Feathers | Seokjin

Chapter 11 - Responsibilities and White Roses

"I remember sending a message to my sister that I want to talk with her over dinner." Namjoon said while putting away his silver spoon.

Taehyung knew right away that this is the calm before the storm. He quickly raked his mind to find a reply before the angry king explodes.

"Ah right. I totally forgot. She is not feeling well and she asked me to tell you." He quickly said and looked out of the window. There was no sign of snowstorm subsiding anytime soon. He knew that Isabella must be stucked in the human village, unable to fly back due to strong winds and heavy snowfall.

Namjoon raised an eyebrow. "She is not feeling well or she doesn't want to meet me?"

"No Joon. She is really not feeling well."

"Where is she now?"

"In her room." Taehyung replied after gulping.

"Did the healer visited her?"

"I-I think so."

"Hmm.." Namjoon nodded. "Tell her that she have a long trip tomorrow morning."

"A long trip?" Taehyung questioned, bewildered by the information.

"She has to go to human king's castle tomorrow." Jimin answered for his friend.

"Why is that? I thought that the wedding is in the spring."

"It is. But he wanted to see her before the wedding. She has to meet him, spend few days there and show him that how worthy his future bride is. That's all she knows to do anyways. Show off and allure men."

"Don't talk about her like that." Taehyung snapped, angry with Namjoon's vision on his best friend. "She is way different from the shallow woman you imagine her to be."

"Calm down Tae. She has got you wrapped around her finger." Namjoon sighed, "just tell her to be ready for the journey. That's the end of the conversation." With that Namjoon left the dinner table leaving a fuming Taehyung and a confused Jimin behind.

"What? To spend three days in human castle?" Isabella's already big ebony eyes widened in panic when she heard the news from Taehyung. "Is he insane? How can I live with that human. I don't even know him." She huffed with frustration.

"I know Isa. Calm down. Count Jimin and some others are going with you. They'll keep an eye on you and make sure you are safe." Taehyung assured her.

Isabella sighed. "It's not like I have a choice against Namjoon. Do I?"

"No you don't." A sudden voice interrupted their conversation. Both Isabella and Taehyung turned around to see the intruder.

"You are going to stay calm, act smart and win his heart." With that Namjoon invited himself into Isabella's chamber and settled in her favourite chair.

"Don't do anything stupid. If possible, have a closer look at him. Watch how he works. Find his strengths, his weaknesses and his deepest fears. Jimin will find out about the castle and defects in his defensive forces. When you two come back, I need the entire floor plan of the castle and all the details about his best men whom we should be careful with. Then we are going to plan the attack. Understand sister?"

Isabella watched her brother in awe. How is she supposed to do such a big task in three days? "Brother.."

"No Isabella. This is your duty. For the first time in forever, I'm counting on you. Don't mess this up and make me proud." With that, he stood up and went out only to turn back at the door. "You are leaving when the sun rises."

Isabella fell onto her fluffy fur mattress after her brother went out of the sight, "how in world I'm going to do this Tae?"

"Don't worry Isa. You'll be fine. You said yourself that Namjoon is the wisest man you have ever seen. Well now that wisest man says he is counting on you. It means you can do this. Brace yourself. I know what you are capable of. Just like your brother, you also practiced these strategies from a very young age. Remember? Besides who can resist you? He will be whipped for you in no time!"

"Tae, this is not about whether I 'can' do this. This is about whether I 'want' to do this." She sighed and straightened up. "I don't want Avisians to fight with humans." She looked down at her hands. "I want peace."

Taehyung could do nothing but give an encouraging hug to his best friend. "I know. Let's just wish that everything will be fine."

According to king Namjoon's order, Isabella and ten of the king's closest men including Jimin departed for the human castle situated in their capital, Fendrel. Since they traveled on horses like humans it took one and half days to reach there.

Throughout the journey, they passed numerous human villages and towns. Isabella was amused to see thousands of humans; men, women, and children living peacefully. She silently observed how they work, how they smiled with each other, how they lovingly stroked their children's heads.

She almost cried when a little boy gave her a white rose when they stopped in a little town for a break. He was so pure, and he reminded her of Seokjin; her lover whom she didn't even got to say goodbye. She felt like a witch knowing that these innocent people had done nothing wrong to Avisians. But her brother was going to hurt them all. So she understood that she has do everything possible to save these people. That's when she determined to rescue both races from the future agony.