Baekhyun swallowed uncomfortably as he hid behind the pillar.

He had no idea why he was there. He told himself a million reasons why he shouldn't be, why he should be back in his room and sleeping the night away with a good rest to calm his nervous heart from the horrifying afternoon.

But instead he found himself hiding behind the pillar outside the servant's lodging, waiting.

Chanyeol was pacing opening in front of the lodge, his eyes fixed at the entrance, waiting for Byul to appear. He was anxious for her, worried beyond belief. He wondered if something had happened to her, because she wasn't back even till now.

Baekhyun found himself worrying for the same reasons, except there was another emotion on top of Chanyeol's: Guilt.

He was the one who caused all these trouble for her and she didn't deserve going through all these even though she was one stubborn girl. He found that he couldn't sleep peacefully until he knew that Byul was alright, and he didn't dare let Chanyeol know that he was worrying about it either.

The two cousins waited deep into the night, until the wooden door was pushed open slowly and a figure trudged tiredly into the lodge. Baekhyun and Chanyeol perked up immediately. "Byul!" Chanyeol rushed forward, and Baekhyun clung onto the pillar, peeking from behind.

His eyes scanned Byul from head to toe, shocked to see her so haggard and tired. Her hair was in a mess and there were several bruises on her face as well. "Oh my gosh." Chanyeol gasped at her appearance. "What happened to you after Baekhyun hyung left? Minister Kang recognized the robe?"

Byul nodded weakly. She felt so tired. So so so tired.

"Yeah, i'm just unlucky like that." she murmured. "He gave me a tough beating and took the robe away from me, making me wear servants wear. Not that I mind or anything, it's more comfortable and doesn't get me in trouble with stupid lecherous ministers." she grumbled.

Baekhyun felt the twinge of guilt tug his heart.

"He gave you a tough beating?" Chanyeol flinched. He tilted Byul's head left and right and saw bruises at the corner of . There were others on her hands but that was all he could see. He didn't know if she had other injuries hidden under the clothes.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked, his hands searching his robes. "I got ointment from the Imperial Physician for you. It's going to make the pain go away faster." he stuffed it into her hands.

Byul smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you Chanyeol-gun. I really appreciate it." she murmured. "I'm really fine, thank you."

Baekhyun clutched his own container of medicated ointment and stuffed it back into his robe. His eyes fixed on the two for a few more moments, before he slipped away, feeling a little better after seeing Byul well and alive in front of his eyes.

He wanted to go up to her like Chanyeol did of course, but Byun Baekhyun had a large ego, a vast amount of pride. Suitable for the future Emperor but horrible for as a friend.

He shook the thought away and slipped back to his own quarters. *At least she's safe.*

Baekhyun flinched everytime Byul took a step. He found out that she had been given thiry heavy whips on her and she couldn't exactly sit because of it. And it seemed like she put up some retaliation because there were bruises on her slender arm that looked like large strong arms had gripped her.

He formed words of comfort and concern in his mind, but when he urged his mouth to say it, those lips just couldn't say the words. Baekhyun ended up keeping quiet about the whole incident even though there were so many moments between them to talk about it.

Byul didn't expect anything else either, since she thought it was her job to protect the Crown Prince. But there was this small part of her that was kind of pissed off that Baekhyun didn't bother to say anything when she had taken such a beating for him.

Baekhyun had sent the other EXO-K princes away because he didn't want them to see Byul injured. He had no doubt that Sehun's loud mouth would enable the entire Palace to know about what happened within a record breaking five minutes.

And what would others say if they found out that Byul had been into a brothel? The effect was similar on both men and women if they went to such places, especially when they were of proper birth. Baekhyun didn't want to subject Byul to unnecessary gossip after all that she went through.

The two of them walked over to the King and Queen's quarters since the Queen had summoned them over. They reached the grand residence and went in, an attendant announcing their arrival.

"My Majesty, Jeonha is here to see you."

The Queen perked up as her son came in. "Baekhyun ah." she smiled. "Come on in!" Baekhyun nodded, looking at Byul for a bit before going in. Byul followed, trying to walk as normally as she could with her injury. The ointment worked, but it couldn't enable instant recovery after all.

"Omonim." Baekhyun bowed.

"Oh Baekhyun didn't you sleep last night?" The Queen frowned. "Look at those dark rings around your eyes. And oh Eunbyul ah. You don't look like you slept much last night either! What happened?"

"Nothing." Baekhyun and Byul chorused in unison.

The Queen raised her brows. For her son and his bodyguard to be so in sync about something was really rare to see. "Why did you call me over today, Omonim?" Baekhyun asked, shooting Byul a look subtly for her to stand in the darker parts of the room.

He wanted to end the visit as soon as possible so that they could go back. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if the Queen saw Byul's injuries. They had tried to cover it up with make up but it was still kind of visible under light.

"Oh that, Minister Kang! Summon him in now!" The Queen called.

Baekhyun's eyes widened and he looked over at Byul who had the same alarmed look on her face. "Turn around." Baekhyun mouthed at her. Byul nodded frantically and whipped her face away just as Minister Kang came into the hall.

"Your Majesty." he bowed at the Queen. "Jeonha."

"Well Baekhyun, I summoned you today because Minister Kang said he had something to give you." the Queen shrugged, not knowing what it was either. She looked at Minister Kang enquiringly.

Minister Kang smiled triumphantly. "Well Jeonha, I've found something of yours yesterday." he told them. Baekhyun gulped, feeling perspiration gather at his forehead. "I went to uh...this inn-"

Byul rolled her eyes while keeping her face away. *Inn? You went to a brothel you toot.*

"-and I found some guy wearing your robe, Jeonha!" Minister Kang frowned. "It's this robe I gave you the other time, remember? The nerve of that guy to steal from the Palace, Jeonha! I whipped him bad! I almost wanted to kill him but thought better of it."

Baekhyun winced. this guy.

"I brought it back to you because I think you'd have missed it, Jeonha." Minister bowed, handing the robe back to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun took the robe gingerly, wrinkling his nose. It was one ugly suit, which was why he only wore it to disguise his own identity as the Crown Prince. Apparently Minister Kang didn't think so.

"Thank you Minister Kang." Baekhyun told Minister Kang. "I'll make sure to uh...keep it safe."

He sighed to himself. "And not to shred it into pieces." he murmured to himself.

Byul heard and bit back a laugh. But that little sound made Minister Kang look over at her. Byul froze and kept her gaze trained the other way, letting her ponytail cover her face.

"That lady bodyguard...she looks really familiar." Minister kang murmured. "I think I've seen her before."

"Really?" the Queen asked, surprised. "She's Baekhyun's bodyguard, Han Eunbyul. Really capable, she is." she smiled proudly.

"Han Eunbyul?" Minister Kang echoed. "Can you turn around to let me see your face?"

Baekhyun shook his head and felt panic surge through his veins. Byul was trying hard not to give in to the urge to run away once and for all. She turned her head slowly and felt her eyes to the floor, wincing as she heard Minister Kang gasp. "You're the lad who stole Jeonha's robe!"

The Queen gasped in surprise. "Byul?"

Byul looked over at Baekhyun desperately and saw him looking back with the same panic in her eyes. He took a deep breath and looked at his mother. "Omonim, actually the thing is this." Baekhyun said loudly. "The thing is that I wore the robe, and-"

"I found it really nice so I took it." Byul cut in. Baekhyun whipped his head to look at her in surprise. "I took it, and went into the capital city in hope of pretending to be some rich lad for a change." Byul fibbed. She looked at Minister Kang. "And I unfortunately met Minister Kang in that....inn."

Minister Kang reddened.

"But I assure you Your Majesty, I intended to return it." Byul finished.

The Queen looked at Byul and back at Baekhyun for a bit. She didn't really believe what Byul said, she knew enough of the girl to know this was something so un-Byul. Baekhyun seemed to be the one who had caused the trouble instead.

But whatever the reasons, she trusted that Byul was protecting her son and she should do so too.

"If you have learnt your mistake, Byul, it's okay." the Queen nodded. She finally noticed the bruises on Byul's face and flinched. "Oh my, and you've been beaten up so brutally! Are you alright?"

Minister Kang squirmed slightly, ashamed that he had done that. Byul nodded with a smile. "I'm fine, Chanyeol-gun gave me some ointment."

*Chanyeol? Not Baekhyun?* The Queen looked slightly surprised. She controlled her expression and nodded. "That's good. Just don't do it again."

She looked over at her son and saw the guilt flashing in his eyes. Those words weren't meant for Byul, they were meant for him.

*Don't do it again, Baekhyun, or Byul would have to bear another round of beatings for you.*