“Okay…” he said with no tone of enthusiasm in it.
“Thank you.”
Zhujin sat down beside him. He also leaned on the barrels and looked up at the moon, admiring it. Since Zhujin isn’t talking, Miyojin finds no reason to say something to him. So wordlessly, they stared at the sky. But that silence didn’t last.
“You know? I have been thinking lately about our childhood.” Zhujin began.
Miyojin turned to his brother. Though he didn’t utter a word, his face told his brother that he wanted him to continue. And Zhujin did.
“When we were kids, I remembered you told me that you were envious of me.”
It is true. Miyojin had always been envious of his older brother. Zhujin was everything he wasn’t. That is why their father always assigned him big responsibilities. If Xia Yu wasn’t ordered to be here, their father wouldn’t even think of sending him along with Zhujin.
“You said it so many times that it made me believe that I’m really someone people will be envious of.”
Miyojin looked down in embarrassment. He can remember those times when he caused tantrums whenever he felt jealous. However, Zhujin wasn’t finished yet.
“But when we grew older, I realized I wasn’t. Why would anyone be jealous of me? I don’t have everything that I wanted. If there was anyone who nearly had everything… it was my Second Brother.”
WHAT???
“I always thought… why would my little brother be jealous of me? He is our mother’s favorite-“
“But, you’re father’s favorite.” Miyojin retorted.
Zhujin looked at his younger brother with a sad smile.
“No. That’s not true.”
Miyojin didn’t believe it for a second. But before he could reply, Zhujin began speaking again.
“You only think that because Father gives me a lot of responsibilities and made me the Crown Prince. But in reality, you are his favorite among his sons.”
“I don’t see how I am the favorite.” Miyojin disagreed.
“Yes, you are! One of the obvious reasons is that Father reserves all the best things for you.” Miyojin was stunned. Does he really have all the best things? He was beginning to think of the best things he had when Zhujin began enumerating them for him.
“You always have the best clothes among us. When people give Father tributes or gifts, he always picks the most valuable to give to you. You were always offered the best meal when we dined with Father. And now, Father even picked you to marry the most exceptional woman in the whole empire.”
Miyojin was dumbfounded. He never thought of those things. Maybe it’s because he spent too much time eyeing what Zhujin had, to see what he had. He couldn’t think of anything to counter what his brother had said.
“When I realized the truth, I had to admit I was the one who was envious of you. But don’t worry… because it didn’t last.”
The younger prince was curious about why his brother was no longer jealous of him. Since his emotions were on his face, his brother answered his internal question.
“I’m no longer envious because you also became my favorite.”
Oh!
“And now, I recently noticed that my favorite brother had been ignoring me…”
Though Zhujin said it with a smile, Miyojin felt guilty. That was also true. He had been acting hostile towards him. That is all because he didn’t like his relationship with Xia Yu.
“Is it because of Xia Yu?” Zhujin asked like he heard his thoughts.
Miyojin was surprised. Was he really obvious?
“You don’t like me being close to her, don’t you?”
There was a brief silence before Miyojin found a voice to speak.
“No, t-that’s not it. I don’t care if you two are close.”
Thinking what he just said wasn’t convincing enough, he added another point.
“You can be friends all you want. I just think- I’m only worried that rumors might circulate because of your closeness.”
Zhujin’s reaction was nothing like what Miyojin expected. He started laughing.
“I know you’re not in love with Xia Yu.” the Crown Prince stated once he recovered from laughing.
“And so does she…”
That added statement brought in an unidentified feeling in Miyojin. He knows she doesn’t have feelings for him so why?
“But, you have to admit Xia Yu is an impressive and well-mannered woman. And not many people can resist her charms.”
Miyojin couldn’t utter another word. This is the first time he and his brother talked about Xia Yu. Initially, Miyojin thought she was someone who would ruin everything for him. And he had expressed his disdain to his older brother.
But it turned out she would help him achieve what he wanted. She will even voluntarily leave after three years. Miyojin couldn’t understand why he was acting as he did recently. He only knows that he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t even know the reason why he doesn’t like it.
“You know, Miyojin? I don’t want to meddle in your private affairs. But, I have two things to ask of you.”
Two things?
“What are they?”
“First, you should never mistreat Xia Yu in any way. I know you don’t mistreat her. I’m only saying that it should stay that way.”
Miyojin pondered his brother’s words. He’s right. Even if they don’t have feelings for each other, it isn’t right for him to treat Xia Yu unfairly. She’s his wife. And she will be treated as such as long as they are married.
“Second, I want you to reach out to her, like how you would reach out to a friend. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to connect with her.”
Upon realizing his brother’s words, Miyojin guessed that it was time for him to face the music. After all, Xia Yu and he are allies. It isn’t a good alliance if one party is hostile towards the other. Realizing what he had been doing wrong in the past months, Miyojin looked at his brother. With renewed determination, he said.
“Okay. I will do them. You have my word.”
“Thank you,” Zhujin said while brotherly patting Miyojin’s shoulder.
Both of them are happy because the months of hostility between them are now gone. It felt like a fresh start. Miyojin swore to himself that he would make it up to his brother. And he will start now.
“Okay! It’s late. Let’s**** the hay now.” Zhujin invited.
Both of the princes rose to their feet. They both had smiles on their faces. However…
“Look out!!!” Zhujin said as he grabbed Miyojin to pull him away.
Right where Miyojin was previously standing, an arrow was now planted on the wooden deck. Both princes look up from the direction where the arrow was fired. They saw the ship’s crew members on the upper deck. Their blades and evil smirks were gleaming in the night.
Both of the princes had one thought.
The assassins!
The crew members run towards them on the main deck. Miyojin began shouting, alerting whoever could hear him. Zhujin drew his sword from his waist and braced himself for battle.
“Miyojin, I need you to go below deck and wake the other guards,” Zhujin instructed.
“O-okay,” Miyojin replied despite his shaking self.
“And find Xia Yu.” the older prince added.
Xia Yu? Oh no! Where is she!? Is she alright!? She should be in their room by now.
And with that, Miyojin bolted his way below deck. He ran as fast as he could as he made his way to the guards’ cabin. It was the nearest to the entrance. So far, he hadn’t spotted anyone.
He couldn’t believe it. The assassins were the ship’s crew. The threat was with them the whole time! They were just lurking around waiting for them to let their guard down.
He reached the cabin where their guards slept. Finally! He saw that the door was slightly open. He pushed it open the moment he reached it.
“Assas-“
Miyojin’s words were caught in his throat. He jumped back pressing himself on the wall. He was too late. The guards were all dead. Their cabin is painted red in their blood. For a moment, Miyojin felt everything spinning around him. He soon found himself barely sitting on the floor.
They’re dead… The assassin got to them first. Then, he remembered his brother’s other instruction.
Xia Yu… Xia Yu!
Even with shaking legs, Miyojin forced himself to stand up. He bolted his way back to his room.
Please be alright, Xia Yu. Please be alright.
He chanted those words like a silent prayer. The loud beating of his heart made his ears ring. He already spotted the door to his cabin. It was slightly open as well. He remembered with clarity that he left it shut when he left. His pace slowed when he neared the door. With shaking hands, he opened it. He gulped loudly and looked inside.
Miyojin let out a sigh when he saw that no one was there. He went in and walked straight to his bed. Pulling his sword from underneath, he looked at his weapon. He had never been in a real battle. His sword skill is very basic too. Nevertheless, he still needs to fight.
But where’s Xia Yu? Could she still be-
When Miyojin realized where Xia Yu could have been, he immediately ran out of the room. Xia Yu only stayed in one place so far in their trip, the captain’s deck. If the crew were traitors, it’s no surprise that the captain is.
Once again, he bolted his way into the corridors of the ship. He climbed up the stairs and turned to the left. Just one more turn, he’ll reach the place. But when he took the turn, he saw someone he wasn’t supposed to see.
A man with a bloody sword just came out of the captain’s deck. The dripping blood from the sword told Miyojin he just had a fresh kill. The man stared at him with a menacing grin. Multiple scenarios began playing on Miyojin’s head.
Xia Yu…
“What luck! I’m just going to look for you, little prince.” he spat the words as he swung his sword high.
Without any delay, he charged at Miyojin. The prince didn’t meet the man’s sword. Instead, he dodged his attack. The first rule of sword fighting is to make sure he isn’t directly in front of his opponent. Miyojin took this as an advantage and swung his sword at the man.
But the man was too quick. He was able to block the prince’s attack with his sword. He did it with such a force that made Miyojin lose his balance.
With the prince’s momentum broken, the man flung his sword at Miyojin with speed. The prince was able to block it in time. However, that swing caused him to lose his sword which landed a few distances from him.
“Ha! Prepare to die, Your Highness!” the man said as he swung his sword again.
Miyojin froze. Is this the end of him?
But then, the man stopped with a grunt. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground with it. When he fell, not only did it reveal three small knives sticking out of his back and neck. But it also revealed the one who killed him.
“Are you okay?” Xia Yu asked.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Miyojin commented in worry.
Xia Yu had blood on her face, her clothes, and the sword, she was holding.
“Oh! You mean this blood,” she said as she drew closer.
She kneeled beside the dead man’s body. She looked up at Miyojin.
“Don’t worry. None of these are mine,” she said as she pulled out the knives without taking her eyes off him.
She tucked the knives in a secret pocket in her clothes. She then picked up Miyojin’s fallen sword and gave it to him.
“Come on, First Brother needs us,” she said.
She grabbed Miyojin’s free hand and together they dashed to where the battle was.