Yeran groaned, blinking against the light in his eyes. His head felt heavy, his body tired. His throat felt dry, parched almost.

Instead of the expected wooden ceiling of the army barracks, what met his eyes were a patched hay roof.

"What the.." he blinked, rubbing against his eyes to clear his vision.

"You are awake," he turned his head to the voice, finding Aki standing by the door, a basin in hands.

He stepped in, setting the basin on the small table beside the bed and taking a seat. Reaching out to help him on to a seated position, Aki pulled up the pillow against the headboard for Yeran to comfortably lean against.

"How do you feel?" He leaned closer, peering into his eyes.

Yeran blinked, trying to concentrate on what he is saying.

"Hmm....your pupils aren't dilated anymore, do you have a headache?"

Yeran shook his head, mind still muddled enough to not focus on anything quite.

"Does anything feel uncomfortable?" Aki asked, unconvinced.

"Head feels heavy," Yeran rasped before coughing harshly. His throat feeling like sand.

A hand appeared in his vision, pressing a cup against his lips, the slow trickle of water was almost heavenly. It was cool, but not cold. Yeran coughed, thirst not quite satisfied, but Aki had already turned away to fill another cup. Yeran emptied the second cup faster, finally feeling a bit more awake despite the soreness of him body.

"You shouldn't have so much liquid just after having a concussion, it will make you nauseous, let the water settle in before having more" Aki said, almost as if reading the request in his eyes.

"Concussion?What...where..where are we? What happened? " Yeran looked around, mind becoming lucid enough to pay attention on minute details.

The room was small, wooden, barely big enough for the bed he was lying on and table near the headboard. It was humble, poor, he can say.

"What do you remember?" Aki asked.

"I was in my room? Getting ready for bed, then I heard a sound and then.. " he trailed off.

"Assassins?" He asked.

"Not quite, whoever it was that planted those traitors, they were alerted of our awareness after the cook was arrested. An attack was launched about two and half hours after midnight, but that attack was just a ruse, their main purpose was to kidnap you." There was an emotion in Aki's eyes that Yeran failed to understand.

"Then how did I..?"

"We rescued you," Aki replied.

"We?"

"We," other voice almost startled Yeran, focused as he was on Aki.

Ruth was leaning against the the door frame, hands crossed over his chest.

"Your highness," he inclined his head in slight surprise.

"Was it Mehera?" Yeran question, glad to have someone he could say he trusted, at least partially, at his side.

"We are...unaware, your highness, the head cook commited suicide before we could even start questioning him, he had a poison on his person our soldiers were unable to dictate in their search," Ruth replied.

"Or someone killed him to protect their secrets" Yeran mused out loud.

"Possible, given the fact that they so easily overpowered the fort as well, which should not be possible if the soldiers had been on full guard." Ruth nodded.

"Which means there have been more traitors than we were possibly aware."

"And I think your highness might want to know, but a significant amount of the budget allocations has gone missing." Aki added.

"Missing?" Yeran asked.

"Yes, I was reviewing the cost and stock reports, as well as wages and other expenses, and even though they have given reasons, by cross referencing those reasons with the expenses stated, they don't match." Aki stated.

"Only money?"

"No your highness, food, medicine, weapons, they all have shortages than what is calculated in the reports."

"This wound had already festered. infection has already set in." Yeran said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It would be wise to assume so, your highness," Ruth agreed.

"Why did you save me?" Yeran asked, so sudden, turning to both the brothers.

"Your highness?" Aki asked.

"Neither of you are here willingly, it is only a duty to you, if I am gone, you will be free of that responsibility."

Yeran knew that he should not be asking such a thing at the moment while his body still felt as if trampled by a hoard, where, if wanted, either of the brothers could get the upper hand over him easily, and it would have been safer to feign ignorance till he get stronger, but he had to know.

"Do not mistake me your highness, I do not have a sudden urge to kneel and swear my allegiance to you, but in honesty, you are my best choice. Going back to my father means either another marriage of convenience or being a weapon in his hand, and weather you like it or not, I am the legal spouse of you, I take my responsibilities gravely."

Aki replied, which, yes, acceptable and honest from the character he had revealed and from what Yeran had found through his spies.

Speaking of which, Yeran cursed himself for not thinking ahead and not bringing at least a few of his Forbidden Army.

"You are a friend, your highness, not a responsibility," Ruth said, his lips quirking up a hint.

"And what.." Yeran's question was cut off by the sound of hoofs, drawing closer and closer, fast.

Aki jumped to his feet, Ruth disappearing out the door.

"We need to go, your highness," Aki said, taking a hold of Yeran by a bicep and the other hand wrapping around his waist to hurriedly assist him to his feet.

Yeran stumbled, almost falling flat on his face of not for Aki's strong grip, pulling Yeran's hand over his shoulders, one hand still around his waist. They hadn't taken much of a steps out the small room, seeming to be of a tiny cottage, when the sound of the horses stopped right infront the only exit.

"Take him out the back," Ruth ordered, a sword in his hand, pulling a bar over the door. It wouldn't hold longer, the door being as flimsy as it is, but it would give them some precious seconds.

"Come, come," Yeran was almost dragged, stumbling on his feet. Whatever has happened to him leaving him in a nasty state, motor control whacked up.

Someone banged on the door, though expected, made all three flinch.

"Yeran! Yeran! Ruth! You goddamned body guard, open this fucking door!" The intensive screaming drew their eyes to the quivering door.

"Is that..?" Aki muttered.

"Ruth open the door," Yeran ordered, having identified the voice.

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Ruth

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Hey,

Been a while ah, writers block, apologies my faithful readers. Now I'm back, got hit by inspiration. Don't give up, this book is NOT abandoned.

Arkhane.

P. S. : didn't edit, feel free to point out mistakes.