“S-Sunwoo?” Your voice wavered in disbelief at the sight before you. He laughed again and you stumbled backwards slightly, nearly falling before being caught by Jaehwan. “But-” You felt your knees starting to shake again and you leaned back into Jaehwan’s arms. You didn’t know when it had happened, but somehow his arms had turned into a sort of safe haven for you. Without having to say anything, Jaehwan’s arms tightened around you, supporting you and keeping you standing.

“But why? Is that what you want to know?” Sunwoo’s voice was harsh and rather than the smile you had grown up with, his face was twisted in a mockery of the expression. “Because it needed to be done. Your father was trying to play both sides. There was nothing left to me. Everything was being given to whichever traitorous little prince they sold you to. Even you have complained about it. I had even asked your father to pass everything to me. I grew up in the kingdom and know everything about it. Instead, he sent me away with nothing. Even the bastard boy was given more than me!”

You frowned in confusion at his words. Did he mean there was someone else in your family? You felt Jaehwan’s arms tighten around you just slightly before Sunwoo laughed again, the sound echoing off the walls and you couldn’t stop the shudder from crawling down your spine.

“So your prince hasn’t told you, huh? Not the best way to start a marriage if you ask me.” Sunwoo shook his head, acting as if he were simply commenting on someone not liking his favorite food or such. “The nagging one who always ran after you while we were growing up, Hakyeon. Surely you could tell how much your father favored him. And who was he to be brought up in the castle alongside the princess? He had simply been one of the many orphaned poor after the epidemic. What was so special about him for the king to bring him in to the castle as raise him almost as his own?”

Sunwoo paused and you felt your heart stop for a moment. Surely he couldn’t be suggesting that- .. Your thought was cut off by his laugh again. You forced yourself to look him in the eyes, trying to draw on whatever strength reserves you had left. “What are you-”

“Your father, our late and great king,” his voice was thick with sarcasm as he continued, “was not quite as pure and upstanding as he might have led the kingdom to believe.” You couldn’t stop the small noise from slipping from your lips and you mentally cursed yourself at the smirk that spread across his face. “Oh yes, little cousin. Your father brought him here because he was Hakyeon’s father too. Compared to other kings, your father was actually rather moral and upstanding. He only had the one bastard, and he made sure to take care of him, rather than simply spreading them throughout the kingdom.”

Your legs gave out after hearing the words, Jaehwan’s arms around your waist being the only thing that kept you from falling into the dirty floor of the dungeon. Taking a shaky breath, you pushed yourself back to standing on your own and stepped out of Jaehwan’s arms, moving closer to the bars of the cell, hardening your face into a frown. “I don’t believe you. I’m sure you would say anything simply to try and hurt others. I should-”

“Go ahead and ask your prince there if you don’t believe me.” Sunwoo’s words cut into you, stopping you mid-sentence. He motioned back towards Jaehwan with a mockery of a smile. “Go ahead, little cousin. I have the time, I can wait.”

You turned back to Jaehwan, mentally willing this all to be some elaborate lie or a nightmare. Although when you looked at Jaehwan’s face, you felt your heart drop to your feet. The truth of Sunwoo’s words was written all over his face and you couldn’t help but feel the secret as if it was a betrayal. You felt the last of your strength start to drain away and you took a shaky breath before turning back to Sunwoo.

“You will be charged of treason. I will see you pay for your crimes. You will not claim a single grain of sand in my kingdom. Before I have you publicly beheaded for what you’ve done, I will tear every detail of the treachery and any other threats from your lips.”

Before you could lose any of the false bravado you had mustered, you your heel and walked back towards the exit of the dungeons, not bothering to see if Jaehwan was following you or not. Ignoring the jeers and calls from the prisoners in the other cells, you did your best to keep a moderate speed, when your heart was screaming for you to run and hide from what you had been told.

Once you made it past the entrance to the dungeons and passed back into the castle’s corridors, you released the breath you had been unconsciously holding, letting yourself drop to the floor. The action startled Sir Minhyuk, who had been waiting to act as the guard for both you and Jaehwan until the other knights were fit to return, and he rushed over and knelt beside you.

“Princess? Are you hurt, princess? Do you need the surgeon?”

Before you could answer, you felt him lift you in his arms. You shook your head, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not hurt. I just ..” You trailed off, not sure how to put everything into words.

Sir Minhyuk gently shifted you to where you were standing on your feet again, even as he kept an arm wrapped securely around your waist to keep you from falling again. “I understand. Would you like me to you to your chambers? Or anywhere else?”

“Take me to Hakyeon. When we find him, I will speak with him alone and you will keep anyone from overhearing or interrupting. I expect you not to listen to what I have to say as well.” You saw him nod before he slowly dropped his arm from your waist, pausing a moment to be sure you wouldn’t collapse again, before he started to walk slowly down one of the corridors.

The silence was tense, and you felt the absence of Jaehwan again. It was strange how easily he had seemed to weave himself into your life ever since the betrothal announcement. Of course learning about the secret he had kept from you, there was a small taint of betrayal that had started to creep into your mind.

He stopped outside of a door and you vaguely recognized it as one of the guards’ chambers by the ranking designation plate on the door. You glanced to Sir Minhyuk and he knocked before calling out loudly, “The princess is here for a word.”

Almost instantly the door was pulled open and Hakyeon’s shocked expression peeked through the doorway before he opened the door fully and stepped back so you could enter the room. The furnishings were sparse, but you saw Sanghyuk laying on the bed, still with a cloth across his forehead. You quickly crossed the room and leaned over the bed, trying to see if he was any better, even if you had no real healing training. You turned back to Hakyeon with a small frown. “Is he-”

“He’s asleep. Sir Taekwoon said he will need to sleep for now while the antidote works through his body. He will be fine in a few days. There’s no reason to worry.” Hakyeon’s voice and face were both soft, the fondness for the young knight obvious to anyone. “You wanted to have a word, princess? If you were hoping to speak with Sanghyuk, I can try to wake him?”

You shook your head before frowning. “No, let him sleep. He needs to heal from the poison. I was looking for you. But let’s not talk here. I don’t want anyone to overhear.” You turned back to Sir Minhyuk, who stood at the door. “Is there an empty room nearby?” At his nod, you gestured to the door. “Lead the way.” He bowed and turned to leave the room and you followed, not turning to see if Hakyeon followed or not.

As soon as the door closed behind Hakyeon, you spun around and glared at him. “Did you know?!”

There was a mixture of shock and confusion on his face when he stopped in front of you. “Did I know what? I’m sorry, princess, I’m not-”

“That the king was your father!” You shouted at him, trying to ignore the shaking in your hands. You watched as his face seemed to drain of all expression, and you dropped down to the floor, your legs giving out beneath you.

Hakyeon quickly stepped forward to try and help you up, but you waved him off, staying in the floor for a moment while you tried to process everything. Hakyeon was your brother. He knew about this and didn’t tell you. Jaehwan had known as well. But the biggest thing you couldn’t quite believe was that Sunwoo, who you had grown up with, was a member of the rebellion who had assassinated your father and tried again to kill you as well.

Without realizing it, you had started to cry. Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control in your life and even the things and people you had thought to be a constant were changing as well. You sat and let yourself cry everything out for a moment, your hands clenched tightly in your lap. This small moment of weakness could be excused.

There was a knock on the door and you jumped slightly before pulling yourself to stand and face the door, quickly wiping your hands over your face before the door opened. One of the surgeon’s assistants, Youngjae, bowed quickly before walking into the room. “Sanghyuk is awake again. He’s insisting on seeing you, princess. He needs to stay in bed and rest, but he keeps trying to leave. I hate to interrupt, but could you speak with him? Tell him to stay in bed for now?”

You took a breath, giving him a smile before nodding. “Of course. I wanted to see him as well, but I didn’t want to wake him.” You motioned for the door and followed Youngjae out, not sparing a glance behind you at Hakyeon. His reactions and explanations would have to wait. At least until you had settled matters with the rebellion and their assassins.