chaotic royal || ateez series

~°~ jongho ~°~ [1]

part 1: adventure

he had planned a ride. a trip through the whole kingdom. he got up early and searched all clothes together he might needed.

since he didn't wanted to be caught as prince from the first sight, he was wearing some comfortable clothes his brothers and him always wear at hunting.

not looking like a prince at all he went to the pantry packing some food into a small bag. three days.
that's what he planned.

he missed the nature and some alone time far away from their damn aunt. he just needed a break.

with his two bags jongho went to the stables. he also had a separated bag for mijeom his mare. he loved her, she was born when jongho was five years old. he ever played with her but when he finally became 14, that beautiful horse was his birthday gift.

his last birthday with their parents. in a kinda sad mood, he went back to take mijeoms saddle. surprisingly wooyoung passed his way.

"huh? were are you going?", he asked.

"i'll go on a trip with mijeom, so i won't be here for a few days. would you tell yeosang about it, please?", jongho responded.

wooyoung was nodding as he turned around to go upstairs again.

jongho went back to mijeom and got her ready for this new little adventure. he put the bags at her back and the swung himself up there.

he was praising her and then they left the court with loud pounding hoofs.

------

politely he was greeting all the people he met and, also helped out a few older women who were struggling to get their, forced by the queen, work done.
when will she finally leave... he thought with a sigh after.

walking through the streets followed by his mare. he thought about how he could help those people who really need it.

------

he left the village behind riding onto a huge forest. to pass him would take three days at least followed by the end of their lands and their parents kingdom but thatwasn't his plan.

he really wanted yeosang to finally become the king. he could change everything to the better.
with a last sight at the village behind him, he and mijeom trot between the trees.

breathing these fresh air filled jongho with happiness. with a bright smile he was watching the birds above him. was following squirrels at the trees with his view. he couldn't feel any better.

he felt free. a feeling which was never possible around their aunt.
------

when the sun started to set down, he searched for a good place to stay for one night. since it was summer he wasn't very worried about it.

yeosang's birthday was in a few days and he needed to be back at that time. well... he still had almost a week until his brother turns 20 though.

jongho got all the luggage and her saddle from mijeoms back before she lay down.

such a loyal horse. they were like one. with a smile he sat down next to her, giving her an apple.

------

the next day also passed pretty fast since he just wandered through the large forest. but soon the sky went dark and he could smell that it would rain in a few hours.

getting on mijeoms back again, they were dashing through the trees. he was really hoping to come to the village soon but his hopes stayed empty.

after an hour rain started pouring and he was searching for a cave. when it started thundering and they still didn't found anything mijeom got nervous.

scanning all the surroundings he tried to find a refuge. mijeom who was already tripping over a few little stones out of nervousness, started to panick when a thunderbolt was nearby.

she galloped through the forest while jongho tried his best to stay on her back.

she ran on a clearing and there he saw a chance. a small but comfortable, little house with a pasture and some stables for a few animals.

wet from head to toe he jumped from mijeoms back and calmed her down by petting and caressing her head.

slowly he went through the rain approaching the house. another thunderbolt was heard in afar.
flinching a little, he looked at the door in front of him.

knocking carefully, he waited for a response patiently.

a girl, ca. at his age, opened the door. shocked as she saw how soaked/wet the young men in front of her was and even more when she realised he had a horse with him.

"hello, i wanted to ask if my horse and me could may stay for a night at the stables?", he asked as he bowed to her.

the girl who told her parents about him, couldn't believe that someone was out there when it was so obvious that today would be such a terrible day. it was raining for hours already.

her parents told her that she can show him where the stables are but she should bring him with her inside.

together they gave mijeom a dry stay for the night, with an apple, jongho said good night before he left her with the other animals.

following the girl inside the house, he felt a little uncomfortable. he would have been fine at the stables too-

that family was really kind to him. they had no son, so he got some older clothes from her dad when he used to be younger.

thanking them over and over, he wanted to object the help but they told him to not get sick, so he didn't complain anymore.

------

the family wanted to know about him, so as soon as he changed they invited him at the table. he was thanking them and bowing again as he didn't want to be impolite.

"what were you doing out there, huh? did your parents not teach you that it is dangerous?", her dad asked him what made him a little shy.

"i'm sorry but i'm on a trip. that's my third day since I left my home so i didn't know where to go."

"well, my name is areum and this are my parents. we just ate but if you are hungry we would like to help you. i guess it wasn't easy for you the last few hours. ... what's your name?", the girl spoke up, looking at him with a warm smile.

"jongho. my name is jongho."