The Assassin's Choice
POV: Nae Yi / Cheng Dynasty
The moon hung low over Cheng, casting the palace in silver light and shadows that flickered like spirits. Nae Yi observed the courtyard from her high tower, her fingers tracing the edges of a scroll depicting Xiao Xing and Giyeok's movements.
The boy thrives… and the girl falters, she mused, her smile cruel and patient. The time has come.
She summoned Giyeok to her private chambers, the air thick with incense and tension. The girl entered silently, bowing deeply. Her eyes flickered with fear, guilt, and something more — hesitation.
"Madame," Giyeok said softly. "You summoned me."
Nae Yi's eyes gleamed, sharp as ice. "The boy… your charge… he lives, yes?"
Giyeok hesitated, and Nae Yi's voice sharpened. "Answer me."
"Yes," Giyeok admitted. "…But I could not…"
Nae Yi's smile was cold. "…Could not obey me?"
Giyeok looked away, shame burning her cheeks. "…I… I cannot kill him."
Nae Yi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do not speak lightly, girl. You were forged for this purpose — every lesson, every strike, every breath you took was to prepare you. You have failed… but not yet irreparably. Tonight, you will complete your mission."
Giyeok's chest tightened. Her hands shook as she gripped her dagger. "…I will try," she whispered, her voice almost breaking.
"Try is not enough," Nae Yi said softly, almost kindly. "Obedience is everything. Remember: loyalty is the price of survival… and the cost of love is death."
POV: Xiao Xing / Cheng Dynasty
Xiao Xing stood in the quiet courtyard, the city's fires now reduced to flickering embers. He had secured Cheng for the time being, but his heart was restless. The rebellion had left scars, and the shadow of Nae Yi loomed over every thought.
Giyeok appeared beside him, silent and graceful, her blade now sheathed. He noticed the conflict in her eyes immediately. "…Giyeok," he said softly. "What troubles you?"
She turned toward him, trembling. "…I… I have orders," she whispered, voice strained. "…From Nae Yi."
His brow furrowed. "Orders? What kind?"
She hesitated, the weight of her secret pressing against her chest. "…To… to kill you."
The words fell like ice. Xiao Xing stepped closer, eyes locking with hers. "…Why have you not?"
Her voice broke. "…Because I cannot."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, charged with danger, desire, and forbidden emotion. He reached for her hands, holding them gently. "Then we survive together," he said, soft yet firm. "…Whatever comes."
Giyeok's eyes glimmered, tears threatening to fall. "…Together," she whispered back.
The distance between duty and love had never been more perilous.
POV: Xae Rin / Cheng Court
Inside the palace, Xae Rin convened a council with his most trusted ministers. Though officially Crown Prince, the city remained tense. The Prime Minister had been imprisoned, but whispers of lingering dissent continued to circulate.
"We must stabilize Cheng," Xae Rin said, voice calm but commanding. "Rebuild the trust of the people. Those who doubt my rule… I will confront directly. Fear will not guide my reign — justice will."
The ministers nodded, though some glanced nervously toward the corridors, knowing Nae Yi's reach extended far beyond their sight.
POV: Nae Yi / Cheng Dynasty
From her tower, Nae Yi observed the lovers in the courtyard, her expression unreadable. "…So strong, and yet so fragile," she murmured. "The boy thrives because of her… and the girl falters because of him. Perfect. Soon, the choice will come — and I will ensure that it is impossible to resist."
She turned to her altar, hands brushing the blue flames. "Prepare her," she whispered. "Tonight, the boy will see the blade… and the girl will learn the true cost of love."
Her smile was cruel, almost predatory. "Let the final test begin."
Closing Scene: Foreshadowing the Storm
Night deepened over Cheng. Fires smoldered in the streets, and the palace stood as both sanctuary and battlefield.
Xiao Xing and Giyeok remained side by side, hearts intertwined, each aware of the coming trial. They would face not just the enemies outside, but the one that lurked between them — the ultimate test of loyalty, love, and duty.
Above them, in her tower, Nae Yi's laughter echoed, cold and merciless. The chessboard was set, the pieces in motion. And soon, the price of love would be revealed in blood and steel.