RINEI
I can barely sleep.
It's the middle of the night when I wake back up, after dozing off for a little. Every time I'd fall asleep, I'd just wake up again with Tae's stricken eyes burned into my mind.
He'd looked terrified. Terrified of what? Of me?
My fingers twist the sheets of my bed. I had so many questions. But he'd left so fast, and I couldn't go find him before he came to see me first.
This entire day I'd been completely out of it.
Forcing my eyes back shut, I press my face into the pillow. If I'm quiet enough, I can hear the trees outside, their leaves swaying and dancing in the night wind.
Tap.
I blink.
What was that?
And I'm staring blankly into the dark of my room when I hear it again.
Tap.
It's a soft sound, against my window.
I jerk out of the bed. Then I rush towards the glass window, only in my nightdress and completely barefoot. My hair is messy and bedridden.
My fingers frantically tug at the curtains.
The moonlight reflects a tall, lean figure, standing outside. His hand is raised for another tap when I pull the curtains open.
Tae.
Tae, I mouth to myself when I see his face. The moment I realize it's him, I run out of the room and out to the back. Everyone is asleep.
My feet touches cool grass as I close the distance between us in a heartbeat. Then he spreads his arms open, and I don't even think about it as I tuck my body into his.
There's a dazed, sweet laughter.
"Hi, love."
You have a lot to explain, I sign, an arm still wrapped around his waist as I pull back to look up at him. Do you know how—
Then my eyes widen.
He's hurt.
I instantly reach up to touch the side of his head. There's blood between the dark locks, as if he'd gotten hit with something hard. It looks painful.
You're hurt.
"It looks worse than it is." He whispers, his fingertip grazing my jawline. His arms tighten around my shoulders when I glance at him in disbelief.
"Truly, Rinei. You need not worry."
Is he...okay?
Why is he talking like that? And he looks a little unfocused, his expression all disoriented. He's also wincing every couple of seconds, as if his head's hurting him.
So I pull him towards the porch.
I sit down, crossing my legs in front of me. Then i wave at my lap, eyes serious. He looked like he might collapse any second.
A tipsy smile tugs his lips.
"You're awfully bold today."
Just lie. Down.
He laughs at my rapid, stiff signs. Then he lowers himself heavily, his eyes roaming around my face as he rests his head on my lap. I'm brushing back his long hair when he suddenly reaches up to caress my cheek.
"So damn beautiful."
My body tenses. And I'm struggling to force down the blush threatening to take over my face when he breathes.
"I came to say sorry, love. Forgive me that I did not come faster. I kept you waiting, didn't I?"
...it's fine.
Just tell me why you're like this. What happened?
"It was my brother."
"He doesn't like me too much." He murmurs, his smile pure at my tense expression. "I wish he would understand, that he's just trying too hard."
Your brother did this?!
He doesn't seem to even care as he nods, eyes blinking sleepily.
What in the world did he have against his family? I knew that he didn't get along with his father either— and now his brother?
What about your mother? I sign anxiously, wishing that he did have someone. I couldn't imagine my parents hating me— Jungkook hating me. It would be suffocating.
And then he says this.
"She passed soon after my birth."
I'm at a loss for words. He looks amused as he tugs open an eye, obsidian eyes roaming mine.
"Don't be sorry for me. I barely knew her, Rinei."
How was I not supposed to feel sorry for him?
Then you...
My hands pause midair, searching for the signs to say what's in my mind. His expression is calm, curious as I finally motion.
You didn't have anyone, Tae?
"I have you."
My hands flash again, faster to hide the warmth in my cheeks. Not me. You know...You know what I mean.
There's a breath of silence. And then a smile tinges his lips, half-conscious and distant. His fingers tap quietly against the wooden floor of the porch.
"Well, there is—"
Then there's a low, familiar whistle.
And my entire body jerks with shock when a black-feathered arrow slams inches away from Tae's hand, into the wood. My eyes whip to the darkness of the Forests, arms instinctively tightening around the elf in my lap.
Then I hear his voice, muffled under my hand.
"It's fine."
"It's my guard, Rinei."
My eyes are still wide with fear.
A what?
You have a guard? I sign nervously, eyes flickering back and forth across the forest. Why? Are you a prince or something—
Then a figure drops out of the trees, nearly making me jerk. It's so dark, but I can still see the slender, lean silhouette between the Forests, a huge, curved bow in one hand.
I can feel the anger in a heavy aura all the way from here.
Are you sure? I sign rapidly, hands stiff with tension. He tried to shoot you. I think we're both going to die.
My eyes flicker at the arrow embedded in my porch. Then they flick back to the figure, who's standing motionless in front of us. I can't see his face, but I can feel his gaze. I can feel the murder.
"He's just angry I left without telling him."
He looks more than angry, Tae.
"He'll get over it."
And I'm about to sign a shaky hello when a soft voice pierces through the air. This elf's voice is terrifyingly gentle— quiet, yet it feels so deadly at the same time.
It shuts me up instantly.
"I told you to stay put until tomorrow, Your Highness."
"I know. I heard you then, Jimin."
And I almost pinch him to be quiet. The elf— Jimin— smoothly slips his bow back over his shoulders, his narrowed eyes revealing themselves further as he draws closer.
"Is this her?"
I see blonde hair, tied up into a loose bun. His face is paler than Tae's, and his hooded eyes fix on me.
He's beautiful.
"It is. Now drop the act, Jimin. You're not scaring anyone."
And the moment he says that, the blonde elf smiles. Then he bends into a deep bow, sweeping my hand into his and pressing a kiss against the back. His eyes twinkle in amusement.
What the heck?
"I'm sorry, my lady." He murmurs. "I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that he,"
His eyes glare at Tae on my lap. His eyes are closed, dark hair rippling softly in the breeze. He looks asleep.
"If he wasn't the prince I was sworn to serve, I would've already left him somewhere to drown."
A prince?
I instantly look down at him. But I don't need to, with him already giving his guard an annoyed look.
"And if you weren't my only friend, I would've thrown you into the dungeons the day I met you."
The elf called Jimin turns away from scowling at him. His eyes instead shift to me, corners turning upwards in an attractive slant. He smiles.
"I've heard much about you, my lady."
Heard about me? From who? Tae?
About me? I sign. And he nods, his smile deepening.
"He talks about you. Only you, Miss. Every. Single. Time."
A light flush dusts my cheeks. And I risk a glance down at him, my fingers still entangled in the locks of his soft hair. But to my surprise, he's asleep.
I can hear his even breathing.
My eyes hesitantly flicker back up. What...does he say about me?
"How beautiful you are. How he would die if he didn't go see you every night." He says, accenting his words. My fingers unconsciously play with Tae's locks, twisting lightly at his light strands before falling away again.
"How he loves you, more than anyone else."
My fingers pause.
And I'm staring down blankly when Jimin suddenly gets to his feet. He throws me a glance at the sight of Tae asleep.
"I'm afraid he won't make the way back to the Elven Palace. I don't know how he even came here in the first place, with his wound still like that."
He can stay.
A ghostlike smile passes by his lips. But it's so fast I think I might've imagined it, and he brushes his lips across the back of my hand again.
"Thank you, Miss."
"I will come by early morning. He should be recovered by then."
Wait.
Early morning?!
My head jerks up. I'd meant that I could stay with him for a bit longer, until he woke up again. I didn't think he'd meant the entire night—
The blonde elf's gone.
And it's only me, stuck with the Elven Prince completely unconscious on my lap.