Chapter Two: All though it hadn't happened, I'm scared that I'll lose you.
A beat of silence; the whole castle still deep asleep beside the odd guard and staff member. And, of course, the council members, Jungkook, Namjoon, and maybe Hoseok.
Hoseok doesn't seem to ever sleep, always hiding in the shadows and sneaking around.
Popping up when you least expect it, like if you wanted to take a piss in the middle of night, but your own toilet has been clogged due to some unfortunate fish dinner, but you have to go pee really badly and can't wait to wake up someone to unclog it so you've sneaked out in only your nightshirt and undergarments with only a candle to light your way, only to nearly set your mother's drapes on fire because Hoseok falls from the ceiling, aforementioned satin drapes wrapped around his body and keeping him suspended like some spider, and you startle so badly you drop the candle.
Ahem, a very specific scenario that has absolutely nothing to do with Jungkook. At all. That never happened to him (it did). Even if it did, he wouldn't scream like a little girl (he did)... Whatever.
Hoseok knows of most, if not all, the secret passageways and does not let that knowledge go to waste. The amount of times Jungkook's been startled in the silence of the library by laughter behind walls, freaked by the faint jingling of bells when there is no one near or the man simply materializing out of thin air (or so it seems) behind him.
He faintly wonders if all court jesters are as creepy, slick and sneaky, secretive but still, despite all that, somehow funny...
But that is not important right now, what is import is;
"A war, Namjoon? Are you certain?" Jungkook whispers, eyes darting suspiciously around the halls they rush down. Prying ears and curious eyes could be anywhere, and this is a delicate topic, he knows.
Namjoon does the same, pulling on Jungkook's elbow to tug him closer to him and speak even quieter. "Yes, we just got word from your father, some rebel army declared war on us. Your father is going to stay down there with Jackson and what armies we've sent while the council decides the best course of action. We'll be sending more troops, of course, but a serious discussion needs to be made. Or rather, serious decisions, need to be made."
Jungkook's heart stops, his palms sweat and his legs threaten to give out. He's trained his whole life for this, yes, in theory, he should be able to do whatever it takes to ensure their country wins this war, but he's still only twenty-one. He's scared.
Scared for his country and people.
Scared for his father, his little brother and their safety. He loves them.
Scared for their 'hellhounds', he loves them too.
But he's mainly scared for Taehyung's safety. Might like him a little more than like-like. And that's almost as scary as the thought of losing him.
Jungkook is on auto-pilot for the majority of the meeting, he makes calculated moves, speaks up when he has a thought or disagrees with something, and listens. He is there, being the prince they need, but at the same time, he's not. He keeps seeing this sparkle from the shadows, swears he can see a grin here and there, too. But that's impossible, this room is locked and guarded. No one outside the council could get it, could they?
"All right. Glad we could reach an agreement, men," General Min Yoongi, the GOA (General of Army) drawls as he closes his book of notes, military actions and the like.
On the table before them were scattered tents, army men and flags. A battle strategy board, not the official one, that one never moves from its spot in the corner by the windows, but a smaller, easier to transport one. Temporary to play around with until they chose a general idea they liked and wanted to take action on.
"play around with" Like war is some extreme game of strategy. An over glorified game of chess, really. That idea makes him sick.
The queen nods, her raven hair, usually so curly and done up so beautifully, was a frizzy mess atop her head. Hastily tied into a knot and her crown was just a smidgen off center. Her robes were rumpled and disarranged. She must have woken up and gotten dressed in a hurry, much like Jungkook, the prince muses.
She's technically in charge at the moment, so to speak, as the King is not present. Otherwise, she would not normally be here, with the councilmen, discussing such topics as war. That was no place for a woman, they'd said.
The king still gets the final say, though, so he will look over their plans down on the battlefield and make any changes, minor or major, as he pleases. This is just something more concrete he can work of off than just "let's all go running into the poppy fields and stab each other." or something.
The queen is quite beautiful, he thinks as the first of morning rays begin to filter in through the windows and bask the room in a pleasant yellow glow.
She was from a far away foreign kingdom that had allied with Jusan during a major war. To further this newfound alliance, they'd offered Jusan their fourth Princess as a bride for Jungkook's father.
Queen Leana has striking blue doe eyes that in a second could turn dark, almost black and menacing. An abundance of curly black locks sat atop her head and usually cascaded down her back like a waterfall. Skin a milky white and free from hardly any freckles or age marks. No scars, either, except one on her elbow where she fell from a tree as a child. Full lips, always painted in a striking red shade and known to form a pout when she wanted something (usually utilized against the King, the only one brave enough to even try and deny her something - not to say that he doesn't give in, in fact, he gives her everything she wishes for in the end).
She was still relatively young, too, being only twenty-three when Jungkook was born, having been sent to live and get married to the king at seventeen. The king is nearly sixty-five, however, and Jungkook sometimes shudders thinking of how awkward and awful it must have been to have been married to someone so much older than she.
She was beautiful but in a cold, dangerous kind of way. Queen Leana was not kind, was not merciful or sweet. She didn't play around, either, and didn't let others try to play her. She was cold, calculating, and a snake if Jungkook's ever seen one. Worst of all, she had no affection towards anyone besides the King, and possibly Junghyun at moments, but Jungkook believes that could be just an act she uses to get her way.
Leana stands up, a ringlet falling from the knot on her head as she looked down to dust off her dress. "I will be on my way now, men. On behalf of the king, I thank you for your hard work and dedication to your country. Now then," She makes a swift and cold exit. Her heels clack and her skirt swishes but all Jungkook can think of is how he's suddenly very hungry.
More men begin to trickle out until it's only Jungkook that remains. Namjoon had left mid-conference to attend to less pressing matters, not really needed in the meeting anyway.
He sits there, staring at the scattered pieces of war on the table, fingers lifting up one of those tiny flags and flick it across the room.
"My oh my, what is it that I spy? Perhaps a handsome prince, all by his lonesome, perhaps not." A twinkling voice, cold and cruel but still warm and playful, makes Jungkook jump nearly two feet in the air.
He swivels in his chair, coming face to face with Hoseok. The jester had his hands on his hips, the little cane with the head of a smaller jester, one painted to look eerily like Hoseok, was stuffed in the back of the leather straps across his chest and waist. His face was painted white and splashed with bright red heart-shaped lips and blush, eyes smeared in blue and red on each lid.
His face was inches away from the prince as he leaned in close, a wicked smile dancing on his painted lips. "Hoseok, my god did you give me a fright," Jungkook gives a weak chuckle, leaning a bit back in his seat.
The bells on the jester's hat jingled as he cocked his head to the side, the smile never slipping even when his eyes darkened dangerously.
"My oh my, what did I spy? Aren't you curious, little prince?" He brought a gloved finger up to boop the prince's nose before twirling around, giggling coldly.
"Wuh-what did you spy, Jester?" He asks in a hoarse whisper, a lump suddenly forming in his throat. Hoseok may be sneaky, and he may be silly, but he knows many things. Knows many secrets, to be precise.
"I spied with my little eye, a secret love affair behind closed doors." The prince's breath hitches and his eyes snap to the jester's, but the elder wasn't looking at him, no, he was stroking the bald head of King Junsoo, his great grandfather's marble statue.
"One would think, this were Versailles, for it seems everything is going awry, that everyone has gone nutty." The jester has left the statue with a kiss to the top of it and proceeded to hop up on the table and began playing with the little troop pieces, when he suddenly burst out in contagious giggles, making the crazy gesture.
"What do you mean, Hoseok?" Jungkook tries to play it cool, but the gleam in the man's eyes makes him feel like he already knows just what he's talking about.
"An eye for an eye, as people say..." He pauses to send a fleet of soldiers flying into the 'battlefield', making exaggerated shooting and lying noises like a child. His legs were swinging off the edge of the table and he hummed a cheerful tune, head turning side to side
"Someone's scheming, someone's scheming! Someone's planning something and I know what it is~" Hoseok sings and Jungkook nibbles on his lips worriedly. "A kingdom, an era, soon to crumble like clay. Doomsday is coming, it's right in our doorway, and she's not one for child's play."
She? Who's she?
The jester has stopped throwing pieces around and instead has brought the troops around to swarm a single person. He hums and digs around in his jester's suit before pulling out a finger puppet. He slips the cloth crown off the puppet and onto the single person surrounded by thousands of troops. "There, that's a pretty girl~" He coos, straightening the crown on the head with a sweet smile.
"A word of advice, your highness?" Hoseok asks, his voice has changed, taken on a serious and darker tone than his usual aloof and silly one. Jungkook nods, eyes wide as he tries to digest and decipher what all he'd just heard.
"Keep your little eye open, spy with all your might," He winks, tapping his closed eye with those gloved fingers, "Watch yourself in the hallways, look out for unwanted company. Watch yourself even in secret maze archways," He adds, surprising Jungkook as he slowly slips off the table to stand tall again. Suddenly the silly jester outfit that he wears like a second skin seems fake, not appropriate. It seems exactly like what it is: a costume.
"There are eyes and ears everywhere, my prince. Mayday! Mayday! Keep your loved ones close, but keep your enemies closer, as they say. It's easier to keep watch of them, easier to use them... Now I believe I've spoken too much, so I must bid you good-day," Hoseok backs into the shadows once more and there's a faint rumble of something opening and closing before all too soon the jingle of his bells have gone silent, and Jungkook is alone once more.
There is a traitor inside these walls, a female traitor, or so the jester tells. The secret love affair has to be about him and Taehyung, he even mentioned their secret archway in the hedge maze they visit together.
This traitor is well on her way to war, it seems if Hoseok's proclamation of the kingdom soon falling is true.
He runs a hand through his hair and looks over at the table. The cloth crown sits proudly on top of the soldier's head. Picking up the figurine, he turns it over in his hand. The jester had called the thing a girl. Why?
With a heavy sigh, Jungkook pushes himself up and out of his seat. It was going to be a long day, a long couple of days, and he needed to mentally prepare himself for it.
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His mother had called him into her study later that day, declared without a single glance in his direction that his classes were to be renewed with a heavy emphasis on battle-training, history, and strategy-based activities.
Basically, just things to ensure he does well at war. Because that's what's going to happen, eventually. That's what the council decided on, even if it meant leaving the kingdom man-less in terms of royalty.
"We're already weakened without the King, but we'll be even more weakened if we do not fight back and just let the prince spend all day laying around. It'll be like we never even tried."
That's why he's here, in the courtyard currently dueling with his master. The sharp sounds of metal hitting metal and their labored breathing filled the cool afternoon air.
The crown prince startled when a flash of metal enters his peripheral vision and he only just manages to dodge the sword in time and not lose an ear. Then he has to race backward to avoid the slashing motions of the oncoming sword, stumbling blindly along the holes and rocks scattered about.
His stomach, while still protected by his armor, subconsciously sucks itself in until he can feel it concave in itself in an effort to get as far away as possible.
He does not want another nasty scar along his body, especially not his stomach. That just sounds painful.
Jungkook swings his own sword back, and he almost manages a hit, when he suddenly feels his stomach swoop and his world turns on its axis as he trips over a pothole and falls into a puddle of mud.
His opponent was less than merciful as he used this opportunity to swing his sword down with a loud cry.
The prince squawks and brings his own up to block the blow, using both hands to push the blade up, trying to shove the man away as he scurries up onto his knees. He finally managed to push the man over, using all his weight and brings his sword down into the damp earth right next to Jackson's head with a mighty cry.
The prince slips and slides in the mud as he scurries away, doing a little victory dance.
Despite his victory the fact of the matter is Jungkook's head wasn't in the game, they shouldn't have been able to get that close to him. And Jackson doesn't fail to mention it.
"What's up, kid? I nearly got ya at the end there," He comments as he pulls his helmet off and flicks the mud off it. "You're not usually so easy," He winks at Jungkook with a teasing grin but the prince can see the worry in his usually playful eyes.
"Don't worry about it, I was just distracted. Have a lot to think about recently, is all." Jungkook reassures as he begins plucking his own armor off as well, handing them off to the servants on the side to be cleaned. The maids bow before scurrying off in the direction of the servant's quarters, murmuring amongst themselves.
"That's just it, Kook. You can't be distracted in a real fight, no matter how much shit you've got floating in your brain. You're thinking about someone, yeah?" He adds, sliding his leg guards off, lips pushed into a playful pout as he side-eyes Jungkook knowingly.
The raven boy sputters, cheeks reddening and eyes nervously flitting about. "Wha- psh, no... No. I'm-um I'm a prince, who's there to think about beside myself and my people?" He stutters out, totally unconvincingly.
"Uhuh. Whatever, I'm not here to scold you on your secret feelings for no one in particular or whatever, but they can't be a distraction. Instead, use them as motivation to succeed. You want to succeed for them, to survive these fights, so you can see them again yeah? So clear your head next time and fight for them." Jackson says with a shrug. Jungkook thinks he's talking from personal experience, but he doesn't bring that up. He just nods and sheaths his sword, passing it off to a maid and trudging away.
He needs a shower and to ponder on more things. Like how to break it to Taehyung that he has to leave.
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Jungkook ends up unintentionally avoiding Taehyung. He's so busy with his classes and all the training that he hasn't had a chance to see the sweet baker all week, and he's beginning to go slightly mad from it. The only joy he gets is the small time he has to visit Junghyun and the hounds. It was the only break he was permitted by his mother, mostly because the woman still has a soft (as soft as the ice queen can manage) spot for the young boy and gave in to his whining for 'Jungkookie hyung'.
He's currently playing with his little brother, who's just turning six this month, and Jeoseung (short for Jeoseung-saja, or Death) has his head resting in his lap as he snores loudly.
Junghyun was making swooshing sounds as he made his doll 'fly' over the miniature castle he lives in.
Jungkook smiles softly and is gently reminded of why he cannot come out as gay. If he were to come out he'd be disowned by his parents and the crown would be placed on Junghyun's shoulders instead.
He didn't want his little brother to have to shoulder all that as young as Jungkook did, he wants him to have fun and play as a normal child should. To spend his days filled with excitement and learning of new and interesting things, to have his imagination run freely and his creativity be able to bloom and flourish. If he can manage that for just a little while longer, then it's okay. It's all worth it to see his baby brother smile freely and laugh openly.
He loves seeing his smile, his doe eyes much like Jungkook's and the same bunny teeth, although he's missing one now. Jungkook's thoughts begin to stray from his brother to other smiles he loves to see. A very boxy one in particular.
Taehyung. Oh, Taehyung. How he misses him so.
He should make a vow to see him tonight before he's swamped with his studies, he decides as he pets Jeoseung's head absently. He wonders how the baker is. His mother has certainly enjoyed his treats he's made recently... And the amount of yakgwa on the tables recently hasn't gone unnoticed to Jungkook, who has stolen a few pieces when his mother wasn't looking. His damn diet is even more strict now, he can't even have wine at dinner, just water with lemon or tea without cream or sugar.
Taehyung likes honey in his tea, not sugar. Taehyung's skin is like honey, he thinks dreamily as he recalls waking up to the boy in his bed. Of cuddling with him near the fire and how the flames made him glow even more. He was like a flower encased in beautiful amber.
And his hair is like silk, his eyes like chocolate... And in the right lighting, hints of cinnamon shine through. His lips are always so plump, red and shiny. He bites and nibbles when he thinks, licks and wets them when he concentrates. And his ass is like a bouncy, jiggly (but still firm and perky) pudding with-
Junghyun pulls him from his thoughts by gently tugging on his sleeve. Jungkook blinks down at him, taking note of his pout and glower. "Sorry, what?" He asks, hands resuming their petting.
"Hyungie isn't paying attention! Sir Sparkles the third asked Lady Strawberry if she wanted to be rescued or not!" Junghyun pouts, pointing to the limp doll in Jungkook's hands, the beautiful princess was upside down and her crown had fallen off.
"Oh, sorry! Yes, yes, she does- I mean," He clears his throat and says with the highest, slightly British, and femimine voice he can manage, "Ooh yes~ Please save me, Sir Sparkles! The big, bad Mr. Dragonskin is going to cook me in a stew if you don't! I'll be nothing more than boiled cabbage!"
Junghyun giggles and makes a face at the mention of the leafy green, happily chirping out that he'd rescue her and they could go get married afterward. He makes Sir Sparkles fly down around the castle and into the basement where the princess was 'locked up' by Jungkook's hand.
Just then Mr. Dragonskin comes bursting in the door by Jungkook's other hand, laughing evilly ("Muahahaha!") and declares this was all a trap to ensnare the super amazing Sir Sprinkles.
Junghyun gasps, looking up wide-eyed at Jungkook who winks in return, "No! I'll never let you win!" 'sir sprinkles' says through Junghyun, the lisp ever so apparent.
"And how do you suppose you'll stop me?" Jungkook asks in a gravely, evil voice.
"I'll fight you and win!"
A great battle ensued, and Jungkook let Junghyun's hero win with a killer comeback of "You're nothing but a meanie, Mr. Dragonskin!" and in the end, Sir Sprinkles and Lady Strawberry get whisked away to get married and live happily ever after.
"When will you get married, Hyungie?" Junghyun asks innocently as he smashes the two dolls faces together, making them 'kiss'.
"Wuh, um well... I don't know. Whenever I find someone I love enough, I guess," Jungkook replies slightly thrown by the question.
Junghyun nods seriously, eyes never leaving his dolls as he drops the others and turns to two male dolls. He makes them dance together, this is a wedding ball after all. "Okay... Will you marry a girl like mommy wants you to?"
Now Jungkook really doesn't understand where these questions are coming from. What an odd thing to say. "Well, I don't know. Maybe, if I love one of them enough," He leaves out the part that he doesn't find any of them nearly as pretty and Taehyung.
Junghyun makes a face, nose scrunches up and creases in between his young, doll-like eyes. "But then what about your pretty boy friend?" He asks looking up at Jungkook with sparkling eyes.
"Muh-My boyfriend? What boyfriend are you talking about, Junghyun?" He asks with a lowered voice, eyes flitting about the room nervously. He knew they were alone but if Hoseok taught him anything, it was that you're never truly alone. Anyone could be listening.
"I saw you two in the hedge the other day! You did this!" He smashes the two men's faces together and makes kisses noises. Jungkook wants to slap himself, he should have remembered that Junghyun's playroom has just the slightest view of the hedge maze. He sits up and cranes his neck to look out and sure enough, the one section you can see is a tiny little corner and a tiny little hole in the hedge where you could see just a tiny little bit.
Just big enough to see two people kissing, but not make out their faces.
"How'd you know it was me?" Jungkook asks after a second, looking down at his brother.
"Well, I didn't actually see you, just the pretty boy. But then I went to get some milk with Noona later and saw you heading into your room with leaves in your hair and your lips all red and shiny." He shrugs, dropping the dolls to brush his fingertips along Jeoseung's fur instead.
"Ah." He needs to be more careful, he thinks.
"Do you love him like Mr. Sprinkles loves Lady Strawberry?"
Does he?
There really is no question, but it's still so soon...
But still, it's his little brother, he can trust him. Right?
Jungkook looks back down at his brother's sparkling, imploring eyes and decides without a doubt that he'd trust him with anything, even his life. Lord knows he'd rather have his six-year-old brother on his side than the snake of a queen.
"I think I do, buddy," Jungkook answers honestly with a small smile. Despite all his love for his brother, he was still a bit worried about his response. Surely his brother hasn't been introduced to such toxicity of some people's beliefs just yet, right? The elder wets his lips nervously as he waits with bated breath for a few tense moments.
"Hm. That's cool. I hope you marry and have lots of kids I can play with," Then Junghyun turns away and picks up a puzzle instead. Perhaps the tenseness of the moment was only on his side, he thinks as he blinks and feels an even bigger smile bloom across his face. Giddy with the idea of marrying Taehyung and having lots of children, he ruffles Junghyun's curly brown hair affectionately and ignores the whines of "hyungie! Stop it!".
To be honest, marrying Taehyung wasn't something he entertained too often. It seemed like a fantasy, too perfect to ever be real. Like one of Junghyun's stories where the prince saves the princess from the tower. Too perfect, too happy.
But still, it was a nice thought, he decides with a blissful smile, eyes focused out of the window at the tiniest corner of the maze.
A very nice thought indeed.
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Jungkook had just finished with his music lessons and was sent off to study for his war theories class when he bumps into a very soft, warm and familiar body.
"Taehyung!" He breathes, arms reaching out to steady the boy against his chest. The baker blinks those beautiful sparkling eyes up and him and grins shyly. "Hi."
"Hi."
"God I missed you," Jungkook says all but dragging the boy with him into a hidden alcove behind some pillars and smashing his lips against his. Taehyung tasted like chocolate and strawberries, like sweets and... Just Taehyung. He loves it, craves it and just can't get enough of it.
Taehyung drives him mad with want, and that's dangerous, but in this day and age what isn't...
Taehyung smiles against his lips as he presses one last chaste peck to those sugary plump lips and pulls back. "I missed you too, my prince." Taehyung giggles drunkenly.
My prince. Yes, yes I am his prince. I am everyone's prince, but I am only his. No one else gets to have me like this. No one.
"I had meant to visit you sooner but things have been crazy around here lately..." Jungkook trails off, realizing that he still hasn't told Taehyung about the war. He braces himself to break it to the brunette but is shushed by him instead.
"If you're about to tell me about the war, save it, I've already heard from the servants gossiping. And I'm not mad that you hadn't told me, you're busy, I understand," Taehyung hastily adds the last part when Jungkook opens his mouth to apologize. "You're not just my prince, and I can't expect you to be around me twenty-four-seven. I know this and accept it."
Jungkook sighs and nuzzles his face in the palm of Taehyung's hand. "I'm still sorry, my love." He whispers and the baker's eyes soften just that much more.
"Don't be sorry, just come back alive." He whispers and holds Jungkook close.
He will, he has to, for Taehyung.
They stay up all night after that talking and catching up all on the missed kisses. Taehyung doesn't sleep and neither does he, and when Namjoon comes to collect him in the morning he gives the baker a curt nod before turning around and exiting the room.
They still haven't talked about... This thing between him and the baker, but Namjoon knows he's busy and has not pushed for an explanation just yet. He is kind like that.
They spend as much time as they can together, sneaking kisses in hallways and bathrooms, stolen glances at dinners.
Hoseok even visited him once and said with a wink and a soft smile, "I hope this one stays for a while. They say red is wicked like blood, but I think it's kind and sweet like cherries and love."
Jungkook doesn't need to think on this one, Taehyung had stopped by the study earlier to give him a slice of cherry pie earlier and left with kiss-reddened lips and a dopey smile.
Jungkook isn't even bothered that the Jester knows of his relationship, or that he saw them. He'd known all along if his little warning earlier this month was anything to go by.
Little does the crown prince know, that the riddle was less about him and more about a certain someone in the castle who was with their secret lover as we speak.
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Chapter 2, fin.
Also, I'd like to add that Queen Leana is from somewhere like France. Also, I like to pronounce her name "Lee-Anna" but that's just me :)
I don't think this will work, but it might; this is what I saw and what I used as inspo for Queen Leana (Such a cruel, sneaky woman. Poor JK)
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A/N:
comments and favorites breathe life into me. Literally ;)
Hey! MC here, just popping by to say hi and that this will be the last update until chapter 3 is finished getting polished and pampered to be posted. I'm planning to update again later this week, so keep an eye out for that ;)
Hope you all have a wonderful day and get to enjoy BTS's comeback! I've been properly bias-wrecked by Jimin and Namjoon this comeback and I'm in shambles :')
But I'm fine (get it? Get it?)
See y'all soon! Hugs,
MC