Although the village is small, they noticed that the residents were lively and constantly active. Around them the village was bustling as residents went about their business, going shop to shop as they bought fresh produce, supplies, and other items. With the day getting late, older couples were beginning to close their shops while shop owners began hollering last calls for customers. Children ran around them giddily as their parents tried in vain to stop them.
Dokja grinned as he stared at the scenery before them, soaking in the atmosphere and glad to finally be back to some semblance of society after being alone for days on end with only Joonghyuk and the animals around them for company. All the while Joonghyuk remained silent beside him, scanning everyone that passed by with cautious eyes.
Eventually they arrived at a storefront. Outside the front a variety of animal pelts, furs, and skins were on display. Alongside them sat a variety of other animals' parts, like bones, fangs, and claws. From the window Dokja could spot a variety of skinned and cut up animal meats hanging on hooks.
A man came out of the store, eyes gleaming as he assessed the boar they killed, "Looks like you all got a good catch today."
Minseob, one of the villagers that had guided him and Joonghyuk back, grinned widely at him, "About that… the boar was about to slip away from us when these two gentlemen caught it for us, he admitted sheepishly, pointing over at the two.
The man approached them, an amicable air about him. "Greetings, I'm Ilhun," he introduced himself, extending his hand.
Dokja gave him a firm shake, "Likewise, my name is Ki—Guwon," he corrected hastily.
Ilhun nodded and turned to Joonghyuk, offering his hand, "And...you are?" but Joonghyuk merely glared at Ilhun, making him retract his hand and take a step back. The villagers around them began glancing at each other warily.
Dokja groaned internally. Couldn't this guy be more cooperative? Trying to make up for the prince's behavior, he laughed it off awkwardly, "Ah, I'm sorry about him, he's just been extremely wary of strangers ever since news of the Raven Veil murders has spread," he hooked his arm around Joonghyuk's, "I'll be sure to remind him to fix his manners later on," he pointed a strained grin at Yoo Joonghyuk, who just glared back at him. However, he pretended he hadn't noticed and turned to Ilhun , "His name is...Joonghyun."
Ilhun blinked a few times before he appeared to return to reality. "Oh, I see! Then, greetings to you as well,Joonghyun. There's no need to worry here, we're a pretty tight knit town so no trouble should come to you."
Joonghyuk ignored him as he crossed his arms against his crest and turned his head away.Dokja simply grinned and told Ilhun, "Don't mind him, he's always like that."
Both Dokja and the villagers informed Ilhun of their situation, and of how they'd been lost in the forest for the past few days. Apparently, the village was no stranger to being a hospice for lost hikers. The forest was used as a hunting ground even outside of the tournament, so hunters would often wander far away trying to catch their prey. Ilhun graciously offered an extra bedroom in their home to share, which Dokja accepted eagerly, glad to not have to sleep on rocks and dirt anymore.
With Ilhun saying his goodnights to Minseob and the other villagers and Dokja thanking them for their help once again, he and the prince followed Ilhun to his home. Entering the front door, a rather humble residence stood before them.
Both the exterior and interior were framed with sturdy wood and supported by brick lining. The common room was about the same size as the apartment that Dokja had lived in, though it was well furnished with modest furniture and decorations. To the side there was a small kitchen that extended beyond the room along with a small dining table. And at the back of the room there was a hall that probably led to the bedrooms and other miscellaneous rooms.
Ilhun showed the two around, informing them that they were welcome to use the kitchen and bathrooms whenever they pleased and where to find certain things around the house should they need something. As he apologized for his home being a little messy. Dokja could only nod blankly while looking at the mostly neat room. If this was messy then what exactly would he call his original apartment?
Finally showing the two to their bedroom, Ilhun opened the door to reveal a single large bed, a robust wardrobe next to the door, and a study table next to the window at the other side of the room.
"This was my brother's room, but since he's a wanderer like you, it hasn't been used in quite some time. Errr, sorry, there's only one bed, but it's big enough that it should be plenty for you two to stay in for the time being."
"Of course, Ilhun, thank you again for letting us stay here."
"It's nothing, I'll leave the two of you to freshen yourselves up now. My brother's clothes are there, you can wear them for now" he said, pointing at the wardrobe. Though he paused as he was about to exit the doorway," Oh, right, all the villagers will be gathering in the middle of the town to hold a big feast, so when you both finish washing up,feel free to join us outside!"
Dokja answered, "We'll make sure to do just that!"" and Ilhun simply nodded before shutting the door behind him. He then sighed and looked around the room, going to the wardrobe to pick out some clothes for himself.
Yoo Joonghyuk seemed keen on making sure that the room was safe, looking at every nook and cranny to see if there were any traps or planning escape routes in case things turned hairy. While they were both preoccupied, the prince piped up suddenly, "Why did you do that?"
"Do what?" Dokja asked, still rummaging through the clothing.
"Why did you lie about our names?" Coming across some clothes that seemed like they'd fit him, Dokja took them off the racks and turned back to face the prince, who had been leaning against the study table and observing him already.
"Isn't it obvious? I don't think the villagers would be particularly welcoming to a wanted criminal…" but he stopped talking when he saw Joonghyuk shaking his head.
"No, they saw that we traveled together just fine, if they knew who we were they'd realize the reports were wrong." he concluded, gazing out the window at the villagers passing by. Dokja caressed the clothes in his arms as he considered his words.
"… Maybe they'd consider that, but what certainty would they have to doubt the words of the royal officials? You said it yourself, I'm one of the most hated people in the empire. They'd have every reason to want us to leave from here." Dokja's contemplative tone went from self-assured to meek.
"Besides, this isn't just a matter of our shelter, we also have to consider what would happen if rumors spread about us. The crown prince and the heir to the Underworld Ducal becoming fine and dandy with each other all of a sudden after years of romantic and personal rivalry… what kind of things do you think people will start saying? If we're going to reveal our actual relation to the public, we'll do it on our own terms, any other way would just cause needless misunderstandings."
"And what exactly would that be?"
"Huh?"
Joonghyuk's gaze returned to stare straight into Dokja's eyes, his expression unreadable.
"Our relation to each other, what exactly are we, Kim Dokja?"
Dokja pursed his lips, the last few weeks of bitterness at how Joonghyuk tossed him out after their night together, the way Joonghyuk looked at him like he was a mistake crashing onto him all at once. He let out a frustrated breath,riled up. "What are we? I'm the one that should be asking you that! You took me to bed before you even let me address you
by your name, You Highness. Friends, comrades perhaps? Do you sleep with all the people you trust?"
Dokja stared at the prince imploringly. He didn't know what he wanted the prince to say. Maybe an apology, or to say he didn't regret that night? It was selfish of him to expect something from him when even he knew that there wasn't much either of them could do in that situation. But he was desperate for anything that would get rid of the sickly feeling that had been stewing at the bottom of his gut after that night.
Joonghyuk showed no emotion as he listened to Dokja's words, and a heavy silence hung between them after he finished talking. His body remained frozen, not even a twitch of a muscle occurred as he continued to sit there, making Dokja's anxiety grow. Just as he was contemplating taking back his outburst, he was filled with hope as the prince opened his jaw to say something. But he was cruelly let down.
"I'll take a shower first," was all he declared, before he swiped a few clothes from the wardrobe and exited the room.It was only after he heard the faint slam of the bathroom door that Dokja was snapped out of his stupor. He trudged to the bed and sat down on the soft blankets, running his fingers through the sheets.
Letting out a rough exhale and shaking his head, the regret started to set in. He shouldn't have brought up such a useless topic. The two would return to the palace and probably pretend like nothing had happened between them anyways. His mind, wanting to distract itself, went to his family. He hoped they were doing okay, at least.
----
They were not, in fact, 'okay.' All his friends and family were going insane, especially the duchess. Her murder list was rapidly expanding as the days passed and all the royal guards failed to secure her son, royal officials giving her surface level reassurances and snide marks all the while. It didn't take long for the nobles to start steering clear of her as soon as they heard the strong clicks of her heels approaching from the distance.
"How can they call themselves the royal guard when they're this incompetent at finding two of the empire's most important men. I'll have whoever gave them their positions personally executed" Persephone growled out lowly, her heels tapping incessantly against the marble floor.
Hades put a calming hand on her lower back, "Darling—."
"Don't you dare 'Darling' me anything, Hades! Our son has been missing for three days and there's nothing that we can do—" her voice broke off at the end as she lowered her head into her hands, frustrated to no end.
With the warrant out for their son, the members of the Underworld Ducal and all others that were close to Kim Dokja had been detained in the royal palace to be watched over by the royal guard, lest they try to assist Kim Dokja in any way in his alleged crime. Needless to say, the past few days had driven them all stir crazy as they had practically no information about him.
Jung Heewon and Kim Namwoon had been using up their energy by sparring with the royal knights stationed at the palace and beating them handedly, solidifying all their already waning confidence in the knights to find Dokja.
While Kim Namwoon had the idea of trying to find Lee Jihye and Lee Hyunsung to interrogate them about Yoo Joonghyuk, the both of them quickly found out the knights were a part of the main search party.
Han Sooyoung had taken it a step further and went to the emperor and queen to talk to them herself. When they refused to give her an audience, she snuck out of her room and went to stand outside of their bedchambers in the dead of night to screech at them to void the warrant. In the end only Lady Jiwon and Yoo Sangha were able to drag her away. The next day both the emperor and queen had noticeable eyebags on their faces.
Rumors said that that night, half the castle had gone deaf from her screeching, with all the knights called to take her away being found unconscious on the floor by the time Lady Jiwon and Sangha arrived. Lee Gilyeong and Shin Yoosung were inconsolable, not ready to be separated from the man that had taken them in.
Yoo Sangah and Han Sooyoung tried their best to watch over them and assure them that their guardian would return.But describing them as 'inconsolable' didn't mean they were crying and begging for their protector's safe return.
No, that's something that only helpless and scared children would do, and the two were far from it. Incident reports soon popped up about wild outbreaks of animals and insects somehow finding their way into the castle, from the wine cellars to the kitchen pantry to the bedrooms of the knights and royal officials. If some got into the Emperor and Queen's bedchamber, Han Sooyoung said nothing about it.
Any accusatory words or fingers pointed at the two melted away when their eyes started shining with the pure innocence of angels, blessed tears filling the corners of their eyes as they hid by the iron fortress that was Duke
Hades. Glistening eyes turned to vile sneers as soon as backs were turned. The Underworld Ducal was very split on whether they should be feeling pride or terror at the fact that the children were taking so well after Kim Dokja.
Lady Jiwon tried using her connections, sending out letters to everyone she knew to see if they had any whereabouts on the two missing men, but her letters were quickly intercepted, and she was put under much closer supervision.
Lee Seolhwa had been employing her skills around the palace to tend to the nobles and knights (particularly the ones that had their asses beaten by Jung Heewon and Kim Namwoon), and though she was more successful than Lady Jiwon in not getting caught in her info gathering, it was all for nothing. The only thing she got was baseless rumors and gossip.
They had all made sure to report their findings, or lack thereof, to the duke and duchess. With every dead end their patience had whittled down. Which leads them to this moment, with the duke and duchess in the palace common room contemplating their next move.
Hades spoke out, his voice a low, rumbling timer, "I know my dear, I won't deny you your anger, but our son is far from helpless. We must trust that he's able to take care of himself for now, and when he returns, we'll all be ready to defend him. As for now…" his expression turned hard, and the air around the room lowered by a couple degrees, "We'll just have to make sure those who dared to accuse our son live to regret the day they were born."
Persephone regarded her husband for a moment, a small smile lighting up her tired face. Unfortunately, the guards stationed around the room couldn't share the duchess's loving vision of her husband. They all shifted uncomfortably where they stood, their only option was to bear the murderous aura that now permeated through the room.
Though their loyalty was to the throne, even the royal guards couldn't help but wish for Sir Dokja's safe return. If he wasn't found soon, it would only be a matter of time until the Underworld Duchy dismantled the royal palace themselves.
-----
Ilhun waved at them, calling them over, "Oh, there you are!" He caught the attention of some of the locals that had been preparing the fest, "Come and join us." The two of them approached them and sat down. The villagers had set up log benches around a large bonfire that had all manner of meats and stews cooking over it. There was a large space between the benches and the bonfire so the adults could come to dance together and for the children to run around and play.
Dokja was stuck sitting between Ilhun and Yoo Joonghyuk. After their conversation earlier, the two had silently agreed not to bring it up again, ignoring each other as they both washed up and changed. Ilhun offered both of them a bowl of stew, cooked from the boar that they had killed earlier. While Dokja had eagerly accepted it, thanking Ilhun for the meal, Yoo Joonghyuk turned it down.
" I only eat food I cook myself" was how he explained himself.
Rolling his eyes and snorting at him, Dokja dug in, all too happy to accept the prince's portion for himself. As he chowed down, he turned to Ilhun, "Does the village always do this kind of feist?"
The man nodded, "Yes, since there aren't many of us, we all split daily tasks amongst ourselves to get by. Naturally, the hunting is only done by a few of us, but we make sure to divide the portions evenly. These feasts usually happen when we get a particularly large catch," Dokja simply nodded and looked around him, taking in the jovial laughter of the people.
Even though they lacked luxury and wealth, Dokja could tell that these commoners lead happier, more fulfilling lives compared to the nobility of the royal palace. Noble society was stifling, full of deceit and treachery at every turn.
"It's a lovely sight to look at, right?" Ilhun remarked, joining him in observing the merry villagers.
"It really is," Dokja responded, cracking a small smile.
Then, a rather boisterous man had made himself noticed, going person to person to shove a giant glass of beer into their hands, with the three of them not making an exception. As much as Dokja had tried to refuse, the drink had been forced into his hands. Dokja looked down at the glass in his hands with a grimace.
With his troubled upbringing and his father's rampant alcoholism, it had taken Dokja years of forced afterwork bar gatherings to finally be able to smell alcohol without having a panic attack. He'd never be able to actually enjoy alcohol though, not after he'd seen what it was able to do to a person.
Joonghyuk questioned Dokja, "Are you not going to drink?"
Dokja shook his head, " No, not a fan… here, since I took your stew, wanna trade for my beer?"
The prince regarded him for a moment and silently accepted the glass. Belatedly, Dokja hoped that Joonghyuk had a good alcohol tolerance.