Trumpet sounds echoed through the palace halls, filling the ears of a tired Lord, unable to sleep due to the arrival of someone he dreaded.
Jimin sat, perched atop his bed, his heart beating quickly at the sound heralding his departure from his beloved kingdom.
Taemin was here.
He stood, his feet working against the will of his heart, dragging him to meet the horrid ruler, the ruthless warrior, and cunning mastermind of the Anti-kingdom.
Somehow this man had managed to attack their kingdom and avoid any suspicion of ties to the attempted coup of the kingdom that nearly killed the entire Kim royal family.
Jimin took his place next to the two kings, who appeared in the same sleepless state that left matching dark circles under their eyes.
As his eyes scanned the room, Jimin spotted a pair he didn't dare hope to see, his lips turning up as he met eyes with Taehyung, whose soulmate clung to his arm as he held him.
Jungkook looked awful, his skin pale and his normal posture reduced to a sort of hunch, but at least he looked happy, the sparkle returning to his eyes as he leant heavily on Taehyung for support.
Jimin's heart ached watching the two together, tired but happy, pining for the day that he too would have someone to always care for him.
He tore his eyes from the scene to continue scanning until they landed on his parents, smiling to themselves as they awaited the arrival of the king that would hand over the diamond mines that had plagued their land for years, even before Jimin was born.
He couldn't help but be happy for how this would work out for them. As much as they had pressured him, forced him, and made him do things according to his 'duty', they had taught him a lot. Plus, maybe this whole getting out of Kim kingdom would do him some good.
Yet, he also couldn't shake this feeling of terror, the darkness creeping up behind him, whispering in his ear the danger that would ensue as a result of Taemin.
It was the same feeling he had when he thought he was going to die in that ballroom.
Finally, his eyes landed on the man he craved to be with, the one he knew he could never be with, Lord Min Yoongi. He looked the same as always, that slightly frowning expression that only left when he smiled or laughed, a rare sight from the serious Lord. It made Jimin chuckle, as the frown turned into more of a scowl as it became apparent that the king had just exited his carriage, his footsteps in time to the pulsing heartbeat echoing through Jimin's ears.
The trumpets stopped and the doors began to creak open, the sunlight beaming through the ever-growing opening, a tall, foreboding figure's silhouette the first thing visible through the ornate doors.
It was a figure that demanded attention and respect, one that could only belong to someone of equal stature, the King Taemin himself.
More people flooded in behind him, while a smaller figure stood beside him. The sunlight forced Jimin to shield his eyes, squinting to attempt to make out the shadows entering the room.
The doors closed suddenly with a bang, bringing the faces of the Anti King and his men to the light.
His eyes stared directly into Jimin's.
Is this what it is like to stare in the face of Lucifer himself?
Shivers pulsed down Jimin's spine, entranced by the deep eyes of Taemin, repulsed and drawn in by the cold gaze all at once.
He thought he could never be more terrified than the attack.
But Taemin must have set out to prove everyone wrong, his eyes piercing the broad daylight, which did not appear possible before today.
Jimin shut his eyes tightly, feigning temporary blindness from the sunlight so he could tear his eyes away from the devilish depth of Taemin.
They stood in silence, the dark Anti garb a stark contrast to the bright and glowing Kings of Kim, whose demeanor changed the minute Taemin entered the room.
Namjoon's voice boomed, louder than Jimin had heard before.
"I would welcome you, Taemin, if you had not first attacked me in my own home. I will however, welcome your son."
It couldn't be......
The smaller man next to Taemin was JENO.
He was kinda cute, if Jimin was being honest.
(A/N): This is what Jeno looks like, for those of you that don't know NCT
He looked timid, nothing like his intimidating father, as he clutched his hands together and attempted to keep a straight face. Every once in a while, however, his left eye would twitch, giving away his attempt at confidence.
"I understand your hesitation, Namjoon, and I will accept the fact that I appear to be guilty. I will fervently apologize for the actions of my citizens that choose to act carelessly on my behalf, without my permission. My son is grateful for your participation."
Taemin spoke, his voice higher than what Jimin had expected, but still commanding and smooth, a silk tongue dancing around accusations and manipulating the minds of the feeble.
"Shall we not waste time, then?" Namjoon stood tall, gesturing Taemin forward, and turning his back to head to the state room, refusing to give Taemin the satisfaction of a choice.
"I would like the Parks and Lord Min to accompany me. Taehyung, you and Jungkook may return to your quarters. Everyone else, back to your usual business," Jin commanded before following Namjoon, the palace following his every move.
Jimin dared to glance back at the dark King, whose mouth morphed into a smirk as he waved his hand, his men moving into their everyday positions before only he and his son made their way to the room.
Interesting, Jimin thought, no guard to accompany him to the treaty truly demonstrates his belief that he is superior. He does not believe he needs protection. It is almost like a warrior going into battle without armor. For a King giving up a significant amount for his kingdom, a smirk is an odd expression for him to wear at a time like this.
The treaty was laid out on the long table, the conditions scrawled on the parchment with blank space at the end for additional conditions and the signatures of the Kings and Lords involved.
Jimin took the time in which the Kings discussed most of the land decisions to study the young prince, whose fidgeting hands gave away the fact that he was entirely out of his comfort zone, a situation that he appeared desperate to be removed from.
He was quite handsome. Perhaps attending his selection ceremony would not be all bad.
"Finally I wish to discuss the representative for Prince Jeno's selection ceremony. I am sure you are wondering why we included the Park son, Jimin in this meeting. We have selected him as our delegate, as he is a bachelor of the correct age," Namjoon spoke, dictating his terms clearly, "However, we do not understand as to why this is the only condition that you wish to be true and we would much prefer if this frivolous condition could be removed."
Taemin's silver tongue quickly spoke, "Ah, but don't you see it cannot be? This is the single most important clause in the entire treaty, sir, as it will begin to revive the friendly relationship our countries once had, long ago, where we were in constant contact. This would be the proof of good faith to my people. Imagine if this were to continue, if you brought back choosing ceremonies, and our people could continue to interact with each other once again. We could become allies once again. Without this clause, we do not take action on the revival. Actions speak louder than words Namjoon, and a treaty is just words on paper signed by simple men. We must take Action in order to improve our situation."
Damn he was good.
Namjoon looked over at Jimin, as if asking permission to give in to the one, odd request of the snake of a king.
Jimin's mind raced as he met the eyes of Jeno, who had not stopped staring at him since he found out this was the man to represent the Kims at his ceremony. After staring the boy down, he turned to Namjoon and slightly nodded his head.
"Very well then, Taemin, I agree to your one request on one condition."
"What may that be," Taemin's smooth voice questioned, his eyebrow raising slightly.
"Lord Min Yoongi and his men are to accompany Jimin for the entirety of his stay, Lord Min being the primary guard for Lord Park."
The sound of violent coughing startled the entire room, as Yoongi choked on the water he was drinking in the middle of Namjoon's sentence, his face turning red as he clutched the table for support, reigning in his emotion to appear more noble.
"Of course, Yoongi, if you agree to this," Namjoon stared, clearly holding in a smile that would reveal his dimples.
"Of course. Lord Park and I know each other very well. It would be my honor," Yoongi managed after gaining his breath, hiding the joy and terror simultaneously leaping through his chest.
He would be forced to be in the presence of Jimin for an entire 6 MONTHS.
At the same time in the presence of who Yoongi was convinced was Lucifer, a conniving, manipulative man whose only goal was to increase his power.
He would face this for Jimin, and only for him.
Jimin turned to hide his blush, Yoongi's quick agreement making his heart happier than it should have.
He would have an ally among enemies.
For once in his life, he did not feel quite so alone.
.............................................
(A/N): Yay!! We are almost to the fun part of the book! I always feel like I suck at the introductory stuff, but the tension is building. I finished the main plot outline for this book and started to work on the Namjin cover and story. I should have a lot of free time this week, so expect more frequent updates. I'm really freakin stoked for this story to continue. Thank you for sticking around.
Much Love,
~KM❤️