Author's pov:
A few days ago~
Castle of Busan:
The former queen was growing agitated. This was the best time for her to plot something, the only time Jungkook would be away but nothing seemed to go unnoticed by the hawk eyed general. The letter she wanted to send across borders was still kept on her dressing table, dust slowing forming layers on it.
She was finally seeing why Jungkook respected Jimin so much. The two were of the same age and had begun training almost at the same time. As teenagers, in the training grounds, they were almost like rivals. Jungkook was always left astonished by Jimin's core strength while Jimin was amazed by Jungkook's precision and accuracy in a swords fight. They truly admired each other. They weren't close, their conversation never lasted more than five minutes but there was always an unsaid mutual understanding between them.
Jungkook had strongly believed, and still does that Jimin was one of the very few people who'd stand by his side when the entire world will be against him.
Jimin was tirelessly working, managing all the responsibilities towards the royal household and also towards the training of the soldiers. No matter how tired he was, he'd go through the paperworks in detail which gave the ministers of the royal court a very hard time.
But he was human too. Every time when he reached his limit, he'd turn to the only outlet, the only comfort he had, Miho.
Jimin and Miho grew up together as neighbours. They used to play together, eat together, even trouble their mothers together. They were almost inseparable. Key word being 'Almost'.
When Jimin was of a certain age and gained the ability to finally see what life truly was, he realised it did not just revolve around the two houses he had known for the most part. It wasn't just fun and games. It was cruel, unpredictable and an unfair place. He realised it when he lost his father to a terrorist ambush. He witnessed his father being killed by some rebellious soldiers of his own kingdom. His father, a farmer, a man who held a plough or an axe only to cut trees or uproot plants, who never had it in him to harm a human being or even an animal, was killed for no certain reason. He was killed because someone was in a bad mood, that someone held more power than a mere farmer and it gave them a pass to let their anger out on his father.
And it changed him. For better or for worse, it entirely changed his perspective on life.
There were five of them and he made sure all five were hanged to death. A mere 13 year old walked down the royal court, holding nothing but mad fury in his eyes, locked eyes with the king and asked for justice, with authority. It was the least he could get and he got it, even asked to be in the same room when they were being hanged.
He didn't blink once, didn't look away when their bodies shook and pathetically twisted like chickens as the life was being sucked out of their throats.
The king was no fool to let that young adrenaline and anger go to waste. He believed that if anger was directed in the right direction, it could become an asset. And at that time Jimin's greatest asset was his pain and madness and the king knew just the right thing to put it to good use.
"Would you like to join the forces, young child?" The King put his hand on Jimin's shoulder.
"And become like them?" He pointed towards the now dead soldiers, hanging lifelessly. "No, I'm good." The King did not mind the way the child talked to him. Right now he was nothing but a grieving son.
"I understand and I won't force you." He bent to his level on his knees, his cloak now sweeping the floor. "But there is a thing about power I must tell you." Jimin just scrunched his eyebrows. "Authority, influence and power are like black magic. They slowly consume you and you don't even realise when you change. And there is only one thing that can stop it from flowing through your system and get to your brain. Do you know what that is?" He asked the child.
Jimin shook his head in denial, now slightly intrigued by the conversation. "What is it?"
"The goodness of one's heart." He pointed his index finger on Jimin's chest. "Its right here. If someone is truly good, the power of the black magic can turn into such a marvellous devine force of fortune that you can't imagine the good will it would bring. But it must take a 'good heart' for poison to turn into a remedy."
"Your Majesty, the ministers are ready to meet you." He looked at the soldier before looking back at the child.
Getting back on his feet, he looked at Jimin for one last time. "If you believe you have that in you, come back here. There will always be a place for the young blood of busan in my army."
Not even a few days later, he found Jimin standing infront of him with those same fiery eyes.
Ah, this kid is definitely something, he thought.
He now had a purpose in life, that was to become strong enough to be someone's hope in the time of despair, to be a warrior, a protector.
Those were the days when he came across Jungkook. The moment their eyes clashed, a challenge brew in the wind. A challenge to be better than the other. One cut through obstacles to prove his worth in his father's eyes while the other's driving force was to become the strongest of all. Both fought their fair shares of battles to reach where they are today.
While on his rise to gain power, Jimin slowly and steadily had drifted away from his best friend, for him atleast. It was abrupt for Miho, so abrupt that it shook her balance for years. Jimin was one of the people she thought would remain a constant in her life but when he left, he didn't look back once, he didn't even properly tell her the reason of leaving for so long, that she unintentionally and unknowingly held a grudge against him.
He didnt feel the need to make her sit and properly explain, to clarify exactly why, when and where he was leaving to. He just left like that. She still tried her best to be understanding. She saw how his father's death affected him and did everything in her power to cheer him up, to make him confide in her, to be the shoulder he cries on. But he just wasn't there, her best friend was gone, this was someone else.
The inseparable pair was finally separated and this time neither of them tried to bridge the gap for years.
Jimin used to come home a few times to meet his mother and coincidentally those were the times Miho wouldn't be at home. It was from his mother she got to know that he was training to join the Busan Army. It was a shocker! He never once mentioned about joining army. It just wasn't him or maybe he used to keep secrets from her. Whatever she knew about him suddenly felt like a lie and it hurt. It was Jimin's mother who'd initiate the talk about her son, Miho never bothered asking about him.
Soon he became just a phase of her life, a chapter she'd choose not to revisit cause she was scared of the pain that would come along.
But she didn't know that her book revolved around him. He left for a few chapters but would return with different colours, different emotions.
Miho began working as a maid in the royal palace. The job wasn't tough as she used to do the same things back at home and it also paid enough for her to send some money back at home and keep some for herself. She was sure she'd never cross paths with Jimin. He was the General Commander, one of the highest ranks in the army and was given separate quarters away from the palace. Surely, she was proud of his achievements but she'd never admit it that she still thought of him. Whenever his name surfaced in the maid's conversations, she'd listen. If they praised him too much, she'd get jealous and if they bad mouthed him, she'd want to defend him.
Thats what love does to you. It didn't take a genius to guess or realise she was in love with him. She had accepted it and also the fact she was his past, not his present or future.
I bet on mother's food, he never even bothered to remember me let alone take my name once in all these years.
Little did she know, he thought of her every day. He missed her everyday but didn't have the guts to reach out to her. The distance, the situations, the unresolved talks made them distant. He was aware of it but at that time, his main priority was something else. Now when he was somewhat ready to mend things, she went away for work. Stupid of him to think she'd wait for him all this time.
Life was being generous towards him when it made him have a glimpse of her in the palace. It was her. He could tell it was her without hesitation. She had grown into a beautiful woman, her face had changed a little but those eyes could never.
Life had given him a chance to bridge the gap between them and this time he'd go above and beyond to have her back in his life, just like she used to be, maybe more.
Slowly things were going back to their rightful place. They were finally together, spending time with each other.
Jimin had been careful about everything while being in the castle except the tiny detail that others could notice his closeness with Miho and they could use it against him.
And thats exactly what Mrs.Jeon did.
"You're not as smart as I expected you to be General Park." Jimin halted in his steps and turned to see Mrs.Jeon. He dismissed the soldier beside him and walked towards her.
"I don't understand, Majesty."
"You're one of those who'd never let your enemy in on your weaknesses-" she paused and lifted her hand to check her neatly done nails. "- yet you left one out in the open." Looking back at him, she smirked.
Jimin stared at her, letting her words sink in, before his face paled at the realisation. Then he ran.
"MIHO!" he stepped inside the women's quarters not caring about their privacy. The women yelped and squeaked loudly at the abrupt invasion. He marched through the place like a mad man, wrecking the objects that came in his way, be it a chair, curtains or a bed. He realised she wasn't here. His chest heaved as he turned to the nearest woman. "Where is Miho?" His voice was laced with threat.
"T-two soldiers c-came and took h-her."
"Where?" He demanded.
"I- I don't know."
"But I do." Everyone in the room turned to see the former queen and they were shocked. Why would she come here? This place was like a chaotic and dirty fish market for her. But Jimin didn't give two fucks about it right now. Not about her or her title.
"Where is she!?"
"Safe,....for now." She gestured her hand for all the women inside to leave. They all hurried out like sheeps leaving the two alone.
"I swear to god, if anything happens to her, I'll forget about your title-" he marched towards her. "-I won't even care about you being a woman." He breathed fire, only a moment away from snapping.
Mrs.Jeon surely was intimidated by his sharp gaze but didn't show it. She was also maddened at the fact that he addressed her informally. A filthy commoner has the audacity to do such a crime! Taking a steady breath, she spoke. "Sign the letter and I'll tell you where she is. Also,...if you take long to make a decision, I won't be able to garauntee what those soldiers would do to her, with her."
***
Author: I won't be able to update the next chapter early. There is a ton of study load on me and no one to share it with.
Did you also experience such days when you just want to lay there and not do a thing? Like not even pick your phone to scroll!? 😫
Anyway, enough about me!
THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES!! 😆
I swear they are the only source of dopamine and serotonin in the last few days for me.