"Your Highness!" At Young's urgent call, Sung turned his head, his gaze locking onto Young's with unwavering focus.
"I've received a message saying Bonhak's assassins were heading to Inwang Mountain!" Young's words, spoken with a sense of urgency, echoed through the night air, punctuated by the pounding of hooves against the ground.
"Inwang Mountain." Sung's voice, though calm, carried a weight of determination as he contemplated their next move.
The reins tightened in his grip, his resolve hardening with each passing moment. "Divide the remaining soldiers and send half to Bukchon and half to Inwang Mountain. I have a job to do in the palace... Bonhak. You're gonna..."
Sung's words trailed off, lost in the night as his white horse surged forward with a sense of purpose, its hooves kicking up dust in its wake.
As they rode, the ranks of their enemies swelled, each one bearing the unmistakable mark of treason. And amidst the chaos, Lord Kooju stood with an air of composure, his eyes gleaming with steely determination under the flickering torchlight.
"Over there, Your Highness."
The attendant's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, drawing Sung's attention to their destination. Despite the turmoil brewing within him, Sung took a patient step forward, his mind racing with the weight of their mission.
As they walked, Sung couldn't help but recall his recent conversation with Kooju, the memory fresh in his mind like an open wound.
"Bonhak will move from the capital city to Doni Gate and Sungnye Gate. Then, he will head here," Kooju had said, his words echoing in Sung's mind with a sense of urgency.
"That should be enough," Sung had replied, his tone betraying the gravity of the situation.
But even as they had spoken, Sung couldn't shake the nagging feeling of doubt that lingered in the back of his mind. A deal had been struck to ensure Yesun's safety in exchange for information on the treason, but at what cost?
"No. It's never too late to regret after finding her. Now I need every bit of information I can get. And Kooju might know more." Sung's words, spoken with a sense of determination, hung heavy in the air, a silent reminder of the stakes that lay ahead.
But even as Sung grappled with the weight of his decision, he knew that he couldn't afford to reveal his deal with Kooju in front of the other court workers. It was a delicate balance, one that required careful navigation to ensure the success of their mission.
At the crossroads of uncertainty, Sung exchanged a meaningful glance with Chang, silently communicating their next move. And as Chang hurriedly whispered to Danro, Sung's resolve hardened with each passing moment, his determination unwavering in the face of adversity.
"It's the king's order!" Danro's voice, though low, carried a note of authority as he relayed Sung's command to the others, their mission clear as they prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
It wasn't long before Danro cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife.
"I'm going to question these traitors right now, so put them all in prison!" His command was met with swift obedience as the soldiers moved to carry out his orders, leading the group of traitors away without hesitation.
"...Let's go," Sung said, his voice low but resolute as he turned to leave.
"Yes, Your Highness," Chang replied, falling into step behind him as they made their way to their next destination.
In the dimly lit confines of Myeongnyundang, Sung waited patiently, his fists clenched in anticipation as he prepared to confront the man who held the key to unlocking the mystery of Diana's whereabouts.
"Did you look for me?" Kooju's voice, though calm, carried a hint of curiosity as he emerged from the darkness, his gaze meeting Sung's with an air of uncertainty.
"Is there still something left to do? I thought my share of the work was done..." Kooju's words hung heavy in the air, a silent reminder of the delicate balance they walked.
But Sung's expression remained unreadable as he met Kooju's gaze with a steely resolve. "Done...?" he repeated, his voice laced with a note of urgency.
"You have to say something, Kooju. Diana. Where is she now?" Sung's words, spoken with a sense of desperation, hung heavy in the air, a silent plea for answers in the face of uncertainty.
"...Pardon?" Kooju's response was cryptic, his expression betraying nothing as he met Sung's gaze with a steely resolve of his own.
"If you can't say anything, the deal with you will all go up in smoke," Sung warned, his voice tinged with frustration as he struggled to maintain his composure in the face of uncertainty.
"How long has it been?" Kooju's words, though vague, carried a weight of significance as Sung grappled with the gravity of their situation.
Meanwhile, in the midst of her own turmoil, Diana's frustration simmered just beneath the surface, a silent reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. "...I'm frustrated," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to make sense of the chaos that surrounded her.
In the oppressive darkness behind the black mask, all Diana could feel was the biting cold that enveloped her skin and the ever-present fear that gripped her heart. Each passing moment stretched out endlessly, the weight of the night bearing down on her with suffocating intensity.
And then, a voice cut through the silence like a knife, shattering the stillness of the night.
"Is she asleep?"
Diana's heart skipped a beat as she sensed someone drawing near, her instincts urging her to struggle against the bonds that held her captive.
"Stay still!" The command was sharp and forceful, and Diana's body instinctively obeyed, trembling as the mask was roughly torn away, revealing her fear-stricken face to her captor.
"You. Don't think about anything and behave." The assassin's words were cold and devoid of emotion as he turned away, his gaze casting a chilling glare in Diana's direction.
But how could she not think about anything? How could she simply sit there and do nothing while trapped in the clutches of her captors? The cold seeped through her thin clothes, her hands and feet rendered useless by the tight restraints, her bare feet numbed by the icy ground beneath her.
"I have to just sit here like this and do nothing?" Diana's frustration boiled over, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and despair as she struggled against her bonds.
And in the midst of her turmoil, one question lingered in her mind like a persistent whisper: What would he do in a situation like this? Would he remain calm and composed, his resolve unshaken by the trials that surrounded him?
A smile tugged at the corners of Diana's lips as she imagined his steadfast gaze meeting hers, his unwavering presence offering her a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to consume her.
"What the," the assassin muttered under his breath, his confusion evident as he beheld the unexpected sight before him.
"I wish I could get rid of this gag," Diana mused, her words muffled by the cloth that bound her mouth, her eyes speaking volumes even in their silence. "I keep smiling so I won't miss his eyes."
Amidst the chaos and danger, a flicker of hope ignited within Diana as she seized the opportunity to divert the assassin's attention, hoping against hope that someone would come to her rescue.
"There's something over there!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing out in the darkness as she feigned interest in an imaginary distraction.
But her ruse was short-lived, the assassin's stern reprimand cutting through the air like a knife.
"I told you not to think about anything," he growled, his expression dark and menacing as he glared at Diana with undisguised hostility.
Realizing her mistake, Diana could feel the weight of despair settling over her like a suffocating shroud. "I'm screwed," she muttered under her breath, her heart pounding with fear as the assassin's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
And then, in a moment of sudden and unexpected intervention, an arrow pierced the air with deadly accuracy, striking the assassin's hand and sending him reeling back in pain.
"Lady Diana!" a familiar voice called out, cutting through the turmoil with a sense of urgency.
Diana's heart leaped with relief as she turned to see Lord Sung and Lord Kooju leading a group of soldiers toward her, their faces etched with concern and determination.
But even as she felt a surge of gratitude wash over her, a pang of guilt gnawed at her conscience. She had prayed that they wouldn't come, hoped that they wouldn't be harmed because of her, and yet here they were, risking their lives to save her.
As Sung and Kooju rushed to her side, their hands deftly working to free her from her restraints, Diana couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the moment.
"It doesn't feel real," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared at the soldiers who were now engaged in a fierce battle with the assassins.
And then, without thinking, she turned to Sung, her heart heavy with worry. "Well... Lord Sung, are you okay...?" she asked, her voice trembling with concern.
Sung's response was unexpected, his hollow laughter echoing in the darkness as he regarded her with a mixture of amusement and affection.
"That's your first word?" he chuckled, his eyes sparkling with warmth despite the danger that surrounded them. "Are you worried about me even at times like this?"
Diana felt a blush creep into her cheeks at his teasing tone, but she couldn't deny the truth of his words. She cared deeply for Sung, and the thought of him being in danger filled her with a sense of dread that she couldn't shake.
"It doesn't matter," Sung continued, his voice softening as he reached out to reassure her. "If I'm not okay, I know you'll take responsibility for it."
But even as Sung spoke, the urgency of their situation became clear. Kooju's words of caution echoed in the air, his concern for their safety palpable.
"We'd better get out of here for now," Kooju suggested, his gaze darting anxiously between Sung and Diana.