Chapter Text
Suyang Fortress, Haeju
The war had broken off in the Northern Border of Pyongyang and the Kingdom of Han had killed off the majority of Duke Kim’s troops. After having received intel from the Duke, General Jeon immediately reported to the Crown Prince of the situation.
“Your Highness, the Hans have taken over Taesong Fortress in Pyongyang and the Northern Border at Gangwon-do. It won’t be long until they reach us here. We have to start reinforcing our troops and—”
“We need to retreat as well. The Capital needs us right now more than ever. General Jeon, request all your men to close the gates and start leaving from the south gate."
“Close the gates?..." absurd, General Jeon thinks. "Pardon me, Your Highness…but isn’t this too dangerous of a choice? If we flee to the South, lest the Hans enter the city, all that will be left of Haeju are the civilians with nowhere to go. Not to mention, our plan was to split. My men to guard Haeju, and yours in Gangwon-do. Children, women… Many families will suffer and die. We cannot afford to lose these people. We have to protect everyone and make sure the Hans do not reach the Capital at all.”
“General Jeon. Me and my men will leave.”
“Your Highness, I am the Commander of this army, they are my men.” General Jeon opposes the Crown Prince.
“Listen, everyone. I am the Crown Prince. If there is anyone in this room you need to protect, it should be me. Consider yourself dead if you do not wish to follow my orders.”
“Your Highness.”
“General Jeon. You are my father’s most trusted person. I’m sure you would not wish to disappoint the man you’ve been protecting this kingdom for?”
Prince Lee Chan leaves without looking back at General Jeon. But this does not sway General Jeon in the slightest bit. Half of his troops had followed the Prince’s orders fearing for their lives, and the other half remained faithful to Wonwoo’s orders.
Be it an army of millions, I will move forward. I will protect this Kingdom and His Majesty. I will not let a single blade touch Seokmin.
The Hans had then reached Haeju and Gangwon-do, leaving General Jeon and his men to fight off troops that outnumbered them. There was bloodshed on the battlefield. There were casualties and a few deaths in Haeju, but it was nothing compared to the situation in Gangwon-do. Since the Crown Prince had returned to the capital, there was no one to protect the city, washing off the entire population. Gangwon-do was now nothing but ashes of what once was a lively home for many. Fortunately, the battle at Haeju did not last long enough. The rest of the troops who had massacred Gangwon-do advanced to the border at Gyeonggi-do, where General Jeon and his men had already occupied. General Jeon killed General Choi. The Han army had no choice but to surrender.
The Capital, Hanyang
“Chancellor Yoon. Any news about General Jeon—”
“Your Majesty,” General Jeon arrives and bows to the emperor.
“Won—” A big smile is painted across Emperor Lee’s face at the sound of General Jeon’s voice, but this turns into a frown as soon as he finally sees the scars and bruises that the gentleman had gained from battle.
“Everyone, I would like to have a word with General Jeon alone. You may all leave.”
As soon and the servants and Chancellor Yoon left the throne hall, Emperor Lee immediately asked for General Jeon to move closer.
“Come. I’m glad you’re alive. Congratulations on your victory.”
“It is my duty, Your Majesty. There is no need to congratulate me.”
“No need to address me as such, it’s just the two of us… Also,.. why do you always downplay such matters.. as if you weren’t in the frontlines risking your life? Move closer, let me tend to your wounds—”
“You don’t have to, Your Majesty.” Wonwoo takes a step back and bows, “Do we have any other matters to discuss, Your Majesty?”
"Won..when have you become so distant to me?”
“Pardon, Your Majesty. I am just tired from my travels.”
Emperor Lee hesitates at first, but he musters the courage to speak, eyes breaking contact from Wonwoo’s. “Then.. I’ll be straightforward. I.. I do not wish to be the Emperor anymore.” He pauses, hoping to get a reaction from General Jeon, whose hands are now trembling. “My son…Lee Chan, the Crown Prince… he is at the right age to run this Kingdom. Must I think it through? Wonwoo, I just genuinely feel lonely on this throne… I can be in the battlefield fighting side by side with you..—”
“Your Majesty… do you really not know? Or are you just playing pretend, taking the fall for your son’s actions? Do you really wish for the future of our kingdom to be in his hands? The Crown Prince did not have the slightest hint of pity and reluctance when he asked for the troops to flee back to the South to guard the Capital. We’ve planned long and hard to fight in the borders so it doesn't reach Hanyang. Where was the Crown Prince when the entire city of Gangwon-do had been eradicated? How could you just tell me in a roundabout manner that you’d take the blame for the carelessness of your son? —”
“General Jeon—”
“And you want him to be Emperor—Why should those who have done evil be exalted while those who suffer have to bow down?!”
“Jeon Wonwoo! You are crossing the line! He is the Crown Prince, you are just a subject!”
“I insist at the risk of my life, Your Majesty! this is my duty!”
“Lee Chan is my only son! What am I supposed to do?! must I let other people’s sons be the Emperor of this Kingdom?”
“Your majesty! This is not the time to play nepotism!” In the heat of the moment, General Jeon raised his sword toward the Emperor.
“Are you seeking death?! Raising your blade in the Palace—no, to the Emperor...General, you of all people should know that this is considered treason!”
“I don’t mind being called a traitor if it is what it takes for you to reconsider. Your majesty, I have spent half of my life knowing you, the other half fighting battles for you. All of that blood and tears I’ve shed to keep you on your throne. So tell me, Your Majesty, when did I never seek death? My only hope is that your hands remain clean, your name unstained, and your reign to be remembered in good light. I don’t wish for any of my efforts to be in vain, so I have to ask of you to listen to me. But if you must kill me, then do so. I would gladly die in your hands.”
“Have you gone mad?! How could I trade your life for the lives of an entire town?! Their life is nothing compared to yours!”
“Your majesty… Are you hearing yourself?...” tears run down General Jeon’s face, “I have surrendered my life to you when I vowed to protect you and the Kingdom. If you kill me, you will still have your life to keep. But those people who have unjustly suffered and died had no one but themselves...
Your majesty, I have only ever lived for you as they have for themselves.”
“Jeon Wonwoo..”
General Jeon does not spare the Emperor a glance and leaves.
Emperor Lee had told the palace maids not to disturb him for the day. Following his argument with General Jeon, Emperor Lee hasn’t had any peace of mind. Anytime soon, Wonwoo could do something dangerous. Admittedly, he was guilty towards Wonwoo. This was the first time they’ve ever had a disagreement. Although he is aware of the General’s temper, he doesn’t know to what extent his patience would last.
*a palace maid is knocking on the door* “Your maj–majesty..”
“Seol, if this is about General Jeon, I do not wish to hear about it.”
“But Your Majesty…this is ..urgent he— outside..he..”
“Speak like a human!”
“Generaljeonisrebellingagainstyou”
“WHAT?!”
“G—” the maid is cut off when Duke Kim barges into the room.
“Your highness, General Jeon is outside the palace with the imperial army. They have claimed to rebel against you lest you dethrone Lee Chan.”
“Nonsense!” Emperor Lee charges out of the palace to face General Jeon.
The atmosphere is tense, air thick with anticipation. The imperial army had stood guard, waiting nervously for what the Crown Prince had to say. In front of the Palace’s gates stood the Crown Prince and General Jeon. Sword on one hand, waist on the other.
“How great of you, General Jeon!” The Crown Prince says in a sarcastic manner. “Inciting a rebellion with the Imperial Army! All of you—traitors to His Majesty, traitors to the Kingdom! Is this how you pay back the Emperor who treats you so dearly?!”
“Your Majesty, might I remind you of how you ran away from the border to safety while thousands of lives had to suffer and die?!” one of the soldiers cried.
“Nonsense! I am the Crown Prince, my word is command! You.. all of you. You disobeyed my orders and dared to come back to the Capital!”
“Lee Chan!” The emperor exclaims.
“F-father! Gener—”
“Shut up! Guards, lock him up in his room.”
The Emperor walks towards General Jeon and says, “Wonwoo. What is this all about... Can we talk nicely? Come..” The Emperor speaks in a tone like that of a close friend. But this doesn’t move the General at all.
“Nicely?” General Jeon chuckles. “Nicely.. I believe I’ve talked nicely enough with you, Your Majesty.”
“Wonwoo. I’m giving you a chance, just stop all of this and —”
“And what, your majesty? Pretend nothing happened? Your Majesty, I have told you then and again. If it costs my life for you to change your mind, I’d gladly die.”
Emperor Lee had never felt this much betrayed and misunderstood. Perhaps it was the anger getting to him, or the disbelief that Wonwoo no longer wanted to listen to him when he commanded, “Kill Jeon Wonwoo.”
Under His Majesty’s command, the soldiers charged towards each other. Their horses' hooves pound the ground like thunder, and their lances are aimed at the hearts of the enemy. Enemy . These were men under the same Emperor clashing for the sake of justice. What once was a bond so inseparable has turned into a bloodbath. The battle lasts for hours and General Jeon’s troops have gotten less in number. He does not give up until the Emperor changes his mind. However, they all halt when the Emperor orders them to. General Jeon had no choice but to surrender for the meantime. The rebellion was only the first part of his plan.
The Emperor visits General Jeon at the Imperial prison.
“Your Majesty… what are you holding me up for?” General Jeon tells the emperor and spits blood as he speaks. “The battle had been so good.. I was so close to changing your mind.. So close to sacrificing my life.. Why did you have to stop? Are you so softhearted, Your Majesty? That you cannot afford to see me die in battle? Something I would have taken honor in, and you had to take it away from me. If you haven’t changed your mind… Just give it up, Your Majesty. I am no longer the Jeon Wonwoo that you know.”
“Is this really what you want, Wonwoo? For me to kill you?”
“Seokmin..I had hoped you’d change your mind. But of course, so long as it’s you, your highness.. ”
“Then I’ll give you what you want.”
“Not even my death could change your mind?” General Jeon chuckles, “All this time, I thought I’d known you better than anyone else. I had thought that we had the same mind, the same goals. But how could I ever come to understand how a father must feel.. I have only ever lived for you.. Whatever… just go back, don’t come to ask me anymore. Let this be the last time we speak of each other. I await for the Imperial decree citing my betrayal.”
As the Emperor turns his back to leave, Wonwoo grabs his hand from the back.
When the Emperor looks back, Wonwoo pulls his hand to his stomach.
All this time, he had been holding a knife.
Wonwoo smiles at the Emperor. The kind of smile that only the Emperor has ever seen.
Mouth full of blood, he says for the last time…
Let this be the last time you'll let me down...
I will wait for you in hell.
Seokmin is frozen in shock. Wonwoo passes out and he hurriedly catches his dead body.
Don’t die on me, Wonwoo. How could you.. Wake up, Wonwoo. Please, wake up. Wonwoo. Please. Don’t leave me.. I have only ever lived for you too.. Please..
It had finally dawned on the Emperor: his beloved friend was gone. Wonwoo was dead. He had killed the person he had loved most with his own hands.