"Your Majesty, I really don't agree with this idea!" Jongwoon exclaimed. Henry nodded beside him, arms already trembling with emotion. “Ryeowook, please reconsider!” Ryeowook only closed the book he was reading and looked up at the servants.

"My mind is made up," He said, firmly closing his book. "And it's not like the way I'm taking is harder, I just feel that if he takes the forest route, it'll be easier for him instead of catching a cold after walking in the river."

Ryeowook turned to Henry and handed him a scroll. "Now, if we're finished, could you run this over to Kyungsoo for me? It's a grocery list for this week's dinner, he should appreciate it." Henry didn't look very pleased to abruptly cut off the conversation, but Ryeowook's words gave off an air of finality and he took the scroll and hurried out of the room.

As the door closed behind him, Jongwoon turned to Ryeowook with a fiery glare. Ryeowook stared back even harder. "The river route would be perfectly fine for the king, what are you planning?"

"The forest route is much easier to handle and much nicer than the river. My safety isn't as crucial to the kingdom as his is, you know that very well." Ryeowook said. "If I don't make it, the country will go on, but if he dies, we will fall."

Jongwoon stormed forward and slammed his hands on the table. "But how would that make the king feel?" At this, Ryeowook's strong front began to crack, and Jongwoon could see that. "It would destroy him, he loves you so much, don't you see?"

Ryeowook screwed his eyes shut and turned away, tightly his feather quill in his hand. Jongwoon hated to see him like this, but as his servant and friend, he felt that he had to do it and gently took Ryeowook’s hand. “Ryeowook, I don’t know how long he would live if you died.”

That was it.

With those words, it was like a dam broke in his heart and Ryeowook lurched forward, chest heaving with sudden sobs, slim hands covering his eyes as he attempted to hide the tears freely flowing down his face. Jongwoon in a breath and carefully walked around the desk to wrap his arms around the younger man. Ryeowook leaned into him and buried his head into his shoulder.

“It’s not like I want to leave him, it’s just-" Ryeowook nearly choked on his own tongue in his haste to get the words out. “I want him to live. I want him to live, especially after all that’s happened to him.”

Jongwoon sighed and just held the younger man closer to him, muffling his sobs into his shoulder. “That’s a bit selfish of you, considering how he’ll feel if you don’t make it.”

Ryeowook sniffed and pushed out of Jongwoon’s arms, reaching for a tissue to wipe his nose. “Selfish it may be, but what’s the point of surviving if there’s no place to live?”

~~~

Ryeowook’s eyes snapped open and he shot up like a rocket on the hard mattress. He placed his head in his hands and sighed deeply. He deeply regretted making the decision to separate, because there was nothing that he wanted more than to have Kyuhyun at his side right now.

If they had stayed together, would they have been able to escape safely? Kyuhyun had trained in the military for years, would he and Jongwoon been able to fend of the soldiers? If they had all gone to the forest, would they have survived? He could only hope and pray that his husband was still out there, safe and alive.

A sudden movement from outside the cell drew his attention back to his surroundings; still in the same cell, but there was something different. He looked to his left, Jongwoon was still on the other cot and Ryeowook frowned to see that the elder was breathing heavily in his sleep, his brow too sweaty for such a cold room.

His gaze moved towards the iron bars of the cell and his eyes widened when they saw a dark lump by the door. Ryeowook gingerly got out of bed and made his way slowly to it, smiling when he realized what it was: a bucket of cold water and a cloth. Ryeowook stood up and walked over to the bars to see if there was anything he missed.

Ryeowook jumped when he saw the shadowy figure standing just out of reach. It was the new guard that Jaewon had said would come. Ryeowook frowned, because that meant that Hyungsik was either relocated or killed, and judging from the lack of sympathy the Nams had, he was guessing it was the latter.

He sighed and picked up the bucket and washcloth, hurrying to Jongwoon's side. Ryeowook quickly soaked the cloth in the water and squeezed out the excess liquid, making sure that it wasn't too cold.

The guard stood silently in front of the cell, gaze never wavering from the stone wall. Ryeowook pursed his lips as he pressed the washcloth to Jongwoon's feverish forehead. Jongwoon moaned and Ryeowook gently shushed him, crooning comforts to him.

Ryeowook could feel the uneasiness from staying in that enclosed space for so long beginning to settle over him, and with Jongwoon incapacitated, insanity would soon set in. He lifted his head and stared at the broad back of the soldier guarding the way out.

"You know, we're all going to be here for a while." He murmured. The guard made no move, but Ryeowook kept talking anyway. "Might as well get to know each other, yes?"

But then Ryeowook's eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you're a traitor and you're too ashamed to talk?" The guard stiffened for only a moment, but that was enough for Ryeowook. "Who were you? A servant? A soldier?"

The man made no sound, but Ryeowook could see his fists tightening at his side. "You must have been one of mine, they always were reluctant to tell me their mistakes." Ryeowook peered closer at the man and frowned. "But you don't look like you're from around the capital."

Silence, and then the man reached up to take off his helmet. "...I'm not." The soldier finally eked out and Ryeowook's eyes widened as he recognized the voice, hand flying up to clap over his mouth. A heavy sigh came from the man and he slowly turned around to reveal warm, tear filled eyes. "I'm from Ileun."

Ryeowook gasped and shakily rose to his feet, staggering over to the iron bars. "Youngwoon-hyung...?" he whispered, grabbing onto the bars and