HEIR || Jikook

Chapter 34: Vals' Land

Used to temporary presences, the small village populated with people of different natures  bestowed upon the two travellers a sense of tranquility in the gentle rhythms of daily life. Their small house was one of those at the far edge, away from the crowds assembling at the market everyday, yet Jimin found himself blending in over there more than he should.

The locals carried on with their tasks, with no prying eyes or intrusive questions asked. A sense of respectful distance was established, allowing them to wander freely, their footsteps unhindered.

"Has your wound closed completely?" asked the former Prince as he flipped through the pages of the Allura book Jimin remembered to pack in the palace.

"Hmm" Jimin confirmed, focused on making his soaps with the mountain herbs and flowers he had access to. 

They had to find ways to be sustainable. Unable to work under someone's supervision for obvious reasons, they chose the path of commerce. The pharmacist did was he did best, his life not knowing too much of a change as he only had to adapt the ingredients of his products to the new area and liking of the locals. But he wasn't the only provider.

At the break of dawn, Jungkook embarked on his new ritual. Armed with an axe, a sturdy shovel, and his Pyre-inherent strong body, he ventured into the tranquil forest to harvest wood. With each precise swing, splintered logs fell at his feet, destined to become kindling for the hearths and stoves of the fireless. Then, undeterred by the physical effort, he moved to his shovel which he gave most of the credit for the work, before his hands dug deep into the earth, extracting the black gold of charcoal.

Once covered in regal attire, waking up to breakfast meals at his door and attendants readying his private baths, to being thrusted into the realm of humble labor. Everyday toiling tirelessly to make ends meet, his worth now laid in the quality of the firewood he crafted and the charcoal he meticulously prepared. 

And so, each day, they both met at the market square bustling with villagers and merchants from different places, competing to value their goods above the rest and go back home with enough money to save from.

"Keep your wrist up" Jimin commented after briefly taking a look at the other's gestures. 

Of course escaping from the scouts and working to make a living weren't the only challenges on Jungkook's hands, he had a whole array of elements to learn and knowledge to acquire, so there he was again with his crimson irises and blaring mark lighting up the space enough not to need candles. 

As he read through the pages of the book, he simultaneously practiced his water wielding by driving an amount of it in circles. Out of its container, he needed to be careful not to lose focus or the water would fall down soaking the only resource he owned about his magic.

"Is there a way I can levitate more water while moving it?" he asked, greedily looking at the stagnant liquid in the bowl.

"Not at your level. You would require mastering both movement and extraction to achieve that" he assessed, "But you can start your coordination training by extracting some more water with your other hand" he suggested. 

"My other hand..." Jungkook muttered as he brought it closer to the container. He closed his eyes, trying to recall the basics of his earlier practices, feeling the flow of water first and foremost. Of course that alone had become a lot easier but this time he had to juggle two tasks at once.

"Careful" Jimin reminded as he saw the circle begin to fall apart, just in time for the taller to suspend it in the air. "Push the book away" he advised before limping over to where he sat. 

"I can do this on my own" Jungkook confirmed, refusing to need his assistance for something as simple. 

"I know you can, but don't skip any steps. Remember how you started? Put your hand in the water and work your way from there." he explained.