The five of them set off for Hanyang. They decide it’s best for Kyungsoo to stay in plain clothes, on the off chance that they run across anyone still searching for the Crown Prince in the north.

Traveling as a pack like this is actually a wise move, Jongin decides. They blend in perfectly with Baekhyun’s cart filled with his calligraphy wares and Yixing’s many medicinal bottles. They appear to be run of the mill merchants, making a business trip along the main road. The few people they encounter give them no special attention as they pass by. Jongin keeps one hand ready by his sword as a precaution anyway. 

They stop to rest under the shade of a tree before crossing a bridge over the river that supposedly drowned the crown prince. Feeling uneasy, Jongin sits closer to Kyungsoo than required, situating himself between the prince and the river bank, despite the water moving at a lazy pace at this cross point. Kyungsoo doesn’t complain, though, welcoming the closeness and resting his head on Jongin’s shoulder as the group shares prepared rice balls and tea for lunch.

When Jongin insists that Kyungsoo ride with him to cross the river, it does trigger an eyebrow raise. “You do realize I never fell in the water, right?” the prince teases, but he happily climbs up onto the back of Jongin’s horse, wrapping his arms tightly around his guard, humoring him.

“It’s nice to give Yixing’s legs a rest from walking,” Jongin mumbles the flimsy excuse, watching the physician mount up on Kyungsoo’s horse. He places a hand over Kyungsoo’s where it feels warm and reassuring on his stomach, holding the prince securely to him, and uses his other to gently shake the reins and start them forth.

They ride tandem for a short while, until the river can’t be seen nor heard, and reshuffle their traveling positions so Kyungsoo is back atop his own horse. Despite it being the hottest part of day, Jongin misses the comforting warmth of his prince draped on his back, the occasional press of his soft lips to his neck. They’re drawing closer to their destination, though, as the sun begins to set, and Jongin needs to stay vigilant and as free from distraction as possible, so it’s probably for the best. 

As they see the city of Hanyang in the distance, Jongin feels mixed emotions swirl inside him. He looks to Kyungsoo and sees a similar mix of trepidation and relief at seeing the city where he’s lived his whole life. Kyungsoo catches his glance and gives him a closed-mouthed smile in return. “Home sweet home,” he says glibly.

Now, to get inside safely.

Before they had set out on their journey, Kyungsoo forged papers that resembled a request for Yixing’s services at a clinic within the city walls to gain them entrance. Yixing laughed, informing them he had been invited on more than one occasion to that very clinic, but declined for one reason or another each time. He was, of course, more than willing to play along this time.

Ever graceful, Yixing presents the document kindly and handles the talking at the gate.

They make it through gate security with a few suspicious glances because Kyungsoo forgets to keep his head low on more than one occasion. Once inside the busy streets of Hanyang, Jongin sticks tightly to the prince’s side, and leads them to Junmyeon’s house. Hopefully, the official can catch them up to speed on the state of affairs in the palace.

“I’m sorry, the master is not in right now, but he has been anticipating your arrival for the past day. He left a message for you.” Junmyeon’s house servant quickly ushers them all inside and fetches an envelope with a bundle of clothes from a small cupboard.

“Change into your palace clothes immediately. You’re not safe in the city. There are several informants who will not hesitate to take the Crown Prince’s life while he can still be confused for a regular citizen. Come to the palace with haste!”

Kyungsoo and Jongin’s eyes meet as they finish reading the note, and they nod in agreement, sorting out the palace clothing provided for them. But before they can shed their outer robes to change, four men burst into the courtyard, swords drawn.

Jongin’s sword is out in the blink of an eye, and he tries to corral the prince behind him, but his protective hand is brushed aside as Kyungsoo draws his blade, too. There’s no time to argue. The assassins surge forward together and the air is filled with clashing iron on iron.

Jongin parries the first swings at his head, getting two swordsmen’s blades at once in his counterstrike and blowing them back a few steps. He can hear Kyungsoo engage the other assassins beside him, and he shifts so they can protect each other’s weak sides, fighting off the attackers while back to back. “Chanyeol! Help him!” Jongin bellows as he blocks another series of blows from the assassins focused on him.

In his periphery, he sees Chanyeol grab a long-handled gardening hoe from their wagon and take a swing at the closest attacker, striking the man’s hip and getting him to whirl away from the prince to deal with Chanyeol. Jongin skillfully parries another strike from one of his opponents, swirling their blades in an arc and pivoting so he can grabbing the man by the wrist and use both their swords to catch a blow from the other assassin, trapping the steel on its flat sides and twisting to relinquish it from the man’s hand. Jongin roughly kicks the attacker in the chest as his sword falls to the ground. He somersaults away from opponent that is still armed, grabbing the loose sword on the ground by the hilt as he moves. Jongin stands back up with one weapon in each hand now, braced and ready. The unarmed assassin staggers further back, assesses the situation, and flees for his life.

While the other partner readies himself for another assault, Jongin hears Baekhyun’s shrill yell behind him and chances a quick glance. Chanyeol is attempting to fend off his attacker, using the hoe in two hands to block with the long wooden handle, while Baek throws calligraphy brushes and inkwells, anything he can get his hands on really, from the wagon, the debris pelting the two assassins battling away at Yeol and Kyungsoo. In the background, Yixing is hurrying toward them from the house with a broom that he’s found, trying to use the wooden end as a baton to whack at the ribs of Chanyeol’s opponent from behind.

With a sword tightly gripped in each hand, Jongin quickly advances on the assassin before him, forcing the man to block his first swipe, and slashing him viciously across the stomach with his next blow. A sweep of the legs brings the man down onto his back with a thud, blood spilling out onto the dirt. Jongin kicks the felled man’s sword away before spinning around to deal with the opponent who dares clash swords with his prince.

Kyungsoo has been holding his own, spryly dodging each jab and landing a glancing blow on his opponent’s shoulder, the assassin’s black sleeve hanging by torn threads where a small gash bleeds down his arm.

Once Jongin joins the prince’s fight, the man has no chance. With Kyungsoo on the offensive and engaging the attacker’s one blade, Jongin slices at the assassin’s legs first and throat next, wasting no time. He crumples to the ground, and Jongin keeps moving to slide between Chanyeol and his attacker, ducking one blow and quickly disarming the man with a skillful flourish.

“On your knees,” he grits out, kicking the assassin in the stomach and crossing his blades, laying one on each side of the neck and ready to pull through at a moment’s notice. “Speak or lose your head, it’s your choice.”

Kyungsoo walks to Jongin’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder. The weight of it does wonders in calming Jongin. It carries the certainty that the prince is okay, they’re okay, and with a gentle squeeze, Kyungsoo affirms he is in control.

The crown prince speaks, authority ringing through each word. “How did you know we had arrived?”

The hired hitman keeps his eyes low, defeated. “An informant was stationed at the front gates, someone who works for my master that is familiar with your face. He tailed your party here and sent for us.”

“Are there more coming?”

“Likely, though probably not as trained. Our master has several thugs willing to work for him in Hanyang.” His eyes flit to Kyungsoo for a brief second before returning to the dirt. “We’re charged with preventing the crown prince from reaching the palace gates at all costs.”

Jongin looks at Kyungsoo, brows twisted in concern. “We have to get you to the palace. Now.”

Kyungsoo purses his lips and turns to look at the rest of their group, Yixing carefully looking over Chanyeol’s knuckles which suffered a few cuts in the melee and Baekhyun sitting on the ground short of breath from exertion. “We can’t leave them here. They’re not safe.”

“We’ll head to the clinic we were supposedly coming to see,” Yixing suggests. “We’ll have to leave the wagon but we’ll take some of the more valuable medicines and pay a visit. We should be able to blend in.”

Jongin nods in agreement. “Go change, Wangseja,” he pleads. With another gentle squeeze of Jongin’s shoulder, Kyungsoo heads back inside.

“You’re coming with us,” Jongin tells the assassin. “Serve as a witness and perhaps your life will be spared.” He keeps the captive subdued while Kyungsoo adorns himself with his royal clothes.

It’s so nice seeing his crown prince back in his usual garb, Jongin can’t help but smile. He’ll stand out on the streets of Hanyang, certainly, but they have to bank on that being more of a benefit to clearing the way than painting him as a target, Junmyeon having concluded the attention was more likely