it so!"

That was a step too far. He had just insulted the King. He gasped and bowed his head, begging for forgiveness until the King silenced him. "You are very bold," he remarked with a click of his tongue "Perhaps you are right though. It seems I cannot just let you leave as my son would never allow it. And, if your friend saves my children, I will not be at liberty to execute him."

He paused "So, I will offer but one proposal. Take it or leave it, if you will. If my son and your friend wish to remain together, they must leave the kingdom. Taekwoon will no longer be permitted to have access to the throne or have any contact with this family for as long as I live- for I cannot change the laws of the kingdom so quickly and cannot be seen to be giving any preferential treatment, even to my own son."  

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

The horseman grunted as the carriage pulled up by the side of the crevace "Let's get to it."

Both men jumped down from their seats and threw open the doors on both sides of the carriage, the footman grabbing Hongbin and throwing him over his shoulder while the horseman took Hakyeon, dragging him along the dusty ground by his collar. They left them in a tangled heap near the edge of the gorge before going back to retrieve Taekwoon.

The Horseman lit up a cigar, watching them closely, while the footman leaned into the carriage but, before he could do anything, he felt the tip of a blade at his back. "Don't even think about it." He froze and pulled back slightly, glancing over his shoulder at the peasant threatening him. "You were in jail."

"Yeah, well, plans change," Wonshik growled into his ear before throwing him to the ground and allowing his eyes to fall on Taekwoon's unconscious form. He made to retrieve his lover from the vehicle when, suddenly, Sanghyuk's cry tore through the air "Wonshik, watch out!"

He didn't have enough time to turn before he was tackled to the ground by the man he had turned his back on. He grunted as they rolled over and over and the sword fell from his hand. They wrestled desperately and violently, punching and even scratching each other in an effort to keep the other at bay. "Sanghyuk! Get them away from the edge!"

The younger boy's eyes widened as he rushed towards the two princes lying on the ground. He drew his own sword, confronting the man guarding them instantly. Their weapons clashed as he swung the blade; his movements were effortless thanks to the lessons Wonshik had given him when they were younger. He flung his leg out and caught his opponent in the knee, managing to knock him to the floor. He gripped the hilt of his sword tight and the blade deep into the man's shoulder, pinning him to the floor. The horseman let out a blood-curdling scream, causing the footsman fighting Wonshik to look up. The peasant took the opputunity and kicked him in the groin, squirming out from underneath him and running to assist Sanghyuk in moving Hongbin and Hakyeon safely away from the edge of the gorge.

At the sudden movement, both began to stir and Hakyeon sat up, gazing around slowly "W- What is happening here?" He blinked multiple times in an effort to clear his vision, freezing when he saw who stood before him. "You," he gasped "You're here."

Wonshik nodded, a slight smile gracing his lips "You are safe now, your highness," he assured the elder before turning to Sanghyuk "Go and set the princes on one of the horses. Taekwoon and I will join you in a moment." The younger nodded, his eyes darting to the space behind his freind for a second before he scooped up Hongbin into his arms, Hakyeon clumsily attmepting to get to his feet. "Be careful."

He waited until the three were out of sight before his mind turned back towards Taekwoon.

However, when he spun round, he was met with the footman's darkened smirk, his the palm of his hand on the carriage as if ready to push. Wonshik suddenly realised how dangerously close it was to the edge and took a hesitant step forward. "It's over," he tried to reason "Your master is gone. Please, stop this." 

"No!" The man shouted in response, his eyes dancing with insanity and a kind of fear Wonshik had never really seen before. "We have come too far now. I cannot go back, cannot let the brat live!" Wonshik felt his fists tighten at the insult and took another step forward.

"Please," his voice was beginning to sound as if he was begging now but he didn't care. He was at this point- he couldn't risk turning a weapon on tis derranged man. Had Woobin really corrupted them so much?

The footsman paused for a second or two, shaking his head slowly. The only sound to be heard was the heavy breathing being elicited from the pair of them before he swallowed thickly "Long live the King."

With one hard shove the carriage slid off the verge, dragging the horses connected to it down along with it. Their terrified whinnies filled the air as they dug their hooved desperately into the ground in an effort to save themselves. But it was no use; everything seemed to happen in slow motion for him in that moment. No sounds, nothing. Just pure shock and horror as the first wheel of the carriage went over, then the second... then the front succumbed... then the horses... Taekwoon... Oh, god, Taekwoon...

"NO!" Wonshik screamed as the vehicle disappeared over the side. His throat burned as he sprinted forward, tears bursting from his eyesockets and running down his cheeks, leaving hot, angry trails in their wake. The footsman held eyecontact with him as he took a step backwards after the carriage, no sound being heard until a loud splash followed by a smaller one echoed from the bottom of the gorge. "TAEKWOON!" Wonshik shrieked, he stumbled right up the the edge of the verge, attempting to rip off his boots when a pair of arms encircled around him, shaking and hesitant but tight enough to stop him from leaping forward any further no matter how much he struggled and screamed.

"Wonshik! Wonshik... he's gone... he's gone..."

Please. Don't. Kill. Me.

Thank you for reading, I love you all (even though I am sure you don't love me right now). Sending you kisses and hugs from me to wherever you may be ^^'