A day later, Baekhyun received the message. They had won. Unfortunately, by special request, he also received note of Chanyeol’s fate.

Not dead. That was a relief.

But there was still bad news. Apparently, the Black Widow had stabbed him, and his leg had to be amputated quickly so the poison would not spread to the rest of his body.

But to be honest, that wasn't bad news, Baekhyun was happy. Chanyeol would have to be sent back, because he wouldn’t be able to fight, and all with the small cost of half a leg.

 

 

Chanyeol woke up to a sharp pain in his leg and the feel of cold metal slicing into just below the knee.

He only had time to scream and to hear a ‘Oh, Shi-‘ before he fainted.

He had been hoping it was a bad dream, but when he woke again and saw the sad face, he knew he was amputated. That, and the throbbing of his bloodstream trying to go to a place that no longer existed.

‘You’re Lay.’ Chanyeol felt like his mouth was disconnected from his face, which thankfully hadn’t happened yet.

‘Yep… from the stables. Turns out I can treat people as well as horses. Although the screams are slightly more… damaging. Look, I’m sorry about the leg–‘ 

Chanyeol interrupted him ‘I know, it was the poison, I’m not really sad. As soon as I was stabbed, I thought I would die.’

‘Oh… here is Suho, even though he’s a fit soldier, he’ll be accompanying you back to the Gold Kingdom.’

‘Well. I think I’m not entirely needed anymore. And you can’t get back on your own.’

Lay gave Chanyeol a weird stick of metal with a curved wooden block attached.

‘To help you move. It’s not much that someone gets injured as badly as you have… unless they die, really. You have to hold onto that or your other leg may get hurt from the sudden pressure.’

And with that, Chanyeol and Suho started walking.

 

Jongin was gladdened by the message, but at the same time a bit sad because he could imagine the hundreds of innocent lives wasted.

He had arranged his hideout on the road that his messengers took, so he was at the perfect vantage point whilst not being a target for assassination. Halfway to the battle, halfway to the headquarters.

He got out of his dirty linen bag all the essentials, enough high energy food to last him at least 2 weeks, rope, and a few other odd bits, including some spare clothes. Using the rope, he sat on a easy to climb tree and tied himself to it for added security that he wouldn’t fall to his death. The sun was just warm enough to be able to fall asleep easily without a blanket. Jongin fell into a deep sleep.

 

He woke up to see doe-eyes staring at him and he felt rope tightly binding his hands together. He was still on the tree, except he felt like he was balancing precariously.

‘You sure are a deep sleeper, Jongin.’

Jongin cursed inwardly. The one soldier who would recognise him by face. Kyungsoo probably remembered him from the attempted peace treaty a few months earlier. Fat lot of good it did Jongin.

‘Why are you here Kyungsoo?’

‘Our side lost. I didn’t really have the best choice, did I? But what luck!’ Kyungsoo rubbed his hands

Jongin respected Kyungsoo for having such talent as to recognise him. He had heard and seen Kyungsoo though. He was surprised he wasn’t already dead.

‘Why am I still alive Kyungsoo?’

‘Simple. I have a king. Basically, I’ll give you to Kris. It’s his duty. Trust me, I torture the soldiers, and if Kris gives you to me to torture, I’ll make it special treatment.’ Kyungsoo leaned closer to Jongin’s face, and their noses almost touched ‘Fit for a king.’

Well, this was all to get Kris’ guard down so he could kill him, he forgot to add. Who knew, Jongin might make it out alive yet.

Jongin didn’t believe Kyungsoo. He had a plan. Maybe it was to get money?  He had never known the blood thirsty killer to be so… obedient.

Kyungsoo climbed down and reached out his arms.

‘Jump.’

Jongin felt childish ‘What?!’

‘I SAID JUMP YOU… ‘ Jongin felt good making Kyungsoo fume.

‘Will you-‘

 

‘JUST JUMP.’

Jongin suddenly slid off, which Kyungsoo wasn’t expecting. Instead of landing in his arms, Jongin basically squashed Kyungsoo and stuck his elbow into Kyungsoo’s stomach.

‘Dammnit.’ The one thing that was so cute about Kyungsoo was that even though he was vicious, he didn’t abide by swearing.

After Kyungsoo had dragged (Jongin could walk, but he was feeling stubborn) Jongin back to the tree and leant him there, Kyungsoo rummaged around in his bag and took out his clothes.

‘Can’t appear too obvious, can I?’ Kyungsoo started changing. For some reason, Jongin felt a bit too embarrassed for Kyungsoo’s sake and he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw the vicious little creature that was Kyungsoo standing there looking adorable in oversized clothes (Jongin guessed he was a bit of a masochist for thinking stupid thoughts like that).

Kyungsoo put his clanky metal armour in the bag and put the sword down his back, using a bit of spare rope to tie it around his chest.

He drags Jongin, which looks ridiculous, because without his sword and armour, it just looks like a small short ball of annoyance dragging this guy who would happily walk.

 

Baekhyun’s getting nervous. There has been absolutely no word from Jongin for a while, and it’s been 2 days. Their army is advancing, they’ve caught Kris’ fail naval army coming round the side and it’s… well, it’s too easy. Battles are never fought and won this easily. Kris wouldn’t be stupid enough to start a war he wasn’t sure he could finish.

The worst thing about a battle that is intimidating is a battle that isn’t. Mainly because of the feeling that something is going to spring on you at any moment.

 

Chanyeol half limps half hops along with Suho staying near and stabling him every time he misplaces a foot. Chanyeol seems to be a fighter, and has even more energy than Suho even after all these days. They can see the tops of the highest buildings in the Gold Kingdom, when something cracks, and Suho turns around to see a short person with his face bandaged up.

‘Hello.’ Says Kyungsoo, his voice pitched slightly higher than normally.

‘Why are you just outside?’

‘I was on my way as a messenger, when suddenly a highwayman took me off my horse and beat me up.’

Chanyeol was the one who spoke this time.  ‘Would you like to come with us?’

‘No. Sorry.’

‘Why? Wouldn’t you want protection.’

‘I’m sorry, but I think I would make it better alone than with a cripple.’

Chanyeol thought he recognised the voice that said cripple.

Suho sighed ‘ Ok, then, we’ll just leave.’

Cripples were like nobodies in the fighting kingdom. The only thing they could do was stiching.

 

Well, that, and being kings.

 

Kyungsoo walked back to Jongin.

‘Why are you advancing further into my kingdom.’

He hadn’t spoken up, because he knew Kyungsoo could easily (and happily) kill those two people.

‘I’m not going to go further into your troops. I think… we’ll set up camp here. A bit more off the main road.’

‘Okay.’

 

 

 

‘Why are there no more soldiers?’ Lay questioned in his head. He had just finished checking up on his patients and he was worried. They were practically right outside the kingdom and nada. Nothing. Nil.

He squinted his eyes as he approached. There was the men, then the cavalary. And what was that?

 

 

Kyungsoo jumped at the messenger, slashing. Efficiently, he dragged the body further into the woods. But not too far away. Just in case they couldn’t find any animals to eat.

Walking back to Jongin, who was relaxing in the sunshine murmering to himself

‘I should really do this more often, it’s amazing…’

Kyungsoo opened the letter.

More men and cavalary as expected. A match for ours. However, enemy has developed a machine that throws huge trees at soldiers. Many wounded. Send more.

Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes. That face. He did have another plan up his sleeve. An invention.

He was subconsciously helping Kris by intercepting the message. No. Kris didn’t trust him. After all the things he had done, he would never kill Kris.

He dropped the message in front of Jongin to read. ‘.’ Jongin uttered only one word.

Kyungsoo’s mind was turning rapidly. This changed everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baekhyun was sitting near the throne, when a dirty man opened the door.

‘How the hell are you back, Jongin?’ Baekhyun hugged him in excitement.

‘A deal with the devil, that’s how.’ Jongin explained how Kyungsoo had offered him release as long as they never tried to find him.

‘Apparently he got the same rush from killing animals and not having to live under any rules. He said he might even control the highwaymen pests we have.’

‘Shouldn’t we be paying him then?’

Another messenger ran in, the doors swinging open ‘Apparently Kris and his adviser have been assassinated. Our army has all been wiped out. Their new king wants a peace treaty.’

 

 

 

Jongin walked into the room, half of it guarded by his men and half by the other king’s.

Chen walked up, his mouth in a lopsided grin.

‘Hello Jongin, I am now king, adviser, and captain of the guards.’

‘What do you want?’

‘Simple. I want money. And gold. More the gold. All the gold you can muster. I want to make my palace better.’

Jongin sighed. And he thought Kris was bad. Well, at least Kyungsoo would be happy about the assassination.

 

 

 

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AN - Did you see the end part coming? -_-