TAEHYUNG
"Jimin."
The sharp tang of poison fills the air. And Jimin is motionless on the ground, a dark, long arrow deep in his shoulder. I stumble to his side, feeling as if I might just lose my sanity.
That arrow. Dark signet, silver feathers.
My brother's. It was unmistakable.
Completely disoriented, my eyes flicker around the Forest.
Rinei. There is no sign of her.
He'd taken her already.
My hands tremble as I kneel down next to Jimin. I can't even hear his pulse through the blood roaring in my ears, and the thick smell of the poison clouding my senses.
My brother always had poison on the tips of his arrows. I had to take Jimin to the City now— if I wanted any chance at saving him. I could already see the violet streaks spreading through his pale skin.
But fear freezes me still.
By that time, what would have my brother done?
What was he doing to her in this moment I was here?
"Your Highness."
I whip around.
Arlen.
"Go." She says, her blonde hair rippling in the wind. Her blue eyes glitter steadily, as she looks down at Jimin on the ground. Her voice is so calm, so different from mine.
"Go after the girl. I will get him the antidote."
She meets my surprised gaze, tilting her head to the side.
"Hurry, Prince."
"It may not be too late to save her still."
_______________________________
RINEI
He doesn't take me to the City, like I'd expected him to. Instead he rides the stallion deeper into the Forest, away from the direction of Elven.
I don't know where he's taking me.
"Stop struggling."
His arms tighten around my waist. I'm sitting in the front of the saddle, with him behind me. I don't make too much of a move for now.
There wasn't anything I'd be able to do on top of a horse like this.
And I needed to be able to kill him with my own hands. I'd glimpsed the knife hung to the hem of the saddle a long time ago— and had slipped it between the wraps of my cloak before he'd realized anything.
I needed him distracted first.
Where are you taking me?
I hear the grin smile in his voice.
"Where do you think I'm bringing you?"
Anger seizes my body. Don't play games with me.
"No, I'm genuinely curious, dear. Where do you think I'm bringing you?"
I stay silent.
He laughs, a chilling sound that makes me shiver.
"We're here now."
All of a sudden, the Forest opens to pale, blue skies. The thick trees disappear, and I gape when I realize we're at the edge of a cliffside. The dirt and leaves on the ground have turned to gray rock.
You're going to throw me off a cliff? Seriously?
"Of course not." He says in amusement. "I would never do that to such a lovely little lady."
Then why...?
"You aren't the one who's going over that cliff today."
"It's my brother who is."
I whip towards him. But then he sweeps me into his arms, and I can't even resist as he shifts off the horse. He moves closer towards the edge, his hands pressing me firmly against his chest.
I strain.
Why was he so damn strong?!
What are you talking about? I sign, unable to hide the urgency in my hands. Don't lie. You came here for nothing, stupid idiot—
He laughs sharply under his breath.
"You really don't think he won't find you?"
"I left that guard poisoned, with my arrow. He is my poor brother's only friend. He could possibly live, if my brother chose to take him back to the City for treatment."
"But no."
"He will choose you, over the life of his friend."
The blood slowly drains from my already-pale cheeks.
"He will choose you. And he will even go to use his magic, to find out where you are. He will do anything. Did you really think I didn't guess that he'd linked himself to you? My brother is foolish like that— foolish with love."
He smiles, his lips scarlet.
"You will be the one to lead him to his own death."
"And I will ascend the throne, with nobody else to stand in my way."
My thoughts cut short.
My fingers tighten around the handle of the knife. Then I slash at him, pushing away at his chest at the same time. He lets me go, and I stumble backwards until I find my balance, back facing the cliff edge.
I tilt the point of the knife towards him, my eyes two burning pools of black.
He laughs.
"Standing a bit too close to the edge, don't you think?"
I stay silent.
"Are you going to fight me, dear?" He muses, his smile suddenly turning cold. He tips his head to the side. "Has love blinded your senses as well? I didn't think you'd be this foolish."
Shut up.
I angle the blade towards him.
He stares at me, as if asking if I was really serious. I knew too— that I had no chance of doing the slightest damage to him. I knew that almost better than he did.
But he underestimates me.
He sighs.
"Let's just end you."
He lunges. Usually he'd have me down before I could make a single move, but this time it's different.
He underestimates me, and he's slower.
I lash out.
And I feel the blade cut across skin as he sweeps me down to the ground. My body crashes back first into the hard rock, and the knife clatters from my hands.
I look up, with wide eyes.
The Crown Prince stares down at me. And he looks stunned as I see the blood well up in a long scar I'd cut across his cheek. The moment I see it, I know.
It would be there, forever.
I give him a weak smile.
Ha.
Loser.
Payback, for the scar on Taehyung's neck.
He roars.
And I wince as he grips my shoulders, in a crushing hold. The blood from his face drips down onto my cheek as he laughs, in a crazed, terrifying way. It's different from before.
It scares me a little.
"You're really out of your mind, aren't you?" He whispers under his breath. "Do you really want to die? You have a death wish?"
I shiver as he puts his face closer to mine. His breath is hot against my cheek, and I grimace, turning my head away. I can feel his blood fall, staining my skin.
"Look at me."
His fingers wrap around my head. Then he jerks my face towards him, and I make a shocked, strangled noise when I see the silver bladepoint of the knife inches away from my eyes.
"Does that scare you now?" He hisses, as I freeze up completely under him. He smiles lazily.
"Shouldn't have let your anger get the best of you."
He's going to kill me.
I'm going to die. Now.
It's over.
I squeeze my eyes shut. And I wait— wait for the feeling of death, the feeling of a cold blade. I wait for the pain. All I can hear is the sound of my heart pounding across my chest.
But all I feel are the droplets of blood that fall against my cheeks.
It just feels— heavier, than before.
I scrunch one of my eyes open.
There's a hand. Wrapped around the blade.
A muted scream bursts from my lips as my eyes quickly trace upwards, towards the dark-haired elf holding the knife with his bare hands.
Taehyung.
"Hello, brother."