forum "How come you haven't run away from me yet?"//oxo//Closed

Started December 12, 2020 by @knightinadream group

tune

A wave of relief overcame her when the door opened. Queen Seohyun leaned over making sure that it was Jimin till she was able to catch a glimpse. Fixing her position, the queen moved the tea tray off to the side. She attempted to have a light-hearted expression on her face, but it was overshadowed with sternness and concern. "Good morning to you too.", she said with a nod.

The queen bit the inside of her lip. Her mind has been so focused on the problem at hand that she forgot about having any inquiries. Every journal she was given disappeared out of thin air. Was it too early to ask if he is- Oh she could not bare to think about it. Those things are not in Pyeonghwa nor would they ever get too close to the throne. They would never get close to the crown prince; she cannot allow it to happen. It is only just a silly rumor after all, nothing more nothing less. Although, the possibility still floated in the back of her mind.

"Please start off in chronological order, but before you start, was there anything that stood out to you? Any symptoms? Habits?", she questioned. A few came to mind, yet she was never able to get close to her son. From afar anyone can tell something is going on. The unusual paleness is the first characteristic she knows well. All the others she either heard from people like Jimin or the previous doctors. Hopefully they can help make him feel better somehow.

She nodded. “There was, of course, the pale skin. When I touched his forehead to check his temperature, the skin was very cold too. It would’ve been my idea of what a dead body would feel like. And he was certainly more energetic than me, although… although I suppose I didn’t find it strange at the time. I’ve known a night owl or two, but…” her tone went from matter-of-fact to more speculative. Her gaze lowered slightly, and she found herself staring at her fingers.
If it had counted as something unusual, she would’ve said that something that stood out to her was the prince’s audacity. But she supposed it wasn’t unusual, maybe he had that before he started acting strange.
Jimin took a breath. “But perhaps that is old news to you. From the beginning, then?”
She glanced back up at the Queen, arching her brow. She wanted to see if the Queen had any input before she recounted the previous night.

Queen Seohyun gripped at her sleeve while listening. Nothing out of the regular sparked any more concern. Maybe she is getting too impatient with this. She does not want for anything to happen to her court lady if she pushes further. "Of course it is; he never lets any of them get closer or do anything to him so I am always stuck with the same information. Repetition of these findings is okay, but I need you to find more than just cold pale skin and being highly energetic.", she stated, "I know you are more than capable of doing so."

Dead body. The description sent chills down her spine despite already hearing it many times. In the past, she never felt such lack of heat whenever holding the crown prince's hand. Then again, it was so long ago that things have changed. Though not as drastic as Kangdae should have. Even citizens from the north are much warmer than a corpse. Impossible for a living person to be able to survive that way. It will be helpful if she can take into account all of this. Using her index finger, she traced a few characters in order to help trigger her memory.

She looked off to the side for a second. Words swirled around in her mind making it hard for her to think of any other comments. When a couple moments went by, the queen decided to give up. Before she said anything, she got ahold of her cup, took a sip, the placed it down. A short exhale left her lips. "Yes, please go over it the best you can.", the queen said.

Kangdae woke up almost two hours ago. He felt as if someone had pulled him out his body. So tired, he wished he could have slept all day, if possible. After getting dressed in his dark blue gonryongpo and sajoeryongbo. He had waited a little longer than usual for the servant to show up. The ladies in waiting left the bed chamber just as his servant came by with the umbrella and black coat. Once his hair was finished, they went outside heading over to the queen's room.

He had the coat placed over his head protecting him from the sunlight. Slowly, he stepped over so he was able to lean over. The servant kept looking around wondering if anyone was going to come by. "Your Highness, you have to meet with the Minister of Defense and General Officer soon. Should we go?", the servant wondered while using a quiet volume.

"Not yet, Myung.", he whispered, "Hold on a moment." Kangdae tried to inch himself closer to the door without making a sound. Earlier he had thought of the idea to interrupt his mother's discussion with Jimin. It seemed to be the most feasible solution, but in order for it to work, they will have to wait for the perfect time to enter. Although if this was not going to lead anywhere, he'll gladly leave.

Jimin pursed her lips, considering her words. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
She straightened, smoothing the creases of her chima as she collected her thoughts. Then she made what could’ve been a sneer of regret and disappointment. “I’ll warn you though, it was less productive than I’d hoped. After I had introduced myself and checked his temperature, he insisted that he was fine and that he wanted to show me… a trick. In retrospect, it seemed like he wanted to get rid of me, though he said he wanted to cheer me up. He went onto the roof, but I managed to get him to come down. I wanted to ask him a few questions before I examined him, and I tried asking about what the previous physicians and doctors said. He said they hadn’t said anything important, so that was a dead end. And…”
She paused. This was the portion of the night she had been dreading to tell. How would the Queen react? Would she place the blame on her? She’d specifically told her that she wasn’t to get to close to the prince. But if she didn’t explain it, there would be a noticeable gap in time that wouldn’t explain why she’d left so quickly. Besides, she couldn’t afford to be dishonest.
She sighed. With as much dignity as she could muster, she said, “I don’t know how it happened, but he got close to me and touched my chin and my neck. I was caught just off guard and didn’t know what to say, but he stopped of his own accord. He told me to leave. I asked him if he felt as cold as his skin, he denied it, and I left.”
Her ears felt hot and she was staring at her fingers again. She sighed, perhaps with shame. It was only the first night, it was only the first night, she chanted inwardly.

The queen curled her lips back while shaking her head. She is not mad at Jimin per say, it was only the first night after all. More so, she is just worried that this may not go as far as she wants it to. The crown prince's attitude and willingness to cooperate is a major factor that will be helpful, yet that is something they will deal with as this situation moves along. Going up on the roof, trying to get the poor lady in waiting to leave, and end up getting her to leave is just going to make all of this work go stagnant. How in the name of spirits can anyone get up on those slanted roofs anyways?

"I must say I am a bit disappointed, although I am not sure why.", Queen Seohyun said, "Nevertheless, it was just the first evening and His Royal Highness is a bit unpredictable sometimes or most of the time, unluckily. Obviously you are more familiar with me than him. We will have to come up with a way to make it as if this is not just about his condition while still keeping with the main goal. No worries for now, you will make progress."

Now she was not sure whether she had put the proximity rule for crown prince or Jimin in particular. The queen has never felt so unsure about something in her life. Would it be too much to change it or take it away? Getting closer is what they need so this whole dilemma can be resolved. Keeping an actual and metaphorical distance can complicate things although it can provide safety. But it seems risky to have it in place. They cannot take baby steps with this anymore; they only have less than four weeks to find, label, and solve the problem.

"Let's revise the rules just a bit. Prioritize the last one over keeping a distance when needed. I will not get angry at you for doing what you have to do. Standing your ground is important.", she sighed, "Is there anything else?"

Kangdae shut his eyes after standing up straight. Unbelievable. Seems that this will not be as easy he hoped it to be. His mother really does not wish to stand down from this. Even after he takes the throne, who knows what her efforts will be like by then. If he had his way, all the concerns and rumors would have stopped a long time ago. No words lingering around the palace making him and his mother worried. It is not like they cannot fix him anyways.

Pulling the ends of the coat tighter, he gazed over at the sun. Oh how he hated the sight of that sun more than the moon. If the early evenings of the fall and winter come soon, they should at least it would be more bearable for him by that point. The servant also glanced over before opening up the umbrella; he then glimpsed again motioning that they should go now.

Without saying a word, Kangdae began to walk off. Intruding on his mother and Jimin serves no point for him now. He has heard all that he needed anyways. Walking in might make everything more complicated. "Till the evening…", he mumbled to himself.

Jimin nodded as she spoke, looking back up at her. Then her eyes flicked to the side in thought. “Hmm, nothing in relation to last night, Your Majesty. I’m glad you’re not angry, but I hope you’re not disappointed with me. I’ll do my best tonight.”
She would have to figure out a way to approach and examine the prince without him running off. Her words managed to get him off the roof, but it would ideal if she could keep that from happening in the first place. Watch her words, indeed.
Taking a breath, she said, “Perhaps let us focus on the here and now? Is there anything I can do for you?”
She wanted to take a break from thinking about tonight or the prince. She still had her normal duties during the day, after all.

"Being angry is a waste of time and energy, especially at this time of day. It distracts you from what is in front and around you. However, I am not really disappointed in you, but I am hopeful you will be the last person I send over. I believe something good is going to come out of it having putting my trust in a person such as yourself.", Queen Seohyun imparted.

She glanced away for a moment. Several things were running around in her mind; none of which applied to today sadly. Holding her tea cup, the queen shook her head. "I am afraid there is not much except for attending to your usual tasks. If anything does happen to come up, I will send someone for you.", she smiled. Although they were in the early stages of this, she has faith that this is going to go further than the rest of them have. For better or worse, progress will be made. She only wished there would not be much trouble coming out of it.

(Skip to nighttime, or the start of their next meeting? Sorry this one is a bit short.)

Jimin tried to return the smile. “I’m glad you trust me,” she said simply. But I hope I don’t disappoint you in the future.
She kneeled again, then stood and left the room. She vaguely remembered that there were a few halls to be dusted, and contented herself with gathering other servants, maids, and ladies to help, enjoying the simple, easily accomplished task.

(Haha don’t worry about it, I shall be short in return. Idc when we skip)

The sun finally started to disappear over the horizon. Dusk could not have come any sooner. Kangdae dreaded that it would be here all day before he knew it. On the other hand, he was happy that he did not have to walk around covering himself from the light anymore. Deep down, he felt as if he was looking forward to something else more than just the evening. It was difficult to point out why. All he knew was that if he had a heart, it certainly would be pumping a bit faster than usual right now.

By the time he finally arrived to his bed chamber, it was almost time for Jimin to come over. His ladies in waiting were a bit late to help him change out of his day clothes, so he didn't bother to do anything about the gonryongpo and sajoeryongbo. Not like he would be able to go out to hunt or get away. Climbing on to the roof doesn't seem like it will gain him anything from now on.

He sat on top of the bed while staring at the door. The weariness that had been lingering all throughout the day finally began to settle down. Even with all the energy he had, he still could not pull himself out of his spot. There was a great enough distance from the desk to the bed. Kangdae bit his bottom lip wondering how much time he had or if she was right behind the door at this moment. Shaking his head, he got up then sat behind the desk. His eagerness calmed down as he picked up the brush. Although, every couple of seconds his eyes would flicker across him.

(This is starting to feel like a Jimin opening doors montage lol)

Jimin made her way to the prince’s chambers in better spirits. The day had been productive, and she hoped the evening would be too. Watching the prince was starting to feel familiar now, so the worry of not knowing what to expect was not looming over her. Of course, tonight still had its uncertainties.
She came up to the prince’s doors and told the guards what her business for being there was. She took her binyeo from her bun and left it with the guards. At their nod, she opened the doors.
Finding him sitting on the bed in his day clothes made a small, “Heh,” escape her lips. She bowed and said, “Good evening, Your Highness, it’s me again. How are you feeling?”

Kangdae kept his hands together resting them on his lap. He tried to take off the small crown protecting his topknot, but he instantly gave up as the doors opened. And so evening two begins. Tonight he felt more unsure compared to the evening before where he was more angrily confused. Nevertheless, the prince is still awfully confused. Trying to escape by means such as the roof is simply haughty and too foolish for his image. The whole day he was so focused on his duties that he did not have any time to come up with a plan for tonight.

So he just sat there on the bed staring down at the floor waiting for something to happen. Hoping that his mind would be swift enough with creating something. When Jimin entered, he forced his gaze to look in any other direction. Getting frustrated this early in the evening is useless. It'll only make him look more odd than he already is, that is if he truly is strange.

Hearing a small chuckle come from her made him tilt his head. Was there something with his appearance? If only he was able to use one of his mother's small mirrors to see. Maybe it the fact he has not changed into his regular robe and trousers. Is he really amusing enough to make a lady in waiting laugh? No, none of this important now. Just focus on the current moment at hand.

"Good evening to you too, Miss Hwang. I am the same as the day before, good.", he grumbled. If she meant his condition, his answer is always going to be similar, unless there is not enough blood flowing through his veins. Other than that, he has no idea. None. The feeling of not having a clue is highly bothersome. His hand clutched the blanket. Finally, Kangdae decided to glimpse over towards her. "And how are you?"

“I’m quite alright, thank you,” she said, looking him over. Indeed, he did seem the same as before. But of course, she couldn’t just take his word for it. “And even if you say you are fine, sir, I would still like to see for myself. I would like to check your pulse this time.”
He almost seemed more frustrated tonight. Why did that spark a vague feeling of delight in the back of her mind? Ah, never mind that. She moved toward the prince with more confidence than last time, and offered her hand out. She hoped that after this she could ask a few more questions and then finally examine him. Maybe she could make some progress. He seemed almost… almost like he was out of ideas.

All the evidence is practically sitting right in front of her. And he is not even bedridden or going into a shock. What else does he have to do? Suck all of the blood out of someone else while she watches? Doing so would defiantly get for these visits to stop, but it wouldn't end well for him. A faint, barely nonexistent, pulse will not do much for herself or the queen. The cold skin and getting on top of the roof should have been enough.

Kangdae wished he was actually sick and not a being who can survive off of blood. If he really was in a terrible condition, it might have gone away a long time ago at this point. This is so unbearable especially since there is no way to make her leave in an instant.

Fascinating how she is just pushing forward not scared of him at all; if only his pride was small enough to admit it. Her steps getting closer to him made his position stiff. His hand reached up for the thin gold binyeo in his topknot while shifting over to the left side of the bed. Too late for him to do anything drastic or simple. Using a thin piece of metal is not going to do anything either.

Letting a sigh out, he reluctantly rolled up his sleeves. He rested his elbow on his knee so it was easier to check. The sooner she does it, the better. Sure it may be simple on the outside, yet to him it wasn't. Kangdae stared down at the floor as his bottom lip puckered out just a tiny bit.

Interesting. He didn’t try to distract her with another one of his shenanigans. She acknowledged his sigh with a quirk of her brow. Trying to ignore the cold of his skin, she took his hand and pressed her pointer and middle finger to his wrists.
She blinked a few times, staring at his hand and her fingers. Then she turned to stare at the prince.
“Permission to listen for your heartbeat, Your Highness?”

(Hhhhh- I feel like I should write more but idk-)

"Listen?", he repeated before scoffing. Kangdae's face remained stone-cold yet his eyes showed a completely different emotion. So many have tried to find his heartbeat. The fact he was able to make it this far is beyond his understanding. Obviously using the lie of having thin veins is not going to do this time. "It is there. It should be.", he nodded while rolling up his other sleeve, "I can feel it beating it now." Another lie. A huge one. When was the last time you ever felt anything?

Technically he has on five layers of clothing at the moment. Trying to hear a heartbeat from a regular human in these royal clothes is difficult enough to start off with. Imagine attempting to do the same with him or anyone else like him. Impossible. It will be nothing but a waste of time and more evidence for everyone to be suspicious; unless she dismisses this yet that does not seem very likely. Convincing Jimin to not speak of this, let alone leaving, also must not have high chances of being possible.

Kangdae yanked his arm back to himself. Reluctantly he began to take off the clothes till he was only in his under-jackets and pants. He could've undone the jacket strings, but he chose not to. Just do what she asks, it may be easier this way. "Go ahead", he said nonchalantly, "Hopefully you will be able to find it."

(It's okay, I got it! :) )

Jimin almost regretted asking him. Almost. She could feel anxiety and discomfort rise up in her as the prince shed his layers. Come to think of it, she couldn’t think of a time that she had seen a man undress in front of her, either. She refused to let her feelings show on her face, only reflexively looking away and feeling her ears grow hot.
She looked back at him, keeping her gaze on his face and frowning at his tone. She’d heard what sounded like dishonesty in his claims from a few moments before, and she could tell that he wasn’t any more comfortable than she was.
She’d stepped back a few paces when he yanked his arm back and started undressing, and now she closed the gap between them again. “Hopefully…?” She murmured.
Enough stalling. The sooner this is over, the better. Her eyes flicked down to what bare chest she could see and placed a hand in between his pectorals. As she expected, it was also cold to the touch. After a few moments, her frown deepened. Nothing. Before she could have second thoughts, she moved her hand to make room for her head as she pressed her ear to his chest. She waited. Still, nothing.
She quickly moved away from him. Her eyes were tense and hard as she stared into the prince’s own. “Your Highness, it isn’t there. I couldn’t find it.”

He tried to shrug off the discomfort and worry as if it was not a big deal. Having to undress in front of a lady in waiting was something he has done several times, and doing it in front of Jimin should not make him feel any stranger than before. Yet, here he is forcing himself to stare at the wall waiting; waiting for this unexpected moment to pass by.

Kangdae hitched his breath as he felt her hand on his chest. The warmth from it made him sit up in a matter of seconds. He is not able to feel the bleakness of his skin, but he can surely feel the heat coming from her. If his body was able to generate any heat at the moment, his cheeks would be burning as they speak right now. It is only because she is trying to find his heartbeat and is very close. That's it and nothing more; he is assured of this, at least he thinks so.

Her words did not surprise him in the slightest yet he still raised his eyebrows in confusion. Briefly his eyes were shut before they opened to gaze back at her. The uncertainty in them were replaced by his previous expression of dissatisfaction and enmity. Whether or not he is doing this as some sort of act is beyond his own belief. Is he going to have to keep this act up for any longer or is this the end of it for him? "What do you mean?", he asked while getting up, "Are you sure you listened for it? Cause if I don't have it, I do not believe I would be alive standing right in front you at this very moment; doesn't appear to be very likely."

Letting his shoulders drop, he approached her. Staring straight back, Kangdae untied the strings holding his under-jacket together. With his left hand, it gently took ahold of hers placing it over the left side of his chest. The other covered the right side of his neck pressing down using his index and middle finger. After taking a couple deep breaths he spoke, "I feel the same as you do, Jimin. I do not understand why you cannot find my heartbeat, perhaps it just weaker than yours."

The prince confused Jimin more and more by the second. He seemed so doubtful of her words yet it was almost like he was threatening her doubt herself as well. Her breathing quickened, raising in volume as he took her hand and placed it on his cold chest. She tried to steady it as she listened and felt for his heartbeat for the third time. After a pause, she opened her mouth only to close it again. Her brow furrowed, completing the tense, confused, dissatisfied expression on her face. She tried again.
“I assure you, Your Highness, I listened well. And even if it was weaker than mine, you would be sick and bedridden at this very moment.”
She didn’t remove her hand from his chest, praying that somehow she’d made a mistake. But still, she felt nothing. Slowly, she raised her head to peer into the prince’s eyes. She could see the uncertainty clouding them, and she hated it and what it might mean.
She took a breath, trying to keep her voice from quivering. “My prince, I cannot keep what is on my mind to myself this time. I do not feel or hear anything. I only feel silent, cold skin. You seem to stand before me as a living corpse.”

A living corpse… Kangdae's eyes widened right away. At any rate, she will be able to exactly point out what he really is at any moment now. It would not even be surprising to him if she came to the conclusion tonight, although he feared it very much. For almost three whole years he has gotten away with it. All it had to take was for one intriguing lady in waiting to potentially break that streak; just one. Would it be more embarrassing to continue fighting back or to give up now? Either way it possibly will lead him into a lot of trouble. No, he cannot choose one over the other. If there was another option, he might take it.

Remembering that he was still holding her hand, he glanced down at it for a while then let go. His right one still covered the side of his neck till he turned around. Only for a couple of seconds he faced away to tie the jacket strings together again. Several words swirled around his mind when gazing back. Sorting out which ones had more gain once they would fall off of his tongue. He did not even want to bother asking what else was on her mind.

"I stand before you as Chang Kangdae, the crown prince of Pyeonghwa before being a damn living corpse.", he hissed, "Impossible. Me, an undead prince? How absurd that idea is! Just simply how irration-" Somehow he managed to stop himself. His attention forcefully pulled him away from whatever direction he wanted to go. This is not how a king would ever act, even his father never gotten so enraged at anybody this quickly. Probably no one in the entire world has been this way, especially a vampire like himself.

Kangdae trudged over to the bed, dragging his feet behind him. Sitting down, he tried to relax himself. "My sincerest apologies, Jimin. Forget it, let's carry on with whatever you wish to look at next or discuss." Moving his head to the right side, he attempted to avoid making any eye-contact. Trying to avoid feeling perplexed is a lot more stressful than he imagined. Can this evening go any slower?

But Jimin had been struck speechless for a few moments. She wasn’t sure if she should be afraid or, as he said, forget it and carry on. She stared intensely at the prince, yet her mind was far away, trying to process what just happened. The way the prince’s eyes had widened made her nearly think she had struck some formless nugget of truth, and yet he went and launched into such a tirade of denial that all other thoughts had been pushed from her mind except for that she must be wrong. But then, perhaps that only enforces her hypothesis, and he must be hiding something. She knew what she had felt in the prince’s chest; nothing. He must be hiding the truth of his condition; it would explain everything that has happened up to this point, and what she’d been told and heard second hand. So were her words indeed accurate? Was he, in fact, a living corpse?
Then enough seconds passed for her to realize that silence had filled the room, and she snapped back to the present.
“Ah- I apologize for offending you, Your Highness,” Jimin said quickly, though her words dwindled as they went on. Soon she was muttering to herself. “But- oh, why does this always seem to happen? A woman decides to simply speak her mind and the men get angry at her for it. Granted, this quite the difference in context… he’s the prince for spirits’ sake…”
She shook her head and coughed. “Forgive me, sir, perhaps you might be able to tolerate my bluntness by the time you become king.” She paused, a thought coming to her. Something she believed the Queen mentioned once. “This all began two, three years ago, yes? That’s when I began hearing things about you, and when I believe physicians and doctors started coming to see you. Did anything notable occur before or right around that time?”

Stealing a glance, he shook his head. His eyes only laid on her for a mere second before they darted away. Somehow he was able to pick up what she was whispering under her breath. She does have a point, although all the men in the state council and the scholars would not concur. Being outspoken around a member of the royal family is an action no one ever wants to commit.

Kangdae stood up then let out a forced chuckle. "Power and fear, that's why it always happens. Once someone has both, they do not want to let go of it.", he conceded, "Just because I am the prince does not excuse the way I acted. Speak informally and freely when it's just the two of us. You are fine, it was my fault."

What happened three years ago? He wish he never had to speak of it ever since it happened. Everything happened so swiftly. Waking up to pain soaring throughout his body. Struggling to get the monster's fangs out of his neck, thankfully pushing them away. It felt as if fire was flowing through his veins making his heart beat rapidly. Red eyes lit up watching as he coughed up blood. His body shook while his hands twitched all over the place. Soon his heart stopped; a wave of an unknown force blanketed over it. All while the full moon shone up in the sky. Moments after were nothing but a blur.

Talking about it, especially when he does not even want his own mother to know, is not what he wanted to do. Meanwhile, he already lashed out at Jimin and is acting awfully suspicious. Could he trust her? Even if he told a half-truth? "I was being escorted back to the palace after spending a month up in the north with Prince Doyun, Master Yi, and his family. The men taking me back and I were roughly thirty miles away from the capital when we were ambushed by someone. My horse panicked, it was hard to calm it down, so I fell off and hit my head. I cannot remember much after that." It was not that he could not remember, it was that he wished he did not. Deep down, he would've rather died that night than be turned.

Jimin sighed as he spoke. “Yes, that’s true. It’s nice to hear the crown prince has some humility in him. You’re forgiven.”
Her expression relaxed, but her mind was still whirring as she listened to his story. Would he lie about this too? It seemed perfectly reasonable to assume he was telling the truth and that whatever had happened after he hit his head had caused his current condition; she didn’t think a simple concussion could cause all of this. Of course, that would mean that the cause couldn’t be easily identified anyway, which she knew her uncle valued greatly when identifying an illness and curing it.
Alas, she now felt she couldn’t trust him when it came to her questions. The only problem was that she didn’t know how much he was lying or keeping hidden. His journey back from the north did seem a good starting point, however. So perhaps this was a matter of if what he said happened actually happened. Though, she was hesitant to question his honesty out loud, and there was no way to really get the undeniable truth if failed memory really had been a factor in this incident. Additionally, if he was hiding something, he would not easily reveal it to her.
She quirked her brow, thinking for moment. Then said, a little slowly at first, “Mmm, Her Majesty did mention how you seemed to act differently after that trip, now that I think about it. Do you think something… unnatural could’ve happened in the time that your memory fails you? I don’t think hitting your head would cause your heart to stop, Your Highness. Hmm, I wonder though, if you could’ve perhaps….” she trailed off, half of her mind still thinking about and grappling with the idea of the prince before her being undead.

She knows. Whether or not she thinks he is a vampire is not a complete shot in the dark anymore. Knowing he is undead is just a step closer to him being killed. Never had he expected for this to happen so soon. Perhaps it would be better to be the crown prince being outed as a horrendous bloody monster rather than a king being outed. Give up. He just cannot do it. The only drive he knows is to take over the throne and be the ruler he was meant to be. Yet something else was telling him to keep going, to keep surviving, he just cannot point it out.

Kangdae refused to say anything. Mentioning the trip was already enough to screw him over. Simply replying with 'I do not remember' is not going to be of use. Nor would feasting on her blood be a wise choice too. The guards and his servant can only do so much to cover it up before the trail leads to him. There already is a bloody one taking Jimin right to the reason of his strange features.

Unnatural… His eyes rolled hearing that word when he began to pace around the room. Unnatural to a human's own accords or his? Now it was nothing out of the sorts for him. Just another damned creature that happens to share a lot of qualities with him. If he was still a human, it'd be very much different. All of it would be. No one would be instantly afraid or talk rumors. His mother would not be so concerned. Somehow he wished it could be true.

Sadly that is not how current reality is. He still is stuck in his bed chamber with Jimin worrying over what might happen next. Thankfully he knew what to say. "Say it. 'If you could've perhaps….', what? I believe that you are making your own conclusion which might be on target, although who knows? But if you are right, will you be able to make it past those doors? Are you going to tell my mother all of this?", he questioned before adding on, "Why should I tell you anything? Personally I do not see an actual good use for me and everyone else, including yourself. You'll use my words which will kill me."

Maybe admitting it to one person is not a big deal; it's a gamble nevertheless. Why would he? Giving the benefit of doubt is foolish. Jimin seemed like an extraordinary person to trust, that's why his mother put her in charge in dealing with him after all. On the other hand, getting her to trust him seems challenging. Kangdae let out a sigh as he removed his headband. Funny how his impression is causing more trouble than it ever has previously. Or maybe there is a way to change her perception of him…

"How about this? I will tell you everything as sincerely as possible. Whatever you want from me, I shall give it to you. That is, you promise me to never tell my mother about any of this.", he insisted. Standing in front of her, he raised his eyebrows waiting for a response. "You'll have my word, that is, if we have a deal."

She shrugged, staring at his shoes. “I just wonder if you could’ve perhaps been in fact killed by your attacker, but somehow your soul couldn’t leave your body. But I suppose that’s just speculation at this point.” The words felt strange as they rolled off her tongue, but she supposed they must’ve sounded coherent. They should be. I know what I felt, I know what I felt, she chanted inwardly.
Then she frowned as he continued. “You tell me because I believe there’s a chance we can resolve your condition, or at least make the most of it. And that’s why I will certainly tell your mother all or most or this.”
She wasn’t an expert in the supernatural, and was mostly motivated by how much trust the Queen placed in her. She wasn’t about to lose it, or let an undead prince keep her from doing her duties. She didn’t want to think about it if her words turned out to be empty.
She raised his eyebrows at his offer. “If I didn’t know any better, Your Highness, I’d say you were desperate.” She sighed, then pursed her lips. “That is very tempting, I will admit. Could I propose a compromise? Perhaps… I will only tell Her Majesty what I know so far, and I will keep what you’ll tell me to myself.”
After thinking on it for a second, it seemed reasonable to her, or maybe for her. She couldn’t just go to the Queen in the morning with nothing, not when she’d made significant progress.