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"Jihoon why are you doing this?" Prince Taehyung asked him. Jihoon simply looked up at him. "Because I want to protect someone." His anger ragged with every second. "Is that Y/n?!" He shouted. Jihoon's emotionless eyes looked at him silently. "Jihoon, confess the truth. You and I know that neither you or Junmyeon were ever involved in my brother's assassination. You would never even have the thought to hurt my brother, then why did you confess that you were threatened by minister Yushin? That man is long dead." Prince Taehyung blurted his frustration, his voice painfully questioning Jihoon. The cell fell silent. "Jihoon tell me-" Jihoon interrupted the prince.

"I don't have the justification for you, your highness." His voice cracked. "I am innocent everyone knows it, but there are people around you who want to kill prince Jimin and pin down us as their pawns. I'm not sure about this, but I have a strong belief that I was entangled in this web of cold lies only because Y/n is my lover." Prince's expression twisted, he didn't quite get what Jihoon meant there, instead it seemed like Jihoon was giving him some hints to catch on to. "Y/n and prince Jimin are in grave trouble just like me and Junmyeon. Whoever is behind all this play, I don't know what they hold against me, my lover or my family but today they forced me to see my father's vulnerable side. And I cannot let myself to anyone make a fool of my father. They have pushed my life to this point, I don't care for them to take my life because they are getting their hands soaked in the innocent people's blood and one day for sure they will have to repent for all the sins they have committed." Jihoon clenched his jaw.

"Jihoon, what are you trying to say?" Prince Taehyung asked him. Jihoon with petty smile, "Time will come when you will know it all. For now all I know is that my death is close to me. The karma for taking the lives of the innocent people in the northern rebel is finally taking its chance on me. I am not going to resist it anymore. If those people want my life, they can have it but they will definitely not have Y/n's." 

"Jihoon! What are you rambling? Which people are you talking about?" Jihoon didn't have the urge to clear anything anymore, "I am tired your highness, you too must retire for the day." He said before bidding him a good night and laid on the floor, with his back to the prince. Prince Taehyung screamed in that cell compound, "Hell with the two of you. I am trying to save the two of you and look at the attitude I get."  He wanted them to understand the pain that he would suffer at their loss. Unable to keep his frustration and composure, he headed to the upper maids rooms in servants compound. 

He knocked at the door, one of the maids opened the door, "Seohyun." with stoic expression, he coldly uttered the name. The maid bowed to him, went in to call her at once. Seohyun appeared at the door with the biggest smile she could put on, soon to be replaced with the pursed lips at his stoic expression.  

Meanwhile, prince Jimin remained attached to you. He didn't leave after returning from the temple. No matter how times you told him that he cannot come in because of your periods, he didn't understand your restriction, he simply ignored you and stayed in your room. He had lunch and dinner served there. "Have some food, Y/n." he spiraled in dejection. "Your highness, I don't have the appetite. Why must you force me?" you whined in frustration. On one hand your mind was focused on begging to god for Jihoon's safety and on the other you were trying your best to not be rude to the prince. "If I don't force you, you will not have the energy to pray for Jihoon's safety."  He muttered under his breath. "Why are you doing this, your highness?" 

"Because I am trying to own up to my mistakes." his black orbs looked at you concerned. Trying to hold in your tears your eyes closed for a moment,  recollecting his confession the last day. "Did the judgment come today?" you asked him, worried and he shook his head. "Come on now, have a little food for Jihoon, at least." He held out a small piece of vegetable with the chopsticks to your lips. You looked at it and then the prince, who motioned his eyes to have it and you had give in.

"Have at least a few bites of this food and then pray till you fall asleep. Even your lunch was skipped and I allowed all of it without any say. But not for the dinner." He began to nag you. Unknowingly, you began to stare at him, he was the same man who was once headstrong and ruthless, who took out his frustration beating you up. All of it changed once he opened up to you, only to realize that all of that was just an act and that he is a real soft, kind and gullible prince. It seemed like he changed to someone else over the few years. When you first realized that the prince had found out your relationship, you were scared if he would punish just like in the early days, but the expected reaction had turned upside down. He was more accepting and didn't scold or hurt you, instead he took it as his mistake. 

If it was the prince from back then, he would have pulled out whipping belt to hit you till fallen unconscious. At this moment, he looked more like a puppy that was trying to please its master somehow. I have seen him cry but then crying your tears for someone else's mistake and then self blaming. He acts as a prince in all the wrong times. To be honest, yes, you are useless but now you also have another title "Crybaby." you whispered. Prince Jimin whipped his head to look at you, his eyes furrowed, "Did you say something?"

"No." you smiled before taking a big bite of food to avoid answering his further questions but he didn't let go of his suspicion. "I wonder how Hansoo is doing?" Prince Jimin tried to change your mind from the blue emotion. "He will do better even without us." an unbothered answer came from you and indeed he understood his idea to change your mood will take its time. Later the two of you got into quiet a long argument, "Please, sleep in your chamber, your highness." For the  nth time you begged him. "No Y/n. I am scared if you would self harm." Your expression scrunched, "Why would I do that, your highness?"

His words stammered, "I don't know. For Jihoon maybe. What if all of a sudden you get an intuition that he wouldn't make it and act on those intrusive thoughts. I can't take any risk." You couldn't help but sigh at his ridiculous thoughts. "I wouldn't do anything like that." your exasperated words were clear but he fretted over your next moves. Till then you were holding in your anger, when he still didn't listen you, the suppressed anger lashed out, "I wouldn't do anything! Do I look so weak to you? Why don't you act like a prince for once!" your eyes flared at him. Prince Jimin was taken aback with your words. "What do you mean by that?" The words hurt him and he couldn't figure why you would say that, eventually he to let his frustration out. "You are right. I don't act like a prince to you because I saw you as my companion. Thank you for  reminding me, how to act with you. I will keep this in my mind." His teeth gritted before storming off the room.

"What have you done, Y/n? What is wrong with you" You cursed under your breath, letting your frustration out on the prince. For sure you wanted him to leave but not to make such a scene. Your mind seemed off from its regular track. That night you regretted arguing with the prince and stayed up late with prayers. 

In the morning, woke up as usual to do your daily routine. While taking bath, you heard the other maids whispering to each other, when you peeked at them, they immediately stopped it and waited for you to turn back. For a moment you wondered, "What are they talking about? Is it about me? But what did I do?" Just to confirm, peeked at them again and their reaction was the same as one earlier. It further ruined your mood, which was already bad with yesterday's argument. Not wanting to make it worse, you quickly bathed out and spared a glare at those maids before walking away. It then came to your notice what those ladies might have talked about. At the entrance of the bath area, you saw Seohyun at the bench, bruises on her face, arms, her bottom lip had a dried up wound. Another maid was applying ointment on her back while she covered her front with a towel and she winced every now and then. 

"How did she get hurt like that?" your thoughts pondered. The urge to ask her about the bruise was strong but upon calculating her reaction, it was better not to learn. "Let her deal." You muttered before changing back to your dress and walked out of the maids compound. "What will happen now? Will he be let free? If he is sentenced to death, I too will give up my life. I don't have chance to live with either sides, since both the sides are ruined." you sighed as the thought of Jihoon and prince Jimin came to your mind. "Why did I even say that he had to act like a prince? I mean you have to be a stupid maid to even say something like that to your prince."  Self absorbed in thoughts, as you walked past his chamber your steps instinctively halted. "Wish I could just burrow away underground." 

"How about you attend the prince today?" you heard a voice. "Eunuch Shin." You looked back at him. He stood there smiling at you, with a tray of water bowl and towel. "Yes, Y/n." An uncertain smile played on your lips, "Can I skip today as well?" His smile dropped instantly and fluttered his eyes at you. "I know I have troubled you these past days but prince and I had a very bad argument last night and I don't think he would want to see me." A bad trial at reasoning. "You argued with the prince?" For some he was shocked to hear that. This girl has to be a beast to argue with his highness. Where did she fetch the guts and confidence to argue with his highness? 

"It is true. I don't want to see her face." prince Jimin's voice was heard. The two of their eyes widened and turned to look at the door. Earlier when he heard you talk with Eunuch Shin, he sneaked near the door to hear their speech. The door to the chamber opened, his highness stood there in his night robes, nonchalantly looked at eunuch Shin and didn't care to spare a glance at you. He took it to his heart! Now suffer for your action. your mind screamed internally. Without taking a glance of you, "Do whatever you want, I don't require your assistance anymore." He stepped aside for eunuch Shin to walk in. Your mouth gapped at his cold words, definitely you weren't expecting such a rational treatment which led you to whisper an apology, that his highness picked up quickly. "I am merely doing my act as a prince. A prince who puts his companion in their place." His voice stressed the last sentence. 

That was the first stab. "Now leave. I don't want your presence around me." That was the second stab. "Yes your highness." you silently retired to your room. Prince saw you withdraw silently, he didn't want you upset. No hard feeling harbored, he was totally fine with what ever happened last night and your emotions were well read by him for he knew that the lash out faced was nothing but the exasperation at the inability to save Jihoon or your tendency to hide your emotions. On the other hand, you too were fine with it, now that he wouldn't walk in the room and become impure from your period like last day. "He will be fine later. I have seen him throw many tantrums." you chuckled, laid on your bed.

The court session continued and the judgement was finally made in the afternoon. The boys were released from Yubin's murder charge but found guilty with the prince Jimin's assassination and their execution were to take place the very next day. Though the public announcement was made as Junmyeon punished for illicit affair with the royal maid and Jihoon was declared a rebel who attacked a royal. The judgement was delivered to both the princes. Eunuch Shin was the one announced to prince Jimin, "Should I give the message to Y/n?" he asked and his highness denied it. "She will have a hard time to cope, so better be concealed." 

"I would like some time alone." He ordered the eunuch to leave. When Shin reached the door, "Be on guard and don't allow anyone to reach Y/n, especially prince Taehyung." prince Jimin commanded. Eunuch Shin did as he was told, he stood there for a long time all the while questioning the budding relationship of you and his highness. "Eunuch Shin, why are you standing outside?" he heard your voice from behind, quickly turned. "Y/n. Do you need something?" he asked only to make you became suspicious of him. "No. I was heading out to have some hot water." Eunuch Shin raised his hands, stopping, "I will get it for you." he smiled. "Why would you? You are serving his highness." you remarked.

"The prince is asleep currently, so I can get it for you." Why are you being suspicious Eunuch Shin?  Did he realize that I was going to get some news about master Jihoon?  "Is this a punishment? Am I being confined to my room?" you asked him, confused if prince Jimin went as far as to punish you. Indeed what you said was wrong and unethical to speak to a prince but considering the fact that how prince Jimin had become dependent on you, would he do such things. There was a doubt; what you took lightly, was taken seriously by his highness. "Yes, you are." His trying to be sturdy voice came from the chamber. You couldn't help but roll your eyes which had eunuch Shin raise his brows in surprise. "I apologize for my behaviour, your highness." you bowed. 

"Eunuch Shin, command her to go back." Prince said from the other side. "Y/n, get back to your room." Eunuch Shin repeated the command, you glared at the eunuch surprisingly. "I thought you didn't want my presence around, your highness." your retorted back. The door opened, his highness looked at eunuch Shin, not sparing a glance, "Tell her to get back. This is her punishment and this is how lady in waiting are treated. Just because she got promoted to my lady in waiting, doesn't mean I can't treat her like a maid." he stood there, ignoring you while your mouth fell ajar. "Why are you looking at eunuch Shin, when I am here?! Also if you want to command me, say it to me directly and not involve third person in our problems." you got defensive, with your hands on waist. Eunuch Shin gasped at you language and demeanor, his hands clasped on his lips. 

He never had to deal with any maid that spoke equal to the prince, who is generally considered the son of god since royals are equivalent to gods. Of course he dealt with maids who were stupid to each other and would slap them to knock some senses. This was never expected by him, from YOU! While eunuch Shin was in his mind analyzing your attitude, the other two were very busy arguing. "Well, I can do what I want because I am the prince." prince Jimin said to eunuch Shin. The aggression in you had your lips bite and eyes scrutinize at the prince who never turned to look at you, "You are being childish here and not a prince." That pricked him hard and had his stunned eyes look at you finally. 

"You are continuing this again?" He asked stepping out of the room. You stood your grounds, maintaining the eyes contact. "It was you who started it." you huffed and he immediately tried to catch your hand, only to be pulled away. Don't touch him Y/n. His body will become impure. you looked horrified as he tried to catch you. The quick change in your reaction was read by his highness. "Do not touch me, your highness." You warned him and took few steps back. Your reaction spiked a thought in him that you were being awfully afraid of something but he ignored it. "No. I will teach you what a prince is." he tried to hold your shoulders when you kept your arms behind. "No." you warned again. "Then get back to your room." He remarked with a smug smile.

Your eyes narrowed, "I want water, so I need to go." Prince inched closer, "If you listen to me, I won't touch you. Or else...." He smiled. A grumpy moan escaped your lips, "Wait for three more days before I get you." you dared him before heading back to the room. "What's there in three days?" he wondered. "Eunuch Shin, what would happen if she gets me within three days?" He turned to his eunuch. To his notice, eunuch Shin was not consciously around, too horrified at their laid back conversation. "How can she speak like that?" He muttered, completely wandering in his own world. Prince Jimin sighed and went back to his room. 

"She needs to stay put here till next two days. How am I  going to do that?" Prince Jimin massaged his forehead.