His Sculpted Kingdom (TAEKOOK)

¹ Welcomé

18 th century, South Korea.

"KIM TAEHYUNG"

The shrillness of the voice itself gave away how much mad Madame Ursula could be at him. The aforementioned boy, who was called in the middle of pulling up a pail of water from the well, dropped it in a sudden jolt and ran towards the main building. He stumbled upon men who were busy hoisting up the tents and pleasantries for the upcoming royal guests.

He peeped in through the hinges of backdoor and slacked inside at her final command. His mind was fretting over what he had done this time to greet with such a menacing scowl from the authority and mocking, snickering giggles from the gathered mob of girls.

A straight stinging slap on his flawless cheek was the much awaited welcoming gesture and a broom was thrown to his bewildered red face by someone. His feet followed the terrain through which Madame dragged him to halt in front of a marble door.

"I made it clear to clean the gallery before they arrive. Didn't I ?" She asked furiously to which the puzzled boy nodded.

" I did as you told." He said in his feeble voice, eyes casted on her polished sandals.

Another slap has fallen on his other unbruised cheek, followed by attention grabbing giggles of the onlookers.

" Liar. Bring the clayey mud from the forest after cleaning this room and also fifteen pails of water must be drawn from the well and drop one to every tents before sunset." Madame barked the commands at him before leaving with the reveling mob.

Salty tears stinged his bruised cheeks which gave the boy a sensation of being alive in the uncanny.

He slowly trudged inside the gallery and his eyes welled up with more tears when he saw the decrepit condition of the room. He cleaned the gallery early in the morning before plunging into his other works and that what had shaken him when Madame called him a liar.

He was sure this new hullabaloo was created by the snickering girls. Why are they so bound on making his life miserable ? He thought while rearranging the fallen candles and rubbing the crushed mud stuck on the floor.

Once he looked around, he felt satisfied of his cleaning and hardwork. This room has been closed for a decade and suddenly Madame asked him to clean for the royals that awakened his curiousity about the special addition in the guest list.

General of the Raven Army is the new addition.

Everyone is excited for his arrival. This place has been hoisting training camps for soldiers of the Raven army for more than a decade now and from the gossips he had heard  from others in bits and pieces affirmed that the General is coming here for the first time.

The General loves to spend his time in the art gallery hence it became a mandatory rule to build a gallery attested to the camp sites. From the requirements gathered at the place, Taehyung can confirm that the General loves sculpturing more than stroking.

The encampments are often held up after wars so they can also serve the soldiers as a vacation from the palace routines. Since General is the second son of the Ruling Family, he would spent his vacation at the palace itself along with his training.

Everyone wondered what has contributed to a change in his decision. As a matter of fact they are thoroughly excited and overwhelmed with the news of his visiting. The new maidens are the most anticipating females as they find it as their biggest opportunity to attract the General who is announcedly a potential bachelor.

The Blue Moon building where Taehyung lives is a makeshift camp which formerly is an orphanage. During the time of the camp, the children below the age of eighteen are dropped to nearby village buildings. Men join the military directly through the camp whereas Maidens of eighteen and more can stay there if they wish to attend the soldiers which most of them perceive as a golden opportunity to settle down with one of the soldiers as their wife or mistress for the time being.

Most of them get pregnant once the camp ends and others will stay here serving the orphans or drop out in finding other jobs. Unofficially the convention is more qualified to be called as a 'sex camp' that presents the soldiers with suitable bedwarmers to retrieve their sanity after many wars and accompanied losses.

Taehyung has been attending the camp along with his only best friend Jimin since their age of sixteen when they qualified to be able to provide 'manly' help for the guests' well being. Both of them had turned eighteen recently and are accustomed to find a better profession.

Unlike Jimin who wanted to join the military, Taehyung has no plans in joining military instead he chose to help the others in serving the royals. Even though there is a hidden truth about this decision, everyone perceives him as a less manly kid who is so submissive and a great help in the kitchen.

Taehyung locked the marble door unlike last time and hid the key in his pocket securely. He looked at the blistering sun which has the potential to evaporate his whole existence and sighed with long grief and hunger. He was quite sure he wouldn't be getting a lunch in the middle of his pent up works therefore he went to draw water from the well.

After pouring the fifteenth pail of water in front of the last tent, Taehyung became metaphorically a soulless, strengthless puddle of bones. Even his bones are at the verge of disintegration.

The evening sun danced at the horizons to welcome the twilight moon. Taehyung in a fit of hunger and exhaustion ran to the nearby forest to gather the clayey mud in a bucket.

" Tannie.... " He raised his voice with the utmost strength but failed when he couldn't find the desired animal.

Yeontan is a wild puppy who is often seen with Taheyung whenever the former is fed up with the forests' wilderness and craves for human touch. He is Taehyung's personal bubble of happiness.

Without wasting much time, he gathered up the clay in his bucket and on hearing the hoofs of the horses, he ran to the campsite.

From a distance he could witness the magnificent troupe of the Raven army clad in black metallic armors and swords sewn to their one side. There were sounds of drums and flutes echoing the harmonious welcoming of the victorious soldiers. It is more enchanting than the last time, again reminding Taehyung about the looming presence of a tall figure at the forefront.

The General.

His eyes can only see the rippling muscles of the man through the exposed parts of his armor. His biceps is more bulkier than Taehyung’s squished thighs. His neck is ripped with veins and the buzz cut exposes the wonders of his side profile. Near to his figure, a black beauty is standing with his head held high, with the same pride of that of the General.

His eyes then witnessed the maidens, standing with a seducing pose with lamp in their hands. Taheyung internally cried at the second hand embarrassment. In the previous welcoming ceremonies, he would be head long plunged into kitchen chores that he wouldn't get a chance to peek at the welcoming functions. But today when he did, he couldn't scratch away the sultrous glances given by everyone towards the General. Most of their dresses are almost see through under the lamp light they are holding.

Jimin was also there along with certain other males in the front row, clad in fresh clothes. Taehyung’s eyes involuntarily grazed over his torn and tarnished clothes. He could have  got one if he stayed in the camp but luck is always against his goodwill.

With inconspicuous step, he ran towards the gallery when the purpose of his visit to the forest clawed at him. He unlocked the door and poured the mud in the jars till the brim before he tiptoed back to close the door.

His blood ran cold when he heard the baritone of a male command.

" Stop there. Who are you?"