The man that had driven the car got out and came around to let them out. Minwoo saw Dongwan and Andy off to the side of the battlefield under a canopy, along with the handful of other people that would help them. Minwoo and Jinnie got out of the car carefully and looked around. He couldn’t see the vampire soldiers in their hiding places but he could sense them. Ambrogio got out of the car and watched as the military trucks behind the limo stopped and the men in them waited for his signal to get out and approach the field. Lapis peered out cautiously before she got out of the car, and unsure where to stand, opted to stay by the car and not approach either of the men.

“So how are we doing this, Lee Minwoo? I know you set an ambush for my men”, Ambrogio looked around and pulled a cigarette lighter out and flicked it a few times, the flame flickered in the slight breeze.

Minwoo glanced back at Lapis for a moment then slid his hands into his pockets.

“Phase one: full scale battle. I want to face you fairly this time instead of being attacked without warning”, Minwoo whistled three times, the high-pitched tone brought the men out of their hiding places.

“I had planned to attack you without warning but I want this to be a battle that can be fairly won”, Minwoo said and observed the Captain’s confused expression even at the distance of a few hundred yards.

Ambrogio smirked, “Always so damn noble”, he pulled out the pack of cigarettes again and offered Minwoo one. This time Minwoo accepted and Ambrogio lit it with a flick of his silver lighter.

“Let me guess, the next stage is hand to hand combat?”, Ambrogio lit his own cigarette and observed Minwoo’s men. He saw the flash of silver and nodded, “exactly what I would have done. But tell me, why didn’t you kill me on sight?”

“Because I want to show that I have more dignity than a filthy bloodsucker that just attacks and take what he wants”, Minwoo spat out angrily, “I have ruled Seoul for centuries and it has not been by force or by coercion. My subjects are happy and if they chose to leave I let them. But they also understand what it is to be a traitor and know that I will punish them to the extent of their crime.” He heard Lapis gasp softly behind him and turned his gaze to her. She knew that this would probably be her last night on this earth and she dropped her gaze.

“And the queen? What will happen to her? I’ll gladly take her back with me. She would be a little fun before I killed her, maybe even right in front of her parents”, Ambrogio said thoughtfully and rubbed his thumb along his lower lip.

“Her punishment his mine to deliver”, Minwoo snarled, “enough useless chatter. Let the battle begin”, he said and walked away to go talk to the Captain.

The Captain’s face was tight when Minwoo reached him and his hands were in tight fists behind his back.

“What is going on? I thought we were going to ambush him?”, he snapped at the king.

“Decided to do this honorably”, Minwoo said and glanced over his shoulder and watched as Ambrogio’s men got out of the trucks and got into battle formation on the other side of the field.

“I’ve got men hidden with cross bows in the tall grass. Should I tell them to move into formation also?”, Jong Kook asked.

“Have them stay where they are, I still don’t trust him to fight fair. Call it an insurance policy”, Minwoo said with a dark smirk on his handsome face, “Go ahead and have the soldiers get into formation. We are still going with the original plan. Hand to hand combat after the main battle and then Ambrogio will face off for the kingdom.”

“Wait. What?”, Kook’s face showed his shock, ‘For the kingdom? So if he wins, he gets control of Seoul?”

Minwoo paced, “Precisely, which is why we can’t lose. I trust you won’t let that happen.” He was nervous, he knew they could win but Ambrogio was bound to play dirty if he got the chance.

“And the queen?”, Kook said softly.

“She will be punished for her betrayal”, Minwoo said sadly, “I can’t believe I let myself be fooled by her. Enough talk, let’s get this finished”, he strode away and went over to talk to Dongwan and Andy.

“The women were safe when you left the castle?”, he asked Dongwan, who wore all black with a bullet proof vest.

“We made sure they were comfortable in your chamber and well-guarded. Amber is still a little pissed at you for making her stay behind”, he said solemnly. Minwoo chuckled softly and patted Dongwan on the arm.

“I would expect as much, she is a fiery little thing. I’ll make it up to her somehow when we win”, Minwoo said. Andy stood by nervously, his gaze flicked occasionally to one of the nurses. All of them were in white with the same bullet proof vests over their clothes and masks to protect their faces from blood spatter and dust.

“Do you think we will have many wounded? I imagine that Ambrogio’s men will try to kill as many of us as they can”, Andy said and pulled nervously at the neck of his vest.

“it’s better to be safe than sorry, some may be wounded and need a quick dose of blood to fight again”, Minwoo said and reached out to pull Andy’s hand away gently.

“We made sure to bring extra blood”, Andy nodded and walked away to talk to the nurses. The one he had glanced at stayed away from him, her hands tucked into her pockets.

Minwoo nodded curtly and went back over to Jinnie. Daehyun hung around near the medical tent and watched everything. He was in charge of relaying any messages back to the others at the castle, Minwoo wanted to make sure he stayed out of the heat of the battle.

“So I’m going to sit the first attack out and possibly the second out if we have enough men standing”, he said to his right hand man.

“I figured as much”, Jinnie said as he strapped a pair of swords to his back and pulled his long hair back and into a bun and bound it with a silk ribbon that Hyesung had given him before they left earlier.

Minwoo reached out and grabbed his arm and they clasped forearms tightly before Minwoo gave him a tight but brief hug, “I’ll see you at the end of this”, he whispered in Jinnie’s ear and stepped away, his face tight and ready for the battle ahead. (In my head Run and Resolver starts playing lol)

Amber paced nervously around Minwoo’s chamber while Hyesung, Ric and his wife sat on the bed and watched her.

“He’s going to go nuclear, you know? I can’t believe you guys let her go with Andy”, she stopped by the full-length mirror and examined the blueness of her eyes. She was doubly stressed and her eyes just got bluer and bluer the longer she paced. They didn’t know if the battle had started yet but no one had been sent to them so that was a good sign. Ric got up and went to bring her to sit on the bed.

“She wanted to be there and Andy couldn’t tell her no, Ammy”, Ric said gently.

“But what if something happens to her”, she snapped and pulled away and paced again, “Dongwan doesn’t even know she’s there for s sake”, she said angrily and ran her hands through her hair.

“Andy will keep her safe”, JiSoo said and got up to stand in front of her. JiSoo’s long red hair hung loose around her face and she was dressed in jeans and a tight top that showed a lot of cleavage. Amber brushed past her and went to the wall and kicked it hard.

“I’m also mad because you didn’t let me go”, she wailed, on the verge of tears, “Dae is out there and if this goes bad I may never see him again.” Hyesung had had enough of her tantrum and got up and went to her, grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard.

“You’re not the only one that has someone they love out there, you selfish brat”, he said, his handsome face right in hers. She gasped and burst into tears.

“I…. I’m sorry”, she wailed and pressed her face into his silk covered shoulder. He reached up and her wild hair gently.

“I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry Syung. Jinnie is out there too”, she pulled away and wiped her tears with the back of her hand and tried to tame her hair.

“They’re going to be okay”. JiSoo said softly and went to make Amber sit at the vanity. She grabbed a brush and started to run it through her hair.

“How about after all this is over I take you to my stylist? I bet you would look cute with a bob or a pixie cut”, JiSoo tried to distract her and soon they chatted about hair and clothes while the men looked on.

“H