.….Chapter 25…..

(In The Crown Prince’s Absence Pt 2)

The parents of the missing had been notified and the Royal Army was underway with their search. The officials were busy contemplating what to do with the empty throne while General Choi went to the medical building to find Leeteuk for interrogation ….

General Choi walked inside and found the physician alone. “The maidens showed me the blood on the floor. Did he have a wound anywhere?”

“He hasn’t come in yet. Everyone else did. None of them had any injuries.”

“Does anyone know where I can find his right hand man, Kim Heechul? I couldn’t find him anywhere.”

“I haven’t seen him since the wedding. The officials went back to the executive office though to figure out what to do in the absence of a monarch until King Jinki and King Taemin’s return.”

“Then I know where I must go. Thank you Physician-nim.”

“I’ll go with you to examine him for injury.”

…………….

After they quickly laid plans for the funerals for the King and Queen, in the royal office theories and speculations started to form; an official spoke “A war could start if we are without a monarch. The wedding guests are all here, they came from all over our land and even neighboring kingdoms; someone visiting probably kidnapped our Crown Prince and his spouse once they found out our King and Queen were ill the morning after the wedding. Morning two after the wedding and now our King is dead and our new one is missing. Sounds fishy to me.”

“Agreed.” Another man said “It could have been a plan all long. People have been planning their journey to the Palace for two months. I don’t think they got sick by accident; it was all part of a takeover. It would have been easy to poison them with all the drinks that flowed all night. I bet you it was poison that made them sick.” Everyone started talking over the other and it was The King’s Advisor Sooman to speak out logically amongst the chaos, to get them to focus in this time of crisis.  “We need to send someone out to the countryside to brief, King Jinki’s 1^st cousin, Prince Lee Joon of what has happened and bring him here to govern while King Jinki is gone. It is imperative the throne of the Kingdom not to be empty.”

Leeteuk rolled his eye “He doesn’t want to be ruler everyone knows that. I’ll handle things until King Jinki is found.”

The advisor replied “Why you? They are first cousins; you’re his second cousin once removed. Prince Joon’s uncle just died of a mysterious illness or possibly poison and his cousin whom was also struck with the same illness has been kidnapped or worse killed or died from the sickness. I pray for King Jinki’s return but if we can’t find him or he turns up dead from his illness like his parents, Prince Joon is the only hope for our kingdom for he is next in line for the throne after King Jinki.”

Annoyed Leeteuk stated flatly.  “They probably just ran away.”

Shocked at the accusation they all turned to him. “They were extremely ill! He would not have the strength to run away. And why would he?” The doctor spat for her and the General had come in and had overheard the whole conversation.

“Do not raise your voice to a royal, woman.”

“I raise my voice to protect my Kings. We must find King Jinki! He would never run away! He could die. All five of them could die, don’t you care?”

The Advisor came closer to stand between them “Everyone calm down. Lord, Apologize right now.”

He scoffed “She should apologize for shouting at me.” He glared at her “Why are you in here anyways? Shouldn’t you be in the medical quarters?”

General Choi had enough and said firmly “Leeteuk, I need you to come with me.”

Leeteuk his teeth and raised an annoyed brow “Why?”

“You’re under suspicion for the disappearance of their royal highnesses Jinki and Taemin along with Kim Kibum, Kim Jonghyun and Chief Choi Minho and possibly, the murder of the Crown”

Taking a step forward the Lord spat “How dare you, accuse me of having to do with this.”

The General ordered “There was blood found in King Jinki’s chambers. Lift your sleeves and pant legs, if you have nothing to hide then you won’t mind us taking a look. Doctor, search him.”

Leeteuk sidestepped a way from her as she came forward; the evil lord stormed up to the General’s face, his lip curled in anger “How dare you. I am of royal blood; you can’t talk to me this way! This is preposterous! Guards please lock him away. I have nothing to do with Jinki’s whereabouts.”

Highly annoyed she huffed as he walked arrogantly away from her. She tried to at least see if there were stains on his robes…She couldn’t see if the fabric of his trousers were torn due to Leeteuk’s long turumagi (top coat) covering the front of his leg; she waited for the right moment to pounce as they argued…

The General’s men blinked and looked at one another for direction, not sure what to do. They did not move to arrest their leader. They watched him step intimidatingly closer to the Lord. Towering over him, General Choi corrected him.  “King Jinki! Now lift your clothing or I’ll do it for you.”

Gritting his teeth Leeteuk turned away and looked at the second in command of the Royal Army. “I said take him to the stockade!”

“Lord, I beg your pardon but please. Just show him you’re innocent.”

“Follow orders!”

The solider replied “I follow General Choi; lift your robes.”

“I am of the highest ranking in this room. Is there anyone that respects authority? I said take him away!” Leeteuk repeated. His tone scared every man in the room safe for the general.

Livid and fed up with his insolence, now was the time! The royal doctor groaned and quickly ran. Lunging at Leeteuk, she dropped to her knees and clung on to his leg tightly. She flung his long sapphire robe out of the way hastily. Her eyes widened: There was a tear in the clothing, with droplets of blood staining the white silk. The Doctor managed to yank at his paji (pant leg of his hanbok) as fast as she could but she was instantly kicked onto her back, with a harsh jerk of his leg but she had seen it: A bloody gouge right below his knee, unaware it was the bite Jonghyun inflected. With a loud swoosh of the cloth; Leeteuk draped his overcoat in front of his legs before anyone else saw. Pointing at his leg she cried loudly. “You’re bleeding! You hurt King Jinki! What did you do with them?!”

“Good lord, it’s a dog bite! Jinki wasn’t the dog. Don’t you know a dog bite when you see one you stupid woman!”

With confusion at his wording, she knitted her bows together and said to herself in her head “wasn’t? Shouldn’t he have said isn’t a dog?” but quickly out loud corrected him “His title is King!”

“Agio woman get out! Before I arrest you too!”

The General gritted his teeth “There were animal marks on the floor..” as the Physician stood up she was thinking the same as the general thus she couldn’t help it but cut him off and finished the General’s accusatory question. “Did you have a dog attack them before you hid their bodies?”

“Enough!” The devil walked over to her and grabbed her arm roughly enough to leave a bruise later and yelled at her “You both are insane.” she struggled in his grasp; Leeteuk dragged her and threw her into the general then yelled at the soldiers. “Take them away; I will not say it again! Or I will have the lot of you jailed and replaced!”

General Choi turned around and faced his men. “Do what you must.”

His second in command uttered “But?”

“No, buts. Do what he says, take me.” the royal solider blinked nervously and stepped closer grabbing his superior by his elbow and whispered “I’m sorry, General.” “I know. It will be all right. The faster we get this over with the faster you all can get out there and find and return the rightful heir.” Choi whispered before looking over his shoulder at the Lord “I know what you have you done, you are not fooling anyone. You’ve wanted this throne for yourself. When Prince Joon gets here, he’ll set me free so I may resume my investigation for our Kings and the three other men you did something with.” The guards reluctantly guided them to the door as the physician cried “You won’t get away with this!”

After the doors were closed and before her screams became faint Leeteuk turned to the officials. “So where were we?”

“Pri-Prince Lee Joon?” The king’s advisor hesitated to answer after seeing him explode with rage just moments ago; afraid he’d have him thrown in the stockade as well.

“Ah, yes. I’ll have some of my men tell him like you suggested. But until then I will be the one in charge.”

“Lord, my I ask where your advisor is?”

Leeteuk lied with ease as he sat where the King normally does when in the office “Advisor Kim Heechul is ill, might have the same thing as the royal family and Jinki’s friends had. Meeting over.”

Two others spoke up nervously one right after another “But how did you get a dog bite?” “Does King Jinki have a dog or an animal in his room?”

“I said meeting over!”

As the men filed out of the room cautiously Leeteuk added flatly “Please remove the bodies from the King’s chambers. Have the servants prepare them for a funeral.”

“Neh, Lord.”

“Your highness. Refer to me as such, I am the acting crown”

Advisor Sooman muttered sharply. “For the moment.”

“Watch yourself, Lee.” He glared at him. “Or you’ll end up with Choi.”

The King’s advisor inhaled deeply, trying to control himself in order not to punch him; hidden under his long sleeves he balled up his fists “Yes, your highness.”  With jaw clenched he stormed away to fight this battle another day for now there was nothing he could do.

…………………..

The king’s Nephew, Prince Lee Joon hadn’t come to the wedding due to his wife giving birth and wanted to be by her side. Jinki and his parents were happy and told him not to come to the wedding so he may bond with his new child. Leeteuk’s men had travelled out to the countryside and informed Joon of the current situation. Of course Prince Joon wanted to be there to help lead while his cousin was missing and grieve over his Uncle and Aunt but when he tried to leave for the palace to hold the seat of power until King Jinki’s return, the guards wouldn’t let him leave the premises. He became a prisoner in his home while false rumors spread that he didn’t care about being King just like his cousin Lee Jinki whom had run off.

………………………..

Jinki’s personal maiden had cleaned his room after the royal guards searched it for more clues. Loyal Guards had questioned every wedding guest, each member of palace staff, everyone on the palace grounds. Some of Leeteuk’s men from his own village came to the palace grounds and did a mock integration of their own. Things were changing rapidly and they had only been missing one full day. Jinki’s maiden couldn’t find the physician nor could the Queen’s maiden. It didn’t take long for them to figure out what had happened to her and Minho’s father; they were sure more than ever Leeteuk had something to do with the five men’s disappearance and the Crown’s deaths. The two women had gone to the King’s Advisor to see what he could do. But alas he could do nothing either for a few days later Heechul had returned back and Leeteuk replaced Lee Sooman with his own advisor, Heechul, as planned…..

The three of them were in private when it happened. Agitated by his absence and suspicious of Heechul’s behavior and whereabouts Advisor Sooman snapped at him when he entered the royal office.  “Where have you been?” But Leeteuk had but-in and didn’t let Heechul answered “He was sick. I told you already.  Pfft, I can’t believe you think the Crown was poisoned. Such nonsense.”

“Liar! He wasn’t sick. Then he would have seen the doctor like the king and queen and the five others did.”

Leeteuk had an answer for that too “He went to see his own doctor. Shindong.”

Sooman spat “Who the hell is that?”

“The man replacing The Royal Family’s physician. With her locked up we’ll need a new doctor.”

“Replaced?  Free her, you put her in there! As the advisor, I must tell you: It makes you look guilty.”

“Sooman, do you want to be thrown in jail too?”

“My name is Advisor Lee.” He huffed. “And no I do not want to. You are on dangerous ground here.”

“No, that isn’t your title any longer.  I won’t throw you in the stockade but I will replace you with Advisor Kim Heechul. Someone more loyal. I am taking pity on you. You have been brain washed by the Royal Physician and General Choi or perhaps you’re just distraught over the passing of the King and don’t know what you are saying and are incompetent at the moment. So take your time to think of what you have accused me of, because it is you who is treading on dangerous grounds, Lee. The next time I will not be lenient on you and you can join your buddies behind bars.”

Sooman was furious but had no choice but to step down from his position; he can’t keep an eye on him if he is in the stockade and he can inform General Choi of everything. He took his anger and redirected it at spying on every move Leeteuk and Heechul made. “I’ll leave you two be. I’m Lee Sooman the king’s advisor after all and you are no King of mine.”

Leeteuk smirked “I will be.”

“I will have to let Advisor Kim do his job then. I’ll be waiting for the King’s return. The rightful King.”  And with that he turned around and stormed out of the building.

Lord Leeteuk smirked at Heechul. “So, are they at the edge of Heaven and Earth?”

“Yes my lord.”

“Good. By the way you still want to bed the Queen’s Physician? If so you may release her from the stockade and keep her in your room to do as you wish with her.”

“Thank you!” He bowed respectfully.

“She is your reward for … well, let’s say loyalty.”

…………..

Two weeks before the heavenly Queen appeared to the five animals Leeteuk was in the throne room sitting upon King Jinki’s rightful seat. Officials, along with Lee Sooman, were passing by the open building and had seen him sitting on the throne. Confused and shocked he’d have the audacity to sit there they walked up the steps and into the Throne Hall. “What are you doing in King Jinki’s Throne?” “Get out of it right now!”The former King advisor yelled.

Consumed with power he was unfazed by their shouts, Leeteuk rubbed his hands on the armrests. “It has been a month. It appears that Jinki and his wife aren’t coming back. I think it’s about time we officially crown a new king to rule this kingdom. Never did like that woman, oops I mean man, Taemin.” The devil chuckled snobbishly.

“How dare you. You know this makes you look like you had something to do with the crown’s death and the possibility of King Jinki and Queen Taemin’s and the three other men that mysteriously vanished. Where is your heart, your concern?”

“How dare I? Where is Lee Joon? Where is Lee Jinki and his Taemin? Nowhere! It wasn’t me, so how dare you! I was at their bedside when they died. It was clearly someone else; I am insulted you accuse me again. My advisor Heechul this afternoon will be informed to plan my coronation.”

“This is an outrage. We can’t stand by while you do this. The throne, the heavenly crown of our kingdom does not and will not belong to you. ”

With a roll of his eyes and a sneer Leeteuk made another snarky remark “I’m afraid the heavens have cursed them for the travesty they let happen: Letting their son have homoual relations with Young Master Taemin. Jinki is a coward and ran away.  Pfft, heavenly crown, Ever think, perhaps the heavens are punishing the Lee family? I am restoring the Kingdom from the disgusting debacle that Lee family put it through."

“I won’t stand by and watch you do this.” Sooman rushed forward to grab him and yank him off the throne.”

“GUARDS!” Leeteuk stood up and pushed him back before he had a chance to touch him. Leeteuk’s guards rushed in as he shouted “Arrest him, attempted assault on a royal.”

“I did nothing of the sort.” Sooman huffed, dusting off his robes and stormed out of the hall.

Leeteuk smirked and sat back down. He sighed happily and smiled at the remaining officials in the room whom were speechless. “It suits me doesn’t it?”

They said nothing for what could they do, for their Palace had official gone corrupt. “So, Heechul will crown me King soon. Please let him know. Get things prepared. Invite everyone back to the palace to see me ascend the throne properly.”

“No.” one of the officials muttered nervously.

Leeteuk growled “What?”

“I said no. I am loyal to Kings’ Jinki and Taemin. We must not do anything until we know if they are dead or alive.”  No one in the Kingdom knowing Joon was being held captive; he suggested “We must try again with Prince Lee Joon. Let me talk to him.”

“I will have no one talking of Jinki and Taemin to me. They gave up the throne. And I waited and let the kingdom mourn for his parents; the Kingdom can’t be without a King for this long. And I told you a thousand times, Lee Joon wants nothing to do with this.”

The official stammered and bowed then looked up and tried to be brave “I…I don’t believe you.”

“I have had enough of this insolence from everyone, has ever gone in insane.  Seize him!” The official stood his ground and let the Lords guards grip him tightly by the arms and forcefully carry him away. Leeteuk smirked and cocked his eyebrow smugly and muttered “Looks, like now has come the end of the SHINee Dynasty”

The man shouted “SHINee LOYAILTY!!!!” as his feet slid on the floor as he was dragged out of the Throne hall.

The men loyal to the SHINee Kingdom stormed out of the hall and those few remaining, were afraid to deny him and did as he wished and helped Heechul plan his coronation.

…………….

 The King’s advisor comforted the maidens and all the servants the best he could. They all secretly kept searching for the rightful leader of SHINee World and his “brothers.” The army still took Choi’s orders; they’d visit him in the stockade and brief him on everything going on in the palace. Being in jail was the perfect location to conduct his work, without the watchful eye of the evil Lord and his men. General Choi sent them out into the villages to look for the missing men. Leeteuk’s guards weren’t helping but making things worse. They had gone out into the SHINee city outside the Palace gates and caused trouble at the local shops of merchants and the pub. Besides the rumors and accusations of the heavens cursing and punishing The Crown and Kingdom due to Jinki’s homouality and marriage to Taemin like Leeteuk told the officials the day he planned to be Crowned, Leeteuk’s men had been busy spreading more false rumors of Jinki being a coward not wanting to lead his kingdom since his “daddy” died. Jinki rather sleep with a man than protect his land.  He dubbed the three friends as disloyal traitors in another rumor, implying they were behind his abduction. Another rumor was Jinki was salaciously involved with all four of them.   Leeteuk’s guards were treating the local shawols in the SHINee city poorly and had taken advantage of some of the females. Luckily two men Loyal to General Choi saved a woman from being manhandled once.  

As time went on every town and village became scared of the new leader and since there had not been a sign of the two kings and the others, their sprits started to sink: thinking all hope was lost as they entered the second month. Every subject of the SHINee World loyal to the crown feared King Jinki and his beloved Taemin and their friends had died of the sickness many weeks ago.

Leeteuk refused to speak to Taemin’s parents who were worried sick over their only child. The vile man had kicked Jonghyun’s family from the palace and repossessed all their clothes and gifts Jinki and his parents had given them over the years. The instruments belonged to the Kim’s before they came to work at the palace but that didn’t stop him from stripping the family of them as well. With nowhere to live and without their instruments there was no way to make a living to feed themselves but Leeteuk didn’t care no matter how much Mr. Kim pleaded to have mercy on his family and begged for him to return their drums and kayagum’s and other musical items. Leeteuk broke Jonghyun’s kayagum in his outburst. As he spewed hatful words to Jonghyun’s father he threw it on the ground; it slid across the floor near Mr. Kim’s knees where he knelt. “You can have this one.” Was the last thing he said to him before Leeteuk had the Kim family forcefully escorted from the palace grounds.  The other servants held in their tears as they watched the event unfold.   Magistrate Lee took the homeless Kim family into his home without hesitation.   Kibum’s and Minho’s mothers would gather with Taemin’s and Jonghyun’s at Magistrate Lee’s home in the nearby village away from palace spies loyal to Leeteuk to conduct meetings of any new news. If they could get away from the palace, the Queen’s maiden and Jinki’s would join them. ….They split up into groups: woman holding down the “fort” while the men went out into the thick of it… While the maidens of the palace and women of the village and city and the four mothers of the missing were busy in the house plotting where they have already searched and where to look next, their husband’s and loyal male SHAWols, that were able to help and volunteer, would go out with a SHINee fighting spirit and comb the land in hopes of finding them.

Mrs. Lee one night was laying wide awake thinking about her son and the loss of her best friend the Queen. While Taeyeon was remembering the happy time she had with her son and the queen and the seamstress while making Taemin’s yellow coming of age hanbok. She came up with an idea. They had embroidered a yellow flower on the sleeve representing the sacred engagement flower. What if she and the royal seamstress made a new design that would represent their fight against Leeteuk’s regime and show their loyalty to the Royal Lee family. It would also make it easier to see who was on their side and whom they could trust. You can’t cut a diamond and no matter how hard Leeteuk tried to break them and cut the loyalty from their hearts he would fail. There for she smiled to herself as she woke up and got out from under the covers. She lit a candle and sat on the floor at her writing table and drew a diamond for the royal seamstress. She would give the pattern to the ladies during the next meeting as well while the men continued the search for the 5 missing men and any other clues and evidence they could of what had happened to them and the Crown… The ladies would end up sewing as many as possible onto aqua fabric over the next few weeks afterwards to give to allies… The subjects of the SHINee World are the jewel of the King’s strength, shawols strong and unbreakable: A diamond of strength.…Soon the strong symbol of resistance spread and was seen on aqua fans, aqua belts, aqua hanbok sleeves, and small aqua flags wrapped around the columns of porches of hanoks…. Without the five men, the subjects weren’t SHINee, they needed their Leader back or at least had to know what had become of the Kings’ Lee and the three others and until then they would be strong and have faith in heaven to reveal the truth. Shawols would not rest until the Crown and the five men had justice……

…....

Feeling helpless Prince Joon had become a prisoner in his grand hanok; the royal physician becoming a prisoner as well as Heechul’s concubine against her will. General Choi locked up in the stockade along with a few others for conspiracy against him that Leeteuk thought were too loyal to Lee Jinki and or accused him of over throwing the kingdom for his own agenda. But they weren’t the only ones that weren’t free…Betrayed with poisons: In Emerald Fields Lees’ Jinki and Taemin, Kims’ Jonghyun and Kibum and Chief Choi were prisoners in their animal bodies and in their minds: They were trapped and didn’t know it, their memory having failed them, as their kingdom spiraled downhill without them… Thrown in a mental jail by the traitors, Heechul and Leeteuk; lack of memory sealed the prison doors of their animal minds tightly….

Memory was the key but 2 and half months later the angelic ghost of the late Queen, found them and gave them the key; the key that had set them free.  Chief Choi, Performer Kim, and Advisor Kim proudly lead King’s Jinki and Taemin along the aqua path to set their people free and restore the throne.