Taehyung did not waste a single second to grip the reins tightly and steer Roseanne into the opposite direction, urging her to quicken her speed up to a point where she galloped as fast as she could.
Jungkook felt extremely anxious and just hoped the horse would have a good orientation sense and know where it was going. Adding to that, he also felt a strong sense of guilt for putting Taehyung into such a messy situation for such selfish reason. Of course he didn't want to see the forest because he found it interesting, he wanted to find an exit that would help him return home, no matter what he told himself.
And now he had gone a little too far and they were stuck in the middle of the forest with a literal storm raging above- and as guilty as he felt about it, he couldn't deny the tiny voice inside his brain, asking him if he would have found the exit if only he could have gone deeper inside. Perhaps he was starting to get severely homesick.
The image painted inside his head just wouldn't leave him alone: A weeping willow with luscious, green leaves that almost seemed to sparkle in the magnificent sunlight, a pearly white trunk lighting up mysteriously and vines with the most beautiful red roses encircling it, its thorns gold, silver and bronze like in a fantasy movie...
The two boys were forced to keep their heads down due to the heavy rainfall and therefore were not able to look in front of them, not that they would be able to see much, anyways. However, after few more minutes of the horse's galloping hooves ringing inside their ears along with the sound of loud, clattering rain and some more faint thunder (which Taehyung reacted to with what sounded like tiny sobs- it made Jungkook feel even worse), things were finally looking better for the two of them. Instead of wet grass and moss, Roseanne was finally treading on Elysium's rosy pebbles again!
She galloped all the way to the palace as rapidly as she could, not liking how wet and sticky the rain made her fur feel. And having arrived back at the stables, the two boys were finally able to take a deep breath. The prince, however, seemed to have lost his ability to breathe properly. The storm must've shocked him so much he just remained seated on the saddle, shivering and ringing for air.
Jungkook, who had already got off the horse, gazed at him in worry. "You okay? I'm so sorry, I had no idea this would happen... You look really shaken up, let's get you off the horse."
No one was guarding the stables so Taehyung, a person with extremely high authority at court, was pretty much the brunette's entire responsiblity now, something he didn't know how to deal with. If Taehyung died under his care, he would be responsible for this entire kingdom's downfall.
But of course, he would not let that happen and since he obviously came to care for the blueberry-haired male, he'd try his best to make him feel safe. It pained him that the other's highly panicked state was his entire fault, and he really didn't know how to apologize.
"Can you take my hand and jump off the saddle? I got you... Taehyung?" The older was obviously still frightened but slightly nodded by the sound of his name, gripping Jungkook's hand with all his might and dismounting the horse with the brunette's help and his arms steadying him.
"I will... Never... Never have I been outside while... while...," the prince stuttered, his body limp in Jungkook's arms. He was cold and trembling- something he had felt not once in his entire life, always being cared for in the warm castle. He wasn't even supposed to go outside that much.
"I kinda figured. I'm sorry, this is all my fault. Do you want me to carry you back inside?" Taehyung shook his head no, not wanting to create a fuss within the castle.
About ten minutes later of the crown prince being utterly silent and Jungkook also being utterly silent in worry, they made their way back into the castle as normally as possible, servants and guards immediately noticing how their beloved prince was wet and shivering, whispering frantically. "Your Majesty, what has happened?!," he was asked by the turn of every single corner.
And finally, they were back in Taehyung's chambers and silence engulfed them. The brunette was desperately searching for the right moment to properly apologize to him but didn't seem to know when that moment was. And the more he thought, the more his courage vanished.
"Taehyung?" Despite being in the same room and having heard him perfectly clear, the older did not respond for a minute. And just when he actually wanted to, the doors were slammed open and in stormed a very concerned Jimin.
"Your Majesty! The servants tell me you have entered the castle in a highly disastrous state, shivering like a poor, innocent lamb that is about to get slaughtered? Whatever has happened? You were with him! Explain yourself!," he exclaimed dramatically, pointing an accusing finger on Jungkook.
"W-We were just out riding. And then, it started to storm. That's all?" But Jimin did not listen to him, immediately running towards his prince to save him from his highly disastrous state.
Jungkook decided to try to talk to the prince again, calling his name over and over while Jimin was busy undressing said prince and rubbing his skin with fluffy white towels.
After accidentally catching a glimpse of Taehyung's bare shoulders from behind, he widened his eyes and awkwardly turned around, trying not to think about how flawless and soft the other's glistening skin looked.
When Taehyung was wrapped in several warm blankets like a little burrito and Jimin had left the room to have a warm cup of tea prepared for him, Jungkook decided to try once again.
"Taehyung? Prince Taehyung? My prince?," he asked carefully, watching the suddenly so small-looking person sitting on the canopy bed. "My prince? You have never called me that," Taehyung answered after a few moments.
"Sorry, I still don't know what to call you sometimes. But I'll call you however you like."
"What is it that you wanted to say?" Jungkook sat himself next to him swiftly, facing him on the bed. "I'm really sorry for not turning around in time. I knew you were scared, but I didn't realize that at first and I really should've. It's just..."
"You were hoping to find a way back. There is no need to apologize." The brunette's head jerked upwards in surprise. "Maybe... How did you know?" And all of a sudden, Taehyung smiled and shifted a bit closer.
"Oh Jungkook, you sometimes forget that I love to read books. My boredom is lifted by constantly thinking about them, the stories, the characters, their motives, their emotions, their mentality. This leads to me being able to read people quite skillfully. You said you passed out in the woods before coming here and seemed awfully drawn to them ever since." He then took Jungkook's hand into his own, which made the younger feel quite warm and fuzzy inside, having someone understand him so well...
"I am so very sorry that I know nothing about the woods, I spent my entire childhood running around rose gardens and flowerbeds, and Rosaly, of course, the woods did not cross my mind once. If they had, maybe I would know more. However, I could ask my brother Namjoon if he knows something about then, he seems quite smitten with them." Jungkook smiled too and caressed the skin of the prince's soft hand with his thumb. Both their hands were still cold from the rain, but it surely did not feel like it in the slightest.
"You know, when I talked to you the first time, I thought you'd be conceited and selfish. But now that I actually know you, I know you guard a sensible heart of gold within. And I think you shouldn't ever hide it and pretend to be cold. You're sweet and caring." Taehyung's eyes were wide out of emotion, seemingly having lost his ability to talk.
"O-Oh Jungkook, no one has ever said such things to me before. How can one be so compassionate and observant? I don't know what to say, it is as if all words have left me," he rambled in agitation. Jungkook found it quite adorable.
"You don't need to say anything," he assured, keeping their hands intertwined and rearranging the blankets that threatened to slip off the prince's shoulder by draping them around it again, with utmost care. Taehyung was used to this kind of treatment, of course, but never had anyone draped a blanket around his shoulder with such care, Jimin always seemed to do it so rushedly, without any sort of sentiment...
"Your Majesty, I have brought your cup of tea!," the blonde servant shouted, barging in while balancing a golden tray in his arms and completely ruining the moment. He furrowed his eyebrows when he saw Jungkook's hands on Taehyung's shoulders and slapped them off with a shake of his head.
"You shall never touch His Majesty in such a blunt manner," he scolded. "Only I and the handmaidens have that right." But the prince waved him off, also shaking his head.
"There is no need to be harsh on him, Jimin. He is my friend." The servant looked absolutely perplexed.
"Friend-- he is your what?! Forgive me, Your Majesty, but this is a completely inappropriate friendship. Your Grace, you are... a prince! And he is a mere servant, not even a servant! But a commoner, a boy who does not even belong at court and who might even bring danger to you! How could this man possibly be your friend?!," Jimin stammered in disbelief.
"You know, I'm still here and I can hear you." Jungkook raised an eyebrow, trying not to feel offended. Of course, the other didn't pay attention to him.
"What does it matter where he comes from? I have grown to care for him deeply, he brings joy to me when nothing else can. That is what a friendship is truly about and I think the secrecy makes it ever so much more romantic," the prince defended, Jimin widening his eyes to the size of saucers.
"Romantic?! I..."
"You will not tell a single soul that Jungkook and I are friends and most importantly, you will not tell anyone where he truly is from. That includes your mother's grave, you shall never, never speak of it, or a terrible fate might dawn upon my new friend and not even my word will be able to protect him. And I ask you to be nicer to him, and not snap at him as if he were an imbecile," Taehyung ordered sternly, Jimin looking torn apart for a few moments before remembering who he was truly loyal to and bowing down to show his respect.
"Of course, Your Majesty. Your wish is my command." He bowed again.
"I'll tell the kitchen servants to cook you a warm meal. You must be famished, My Prince." And looking stiff as ever, he left the room.
"Do you think he'll tell anyone about me?," Jungkook asked as soon as he had left, seating himself on Taehyung's bed again, which the older did not mind at all. He shook his head calmly.
"No, Jimin is loyal to me and me only. He would not dare betray me or my trust." Despite being sceptical, the brunette nodded.
"Don't you think you could be nicer to him? I mean, you told him to treat me nicely so wouldn't it be fair if you did the same for him? I'm not trying to be offensive, but you always seem to snap at him and he can't even complain about it. I feel sorry for him sometimes, yaknow?," he suggested carefully.
At that, the crown prince suddenly started smiling, not out of amusement, but simply because he was caught off guard by the younger's request. "Oh Jungkook, I once again have to tell you that you do not understand the world of the royals. However, I am starting to grow fond of your ideas. I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I will try to take your words to heart."
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(A/N: okay i want the relationship to progress so badly but i'm extremely hard to please when it comes to relationship developments so you gotta bear with me and my slow burning ass because i'm strict with that stuff for no reason lsjlsdfkklds
also, finally my holidays have started and in a week we're going to visit eastern europe for the first time of my life and i'm rlly excited, my bestie's fam is from romania so we're actually gonna spend a few days together which i'm looking forward too and anyways i hope you're all enjoying your summer, thank you alot for reading and i love you for being amazing people <333 *insert purple hearts* )