skulleater

A young king wages war for justice and brings home the son of his enemy.

King Hwan Seong is known across the land as a righteous ruler who is unwavering, and merciful. When he destroys the neighboring kingdom of Baekseong to stop its cruelty, he spares no one… except for a single boy.

Seo Yul, the last surviving prince, is brought into the palace under royal protection. But the court whispers. Why would a king spare the son of a tyrant?

Silence becomes their language. Suspicion grows into obsession.
And beneath layers of war, grief, and pride… something forbidden begins to bloom.

Two souls. One throne. A love that could destroy or redeem them both.

BENEATH ROYAL SILENCE

Thunder rolled low in the sky as the royal horses approached the palace gates. The rain had not stopped since nightfall. It poured heavily now, drenching the stone pathways and soaking the guards standing post.

King Hwan Seong stepped down from his black horse, his boots splashing into the rain-slick marble.

Lightning flashed overhead and that's when he saw it.

A figure slumped at the bottom of the wide palace staircase.

Small. Still. Soaked completely through.

Lying motionless in the open storm.

For a second, he simply stared as if unsure if what he saw was real.

His footsteps echoed sharply as he crossed the courtyard, rain pounding down around him.

He dropped to his knees beside the figure, reaching out with urgency his hand brushing against cold, trembling skin.

The boy wasn't kneeling anymore. He had fallen onto his side, his body was drenched, his skin pale and trembling. His lips were tinged blue. His soaked robes clung to his thin frame like a second skin, and his knees bore red marks from kneeling for hours. His forehead was hot burning. Fever.

"Seo Yul…" the king whispered, voice cracking in the downpour.

No one had told him. No one had dared to mention this.

With trembling hands, King Hwan Seong scooped Seo Yul into his arms light, far too light and rose to his feet. Rain poured down on them, and yet he didn't flinch. He looked to the nearest guard, eyes blazing.

"Call the royal physician. Now," he ordered, his voice like thunder. "And bring him to the eastern wing immediately."

He carried Seo Yul himself through the empty halls, his robes leaving trails of water. He didn't care. Servants stared in shock as their cold, composed king stormed through the corridors, holding a barely conscious boy to his chest.

Inside the eastern wing, he laid Seo Yul down gently on the bed. His hands lingered a second longer on the boy's face.

He turned to Yeonhee. "Warm towels. Dry robes. Boil water. Now."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" she rushed out.

The king stood beside the bed as if rooted there.

The rain still echoed outside, beating against the roof and paper walls.

Hwan Seong reached out, gently brushing the wet strands of hair from Seo Yul's face. His fingers paused at the boy's cheek warm with fever, and yet he shivered.

"Who did this?" he whispered to the silence.

The door opened behind him, the physician arriving, followed by a few maids.

He stayed, soaked and silent, watching over the boy he once brought here as a prisoner.

In the arms of the storm