“You let your guard down again.”

 

Wonwoo bows to the Queen. It’s the same lecture he gets whenever he goes back to the kingdom by himself, his servants tasting an earful of the Queen’s words about leaving the Prince in public.

 

Soonyoung retreats to his own room located in the basement of the palace where all the servants’ rooms are. He needs to reflect. He always does after visiting the outside world.

 

Mr. Choi takes a seat on the edge of the bed.

 

“Long day?”

 

Wonwoo, going back to his room, meets the King halfway. He doesn’t stop walking like always. He doesn’t look him in the eye this time, hands on his back, head down, walking up the stairs.

 

“Wonwoo,”

 

He still doesn’t stop.

 

The King sighs and silently follows the second Prince.

 

“It’s an offense to throw aside the King, no?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then turn this way and speak to me.”

 

They’re already inside his room, the door closed and locked. There are times like this when the King goes inside his children’s rooms uninvited to listen and give them advice. The thing about Jeonghan is he talks the instant he goes back to the kingdom. Wonwoo does too, but rarely.

 

“There’s nothing I’m worried about.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“No, you’re not.”

 

He turns to his father.

 

“Why are you afraid?”

 

“Afraid of what?”

 

“The outside.”

 

The King’s smile falls and is replaced by a shadow around him.

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a small clock standing on the old dresser that reads twelve-thirty in the evening. Chulsoo should be sleeping next to her family. They always try with so much difficulty fitting all eight persons on the small mattress. Whenever it’s the spring season they would wake up with headaches or body aches because of the small space. Summer covers them in sweat. Now that it’s autumn maybe it’s okay.

 

She lived her whole life with this situation so she’s used to it.

 

Except for one thing.

 

Chulsoo opens the broken window wider, letting the slightly cold wind enter their small of a house.

 

Why is the first Prince always showing up these days?

 

For the past years she saw him. During the first two years he was diligent showing up at the oddest of times, enduring the hate being thrown at him. She was one of them, actively giving the hate. The next four and a half years was Jeonghan showing up rarely. The Exceptions were trying to forget about them especially him. They were wrong in believing that despite their very cold nature he was going to help them. Still, the royal family would make themselves known when they visit other kingdoms just like the other day, that evening Chulsoo saw the second Prince looking at her with a cold expression.

 

Are they here to finally help them or ridicule them more?

 

Don’t kid me.

 

She feels her tears stream down.

 

“What are you planning?”

 

“Why is the situation worse out there?”

 

“What do you want?”

 

Wonwoo throws his cloak on the floor.

 

“You’re all looking at them like they’re monsters.”

 

“Because they are.”

 

He removes all his garments and dips one foot in his tub.

 

“They’re people. Our people. But you’re doing nothing.”

 

“Are we going to have this kind of talk again, Wonwoo?”

 

“Yes we are. You asked me what I’m worried about.”

 

He hears a knock on the door.

 

“Your Highness, are you actually taking a bath in the middle of the night?”

 

The King doesn’t say anything and they share a heated stare.

 

“I’m going out there.”

 

“No, you aren’t.”

 

“I’m going to straighten everything out.”

 

“Jeon Wonwoo.”

 

He breathes out.

 

“I’m not going to sit still like all of you.”

 

His father closes the space between them, staring blankly at his son.

 

“Then try your best. But you’re not getting any help from me.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Nor from your brothers, from the Queen, from the servants, from the soldiers.”

 

Wonwoo wears his bathrobe and opens his bedroom door. Soonyoung, from the looks of it, is getting ready to sleep. Every night he checks on the Prince before tucking himself to bed.

 

“You really did.”

 

“Kwon Soonyoung.”

 

“Y–Yes?”

 

“When the sun rises,”

 

His helper looks around the empty hallways. “When the sun rises?”

 

“We’re going to end the war.”

 

Soonyoung’s eyebrows meet at the center. Is it because it’s midnight or he doesn’t understand what the Prince is saying at all?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What is this?”

 

“You—Don’t touch that!”

 

“The did this come from?”

 

Chulsoo eyes shoot open. She sits on the mattress and notices her family, even just one of them, isn’t lying down beside her. When she faces front they’re huddled up on the entrance. She can hear several voices mixing together from outside, then more screaming, but she knows it’s too early fo