I Dreamed a Dream || BTS

~ 7 ~

"I am alright, Jimin," she whispered hoarsely. "Well, mostly alright."

"Will you let me clean you up before you meet the suitors, Baram-ah? Will you wear clothes befitting of a queen?"

Her eyes flashed with traces of confusion and annoyance. "I am mourning. The whole kingdom is mourning. It would not be proper to assume regular clothing so quickly."

It would be futile to argue that the Mad King's death was an exception, so he simply bowed his head and led her to the dining hall. Seokjin did a double take when she entered and then deflated completely. "Baram," he whispered lowly enough that only she could hear it, "as much as I would love to lecture you on your negligence, time is running short."

"I would not listen to your lectures anyways," she noted primly, with no pretense of a whisper.

"I am your elder brother."

"And I am Joseon's queen."

Seokjin relinquished that point but retained a sharp glare as he ushered her to her seat at the head of the dining table. Attendants hurried to place bowls upon bowls of soups, rice dishes, and seasoned meats that would have made anyone else's mouth salivate with desire, but Baram was unfazed. Such rich foods were another poisonous reminder that her Jeonha could never again feast on such luxuries.

"Jungjeonmama and suitors of the four Royal Courts," Seokjin began, "yesterday, one of your presentations captured the queen's attention, and thus, Hoseok-ssi spent an hour in the gardens introducing – well, reintroducing – himself to her. The rest of you will not be afforded that luxury. You must seek out the queen on your own time."

"That is impossible," Jungkook immediately spat. "How are we expected to seek her out if her own brother struggles to find her in time for breakfast?"

"Do you consider this unfair, Jungkook-ssi?"

"Yes! Hoseok had an advantage because he presented himself as the king's younger brother. We do not even know if that is true!"

Baram's head shot up, but Jimin stepped forward and snarled, "Is the queen's word not enough for you? If she says that Hoseok is the king's younger brother, then by the heavens, Hoseok is the king's younger brother. Do not pretend yourself superior to her. Are you not supposed to be wooing her? Are you truly so ignorant as to believe that your rudeness will not impact your standing in the competition?"

"Jimin," Seokjin snapped, "that is enough." But Jimin's eyes still flickered with anger and Seokjin's sharp gaze deflected to Jungkook, making the younger man wither. "I will not speak for the queen, but a king does not have outbursts. A king does not voice his thoughts without deeply considering their impact."

"I apologize," Jungkook murmured, bowing his head. "I only wish for everyone to receive an equal standpoint."

"No, you wish for yourself to be automatically placed on the same footing as Min Hos–"

"Jimin, you are dismissed," Seokjin said harshly. Jimin balled his hands into fists and stormed out of the dining hall, slamming the doors shut behind him. "Now, have we any other complaints before I explain the proceedings of the competition?"

Silence.

"Good. This competition was formed on the premise that the Royal Courts should each present someone possessing the virtues of a great ruler. While such virtues are many in number and difficult to implement, a great ruler must possess three overarching virtues. I have designed these proceedings to test those virtues and ensure that the selected ruler can avoid destructive human tendencies." His last words carried weight that spread a dark silence through the dining hall, and even Jungkook's frustration transformed to pensiveness.