A/N - my longest chapter of 9k words!! grab some popcorn cos this gon be a wild ride
Jungkook swallowed dryly, his throat closing on him as he stood before the stairs leading to the deck above. His wings trembled as he thought of the possible situations that could happen once he shows himself to his people. The light seeped through the slightly open door and basked the steps, as if warning him of incoming danger.
A mixture of fear and anxiety was pooling at the bottom of Jungkook's stomach. As much as he knew how inevitable it was, the angel wished that he could hide his identity forever. He didn't want anyone else, especially the rest of the Single Men Club, to find out the truth of him being Hemel's one and only prince.
Jungkook was afraid that the revelation would make everyone look at him differently. He was afraid that he'd once again become the royal prince everyone was forced to look up to and respect. He was afraid that he'd once again be isolated for supposedly being superior.
But to Jungkook, he didn't think of himself as any different from everyone, whether they were Vredeian or Leveian.
Jungkook thought about it, thought about how he was going to deal with a situation as helpless as this. In his point of view, there was only one option that he always considered — walk away. Walk away and do nothing. After all, there was no room for mistakes if you had done nothing.
But before Jungkook could step backwards and walk away permanently, however, a voice from behind stopped him. "Jungkook?"
Jungkook blinked for a bit, his mouth slightly open to reveal his big front teeth. Turning around, he saw the members of the Single Men Club standing there, all looking at him with worry, although Yoongi looked like he was trying to hide it. Holly had a tilted head as it stared at the angel ad well.
Jimin continued to speak, his lips formed into a pout with his eyebrows scrunched together. He tilted his head, mirroring Holly, orange bangs swaying as he did. "What's wrong? You're really pale."
Jungkook swallowed again and peeked over Jimin's shoulder and at his room behind the trio. He felt like they were intentionally blocking his way for some reason. The angel chuckled awkwardly, his mouth forming a bunny smile. "Uh, I'm just a bit nervous, yeah? Haven't been back home in a while..."
"I understand," Namjoon nodded, his arms crossed over his chest. Yoongi was still petting Holly, who was purring at the fire gem bearer's touch. Jungkook noticed the loving smile on the grey haired man's face. "Just know that we'll be right here, okay? As Hoseok always says, everything is going to be fine."
Jungkook felt a chill run down his back. He wasn't sure if it was because of his backless shirt or just plain old nerves but he had definitely shivered. The angel's wings trembled. He wondered if the Single Men Club were going to treat him the same after they find out that he was actually a prince. A liar... that was what he would become. It's what he always was.
Opening his mouth to speak, Jungkook paused when he heard a loud crash from above.
Jungkook and the rest immediately looked up upon hearing the sudden noise. All doubt was thrown out the window as the angel literally flew up the stairs, the thought of Taehyung being in danger being his motivator. Realizing that they were in Hemel, the opposing kingdom of his friend, he realized how unsafe the darkness gem bearer was.
Using a beam of light to slam the door open, Jungkook harshly landed on his feet as he scanned around the area. His baby blue eyes landed on the thick clouds that wrapped around the ship, mist coating the deck and nearly blocking his vision. Up ahead, he could barely the figure of Hemel's circular, which was just in front of Greta's nose. Turning around, Yoongi and Holly's silhouettes were nearly faded out.
"I can't see a thing," Jimin mumbling, his voice shaking. What came next was a shriek from the thunder gem bearer. "Yeek! What grabbed my hand?!"
"Relax, it's just me," Namjoon chuckled, his voice deep. Jungkook heard a scoff of disgust and immediately assumed that it was from Yoongi. He sniffled.
His hands are so cute, small and soft. Jungkook's serious mood was instantly shattered upon hearing Namjoon's thoughts. If only I could keep holding them like this.
For a moment, Jungkook stared at Namjoon with confusion until there was another sound, this time of a blade clashing against metal. He whipped his head around and stepped forward, using his abilities to sense the thoughts of multiple people. If there were different sets of thoughts together, it meant they were standing in a group. So the angel marched forward, a serious expression on his face as he followed the voices, leaving the Single Men Club behind.
Jungkook had balled fists once he reached the others. The first one who approached him was Hoseok, who literally floated towards him. Since the air gem bearer had his goggles on, the lens glowing a bit, the angel assumed that he was using it to see through the mist. "Jungkook! Thank goodness you're here. Things aren't looking good. First of all, this mist! No matter how much wind I blow, it won't go away! And the Hemelians won't let us in because—"
"Helians are forbidden from entering the kingdom!"
Jungkook's eyes widened at the voice's words as he walked passed Hoseok, who was spinning a button that was on the side of his goggles. The angel flapped his wings to get rid of some mist, fully giving him a view of the scenario. The rest of the team were lined up on the deck but only you and Emily were armed with weapons, Taehyung standing in between them. Before them were a row of Hemelian soldiers, all clad with golden white armor, Hemel's logo painted on their left breastplates. Strips of leather ran down their shoulders to form spiked sleeves, the same material running down their waists to form a skirt-like attire. Underneath the leather skirt were tight white shorts that matched the inner shirts hidden within the armor. They all had golden helmets atop their blonde hair, designed with angel wings positioned over their ears. Each Hemelian was armed with a spear.
Instantly noticing that one of the Hemelian soldiers had a sword instead of a spear, and a helmet with bigger wings in its design, Jungkook knew that this person was none other than the general. Stepping forward, the general snarled as he glared at Taehyung with his piercing blue eyes. "You Helians are nothing but trouble. Why would we let you in our peaceful kingdom?"
Taehyung scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes, arms crossed over his chest. "Peaceful? More like ignorant."
"Taehyung, I don't think insulting them is going to help," Emily seethed next to Taehyung with the bow in her hands, the darkness gem bearer merely frowning at the protector's words.
The general hissed as all the other Hemelian soldiers shook their heads. Jungkook wasn't offended by Taehyung's snarky remark at all. He was right. "You dare offend our kingdom, you bastard Helian? I oughta—"
The clash of metal and blade came once again and Jungkook had to process what had happened due to how quickly it all went. When the angel finally figured out what exactly had happened within the thick mist, his eyes widened. You were standing in front of Taehyung, knees bent as you pushed your shield forward and against the general's sword. Your katana was also drawn out, its blade nearly piercing the skin of the general's blade.
"Sky...," Emily breathed, obviously stunned at the sight. Taehyung's eyes were widened as he stared at your figure. Even Jungkook's jaw was dropped because of the fierce expression on your face.
"I... am the guardian of the seven wonders. If you want to hurt Taehyung or anyone else on this ship," You spoke slowly through gritted teeth, your eyes sharp and glowing even in the mist. Jungkook squinted his eyes and wondered if he was really seeing a faint color of purple from your pupils. "Then you'll have to go through me and my dead body first."
A silence fell on the ship as you continued to clash your shield against the general's sword. Jungkook looked around and saw the Hemelian soldiers seemingly preparing for battle, panic striking him instantly. The angel could tell that chaos was coming and he didn't need Hoseok's intuition to prove it.
"What's going on?," Jungkook heard Jimin ask as the Single Men Club shuffled blindly towards the scene, the thick mist partly blocking their vision. Not being able to answer the thunder gem bearer, the angel stared ahead and felt the tension in the air thickening with each passing second.
"Is that a dare, little lady?," The general finally spoke as you still kept the sharp glare in your eyes. "Foolish girl. We accept your challenge."
Jungkook started panicking even more when the Hemelians soldiers angled their spears, wings bent in an offensive angle. This made the rest of the team prepare themselves for battle as well. Yoongi had flames over his palms as Holly screeched on his shoulders. Namjoon had both of his gloved hands balled next to his head whilst Jimin's body crackled with electricity. Emily had an arrow ready and water started circling around Jin's feet. Hoseok looked hesitantly but he tapped his goggles as he slowly lifted himself up in the air.
The only one who didn't look ready to fight was Taehyung, who was staring right at Jungkook, seemingly screaming at the angel to do something with his dark eyes.
You pushed the general away with your shield and stood up straight, pointing the katana's blade to his face. "I guess we'll be doing this the hard way then."
Jungkook's jaw trembled at the sight. He was tired of this. He was tired of all the fighting, of all the clashing opinions. He was tired of how his kingdom thought so highly of itself, at how Hemel was proud of being neutral when it came to Hel's invasion. The angel balled his fists as his whole body glowed like his gem, eyes shining.
"Would you guys just stop?!"
Due to Jungkook's booming voice, everyone paused and faced him. Their eyes widened at how the angel was taking deep breaths, an expression of absolute fury crossing his features. He could feel everyone's eyes boring into him as he stepped forward, the light being emitted from his body forcing the mist around him to clear.
"A Hemelian?," The general scoffed as he spun the sword in his hands and placed it on his shoulder. "You have no right to be called a citizen of our kingdo—"
"Be quiet," Jungkook snapped, his sharp tone catching everyone off-guard. Through the corner of his eyes, he could see Taehyung staring at him with an unreadable expression. He was too out of it to think about the frown on the darkness gem bearer's face. "Are you not aware of who you are speaking to?"
Jungkook could hear murmuring behind him, which mostly came from the confused voices of the Single Men Club members. The angel no longer cared about his identity being revealed. He didn't think of the risks anymore. So, when the general spoke once more, he was only fueled with more anger. "What are you saying, boy? You look like a stray Hemelian to me—"
"My name is Jungkook Aurum," Jungkook said slowly, his Vredeian accent strong. His gem started glowing even more as the clouds above him parted, a beam of light landing on him and making him shine. His baby blue eyes were soft in color yet held a piercing glare that made the general flinch. Rolling his shoulders, the angel spread his wings, his feathers forming a starry pattern of shadows on the wooden ground. "I am the crowned prince of Hemel and the only son to the King. The Helian you have just insulted and discriminated is a dear friend of mine, along with everyone else on this ship. Therefore, they mean no harm. General, you do know that I may consider your actions as a form of treason, yes?"
The general crumpled at Jungkook's gaze and fell on his knees as all the other Hemelians stared at the angel in horror. All the soldiers followed the general as they knelt down and bowed, their heads touching the ground and wings bent as they trembled. "We— We apologize for our actions, Prince Jungkook."
Jungkook went silent for a while and glanced over his shoulder, a blank expression on his face. The angel sighed at how everyone, except Taehyung, was staring at him in shock, each one with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. The ones who were the most surprised, however, were the Single Men Club. Jimin's eyes were wide with lips forming a circular shape. Namjoon didn't look as shocked as the thunder gem bearer, in fact he looked like he had expected, but his eyebrows were still a bit furrowed at the revelation. Yoongi's lips were pursed into a straight line as he pet Holly but he was staring right at the Hemelian prince.
What caught Jungkook's attention, however, was Taehyung. The angel was unsure whether the darkness gem bearer had a smile on his face or not. He blamed the mist.
"Rise," Jungkook spoke sternly before turning towards the Hemelian soldiers, the group instantly hopping to their feet. The angel kept his glare as he continued to speak. "Your actions are close to being unforgivable. However, I will spare you in one condition — let me and my acquaintances inside Hemel and guard us closely in our journey to the royal palace. Understand?"
"Yes, crowned prince," The general bowed, his voice no longer wavering. Jungkook sighed as the superior whipped his head towards the rest of the Hemelian army. "Why are you still standing there? Open the gates and notify the King that his son has returned!"
The Hemelians flinched at the general's tone and jumped into the air, spreading their wings as they flew and disappeared into the mist. Jungkook glanced over his shoulder once more, the expressions of the others having not changed the slightest. Sighing, the angel faced the gates and waited patiently.
Jungkook saw one of the soldiers landing on top of the gate's circular dome. A lever was on top of it and the Hemelian heaved before pulling it with all his might. Light seeped from Hemel's gates as it slowly opened, mist fading as it seemingly welcomed a heavenly path to the group in between the parted clouds. The others stared in awe, eyes sparkling at the sight of shimmering gold not so far away.
However, Jungkook was filled with dread. He knew how his father was going to react to the presence of his friends, especially Taehyung's. He knew the possibility of chaos breaking out the moment the darkness gem bearer stepped into the kingdom of the angels.
Jungkook nearly screamed when someone grabbed his shoulder, purple mist covering his vision before he found himself standing next to the captain's wheel. Turning around, he saw Taehyung standing there with a blank expression, one hand placed on top of the angel's shoulder and other clutching on a handle of the captain's wheel.
Not really knowing what to say, Jungkook switched his attention towards his friends on the deck and thankfully, they were now conversing with each other. Still, due to the angel's curiosity, he decided to listen to their thoughts. He couldn't tell who was who, unfortunately, and had to rely on the context of what they were actually thinking about. One thing was for sure — none of them were yours.
Jungkook is a prince? He lied...
When was he planning to tell us?
I'm sure there's a perfect explanation for this.
I'm hungry.
Jungkook laughed a bit at the last thought, knowing full well that it belonged to none other than Jin. Still, the thoughts of the others made him worried. Tightly gripping the railings, he thought of how his reputation to his friends had drastically changed in a matter of seconds due to his title as Hemel's prince.
Taehyung then spoke before Jungkook could get lost in his own thoughts. "Kook."
Kook. Jungkook blinked at the nickname since Taehyung had called him that when they were younger and... closer. Turning around, he faced the darkness gem bearer and saw him looking straight ahead as he pulled a lever. Greta's propellers slowly ran as the gates fully opened, seemingly welcoming the wonders, their guardian and the protector. The Hemelian knew that it was far from welcoming.
"Tae?," Jungkook whispered, still a bit stunned at how Taehyung had called him. They were slowly driving into Hemel, the mist fading as the bright light started to bask their ship. Looking around, the angel glanced at the gates patterned with angel wing designs, the gold coiling upwards and leading towards the tips of each gate, two small angel figurines atop them with trumpets in their mouths and hands. Again, the purpose was to make all guests of Hemel feel welcomed. How ironic.
"I'm staying behind," Taehyung spoke sternly, his words stunning Jungkook even more. The darkness gem bearer had both hands on the handles of the captain's wheel now.
"What are you talking about?," Jungkook spat, his voice laced with disbelief.
"You heard me," Taehyung scoffed and rolled his eyes before glancing at Jungkook with a glare. Greta was passed the gates now and the angel could hear it squeaking loudly as the Hemelian soldiers lined up and resumed their watchout duty. The prince recalled memories of him and his mother sneaking out of the kingdom. "I'll drop you guys off the ship and will wait outside the gates."
"No, you aren't," Jungkook deadpanned, which Taehyung replied to with a loud scoff. "Are you planning to just wait outside with the clouds? That's stupid."
"I haven't thought it through, okay?!," Taehyung hissed loudly and bared his fangs at Jungkook, although it was obvious that the darkness gem bearer was using all his power to control his voice. His next words came in a soft tone as the angel stared at him in confusion. "News flash Jungkook but you're the stupid one here. You're the crowned prince of Hemel. You've been gone for Macht knows how long and then you return with a Helian? What would your people think?! Once a prince's image is stained, there's no turning back."
Taehyung paused, causing a silence to fall between the two. Jungkook continued to stare with glassy eyes once he realized what his friend's intentions really were. His wings trembled at the thought — he actually cared.
"It's better for me to stay out of the Hemelians' sight," Taehyung whispered with gritted teeth, his grip on the handles so tight that his knuckles were white. "At least that way, you'd be welcomed properly."
"Taehyung," Jungkook stepped forward and paused when Taehyung flinched at the sudden noise. Folding his wings, he glanced at the Helian with pity in his eyes and watched his friend curl into himself. "I don't care about my image. I don't care what the people will think about me. If you really want to stay out there in the sky... then I'm staying with you. I'm not going anywhere without you, Tae."
Glancing at Jungkook through the corner of his eyes, Taehyung was silent as Greta continued to fly into Hemel. The angel wondered what was going through his mind at this moment, if he was reminiscing old memories or just flat out thinking badly of him and this entire situation. The anxiety made the Hemelian's wings curl as he hugged himself, hoping that he hadn't just embarrassed himself in front of his closest friend.
Jungkook did not expect Taehyung to laugh. Even though it was a low chuckle, it was something that caught him off guard. The Helian turned towards him with a small smile on his face. "I forgot that you've always been a stubborn kid. You always did what you wanted, no matter what Kiana and I told you."
Truthfully, Jungkook wanted to cry right then and there. The way Taehyung was smiling at him so warmly made him want to break down and weep at how finally, finally, he could see signs of his best friend still being there in the now cold and emotionless mask be had on. Instead, the angel smiled with pure happiness. "Guess I still am."
Taehyung looked like he was about to say something else but his gaze switched to the view ahead, his expression instantly shifting as he sighed loudly. Confused, Jungkook followed the direction of his eyes.
The kingdom of Hemel was right in front of them. Similar to Lucht, it was also a floating kingdom, except that after passing through a set of thick clouds, one would see the rocky mountain structure in the heavens, being raised and supported by light itself. Rows of stone pillars rose from the rocky ground as pierced into the sky, long white drapes hanging and connecting each pillar. The village of commoners was the closest to them, citizens all dressed in silk drapes decorated with gold lining that softly fell from their shoulders. Houses were made of brick and marble, all painted white. Ahead was the royal castle, which was located atop a mountain with stone steps leading towards it. Tall metal fences stood at the edge of the city, serving as a border between Hemel's land and the free sky.
Taehyung pulled another lever and spun the captain's wheel with one hand, Greta slowly coming to a stop. Jungkook watched as the Hemelian soldiers on the deck flew upwards, some landing on the stone floor of the village and others working together to wrap thick rope around the ship's nose. The darkness gem bearer flinched at the action.
"Crowned prince," The Hemelian general spoke as he flew to the captain's area, wings folding behind him as he landed. Out of instinct, Jungkook stepped in front if Taehyung with a protective stance. "Would you now like to start the royal walk?"
Jungkook glanced Taehyung, who twirled the snake staff in hands before placing it on his shoulder and giving him a meaningful look. Nodding at the general, the angel spread his wings and hopped into the air, circling over the deck before softly landing on the wooden floor with light steps.
Flapping his wings, Jungkook caught the attention of everyone else and felt their stares boring into his school. He could see Taehyung's purple mist fade at the corner of his eye as he teleported next to him. The angel knew what they were thinking, even when he didn't listen to their thoughts. There was a silence as the soldiers carefully instructed everyone else to stay in line.
"I know that I haven't been as truthful as everyone thought I was and I apologize," Jungkook spoke while still looking straight ahead, knowing that everyone was listening via their thoughts. Balling his hands to fists, the angel gritted his teeth as he continued to speak. He opened his mouth to speak but the anxiety growing inside him made his throat close. "I... broke the one and only rule of honesty in the Single Men Club. I understand if you don't forgive me. I—"
"Jungkook, it's okay," Namjoon spoke suddenly, cutting off Jungkook. The earth gem bearer was smiling at the prince with his deep dimples, head tilted slightly and purple bangs swaying to the side. "I can't read minds but I'm sure none of us are mad."
"Mostly stunned, really," Yoongi shrugged smugly, Holly nodding atop his shoulders, the dragon snapping its jaw as smoke seeped out of its mouth.
"I'm honestly a bit weirded out by the fact that we tried to intoxicate a prince," Jimin scratched his nape awkwardly, lips curled into a shy smirk as some strands of his orange hair fell over his eyes. Then, the thunder gem bearer flashed a smile. "Still, royalty or not, Jungkookie is still Jungkookie! You're status doesn't make a difference, at least not to us."
Jungkook stared quietly for a moment and tried to process what he had just heard. Truthfully, he had been anxious at the thought of everyone pushing away due to his failure to be truthful to his friends. However, contrary to his expectations, they had accepted him with open arms, their thoughts about him not changing despite finding out about his true identity.
And that made Jungkook smile. It made him happy.
Jungkook turned around when he saw Greta's side opening to create a slanted metal slab that lead to the rocky foundation of Hemel's village, creating a path. Not questioning why the ship had two exits, the angel took slow deep breaths and straightened his back. He raised his chin, flapped his wings once and cupped his hands together.
"You look stupid," Taehyung whispered from behind Jungkook, a more playful tone in his usually monotonous voice.
"Please. I can't see you but I'm pretty sure you're doing the same," Jungkook laughed lightly before looking straight ahead and seeing the Hemelian soldiers standing in rows, golden trumpets in their hands, leaving just enough space for the group to walk in between. His last words came in a whisper barely loud enough for Taehyung to hear. "After all, it's a prince's instinct."
"Hemelians!," The general's voice boomed, making Jungkook straighten his back once more and ceasing everyone else's mumbling. The prince's wings trembled slightly due to how anxious he was. Somehow, the sight of all the villagers and soldiers staring at him expectantly made his stomach twist. "Please welcome our one and crowned prince, Jungkook Aurum!"
Jungkook licked his lips before putting on a soft smile and stepping forward slowly, hearing the footsteps of the others shuffling behind him. With both hands still cupped over his stomach, the angel watched as the Hemelian soldiers raised their trumpets and played a welcoming tune. Villagers peered from behind the winged guards and watched him closely. Some were already starting to mumble because of Taehyung's presence.
Out of everything, Jungkook focused on the Hemelian children and watched as they ran behind the row of soldiers, their little wings flapping with each small step. It was silent as the trumpet music stopped, leaving the villagers to watch them as they marched across town. Truthfully, the prince hated the Hemelian culture of having royal walks whenever he or anyone from his family would return to the kingdom after a long absence. To him, it was stupid. Not to mention tiring.
Jungkook wished for something interesting to happen during the hour long walk to the palace because he definitely wasn't going to occupy his time by staring at the marble pillars and watching Hemelian women gossip on the streets while polishing each other's nails, obviously not giving a damn about the crowned prince walking passed them. Across the women was a Hemelian man standing behind a stall, numerous trinkets hanging from the feathers of his wings as he tried to coo some villagers into buying his merchandise.
The sight itself reminded Jungkook of Seoul, except that the streets back there were much darker, the atmosphere giving him a much more chilling vibe then that of his own kingdom's. Shivering, he looked ahead once more and saw the long palace steps just a few feet away. Knowing that his father had been informed of his return, he sighed.
Jungkook wasn't sure if he and the gang really took just an hour to walk up the palace steps because he was pretty sure that he had just aged by a hundred years. He figured that being nervous about facing his parents again contributed to this, especially because he felt about how his father was going to react to Taehyung.
Feeling a breeze brush by, Jungkook looked around and saw Vrede's vast skies and the twin suns across the horizon, thick clouds wrapping around the infinite blue plain. Turning back and finally reaching the top of the stairs, he stared at the palace. Multiple marble pillars supported the palace in rows, the spaces between them cemented solid to form walls. Atop the triangular roof was a stone figure of an angel wearing a crown. Both doors of the gates were fused with gold, the figure of his royal family carved into it. The angel stared at his own figure, which stood small between his mother and father.
Behind Jungkook, Jimin panted as he bent down and held his knees. "That... was way too many stairs."
"You alright?," Hoseok teased as he floated above Jimin with an arched back, a smirk on his face as he placed his hands behind his head, brown fringe falling to expose his forehead.
Before Jimin could make a snarky comment about Hoseok, the doors opened slowly. Jungkook watched his figure on the gate split as it was replaced by a bit of light, followed by a tall winged figure in a black suit.
Jungkook squinted his eyes and stared at the Hemelian butler for a moment until he finally registered who he was looking at, wings springing upwards as he did. "Mingyu?"
"Ju— I mean, Master Jungkook," Mingyu stuttered as he bowed slightly, an arm placed on his chest, wings folding behind him. "Welcome home, Crowned Pri—"
"Shut up," Jungkook scoffed playfully before giving Mingyu a friendly hug, the two laughing as they pat each other's backs. Pulling away, the prince turned around and faced his friends, who were awkwardly standing there. He didn't notice how Taehyung was glaring. "Guys, this is Mingyu. I guess I can call him my personal butler? He literally raised me when mother and father weren't around."
"You make me sound like I am much older than you," Mingyu chuckled.
"Don't pretend that you aren't," Jungkook shot back with a raised brow. At that moment, the prince remembered that he was inside his palace and glanced around, memories flooding into his mind as he did. They were currently standing in the ballroom, which was the biggest room in the palace. The flooring was decorated with red carpeting as a golden chandelier hung above them. On the walls were portraits of the royal family, mostly of his father. He scrunched his nose at a baby picture of himself. "Where are mother and father?"
"Oh, about that...," Mingyu trailed off, making Jungkook turn towards him. The butler was scratching his cheek awkwardly, then he coughed before bowing formally again. "The King and Queen are waiting for you and your friends in the royal dining hall, Prince Jungkook."
Oh. Jungkook swallowed dryly. He wasn't a fan of sitting down and eating with his family, especially because it would spark an argument with his father ninety percent of the time. Sighing and knowing that there was nothing he could do about it, he faced Taehyung, who nodded at him with a determined look.
"Follow me," Mingyu instructed before walking forward, Jungkook and the others tailing behind him. There was a long silence as they walked towards the dining hall, no soldiers surrounding them because they had dispersed after the castle gates opened. The Hemelian prince understood. After all, the butler never really was that much of a talker.
Soon, Mingyu was opening the door to the dining hall. They were greeted by a loud yelp, the sudden noise making Jungkook jump in his place. A girl wearing a checkered apron had barely dodged door, a tall stack of plates in her arms, covering her face. Her white wings were flapping in a panic as she struggled to regain balance.
"I-Irene!," Mingyu stuttered as he stepped forward and moved around in case any of the plates fell. "What are you doing? Why are you carrying so many plates?!"
"The head chef picked out the best plates for the royal breakfast and I'm putting these aside," Irene was wobbling in place and Jungkook just stood there, staring at her since he had never seen her roaming around the castle's vicinity before. Mingyu then started to scold her about stacking too many plates all at once. The Hemelian women then peeked from behind the stack of plates, the prince catching sight of a feline looking eye. "Oh Macht, is that the prince?! I just embarrassed myself in front of the prince?! I always dreamed of being up and close with him and now I look like a foo—"
"Irene, calm down! You're going to drop the plates!," Mingyu stood next to the plates, using his body to balance him and Irene. He then grabbed half of the stack and held it in his arms. His next words came with an apologetic tone. "Sorry about that, Jungkook."
"...It is fine," Jungkook nodded slowly, laughing a bit at Irene's bewildered expression. He smiled and bowed slightly. "It is a pleasure to be of your acquaintance, Irene."
Irene didn't say anything but she opened her mouth and released a strange gargling noise that made Jungkook blink in confusion. Mingyu then excused himself and dragged the female cook with him, the two disappearing out of their sight.
Jungkook chuckled to himself and looked ahead, finally getting a good view of the dining hall. A door was across them, one that lead to the throne room. Another door to the right, leading upstairs to the bedrooms, and one on the left that lead to the dungeon. He and his friends were standing in front of a long table with a white tablecloth laced with gold string and the prince couldn't help but notice that the napkins had Hemel's logo embroidered on them. Eleven groups of silverware and chairs were carefully arranged, the biggest of them being all the way across where he was standing.
Occupying that chair was none other than Hemel's King Lucius, Jungkook's father. He was quietly seated, both fingers laced together to support his chin, blue eyes staring right at the group. The crown of Hemel, which had a golden circular base and three spikes pointing upwards, was resting on top of his blonde hair. Balling his hands to fists, the prince stared back and gritted his teeth, the skin of his arms glowing.
"Hello, father," Jungkook seethed and did his best to put on a smile that didn't look forced.
"Son," King Lucius mumbled as a reply without moving from his position. Behind Jungkook, the rest stared silently as they sensed the thick tension in the air. His gaze then shifted to Taehyung, who bared his teeth and returned a burning glare.
Thankfully, the silence was shattered by Queen Miranda, who had approached Jungkook during the stare-down. "Jungkook, dear."
Jungkook turned around upon hearing Queen Miranda's voice. Seeing her calling for a hug with her arms, a warm comforting smile on her face, made the prince want to cry. He immediately dove in for a hug and was in tears as he pressed his face to her chest, fingers digging into the soft cloth of her dress. His wings, bigger than her's, wrapped around both of their figures. "Mother... I missed you."
"I missed you too, dear," Queen Miranda said softly and stroked Jungkook's blonde hair. "Welcome home."
Jungkook was the kind of person who loved hugs. He held Queen Miranda close as he dearly missed the loving warmth his mother would always have. So, when she pulled away, he was disappointed. However, the prince's expression turned into one of shock when she turned towards Taehyung and gave him a hug as well. "Taehyung."
The sight alone stunned everyone in the group and Jungkook wasn't sure whether he should tell Queen Miranda about his friend's discomfort with physical contact or not. Taehyung flinched for a bit and awkwardly pat her back.
Taehyung pulled away a bit too quickly before bowing formally, his voice soft as he spoke. "Queen Miranda."
Queen Miranda nodded at Taehyung before glancing at the rest of the team with a smile. Jungkook followed her gaze and saw Jin bowing formally while the others either followed him hesitantly or just waved awkwardly. "You kids must be Jungkook's friends. Please, have a seat. I'm sure that all of you are hungry."
Jimin's face lit up at the mention of food, his mouth wide open. Namjoon stared at him with a small smile. "Food? Yes, please!"
Both Queen Miranda and Jungkook laughed at Jimin before the rest shuffled to take their seats. Of course, following Hemelian culture, the prince and queen sat at each side of the king. Everything else happened in a breeze and Jungkook only realized who was sitting where after everyone was seated. Looking around, he scanned the two rows and looked at their positions.
Jungkook didn't really take note of where everyone was seated and that was due to one factor — Taehyung was next to him. For a moment, the angel just stared at the darkness gem bearer, who was busy inspecting his black nails. He was both confused and glad at the sight, his emotions conflicted for some reason.
Taehyung, sensing the stare boring into his face, turned towards Jungkook with a scowl. "What?"
Still a bit stunned, Jungkook took a while until he opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the clinking of silverware. He faced the source of the sound and saw a row of suited winged butlers, all carrying a silver domed metal tray, each concealing a different. Jimin and Jin licked their lips in anticipation.
Jungkook watched as the dishes were placed on the table and were revealed one by one. Each one of them were served with a plate of sautéed garlic rice. What followed were a series of appetizers and main courses.
Screaming pumpkin soup garnished with red basil, the yellow chili peppers positioned to resemble a wide mouthed face. Deep fried whole wild boar coated with lemon glazing — this certain dish reminded Jungkook of a dish called lechon that he had tasted when he flew to the Philippines after suspecting that Taehyung was there. Pan fried vegetables with wild corn, blue string beans and roasted crickets, the prince's favorite snack. For dessert, eleven servings of strawberry zest with chocolate infused pudding.
Jungkook hummed as he carefully sliced his food and savored the taste, his every move slow and precise. It was a fact that he preferred Vredeian food more than Earth food. He chewed as he glanced at Taehyung, who was acting the same out of instinct. Jin was also eating similarly, Emily looking at her boyfriend every now and then to imitate him.
It was quiet until there was a loud snapping sound, making Jungkook stop with a piece of meat just in front of his mouth. Turning towards the source, he saw Holly snapping its jaw as Yoongi's face slowly turned red.
"Holly," Yoongi whispered as he blushed out of embarrassment, a big frown on his face. Holly just tilted its head innocently as the fire gem bearer literally shrunk in between Jimin and Queen Miranda. He quickly handed the dragon a piece of meat. "Please be quiet."
Holly nodded and crawled down to Yoongi's mouth to eat, tapping its claws on the table every now and then when it wanted more food. Jungkook glanced at King Lucius, who was just staring at the scene blankly.
"So, Jungkook," Queen Miranda, once again, shattered the awkward silence as she slowly sipped a glass of juice. Placing the glass down, she slowly folded her hands on the table. "How was your time on Earth?"
"Well—"
"Obviously, he was busy," King Lucius spoke before Jungkook had the chance to reply. Queen Miranda sighed loudly. "After all, he did bring these... vermins with him."
Jungkook gripped his fork with a trembling fist as most of them paused from eating, obviously sensing the incoming storm. Taehyung was secretly glaring at King Lucius from under his hood. Namjoon and Yoongi were calmly eating while Hoseok nudged Jimin for slurping his soup loudly.
"They're called friends, father," Jungkook smiled sourly, his expression instantly turning dark. "I'm not surprised that you don't know."
The atmosphere around the table turned heavier with each passing second. Queen Miranda was pinching her nose bridge as she continuously sighed loudly, the glass of juice still close to her lips. You and Emily thought the situation was a bit awkward for everyone to be in.
"I see," King Lucius spat as he roughly took a roasted cricket, tossed it in his mouth and chewed on it. "You have very poor taste when it comes to choosing your so called friends."
"How would you know?," Jungkook hissed through gritted teeth, the fork bending in the force of his still trembling fist. Taehyung was staring at him. "You never knew me from the beginning, father."
King Lucius threw his fork down, the sudden clash of silverware and ceramic making Jimin jump in his seat and nearly drop his glass. Thanks to Namjoon, he didn't. "I know you well enough to say that you have not been acting like the prince you are, Jungkook Aurum. You have been nothing but irresponsible, reckless and stupid."
Taehyung attempted to stand up and talk back to King Lucius but Jungkook grabbed his arm, gesturing at him that he shouldn't. Still, the prince thought about his father's words and knew that he was right. Despite all the expectations imposed on him, he never followed them and to be honest, he was glad that he didn't. After all, as Yoongi said, he was his own person.
"You're right," Jungkook laughed sarcastically, King Lucius raising an eyebrow at him. "I'm not the prince you've always wanted me to be but... maybe that's just how I like it."
King Lucius' expression turned into one of fury and Jungkook would be lying if he said he wasn't amused at the sight. Slamming his fist on the table and making everyone flinch, Hemel's king screamed as he stood up, his chair flying backwards once he spread his wings. "You—"
"Honey, please," Queen Miranda stood up with yet another sigh, her lips pursed into a thin smile as she pat King Lucius' shoulder. "Think about this for a moment. At least Jungkook made some friends!"
"Friends? Like I said, they're vermins," King Lucius rolled his eyes before turning towards Taehyung, who was barely stopping himself from growling at the king, pointed teeth already bared. "Especially that Helian. His very presence disgusts me."
"Lucius!," Queen Miranda then hissed with a slightly raised voice, only to be dismissed by a wave from King Lucius.
Jungkook took a few seconds to register what King Lucius had just said. Once he did, the anger in him boiled slowly as his gem started to shine, the skin of his arms and shoulders glowing brightly and matching his eyes. He stood up carefully, eyebrows furrowed together in fury as he spoke with a terrifyingly calm tone. Glancing at Taehyung, he saw him staring back, as if trying to tell him to calm down. How ironic. "You know what, father? It's funny how you dislike Hel so much when Hemel has done nothing to try and stop the ongoing war."
"And why do you make it sound like such a sin?," King Lucius spat with narrowed eyes, Jungkook returning the look with a burning glare. "All the other kingdoms are a mess and it makes sense for Hemel to stay out of the loop. You think that I refuse to choose a side? My choice was inaction. Hemel is a great kingdom of intelligent and powerful people. I will not associate it with anything or anyone else that may cause harm to our kingdom and our citizens alike."
"There is a thin line between being neutral and being ignorant," Jungkook replied, his tone still calm as he spread his wings and nearly knocked down some glasses on the table. "We both know where Hemel is."
"Be quiet!," King Lucius screamed loudly, his voice echoing across the room. Everyone, including the guards and staff in the dining hall, were all staring at the direction of the royal family now. Jungkook was honestly smirking internally at his father's anger, although he kept a fierce expression and continued to stare him down. "Look at how being around those stupid Helians for most of your life have done to you. They poisoned your mind! Made you think that I'm the villain, that I'm the bad guy! I am Hemel's king. All my actions are good and just. All my choices have been made for the sake of the kingdom and the people, all that will eventually be yours! I don't understand why you can't see how stupid you are being, Jungkook Aurum! If you can't even choose to do what is right then how can you rule the kingdom?!"
A silence. King Lucius was taking deep breaths, both palms pressed onto the table. Queen Miranda looked like the most stressed person in the room as she sat and rubbed her temples. Jungkook stared at his father and failed to hide the snarl on his face. He thought about his words and was absolutely infuriated by his self-entitlement, at how he thought he was right all the time.
Jungkook then noticed something off about King Lucius' speech of anger. Being around those stupid Helians for most of your life, for some reason those words didn't sit well with the prince. He thought long and hard about it, knowing that something was wrong.
At that moment, Jungkook was struck with a realization.
"It was you," Jungkook breathed, his already wide eyes becoming rounder by the second.
King Lucius raised an eyebrow at Jungkook, total unamusement expressed on his face. "What are you—"
"I was barely aware of the world when Taehyung and I were forced to never see each other again," Jungkook glanced at Taehyung, who looked away before their eyes could meet. He turned back to his father as the scowl returned on his face. "Kiana was left back in Hel too. So, there's no way for you to claim that I've been with them for most of my life, unless... you knew. You knew that I was seeing Kiana. For so long, I blamed myself. For so long, I told myself that I should have been more careful, that there had to be some way to avoid it. But... it was you. You had something to do with her death. For once in my life, father, do me this favor. Tell me... were you the one who had Kiana killed? You better answer me or I swear to Macht—"
"If anyone found out that the crowned prince of Hemel was being up close and personal with a Helian whore, all chaos would break loose," King Lucius answered casually, Jungkook's eyes widening even more as his anger reached its peak. His fists shook as rays of light emitted from his body, a nearby ceramic plate shattering. "I only did what was right."
It seemed like the world had suddenly stopped for Jungkook at that very moment. His whole body froze at his conflicting emotions. He had flashbacks of Kiana, of when she would sneak into his bedroom to keep him company, of the stories she told with each visit, of the warm hugs and sweet kisses she would never fail to deliver, of all the soft confessions of love she would say whenever they cuddled. All that was gone — all because of his father.
"You dare insult Kiana, you bastard?!," Taehyung suddenly rose from his seat with a loud growl, eyes pitch black and fists slammed on the table. Thick purple mist was seeping from him as he spoke slowly with a dark tone. Jungkook turned towards him, a bit panicked because of the dark expression he had. "You son of a bitch! You're the reason why she is—"
A loud thud cut off Taehyung. Jungkook froze as dread started to pool at the pit of his stomach, his anxiety reaching its peak. He glanced at each of his friends, who were all wide eyed and facing one direction. Following the source of the sound, time seemingly slowing down, he was horrified.
Jin was seated, his face planted on the table, fist still tightly gripping onto a fork, eyes fluttered closed and lips forming a pout due to the way his cheek was pressed. Next to him, Emily held his shoulders and shook him lightly, worry lacing her voice. "J-Jin? Are you okay? Hey—"
Emily paused and held her forehead, glancing at you before she closed her eyes and fainted next to Jin.
"Em—," You couldn't even finish speaking when you fainted, instinctively grabbing the table cloth and making some plates fall to the floor. Taehyung paled.
"That took longer than expected," King Lucius spoke calmly as he took a napkin and wiped both of his hands. Jungkook and Queen Miranda were glancing at each other, horrified. "The potions are finally starting to take effect."
"Lucius, what in the name of Macht are you doing?!," Queen Miranda hissed loudly with wide eyes as she grabbed King Lucius' robe. Jungkook just stared, frozen as his friends fainted one by one. Jimin stood up out of fear, only to fall unconscious and be caught by Namjoon, who blacked out right after.
"What's right," King Lucius deadpanned as Hoseok, who seemed like he had given up, face planted on the table as well. The Hemelian king raised his hand. "Guards."
Jungkook watched as the guards standing all around the room stepped forward and collected his friends' unconscious bodies. Yoongi was putting up a fight, flames shooting out of his arms, but he and Holly fainted right after.
Feeling someone grab his hand, Jungkook flinched and turned around. Taehyung had a tight grip on him, pupils dilated, breaths deep and slow. "Kook, you have to get out of here."
Jungkook stared at Taehyung, Queen Miranda's cries of fury and the guards' voices becoming nothing but mumbles to him. He shook his head slowly, a small smile on his face. "I already told you, Tae. I'm not going anywhere without you."
Taehyung frowned before he chuckled with a smirk. He grabbed his temple and wobbled in his place before grabbing both of Jungkook's arms. "You really are a stubborn kid."
Almost right after, Taehyung fainted and Jungkook had to kneel down to catch him properly. The angel just stared at the darkness gem bearer, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't protect you again."
Jungkook yelped when a few guards snatched Taehyung from him. He screamed and reached out for his friend, helpless as he watched the darkness gem bearer's hands get chained with enchanted metal cuffs, ones that would prevent him from using any magic. The prince was being dragged away by other guards.
"Taehyung, I swear on my life, I'm going to protect you. No matter what."
Feeling something clasp his wings together, Jungkook snapped back to reality, fresh hot tears now streaming down his face. He no longer put up a fight and only cried as his wrists were handcuffed.
"You should have been smarter about this, Jungkook," King Lucius spoke as he stepped forward, all the others now dragged away to the dungeon. Jungkook looked up and saw Queen Miranda looking helpless behind him. "If you did as told, you and your so called friends wouldn't be in this situation."
"I hate you," Jungkook hissed and enunciated each word, voice laced with stinging venom as his eyes glowed a bright blue color, tears continuously flowing down his face. "So much."
King Lucius seemed to have been taken aback by these words, an expression of both shock and pain crossing his features before he turned around, both hands clasped behind his back. "From today onwards, Jungkook Aurum, you will be on lockdown. Nobody will be allowed to enter or exit your room until it deems fit. You hate me? Fine. If it's what it takes for you to become Hemel's proper prince and eventual king, then so be it. Guards, take him upstairs."
Jungkook stared at King Lucius' back with pure rage as he slowly brought up the stairs. Once he was thrown into his bedroom quite literally, the door locking shut, he curled on the floor and cried, his tears pooling on the carpeted floor. No matter how bright the light gem was, he felt like he was still trapped in darkness. He weeped loudly, both due to his anger towards his father and at how his friends were all in danger because of him. Them he remembered Kiana and cried even more.
However, Jungkook was unaware that someone had been watching him.
A/N - hi i hate jk's dad ANYWAYS that was unedited 9k words of tension!! i hope you guys weren't disappointed I literally squeezed everything into this and i'm so sorry for the late update ;;
this was just the first chap of jungkook's arc and so much has happened already!! i assure y'all that the next chap is going to be one of the angstiest i've ever made omg
also if you guys didn't get it King Lucius is the one who told on Kiana and Jungkook which means he's the reason why she's dead lol more details on how exactly he caused her death will be released soon ;)
Can I ask you guys some questions btw?? Just something like a survey!
Why do you like The Seven Wonders? What are the factors and points that make you continue to read this story? What is it in T7W that makes it different from other fanfics? Just curious lol
Anyways that's all! See y'all in the next chap!