Veiled

5: Ꭺ ᎦᎳᎥᎷ

ｏｋａｙ

  I've been gone, but be happy I showed up at all.

  Jimin remembered when his father died. It was a grey melancholy morning when his brother ripped him out of his bed and rushed him into the royal chamber.

  Jihyun's emotionless mask did not shake as he entered the heartbreaking scene. Jimin couldn't see because his brother's taller form had blocked his view, but he could feel it in the air.

Death.

  His watering eyes widened as Jihyun moved his body away for him to see.

  There laid the king's body, lifeless and pale. His eyes hadn't been closed yet and Jimin wanted so badly to yell at the servants to do so.

  The young prince couldn't even get a sound out without crying if he did. And he would not cry.

  He couldn't endure anymore beatings from Jihyun. Not after yesterday when he caught him silently weeping to himself.

Yoongi came crashing in, eyes narrowed and fangs ready to tear the throat of who ever took Jimin. He stopped when he saw the shaking boy and stalked over to him.

  The hybrid looked over to where Jimin was turned to and understood the situation.

Yoongi didn't dare to touch Jimin or try to comfort him even though every fiber in him begged him to. It would be no use if both of them got in trouble.

The kings butler was the one to finally close the old man's eyes. Jimin let out a deep breath when they shut the long velvet curtains around his father's bed.

All the young boys stood there in gloomy silence as the rustle of the servants flowed through the late kings quarters.

  Jimin yelped when Jihyun gripped his arm harshly and pulled his face closer to his own.

"This is what happens when you show weakness, Jimin. Remember that well." His older brother spat out and turned his glare back to the death bed.

He scoffed before pushing the younger to the ground and storming off, servants and officials immediately crowding him.

The vampire child shuddered and quickly silenced his whimpering with a trembling hand.

   He stared at the massive bed with longing.

  I didn't even say goodbye, Poppa.

  "When the late King Jisuk past away, me and my brother got new guards. They kept watchful eyes on us as my uncle came into court and got rid of my father's old council." Jimin did not want to look at the intense stares on him, so he gazed past the person in front of him.

  "Since my brother, Prince Jihyun, was not of age like I am right now, naturally the throne got handed to my uncle. The Prime Minister locked us away from the public, telling them that we were awfully sick when we were held against our will." Jimin forces down bile as he thinks about the horrible memories.

  "It was on and off. Him locking us in our room, the other officials getting us out. It went on for years. At least that was until-," The prince catches his bottom lip in between his teeth. "Jihyun turned 17."  

  Jimin grits his teeth and glares intensely at the pillar before him.

"By the time Jihyun had passed away, most of the officials and counts that were loyal to the royal family had turned or were... mysteriously murdered."