Taehyung's beautiful attire was covered in strokes of blood, his sword dripping from gore. The man in front of him seemed to erase his surroundings, those piercing eyes that met his own seemed to make everything around him feel faint. Fluttering his eyes away, dropping their held stare.
Before Jungkook could speak Yeonjun interrupts him from behind, quietly muttering into his ear, "More rogues have just been spotted at the border sir. This act must've gotten to their other troops. We need to go." Jungkook stopped himself from saying anything and faintly nodded in understanding, shifting his eyes to Yoongi beside him who heard the conversation. In a low voice he bent towards Yoongi and sternly said "We're going to talk after this, hyung. Please handle this first." Without waiting for a response he left, stealing a glimpse back at the beautiful boy who he had seen slash through his opponents powerfully and violently, the boy who for the first time made him feel something warm brim in his heart.
King Hyun, Queen Lilianna and Seokjin approached Taehyung and Jimin. Yoongi bowed respectfully before raising his head to speak "Your majesties, I'm the General of the Southern Isles' Armed Forces Min Yoongi. I'm sorry about your unfortunate encounter with these rogues. I assure you they're being dealt with. Please board your carriage, my soldiers and I will escort you the rest of the way." He said politely meeting eyes with the King and Queen before his eyes met those of the armed man that stood beside the prince. The charming boy was breathing heavily as his anxious gaze rested on his prince, hinting love and care. Yoongi pulled his eyes away, gesturing for the royal family to board their carriage. Queen Lilianna and Seokjin returned inside the carriage after a light bow. Yoongi's soldiers from behind him attended to the injured Northern soldiers and squirming rogues who were alive. Taehyung returned to his horse, wiping his sword clean from the blood before sheathing it back in its place at his waist and mounting his horse.
Jimin instead approaches Yoongi to talk about matters of the ambush, he bowed out of manner and introduced himself as the royal guard of the Second Prince before questioning about the rogues. "Who were those rogues and please carefully explain to me their situation at the moment."
"You don't need to worry about them further, they're being dealt with and such an occurrence will not happen again."
Jimin folded his arms, his face set in a grim line, his tone laced with absolute seriousness and his eyes hooded darkly.
Much different from the way in which they looked longingly at the Second Prince, Yoongi thought.
"I believe I have the right to worry for the safety of the Northern throne. Especially after what we just encountered here with only six of my soldiers against an ambuscade."
Yoongi sighed, giving in and asking Jimin to ride alongside him as he explained the matters of the rogues. Their conversation dragged dully with Jimin questioning on aspects of the former's kingdom and political matters with Yoongi responding. Yet something seemed to loom on the border of Yoongi's heart, tugging gently - unknowingly - at his heartstrings as he admired the charming and charismatic man beside him.
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Eventually the Northern royals pass through the main bustling streets of the capital, soon reaching the palace entrance where lesser palace officials and guards stood for their arrival. Men and women strolled the evening streets near the riverbank watching the groups of children at the waterfront playing with paper boats. Taverns and night bars opened their doors to the coming hours of drinks and delight. Merchant street-side stalls of delectable food, stylish accessories of jade and jewels, fabrics, decorative ornaments and other mesmerising trinkets created a wholesome evening market where people busily flowed through.
Beyond the main gate of the palace stood the ruler of the Southern Isles of Alystra, King Yeon, who greeted the royal majesties of the North respectfully and appropriately, followed by his apology for their unfortunate confrontation with the rogues. King Yeon strolled beside King Hyun and Queen Lilianna as they engaged in typical ordinary small talk with the standard mentions of politics, agriculture, military and the recent news about the South's victory at the western front.
Followed by an organised dinner meal with the King, he mentioned that both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince were occupied for the night in urgent matters and would be formally introduced at tomorrow's more appropriate meeting. Jimin's surveying eyes hadn't left Taehyung as his heart sank from the thought that it had been days and his best friend of over twelve years hadn't thought of opening his troubled mind to him. Similarly, Taehyung's gaze hadn't left Seokjin as he hadn't found enough time in private to bring up the topic and have a well-needed conversation.
Soon their short audience with the King finished and all of them were led to their prepared rooms. The King and Queen immediately disappeared into their room to rest, the old couple were tired after the long journey. Taehyung was desperately trying to approach Seokjin but his hyung entered his chamber, muttering a goodnight to Tae and Jimin and mumbling about how his butt hurt from the long bumpy carriage ride. Tae's parted mouth closed with a small sigh, he passed Jimin, not sparing a glance as he opened the sliding door to his own room. But Jimin held it before he could close it.
"Chim I'm really tired, let's talk tomorrow."
"Tae please, we need to talk. Now. I'm not waiting until tomorrow for you to just avoid me again."
Jimin stepped inside the room, closing the door behind him and walking past Tae to the table and unbuckling all his weapons. He removed his boots and the small amount of basic armour that covered him. After getting more comfortable, he made his way over to Tae and held his best friend's hands, gently pulling him towards the edge of the bed for both of them to sit down.
Taehyung didn't say a word as Jimin helped him remove his own sheathed items. He kept his eyes on Jimin's face, the soft look in his friend's eyes that showed care.
I haven't been myself the past few days. How could I not talk to Jimin? I always have brought myself to share my worries with him. Tae thought, lowering his head in gloom before immediately raising it to Jimin again.
"Are you going to tell me why hyung's marriage is bothering you so much or are you still planning to test my patience. You brat." Jimin mumbled the end of it.
Tae brought Jimin in a hug, squeezing him. It was rather uncomfortable but almost felt like a strange massage, his sore muscles were liking it. Jimin chuckled, patting the younger's back.
"Now spill it." Jimin said with a small pout, his brows crossed.
Pulling away, Tae began to explain his thoughts to Jimin. Everything. He knew he needed to, Jimin was his supportive pillar he could lean on and so he did.
Jimin sighed, "So all that's been worrying you?" He pat the other hand that was resting on his, "See this is why you talk to your bestieee you knowww. Geez, such a child. I know it's all understandable but now that you've told me I can help you get some time with hyung to clear your concerns, hm?"
"Th-thank you Chim.." Tae said with a big baby frown on his face, his irresistible puppy eyes saying a small sorry. "I'm sorryyy Chim. For worrying you and not opening up. I was too busy overthinking things on my own.."
Jimin softly ruffled his hair. "Pabo"
Both boys ended up falling asleep together, it had been an exhausting day.
↜•↬↫•↝
Tae woke up a few hours later from the shuffling of feet on the cobblestones outside his chamber. He was a light sleeper and anything a little too loud would wake him up. He sat up quietly and listened for more sounds. Someone was lowly grunting and slowly shuffling outside.
Who would be up this late? Tae thought. Wait.. it's not one of the rogues right? The palace wasn't heavily guarded and King Yeon mentioned the Princes were busy. Tae gasped and scrambled out of bed, he picked up his sword, belt and small dagger, sheathing the sword around his waist on the belt and gripping the dagger's hilt. He quietly opened his door and slipped out, the outside cold clashing with his warmth from inside the chamber.
He saw a tall black figure swiftly move at a distance. Tae's grip on the dagger tightened, he raised his guard and discreetly followed the unknown person. The figure was moving quickly on the palace grounds, as if they knew the place well and knew where they were going.. Strange.
This seems awfully sketchy and dangerous, that person certainly doesn't seem like someone from the palace, they wouldn't be snooping like this if they were. Tae thought.
As Taehyung continued to follow the figure, he squints and crouches down. He gently touched the drops of liquid that were on the cobblestone and raised it for a better view. Blood? Taehyung looked up at the figure from where he was ducking behind one of the walls. He trailed his eyes to where the figure was clutching their abdomen and the surface of the cobblestones that left a small trail of blood droplets. He wiped the blood on his clothes and was about to continue following when he saw that the figure had disappeared, he was nowhere in sight.
Tae hurriedly followed the blood to the last place he had seen the figure standing. Immediately his body was pulled from the waist, turned and pinned to a wall. His hands were held above his head by a firm grip and his eyes met the ones he had seen earlier today.
The figure had a cloth around his lower face, covering his nose and mouth, yet those captivating eyes were unforgettable. Only if he had met them once before, Tae remembered the lingering stare those eyes had on him earlier that day. This figure was the man from before, the one beside General Min.
Initially when he was pulled, Tae had his guard up and was instantly ready to retaliate but his actions halted when he recognised- or well sort of recognised- who the mysterious figure was.
Time had somehow frozen in its place as the two had their eyes fixed on the other.
He's so close.. I can smell his scent. His eyes are different from his afternoon, they look softened but his stiffened gaze is still piercing, Jungkook thought. Why do I feel so nauseous in my stomach, as if I'm being thrown in the air? It's such a weird feeling and my heart won't stop pounding so loud. Maybe it's the wound. Jungkook's thoughts soom died out since all he could focus on in the moment was the man in front of him, pinned to the wall and looking as beautiful as ever beneath the dim moonlight.
Taehyung on the other hand was simply too mesmerised in the moment to speak. He had lost himself as if he was daydreaming.