[T] - Trigger warning, mentions of suicide
He made sure not to be noticed by anyone as he made his way through the gardens. No one had the right to suspect the royal chamberlain of anything, but at this very moment, tension was high and Seokjin had to be extra cautious. The grand wedding was a couple of nights away and he did not need to be pegged as the main suspect of a royal kidnapping.
Seokjin made his way to Rhea's bedroom foyer. The heavy sound of his footsteps on the white marble stopped as he froze in place right in front of her door. This was it. One more step forward and all his years of service to the king would mean nothing but him as a traitor.
"Who's there?" A small voice came from the other side of the door. Seokjin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel his chest expand then exhaled. This was it.
"Seokjin? Is that you?"
"Yes, your highness. Would you allow me to come in?" His voice was low, trying his best not to sound too strained. When he heard another soft response, he reached for the door knob and twisted it open.
The moment he entered the room, the sight of her took his breath away. The princess was sat on her bed in a white and lacey night gown. The lace around her arms and the bottom of her skirt revealed her beautiful and unflawed skin. The night gown was anything but revealing however, he still found it hard not to stare.
As she stood up and moved closer to him, the scent of Freesias became stronger. The scent was soft and sweet, just like her and he wished he could find a way to preserve that scent in his mind. Her long black hair ran down her shoulders until it reached her waist and he imagined the feel of it to be so soft, he wanted to reach out and run his fingers through them.
"You have been crying." He noticed. There was no use dancing around the words when clearly she was distraught with the fact that she was to marry Yoongi in a couple of nights.
"I'm to be wed to a monster. A psychopath!" She exclaimed and brought one hand up to her neck, as if trying to control herself from breaking down and becoming a sobbing mess. "I did not want any of this, but here I am." She choked.
By the corner of his eye, Seokjin noticed a glint of light reflecting and saw what she held in her hand. He didn't realise why he had not noticed it when he came in. She tried to conceal it behind her but he immediately grabbed her wrist before she could do anything, disarming her and letting the blade fall to the floor with a soft metal clang.
Horrified, he looked back at her. Her face distorted, not just from the pain but from shame as well. She did not realise that she was holding on to the blade so tightly, the sharp edges pierced through her skin. The sight of the blood on her hands finally broke her and once again, tears streamed down her face.
"Rhea. If you make another move like that on Yoongi, God, I don't want to say this but he would have your head!"
"So be it! I would rather be dead than be here." She choked on her words as she sobbed and pushed him off. Rhea backed into the wall and stayed there, putting her uninjured hand around her small self.
"Rhea.." he sighed softly and reached out to her.
"That was not for him." She closed her eyes and looked down. More tears pooled on the floor at her feet.
Seokjin held up her bloodied hand and pressed his handkerchief that he had pulled out from his pocket into her palm, squeezing her trembling hand softly.
"As much as I hate myself.. As much as I hate what I am now.. I am too scared to do it myself." She gripped herself tighter. Seokjin lifted his head to look up at her, finally grasping what she was admitting to him.
Oh god, the crown princess was contemplating on ending her own life. If he had come any later than he did and found the princess dead on his watch, he would not be able to forgive himself.
"Rhea" he moved closer toward her, squeezing her hand even harder, "I swear I will get you out of here."
"Seokjin, what do you mean?" She blinked her tears away as her eyes grew wide. "That feat would be impossible." Her voice faltered.
"I am getting you out of here. I have talked to some people and they will be coming to help you." He didn't realise that now he had her face in his hands. There was fear in her eyes or maybe it was that small string of hope she was yearning for.
"Who? How?" Her mind scrambled to find the right words to say.
"It does not matter. I know you suffer and I want you out. But most importantly I want you safe." His thumb caressed her cheek softly, staring longingly into her glistening eyes.
"What about you?" She asked, and Seokjin hated himself for being so distracted by her lips.
"I will be right behind you princess." He let himself stare at her longer. He did not know why he was acting like this. This closeness was driving him crazy; his heart beating hard against his chest, swelling and wanting to hold Rhea tighter against him. Years of watching her from the sideline made him realise she was so much more beautiful up close.
"Seokjin." He heard her say. Her palm was pressed gently against his chest, not pushing him away, but more so holding him in place so he could not move any closer. Realising that he had lost control, he dropped his hands to his sides and watched as her body tensed again, leaning her back against the wall behind her. Her cheeks were a soft pink but she avoided his eyes.
"Forgive me Rhea. I overstepped my boundaries." Seokjin turned away. He was so stupid. Mortified that he had acted on his impulse and had tried to kiss her and she needed more than to be treated like an object.
Rhea shook her head and looked back up at him. This time here eyes were determined. "Promise me you will be there with me when we leave?"
"You have my word."
Rhea clutched her chest and let out a shivering breath. The idea of running from this life was scary, but if she was going to die it was not going to be here. Seokjin treaded back to her, so close that he loomed over her and spoke with a hushed voice.
"Tomorrow night wait for me here and I will come for you." Not being able to help himself, he brushed her cheek with his thumb and pushed away her hair behind her ear. Rhea nodded.
"I will call on one of your maids to dress that wound for you." He said, making a mental note to talk to her palace maids to attend to her. Rhea shook her head and gripped onto his handkerchief closer to her chest.
"I will be fine. Thank you Seokjin." And for the first time in a long time, Seokjin saw a small smile appear on her face. And with this he knew, he would do anything to see that smile again.
Seokjin walked towards the door again and before he opened it, he turned back to her and there she was. Still so beautiful as she stared back at him.
"Good night, Rhea." He said. He left the room and closed the door gently behind himself and made his way out of the foyer.
Seokjin made sure the coast was clear before making his way down the hallway back to his own quarters. Halfway there, his ears perked at a sound behind him and his body sensed that something was wrong. Someone was following him.
His hand slid down under his jacket and grabbed the handle of the gun. Pulling it out of its holster, he turned and aimed behind him but before he could see who the stalker was, he felt a blunt shock to his head. And all he could see was black.
