Jungkook was elated to finally be included in something that was bigger than dinner plans. Even though Taehyung was grouching about the undesirable travel conditions and Jimin was mumbling about the poor food quality, Jungkook's good mood couldn't be killed.
He didn't know much about you other than the fact that his two older brothers were obsessed with you and Taehyung was convinced you were a witch. And also something about you being the soulmate to Jin and Hobi?
He didn't really share the same aggression that Taehyung did, or the simple curiosity that Jimin had. While Taehyung wanted to torture you until you admitted your guilt, Jimin was simply interested in finding out what truly made you special in the eyes of his brothers.
Jungkook, however, firmly believed in soulmates. And he was thrilled to welcome you into their family. He did think it was strange for someone to have more than one soulmate. In all of his favorite childhood fairytales, it had never been mentioned. But he didn't think it mattered. As long as his brothers ended up happy, then he was okay with the anomaly.
Before he left, he had promised Jin and Hoseok that he would bring back their love no matter what. For the first time in years, Hoseok had hugged him tightly and told him that he loved him.
He knew what you looked like. He had caught you staring at Yoongi, after all. He thought you were cute, for a maid at least. And he hadn't seen anything malicious in your gaze, so he didn't think you had anything up your sleeve like Taehyung claimed. And, he hadn't seen Jin so genuinely happy since his first love's death.
Not only was he excited to bring a little bit of happiness back into his brother's lives, but he was elated at the idea of having a sister to look after. As the youngest son, he was always the one that was being taken care of, never being taken seriously. He was the last to find out about everything, and he was babied nonstop. His mother stopped calling him "little prince" only a few months ago. This was his chance to finally be able to take care of someone else.
When he expressed these thoughts to Taehyung and Jimin, they both laughed at him. "What makes you think that mother and father would even allow Jin or Hoseok to marry her? And I say 'or' because Mother would never settle for two men sharing a wife." Jimin had asked. Jungkook didn't have an answer so he simply shrugged. Soulmates were fated to be together, right? So maybe his mother would make an exception to allow his brothers to be happy.
Taehyung had chimed in, his tone heavily condescending. "Yeah, come on Jungkook. Even if father was suddenly able to crack and become kind again, it's not like mother would ever allow it. And I think it's pretty clear that this girl is a witch."
Jungkook couldn't understand what was so unbelievable about soulmates and true love. He knew that someday he would want to find the one he was destined to be with, and he would want his brothers to approve.
As the journey continued on and the group grew closer to the port of Esteria, Jungkook felt himself growing more and more restless. He chalked it up to being so close to the ocean and getting to sail again, even if it was only a brief trip over the sea. When he was a child, his uncle used to bring him on his yearly journey to the Northern sea every summer to watch the giant whales. It was the best two weeks of the year.
When his uncle was executed for treason three years ago, the King forbid Jungkook from making the journey himself back to the Northern sea. This was his punishment for being close to the man who had betrayed him, whether Jungkook had known about the brewing rebellion or not.
As the sun rose on the third day of their journey, Jungkook climbed onto his horse and rushed ahead, ignoring the protests of Taehyung. He could practically smell the ocean from the dirt path that they were headed down, and it fueled his excitement. Only when the sun was finally reaching it's highest point in the sky did sand begin to appear, scattered across the path. In the distance he could make out the shapes of the huts and even the line of calming blue water.
He paused, considering turning back to alert his group. They no doubt would be eager to know that if they sped up enough, they'd arrive in Esteria before dinner. He pulled on the reigns, guiding his horse to turn around. Before he could run back, he caught sight of Taehyung leading the small hoard of soldiers with Jimin by his side.
"I can see Esteria!" Jungkook shouted, beaming at the thought of being reunited with the ocean. The speed of the group immediately picked up until they were only feet away from Jungkook. He laughed at the expression of disgust on Jimin's face, no doubt because he knew what was coming. Jimin had always hated the ocean and the way it smelled, and it was probably going to be the worse part about this entire journey for him.
"You shouldn't have run off like that." Taehyung scolded, pushing past Jungkook to examine the village in the distance. "There's no need to rush down there, since we'll be staying the night anyways. Let's take our time before we kill our horses from exhaustion."
"Or, I can go ahead and let the villagers know that we're coming!" He said eagerly. Taehyung opened his mouth to scold him again, but Jimin cut him off. "Come on, Tae. I'll go with him and make sure he stays out of trouble. He hasn't seen the ocean in years, so can you blame him for being so excited?"
The dark-haired prince looked as if he wanted to argue, but one look at Jungkook's pleading eyes had him rolling his eyes. "Fine. We'll go quickly. But if our horses end up collapsing then you and Kook have to be the ones to personally care for them." He muttered, before taking off down the dirt path.
"Thanks, Jimin." Jungkook mumbled to the slender blonde, flashing him a wide smile. Jimin shrugged. "Well, if the horses really do end up collapsing then you have to take care of them. Since you owe me one, now." He joked, before also taking off towards the village. The small group of soldiers staid still, waiting for Jungkook to follow his brothers. After only a moment's hesitation, he was speeding off after them.
He was finally going to see the ocean again.
***
"You can't hide forever, my love." Hoseok cooed, his footsteps growing closer. "I know you're here."
Your heart was surely what gave you away. With how fast it was beating, the crazed prince could no doubt hear it from across the room. "I won't hurt you. I only killed the boy because he took what was mine." Hoseok said, his footsteps stopping in front of the cupboard that you had crawled into.
You knew that he had found you. That he was going to throw open the door and drag you out from the safety of the dark space. You covered your eyes, wishing that you could just disappear. Cold hands grasped your wrists, alarming you. The door hadn't opened to the cupboard, so who was touching you?
The hands gently pulled your wrists away, freeing your sight once again. Abel was sitting in front of you, a comforting smile on his face. "Hey, it's alright Y/N." He whispered. Your first instinct was to lean into him, hoping that he could protect you. But then your eyes caught sight of the red pouring from his neck. Even in the darkness of the small enclosure, you could very clearly see the blood that seeped from the deep slit in his throat.
"A-Abel!" You gasped, forgetting that someone very dangerous was on the other side of the door. "W-what - I-I thought that you were dead?!" You reached out to clamp your hands over the gaping wound, wincing at the feeling of the warm blood coating your fingers.
Abel pushed your arm away gently. "I am." he said simply, smiling at you. You recoiled. "Then how are you here?" You asked shakily. Were you being haunted? "You're dreaming." He said, swiping a tear from your cheek. You winced when you felt the blood on his hand smear across your face.
"You're dreaming, but you're seeing what will happen if you don't leave." He explained. You couldn't muster a response, so you simply sat and stared at him, horrified. "The head healer was right. If the princes show up and see that you've married another man, and find out that we were willing to hide you from them, then they will kill us without any hesitation."
He pulled the jade ring from your finger, examining it. "You know, I wish that you had come clean about the omen that Healer Lee had told you. Because we could have at least helped you run from the village without a trace. Instead, you chose to marry me. My blood will be on your hands."
"I-I" You began, but the handsome blonde cut you off. The blood was still steadily pouring from his neck, and it seemed to be filling up the cupboard. The thick red substance was now a few inches deep, filling the small space with the stench of iron. "When you wake up, you have to see Healer Lee. She will help you." He said.
"Will she help me run away?" You asked, trying to ignore the steadily rising levels of blood. Abel shook his head. "Not immediately. But she was trained in more than just healing...she will give you something to help you at exactly the right moment."
Abel placed the ring back into your shaking hands. "You know, I really did care about you. Even though we didn't know each other for long, I was elated to make you my wife. I wish that you had come to me under different circumstances." He mumbled. He leaned towards you, sloshing the blood up into your face as he planted a small kiss on your lips.
Then, everything faded into darkness.
The first thing you felt when you awoke was a heavy arm wrapped around your waist, pulling your back against a hard, warm chest. The second thing you felt, was something hard pricking your butt. Your first instinct was to jump away, unsure of why you were in bed with someone else that wasn't a fellow maid.
Then you remembered where you were. Your new home with your new husband, in your new bed. Your dream came flooding back to you, filling you with a sense of panic. You needed to get to Healer Lee immediately. You couldn't risk the lives of anyone else. When you began to wiggle slightly in your husbands grasp, he pulled you even tighter against him.
His breathing didn't change, signifying that he hadn't woken from your movements. Sunlight was filtering in through the thin cotton curtains against the window, and in the sunlight you held up your hand. Gleaming oh so beautifully on your ring finger was the jade colored ring, somehow even prettier than it was yesterday. You felt your heart ache as the image of dream Abel flooded your mind, covered in blood.
You had only married him yesterday afternoon, and you already had to make plans to leave your sweet husband. You felt bitter. You had truly gotten lucky that you had chosen Abel of all men to look into marrying.
He had been so tender with you after the wedding, when you had finally retired from the festivities of the village. He had exceeded all expectations that you had over what freshly married men were like. He didn't tear your wedding dress off as soon as the bedroom door closed, no. Instead, he laid you gently down on the small bed and asked you if it was alright.
He didn't push you onto your stomach so he could simply have his way and then go to sleep without having to look at you. He chose to keep you on your back so he could plant soft kisses all over your body. He didn't go fast and hard, ignoring your pained cries with the intent of achieving his own release. He was gentle and slow, brushing the hair from your face and whispering sweet praises to you.
When he was done, he didn't leave you there, unsatisfied and itching for a bath. He kissed you and brought you to the same peak that he had climbed only minutes before, before finally letting you crash down into the waves of pleasure.
Then, when all was said and done, he pulled the covers over you and held you, whispering about everything that he wanted to do with you as you both grew old together. It had made your heart beat fast and your mind hazy with affection.
Despite the pleasant thoughts that filled your mind over your new husband, the dark dream told you that you couldn't sit and think about it for long. You had to leave. Sighing, you gently pulled Abel's arm off of you and stood, wincing at your slightly sore abdomen.
You walked over to the small wardrobe that was resting against the wall, quietly opening it. Kassie had been sure to move a few dresses that Martha had made for you into your new home. You examined the simple garments, noting that a small robin had been embroidered over where your heart was for each dress.
It seemed like Martha was determined to stick to shades of green, following her statement that the color suited you a few days ago. You didn't mind, simply grateful to own clothing that was better quality than the rags you used to live in.
You grabbed the palest of the dresses, the color resembling your ring. The design was a little more interesting than your first dress in the village, and you made a mental note to thank Martha for putting the work in to make you such a pretty garment. You slipped it over your head, moving to the small mirror that was resting on the side of the wooden wardrobe.
You figured that she had been a seamstress for a royal family in her past life, because the dress that you were wearing fit you perfectly. She had even added little ruffles to the long sleeve's hems, the square neckline, and the bottom of the dress. You felt pretty, and tried to enjoy the feeling of wearing the gown while you were still able to. You had a feeling that when Hoseok managed to capture you again, you would be wearing rags, or worse...nothing.
The sun was high in the sky, and you could tell that it was already past lunchtime. You felt bad for sleeping so late, knowing that Kassie was probably pacing outside, waiting for you to leave the hut so she could badger you with questions. You decided to slip out through the door in the back of the hut, so you could make it to Healer Lee's alone.
You planted a gentle kiss on Abel's temple before shuffling from the room. The hut was empty, which didn't surprise you. Cain apparently spent all day on his small boat, fishing for his village. Abel's siblings preferred to spend their time lounging around outside or completing their own jobs.
You had been excited to begin your married life, which was something that you hadn't expected. Abel had already plotted out a small area of land where he was planning on building a home for you both to finally settle down together in. It was very domestic and something that you had been vehemently against when you were a child, yet now you were fully open to the idea. You thought it was funny how traumatic events and the need to survive could change your personality and life goals so drastically.
Now, you couldn't even have that. Your supposed soulmates ruined everything. You pulled on your cloak and peeked out of the front window. Sure enough, Kassie was lingering close by, glancing back at the front door every few seconds. You sighed and shuffled towards the back door. You opened it quietly, not sure how good Kassie's hearing was. You didn't want her to catch you avoiding her.
You left the house quietly and made your way to Healer Lee's hut. You didn't even have to knock. As soon as you approached the door, it opened. The Healer stood there, staring down at you with a knowing look. "Come." She said, allowing space for you to slip by her and into the house.
You noticed the large pot on the stove, with a deep red liquid nearly boiling over the edge. It resembled the blood that Abel had been gushing in your dream, and it made you shudder. "I had a dream last night." You mumbled. She brushed by you and walked into the small kitchen, gesturing for you to follow. "I know." She replied. "I had it too."
"Y-you did?" You asked, confused. "How? If it's the same dream as mine, then why would you dream that you were me?" You watched her lift a jar of golden syrup, most likely honey. She shook her head. "I didn't dream I was you, I dreamed that I was your husband."
Shocked, you could only stare at her. She stirred the honey into the pot with the red liquid, creating a sweet yet irony scent. The hairs raised on the back of your neck at the thought of her using actual blood.
"I dreamed that I was Abel, and I was bleeding from my throat. But when I spoke, I didn't speak my own thoughts. It was as if someone else was controlling everything. I was simply there to watch from his eyes." She explained. "When Abel said that I would help you, suddenly a recipe flashed in my mind. As soon as I woke up, I hunted it down in my book." She gestured to the beaten, aged journal propped up in front of the stove.
"I'm making you a potion. The Princes are coming, and they'll be here soon. I can tell. If you meet them halfway and surrender yourself, then they will spare us. Well, as long as you do not tell them that we kept you safe." The Healer pinched a spicy smelling powder from a glass bowl and sprinkled it into the brew. "You have to use this on them on the night of a blood moon. It is the only night that it will work." She said.
"What does it do?" You asked, peering down at the stained page. "I don't know." She replied honestly. You stared at her incredulously. "Then why are you giving it to me?!" You cried out. Surely this woman could not have so much faith in the "universe" or whatever she claimed, that she would send you with a strange potion just because.
"Because it is what I dreamed of. Just like it is your fate to return to your soulmates, it is your fate to take this potion. I have no idea what it does, I don't even recall this recipe being in my book a month ago." Healer Lee said sharply. "Now, let me explain to you how to use it. At least that much was written down."
She pulled a small glass vial from her shelf and ladled the deep red liquid into it. "You must give it to them on the night of the blood moon. Ask the palace's head healer, she knows moon cycles. Give it to all of them. You can pour it into their wine, and they wont even notice the presence. They each must ingest three drops, no more, no less. And before you ask, no, I don't know what will happen if they don't drink the proper amount."
She tied a thin leather strap around the neck of the vial, creating a makeshift necklace. Then, she handed it to you. "This is made with an extremely rare flower, called Wilted Chrysanthemum. There is only one other flower that is in existence now, which means that if you lose that vial after you leave here then no one will be able to brew you another batch."
"What if I locate the person with the other flower?" You asked. "They would be able to brew another one probably, right?" You pulled your new necklace over your head, tucking the vial between your bust in order to hide the contents.
"You'll never be able to find it, Y/N. The last person to have it was my sister. She's in hiding, or dead. I don't know. I do know that when she wants to be hidden, it's impossible to find her." She closed her book and placed it onto the shelf above the stove. "Just don't lose the potion and you should be alright."
You nodded. "Okay...do you know if there's anyone who will know what the potion does though? Do you know if the head healer at the palace has any knowledge?" You asked. Healer Lee shook her head. "I'm not sure. Don't go around openly asking about the flower, however. It might raise suspicion. The flower is very powerful and potent, and if the wrong person hears you asking then they might get the wrong idea. Just keep your head down and lay low if you want to survive."
You felt a tiny twinge of annoyance. How cruel of the universe to just give you a random vial of liquid, without giving you any way to tell you what the hell it does. You sighed. The healer was right. You needed to lay low, even if it meant that you were kept in the dark most of the time. You wanted to survive this ordeal, not become another dead body rotting away in the dungeons of the castle.
"I will leave tonight, after Abel has gone to sleep. Do you have any herbs for travelling?" You asked. She nodded, gesturing to a small cabinet. "I'll give you a pack for hunger, and one for energy. And of course something for your horse. But that is all I have." She pulled a few cloth pouches out and placed them in your hands. "Before you leave, chew a mouthful of herbs from each of the purple pouches. Give a mouthful of herbs from the blue pouch to your horse. Every night, repeat the process."
"Do you know where I can take some food without it hurting anyone's stash? And maybe an extra leather pouch to carry water?" You still had one of the smaller leather pouches from your first journey, but you wanted to bring more. The snow was now melting away, which meant that you wouldn't have as abundant of a water source.
Healer Lee shook her head. "I can provide you with a small supply of food, but I don't have an extra water pouch. Come visit me again before you leave, and I will give you your remaining supplies."
"Thank you..." You murmured. You turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "And...I'm sorry. For not listening to you I mean. I should have at least just ran to avoid all of this trouble."
The healer didn't speak at first, filling the hut with awkward silence. Then, she sighed. "I understand why you didn't listen. You were scared and desperate. Not everyone gets messages from higher powers, so I shouldn't have expected you to just believe everything right off the bat. However I am glad that you had the dream and didn't brush it off. You're doing the right thing by going back."
"I'll see you tonight." You said softly, before finally exiting the hut. You hadn't realized how long you had been in the hut for. The sun was now past it's highest point, and the afternoon was bleeding into the evening. The air had gone cold, further accentuating the dark and gloomy mood that had fallen over you after your dream.
You hurried back to your hut, looking forward to sharing one last meal with Abel before you left. You had considered telling him that you needed to leave and why, but you couldn't bring yourself to reveal just how much danger you were putting him in. You would rather leave him with good thoughts about you instead of him believing that you were just using him.
Before you were even halfway to your home, Kassie came barreling over. "I've been looking for you!" She yelled excitedly, ignoring the looks that the other villagers sent her way. "I didn't even see you leave your hut! You have to tell me everything about last night!"
You felt your face get red immediately at the thought of the shared intimacy you had experienced last night. "W-what, in t-the middle o-of the village?" You sputtered out. Kassie laughed at your flustered state, shaking her head. "No! I figured we could take a walk. Stretch our legs, get away from all of the ears. Judging by your state, it seems like last night isn't something you want all of the old ladies hearing." She said.
"Alright. But I'd like to make dinner for Abel tonight, so I can't stay out too late. It looks like we're already close to dinnertime." You agreed. Kassie nodded, before grasping your hand and pulling you back towards the edge of the village. "We'll do a few laps around the village and then I'll drop you off. Abel will probably arrive around the same time as you anyways. He went to the docks to catch a nice fish for you." The petite blond said, beaming.
You couldn't bring yourself to return the smile as brightly. You felt a horrible guilt in your chest knowing that your loving husband was so oblivious. You steeled yourself, distracting your dark thoughts by telling Kassie every single detail of the night before. When you were finished, Kassie was practically cheering for you. "Seems like it runs in the family!" She said loudly. In response, you smacked her arm and turned your face to hide your even stronger blush.
"Ah, that's so emba-" You were cut off by the sound of someone yelling. Your heart dropped as your mind began to run through every single bad possibility that there was. You were on the far side of the village, standing next to the sea. You could see figures racing down the path that led into the small seaside community, along with a large group of villagers gathering at the entrance to watch. Then, the yelling villager's words finally became clear for you to hear.
"Members of the royal guard are arriving!"
You snapped your head to look at Kassie at the same time that she looked at you, the expression of horror clear on her face. "Are they here for you?" She asked, already knowing the answer. Your breathing became heavy and ragged, your heart thumping hard in your chest. "I-I-" You could barely manage to talk as the figures became more and more clear. "I wa-as supposed t-to leave t-tonight!" You cried. "They a-aren't supposed t-to b-be here!"
"Mi-sun?" A voice called from behind you, worry evident in his tone. You slowly turned to look, coming face to face with Abel. "Mi-sun, what's wrong? What's happening?" He asked. You shook your head, looking at Kassie as if she could even begin to explain what you had just caused. There would be bloodshed, just like in your dream, and it all was because you hadn't listened to the Healer a day sooner.
"A-Abel..." You gasped. "You have to listen to me!" You grasped his face in your shaking hands, wincing at the alarmed expression gracing his features. "I made a mistake. A very grave mistake. You have to pretend that you don't know me!"
He looked confused, and then slightly irritated. "What?" He asked. "Why would I do that? Mi-sun, are you in trouble with someone? What's happened?" He shot question after question at you, grasping your wrists in the same way he had done in your dream.
"Abel, those people are from the palace. The ones that are entering the village. I ran from the palace because of something, and I came here to hide. I-I'm sorry for deceiving you! I truly am! But now I need you to live! And in order for you to do that you have to pretend that you don't know me!" You pleaded.
Abel pushed your hands away from his face, anger now taking over his features. "Hold on! You deceived me? Were you already married before you came to Esteria?" He asked. You shook your head. The men were now entering the village, and if you didn't hurry then they would see you with Abel and most likely kill him on the spot.
"Abel, listen to me. This is my way of saying sorry! By ensuring that you don't die! So from now on, you're not my husband!" You cried out. Then you shoved him away from your body and turned to face the guardsman. You moved towards where they had began to gather, at the center of the village.
As their faces became more clear, you recognized not one face, but three. "Oh my god." You whimpered. Taehyung was at the front of the group, looking around at the villagers who bowed, disgust clear on his face. "We're here to rest." He said, his deep voice carrying across the silent village. "Before we sail off of your port. Provide us with a warm home, a bed, and food. If you do this, then we will not kill you."
You froze. Just here to rest? You had half a mind to turn around and hide behind a house, if that were the case. They were just passing through. You could have hidden in your bedroom and gotten away with it. You didn't have a chance to change your mind and slip away. A soft voice spoke up from atop a pure white horse.
"Oh?" Jimin said, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at you. You breath caught in your throat. You weren't very fond of the playful look he had on his face. "Well, it looks like we wont have to sail after all." He sighed happily. He swung himself off of the large white creature, landing with a small thump.
"I've got to say, Y/N. I was very worried that I would have to actually sail for a few days to find you. But because you were here all along, you've saved me that trip! Now, I like you a lot more." He said, giving you a bright smile. He stepped forward, holding his hand out. It took you a moment to process what he wanted, but then you realized that he wanted you to kiss his hand.
You stiffly bowed and planted your lips on his knuckles. A shock flew through your body as soon as your mouth came in contact with his skin, sending you reeling back. He had felt the shock too, for he jumped back and held his hand against his chest, an offended look on his face. Dread pooled in your stomach as you remembered what the Healer had said. He was your soulmate, and the connection was there.
Your little moment was interrupted by an irritated sigh. "So you're Y/N?" Taehyung asked, sneering down at you. "I don't understand what my brother's see in you, honestly. As a matter of fact, I know that you're a witch. You're lucky that Hoseok and Jin had given me strict orders not to kill you on sight."
You flinched from his harsh tone. Jin? Jin is in on this now too? You wanted to cry, to throw yourself into the ocean so you could maybe float away to a better, more hidden village. But you were glued to the spot, unable to even think straight.
The youngest prince, Jungkook, stepped forward. He had a friendly smile on his face, one that didn't seem to hide anything malicious like Jimin's. "Wow, I'm glad to finally meet the girl who's made my brother's so happy." He said softly, reaching out to you. You froze as he brought his large hand up to your cheek. A warmth began to tingle over your skin, slowly seeping down to your bones. You knew that this was another connection to your soulmate.
He smiled warmly at you. "We'll take you back to the palace where you'll be safe. It's a dangerous world out here, and it would hurt me to see something happen to you while around these savages." He said. You recoiled from his touch. "Savages?" You asked quietly. You had to bite your tongue to not yell at him, the need to defend those who had helped you strong.
"Enough of this. Jungkook, release her. She might cast her spell upon you too." Taehyung growled, sliding off of his horse. "Now that we have found her, she will be locked up until the morning, when we leave. I don't want her running off again."
Before you could even process what he had said, another voice boomed from behind you. "You will not take my wife!" Abel yelled. He threw a heavy arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side protectively. Tears instantly sprung to your eyes. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you were the reason Abel died.
You pushed him away, shaking your head. "No! He's not my husband! He's just worried about...about me." You were desperate to avoid any bloodshed. Taehyung sneered at the tall man next to you, stepping forward. The sword attached to his hip shined in the weak light, making you gulp.
"You married another man when you knew that my brother wanted you?" He asked, his voice rough with anger. Then he turned to face the rest of the village, who stood still in shock. "And then you all hid her!"
You shook your head. "No! No, we're not married! This man has done nothing wrong!" You cried. "I swear h-"
Abel cut you off, moving in front of you. "Yes, I am her husband. She is taken. I have already consummated the marriage with her also." He declared. You pushed him away, looking back at Kassie with a silent plead to help. Her face was strangely calm, and you knew that she was going to do what had to be done.
She stepped forward, standing in front of you. "Abel is not her husband, as Y/N says." She said loudly, averting her eyes from Taehyung's. "No one knew of her deception, other than Martha and James. Please, spare the rest of us." She fell to her knees in a deep bow.
Jimin stepped forward, irritation radiating off of him in waves. "I recognize you." He said. Kassie's form stiffened. "You were also from the palace, were you not? You fooled around with a Duke...fell pregnant with his child..." He crossed his arms. "Now, you're giving away a fellow maid. You shouldn't have stepped forward, we never would have noticed you."
You didn't care that Kassie had exposed you. You needed her to get the point across that Abel was innocent. Her lie would have been completely fine, if it weren't for the fact that she had brought Martha and James into it. The same people who had helped her escape, she had decided to give a death sentence. You couldn't understand why she would do something so cruel. Was it to sound more believable? To ensure that her and her husband wouldn't get hurt by shifting the attention away?
You stepped forward again. "Martha and James had no idea! That is this woman's only lie. Please, I will go peacefully." You cried, clasping your hands together. You found yourself looking at Jungkook, who had been the kindest of the three princes. Maybe feeding into his softness would save the others.
Taehyung scoffed. "James...Dubois? As in, Alice's father? Yeah, we have that little runt locked away in a cage for aiding your escape." He kicked Kassie, causing her to cry out in pain. "Here's what's going to happen. You," He pointed a long finger in your direction, "will be coming with us. And you," He then pointed to Kassie, who was still bowed, "will be executed for escaping after sleeping with a nobleman and falling pregnant." He spun around, searching the crowd. "I also want Martha and James to step forward."
"Please!" You cried. "They truly had nothing to do with this! Please!" You begged. It all fell on deaf ears, however. He spun back around to face Abel. "And of course, you. I believe you. You and your family...are sentenced to death. For marrying and sleeping with an escapee who belongs to my brother, a prince."
You fell to your knees. "No!" You sobbed. "Please! Please, I'll do anything. Please don't kill them!"
Jimin crouched down in front of you, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "This is the price that you have to pay for running. I hope that after this, you will learn." He said, his voice soft. He pulled you into his arms, holding you in place while Samuel, Cain, Abel, and Kassie were lined up. Martha and James were dragged to the front also, to watch their family friends being slaughtered.
"This is the fate that you all pay when you wrong a member of the royal family." Taehyung announced. He dragged a very angry Cain up first, ignoring his struggles as he shoved him to his knees. "Now, Y/N. As a further punishment...you get to decide how each and every one of these villagers will die." He grinned. Jungkook stepped forward. "I think that that might be going too far." He said. Taehyung shoved him away. "Decide." Taehyung growled. Jimin's grip tightened on you as he whispered into your ear. "The swiftest death will most likely be beheading."
Taking a shaky breath, you called out "Beheading". You shot Cain a sorrowful look, tears running down your cheeks. As Taehyung raised his heavy sword, you tried to look away. Jimin buried his hand in your hair, forcing your head straight to watch. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as you watched the blade rise into the air, before coming down to slice the older man's head off. The metal sliced cleanly through the skin, muscle and bone. You barely registered Abel and Samuel's shouts as their father's head rolled a few feet away, leaving a dark trail of blood.
Without any remorse, Taehyung shoved the lifeless body out of the way to make room for Samuel, who was being dragged to the center. He was screaming and fighting just as viciously as his father. Taehyung looked at you expectantly, his face now spattered with blood. "Beheading." You muttered again, but he shook his head. "It has to be different each time." He said, a sadistic grin on his face.
"I don't know!" You cried in frustration. You just wanted to go to sleep and wake up to find out this was all just a bad dream. "I will give you three choices. A slit throat, drowning...or a disembowelment." He listed off the murder methods as if they were options for dinner. You opened your mouth hesitantly, but before you could speak he cut you off. "Actually, no. I want to choose. I know what will fit these three idiots perfectly." He dropped his sword and crouched in front of Samuel. "You wear the clothes of a fisherman. You spend all of your time out in the water, right? You must have a connection with it."
Samuel didn't reply, choosing to stare at the ocean behind Taehyung instead. The tall prince snapped his fingers at one of his guards. "Grab me a large bucket of water. Quickly." A short yet muscular guard stepped from the ranks to fetch a large pail, before rushing to the sea to scoop up the salty water. He lugged it back up to Taehyung and placed it down in front of him.
Jimin's hand was still tightly tangled in your hair, and his body heat was quickly becoming too much for you along with the heavy cloak over your shoulders. You tried to move a few inches in order to separate his chest from your body, but he only tightened his grip again. "Be still." He breathed in your ear. "This is your punishment."
Taehyung gave you a sinister smile, grabbing a handful of Samuel's dirty blonde hair. "Honestly, I should let you do the honors, huh?" He asked. Jungkook stepped forward again, shaking his head. "Watching is punishment enough. Besides, Samuel could easily overpower her if he struggled hard enough." He said. Taehyung seemed to think for a moment, before sighing.
"Fine." He snapped, shooting you a glare. Then he shoved Samuel's head into the water. At first, as if trying to hold onto his pride, Samuel sat still. Bubbles began to rise in the salty water, and his body began to shake. Then, his body entered survival mode. He began to thrash, sloshing water out of the sides of the bucket. A part of you hoped that it would be enough to stop him from drowning, but the other half knew that no matter how many times Taehyung had to refill the bucket, if he wanted Samuel to drown then he would drown.
Taehyung pressed harder against Samuel's head, ignoring Kassie's screams. "What's wrong?" Taehyung yelled gleefully. "I thought you loved the sea! Surely this would be your preferred method of death? After all, the ocean provides for you and gives you life. Isn't this fitting?"
After a few more painful seconds of watching the poor fisherman struggle for his life, his body went limp. Taehyung held his head in place for another minute to ensure he wasn't faking it, before releasing him. Samuel's body flopped to the ground, water pouring from his nose and his mouth. His eyes were lifeless and glassy, and a fresh wave of tears fell down your cheeks when you realized that it was your fault.
Kassie's screams grew louder when a guard pulled her over to Taehyung next. Jimin's released your hair for a short moment to massage your scalp, surprising you. "W-what are you doing?" You mumbled. He touched your hair again, but instead of gripping it tightly he smoothed it down. "If you continue to watch like a good girl, then I won't grab your hair anymore." He said.
You nodded lightly, grateful for the relief on your scalp even though you knew it would be hard to willingly watch another murder. Instead of throwing her down, a guard stood behind Kassie and held her up with her arms behind her back. You had a bad feeling about her execution, knowing it was going to be one of the more brutal one's of the day.
Taehyung pulled a dagger from the pouch hanging from the saddle of his horse. It was a beautiful weapon, you had to admit. The gold handle had pretty blue gems embedded in the hilt. The blade itself was made of what looked like teal stained glass. It was the kind of blade you would put on display in your home for all to see, but never to use.
Taehyung obviously didn't feel the same way. You winced when he tore the front of Kassie's dress, from the neckline to her naval. It left her bare skin exposed to the harsh weather, for all villagers to see. He traced the sharp blade over her chest and stopped at her belly button, ignoring her desperate pleas. He held the blade still as he began to address the horrified onlookers.
"This woman," He began, his voice loud. "She slept with a duke, a man with blood more pure than hers. She continued to sleep with him until she fell pregnant with his child!" He let that statement sink in, the villagers unaware of her dark past. "Then, without a care in the world, she let the child die before he could even be born."
Kassie cut him off, desperate to avoid the gruesome death that she knew was coming. "No! I didn't kill it! The guards, they kept kicking my stomach! It wasn't my fault!" She struggled in the tight grip of the guard, kicking her legs out. She narrowly avoided kicking Taehyung, which angered him greatly.
He beckoned for two other guards to hold her legs still, a manic glint in his eyes. "Because of your sinful behavior, you will die." He said, before plunging the blade deep into her stomach. He yanked it all the way up to her chest, before pulling it out to inspect the red liquid coating the dagger.
At first, nothing happened. Her screaming stopped, and she simply stared ahead in horror. And then, her intestines spilled out. The guards at her feet jumped back, moving away to avoid getting the gore over their uniforms. You fought to not vomit, thankful that you hadn't eaten yet. The villagers around you let out horrified gasps, most turning away from the messy sight.
Martha let out a loud sob, averting her gaze desperately. James was gritting his teeth, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. The horror show was still far from over. Taehyung plunged the knife into her chest, ripping open the flesh to reveal her chest cavity. He motioned for the guard holding the now silent Kassie to turn so that she could face you. Her organs dragged on the dusty ground as she was carelessly moved. Then, he began to dig for something. You didn't know what he was going for, but whatever it was had no need to be so careless. Kassie's body was twitching, her face frozen in a permanent look of shock. You couldn't even tell if she was dead or just dying. You had never witnessed something so...disgusting.
You turned away to stare at the ocean, your body shaking so hard that you were sure that Taehyung could feel the ground rumbling from where he stood. Jimin's hand gripped your hair again, forcing you to once again look at the gruesome sight in front of you. Taehyung was pulling something from the mangled girl in front of you, but you couldn't see due to his back blocking the way.
After what felt like forever, the clearing filled with the sound of sobbing and the wet squelching of blood, Taehyung spun around with her heart resting in his hand. He gave you an evil grin, before biting into it. You ripped yourself from Jimin's grasp, throwing yourself down to dry heave. Taehyung's maniacal cackle filled the air as Jungkook rushed to your side.
"Taehyung, come on. It's getting late. Let's speed it up." He said, rubbing your back. Another hand swatted him away, pulling you back up. It was Jimin, determined to make you endure every second of this gruesome 'punishment'.
Taehyung threw the heart to the side as if it hadn't belonged to a living person only moments before. "Don't tell me what to do." He spat, wiping the blood off of his mouth. But he still waved his hand to the guard, who tossed Kassie's body to the side as if it was nothing. Then, he grabbed Abel himself. The blonde had been quiet for almost the entire time, obviously in shock. But when Taehyung grabbed his shirt and yanked him to the now bloody center, he tried to fight back.
Taehyung was quick, pulling Abel in front of you with his neck bared. You knew what was coming, your dream didn't lie. He ran the blade along his neck harshly, a spray of blood hitting your face hard. Jimin let out a shout of disgust, releasing you again. You scrambled away, desperate to be away from the death and blood that had become the village center. You couldn't handle the way that Abel's eyes never left yours as the light left them. Jungkook took Jimin's place, holding you far more gently. You barely registered that he was whispering something into your ear.
Taehyung released Abel's body, and it fell to the ground with a thud. Then, he turned to Martha and James. You couldn't process his words, your eyes trained on your now dead husband. You barely noticed when Martha was dragged in front of you first, her scalp being sliced off before Taehyung plunged his dagger into her neck. And you barely blinked when James was brought before you next, his eyes gouged out slowly before a his throat was sliced to ribbons.
You could only stare at the ground, your mind reeling. You had caused this. This was your fault. Your fault.