-Chapter 18-

Miyoung studied Sunggyu's face and let out a sigh, "If you are forcing me to ask it means you do not want me to ask you any questions.  I know how you are Sunggyu. When you do not want someone..." Miyoung paused when Sunggyu leaned closer to her face. Miyoung bit her lip and looked into Sunggyu's small eyes.

"Do you really think you know me that well?" Sunggyu smirked as he looked into Miyoung's eyes. He did not mean to toy with her, but there was a reason behind it.  "If you want to ask me something then just ask it."

"Sunggyu, how long have we known each other?" Miyiung asked with her arms crossed.  She knew Sunggyu was trying to play mind games with her.

Sunggyu tapped his chin, "Since we were five." Sunggyu said with a  gentle smile. "Well we knew of each other before that, but we did not get to play together.  Why is that important right now?" Sunggyu asked.

"I am just saying that I know you well enough when you are keeping something from me. I know that you do not want me to question you, but you were going to say something to me the day you got hurt.  It was when Hoya and Dongwoo showed up."  Miyoung looked at Sunggyu and blinked a few times.  "Sunggyu...."

Sunggyu leaned back and sighed, "That isn't important right now. There are more important matters that..."

"It is important to me..." Miyoung looked at Sunggyu, "There never used to be a wall between us Gyu and now I..."

The door of the carriage suddenly opened. Miyoung and Sunggyu looked over at Sungjong and Myungsoo.  Sungjong looked at the both Miyoung and Sunggyu, "Noona is everything alright? We heard a scream and Dongwoo hyung told us to check on you two."

"Everything is fine." Sunggyu said as he crossed his arms, "We need to keep moving. We should not be stopping. Tell Dongwoo to get moving again. We are never going to get there in three days if we keep stopping like this."

"Hyung you are not in charge right now. You should not be ordering us around." Myungsoo said as he looked at Sunggyu.  He could tell that he was uncomfortable right now, "Rest and stop saying everything is fine when it isn't. Sunggyu hyung, you were the one that screamed. I know what your scream sounds like.  Hyung is..."

"There is nothing wrong. It was just a bad dream, L" Sunggyu turned away from the younger man, "You do not need to worry about me.  Tell Dongwoo not to worry. I know that he must be going crazy.  I am a strong person. This is nothing but a scratch. You are over reacting by keeping me in the carriage."

"I know that hyung, but..."  Myungsoo bit his lip. "Never mind."  There was no way to reason with Sunggyu.  He was too stubborn.  Myungsoo closed the door of the carriage and looked at Sungjong, and then looked away as he started to walk to where Dongwoo was.

"L hyung...um..." Sungjong spoke. 

"What is it Sungjong?" Myungsoo asked as he walked back over to his horse and mounted it.

"Nothing, I just thing Sunggyu hyung is acting stranger than normal around noona." Sungjong sighed and mounted his horse.  "I was wondering if you know why because you were then one that went to talk to him the night before we left."

"He was just stressed when I went to talk to him.  He is too stubborn to know his limits." Myungsoo sighed.  He could not tell Sungjong the truth.  He knew that Sunggyu had some emotional attachment to Miyoung, but he did not know what type of attachment." 

"We need to tall Dongwoo hyung that we need to keep moving or Sunggyu hyung will lose his mind." Sungjong smiled.

"I think he already lost his mind." Sungyeol said as he rode up next to Myungsoo and smiled weakly.  He was still feeling a bit down.  His confidence was not where it used to be.

"He hasn't!" Sungjong said.

"How the hell do you know that?" Sungyeol barked.

"STOP FIGHTING!" Woohyun yelled.  He was getting sick of everyone. "Sunggyu is human too. You need to stop making him be some god who cannot get hurt.  We all can get hurt even if we think are the strongest."

"But, nothing..." Woohyun said.  This was the first time he has ever stood up for Sunggyu.  He did not know why he did it, but he felt like he needed to.   "Sunggyu is not immortal and the reason he got hurt was because he takes care of all of us and does not look out for himself.  Sunggyu hyung was protecting the Princess. Her life is in our hands and if she got hurt or worse killed. What do you think will happen to us?"

Sungyeol, Myungsoo, and Sungjong just stared at Woohyun with wide eyes.  They were shocked that he was being considerate towards Sunggyu.

---

"Dongwoo you should rest." Hoya said as he looked at the older man. "You look terrible.  Did you even get sleep last night."

"About two hours." Dongwoo yawned again. "I'm fine don't worry."

"We do not need you to fall ill like Gyu hyung.  I think you should close your eyes in the carriage for a bit." Hoya sighed, "I will take care of things out here."

"How do I know that you are not going to start a fight with Woohyun?" Dongwoo said and sighed when he heard Woohyun's voice.  He hopped he was not complaining again.  Dongwoo caught wind of what he was saying and sighed from relief.

"Hyung I will behave. Now go rest." Hoya said as he looked at the older man. 

"Fine..." Dongwoo said as he got off his horse and made his way to the carriage.   He jump up on it and knocked on the door, "Hyung...Noona can I come in."  Dongwoo did not get an answer and opened the door anyway. 

"Dongwoo what do you need?" Sunggyu asked.

"Sleep..." Dongwoo said as he sat down next to Sunggyu and yawned. "Noona." Dongwoo smiled weakly and rested his head on Sunggyu's uninjured shoulder.

'If you are here Dongwoo, who did you leave in charge?" Sunggyu asked as he started to fix the younger man's hair.  Dongwoo looked really worn out.  He hopped that the boys did not drive him to crazy.  Sunggyu did not want Dongwoo to have to deal with those troublesome boys. 

"Howon is taking care of everything." Dongwoo said as he snuggled closer to Sunggyu, "You do not need to worry about Woohyun being rebellious.  He stood up for you because Yeollie doubted you." Dongwoo yawned.

"He what?" Sunggyu asked, but he looked down and noticed that Dongwoo had fallen asleep.

"Seems like Woohyun is changing." Miyoung said with a smile.

"I am unsure if he is or not.  Woohyun is a complicated person.  He is difficult to work with, but he has his moments.  I do not like that the boys doubt me." Sunggyu said as he looked at Miyoung.

Miyoung could see the hurt in Sunggyu's eyes.  She hated seeing him hurt. Miyoung sighed,  "I think they are just in shock Gyu.  They look up to you and to see you hurt like this doesn't help their confidence."

"It doesn't help my confidence either." Sunggyu yawned and closed his eyes.  He just wanted to sleep now and try to make this feelings disappear. They are only holding him back.

---

"Hyung should we attack again?' Mir asked Joon as he watched the carriage come from a distance. Mir knew that they were going to move their position again soon.

"No, we are just going to watch them closely.  I have a hunch about something and I want to make sure my hunch is true." Joon said.

"What hunch?"  Mir asked. He wanted to know what Joon was thinking.  He wanted to become a better ninja.  Mir was greedy and wanted to learn from Joon and surpass him.  He wanted to be the person that their boss would go to for help.

"If you have to ask questions then you do not understand." Joon said as he watched Dongwoo jump onto the carriage.  He wondered what the kid was up to.

"Hyung I am still new with this. Please tell me?" Mir asked. "Does it have to do with Sunggyu hyung or Princess Miyoung?"

"It has to do with both of them." Joon said.

an - I hope you like this chapter. The Prince of the Kingdom they are going to will be revealed in chapter 19 or 20.  I am still figuring out what I want to do Gyu's story. He is still a mystery. Woohyun is changing a little bit.  I hope you like what I have to come.