[soo-won is in the lobby of the inn, and you might be able to smell what he's up to before you see him. upon entering, the scent of flowers is obvious as he sips some very, very floral tea.
no matter the time of evening, he glances up when someone else enters - and offers up a smile]
[ There's a pause, but not much of one, as Soo-Won addresses him. Just a beat of consideration, and then he's coming his way. Despite the chaos, he's pretty calm in the aftermath. ]
[BECAUSE I WANT MORE PCS WITH SNOW - soo-won is going to be wandering around after that!! rather than the listless walking of last week, it seems like this week he's a bit more prepared.
and so he has a tray! on this tray there's a pot of tea, a stack of empty cups, aaaaaand a bottle of whiskey. oh okay.
the whiskey, when he spots it, does make him snort abruptly. Now that he's no longer on his child leash and Claude is nowhere in sight, he is more amicable and less moody. ]
So long as this isn't a setup towards murder, Won.
[ At least they can crack jokes about this cursed drink sharing part of the evidence...
But Hua Cheng picks up the second cup, as Soo-won takes his sip. Even if they're not sitting close enough, it's obvious he is. Laughing at him, maybe not out loud, but his eye creases in obvious amusement.
Sip. He's not as leery as he was the first time. ]
I really hope sharing drinks with murderers becomes less of a trend, but I won't hold my breath.
[ NEVERMIND! Nevermind, everything is so much, this is now Saturday instead of Friday.
Hua Cheng is, rightly, angry. But it's contained in a neat box that only really makes itself visible if one pays attention to the set of his jaw or the pinch of his eye. He might be petty, and abrasive, but he's not the sort to just - lash out.
When he sees Soo-won upon coming back into the inn, there's a pause, then a huff. And then he veers to the kitchen with a few jingles of his boots. It's not long after that he returns, depositing a teapot and two cups down next to him, wordlessly dropping on the other side. ]
Considering you looked rather... out of it, today, better to just let you sit.
[ A little amusement, but he settles in to turn over the words. ]
We've done better, since sentencing Kano. At getting to at least the truth for one killing, even if we've fallen short for the other - but it's something of a hollow victory, this week.
but soo-won is going to be approaching the bookstore with a tray - as usual, there's a teapot and some empty cups. when he sees hua cheng, he offers a smile]
... care to join me? It seems like... a lot happened.
Hua Cheng looks his way, hearing his approach, his sleeping spinosaurus cradled in the other arm. Behaving, for once. ]
Much to digest, I think. Here - [ He moves, bumping the door and holding it open. ] Some extra time to, ah, process what we just dealt with this weekend.
[BREAKS UP MEMSHARE DAYS JUST FOR EASE but soo-won is going to be (rolls dice) somewhere in the new northern area?? sure, that'd work. plenty of space for bubbles
[ So much space for bubbles, and two people who look so out of place in the wild wild west. Hua Cheng raises his hand in response to the greeting, surveying the area. ]
I didn't get much of a look at everything, once I saw the manor off in the distance. [ His house now, demons! But he gestures his raised hand. ] So no harm in taking a closer look at the rest of the town.
You are nine years old, and you are breaking into your father’s grave.
Not by accident, but by design.
Darkness provides cover for you to break into the royal family’s mausoleum, where your father was entombed along with his father, and his mother, and all the royals before him. Your father, who was originally meant to be king, before he was passed over by his younger brother; your father, who did not care for rank and wanted only to serve his country; your father, who would not die in an accident.
Kye-sook’s story sits with you – what the man witnessed with his own eyes. Even as you muscle open the coffin with your small hands, with your hands who are dirtied by this act of desecration, you think about what your father would have wanted. What he would have thought, if he could see you now.
“If we don’t apply our reasoning with efficiency to swiftly arrive at answers, the country will be ruined.”
The people are saying that Lord Yu-hon died by accident. An eyewitness said that he was murdered.
To swiftly arrive at an answer, the simplest way would be to check the corpse.
Your father is broken.
His body is mangled, bloodied, and torn. His skin is cold and ripped in places where tree branches punctured him upon his fall. He is not your gallant father, who would tell you to beat your colds into submission, or lavish you with praise when you finished another book.
At first glance, it would look like an accident.
You turn him onto his back.
It takes time, but your fingers eventually run across it – a wound that is in the middle of his back, the incision wide and deep, of a blade that ran through his body.
You think of what Kye-sook said he saw. The report that he gave to you before you entered this place, and the words exchanged by your father and uncle.
Uncle Il will entrust this country to gods he has never met, and hope that will be enough to serve the people.
You think of the strategy books you’ve read as a child. Economics, agriculture, trade, war strategy – all necessary items to consider in the ruling of a kingdom. There are no chapters on the gods providing rescue.
You hope that Uncle Il’s rule is fair, and he will wake up from this dream of godly rule.
You lay your father back into his resting place, you don’t cry.
(You want to cry. Your mother hasn’t stopped crying since the day your father was taken. You have to be strong for her, who has become so afraid – you want to go back to vibrant days, but if they’ll never return, you have to give vibrant days. You know you can’t cry. You know you can’t cry.)
There is no waking up from this.
and soo-won looks - surprised, a little startled when he comes back to himself. there's a distant look of sadness in his eyes but - he mostly turns to hua cheng, more curious about his reaction, given that.]
[well that happened! soo-won is going to be wandering around afterward with a tray - this time not with tea or alcohol, but rather just water and medicine. he'll wander over to hua cheng, wherever he is, when he spots him]
[ Wisely, Hua Cheng is sitting, probably in the inn lobby! His animal companion is laying against his hip, not quite so perky as usual, glowering with its right eye still closed as they just - decompress. And stabilize. ]
I've had worse, at least. [ dryly ] Spare a water there, Won, I think I need to take another dose of pain medicine instead.
soo-won is just going to be making his rounds - he's always making his rounds. there's a teapot on his tray, along with a few empty cups, aaaaand a bottle of booze. seems familiar, huh?
when he sees hua cheng, he offers up a smile]
Care for a drink? If so, have a preference on which?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 0, post-trial
no matter the time of evening, he glances up when someone else enters - and offers up a smile]
Care for some tea?
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Sure. It smells - fragrant.
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[but he thinks the floral notes are wonderful
he pours another cup for hua cheng and offers it out]
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Smelly tea. Well, it's not nearly as terrible as some teas I've smelled. Just floral.
[ He accepts the tea, regardless, moving to join him properly rather than looming with a tea cup. ]
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week 1, post-trial
... evening.
[what a disaster today was]
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Soo-Won. [ He's doing much the same, so he has no issue with joining him as long as their path matches up. Dryly: ] That could've gone better.
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[just a gentle suggestion, coupled with a smile, weak as it may be]
... to say the least. Two culprits left to catch and very few leads.
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Short of turning the Realm upside-down itself, though I'd say we wound up chasing our own tails at the end. We've missed... too much.
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I heard you wanted more Snow tags, coincidentally I wanted more Dana tags
reaches hands for snow tags
deposits gently
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week 2, post-trial
and so he has a tray! on this tray there's a pot of tea, a stack of empty cups, aaaaaand a bottle of whiskey. oh okay.
when he sees hua cheng, he offers up a smile]
Care to share a drink with me?
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the whiskey, when he spots it, does make him snort abruptly. Now that he's no longer on his child leash and Claude is nowhere in sight, he is more amicable and less moody. ]
So long as this isn't a setup towards murder, Won.
[ Hua Cheng has been removed from the Realm. ]
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I'll take a sip first so that if it takes either of us out, it'll be a surprise to both of us.
[but he'll go and have a seat by wherever hc is, pouring some of that whiskey into two cups and as promised, he's going to drink a little bit first
he makes a bit of a face because he's a babey who actually doesn't drink alcohol much but
it's not poisoned!]
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But Hua Cheng picks up the second cup, as Soo-won takes his sip. Even if they're not sitting close enough, it's obvious he is. Laughing at him, maybe not out loud, but his eye creases in obvious amusement.
Sip. He's not as leery as he was the first time. ]
I really hope sharing drinks with murderers becomes less of a trend, but I won't hold my breath.
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w3 saturday, post-trial
Hua Cheng is, rightly, angry. But it's contained in a neat box that only really makes itself visible if one pays attention to the set of his jaw or the pinch of his eye. He might be petty, and abrasive, but he's not the sort to just - lash out.
When he sees Soo-won upon coming back into the inn, there's a pause, then a huff. And then he veers to the kitchen with a few jingles of his boots. It's not long after that he returns, depositing a teapot and two cups down next to him, wordlessly dropping on the other side. ]
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Thank you.
[ . . . ]
Share your thoughts with me? Is there anything I can help you with?
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[ A little amusement, but he settles in to turn over the words. ]
We've done better, since sentencing Kano. At getting to at least the truth for one killing, even if we've fallen short for the other - but it's something of a hollow victory, this week.
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week 3, post-execution
but soo-won is going to be approaching the bookstore with a tray - as usual, there's a teapot and some empty cups. when he sees hua cheng, he offers a smile]
... care to join me? It seems like... a lot happened.
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Hua Cheng looks his way, hearing his approach, his sleeping spinosaurus cradled in the other arm. Behaving, for once. ]
Much to digest, I think. Here - [ He moves, bumping the door and holding it open. ] Some extra time to, ah, process what we just dealt with this weekend.
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I feel like I'll need quite a bit of time, and perhaps some counseling from the Leaders.
[answers, he means. he wants answers.]
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week 4, tuesday
when he sees hua cheng, he waves hello]
Good afternoon, Hua Cheng. Exploring?
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I didn't get much of a look at everything, once I saw the manor off in the distance. [ His house now, demons! But he gestures his raised hand. ] So no harm in taking a closer look at the rest of the town.
[1/2]
[though even as he asks this, he's just going to shift and suddenly a bubble appears in front of him! time to pop that shit!]
Ah.
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You are nine years old, and you are breaking into your father’s grave.
Not by accident, but by design.
Darkness provides cover for you to break into the royal family’s mausoleum, where your father was entombed along with his father, and his mother, and all the royals before him. Your father, who was originally meant to be king, before he was passed over by his younger brother; your father, who did not care for rank and wanted only to serve his country; your father, who would not die in an accident.
Kye-sook’s story sits with you – what the man witnessed with his own eyes. Even as you muscle open the coffin with your small hands, with your hands who are dirtied by this act of desecration, you think about what your father would have wanted. What he would have thought, if he could see you now.
“If we don’t apply our reasoning with efficiency to swiftly arrive at answers, the country will be ruined.”
The people are saying that Lord Yu-hon died by accident. An eyewitness said that he was murdered.
To swiftly arrive at an answer, the simplest way would be to check the corpse.
Your father is broken.
His body is mangled, bloodied, and torn. His skin is cold and ripped in places where tree branches punctured him upon his fall. He is not your gallant father, who would tell you to beat your colds into submission, or lavish you with praise when you finished another book.
At first glance, it would look like an accident.
You turn him onto his back.
It takes time, but your fingers eventually run across it – a wound that is in the middle of his back, the incision wide and deep, of a blade that ran through his body.
You think of what Kye-sook said he saw. The report that he gave to you before you entered this place, and the words exchanged by your father and uncle.
“If you rule righteously as king, I’ll gladly swear my loyalty to you! I’ll dedicate whatever life I have left to you! But don’t clutch at a useless straw of hope in a position like yours!! Do you think you can entrust our country to the gods!?”
You know it then.
Uncle Il killed your father.
Uncle Il will entrust this country to gods he has never met, and hope that will be enough to serve the people.
You think of the strategy books you’ve read as a child. Economics, agriculture, trade, war strategy – all necessary items to consider in the ruling of a kingdom. There are no chapters on the gods providing rescue.
You hope that Uncle Il’s rule is fair, and he will wake up from this dream of godly rule.
You lay your father back into his resting place, you don’t cry.
(You want to cry. Your mother hasn’t stopped crying since the day your father was taken. You have to be strong for her, who has become so afraid – you want to go back to vibrant days, but if they’ll never return, you have to give vibrant days. You know you can’t cry. You know you can’t cry.)
There is no waking up from this.
and soo-won looks - surprised, a little startled when he comes back to himself. there's a distant look of sadness in his eyes but - he mostly turns to hua cheng, more curious about his reaction, given that.]
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week 5, post-execution
How are you feeling? Do you need more medicine?
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I've had worse, at least. [ dryly ] Spare a water there, Won, I think I need to take another dose of pain medicine instead.
week 7, post-"trial"
soo-won is just going to be making his rounds - he's always making his rounds. there's a teapot on his tray, along with a few empty cups, aaaaand a bottle of booze. seems familiar, huh?
when he sees hua cheng, he offers up a smile]
Care for a drink? If so, have a preference on which?