As the great doors of the palace swung open, Jennie stepped through, her presence commanding yet visibly weary from the battlefield's toll.
Her attire bore the marks of combat—stains of blood and dirt that told silent tales of the day's brutal encounters.
The weight of command and the burden of decisions lay heavy on her shoulders as she moved purposefully, issuing her final commands to the aides who scurried alongside her, hanging on her every directive.
As she rounded a corner near the private quarters of the royal family, Taehyung appeared, his expression tense with concern. The sight of her in such a battered state drew him immediately to her side.
Without a word, he reached out, his hands gently grasping her shoulders as he examined her for injuries.
His eyes narrowed when he noticed a rather deep cut on her arm, the blood having seeped through her sleeve.
"You're hurt," he stated, the worry evident in his voice as he carefully traced the line of the wound with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the soldierly firmness she'd held all day.
"It's nothing," Jennie tried to dismiss, but Taehyung's concerned gaze held hers. "I'll find a sorcerer healer later."
"No, you'll see one now," Taehyung insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. He took her by the hand, leading her towards his chamber where they would not be disturbed.
He dispatched a servant with strict instructions to call for the palace's best healer immediately.
Once inside his room, Taehyung guided Jennie to a plush chaise near the fireplace where she quickly discarded her uniform coat and weaponry, leaving her in the white shirt and trousers as she took a seat on the chaise.
The room was a sanctuary of peace, the warmth from the hearth casting a gentle glow over the ornate furnishings.
She found herself unable to protest as he gently wiped the majority of the blood and grime from her arms, hands, face, and neck with a damp towel.
The tenderness in his actions touched a place deep within her that she couldn't quite name.
As they waited for the healer, the tension of their unresolved argument hung palpably in the air.
"About earlier, on the balcony... I didn't mean to dismiss your concerns. You must know every decision weighs on me deeply. I just didn't want to risk a future with Leonard leading the empire." Jennie, sensing the need to clear the air, spoke first.
"I know. And I... I should have trusted your judgment. You were right to keep me from the battlefield, however difficult it was to accept." Taehyung looked up from actions to turn to her.
"It's not just about being right. It's about us, about protecting what we can. Sometimes... sometimes that means protecting each other from ourselves." Jennie reached out her hand, and Taehyung took it.
Taehyung squeezed her hand, his other hand brushing a strand of hair from her face. "This war, these battles we fight... I can't bear the thought of losing you." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"I didn't know, and still don't know, how to grasp with the fact that while you're out there on the battlefield, I'm stuck back here. Unable to do anything for you." He continued as his eyes fixated on the deep gash on her arm.
"You are doing everything for me. You being safe matters to me the most. Out there, you are the target. Not me. I know how formidable of a warrior you are, the entire kingdom knows. You are the war hero of Valoria. However these are the times when strength fails us the most." She spoke, voice soft as she gently used her hand to redirect his eyes on her.
"Us here, still standing, or well sitting, together....that's what matters most." Her eyes softened, the barriers between them melting away in the quiet honesty of the moment.
As they talked, the door opened quietly, and the healer entered, a discreet figure who immediately set to work on Jennie's wound.
Taehyung watched intently, his concern palpable, but Jennie only held his gaze, a silent thank you in her eyes for his unwavering care.
Once the healer had softly murmured a spell and used his powers to heal the wound, he excused himself, leaving them once again in solitude.
The only sounds were the soft crackling of the fireplace and the distant, muffled echoes of activity within the palace.
Jennie and Taehyung found themselves alone, enveloped in the warm glow of the fire that cast dancing shadows across the walls.
Taehyung turned slightly to face Jennie, his gaze intense and searching. The light from the fire highlighted the angles of his face, casting him in a glow that seemed almost otherworldly.
Jennie, her own face illuminated by the flickering flames, looked back at him.
In the firelight, her features were softened, the smudges of battle blending into a portrait of resilience and grace.
Her eyes, usually so commanding and sure, now reflected a vulnerability she seldom showed.
They sat in silence for a moment, taking the peaceful moment to take each other and the rare quiet in.
Taehyung reached out, his hand hesitating in the air before gently touching her cheek. His touch was tentative, as if he feared she might vanish like a vision conjured by the fire.
Jennie closed her eyes for a moment at the warmth of his touch, leaning slightly into his hand. When she opened her eyes again, she could feel her heart ramming against her chest at the intensity of his gaze.
Encouraged, his hand moved to the back of her neck, his fingers threading through her hair, loosening the tight bun slightly, allowing some strands to fall free.
His other hand found hers, fingers intertwining as if they were drawing strength from each other. She turned her face towards him, her breath mingling with his, their foreheads nearly touching.
Taehyung leaned in, his other hand rising to cradle her face tenderly.
His lips met hers in a gentle inquiry, soft and testing at first, but as she responded by parting her lips, the kiss deepened instinctively.
The kiss evolved slowly, growing in intensity as if each moment they lingered was a step deeper into uncharted territory.
His lips moved over hers with a growing urgency, his movements becoming more assured.
Her hands found their way to his shoulders, gripping them, pulling him closer.
The initial caution in their touch gave way to a more desperate need, reflecting the pent-up tension and the relief of being together, if only for a moment.
Their breaths became mingled, quick and heated, as the kiss turned into a more profound connection. Each seemed to be breathing the other in as if they were one another's oxygen.
Slowly yet surely, his hands came to wrap around her waist, pushing her firmly against him.
Taehyung swore he almost went off the rails at the sinfully sweet sound she made when he nibbled at her lip, making it impossible to resist from doing it again.
The only reason he could resist however was due to her legs raising to wrap around his waist, eliciting a groan to slip past his lips before he gently guided her back to lay against the chaise.
He could feel her soft, warm body underneath him as his hands firmly gripped her waist, the other arm taking up his body weight and allowing her to drag her hands up and down his back, occasionally tangling in and tugging at the locks of his hair near the base of his skull.
He didn't care that she had most definitely messed up his hair. How could he? When the woman under him was as intoxicating as she was, not a single other thought passed him mind.
The feeling of her barely long nails dragging up and down his back, only separated by the thin cotton shirt, drove him near crazy.
This kiss was Jennie pressed into a single gesture. Her brazen pride and her stubborn resolve, her fearless spirit, and her unyielding strength. It was all those things, and it took Taehyung's breath away. Knocked the air from his lungs.
The world outside the warmth of their secluded space seemed to fade into insignificance, the roles and rules that governed their lives momentarily forgotten.
They explored each other with a growing intensity, the heat between them mirroring the fire's glow.
As they finally parted, both were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other, their breaths heavy in the silent room.
The fire continued to crackle beside them, a reminder of the passing time and the reality that awaited beyond the walls of Taehyung's room.
If luck was on their side, they would've been able to be cooped up in his chamber for hours on end, the rest of the world long forgotten.
But unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side. And it was punctuated by a sharp rapping at Taehyung's door.
"Your Highness, Her Excellence and you are requested in the strategy room to debrief and discuss the attack. The Emperor will be joining you as well." Liam's voice resounded through as Taehyung sighed, taking a deep breath before he forcefully sat up and put some distance between him and Jennie.
"We're coming." He yelled out as he took her hand, pulling her up to her feet as well.
"If you don't feel up to it I can handle the meeting and say you are ill." He spoke as she shook her head.
"I was out on the field. I should be there too." She sighed, eyeing her knights coat and knowing she couldn't possibly wear that.
"Here." Taehyung's voice called her attention as she turned to see him handing her his coat.
"Take this." He prompted, extending his head as she shook her head fiercely.
"I can't possibly wear a royal prince's coat! What will they all say?!" She exclaimed as he gave her a pointed look, eyeing her t shirt.
"I have more since I live here. You do not. Trust me, they will say far worse if you show up to the meeting in a thin undershirt. It's not even a regular shirt." He pointed out, as she looked down, knowing he was right.
With a resigned sigh, Jennie took the coat from Taehyung, feeling the weight of the fabric as she slipped it over her shoulders.
It was warm, still carrying his scent, and it fit her more snugly than her own gear.
They quickly adjusted her appearance, Taehyung helping to straighten the coat so it sat properly on her shoulders.
It was clearly a prince's coat, with fine embroidery and a distinct royal cut, but it was preferable to her blood-stained, torn uniform.
Adjusting the collar, she tried to ignore the way it made her feel more connected to him, even as they prepared to face the world as if nothing had happened between them.
Taehyung watched her for a moment, his eyes softening.
"It suits you," he said quietly, a half-smile flickering on his face as he tried to lighten the mood.
Jennie managed a small smile back, appreciating his effort to ease the tension.
"Thank you, for this," she gestured to the coat, then more broadly around the room, indicating his support. "For everything."
They shared a brief, charged glance, full of things unsaid and feelings suppressed for the sake of duty and decorum.
Then, gathering herself, Jennie nodded toward the door. "We should go. They're waiting."
Together, they left Taehyung's chamber once he slipped on another coat, their steps synchronized as they made their way to the strategy room.
The hallways of the palace were quiet, the echoes of their boots on the marble floors a sharp contrast to the silent understanding that hung between them.
As Jennie and Taehyung entered the strategy room together, a ripple of murmurs passed through the assembled council members and military advisors.
Jennie, still adorned in Taehyung's distinctly royal coat, bore the marks of battle, but it was the coat that drew curious glances and whispered speculations.
The Emperor, along with several high-ranking officials and strategists, were gathered around the large, ornate table that dominated the room.
Maps and reports were spread out, illuminated by the soft light of the room's chandeliers.
The Emperor, seated at the head of the long conference table, raised his eyebrows slightly as they approached.
His gaze, sharp and assessing, lingered on the coat before settling on their faces. The room quieted as everyone's attention shifted to the unspoken question hanging in the air.
"Duchess Jennie, Prince Delrico," the Emperor began, his voice resonant and commanding, knowing that without addressing this the people at the table would not focus, "before we proceed with the debriefing, would you care to explain the...unusual choice of attire?" His tone, while diplomatic, carried an undercurrent of stern warning.
A few other members of the council leaned in slightly, their expressions a mixture of intrigue and concern.
It was clear that the implications of a royal prince's coat on the duchess during such a public and official gathering were not lost on anyone in the room.
Prince Leonard, ever watchful, chimed in with a tone of veiled provocation, "Yes, it does seem a rather personal item to lend, cousin. Is there something more we should be aware of?"
The question hung heavy in the air, amplifying the tension.
Jennie felt every gaze in the room bore into her, scrutinizing, questioning.
She stood straight, her posture unyielding under the weight of their stares.
"Let me be clear," Taehyung started instead, his voice steady and authoritative, silencing the whispers around them.
"The coat is mine, yes. But it was offered to Duchess Jennie purely out of necessity. Her own was rendered unsuitable in the battle, torn and bloodied, and there was simply no time for her to fetch another from Asteria before this crucial meeting." He stepped slightly in front of her, taking the lead to address the room.
He paused, ensuring his words had taken effect before continuing.
"It was a matter of practicality and respect for the council and the reports we are about to discuss. Nothing more." His gaze swept across the room, daring anyone to contest his explanation.
The Emperor nodded slowly, apparently satisfied with the response, but his eyes lingered on Jennie and Taehyung a moment longer, a silent message that the matter might be revisited. "Very well, let us proceed with the briefing then. Duchess, please update us on the situation at the front."
Jennie, now somewhat relieved, took a deep breath and began detailing the tactical outcomes of the battle, the enemy's movements, and the strategic implications for their borders.
As she spoke, she maintained a professional demeanor, her voice clear and focused, directing attention back to the matters of state and away from personal speculations.
The meeting dragged on for what felt like an eternity, with several negotiations and re-negotiations taking place between every member of the council.
As the meeting drew to a close, however, one conclusion was evident in every argument.
War was coming.